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In his April 2026 General Conference address, Elder Thierry K. Mutombo taught that every covenant God invites us to make is motivated by His perfect love. Rather than imposing unnecessary rules, Heavenly Father gives commandments and covenants because He desires something infinitely greater for His children: an eternity of joy in His presence. Through his own experiences of profound grief, Elder Mutombo testifies that covenant discipleship anchors us to Jesus Christ, whose power makes that eternal promise possible.

Some people see religion as a collection of restrictions that prevent people from living freely or finding happiness. Elder Mutombo offers a very different perspective. God’s commandments are not barriers to joy—they are the path that leads to it.

His desire, purpose, and glory are to have us return to Him pure, having proven ourselves worthy of an eternity of joy in His presence.

Common Criticism: Commandments Restrict HappinessMany people assume that religion asks us to sacrifice happiness in exchange for obedience. Commandments can appear limiting, especially when they require us to resist immediate desires, challenge cultural expectations, or trust God through difficult circumstances. From this perspective, God’s laws can seem like arbitrary rules rather than expressions of divine love.

Fallacy at Work: Present Bias

Present Bias is our tendency to prioritize immediate comfort or short-term rewards while undervaluing future blessings.

When we evaluate God’s commandments only by what they require today, we can lose sight of what they are preparing us to become tomorrow. Elder Mutombo reminds us that Heavenly Father always sees beyond today’s sacrifice to the eternal joy He desires for His children.

Doctrine

Throughout scripture, God establishes covenants to bless His children, draw them closer to Him, and prepare them for eternal life (Mosiah 18:8–10; Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). His commandments are not arbitrary tests of loyalty—they are invitations to become more like Jesus Christ. As we faithfully keep the covenants we make at baptism and in the temple, we deepen our relationship with Heavenly Father and receive His promised strength, peace, and guidance.

Elder Mutombo’s Correction

Elder Mutombo illustrates this truth through one of the most heartbreaking experiences imaginable. After losing four children, he and his wife faced another trial when extended family members insisted that cultural tradition required them to separate because of their repeated losses.

In that moment, he remembered the covenants they had made with God.

Nathalie is my eternal companion. We are striving together to build an eternal family, and the Savior is helping us achieve it.

Choosing the covenant path did not immediately erase their grief. It did something even more important—it gave them peace, purpose, and confidence that God’s promises extended beyond mortality. Their experience demonstrates that covenant faithfulness is not about earning God’s love; it is about trusting the God whose love is already perfectly given.

Solution

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that obedience is not an end in itself. God asks us to keep commandments because He knows what kind of people we must become to enjoy eternal life with Him. What may feel like sacrifice today is preparation for everlasting joy tomorrow. Elder Mutombo reminds us that every covenant reflects the loving purposes of a Heavenly Father whose “desire, purpose, and glory” is our eternal happiness.

Living Apologetics: Seeing Commandments Through God’s Eternal PerspectiveOne of the greatest challenges of discipleship is remembering that God sees what we cannot. We naturally focus on today’s inconvenience, unanswered questions, or painful trials. The Lord sees the person we are becoming and the eternal future He is preparing for us.

Elder Mutombo’s testimony invites us to trust God’s perspective even when we do not yet understand His timing.

Practical Apologetic UseIf someone says: “Why would a loving God give so many commandments?”

You can respond: “The restored gospel teaches that God’s commandments are expressions of His love, not His control. He isn’t trying to keep us from happiness—He’s preparing us for the fulness of joy that comes from becoming like Jesus Christ and living with Him forever.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Look beyond today’s inconvenience. The next time a commandment feels difficult, ask yourself what Christ may be helping you become through your obedience.

2️⃣ Remember the end of the story. When discouragement comes, reflect on the Savior’s Resurrection and Elder Mutombo’s reminder that “Sunday will come.”

3️⃣ Review your covenants. Spend a few minutes pondering how your baptismal or temple covenants have brought greater peace and direction into your life.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Mutombo’s message reminds us that God’s vision for our lives extends far beyond mortality. Every commandment, every covenant, and every invitation to follow Jesus Christ flows from a loving Father’s desire to bring His children safely home. Even when discipleship requires sacrifice, we can trust that God never asks us to surrender lasting joy for temporary obedience. Instead, He invites us to exchange temporary comforts for eternal blessings.

This week, try one small step:

Read Mosiah 3:19 and consider how yielding to the Savior changes your heart over time.
Identify one commandment you have come to appreciate more deeply than when you first tried to live it.
Thank Heavenly Father in prayer for one covenant blessing you have experienced, even during difficult seasons.

As Elder Mutombo beautifully reminds us, God’s ultimate desire is not merely our obedience—it is our return to Him, “having proven ourselves worthy of an eternity of joy in His presence.”

When God’s commandments require patience or sacrifice, what helps you remember that His ultimate purpose is not to restrict your happiness but to prepare you for an eternity of joy in His presence?

The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.

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Her Hidden Namesby Autumn Dickson

Esther’s story is one of courage. She is a remarkable woman who was placed in humble circumstances and rose to save her people. In a land that often looked down upon Jews, Esther’s heritage should have prevented her from being able to save her people. And yet, she rose to prominence was guided by the hand of the Lord. Here is one verse that introduces Esther and sets the foundation for what I want to talk about.

Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

In this verse, we learn that Esther’s given Hebrew name was “Hadassah.” In an effort to protect her, her name was changed to “Esther,” a Persian name. Jews were often looked down upon, discredited, and hated. Having a Persian name would have protected Esther from some of the prejudice she would face in court.

There is beautiful significance in the fact that Esther changed her name.

“Hadassah” means “myrtle.” The myrtle was a fragrant, humble evergreen plant often symbolizing righteousness, peace, beauty, or God’s people in biblical imagery. Esther was many of these things, and she rose to represent all of her people. The name “Esther” was also significant. Its Persian roots connect it to the word “star” which she certainly rose to be. Interestingly enough, the name “Esther” also has Hebrew roots, but those Hebrew roots mean “hidden.”

Esther’s names, with their many meanings, all tell her story very well. It also connects her back to Christ.

Esther was placed in a position to save her people. So much of her identity was “hidden” so that she could fulfill her role to save her people. Had her true identity been known, she may have been barred from being queen due to prejudice.

In the Old Testament, Christ is known as Jehovah, a latinized version of “YHWH.” This means, “I am.” It is a powerful statement of our Creator. It emphasizes self-existence, sovereignty, and eternal nature. When He comes to the earth, His name is revealed to Mary as “Jesus.” Jesus is the English version of Yeshua, which is a shortened version of Yehoshua. Yehoshua means “YHWH saves.”

When Christ came to earth, He did so quietly. Much of His identity was hidden. It was so hidden that the people in Nazareth, who knew Him while He was growing up, rejected Him thoroughly. They were angry when He claimed divine authority and purpose, and they tried to kill Him. If He had come in all of His glory, would things have been different? How would they have felt about Him then?

If He had come in all of His glory, He might not have been rejected and put in a position to save us.

On a broader note than Nazareth, many of the Jews didn’t recognize Him. They were looking for a powerful rebel who would throw off the Roman empire. They did not understand that Jesus was coming to save them in a more important way. Because He didn’t come in all of the glory that was due to Him, He was betrayed and rejected.

And though He didn’t deserve it, we needed it. We needed His true identity to be rejected so that He would be able to fulfill His atonement on our behalf. His “hidden” identity placed Him in a position to save the entirety of the human family.

Let’s take it a step further.

Esther’s hidden identity placed her in a position to save her people, but it wasn’t just her hidden identity. It was also her humility. Because of her docile and peaceful nature, the king really liked her. When she entered the throne room, the king extended his scepter towards her, sparing her life. Even after being spared, her humility continued. Rather than making a big fuss in the middle of court, she invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet, her request on behalf of her people was not widely viewed.

This likewise ties her to Christ.

When Christ saved the world, He did it quietly and without fanfare. As He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He may have had an audience on the other side of the veil, but they were likewise hidden. His only companions fell asleep, and Christ accomplished His mission humbly. When it was all over, His success remained quiet as He was betrayed and taken to die. Not even His apostles seemed to understand just what He accomplished in that garden.

Both Esther and Christ had identities that were hidden that placed them in a position to save. Both Esther and Christ did so quietly and humbly, and this likewise enabled them to fulfill their missions.

What does this mean for us?

Each of us has a mission given to us by the Lord. We made promises before we came here. The Lord can place us in the position we need to be in to set us up for our mission. Regardless of whether we are born as an exiled, lowly orphan or born in a stable, He has the power to place us exactly where we need to be. Though it is counterintuitive, sometimes it is the very humble circumstances we are given that enables us to fulfill our own personal missions. Christ utilized kings like Cyrus and Hezekiah to save His people, but He also used those in the humblest circumstances to save His people. None of your circumstances matter; those are easy enough for the Lord to manipulate. What truly matters is whether you’re following the Savior.

Your mission may be quiet and humble, but if that is the case, then you are in good company. We don’t have to go over a loudspeaker to save His people. It doesn’t have to look outwardly dramatic. It doesn’t have to be filmed or livestreamed or hold a huge audience. We simply have to be willing to follow the Savior, and He will lead us to do good.

I testify that we can learn about Christ when we study the scriptures. I testify that everything was set up perfectly for Him to save us, not just with the alignment of circumstances in the New Testament, but also in your own personal life. There is a Plan of Salvation at large, and it has been successfully won. There is also a Plan of Salvation for you, and through the power of God, the circumstances can align for Him to save you too. We can trust Him.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

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Mordecai as a Type of Heavenly Fatherby Autumn Dickson

The book of Esther is generally well-known. A Jewish orphan finds herself in the harem of the king, and she becomes queen after winning his favor. A plot against the Jews unfolds, and all of them are going to be destroyed. At the peril of her life, she stands before the king and invites him to the banquet to plead on behalf of her people.

It is very easy to see how Esther is a type of Christ. She intercedes on behalf of her people. She is willing to die in order to do it. She delivers the Jews from death; she gives them a fighting chance. She “rises” on the third day of fasting to go to the king on behalf of delivering her people. There are many parallels that we could talk about.

But after pondering on the fact that Esther is a type of Christ, it occurred to me that Mordecai is a type of Heavenly Father. It’s not a perfect parallel, but there are two details that point to Mordecai being a type of the Father.

Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Esther was an orphan, and Mordecai raised her. He loved her. After Esther was taken by Persian soldiers, he walks in front of harem court to check on her everyday. In all the important ways, he was her father.

And then, of course, there was this parallel.

Mordecai asks Esther to intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. She responds that it might kill her. He responds with this verse.

Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Mordecai warns that deliverance will come from elsewhere, but that she might not escape in the king’s court. He encourages her to risk herself, and we get his famous line that suggests she had been placed in a very specific place where she was capable of saving the kingdom.

I love this little parallel too. Christ likewise asked for the cup to be passed by Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He willingly took it when it was presented before Him.

But it’s actually Mordecai that I want to talk about.

As Latter-day Saints, we believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are two separate Beings. If it is true, then this is actually a very important theology. Combining them into one Personage, completely eliminates the sacrifice of the Father. There is great love in sacrificing yourself; there is also immense love in allowing your loved one to be sacrificed.

But unlike with Esther, where deliverance would have risen from elsewhere, there was no one else to save us but Christ.

Heavenly Father could have stopped the atonement of Jesus Christ because of His great love for His Son, but He didn’t. He allowed Him to be sacrificed. This is no small thing, and we can’t afford to look over Heavenly Father’s sacrifice.

Mordecai understood what it meant to sacrifice a child. Despite the fact that he had likely been moved upon by the spirit to help him see that Esther had been set up to save her people, I can’t imagine that there weren’t nagging little feelings. Did Mordecai ever think, “What if I ask her to do this and I’m simply sending her to her death for nothing? What if the Lord has a different means of deliverance but Esther is simply killed because I asked her to approach the king? What if her death is my fault?”

Obviously, Heavenly Father knew what the sacrifice of Christ was really going to entail. However, Mordecai’s experience of worrying over Esther helped him get a better taste of what Heavenly Father experienced as He watched His Son suffer.

I’ve never been asked to sacrifice a child on behalf of the world or even a nation (or at all). Because I’ve never been asked to sacrifice in this manner, I can only imagine what Heavenly Father felt when He allowed the Savior to take on the sins and pains of the rest of us. Mordecai has a better understanding of what Heavenly Father went through.

Esther was separated from her family and taken into the Persian court, a place of danger and intrigue. When Mordecai asked her to go walk into that court and face death, he was asking her to do it alone. Her handmaidens fast with her, but when she truly goes in to face her death, there is no mention of anyone standing with her.

Heavenly Father likewise had to completely withdraw from His Son in order to complete the atonement. Christ had to understand what it meant to be truly rejected by God in order to fulfil the atonement completely. Not only did Heavenly Father have to ask the Savior to suffer what He did, Heavenly Father had to leave His Son to do it alone.

We cannot overlook what Heavenly Father did for us without robbing ourselves of the chance to be grateful. We cannot combine them into one Personage without running the risk of completely disregarding the sacrifice of our Heavenly Father. The story of the atonement of Jesus Christ is a story of sacrifice. Christ willingly laid Himself upon the altar, but there is One who loved Christ who also allowed it to happen.

And honestly, I rather lay down on the altar than ask my child to do it. But in the case of Heavenly Father, He couldn’t. He simply had to let Christ do it.

The atonement of Jesus Christ preaches great love in the form of self-sacrifice. It preaches love in the form of watching a loved one suffer. Is there any greater love than that?

I testify that Christ loves us and volunteered to do what He did. I testify that when Heavenly Father asked who He could send down to the earth to perform the atonement, He knew that only Christ could do so. Christ 100% volunteered, but Heavenly Father knew what He was asking for. I testify that Heavenly Father loved us enough to ask His perfect Son to do that. Between the two of Them, I can think of no greater love that has been offered to us.

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Covenants, Gospel, and Protectionby Autumn Dickson

In the readings this week, we find three changes for the Jews under the kings in Persia. There were three men who helped with these changes.

First, we have Zerubbabel, a Jewish governor who worked tirelessly to build the temple.

Ezra 5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

Then we have Ezra who taught the people the Law of Moses.

Nehemiah 8:2-3

2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

And lastly, we have Nehemiah who rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 2:17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

I want to talk about these three elements of the Jews returning to their homeland and why it’s so relevant to the Lord working with us in our day.

The three elements are this: covenants, gospel, and protection.

When the Lord is seeking to build us and sanctify us and bring us to Him, those are the three elements He uses.

It starts with the covenants. Covenants are promises to and from the Lord. They bind us to Him in significant ways and offer us protection. It gives us access to Christ’s power. When I think of a covenant with Christ, I always think of it in terms of marriage covenants. Christ often uses the allusion of marriage to describe His relationship with us as well.

When two people get married, they make promises to each other. They’re going to stand by each other even in imperfection and trial. Traditionally, their finances also merge. Whatever debt or surplus they bring is combined. When we enter into a covenant with Christ, we promise to stand by Him, and He promises to stand by us even in imperfection and trial. Our “finances” merge with His. All of our debt is erased by His infinite surplus but beyond that, we have constant access to that surplus to call upon in times of need or want.

This is the first step. We cannot be saved without Christ. We need to be bound to Him in a way that enables Him to save us. Hence, covenants. Hence, Zerubbabel and the temple.

The next portion of rebuilding Jerusalem was the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses is often described as the “preparatory gospel.” It helped the people start to figure out Christ and what He meant in their lives. All of the rituals and remembrances were put in place to help them better understand Christ’s role.

In our day, the Law of Moses is fulfilled and we have the gospel. The gospel, with all of its truth, is taught to us regularly so we can understand Christ in our lives. What good is being bound to Christ if we don’t know the point of Him? What good will a covenant do me if I don’t know that my sins are paid for and I don’t know that I can draw upon His strength and peace and power? We need the covenant, but we also need the information that enables us to draw upon Christ and take effect in our life.

The last portion of rebuilding Jerusalem was the wall. City walls were tremendously important. When the walls of Jericho fell, the Israelites were able to immediately take the city. The walls around Jerusalem offered protection from enemies who would want to hurt what was inside of the city.

It would be easy to put “protection” under the umbrella of covenants and gospel learning, and it would likewise be accurate to do so. Covenants protect us; covenants are our promises that allow us to call upon Christ in need. That is definitely protection. Gospel learning protects us; understanding our Savior and His love and power keeps us close to Him where we can remain safe.

But I want to separate the wall from the temple and Law of Moses readings in order to highlight specific portions of protection.

Joseph Smith taught the following regarding the gospel:

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.

The gospel (Ezra and the Law of Moses equivalent) is that the apostles and prophets testify of Christ and His mission; everything else is an appendage. The church is an appendage, an important and beautiful appendage, but it is separate. This is what I’m thinking of when I picture the wall around Jerusalem.

There are additions to the covenants and gospel that protect us. For example, commandments protect us. The Word of Wisdom protects us from all of the terrible things that can happen when you don’t have complete control over your body. The spirit of revelation protects us by warning us about certain situations or leading us towards where we need to be. There are a ton of different church programs that put us in safe and holy places to protect us.

City walls were not foolproof. Christ could make our “walls” foolproof, but part of mortality was opposition. Sometimes we leave the walls and find ourselves in trouble. Sometimes the trouble finds us even when we stay behind the walls. However, city walls still provide more protection than we would otherwise have. Not to mention, when an enemy breaches the gate, we still have complete access to our temple covenants and gospel knowledge and that heals us. The opposition hopefully pushes us closer to Christ so that no lasting damage can be done.

The stories we find in Ezra and Nehemiah have these overarching themes that point our minds back to Christ and what’s important to Him. We see His patterns. We see what He utilizes when He’s trying to build us and sanctify us: covenants, the gospel, and spiritual protective barriers.

I testify that the scriptures contain beautiful messages that teach us about God’s plans and purposes for us. I testify that Christ offers Himself to us by giving us covenants, knowledge concerning His gospel, and specific protections that build a barrier between us and our enemies. I testify that Heavenly Father thought of everything when He came up with His plan, and I testify that He is purposeful in preparing us to come home.

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Come Unto Christ—Together,” Elder Taniela B. Wakolo taught that God’s plan of salvation is ultimately about bringing His children to Christ and uniting families eternally. Drawing from scripture and personal experiences, he reminded listeners that the Lord works patiently with individuals and families, honoring agency while inviting all to receive the blessings of the gospel.

One criticism frequently raised about Latter-day Saint teachings is that temple ordinances and eternal family doctrine create division between believing and non-believing family members. Elder Wakolo’s message offers a different perspective: the gospel is not intended to separate families but to help unite them through Christ.

The temple stands as a symbol of hope, not pressure. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a wedge to divide families but a bridge to unite them eternally.

Common Criticism: Eternal Family Teachings Divide Families

Some critics argue that teachings about temple marriage and eternal families create painful distinctions between family members who hold different beliefs. They see the doctrine as exclusionary and assume it places institutional loyalty above family relationships.

Fallacy at Work: False Dilemma

False Dilemma is the tendency to assume there are only two options when reality is more complex.

In this case, critics often assume a person must choose between loyalty to family and loyalty to faith. The gospel, however, teaches that discipleship and family devotion are not competing commitments. God’s plan is designed to strengthen both.

Doctrine: God’s Plan Centers on Eternal Families

When Moses asked God why He created the earth and its inhabitants, the Lord answered that His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Elder Wakolo connected this purpose directly to the doctrine of eternal families, teaching that through Jesus Christ all people are invited to receive eternal life and dwell in God’s presence as families.

This doctrine is rooted in scripture and reinforced through temple ordinances. Latter-day Saints believe that family relationships are not merely temporary arrangements for mortality but can continue beyond death through sacred covenants made with God.

Elder Wakolo’s Correction: Love, Patience, and Agency

Rather than portraying the gospel as something that divides, Elder Wakolo repeatedly emphasized patience, respect for agency, and Christlike love. The stories he shared—from New Zealand, Australia, Utah, and Fiji—demonstrated that conversion cannot be forced and that family unity often grows through years of faithful example rather than persuasion.

One of the most powerful themes in the talk is that God works according to His timing.

“The Lord honors patient faith. And it is never too late for miracles.”

Throughout these stories, believing spouses did not pressure, manipulate, or withdraw from loved ones. Instead, they loved, served, prayed, and trusted God. Their discipleship became a bridge rather than a barrier.

Solution

The criticism misunderstands the purpose of eternal family doctrine. The doctrine does not teach that some family members are more valuable than others or that relationships should be sacrificed for religious conformity. Instead, it teaches that God’s ultimate desire is to unite His children through Jesus Christ.

When viewed through the lens of Christlike love, the doctrine becomes an invitation rather than a threat. The gospel calls disciples to be patient, faithful, and hopeful while respecting the agency of every individual.

Living Apologetics: Building Bridges Through Faith

Many Church members have loved ones who do not share their beliefs. Elder Wakolo’s message provides a practical framework for navigating those situations.

Faithfulness does not require pressure. Testimony does not require arguments. Often the strongest witness comes through consistent love, service, and patience.

Practical Apologetic Use

If someone says: “Doesn’t your belief in eternal families create division between family members?”

You can respond: “Actually, the doctrine exists because God wants families to remain together forever. While individuals exercise their agency, the gospel encourages patience, respect, and Christlike love rather than pressure. The goal is unity in Christ, not division.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣Choose patience over pressure. Trust that God is working in the lives of those you love, even when you cannot see it.

2️⃣Respect agency. Remember that genuine conversion is personal and cannot be forced.

3️⃣Build bridges of love. Look for simple ways to strengthen relationships with family members regardless of where they are on their faith journey.

Keep This Talk With You

Elder Wakolo’s message reminds us that God’s work is deeply personal. He knows every waiting spouse, every praying parent, every hopeful child, and every family carrying unanswered questions. His timing may not always match our expectations, but His promises remain sure.

The temptation is to measure success by immediate results. The gospel invites us to measure success by faithfulness. As we follow Christ’s example of patience, gentleness, and love, we become instruments in His work of gathering and uniting God’s children.

This week, try one small step:

Reach out to a family member or friend whose beliefs differ from your own and focus on strengthening the relationship rather than winning an argument.
Pray specifically for greater patience in God’s timing.
Look for one way to help ensure that, as Elder Wakolo taught, “no one sits alone.”

What relationship in your life could be strengthened this week if you focused less on changing someone and more on loving them the way Christ does?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Keys, Covenants, and Easter,” Elder Quentin L. Cook connected the Savior’s Resurrection with one of the most significant events of the Restoration: the appearance of Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple. Elder Cook taught that the priesthood keys restored there are central to God’s plan to unite His children and families eternally.

But some people wonder why priesthood keys and temple sealing ordinances matter at all. Aren’t they simply later additions to Christianity? Elder Cook’s message offers a powerful answer: these restored keys are not peripheral doctrines—they are part of the Savior’s work to bring God’s children back into His presence.

The keys committed by ancient prophets to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple are an essential part of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Common Criticism: Priesthood Keys and Temple Sealings Aren’t NecessaryMany Christians believe faith in Christ alone is sufficient and see priesthood keys, temple ordinances, and eternal family sealings as unnecessary additions to the gospel. Others view temple work as an elaborate system built upon speculative interpretations of scripture.

Fallacy at Work: PresentismPresentism is the tendency to judge past beliefs and practices solely through modern assumptions while overlooking their historical and scriptural context.

In this case, critics often assume that priesthood authority and covenant ordinances are later inventions because they are unfamiliar today. Yet this overlooks the biblical pattern of divine authority, priesthood keys, and prophetic restoration that stretches from Moses and Elijah through Christ’s ministry and into the Restoration.

Doctrine:Priesthood keys are the authority God gives to direct His work on earth. Jesus spoke of these keys when He promised Peter the power to “bind on earth” and “bind in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Through Elijah’s return, the sealing power was restored so sacred ordinances and family relationships could endure beyond death.

Elder Cook explained that Elijah restored “the priesthood keys pertaining to the sealing power to bind sacred ordinances and covenants on earth and in heaven.” These ordinances make possible the eternal union of husbands, wives, parents, and children. Without these keys, he taught, there would be “no eternal families.”

Elder Cook’s CorrectionElder Cook reframes the discussion by showing that sealing keys are not primarily about temples or procedures—they are about God’s plan to save and unite His children.

He pointed to the prophecy delivered through Moroni: “If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”

The Restoration provides an answer to questions many believers have wrestled with for centuries: How are families connected in eternity? What role do ordinances play in God’s plan? Why did ancient prophets repeatedly speak of Elijah’s return?

SolutionRather than seeing temple sealings as additions to Christianity, Elder Cook invites us to see them as restorations of truths and authority that God promised would return before the Second Coming.

The gospel is not only about individual salvation. It is about creating an eternal covenant family through Jesus Christ. Priesthood keys make those covenants possible.

Living Apologetics: Seeing Temple Covenants Through the Lens of ChristA common misconception is that temple work focuses more on ordinances than on the Savior.

Elder Cook’s message teaches the opposite. The purpose of priesthood keys is to connect us more fully to Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The restored sealing power allows the blessings of Christ’s sacrifice to extend across generations.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “I don’t understand why temples and sealings are necessary.”

You can respond: “Latter-day Saints believe Christ restores authority whenever He restores His gospel. Temple sealings aren’t about adding requirements—they’re about making possible the eternal family relationships God has promised through His covenant plan.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Study Elijah’s mission. Read Doctrine and Covenants 2 and Doctrine and Covenants 110 to better understand why Elijah’s return matters.

2️⃣ Strengthen family connections. Reach out to an ancestor, relative, or family member and learn more about their story.

3️⃣ Focus on Christ in temple worship. When attending the temple, consciously look for ways every ordinance points back to the Savior and His Atonement.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Cook’s Easter message reminds us that the Restoration is ultimately about Jesus Christ. The same Savior who conquered death also restored the authority needed to unite families eternally. His Resurrection gives us hope beyond the grave, and His restored priesthood keys give shape and purpose to that hope.

The world often treats family relationships as temporary and fragile. The restored gospel offers a different vision: through Christ, covenant relationships can endure forever. The sealing power restored by Elijah is not merely a historical event to admire—it is a living reality that continues to bless families today.

This week, try one small step:

Read the account of Elijah’s appearance in Doctrine and Covenants 110.
Spend time learning about one ancestor or family story.
Pray for greater appreciation of the Savior’s role in both your personal salvation and your family’s eternal future.

As Elder Cook promised, as we adhere to Christ’s ordinances, covenants, and commandments, we grow closer to Him and gain greater gratitude for the blessings restored in this dispensation.

How can you draw closer to Jesus Christ this week by strengthening your connection to the covenants and family relationships He has made possible through His restored gospel?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Eternal Marriage Is an Eternal Journey,” Neil L. Andersen teaches that eternal marriage is not simply a sacred moment at the altar; it is a lifelong and eternal process of becoming more like Jesus Christ.

While the wedding day is filled with hope and promise, the reality of marriage raises an important question: What sustains a relationship not just for a lifetime, but for eternity?

“Our eternal marriage is not a short-term experiment but a journey, an eternal journey of becoming who God desires us to become.”

Common Criticism: “If marriage is right, it shouldn’t be so hard.”In a world where confidence in lasting marriage is declining, some assume that difficulty in a relationship is a sign that something is fundamentally wrong.

Fallacy at Work: Effort Equals FailureThis belief assumes strong relationships should feel easy, struggle indicates incompatibility, and lasting commitment should not require ongoing effort.

Doctrine: Marriage Is a Refining Covenant JourneyElder Andersen teaches that eternal marriage is designed to refine us, not simply fulfill us.

Within this covenant relationship, we develop Christlike attributes: sacrifice, charity, patience, and peacemaking.

Marriage becomes a spiritual crucible—a place where we are shaped over time.

Elder Andersen’s CorrectionElder Andersen reframes marriage as a process of becoming, not just a state of happiness.

Even with preparation, weaknesses remain. Growth is required; repentance and forgiveness are essential.

Difficulty is not a sign of failure. It is part of the design.

SolutionWhen we see marriage as an eternal journey, we stop expecting perfection and start embracing growth.

Living Apologetics: Growing Together Over TimeElder Andersen shares powerful real-life examples of couples who faced mental health challenges, physical illness, and unexpected hardship.

Yet through it all, they chose to stay faithful, serve each other, and trust in their covenants.

Their strength did not come from ease. It came from faith in Jesus Christ, reliance on the Holy Ghost, and commitment to each other.

“Keep your hope in each other and in Jesus Christ.”

Marriage is strengthened not by avoiding difficulty, but by facing it together with faith.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Marriage shouldn’t be this hard.”You can respond: “Elder Andersen teaches that marriage is meant to refine us. The challenges are part of what helps us grow into who God wants us to become.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Choose patience in a moment where it doesn’t come naturally.2️⃣ Strengthen your relationship through a simple act of service or kindness.3️⃣ Turn to the Holy Ghost for guidance in your relationships.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Andersen reminds us that eternal marriage is not sustained by human strength alone. It is sustained by Jesus Christ.

Through Him, couples can endure hardship. Grow in love. Stay true to their covenants.

This week:

Be patient. Growth takes time.
Be faithful. Keep your covenants central.
Rely on Christ. He strengthens what we cannot sustain alone.

In doing so, struggles become refining, weakness becomes strengths, and relationships become deeper and more enduring.

We begin to understand what God intended all along: Marriage is not just about staying together. It is about becoming something eternal, together.

How can I more intentionally grow—not just endure—in my most important relationships?

The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.

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Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.

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In his April 2026 General Conference address,“’Tis Eastertide: No One Walks Alone,” Gerrit W. Gong teaches that the resurrected Savior does not leave us to walk life’s roads alone—even when we may not recognize His presence.

Drawing on the disciples’ journey to Emmaus, he invites us to see our own lives in that sacred pattern.

Though we did not recognize Him before, He has been walking with us all along.

But that raises a quiet question: If Christ is already walking with us, why do we sometimes feel alone?

Common Criticism: “If God were really with me, I wouldn’t feel so alone.”Many experience moments of loneliness, confusion, or distance from God. In those moments, it can feel as though heaven is silent and Christ is absent.

Fallacy at Work: Felt Absence = Actual AbsenceThis belief assumes that if we don’t feel God’s presence, He must not be there.

It equates emotional experience with reality, or perception with truth.

Doctrine: Christ Walks with Us, Even When UnrecognizedElder Gong teaches that the Savior’s presence is not dependent on our immediate awareness.

On the road to Emmaus, Christ walked with, taught, and comforted His disciples. Yet they did not recognize Him at first.

Similarly, in our lives:

He speaks through scripture
He is present in covenants and ordinances
He sends the Holy Ghost as a Comforter

“As we walk by faith with Him… we come to know He lives.”

Elder Gong’s CorrectionElder Gong reframes loneliness through covenant relationship.

Christ promises not only to visit, but to abide with us through the Holy Ghost, His own presence, and covenant connection.

We are not abandoned.

We are accompanied.

SolutionWhen we learn to recognize Christ’s presence, we begin to see that we have never truly walked alone.

Living Apologetics: Walking with Christ—and Each OtherElder Gong’s message doesn’t stop with recognizing Christ walking with us.

It extends outward:

“If you see someone walking alone and sad, will you please walk with them?”

This is the pattern: Christ walks with us and we walk with others.

In a world where many feel unseen, burdened, or alone, we are invited to become part of the answer. Walking with someone may look like sitting beside them. Listening without fixing. Or offering quiet companionship.

Often, the most Christlike thing we can do is simply not let someone walk alone.

Practical Apologetic Use * If someone says: “I feel like I’m completely alone.” * You can respond: “Elder Gong teaches that Christ often walks with us even when we don’t recognize Him—and He invites us to walk with each other so no one has to feel alone.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Look for someone who may be feeling alone and spend time with them.2️⃣ Be more aware of how Christ may already be present in your life.3️⃣ Slow down and listen when someone shares a burden.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Gong reminds us that Easter is not only about the empty tomb.

It is about the living Christ who still walks beside His disciples. Even on dusty, uncertain roads. Even when we do not recognize Him.

This week:

Look for Him. Notice how Christ may already be present in your life.
Trust His presence. Even when you don’t feel it.
Walk with others. Be the companion someone else needs.

As we do, we will notice loneliness soften as connection grows and faith deepens.

And we begin to see more clearly what has always been true: we were never meant to walk alone.

And through Jesus Christ we never do.

Who is someone I can walk with this week? And how can I better recognize Christ walking with me?

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David Fought Goliath Without Armorby Autumn Dickson

In 1 Samuel 17, we read about one of the most famous stories in the Old Testament: David and Goliath. It’s an incredible story of faith that can teach us a lot about following Christ. The fact that David saved the Israelites was a big deal, but how he defeated Goliath is likewise significant. Let’s talk about a couple of those “hows.”

Goliath taunts the Israelites for 40 days. David comes forward and offers to battle Goliath. Saul agrees, and he even puts his own armor on David. It doesn’t go well…

1 Samuel 17:39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

David tried on the armor and “assayed” to go. In other words, David had a hard time moving. David hasn’t “proved” the armor, or in other words, David has never trained with it. He doesn’t know how to fight like a soldier, only like a shepherd. So David takes his shepherd weapons, forgoes the armor, and goes on to defeat Goliath.

Let’s talk about how David defeated Goliath and what it teaches us.

Detail 1. He went up with nothing but faith in God; the armor specifically hindered him.

A couple posts ago, we talked about how Israel came to Samuel and wanted a king. One of the direct messages we pulled from that story was the fact that the Israelites were rejecting God by wanting a king. They had a King; they wanted a different king.

In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites specifically requested a king because they wanted someone to go out before them in battle. Like other nations, they wanted a physical defender in front of them when they were at war. This is significant.

So now we’ve found ourselves in 1 Samuel 17, and the Israelites are facing the giant Philistines. Goliath goes out and taunts the Israelites for 40 days. And where is Saul? Definitely not out in front of the Israelites.

Samuel gave the Israelites their king, King Saul, and then what do you know…Saul doesn’t go out before them. No one saw that coming. Shocking, right?

When we originally read this story, it would be easy to think David was being an arrogant punk by refusing the armor. Earlier on in the chapter, Eliab (David’s oldest brother) gets annoyed with David and accuses him of pride. But this isn’t about pride (even if David possessed some of that). This is about the fact that once again, the Lord was saying, “Hey Israel! I will go before you, not some mortal king!”

David didn’t just outright refuse the armor. He put it on, and it weighed him down. David was better off without man’s attempts to fight off Israel’s enemies.

The principle is NOT this: Don’t use anything manmade or you’re faithless. Refuse medicine. Refuse gear. The Lord will protect you if you have enough faith.

That is not the principle here. Sometimes having faith is understanding that the Lord inspired man to build tools.

However, for THIS specific example, it is important that David went without armor that weighed him down. The fact that David went without armor in this specific scenario can teach us the true principle: relying on man over God hurts us. It doesn’t help us. This is not every scenario. This is a very specific scenario in which the Lord was very clearly telling the Israelites that He was their King and Defender. The Lord didn’t want any confusion about why David won against Goliath. This detail is poignant with the backdrop of the Israelites rejecting God and choosing Saul. They didn’t want God’s protection; they wanted man’s. David and his lack of armor was God’s response.

Using tools is not wrong, but relying on tools over God is wrong. The armor in this story represents the same thing King Saul represented: insufficient protection from man. King Saul did not help the Israelites. The refused armor would have prevented David from defeating Goliath.

Detail 2. David showed up after Goliath had taunted the Israelites for 40 days.

So maybe the fact that David showed up after 40 days doesn’t necessarily seem like one of the “hows” of David defeating Goliath, but in my unqualified opinion, it is.

Gospel according to Autumn teaches this: If David had come sooner, he wouldn’t have been able to defeat Goliath because the Israelites wouldn’t have let him battle Goliath at all.

The number “40” is significant. It is used to describe a period of testing and trial. Christ fasted for forty days. It rained and flooded the earth for forty days. The Israelites wandered the wilderness for forty years.

Did Goliath truly taunt them for 40 days exactly or was this the Lord’s way of describing a full cycle of testing for the Israelites? Does the 40 really mean 40 or does it teach us that the Israelites had finally reached a point of desperation and were willing to utilize a young boy to fight Goliath?

Regardless of whether it was exactly 40 days of taunting, the lesson for us is clear: the Lord allows us to go through a period of testing until we finally reach the point where we are willing to rely on Him alone.

Have you ever reached that point in a trial where you’re like, “Hey Lord, if you could show up right now, I would really appreciate it! I’m dying down here!” And then He waits even longer before showing up? Perhaps it’s not forty days for forty months or forty years. Maybe it’s just the right amount of time for your testing period. Maybe it’s the right amount of days for us to finally reach a point where we are ready to rely on Christ alone and then recognize His hand when we come out on the other side.

That second part is just as important. If the Lord doesn’t allow us to wait for the full period, we might attribute our success to something else like our own fortitude. Allowing us to wait until we feel really lost serves the unique purpose of forcing us to realize that He was the only thing that could have saved us.

Would the Israelites have let David try his hand against Goliath if they hadn’t waited their full “forty” days? Honestly, I have no idea. What I do know is this: They got desperate enough to let him try and when he succeeded, all heaven broke loose and they cheered and ran against the Philistines at the same time. Their faith had been bolstered, and for a small moment, they recognized who was standing at their side.

I testify of a Lord who teaches us about Him in incredible detail in these stories. I testify that we start to see patterns as we study these details in the scriptures. More and more and more layers come out and teach us and refine us and help us invite Christ into our lives more fully. I’m so grateful the Lord has taken me on this journey to teach me these lessons in the scriptures. I testify that Come Follow Me can change your life if you use it, and I testify that Come Follow Me can change your life because it can teach you about Christ.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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In her April 2026 General Conference address, “Here Am I, Send Me,” Susan H. Porter teaches that discipleship begins with a simple but powerful choice: to offer ourselves to God and be willing to act.

From the premortal world, where Jesus Christ said, “Here am I, send me,” to our daily lives now, that same invitation continues.

Heavenly Father can provide miracles when you simply offer what you have.

But that raises an important question: Do small efforts really make a meaningful difference?

Common Criticism: “What I have to offer isn’t enough.”Many feel that their abilities, time, or influence are too limited to make a real impact. They may believe that meaningful change requires more talent, more resources, or more experience.

Fallacy at Work: Insufficient OfferingThis belief assumes that outcomes depend primarily on what we can produce. It suggests small efforts don’t matter and only large contributions make a difference. That limited resources limit results.

Doctrine: God Magnifies Small and Simple OfferingsPresident Porter teaches that God does not require perfection or abundance—He asks for willingness.

She points to the young boy who offered five loaves and two fishes. Though it seemed insufficient, the Savior used it to feed thousands.

The principle is clear: we offer what we have and God provides the increase.

When you say, ‘Here am I, send me,’ Heavenly Father can take something small and simple and make it great!

President Porter’s CorrectionPresident Porter reframes discipleship as participation, not perfection.

God is not waiting for us to become more capable before He can use us. He is waiting for us to be willing now.

SolutionWhen we stop focusing on what we lack and start offering what we have, we allow God to work through us.

Living Apologetics: Offering What You HaveIn everyday life, opportunities to serve often feel small: a kind word, simple act of help, or a quiet moment of encouragement. It can be tempting to dismiss these as insignificant.

But President Porter teaches that these are exactly the kinds of offerings God uses.

We don’t need to solve every problem, have all the answers, or do something extraordinary. We simply need to show up and offer what we have. Then God can multiply the impact to reach more people and create outcomes we could not achieve alone.

Practical Apologetic Use * If someone says: “I don’t have much to offer.” * You can respond: “President Porter teaches that God can take something small and make it great. What matters is being willing to offer it.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Act on one prompting to help someone, even if it feels small.2️⃣ Offer your time or attention to someone who needs it.3️⃣ Pray each morning, “Here am I, send me,” and follow impressions.

Keep This Talk With YouPresident Porter reminds us that discipleship doesn’t begin with ability. It begins with availability.

The Savior said, “Here am I, send me.” And we are invited to say the same.

This week:

Be willing. Offer yourself to God each day.
Act simply. Trust that small efforts matter.
Let God magnify. He can do more than we can see.

As we do, we begin to see that God was never asking for more than we had. He was simply asking us to say, “Here am I.”

What is one small thing I can offer today and trust God to magnify?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Love All; Love Each,” Gérald Caussé teaches that the Savior’s love is both infinite in reach and deeply personal in application.

At times, it may feel easier to think of God’s love in broad terms—extended to all humanity. But the gospel invites a more searching question: Do I believe that Christ’s love is meant specifically for me—and for each individual I encounter?

Yet [the atonement] is a remarkably intimate gift, tailored to each individual’s needs and applied to one person at a time.

Common Criticism: “It’s impossible to truly care about everyone on an individual level.”Some may feel that while it’s reasonable to care about humanity in general, it’s unrealistic to meaningfully love individuals beyond a small, familiar circle.

Fallacy at Work: Scalable Love Limitation

This belief assumes that love cannot scale without losing depth. It suggests the more people we include, the less meaningful love becomes. That personal care cannot extend beyond close relationships and individual attention is inherently limited.

Doctrine: The Atonement Is Infinite and Individual

Elder Caussé teaches that the Savior’s Atonement is both:

Infinite in scope (for all)
Intimate in application (for each)

Christ does not save humanity as a distant collective. He ministers one person, one soul, and one need at a time.

The Savior’s pattern shows us that divine love is not diluted by scale. It is perfected in personal attention.

Elder Caussé’s Correction

Elder Caussé invites us to align our love with the Savior’s.

As we serve others, we begin to see beyond surface impressions. We recognize hidden worth and can discover “wonderful depth” in every soul.

Love grows not by narrowing our focus—but by expanding our capacity.

Solution

When we understand the personal nature of the Atonement, we begin to love not just broadly, but intentionally, one person at a time.

Living Apologetics: Loving One by OneIn daily life, it’s easy to move quickly past people: Brief interactions. Surface-level conversations. Missed opportunities to connect.

Elder Caussé teaches that Christlike love slows down.

The Savior, even among crowds, focused on one sheep; one leper; one soul at a time.

That same pattern applies to us.

We may not be able to deeply engage with everyone at once—but we can:
love individuals, one at a time, wherever we are.

Moments of real connection often begin simply. Listening more carefully, noticing someone overlooked, or choosing to care just a little more.

Practical Apologetic Use

If someone says: “You can’t really care about everyone individually.”You can respond: “Elder Caussé teaches that Christ’s Atonement is applied one person at a time. We follow Him by learning to love people the same way—individually.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣ Give your full attention to one person in a conversation today.
2️⃣ Look for someone who may feel unnoticed and reach out to them.
3️⃣ Pause and consider one person’s needs before your own in a moment of interaction.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Caussé reminds us that Christlike love is not abstract. It is personal. It is intentional. It is individual.

The Savior does not love in generalities. He loves one by one.

This week:

Slow down. Make space for meaningful connection.
Notice individuals. Especially those who may feel unseen.
Act with intention. Love in small, personal ways.

As we do, we see more clearly, connect more deeply, and love more like the Savior.

And we begin to understand what it truly means to love as He loves: Not just all. But each.

Who is one person I can more intentionally see, understand, and love today?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Lost Luggage, Redeemed Souls,” Gary E. Stevenson uses the imagery of lost luggage to teach a powerful truth: while items may be misplaced or forgotten, souls are never lost to God.

Each person carries a divine identity and eternal worth, even if they feel distant, forgotten, or off course.

We each possess a tag that marks us as a child of a loving Heavenly Father… never to be forgotten, neglected, or lost.

Common Criticism: “Some people are just too far gone to be helped.”In a world where people drift, struggle, or make serious mistakes, it can be easy to believe that some individuals are beyond recovery—or not worth the effort to reach.

Fallacy at Work: Irredeemable IdentityThis belief assumes that a person’s current condition defines their ultimate value or destiny. It treats individuals as permanently lost, spiritually unreachable, and beyond meaningful change.

Doctrine: Every Soul Has Divine Worth and a Destiny to Be RedeemedElder Stevenson teaches that every individual is marked by a divine identity.

Like a tag on lost luggage, that identity declares we are children of God. We have eternal potential and are meant to return to him.

No matter how far someone seems, their worth does not diminish.

Elder Stevenson’s CorrectionElder Stevenson reframes how we see others.

Instead of viewing people based on current circumstances, we are invited to see them as eternal beings, individuals in process, and souls with a divine destination.

SolutionWhen we understand divine identity, we stop labeling people as lost—and start helping them return.

Living Apologetics: Helping Souls ReturnElder Stevenson teaches that we are not just responsible for ourselves.

We are invited to care for others along the way.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we rise with renewed determination to succor and care for those with whom we come in contact.

This includes:

Encouraging the rising generation
Teaching truth with love
Helping others feel their identity as children of God

It also means trusting that God is actively working in their lives.

Even small efforts matter.

Practical Apologetic UseIf someone says: “Some people just won’t change.”You can respond: “Elder Stevenson teaches that every soul has divine worth and a destiny to be redeemed. No one is truly lost to God.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ See someone not as they are now, but as who they can become.2️⃣ Encourage a young person or someone who may need support.3️⃣ Offer kindness to someone who may feel overlooked or forgotten.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Stevenson reminds us that while luggage may be misplaced, souls are not. Each person carries a divine identity and eternal promise. And each of us has a role to play.

This week:

See divine worth. Look beyond surface-level judgments.
Act with compassion. Small efforts can make a lasting difference.
Help others return. Be part of the Savior’s work of redemption.

As we do, we see more clearly, love more deeply, and serve more intentionally.

And we come to understand a powerful truth: We are not just finding our way home; we are helping others find theirs too.

Who is one person I can see differently and help feel remembered, valued, and not lost?

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What Does it Mean to be a Prophetess?by Autumn Dickson

In a day and age where many are curious as to why women can’t hold specific positions in the church or be ordained to priesthood offices, reading about Deborah the prophetess can be confusing. Here is a verse that describes her as a prophetess.

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

If Deborah can be a prophetess, can we have a prophetess in our day? What does it even mean that she was a prophetess and what are the implications for women in the latter days?

I think it’s important to note that I’m not an official representative of the church. However, I’d like to share some of my own perspectives and interpretations surrounding Deborah and what it means as a female Latter-day Saint.

But first, some context.

Judges is a book of scripture that describes the time period when Israel had no king. Joshua, the prophet after Moses, died, and there was no prophet that directly succeeded him. We don’t know exactly how long it took before the Lord called another centralized prophet (Samuel), but educated guesses suggest 300-450 years.

As a society, they had the Law of Moses, and the government could be described as a tribal confederation. Despite having a law given unto them from God, they often fell in with Canaanites and found themselves in varying levels of apostasy.

Sometimes, in response to the Israelites finding themselves in trouble, the Lord would send a “judge.” The way that we define “judge” is not necessarily accurate in this particular book of scripture. In this context, a judge was a charismatic military leader that would help Israel. There were some major judges such as Samson; there were other minor judges that would help regions rather than the entire nation of Israel.

So who was Deborah?

Deborah was one of the major judges sent by God to help Israel. She was a judge in every sense of the word. She was a military leader, but people also literally went to her for guidance to settle their problems. She was also a spiritual leader over the nation of Israel.

Was she a prophet? The scriptures describe her as a prophetess, and she led all of Israel politically and spiritually. But was she a prophet in the way that we define “prophet” in our day?

At this point, I think it’s important to clarify what it means to have a prophet.

Definition One. The way that we usually define “prophet” in our church in the Latter-days is unique. It’s not just someone who studies the scriptures and knows them really well. It’s not just someone who receives revelation. When Latter-day Saints speak of prophets, we are often describing the man who has the authority to speak for God on behalf of the entire church. He is the only one with spiritual jurisdiction to lead (under Christ) the church. He holds all of the priesthood keys.

And yes, he is a male.

We don’t know if that will ever change. I don’t know if it’s doctrine that means this particular role will always be male, or if someday the Lord will use His unchanging love and wisdom to adapt His church according to circumstances as He has throughout the course of history.

But there is also a broader definition of this term, “prophet.”

Definition two. Anyone can have the spirit of prophecy which is defined as a “testimony of Christ.” We know that Jerusalem had centralized prophets in ancient times as well as lesser “prophets” who would also be sent by the Lord to teach and call upon people to repent. I am not a prophet in the sense that I hold all the priesthood keys or can define doctrine on behalf of the Lord for the entire church. However, I have come to view myself as a prophetess within my own family. Beside my husband, I lead our home. I receive revelation on behalf of our kids and what we need to do. I learn the will of the Lord for our family. I fulfill so many of the “prophetic” responsibilities often associated with prophets; I simply do it within the context of my own family. Most importantly, I am a witness of Christ to my family.

What kind of prophetess was Deborah? With the information we’ve been given, I feel pretty safe assuming she was the second kind of prophet. The Lord had declared that priesthood responsibilities would go through male descendants of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Deborah was not ordained nor did she hold any keys.

So Deborah was a prophetess but not necessarily how we often define it in our day.

Perhaps there are some who are disappointed by this news. Perhaps there are some who hoped that because Deborah was a prophetess, we could have one in our day. Perhaps there are some who cling to the idea that things will change and long for the day to see a prophetess lead the church. I don’t know whether that will be a thing. If anyone has any insight into that particular doctrine, feel free to comment. But as far as I know, we don’t know.

Here’s what I do know.

Deborah doesn’t need to be disappointing. In fact, if we understand her properly, we should be exultant. If we understand what the Lord would like to bestow upon His daughters and His sons, then we would hold no fear. Deborah is excellent proof of what the Lord would have all of us do.

Deborah may not have been a prophetess in the modern sense of the word, but guys! She was still a prophetess! She was a national leader, and people followed her. She changed Israel. She made a difference. She has been regarded with respect by millions who learned about her generation after generation.

And she didn’t need the priesthood keys to do it.

The Lord is wonderful and wise and set up a priesthood organization with offices and keys. I know that can be a painful sticking point for some. I understand that. I’m personally grateful for this organization, but I can simultaneously understand why it’s painful. But that’s not really my point today.

My point is that you have all that you need to become everything God wants you to become, and He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. This has implications for men too. About 3-5% of men will hold priesthood keys at any given time in the church. That number jumps to 10-20% of men who will hold priesthood keys at some point in their lifetime.

BUT YOU DON’T NEED KEYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE WORLD.

No one came to Deborah and ordained her as a prophetess. The bible doesn’t tell us how she rose to that role, but I have my guesses as to how it happened.

It happened because she was a faithful daughter of God who chose to follow the Lord wherever He chose to lead her.

Following the Lord and handing your life over to Him in faith (female or male) does not mean you will be recorded for people to pore over your life story for generations to come. It doesn’t mean you’ll be famous or even particularly loud. But if that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re in the wrong place anyway.

I love the example of Deborah, if for no other reason than her story means that I can be a powerful tool for the Lord regardless of what mankind recognizes in me. Regardless of whatever official roles I’ve been given, I could part seas or change lives. Really what it comes down to is what the Lord wants for me and what He’s trying to teach me. Having enough power to change the world isn’t really the question here; the Lord will give me everything I need. The true question is whether I will give my life over to Him in whatever capacity He asks.

I have as well as I can, and I love my life.

I testify that we have everything we need to do everything the Lord wants us to do and become everything He wants us to become. I likewise testify that He has much more in mind for you than you have for yourself. If you (female or male) feel left out because you can’t be or aren’t a bishop, then hold tight. The Lord has much bigger plans for you. He loves you so much. You are so important to Him. It would be silly to ask more from Him when He already plans on giving you everything that He has.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “He Is Risen,” Ronald A. Rasband teaches that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a peripheral belief—it is the very foundation of our faith and the source of our greatest hope.

In a world where many view the Resurrection as symbolic or distant, an important question emerges: What changes when we truly place Christ’s Resurrection at the center of our belief?

Jesus Christ and His Resurrection are at the very core of the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Common Criticism: “The Resurrection is symbolic, not literal.”Some view the Resurrection as a meaningful story or spiritual metaphor—something that inspires hope, but not something that actually happened in a physical, literal sense.

Fallacy at Work: Symbolic ReductionThis perspective reduces sacred events to symbolism, removing their real-world implications.

If the Resurrection is only symbolic:

Death remains final
Justice remains incomplete
Hope becomes uncertain

Doctrine: The Resurrection Is Literal and FoundationalElder Rasband teaches that Jesus Christ literally rose from the dead, and that this event is central to everything we believe.

His body and spirit were reunited
He was seen, touched, and heard
He appeared to many witnesses

“With His Resurrection, He secured salvation from physical death for us, all of God’s children throughout the ages.”

This truth is not secondary. It is foundational.

Elder Rasband’s CorrectionElder Rasband emphasizes that when the Resurrection is placed at the center of our belief, it reshapes everything:

How we view death
How we understand suffering
How we approach life itself

SolutionWhen we accept the Resurrection as literal and central, it becomes the lens through which we understand both mortality and eternity.

Living Apologetics: Living with Resurrection at the CenterIf the Resurrection is truly at the core of our belief, it should shape how we live.

Elder Rasband’s account of his grandson Paxton illustrates this power. Though his life included deep challenges and eventual loss, the promise of the Resurrection reframed that experience with hope and certainty.

Because I live, ye shall live also.

When Christ’s Resurrection is central:

Loss is not permanent
Imperfection will be made whole
Joy will come again

This doctrine moves from abstract belief to lived reality.

Practical Apologetic Use * If someone says: “The Resurrection is just symbolic.” * You can respond: “Elder Rasband teaches that it’s actually the core of our doctrine. Because it’s real, it changes how we understand life, death, and hope.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Center your thoughts on Christ by reflecting on what His Resurrection means personally.2️⃣ Let hope in the Resurrection influence how you face a current challenge.3️⃣ Look for ways to live and speak as someone who truly believes Christ lives.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Rasband invites us to do more than acknowledge the Resurrection.

He invites us to center our lives on it.

Because it is real.

This week:

Put Christ at the center. Let His Resurrection shape your perspective.
Choose hope. Even in difficulty, remember what is already secured.
Live your testimony. Let your actions reflect your belief.

As we do, fear gives way to peace, grief is softened by hope, and faith becomes steady.

And we begin to understand, more deeply than ever before, the truth that defines everything: He is risen.

What would change in my life if I truly placed Christ’s Resurrection at the center of everything I believe and do?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Come Home,” Clark G. Gilbert teaches that no matter how far we may feel from God, the Savior is actively and personally inviting us to return.

But that invitation raises an important question: If Christ is calling us back, what is our role in actually coming home?

To those who are struggling to come home, know that it is your Savior who’s the one calling you back.

Common Criticism: “If God wants me back, He’ll just bring me back.”Some may believe that if returning to God truly matters, it will happen naturally or automatically—that change will come without much personal effort.

Fallacy at Work: Passive RedemptionThis belief assumes that spiritual change happens to us rather than with us.

It overlooks a central gospel truth: God invites, but we must choose.

Doctrine: Christ Calls, We RespondElder Gilbert teaches that the Savior is the one calling us back—but He does not force our return.

The pattern of the gospel is clear:

Christ invites
We act
He receives

Scripture reinforces this partnership:

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63)
“Return unto me, and I will return unto you” (Malachi 3:7)

The Savior’s role is constant love and invitation.

Our role is to decide to move toward Him.

Elder Gilbert’s CorrectionElder Gilbert emphasizes that coming home is not passive.

It requires:

A decision
A turning of the heart
A willingness to act

Even small steps matter, but they must be chosen.

SolutionThe Savior is already calling. The question is whether we will respond.

Living Apologetics: Choosing to Come HomeIt’s possible to feel the pull toward God and still hesitate.

Waiting until we feel more ready
Waiting until we feel more worthy
Waiting until circumstances are better

Elder Gilbert’s message is clear: The invitation is now. The decision is ours. Coming home doesn’t require a perfect plan. It requires a willing step.

That step might be:

Offering a sincere prayer
Returning to church
Letting go of something that creates distance
Simply deciding: I want to come back

The Savior is already reaching toward us. But we must choose to move toward Him.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “If God wants me back, it’ll just happen.”
You can respond: “Elder Gilbert teaches that Christ is already calling us—but we still have to choose to respond. Coming home starts with a decision.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Make a conscious decision today to move closer to Christ, even in a small way.2️⃣ Act immediately on a prompting that invites you to reconnect with God.3️⃣ Stop waiting for the “right moment” and take one step now.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Gilbert reminds us that coming home is not about waiting—it is about choosing.

The Savior’s invitation is constant.

He calls in moments of strength.
He calls in moments of struggle.
He calls even when we feel far away.

But He does not force the journey.

He invites it.

This week:

Recognize the call. Notice how the Savior is inviting you closer.
Make a decision. Choose to respond, even in a small way.
Take a step. Act on that decision without delay.

As we do, something powerful begins to happen. Distance begins to close, hearts begin to soften, and direction becomes clearer.

We realize that coming home is not something we wait for; it is something we choose.

What step will I choose today to respond to the Savior’s invitation and come closer to Him?

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In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Alive in Christ,” Dallin H. Oaks teaches that belief in the literal Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes not only what we believe about the future, but how we live, love, and relate to others today.

Yet in a world often marked by hostility and division, some may wonder: What does belief in Christ actually change about how we treat one another?

The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life.

Common Criticism: “Religious belief doesn’t really change how people treat others.”Some observe that even those who believe in Christ still experience conflict, division, and harshness in relationships. This can lead to the conclusion that belief alone has little real-world impact.

Fallacy at Work: Belief–Behavior DisconnectThis assumption separates belief from behavior, suggesting that what we believe has little influence on how we act.

But the gospel teaches the opposite: true belief in Christ transforms both perspective and conduct.

Doctrine: The Resurrection Changes How We Live and LovePresident Oaks teaches that belief in the Resurrection is not abstract. It reshapes how we see:

Life and death
Suffering and limitation
Our relationships with others

Because all are children of God with eternal futures, we are commanded to:

Love our neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39)
Love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

This eternal perspective gives meaning to our relationships and calls us to something higher.

President Oaks’s CorrectionPresident Oaks teaches that discipleship requires more than belief. It requires becoming peacemakers.

Even in a world described as “toxic” or hostile, followers of Christ are invited to:

Forgo contention
Use kind and respectful language
Treat even adversaries with love

This is not passive. It is an intentional, Christlike response rooted in eternal truth.

SolutionWhen we truly understand that all people are eternal children of God, belief in Christ begins to change how we treat them.

. . .let us follow [Christ] by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers.

Living Apologetics: Becoming PeacemakersIn daily life, it’s easy to respond to frustration, disagreement, or offense with defensiveness or harshness.

President Oaks invites a different response: Choose to be a peacemaker.

This might look like:

Responding calmly instead of reacting quickly
Speaking with kindness, even in disagreement
Choosing understanding over escalation

He teaches that peacemaking happens in ordinary places:

In families
In friendships
In conversations with those who disagree

Even small choices can reduce contention and increase understanding.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Religion doesn’t really change how people act.” * You can respond:* “President Oaks teaches that belief in Christ should lead us to become peacemakers, choosing love, even toward those who oppose us.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Replace one reactive response today with a calm, thoughtful one.2️⃣ Choose to speak kindly in a conversation where you might normally feel defensive.3️⃣ Look for an opportunity to reduce tension rather than escalate it.

Keep This Talk With YouPresident Oaks reminds us that discipleship is not just about what we believe, but who we become.

Because of the Resurrection, we know that life continues. Relationships matter. Every person we meet is an eternal soul.

That knowledge invites a higher way of living.

This week:

Pause before responding. Choose peace over contention.
See others differently. Remember that every person is a child of God.
Act with Christlike love. Especially when it is difficult.

As we do, something begins to change: contention gives way to understanding. Division gives way to connection. And belief becomes visible in action.

We do not just believe in Christ. We begin to live like Him.

How can I more intentionally act as a peacemaker in my relationships this week?

The post Alive in Christ appeared first on FAIR.

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Still Holding On To Guilt?by Autumn Dickson

This week we’re learning about the sacrifices and rituals of the Israelites in the wilderness. They had a temple that would go with them as they travelled, and there was immense symbolism all throughout this temple. Much of this symbolism was meant to draw the attention of the Israelites towards the atonement of Jesus Christ. It was called a sacrifice, but it was actually a blessing.

One of the detailed rituals that we get to read about occurs on Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. The central ritual on this day involved two identical male goats, both had to be perfectly healthy. Here are some of the details of that ritual.

Leviticus 16:7-8

7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

So the priest would cast lots to see which goat would take which role. The first goat would be killed, and its blood would be collected in a basin. The high priest would take that blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle it upward once and downward seven times. The fat would be burned, and the rest of the goat would be taken outside the camp and burned.

This symbolized the payment of Israel’s sins.

The second goat was the scapegoat. The high priest would lay both hands on the goat and confess all of the intentional and unintentional sins of Israel upon the head of the goat. Essentially, the priest was symbolically transferring the guilt to the goat. A designated man would lead the goat into the remote wilderness and release it.

This symbolized the guilt being removed from the Israelites.

I love that they are separate processes. There are so many layers of symbolism, but one of the layers is something I talk about often:

Christ already paid for the sins; what do we do with this knowledge?

Think about the power of that second goat when it was taken as it was meant to be taken. Imagine being an Israelite and watching these rituals take place. You watch the ritual with the understanding that the Son of God would be sacrificed to pay for your sins, and then you watch another ritual in which your guilt runs off into the wilderness.

I think one of the issues that we have in modern times is believing that the atonement of Jesus Christ occurred but holding on to our own sins anyway. It would be like having an understanding that the Son of God was sacrificed, watching the scapegoat be taken away, and still going home to reflect and beat yourself up over your own sins. The sacrifice of the first goat doesn’t matter if you refuse to let go of the second goat. The fact that the second goat is now out in the wilderness didn’t matter. You have to internalize both parts to receive joy.

The atonement of Jesus Christ was incredible in and of itself. The act of love was immense and singular. Everything hinged on this sacrifice performed by Christ. But Christ didn’t perform the sacrifice just to perform the sacrifice. The atonement of Jesus Christ enabled the Father to remain perfect with His promises, but it was meant for even more than that incredible purpose. It was meant to make us joyful. The atonement of Jesus Christ remains an independent fact of reality, but what we do with that knowledge determines whether it fills the fullness of its purpose in our lives.

If Yom Kippur had only included the first goat, the Israelites could have learned about Christ and His atonement. They could have rejoiced that He paid for their sins, and they could have garnered hope from this sacrifice. But I love that it included the second goat, the scapegoat, because it highlights our need to utilize the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives.

It’s not enough that He performed it; we have to bring that knowledge into our bones so that it changes us in a way that we are joyful. We have to send our guilt away from us. We have to put the weight down. It’s a conscious, voluntary choice.

I think many of us hope the guilt will simply be taken away from us, or at least that’s what I used to think. I believed that if I was truly forgiven, I just wouldn’t feel guilty anymore. The Lord would remove it for me. Interestingly enough, that’s not how it usually works. The Lord is too wise to vanish our guilt away from us.

The process of repentance wouldn’t be nearly as effective in this way. If the Lord simply took away the guilt because it was paid for, we would learn nothing and we certainly wouldn’t attach that redemption to the Son of God. We would just wake up in the morning and not feel guilty anymore. We might not even register the fact that the guilt was gone or we could unconsciously start to believe, “I can do what I want, and I don’t feel bad about it. Maybe it’s not even bad.” There were many times that I wanted the Lord to take the guilt away. I didn’t want to carry it with me and I asked the Lord to take it away, but He was wise enough to wait for me to trust Him enough to set it down on my own.

He waited for me to consciously say, “Christ promised that He took care of this. He promised that He’s strong enough to save me. I’m going to voluntarily step onto that trust and send my guilt away.” This is the most powerful way to repent. It pushes us to recognize the source of our renewed cleanliness as well as the fact that what we did was wrong. Having consequences (including guilt) magically dissipate is unhealthy for our desire to do better.

So the Lord paid for it, and then He waits for us to learn to trust Him so that we send the guilt away of our own accord.

That’s not to say Christ isn’t present for every step of this process. He paid for the sins, and He didn’t abandon me when I asked Him to take the guilt away. He just helped in a different way than making the guilt dissipate. The Israelites didn’t have to individually lead their own scapegoat into the wilderness. There was still a representative who did that for them. The key here is that it needed to mean something to them. They had to trust that their representative would take care of it, and it would truly be gone.

I’m grateful for a Savior who paid for my sins. I’m grateful that He was patient as I learned to trust Him rather than removing the very difficulties that helped me recognize my reality and love Him for it. I’m grateful that I’ve learned to set my sins and mistakes and embarrassments down; the Savior truly is mighty to save. That knowledge gives me hope in every situation I remember Him in.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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The Idols We Don’t Call Idolsby Autumn Dickson

The Israelites were delivered by incredible miracles. The plagues were immense in and of themselves, but the parting of the Red sea was next level. The Lord had freed the Israelites through marvelous power, just as He promised.

A short time later, the people find themselves in the wilderness. Moses is lingering up on the mountain away from everyone, and the Israelites have gotten antsy. They convince Aaron to make them an idol to worship. Aaron tells them to bring their earrings, he melts them down, and makes a golden calf.

Exodus 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

I grew up thinking these people were ridiculous. You just saw the sea part, and you forgot that fast? How could you be so blind? Why would you follow after another deity?

As I got a bit older, I remembered that they had just been slaves. Despite the miracles, I assume they were still very young in the doctrine of Christ. How much were they taught in the midst of everything else Moses was trying to take care of in freeing them?

Maybe I’m late to the party, but as I read the verses this time, I started to wonder if they really followed after another god at all. There was an Egyptian god that was represented by a cow, but ancient Near Eastern studies also explain a connection between bulls and calves and mounts and thrones for deity. Maybe they were just trying to build a physical representation of their God to carry with them.

In the verse we read, we even see that Aaron tells Israel, “This is the god who brought you out of Egypt.”

Perhaps they weren’t worshipping a different god at all. Perhaps their worship was merely corrupted. Maybe that’s why Aaron didn’t put a stop to it. Maybe he thought it was fine because he thought it was one way to worship the true God. Maybe he thought it was great that they were sacrificing their gold and trying to worship the God who had delivered them.

Obviously we don’t know. There aren’t enough details. However, there are principles we can learn about the gospel from studying it from either angle. Today, I’m going to speak as if this angle (corrupted worship over following after a different god) is the true angle, simply so we can explore it more effectively. However, before I begin, I completely concede that we don’t know for sure whether this is the truth of the account. Fortunately, whether I have the story’s details correct isn’t completely relevant. What’s important is that the principles I want to talk about are correct.

So that’s what we’re going to talk about. Maybe the Israelites were hoping for a symbol of Christ, not a separate idol to worship. Plot twist. When we don’t worship how the Savior prescribes (like building a golden calf), we run into danger of turning that symbol into an idol. I guess we’re talking about corrupted worship and worshiping idols.

Now, following another god is crazy after everything the Israelites experienced; worshiping in a corrupted manner is more understandable. However! Despite it being more understandable, it is still dangerous and needs to be corrected and prevented regardless of whether their hearts were in the right place. Sometimes the world looks at sin and gives a pass when your heart is in the right place. We can be understanding of a good heart and still make the correction; it is loving to make the correction.

When I was around 10 years old, I remember my mom walking into my room when I was saying my nightly prayers. I had a picture of Christ sitting in front of me while I prayed because I wanted it to help me remember Him. It made my mother a little bit uncomfortable (at least that’s how I remember it when I was 10), and she told me it wasn’t a great idea. The practice stopped that night.

Some would call this silly. Why not let a child put a picture in front of them to help them focus on Christ? I understand the sentiment. Having something in front of you to focus your thoughts and help you be reverent so you can focus on Christ can be a good thing.

But there’s another side to that coin too. It could be fine. I could have kept the picture of Christ and never run into dangerous ground. I don’t think I would have worshiped the picture, but let’s talk about a couple of perspectives I might have adopted had the practice continued.

I could have gotten to the point where I didn’t feel like I could pray without the picture there. I could have gotten ultra-protective of the picture. I could have wanted to carry the picture with me to make me feel safe even though I was perfectly safe without it. I could have attributed more power to the picture than the picture held. I could have given it power over me even though it had no power innately.

Even if I didn’t consider the picture my “god,” it still could have affected my life. And in perfect honesty, that’s how most idols work these days. People don’t call their priority their god; they don’t consider themselves worshiping idols. They just give all their time and energy and resources to something, hoping it will bring them deeper happiness than it is capable of giving.

We are worshiping incorrectly when we attribute power to things that don’t have power. We are worshiping incorrectly when we give things power over our lives and place all of our hopes for happiness on those things. Even if we don’t call them “gods,” we’re still worshiping wrong and hurting ourselves.

People do stuff like this all the time. Superstition is rampant in our world. It’s easy to start giving things power when they hold no power. Maybe I would have never been so silly as to give the picture any power, but I’m not totally sure. Let’s look at another example.

I got plenty superstitious as I played tennis through high school. I went through the same routine between each point, worried that if I changed it, I might lose. Plot twist 2. I lost a lot of the time anyway. And yet there I was, making sure I always did the short handshake with my partner in between points. I made sure I bounced the ball three times before serving, and then I would start over if I messed something up. I literally remember messing up my rhythm in between points and feeling cursed. I was convinced I had ruined the point before the point even began. Needless to say, I basically gave those points away.

The Israelites have just left Egypt behind where they were surrounded and ruled by people who worshipped things like the golden calf. It was dangerous to their spiritual health. Even if it was meant to represent Christ, it would have been very easy (as we see throughout the rest of the Old Testament) for them to turn it into their god instead. For example, when they run into problems, did they feel a need to go and talk to the calf or did they pray to God? If something happened and the calf was damaged, would they have cursed themselves by assuming they were cursed for hurting the golden calf?

I gave away points in tennis because I attributed more power to my routine than it actually held. What would the Israelites have given away because internally, they were giving more power to the golden calf than it actually held?

We worship how the Savior asks us to worship. That’s when we are at our most spiritually powerful. That’s when we are going to be led in the right direction concerning His character and decisions regarding us. That’s when we’re going to be able to get closer to the truth, and therefore, closer to happiness.

I testify that the Lord has revealed His own character and the way that He wants us to worship. I testify that He did this because He wants to protect us and keep us close to the truth of things. I testify that as we follow what He has given, we see reality more clearly and find deeper joy.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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Why God Let the Israelites Worship the Golden Calfby Autumn Dickson

The infamous golden calf incident; that is one of the stories we read about this week. Moses is gone a long time speaking with the Lord. The people grow impatient and tell Aaron to build them a god. He took their earrings (the ones the Lord told them they could take out of Egypt), melted them down, and formed them into the calf.

Here is one of the details I noted this week that I didn’t recognize before.

Exodus 32:7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

I have a feeling that the Lord knew when and why the people were making the golden calf. While He worked with Moses, He knew far ahead of time that they were going to make an idol for themselves. What I’m trying to imply is the fact that He could have purposefully sent Moses down earlier to prevent the entire debacle. It never needed to happen…or did it? I suppose that depends on how you define “need.”

The word “need” has more nuance than we think sometimes. I need the Savior in order to live with my Heavenly Father again; that is a defined, definite, unaltering need without any leeway. I also use that word in this way: I needed my parents to teach me and love me into a testimony of the Savior. Perhaps I could have found the Savior without them, but so much of what I have was given to me by my parents. I was given so much from them that I feel comfortable using the word “need.” There is a spectrum of the word “need.”

We need the Savior, and the Savior is also wise enough to understand that we need supports to help us find Him.

Did the Israelites need to go through this incident of worshipping a golden calf after being freed from Egypt? Perhaps they didn’t need it to the extent that they needed a Savior, but I’m comfortable with utilizing that word to describe their situation. They needed to have this experience outwardly so that they could be taught in a powerful way. They needed this experience so they could flesh it out of their hearts.

So the Lord could have prevented the sin altogether by simply sending Moses down. I’m sure the Lord would have had plenty of time to teach Moses at other opportunities, and they would have been able to surpass this debacle altogether.

But is that what Israel needed?

There are some principles here that we can apply to our own lives.

The first principle is the idea that the Lord is more concerned with us learning powerful lessons than being perfect.

I have noticed a trend among parents that they would do absolutely anything to prevent harm from coming to their child. The sentiment is great. Of course we don’t want our children to get hurt. However, sometimes the most powerful thing for our children is for them to face real consequences rather than constant protection.

Last summer, my son would often run off and jump on his dirt bike without a helmet or shoes. Despite the fact that I got onto him again and again and again and again, I couldn’t perfectly keep him protected. Even when I sent him out with shoes and a helmet, he would often leave them behind throughout the day and do what he wanted.

I could have taken the dirt bike away completely, and I did for periods of time. But it wasn’t working. He wasn’t learning.

At the same time, I felt inspired to pray that he would make mistakes and learn powerful lessons without killing himself or getting seriously injured. To be honest, I didn’t make the connection between my prayer and his bad safety habits ahead of time. This is why I know it was an inspired prayer.

One day I sent Warner outside to play with his sister before school. I told him explicitly to stay in the yard because I didn’t want to have to run off and find him and have him be late for school. Unfortunately, the dirt bikes are kept in a shed in the backyard. He jumped on one and put his sister on the back, and they left the yard and rode off.

Thirty seconds later, they were hit by a car. The car was moving very slowly, and she threw on her brakes and essentially tapped them over.

No broken bones. I don’t even think there was any real blood. There were some skinned knees and bruises, but they were totally fine.

Warner was also petrified. The cops came and checked everything out to make sure they were okay. I don’t know if he thought he was going to jail. I don’t know if he was feeling the gravity of what could have happened (as much as a five year old can feel). I do know that he wore his shoes and helmet willingly the rest of the summer. I still had to remind him occasionally, but he didn’t fight me on it like he had before.

The lesson he learned from living the consequences was far more powerful than any words I could have shared, and he started to voluntarily use his agency more wisely than he had previously. That’s the true goal. It’s not about perfection or complete and total safety; it’s about us learning how to use our agency wisely and on purpose so that we can live happy lives.

I’m grateful for the lesson my son learned that day. I’m grateful that the lesson wasn’t so severe as to permanently injure him or his sister.

Israel learned a hard lesson when Moses came back down from the mountain. They learned it very clearly. Would they have learned it in the same way if Moses had simply told them the Ten Commandments? The Lord could have prevented the entire problem, but He was wise enough to know that allowing the incident and imperfection to teach wisdom.

I’m grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ which means that we can make these mistakes in a controlled environment where nothing has to permanently injure our spirit. Even when we make the mistake of creating idols out of the very things the Lord has given us, He doesn’t cast us aside. He purposefully allows us to make those mistakes so we can learn those powerful lessons, and then He pays for those mistakes. He is selfless in its truest sense. He just wants us to be happy, and I’m so grateful He paid for me to have these experiences.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Encounter at the Empty Tomb,” Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches that faith in Jesus Christ often begins not with perfect understanding, but with a willingness to move forward in devotion, even in moments of grief, confusion, or unanswered questions.

Like the women who came to the Savior’s tomb early that Easter morning, some may wonder: If I don’t fully understand or feel certain, does my faith still count?

They didn’t come expecting a miracle… They came because of their immeasurable love and reverence for Jesus Christ.

Common Criticism: “I need full understanding before I can fully believe or commit.”Some hesitate to move forward in faith because they feel unresolved questions, uncertainty, or incomplete understanding. They may assume that belief requires clarity first.

Fallacy at Work: Certainty Before Commitment

This mindset assumes that action should only follow complete understanding. It delays discipleship until all doubts are resolved.

But this overlooks a central gospel pattern: understanding often follows faith, not the other way around.

Doctrine: Faith Precedes Spiritual Clarity

The scriptures consistently teach that faith requires movement:

“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead” (James 2:17)
“Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6)

President Uchtdorf illustrates this doctrine through the women at the tomb. They did not come because everything made sense. They came because they loved the Savior.

President Uchtdorf’s Correction

He teaches that even in darkness, uncertainty, and grief, disciples can choose to move toward Christ.

The women did not wait for answers. They acted in devotion. And because they came, they became the first witnesses of the Resurrection.

Solution

Faith is not waiting for clarity. It is choosing to move toward Christ even when clarity has not yet come.

“Even when things seem dark, we step forward in faith… and walk toward the Savior’s light.”

Living Apologetics: Moving Toward Christ in UncertaintyAt times, discipleship can feel uncertain. Questions may linger. Answers may feel incomplete.

President Uchtdorf reframes these moments: You don’t need to understand everything to come closer to Christ. The women at the tomb did not come expecting resolution. They came because they loved Him.

And that simple act of devotion placed them in a position to receive one of the greatest revelations in history.

In the same way, small acts of faith today can lead to greater understanding tomorrow.

Practical Apologetic Use

If someone says: “I can’t move forward until I understand everything.”
You can respond: “President Uchtdorf teaches that faith often begins with movement. As we come to Christ, even with questions, understanding grows over time.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣ Take one step toward Christ today, even if you still have unanswered questions.2️⃣ Choose devotion over delay. Act on what you do believe, not just what you don’t yet understand.3️⃣ Reflect on a time when clarity came after you chose to move forward in faith.

Keep This Talk With YouPresident Uchtdorf reminds us that the journey of discipleship often begins in quiet, uncertain moments.

The women who came to the tomb did not arrive with answers.

They arrived with love.

And because they came, everything changed.

That same invitation remains. We, too, are invited to “encounter the empty tomb”—to come to know for ourselves that Jesus Christ lives and is actively guiding, comforting, and strengthening His followers today.

This week:

Move toward Christ, even in uncertainty. Do not wait for perfect clarity.
Act on devotion. Let love for the Savior guide your choices.
Seek your own witness. Reflect on what you have felt, seen, and experienced.

As we do, the promise is sure: Darkness will give way to light. Questions will give way to understanding. And faith will become knowledge.

What step can I take today to move toward Christ, even if I do not yet see everything clearly?

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Parted Waters, Messy Leadership, and Miraclesby Autumn Dickson

The story of Moses freeing the Israelites through the power of God is an incredible parable for the atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s probably the most important lesson we can pull from that story. However, it’s not the only story we can learn from it. There are other principles at work too. Let’s talk about one of them.

Within the story, we find Moses exhorting the people to have faith in God and His ability to deliver. We’ve come a long way from Moses being worried about talking to Pharaoh. After exhorting the people to believe and trust, he turns to the Lord. The Lord tells him to move forward, and there would be a miracle. Moses listens.

Exodus 14:21-22

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

I want to zoom in on some of the people who were experiencing these events. I have no idea how the individual Israelites were truly reacting outwardly and in their hearts, but let’s talk about relatable hypotheticals.

I want you to imagine an Israelite who was particularly grumpy about being saved; let’s call him Joshua. Despite the fact that Joshua was saved, he was still a little peeved over the fact that there were so many problems along the way. Surely, the whole process of saving Israel could have been a lot smoother. Moses wasn’t very good at convincing Pharaoh to let the people go, and they ended up with a lot of extra work. He had to put blood on his doors which just seems unnecessary; why couldn’t God just save them if He was really so powerful? And then, of course, Joshua was one of the first to call Moses out when they noticed that the Egyptians were chasing after them to kill them in the wilderness.

What was Moses thinking bringing them out here? Sure, their lives weren’t fantastic, but at least they were alive. Why did Moses feel the need to go ruin it and why did everyone follow after him? If you’re going to save someone, you should do it right and actually save them. Not just do it halfway.

Joshua is legitimately worried about himself and his family and this supposed prophet who has led them into the wilderness to be slaughtered. Despite the real danger behind them, Moses has the gall to tell them to just have faith. Who does that? Moses is the reason they’re in danger, and his response is for them to trust him? Who does he think he is?

But then something changes. Moses starts walking towards the water, and miracle of miracles, the water parts for the Israelites to walk through.

Maybe there is something here. Maybe Moses has God behind him. So Joshua follows.

Unfortunately, this process isn’t necessarily smoother than the experiences with the plagues. The terrain left behind after the parted waters can be treacherous. Trying to get families safely through it is downright dangerous. It can be steep and rocky. It’s hard to tread through the sand. Couldn’t Moses have summoned a boat instead? Surely that would have been easier than parting the entire sea.

Not to mention, how do we know this miracle is going to hold? Joshua is pretty skeptical about this whole thing. Does he have the power to hold this long enough or are they all just going to end up drowning anyway? Conveniently for Moses, they don’t have a choice but to follow him anyway.

Now, I want you to imagine for a moment that Joshua slips and slides down the face of a rock. He becomes injured, and he is fed up. He is so over this. How can Moses be so reckless with the lives of people he apparently loves and wants to rescue?

Joshua is done. He’s turning back. He’s done putting his life at risk for this mortal man who is supposed to be saving them.

Seems a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?

And yet, don’t we see this all the time? The church hasn’t been perfect. The programs aren’t perfect. Leaders aren’t perfect. In fact, some people who were called into positions were downright evil and dangerous. Sometimes people have gotten hurt along the way because of those imperfections. Sometimes there has been true fear involved.

These are all true and legitimate statements.

But it’s also true that the Lord sent plagues and enabled the Israelites to walk out of Egypt. It’s also true that the Red Sea was parted.

The path was messy. There was difficulty and fear and devastation. There were also miracles beyond our wildest dreams and covenants with a Lord who has a land for our inheritance. There is a life beyond slavery. It’s not necessarily going to be an easy life, but it’s a life worth living. It’s worth growing and owning your decisions and having the freedom to build something for yourself. It’s worth the difficulty to get a front row seat for the miracles. It is worth leaving slavery for.

It is worth it to follow the prophet. Don’t miss the miracles of the priesthood structure and church and The Book of Mormon and the youth programs and welfare programs and the missionary programs. The church is doing miraculous things and changing lives. It’s giving people an opportunity to rise above previous circumstances. The prophet is being led by the Savior even if you think things should be done differently.

Maybe you don’t like the whole list of plagues you had to go through before the death of the firstborn. Maybe you don’t like the blood on the door.

Maybe the Lord is trying to teach you about His atonement.

Maybe you don’t like the difficult path you’ve had to walk within the church.

Maybe the Lord is trying to teach you about His atonement.

The story of the exodus from Egypt is a powerful parable for the atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s also an incredible example of why it’s important to follow the prophet even if things don’t go perfectly smoothly or even if you think that you could have done things better. The Lord has called a prophet, and He knows what He’s doing.

So you can stay in slavery or you can join the Lord in this journey where even the treacherous parts can contribute to a glorious you.

I testify that the Lord loves His children. I testify that He led Moses even when things weren’t going smoothly. I testify that following the prophet enabled the Israelites to be freed through the power of the Savior. I testify that the Lord is leading His church through a living prophet today. Perhaps that prophet hasn’t been led perfectly, but it would be ridiculous to miss out on the miracles because of the mistakes.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 14–18 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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Delivered…But Pharaoh Came Againby Autumn Dickson

I love the story of Moses and the Red Sea. There is a reason it was used as an example time and time again throughout the history of the scriptures. There is so much goodness.

One of the parts of the story that used to stick out to me was the fact that Pharaoh released them, but then he came after them again. Here are some verses about it.

Exodus 14:8-9

8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea…

I believe that the Lord is in the details, so what do we learn from this idea that the Israelites were free but then once again in danger? I used to think it had something to do with the fact that Christ suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross. He suffered twice as part of the atonement. Was that somehow relevant? Perhaps, but there are always multiple layers and details. Let’s talk about one of the potential parallels from the fact that the Israelites had to be saved from the Egyptians twice.

The Israelites were saved by the death of the firstborns in Egypt. Pharaoh is finally ready to release them, and he lets them pass by into the wilderness. Unfortunately, little time passes and Pharaoh is right back at it. He pursues the Israelites to come and enslave them again.

Think about this for a minute. Christ has saved us. We have passed through those gates and out of slavery.

But the work isn’t done. There is still an enemy after us that has the power to enslave us again. He is relentless despite everything that points to the power of God. He comes after us in his might.

What did the Israelites do? When they faced slavery, maybe even death, again, how did they respond?

Not well in the beginning. They were really afraid and they turned to Moses saying, “Why didn’t you leave us alone to be slaves? It would be better to be slaves in Egypt than dead in the wilderness.” Moses has an epic response.

Exodus 14:13-14

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Moses encourages them to have faith, turns to the Lord, and the Lord tells him to proceed. The Israelites walk through the Red Sea on dry ground.

So. Many. Cool. Parallels.

The Lord saved them out of Egypt, and He saved them again with the Red Sea. It is so important to note that. The Israelites didn’t make the ground dry so that they could walk across. Moses didn’t even do it. The Lord did it. He was the one who utilized Moses to part the Red Sea. It was the Lord’s power.

And yet, the Israelites still had a job. They had to walk forward in faith, just like Moses encouraged. They could have watched the walls of water form on either side, sat down on the beach, and said, “There’s salvation! It’s right there. How cool.” And then they could have just stayed there to be killed by the Egyptians. They could have feared that treading the sea floor would be too treacherous, or that the salvation wouldn’t hold and they would end up drowning after walking into the water. There were any number of responses that they could have had, but they took a leap of faith, followed the prophet, and trusted the Lord’s miracle. They took the chance that the Lord gave to them.

The death of the Firstborn has freed us, but an enemy still pursues after us.

We could sit down, observe the miracle changing the lives of those around us, and not actually take the opportunity that the Lord has given to us. We could think the miracle is really cool but not actually follow the prophet. We could look at the difficult path on the sea floor and feel like it’s too hard. We could worry and fret that the miracle wouldn’t hold, that Christ doesn’t actually have the power to save us.

Or, we could move forward in faith. We can trust that this miracle was made for us, to protect us from those who would enslave and destroy us. We could trust that maybe there is a Being out there who lives His life for the pure joy of saving us, who simply wants our faith and love in return.

Follow the prophet. The Lord will help you navigate the path. He will provide deliverance. Trust Him.

I testify that the Lord has provided deliverance. I also testify that there is still an enemy who wants us to be miserable and destroyed if he can help it. I testify that the Lord has the power to save us from that enemy and our job is to have faith. That’s our job. Have the faith necessary to trust that the prophet can lead us through on dry ground by the power of God.

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In her October 2025 General Conference address, “Cheering Each Other On,” J. Anette Dennis teaches that the Savior intends His Church to be a place of belonging, where individuals are strengthened, supported, and encouraged as they strive to follow Him.

Yet for some, church can feel like a place of quiet comparison rather than compassion. What would it look like if our congregations more fully reflected the Savior’s love?

Our congregations and families can be gathering places where we cheer each other on—covenant communities fueled by the love of Christ for one another—helping each other overcome whatever challenges we face, giving each other strength and encouragement without judging one another.

Common Criticism: “Church Feels Like a Place of Judgment, Not Belonging”For some, attending church can feel difficult. They may worry about how they are perceived or feel they do not measure up. Instead of encouragement, they may anticipate comparison or quiet judgment.

Fallacy at Work: Fundamental Attribution ErrorThe Fundamental Attribution Error is the tendency to judge others’ actions without understanding their circumstances, while excusing our own behavior based on context.

In a gospel setting, this can lead to unfair assumptions:

Assuming someone is less faithful
Misjudging someone’s level of commitment
Overlooking unseen struggles

This distorts reality because, as Sister Dennis teaches, we cannot see the full “degree of difficulty” in another person’s life.

Doctrine: We Are Commanded to Love, Not JudgeThe Savior taught:

“Judge not… with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged” (Matthew 7:1–2)
“Love one another” (John 13:34–35)
“Bear one another’s burdens” (Mosiah 18:8)

Sister Dennis reinforces that only the Lord can judge perfectly, because only He understands each person’s:

Limitations
Experiences
Hidden struggles

Sister Dennis’s CorrectionShe teaches that discipleship is not about evaluating one another’s progress.

Instead, we are meant to become like those spectators who rose to their feet and cheered, offering strength to someone who could not finish alone.

We do not lower standards. We simply replace judgment with charity.

SolutionWhen we choose to cheer instead of judge, we create covenant communities where people feel safe to grow, return, and stay.

Let’s be like those spectators… and cheer each other on in our journey of discipleship no matter our circumstances!

Living Apologetics: Seeing the Race DifferentlyAt times, it’s easy to look around and assume others are doing better, trying harder, or progressing faster.

But Sister Dennis invites a completely different lens:

Everyone is running a different race.

Some are:

Returning after years away
Quietly battling depression or doubt
Carrying unseen trauma or burdens
Simply trying to take one more step forward

When we don’t see those struggles, we may misjudge the person.

When we do see with Christlike eyes, we respond differently.

We cheer.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Church feels judgmental.” * You can respond:* “Sister Dennis teaches that only the Lord knows each person’s challenges. The Savior’s way is to lift and encourage, not judge. That’s the kind of community we’re meant to create.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Assume unseen effort. When you notice someone struggling, choose to believe they are doing their best.2️⃣ Offer visible encouragement. Say something specific that recognizes effort, not perfection.
3️⃣ Replace a judgmental thought with a prayer for that person.

Keep This Talk With YouSister J. Anette Dennis invites us to reconsider what kind of community we are helping to create.

Covenant communities are not built on perfection. They are built on love. They grow as individuals choose to encourage rather than compare, to see with compassion rather than assumption, and to lift rather than judge.

In every congregation, there are individuals quietly wondering:

“Do I belong here?”
“Am I doing enough?”
“Should I keep trying?”

Our response can help answer those questions.

This week:

Help build a covenant community. Offer encouragement to someone who may feel unseen or unsure.
Choose charity over judgment. Remember that you do not see the full story of another person’s life.
Strengthen someone’s faith. A simple word of support may help them keep going.

As we do, our homes and congregations become what the Savior intends them to be—places where we truly cheer each other on.

What can I do this week to help someone feel that they truly belong in the Lord’s covenant community?

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Find Joy in the Wildernessby Autumn Dickson

When I was studying the Doctrine and Covenants last year, my pattern revolved around learning about the people who were receiving the revelations and how they were feeling so that we could better relate to them and receive the same comfort in the revelations that they did. As I’ve studied the Old Testament thus far, I’ve found a different pattern for learning principles from God. Namely, I look at the details in the class Old Testament stories, and I find the parallels for our day. It’s been powerful and helpful.

So without further ado, here’s another detail from the Moses and Plagues story. The God of the Hebrews is working to free His people from slavery in Egypt. There are some questions that we could ask as to why He didn’t jump right in with the death of the firstborn, but those questions can be asked another time. As the Lord continues on with His work through Moses, Pharaoh appears to relent a couple of times. He tells Moses, “Take back the frogs, and I’ll let them go.” But then he hardens his heart and refuses to free them.

It happens again with the flies. Pharaoh tells Moses to take away the flies and he will let the people go. Here is how Moses responds.

Exodus 8:29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.

Of course, Pharaoh goes back on his word and refuses to release them. Maybe he was hoping Moses and His God would run out of power and not be able to send any more plagues? Regardless, Pharaoh still holds the Israelites captive.

There is a lot of goodness here, but I want to draw your attention to one detail. Moses wants the Israelites free so that they can go sacrifice to the Lord in the wilderness. This is not the only time this is mentioned. More than once, Moses specifically says this. Pharaoh needs to free the Israelites so that they can go and sacrifice to the Lord out of Egypt and in the wilderness.

Oof. Is there a better way to describe life after we finish our ordinances? We are made free by the death of the Firstborn, we pass through the gate, and what do we see? A whole lot of wilderness. For a long time. Why are we here in the wilderness? It seemed so exciting to be free before. Now it just seems dusty, hot, hard, and uncomfortable.

Interestingly enough, we didn’t walk through those gates to make it into paradise immediately. The gate was just the first step. We’ve been freed from slavery, but we don’t know how to be happy and healthy yet. There are many more lessons to learn. There is a lot of sacrifice to be made so that we can understand what it means to grow to be like the Lord and find what He found. We have a long journey ahead of us.

It’s funny. I remember being on my mission and working long hours with minimal breaks. I remember rushing to write in my journal at night so that I could pass out in my bed on time and get as much sleep as possible because I was so dang tired. I remember mentally aching when I had to leave the dinner table at the houses of members I was close to. I think that was one of the things I missed the most while I was on the mission. I grew up in a family where we all ate dinner together and talked the whole time. We had a lot of family come into town for holidays, and we would sit at the table for a long time afterwards and talk and laugh.

I missed that resting while on my mission. I remember getting on the plane, and I was so excited to eat a meal and then do nothing afterwards. I was excited to rest.

Lol.

I did get some rest for a while, but heaven knows life only speeds up after that. We came here to struggle in the wilderness, to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to make sacrifices and grow and learn what we’re supposed to learn. We didn’t come here to finish all of that so we could rest. We came to sacrifice in the wilderness.

Which sounds horrible, but it doesn’t have to be.

This was a timely lesson for me. I have a goal right now to be grateful for the opportunity to wear myself out in the name of the Lord. I’m not talking about being a martyr, though sometimes that seems to be my default mode. Rather, I’m talking about completely turning my perspective upside down. I didn’t come to earth to preserve energy and my body. I didn’t come here to try and completely annihilate stress from my life or reach some magical point where I feel great enough to give all of myself.

Rather, when I catch the true feeling behind this goal I made, I find rest when I let go of my own concerns and cheerfully and willingly take advantage of these incredible opportunities God has given to me. Someday I’ll get enough sleep (or my body won’t need sleep? I don’t know?). Someday, I’ll have a perfect body and perfect perspective and all my needs met, and I won’t have to reach for those things anymore. They will be given to me. I’ll have a perfectly clean house with everything I could ask for.

Sometimes we get mixed up and wear ourselves out on the things that don’t matter, things that will be freely given to us on the other side. We’re putting all of our energy and hopes and focus on setting foot on that promised land. What if we let go and trusted that the promised land will make it to us at the right time? What if instead, we focused on the gift of the wilderness and what it has to offer?

I have found that when I stop striving to put my feet in the promised land here in mortality, I find beauty and rest and hope and peace in the wilderness.

Moses had it right. He didn’t tell Pharaoh that he was taking the Israelites to the promised land. Sure, that was the eventual goal, but there were some really important goals along the way before they would even be able to enjoy the promised land. Moses told Pharaoh to release the Israelites so that they could go and sacrifice in the wilderness.

When we let go of trying to hold on to ourselves, we find joy in the sacrifices we’re asked to make in the wilderness. That’s a true principle.

I’m grateful my Savior redeemed me. I’m grateful He let me walk through the gate and bind myself to Him through the ordinance of baptism. I’m grateful that He gave me a path with lessons along the way. I’m grateful that I don’t have to worry about reaching the promised land; He’s got that handled. All I have to worry about is learning along the way, sacrificing along the way. I’m grateful for my testimony that He will provide for all that I need in the wilderness.

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Magicians, Satan, and Cheap Imitationsby Autumn Dickson

This week we get to read about some of the plagues that occurred in Egypt before Pharaoh finally released the Israelite slaves. It’s a classic Old Testament story that has been told time and time again. It teaches us about Jesus Christ delivering us from sin, and there are many details that add rich layers to our understanding.

Let’s talk background to the verses I want to talk about today. Moses has told Pharaoh to let the people go, Pharaoh refused, and he gave the Israelites more work. Moses told Pharaoh to release them again, and then Moses turned the river to blood. Here is one of those details I want to talk about.

Exodus 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.

The magicians mimicked Moses. They turned more water into blood. We don’t know all of the details of how that occurred, but let’s explore another relevant detail.

Pharaoh didn’t release the Israelites, and Moses (through the power of the Lord) brought frogs up out of the rivers. Here is how the magicians reacted.

Exodus 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

As time moves on, more plagues come. Moses brings lice upon the Egyptians, and the magicians can’t mimic it. They tell Pharaoh that, “It is the finger of God.” After the lice, the magicians stop making an appearance. They are no longer active participants that we know of.

There are two parallels that I see.

Parallel 1. Satan mimics.

The magicians didn’t really do anything original, nor did they do anything on a grand scale like Moses did. They gave a watered down (pun intended) version of what Moses produced in order to give Pharaoh an excuse to ignore the miracles before his eyes. In the end, they gave enough that they saved their own skin for a while, but they were ultimately still walking towards their own misery.

Isn’t that ironic?

Satan may bluster and blow, but ultimately, we’re going to see how pathetic he is. Anything he is able to pull off will seem a little sad when we are finally able to pull back the curtain and see the majesty of God. Isaiah even prophecies about it.

Isaiah 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

We’re going to look at Satan and be like, “This guy??” Satan may make himself and his followers feel better for a moment, but they’re really just walking on towards their own misery. They’re digging themselves further and further and further down into it rather than looking up and seeing the reality around them.

Parallel 2. The magicians just made it worse.

Has anyone else noticed the fact that the magicians literally added to the problem as part of their demonstration of power rather than saving the people? Am I late to the party in recognizing that? Because it blew my mind once the Lord helped me see it.

Perhaps some of us are asking why the magicians were able to mimic Moses at all. Maybe a more important question is, “If they’re powerful, why are they making more blood and more frogs rather than driving the plagues away?”

As we go through mortality, we’re going to see imitations from Satan.

We’re thirsty or hungry or feeling oppressed, and he’s going to whisper, “Do this. It will make you feel full and free.” The things we choose to engage in may fill for a while, but they’re actually just making the problem worse. We’ll see that it fills us for a minute and completely ignore the disasters happening around us. We’ll keep treading down that path, insistent that the God of the Hebrews has no place in our life.

Why did the magicians show their small demonstrations of power by making the problem worse? I’m not totally sure. However, it holds perfect parallels to Satan.

Satan can’t take away the plagues. He can placate you and make you feel as though the God of the Hebrews has no true power, but he is only making the problem worse. He is distracting you and giving you excuses to continue down your path towards misery.

There have been plenty of times in my life that I’ve wondered at the blindness of the world. Humans are so convinced that they’re doing things the right way to make themselves happy. They cry out against those who would have them show restraint, claiming that they’re controlling. When the plagues come, they blame the person who warned them rather than seeing natural consequences. Even more unfortunately, they lead their families into the same quicksand after them, ironically and falsely under the name of freedom and compassion.

Humans often love marching on to their own destruction.

It makes me wonder if any of the Egyptians wanted to follow the Hebrews. Did any of them put down their tools and weapons and ask themselves, “Maybe they do have the power of God with them. Should we follow them?” Or were they simply eager to kick out the Israelites and get back to their pathetic magicians in peace?

Blows my mind, but we see those patterns in the world all the time.

Fortunately, we can see things as they are. We won’t find the truth in the world. We can only find it from God, making Himself known to the people. He does have true power. He allows mimicry so as to preserve agency and faith, but He holds the truth as to leading healthy and happy lives. We follow Him, and we will find it. We will be protected, and we will find it.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Taking on the Name of Jesus Christ,” Dale G. Renlund teaches that discipleship is more than belief. It is the process of becoming more like the Savior as we take His name upon us.

He illustrates this through the example of a surgeon who changed his behavior after his name became associated with another. Because of that connection, he chose to act differently.

In a similar way, when we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, we begin to see ourselves as His disciples. We recognize that we represent Him in our actions, words, and choices.

Even when we are occupied with other matters, we remain mindful of Him, just as we remember our own names, regardless of what else we focus on.

Common Criticism: “Religious identity doesn’t really change who you are. It’s just a label.”

Some people view religious identity as something external. From this perspective, calling oneself a Christian does not necessarily influence behavior or character.

Fallacy at Work: Identity Has No Transforming Power

This belief assumes that names and identities are passive. It overlooks how deeply identity shapes behavior, priorities, and self-perception.

Elder Renlund’s Correction: Taking Christ’s Name Changes Us

Elder Renlund teaches that taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ is an active and ongoing process.

It begins with identification. We choose to be known as His disciples.

It continues through remembrance. We consciously keep Him in our thoughts and hearts.

It grows through emulation. We strive to become like Him.

And it deepens through alignment. We join Him in His work.

As this process unfolds, disciples do not simply carry His name. They begin to reflect His character.

Solution:

Taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ is meant to transform us. As we intentionally identify with Him and remember Him, we naturally begin to act more like Him.

Living Apologetics: Representing Christ in Daily Life

Elder Renlund’s message reframes what it means to be a disciple.

Instead of seeing faith as something private, disciples begin to see themselves as representatives of Jesus Christ in everyday situations.

This changes how they respond to:

Frustration and stress
Interactions with others
Opportunities to serve

Like the surgeon who adjusted his behavior because of the name he carried, disciples can ask:

“If I bear Christ’s name, how should I act in this moment?”

Over time, this perspective leads to real change. Small decisions begin to reflect a deeper commitment to the Savior.

Practical Apologetic Use

If someone says: “Religion doesn’t really change people.”
You can respond: “Elder Renlund teaches that taking Christ’s name upon us shapes how we think and act. It becomes part of who we are.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣ In a specific moment today, pause and ask, “If I represent Jesus Christ, how should I respond right now?”
2️⃣ Look for one opportunity to act more like the Savior in how you speak or serve.3️⃣ Reflect on how remembering Christ influences your daily decisions.

Keep This Talk With You

Elder Renlund reminds us that taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ is a lifelong process.

As we identify with Him, remember Him, and strive to become like Him, we gain access to His power and blessings.

We do not simply carry His name. We begin to live it.

And as we do, others can see Him more clearly through us.

What would change in my life if I more fully saw myself as a representative of Jesus Christ?

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A Passover Question For Youby Autumn Dickson

For my last post this week, we talked about some specifics of Passover in order to better reflect on our free status because of Christ. I really love the Passover. My sister does a Passover meal for Easter each year, and there are so many beautiful traditions associated with it that can teach us about Christ if we choose to explore the symbolism. So I want to talk about a different aspect of Passover.

In Exodus, the Lord teaches His people to keep the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Passover) in Canaan.

Exodus 13:8 ¶ And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.

The Israelites were commanded to teach their children about their deliverance. Some of the traditions that formed as a part of this commandment are wonderful.

As the Jews do their Passover meal, they begin with strange ways that are different than any other day. This is meant to provoke curiosity in children. As they move through a couple of these strange steps, there is a ritual called Ma Nishtana. For this ritual, the youngest child would say:

“Why is this night different from all other nights?”

On all other nights we eat leavened and unleavened; tonight only unleavened.

On all other nights we eat all vegetables; tonight bitter herbs.

On all other nights we don’t dip even once; tonight twice.

On all other nights we eat sitting or reclining; tonight we all recline.

This would begin the story telling of how the Israelites were freed from Egypt.

Like with the Israelites on Passover, we, as Latter-day Saints, do things in a peculiar way. We live differently because of what we believe. And when our children (or anyone, for that matter) ask why, how do we answer them?

Because the answer should always connect back to Christ and His deliverance. Whenever we can connect it back to Christ, we should.

Why do we keep the Word of Wisdom? Because it keeps our bodies healthy and strong and better able to hear Christ.

Why do we go to the temple? To try and feel Christ more closely and to receive power from Him.

Why do we go to church every single week? Why do we keep the Sabbath Day Holy? Why are we so careful about our entertainment? Why do we keep the Law of Chastity? Why do we do Family Home Evening and Come Follow Me? Why are we making our lives harder and different?

These are peculiar traditions that were meant to put our lives in order so that we can better feel Christ and serve Him. It is always about Christ because in Christ, we find joy and peace.

When we try to do the gospel without Christ, it’s merely an extra burden. When we utilize the gospel to draw closer to Christ, that’s when it’s life-changing.

Whenever I start to feel like the gospel or church is a burden, I have learned that the problem is forgetting Christ. Let’s talk about it with a direct example.

I try to go to the temple once a month. I used to be so intense about it because I’m often intense about everything. I never missed a month, which is awesome except for the fact that it didn’t bring me closer to Christ. It just gave me a little rush of dopamine to cross it off my list and a weird sense of pride and martyrdom. Because I’m often intense about things like this, it can get really easy for me to overwhelm myself and reach the point where I want to give up entirely.

Everything changes when I switch my perspective to see tools and layers of bringing Christ into my life. This makes two great changes in my life.

The first is that I can utilize wisdom to know what to prioritize and to let go when things don’t come together. For example, I travelled a ton last month, and it was really difficult to go to the temple. We were gone for a little over half the month, and I have limited windows in which I can run over and participate in the temple. I had lined everything up one afternoon to go while my babies slept and my other kids were in school and Conner was downstairs working. I planned it all without the knowledge that Conner wasn’t actually going to be home to be with the babies while they napped.

What normally would have been an absolutely unreasonable irritation gave way to peace. I couldn’t go to the temple to find Christ, but that didn’t mean I needed to banish Him from my heart in anger. The temple is a tool and if something prevents me from picking up that tool, I have a myriad of tools at my disposal to draw myself closer to Him.

The second way that it has changed my life is probably even more important. The things that used to overwhelm me are now the things that relax me.

The temple used to be a rushed thing that took up some of my time. Now I see it for the worthwhile activity that it is. I calm my heart and utilize it rather than completing it. I can go to church with 5-8 kids (depending on whether my kids bring their friends) and I can simply be grateful for the opportunity to be there and show my devotion to Christ. I can be grateful for the opportunity for my children to also practice drawing closer to Christ even if it’s a rather imperfect effort. When I keep the Word of Wisdom, it’s because I want to nourish my body so that it stands ready to hear and serve Christ. When I keep the Law of Chastity, I am removing unnecessary drama and heartache that are distracting from Christ.

The gospel and commandments and church all become exactly what they were meant to become when we tie it back to Christ. In Christ, we find our ultimate joy and peace and hope. He lightens everything He touches. His yoke and burden are light because the yoke and “burden” are the very things that tie us to Him.

I am grateful for Christ in my life. He truly has changed my life. I look at my life and find all sorts of reasons to rejoice and hope for better days. I have also learned how to be grateful for the yoke and burden He gives me because I see it for what it is.

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Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

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Reclined. Redeemed.by Autumn Dickson

This week we celebrate Easter, and with it, the ability of the Savior to redeem us. Because we are studying the Old Testament this year, I’d like to look at the predecessor to the holiday of Easter: Passover. There is a lot of symbolism that comes with the Passover; let’s talk about some of it.

Here is a verse that talks about one specific part of the first Passover that happened in Egypt.

Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

On the first night of Passover, the Lord commanded the Israelites to eat in haste. They were going to need to leave Egypt quickly once the Pharaoh said they could go. This commandment to eat in haste was just for the first night though. Throughout time, it changed to the opposite. The Israelites ate unleavened bread to remember the haste in which their ancestors had to flee, but rather than eat their own Passover in haste, the Israelites started a new tradition. They ate their Passover reclining.

Though it was not commanded, there was symbolism here. Free, wealthy people eat reclining and relaxed. They eat leisurely and enjoy themselves. Slaves eat on their feet, rushing. The Israelites ate reclining to show that they were no longer slaves.

Traditions can be really beautiful as long as we don’t turn them into commandments to show off our own righteousness. The Israelites sometimes had a problem with that.

However, I love this specific tradition. I think it’s beautiful. I think one of the reasons I enjoy this specific tradition so much is because I often put myself in a hurry. I get really caught up in trying to get everything done so that I can relax. Here is a tradition that caused the Israelites to pause their daily lives, take a meal, and rejoice and relax. They wore festive clothes, and they specifically took the time to eat like the liberated people they were.

How often do you take the time to realize that you are free? Do you go about your daily life knowing you are liberated? Do you fulfill your daily work in a manner that reflects your redeemed status?

When you deeply know what you are, it reflects in how you live your life. That’s why slaves eat on their feet and rich, wealthy people eat relaxed and reclining. I appreciate the symbolism even more because both parties are doing necessary daily tasks; they just go about their daily tasks very differently. Everybody has to eat, but they are eating differently.

The rich and free people went about their meal with peace of mind. They enjoyed the companionship of the family and friends they were surrounded by. They got to enjoy what they were bringing into their lives and eating, to be grateful for it.

In our own lives, “eating relaxed and reclined” may not look so literal. The really important part here is your heart. Like the rich and free, we go about our daily tasks with peace of mind. We take enough time to turn to those around us and enjoy the companionship of our family and friends. It means we take enough time to think about what we are bringing into your life while we’re “eating,” to be grateful for it and enjoy it. Whatever necessary tasks we’re doing in our lives, we are doing it with purpose and understanding.

This can reflect in so many different ways in our life; one of those ways is in how we take the sacrament.

Sundays are not as restful as they used to be before I was a mother. I’ve got my five kids, ages 8-1, and every other week, they bring their friends to church with us. On any given Sunday, my husband and I have 5-8 children scattered between us. Sometimes, because of my husband’s work schedule, I have 8 kids to take care of on my own.

Trying to help all of the kids stay reverent during the sacrament is a task, especially when they’re sitting with their friends. Trying to help them all take the sacrament in a manner where they’re not touching everyone else’s bread and water is also quite the task. There are many times that I’m eating in a rush so I can pull tiny, grabbing hands away from trays.

The rest of sacrament meeting isn’t necessarily better. My one year old is a wanderer and often finds herself frustrated to be stuck in the pew. My two year old wants my lap. My four year old also wants my lap, and my other kids want to giggle with their friends or fight with each other. I can’t sit between all of them. Some of the time, I can’t even sit with them at all because the baby is screaming about wanting to explore.

It is easy to frame this as frustrating. It’s easy to feel like, “Wo is me,” especially when I’m already tired or overstimulated. It’s easy to feel angry when I desire to be spiritually uplifted, but I have no choice but to be Martha unless I leave my kids at home. Eating the sacrament in an outwardly relaxed manner isn’t always a choice, but there is always my attitude. I can always relax inwardly even if I’m surrounded by chaos that I’m in charge of.

I can look down the aisle at the kids and feel tons of pressure, or I can look down at the aisle of kids and rejoice that I have my family with me at church (even if they’re not perfect). I can rejoice that my kids want to bring their friends to church. I can rejoice that there isn’t any test about whether my kids were perfectly reverent. I can rejoice that my kids get regular practice on how to be reverent so that over the course of their young lives, they will have opportunities to invite Christ into their own lives to save them in ways that I can’t. I can rejoice knowing that my Savior is just happy they’re there.

I can rejoice and relax even as I referee, balance, juggle, and interfere. The sacrament reminds me that the Savior has redeemed me. I’m happy to be there even if it’s chaos.

I testify that we are free and wealthy. I testify that because of Christ, we have every reason to rejoice. Or, at the very least, we have every reason to hope alongside our darkest despair. We can rejoice even when our efforts are imperfect or rushed. We are free, and if we take the time to truly know that, it changes how we do the necessary tasks we’ve been given each day.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “And Now I See,” Jeffrey R. Holland teaches that spiritual clarity often comes gradually as we continue forward in faith.

He draws on the Savior’s healing of the blind man, where something as simple as clay made from dust and spittle became the means of a miracle. What may have seemed ordinary or even unexpected became, in the Lord’s hands, the path to sight.

Are we willing to persevere, to keep trying to live Christ’s gospel no matter how much spit and clay it takes?

In the same way, the Lord often works through simple, consistent acts of faith. As we move forward, even without full understanding, He can turn small steps into spiritual clarity.

Common Criticism: “If God is guiding my life, why don’t I have clearer answers right now?”When answers feel delayed or unclear, it can be difficult to see how God is working. Some may assume that if divine help were real, it would come more directly or more dramatically.

Fallacy at Work: God Must Work in Obvious Ways

This belief assumes that God’s guidance must be immediate or unmistakable. It overlooks the pattern that He often works through simple means and gradual processes.

Elder Holland’s Correction: God Works Through Simple Means Over Time

Elder Holland teaches that the Savior does not always remove uncertainty instantly. Instead, He invites disciples to act in faith, even when the outcome is not yet visible.

Just as the blind man followed the Savior’s instruction before receiving his sight, we are often asked to move forward without seeing the end from the beginning.

Over time, what once seemed small or unclear becomes part of a greater miracle.

Solution:

God’s work in our lives is often quiet, simple, and progressive. As we act in faith, He can transform those small efforts into clarity and understanding.

Living Apologetics: Small Acts, Greater SightElder Holland’s message reframes how we view both faith and miracles.

Rather than waiting for dramatic answers, disciples are invited to act on what they already know. Simple acts of faith, offered consistently, become the means through which God reveals more.

This might include:

Praying even when answers feel distant
Continuing to study and seek truth
Choosing to trust God despite uncertainty

Like the clay placed upon the blind man’s eyes, these actions may seem small or even insufficient. Yet in the Savior’s hands, they become the means of greater understanding.

Over time, disciples often look back and recognize that clarity came step by step.

Practical Apologetic Use

If someone says: “I need clearer answers before I can move forward.”
You can respond: “Elder Holland teaches that God often works through simple acts of faith. As we act, even without full clarity, He helps us begin to see.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣ Take one simple step of faith today, even if it feels small, and trust the Lord to work through it.2️⃣ Continue a spiritual habit, such as prayer or scripture study, even if clarity has not yet come.3️⃣ Reflect on a time when understanding came gradually after you chose to act in faith.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Holland reminds us that miracles do not always begin with dramatic moments. They often begin with simple acts of trust.

What may seem small or unclear at first can, over time, become evidence of God’s hand. Even what feels like “spit and clay” in the moment can become the means of greater sight.

As we continue forward in faith, even without seeing fully, we may one day look back and say with gratitude:

Now I see.

What simple act of faith might the Lord be asking me to take, trusting that greater clarity will come?

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Seeing Through Anguish of Spiritby Autumn Dickson

In our last post, we talked about how Moses turned to the Lord in despair. He had done what the Lord asked and told Pharaoh to free the Israelites. In response, Pharaoh gave them more work. Moses blamed himself and asked the Lord why He had been so cruel to His own people. In chapter 6, we get to read the Lord’s response to Moses.

He comforts Moses with assurances. He tells Moses that it’s not over; Pharaoh will relent, and the Israelites will yet be free.

The Lord then tells Moses to go and share this with the Israelites. Moses does so, and this is how the Israelites respond.

Exodus 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

The Israelites were suffering so much that they had a difficult time believing that Moses would deliver them. There is a lot of depth here.

Let’s cover the first beautiful principle: The Lord saved them anyway. The Lord still kept sending Moses back. He kept sending miracles. He kept reaching out to those in bondage. He kept shining a light on them. Despite their lack of belief (which disbelief continues on even after the miracle of parting the Red Sea), the Lord kept reaching. He kept moving forward in saving them.

There are two parallels here.

Parallel one: The Savior suffered for all of us, not just the people He knew would accept His atonement. He didn’t look at each of us ahead of time and decide to only suffer for the people who were going to accept the saving. He suffered for everyone. Even those who did not or would not believe.

Parallel two: The Lord doesn’t wash His hands of us. Even when we wash our hands of Him (which is rather ironic), He doesn’t throw us over. When He steps back, it’s not due to annoyance or giving up. Stepping back is also one of the ways He reaches for us and tries to get us to see the truth of things.

The Israelites get a pretty bad rap throughout the Old Testament. They turn from the Lord frequently. They get distracted. They get the doctrine wrong and miss the mark.

They were also slaves. Their “cruel bondage” led to “anguish of spirit.” I’m not sure I would have fared much better had I been placed in their shoes. I think that’s partially why the Lord didn’t throw them off with the golden calf incident after showing them an incredible miracle with the Red Sea. The Lord knew what they were facing and what they were truly capable of. As a society, the Israelites didn’t know who they were anymore. They didn’t know the Lord or His goodness. Because of what they had been through, they didn’t have any sense that there was an all-powerful Being who might care for them and care about where they ended up.

They had a long way to go, and it started right here. They couldn’t find it within themselves to hope for deliverance through Moses, and so it started with the Lord sending miracles anyway.

Here is the second beautiful principle.

Their salvation was standing right in front of them even if they couldn’t see it. They were so broken that they couldn’t see their salvation. No judgment. I’m sure I would have been in a similar place had I been a slave. And yet, there is an implication for us here.

At what point have we reached “salvation?” When do we get to say, “I’m here. I’ve arrived. I’m saved.”?

I’m not sure there is a definitive level where you get to state that you’re saved. I think there are varying levels of salvation. Let’s talk about some of those different points of salvation.

Salvation 1: The Savior promised He was coming. The people don’t know it.

This is where we’re at in the Old Testament. Moses, their deliverer, is standing in front of them. He has been foreordained to save them, but they don’t know it. They’re too lost to feel it.

Interestingly enough, despite the fact that Moses technically hasn’t saved them yet, it’s as good as done when it comes to the Lord. If He has promised it, it’s as good as if it’s done, and so yes, this is a type of salvation. The Israelites are saved! Moses is here! Even if they don’t see it, they’re saved.

Salvation 2: The Savior promised He was coming, and there are people who do know it.

This is the next level, and we see this in The Book of Mormon. The Savior promised He was coming and would save; there are people who believed that so thoroughly that they acted as though He had already come. They believed so thoroughly in His ability to fulfill His promises, that it was as good as done, and they rejoiced.

Salvation 3: The Savior came and did His work, but the people don’t know it yet.

We see this all the time. This is as if Moses had opened the gates of Egypt, and there were people too busy slaving away for masters who no longer stood over them that they missed it.

The Savior has come, but there are many who don’t know it. This happens in the church and out of it. Even when we’ve been baptized and follow the commandments, sometimes we still don’t understand that we’ve been saved.

Salvation 4: The Savior came and did His work, and the people know it.

This one is self-explanatory. The Lord won, and we know it. This is the ultimate form of salvation.

I bring this up because there are two sides to the coin of salvation. There is the portion with Christ. There was a period of time before He came where His salvation was still a promise. That promise was as good as though it had already been done. When it comes to this side of the coin, we were always saved.

But then there is the other side of the coin.

Is salvation really salvation if we can’t enjoy it? Have we truly been saved if we’re still miserable because we don’t trust Him or because or our actions? It takes a long time for the Israelites to truly be saved. They make it out of Egypt, but they have not yet reached joy. They don’t know that the Lord is going to take care of them and lead them to that promised land. In that sense, salvation is a spectrum.

And let’s bring that full circle. The Israelites didn’t yet believe. They were in so much despair that they couldn’t bring themselves to believe. The Savior was going to keep sending miracles until they could see it. He paid for the salvation, and then He continues to reach out on top of it. He reaches and reaches until we finally see that the gates have been unlocked.

Where are you on the spectrum of salvation? The Savior has saved you. Do you see it? Do you see Him ready to lead you out of Egypt? Let Him heal the brokeness from the slavery. Let Him provide for you in the wilderness. Believe in His salvation so much that it’s as if you’re already in the promised land.

I testify that the Savior’s promises are solid. They are coming. We don’t have to live in despair even now because we have been taught what comes next. Even in our darkest moments (because dark moments aren’t evil), there is hope to temper it. We can rejoice. And if we’re still getting run over by life and can’t seem to lift up our heads and believe it, then hang tight. The Lord is sending miracles anyway until we do see it.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “The Atoning Love of Jesus Christ,” Neil L. Andersen testifies that the Savior’s Atonement is not only central to God’s plan, but personally powerful in every life.

He teaches that both forgiveness and healing are found through Jesus Christ, no matter the depth of sin or suffering.

The powerful compassion of the Savior in forgiving sin and in healing the wounds caused by the sins of others is a most miraculous manifestation of the love of God.

This divine compassion reaches in two directions. It offers hope to those seeking forgiveness and comfort to those carrying the pain caused by others.

Common Criticism: “Some mistakes or wounds are too serious to fully heal or be forgiven.”Serious sin can feel permanent, and deep emotional wounds can seem beyond repair. Many struggle to believe that complete forgiveness or lasting healing is truly possible.

Fallacy at Work: Limits on Divine Grace

This belief assumes that certain sins or injuries fall outside the reach of Christ’s Atonement. It places limits on what divine power can accomplish.

Elder Andersen’s Correction: Christ’s Atonement Is Sufficient

Elder Andersen teaches that the Savior’s Atonement fully addresses both sin and suffering. Forgiveness is real, and healing is possible.

He emphasizes that this help comes as individuals turn to Christ with faith, humility, and a willingness to change. Forgiveness is not earned through perfection, but received through His grace.

He also teaches that healing comes through the same source. The Savior understands every sorrow and has power to bring peace, even when circumstances remain unchanged.

Solution:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is not limited in reach. As individuals turn toward Him, they can receive both forgiveness and healing.

Living Apologetics: Grace That RestoresElder Andersen’s message addresses two deeply personal questions. Can I really be forgiven? Can I really be healed?

His answer to both is yes, through Jesus Christ.

For those seeking forgiveness, he describes a path that includes:

Turning away from sin
Being honest with God and others
Making restitution where possible
Trusting the Lord’s timing

He teaches that forgiveness may come gradually, requiring patience and continued faith.

For those who have been hurt, he offers assurance that the Savior knows their suffering personally. Christ has the power to bring peace, comfort, and eventual healing.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “I’ve done too much to be forgiven.”
You can respond: “Elder Andersen teaches that Christ’s Atonement is sufficient for every sincere effort to repent.” * If someone says: “I don’t think I’ll ever heal.”
You can respond:* “He also teaches that the Savior can heal even the deepest wounds, though that healing may take time.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Consider one area of your life where you need the Savior’s help, and consciously turn that need over to Him in prayer today.
2️⃣ Speak honestly in prayer about your needs, struggles, or pain.
3️⃣ Trust the Lord’s timing as He works in your life.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Andersen testifies that the Savior’s love is constant and personal. Through His Atonement, burdens can be lifted, guilt can be removed, and sorrow can be transformed.

Even when answers do not come immediately, the promise remains sure.

The Savior knows you. He loves you. He has the power to lift you.

Where do I need to trust more fully in the Savior’s power to forgive or heal in my life right now?

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Judgment Day Isn’t What You Thinkby Autumn Dickson

The story of Joseph teaches us so many things about Christ. There are poignant details that point us in the direction of Christ’s story. There are so many directions we could go. However, let’s talk about one principle.

Joseph’s story can teach us about Judgment Day.

For so long, I pictured Judgment Day as a time when Christ would weigh all the good I had done versus all the bad, and then He would weigh it against my privileges and disadvantages. That seems fair, right? I don’t think anyone would argue that this is unfair judgment. However, I have since learned that God doesn’t work that way at all. He does it better; He judges us by our hearts. Joseph’s story teaches this so beautifully. Here are a couple of details that prepare us to understand Judgment Day in relation to Joseph’s story.

Joseph had the grain that saved everyone who came and partook of it. He saved everyone.

If you move forward a couple of chapters, we see that receiving the atonement of Jesus Christ isn’t just about giving of ourselves. It’s not about weighing our good and bad deeds; it’s about who we are.

Joseph’s brothers come to partake of the grain in Egypt, and they don’t recognize their younger brother whom they sold into slavery. Joseph recognizes them and sets the brothers up for failure so that he can essentially kidnap Benjamin, the youngest brother. This was all a big ruse to see who his brothers had become, and they passed the test. Judah, the brother who originally conspired to kill Joseph, was ready to stand in Benjamin’s place. He was ready to stand in for another.

Joseph didn’t say, “Oh you thought about killing me, but you’ve done good things since then. You’re trying to make up for it by standing in for Benjamin. I guess that cancels things out.” Rather, all that Joseph truly cared about was whether they were different men. Joseph didn’t care about the past sin (horrible as it was). Joseph cared about who they were, and they truly had changed.

Here are a couple of verses that describe how Joseph, a type of Christ, felt when he had truly judged and discerned that his brothers were changed, good men. As I read these verses, I want you to draw the parallels between Joseph as he judged his brothers and Christ as He will judge us someday.

Genesis 45:1, 5-6, 10, 14-15

1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

Which part stood out to you most? Was it the fact that Joseph rejoiced in his betrayal and sacrifice that saved everyone? Was it his uncontrollable weeping that his brothers were good men? Was it the fact that Joseph offered Goshen to them? Was it the affection that he bestowed on his brothers?

All of those will be important parts of Judgment Day.

I picture Judgment Day as Christ discerning our hearts as they are right now. He is determining whether we are safe enough to bring into His home or whether we will hurt our brothers and sisters further. It’s not about mistakes that we’ve made. Those were done away with a long time ago. It’s about whether He can trust our hearts to live with Him and preserve heaven.

His sacrifice enabled Him to make that call, to judge our hearts righteously with justice and mercy. If He perceives goodness within us, then Judgment Day essentially becomes a lot of weeping and rejoicing and affection.

He wants to keep us. No matter how we’ve betrayed Him in the past, He wants to know who we are now, and He wants to keep us with Him if He can help it. The sins are paid for; Christ is fine. They don’t count against us any longer. Christ is simply judging our hearts as they are now.

That’s not to say that our actions don’t matter. Our actions change us. Our actions uncover who we are. What if Judah loved Benjamin and his father but didn’t step forward? Does that even count as real love?

Our actions do matter; they’re just not the end-all. They are the process for the end-all. Our actions matter to the extent that they change us. I’ll repeat that again. Our actions matter to the extent that they change us.

Repeatedly choosing light turns us into beings of light over time. Repeatedly choosing darkness pushes us in that direction. It doesn’t mean you can’t change directions, but become a person of integrity or humility isn’t a single choice. It’s a process that we should consciously take. It’s everyday choices that shape the hearts that the Lord is going to judge.

I testify that Christ is looking to keep us. He isn’t looking at past individual sins. He already paid those off; the ledger is clear. He redeemed you, and now He is looking at you as you are. His sacrifice enables Him to judge your heart. Let go of your sins that are holding you down, and walk closer to light every day. Invite more of the Savior into your daily life. Rejoice in His ability to save you because you desire goodness.

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Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

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We Can’t Afford Graceby Autumn Dickson

Last week, we talked about some of the symbolism behind Joseph’s story. He offered food that filled the bellies of the Egyptians and saved them. Christ offers salvation, and we should be actively paying attention to whether we’re bringing the bread home or internalizing it and letting it fill us. We expanded this symbolism to missionary work; if we are full, people will come and see just like other countries traveled to Egypt for food.

This week, I want to expand upon that same symbolism again.

So here are the quick details of that story. Pharaoh has a dream that Joseph interprets. This dream warns Pharaoh that there will be seven years of plenty and seven years of severe famine. Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of a food-saving program, and it works. The people are saved because a portion of food had been set aside during the years of plenty.

When the land was desolate, the people came in and started to buy food from Joseph. When they ran out of money, they started giving their cattle and flocks to pay for the food. Ultimately, even that becomes insufficient. Then this happens.

Genesis 47:18-20

18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.

It is at this point in time that the Egyptians become serfs to Pharaoh. Serfdom is an important distinction from slavery, especially as it relates to our conversation today. It is much more accurate to call them serfs. They’re not going to be bought and sold at will, but they’re tied to the land they don’t own. They have the right to work that land and provide for themselves, and they give back 20% of their food to Pharaoh.

Let’s talk about the implications of this policy that Joseph put forth in the land of Egypt as it relates to the symbolism of our last post, namely the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Implication 1. We can’t afford the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Joseph saved Egypt as well as the surrounding countries and the House of Israel. Plain and simple, he saved them all, and he did it with generosity. He didn’t resent the Egyptians for not being able to afford the food he had saved. In fact, he rejoices that his brothers betrayed him so that he could be placed in a position to save everyone.

In the seven years of the famine, the people got to the point where they had nothing else to give. Even after devoting all of their money, cattle, flocks, and land, they still came up short. It was never going to be enough. Nowadays, we are encouraged to build up our own food storage and self-reliance, and there are different principles that come with that prophetic counsel. This story, however, does not play out like that. Joseph saved the food, not the citizens. This is indicative of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Grace is free. No matter how much money we bring to the table, no matter how much we have saved up, it is insufficient to save us. Justice is a harsh master, and we don’t have the means to save ourselves. It’s impossible. Christ saved you. Yes, we believe that He judges us by our works, but the eternal truth stands: He saved us, and nothing we offer can ever pay that back.

Implication 2. None of this is ours; we can only give of ourselves. Even then, we are not our own. We become stewards, and Christ is a generous benefactor.

The food was not free. The Egyptians couldn’t afford it, and Joseph still offered it, but Joseph required something in return: their lands and themselves. The Egyptians agreed to this willingly.

Some people would call this coercion. How can you say no if your only other option is death? My response? That’s ridiculous. Why on earth would you be ungrateful? The best response you could have to this situation is, “Thank you. I couldn’t do this on my own. I couldn’t save myself. You saved me, and I will forever owe you for that. I recognize that I wouldn’t have anything without you, and so I willingly devote myself to give back some of what You gave me.”

In fact, this is how the Egyptians responded to their predicament.

Genesis 47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.

Christ saves. We can resent Him for that. We can resent Him and falsely accuse Him of taking away our agency, but that’s not it at all. Joseph didn’t make them slaves so he could do whatever he wanted with them. He made them stewards and asked them to give back. He didn’t save them because he wanted to own them. He saved them so he could provide them with the opportunity to keep living.

Christ gave us an opportunity to make something of ourselves. He asks for a portion of what He gave us back. He asks us to devote ourselves and make the land fruitful. If we hate Him for it, then it’s tragically ironic. Not only does He own everything anyway, but He’s also trying to teach us how to make the best use of our land. He wants our land to be overflowing. He wants us to rejoice in what we’ve been given and gratefully give back. The more we do with what He has given, the more we have. Even when He asks for a portion back, it is actually continuing to serve us.

There are so many perfect, poignant details of Joseph’s story that teaches us about the atonement of Jesus Christ. It teaches things as they really are, and it gives us an opportunity to have the correct attitudes towards our true state of reality.

I testify that Christ can save us. We can reject His bread and try to find it elsewhere, but we’re going to come up empty. I testify that He didn’t perform the atonement so that He could own us and subject us to whatever He wanted. He performed the atonement so that our own agency didn’t ruin our eternity. He literally freed us, gave us more opportunity, and He teaches us how to make more of ourselves. We did not come out as slaves. Because of Jesus Christ, we have won.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 42–50 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Lovest Thou Me?”, Elder Steven C. Barlow teaches that love for God is not only something we feel. It is something we demonstrate through our choices and priorities.

He explains that love grows when it is both expressed and received.

When love is freely given and sincerely received, a virtuous cycle ensues with an increase of love between both the giver and the receiver.

Drawing from the Savior’s conversation with Peter after the Resurrection, Elder Barlow explains that the Lord’s question, “Lovest thou me more than these?”, invites each disciple to examine what truly comes first in their life.

Rather than leaving disciples guessing how to show devotion, the Lord has clearly revealed the ways we demonstrate love for Him.

Common Criticism: “Religious devotion often focuses too much on rules and obedience rather than genuine love.”

Some observers assume that religious commandments encourage compliance rather than sincere devotion. From this perspective, obedience appears mechanical rather than relational.

Fallacy at Work: Love vs. ObedienceThis criticism assumes that love and obedience are opposites. In reality, relationships often express love through willing commitment, loyalty, and sacrifice.

Elder Barlow’s Correction: Love Is Demonstrated Through ActionElder Barlow teaches that the Savior Himself explained how disciples show their love for God.

When Jesus asked Peter, “Lovest thou me?”, His response was not abstract. The Savior invited Peter to demonstrate that love through meaningful action.

Put God first in life.
Serve and care for others.
Express gratitude to God.
Choose obedience to His commandments.

These actions are not attempts to earn God’s love. They are natural expressions of loving Him.

Resolving this Fallacy:

Love for God becomes visible through daily choices. When disciples prioritize the Lord, serve His children, and follow His teachings, they demonstrate the sincerity of their devotion.

Living Apologetics: Love That Shows ItselfElder Barlow’s message reframes obedience as an expression of love rather than a replacement for it.

In everyday life, love is often demonstrated through action. Parents care for children, friends show loyalty, and spouses make sacrifices for one another. These actions are not empty obligations. They reveal the depth of the relationship.

Similarly, disciples show love for God through the way they live.

Elder Barlow highlights four practical expressions of devotion:

Putting God first. When disciples prioritize spiritual commitments, they show that their relationship with God matters most.

Serving others. Jesus taught that serving God’s children is one of the clearest ways to show love for Him.

Showing gratitude. Recognizing God’s hand in our lives deepens faith and strengthens our relationship with Him.

Choosing obedience. Obedience becomes an act of willing devotion rather than forced compliance.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Religion focuses too much on rules.” * You might respond:* “Elder Barlow explains that obedience is one way we show love for God. Just like in any relationship, love becomes real through the things we choose to do.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Make a small decision today that places God first in your priorities.
2️⃣ Look for one opportunity to serve someone quietly.
3️⃣ Thank God in prayer for specific blessings you have received.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Barlow reminds disciples that God’s love for His children is perfect and constant. The more we focus on expressing our love for Him, the more clearly we begin to recognize His love in our lives.

This creates a beautiful spiritual pattern. As disciples show devotion through service, gratitude, and obedience, their relationship with God deepens.

The Savior’s question to Peter is also a question for each of us.

“Lovest thou me?”

Our answer is revealed not only in words, but in the life we choose to live.

What is one thing I could place ahead of other priorities to show the Lord that I truly love Him?

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More Than Food Storage; Famine and Atonementby Autumn Dickson

The Old Testament is full of stories, and oftentimes, those stories come as a type of things to come. They teach us about life. They teach us about our relationship with God and our dependence on the Savior. Joseph’s life is no different. We can look at the parts of his whole life and find incredible symbolism, and we can look at his life as a whole for symbolism. There is so much there. Let’s talk about just some of it.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. After a series of miracles and difficulty, Joseph is made a ruler in Egypt after interpreting a dream for Pharoah. Pharoah puts him in charge of gathering food to save up for a horrible famine that is going to spread throughout the land. Here is what happens when the famine hits.

Genesis 41:54-57

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

First, the Egyptians come and get food from Pharaoh. Other countries, including Joseph’s brothers, follow suit and start coming in to get food from Pharaoh.

We believe in food storage and self-sufficiency, and this is a powerful example of that. However, that’s not the most important lesson we can learn here.

Believe it or not, this is an incredible example of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Before we delve into the deeper symbolism, I want you to think about some of these poignant details. Joseph was originally with his family who would grow to be the twelve tribes of Israel. After they rejected him, he ended up with Gentiles – Egyptians. He saved them from the famine first, and then his brothers came to buy bread as well. Christ originally stuck with the House of Israel until they rejected Him. Then the gospel went to the Gentiles before returning to the House of Israel once again.

The details are too beautiful. Even beyond the incredible parallels, there are deeper principles here. As I mentioned previously, this isn’t a story about self-reliance despite its ability to teach that principle. This is a story about the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Joseph knew the dearth that the people on earth would face. It was revealed to him, and he had been foreordained to handle it. He had been prepared throughout his life to handle it. He had the gifts necessary in order to prepare for it. A plan was set in motion to save everyone from this dearth. He was betrayed and placed into a position where he would be enabled to provide that saving grace when no one else could.

Joseph had the corn that saved everyone. There was nowhere else to go in order to be saved. Joseph was the only one who had legitimate bread to offer. Perhaps other people and sources tried to offer and lie about having some, but you had to go through Joseph to get bread.

Christ knew the dearth that the people on earth would face. It was revealed to Him, and He had been foreordained to handle it. He had been prepared throughout His life to handle it. He had the gifts necessary in order to prepare for it. A plan was set in motion to save everyone from this dearth. He was betrayed and placed into a position where He would be enabled to provide that saving grace when no one else could.

Christ provided salvation. There is nowhere else to go in order to be saved. Christ is the only one who has legitimate salvation to offer. Perhaps other people and sources tried to offer and lie about having some, but you have to go through Christ to be saved.

There are implications for this, implications for your personal life as well as missionary work.

Implication one. The Egyptians could have stood in line, filled their buckets, gone home, and put those buckets in the corner. They could have looked at the buckets, maybe even opened them, and still refused to eat the food that had been given to them. The dearth still would have killed them. It didn’t matter if they did all the things that enabled them to have food if they didn’t consume the food and let it fill their bellies.

Are you going to church? Are you doing Come Follow Me? Are you studying the scriptures, going to the temple, serving, doing your calling, praying, and studying your patriarchal blessing and conference talks?

Here’s a more important question. Are you allowing those things to fill you? It is very easy to cross things off a to-do list. It takes a different kind of work to internalize the to-do’s and bring them into your heart to fill you like they were always meant to.

Which leads me to the next implication.

Why did the other countries come to Egypt for food? The other countries, including the House of Israel, came because they saw that the Egyptians had full bellies.

Is your belly full?

Other countries looked at the Egyptians and saw that they had food. They didn’t look at the Egyptians and notice that they were standing in lines or carrying buckets. Other countries saw that their bellies were full.

Missionary work becomes simpler when the gospel is filling your life with light. When you are utilizing the to-do’s of the church to internalize the light of Christ’s gospel (not just doing the to-do’s), people will come to you. They will be drawn to you. In a world that offers empty bellies, we have the sustenance that a person can live and thrive on.

Bring the sustenance home. Do the to-do’s.

Consume the sustenance. Let the to-do’s fill you up and make you whole.

The other countries will see what you have and want it. One of the most powerful ways to share the gospel is to let the gospel fill you so that everyone can see your light shine and glorify your Father in heaven.

I testify that there is salvation in the world, and I testify of a Savior who offers it. There is bread to fill your belly. I testify that it feels good to have a full stomach, and I testify that there are so many people out there consumed by emptiness. They will be drawn to what we have. Share it. Internalize the Savior and His promises, and share it.

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Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Humble Souls at Altars Kneel,” Jeremy R. Jaggi teaches that sacred altars, whether the sacrament table, temple altars, or the quiet places of personal prayer, represent moments when we bind ourselves to Jesus Christ through covenant devotion.

He explains that these sacred acts are not symbolic gestures alone. They connect disciples directly to the Savior’s power and grace.

Our Savior’s arms are outstretched; His table is spread. Come worship the Son of God at His holy altars.

Through covenant worship, disciples do more than remember Christ. They draw closer to Him and receive strength to face life’s challenges.

Common Criticism: “Religious rituals are symbolic traditions but don’t actually change anything.”Many people view practices such as the sacrament, temple worship, or kneeling prayer as meaningful traditions. However, they question whether these rituals truly affect a person’s spiritual life.

Fallacy at Work: Ritual Without PowerThis criticism assumes that religious observances are merely ceremonial. It overlooks how intentional spiritual practices shape commitment, focus the heart on God, and invite divine influence.

Elder Jaggi’s Correction: Covenants Connect Us to ChristElder Jaggi teaches that sacred ordinances and covenant worship are not empty gestures. They are moments when disciples intentionally bind themselves to the Savior.

Through these sacred acts, disciples renew their devotion and open their lives to Christ’s power. Covenant worship strengthens faith, invites protection, and deepens a disciple’s relationship with the Savior.

Resolving this Fallacy:

Altars represent commitment. When disciples approach them with humility and faith, they do more than remember Christ. They renew their covenants and draw closer to Him.

Living Apologetics: Covenants Provide StrengthElder Jaggi’s message reframes religious observance as something deeply practical. Rather than simply fulfilling religious expectations, covenant worship becomes a source of resilience, clarity, and spiritual protection.

He teaches that when we worship the Savior and keep our covenants, we gain strength to resist the natural pull of the world and the influence of the adversary.

These sacred practices also create moments of reflection. When disciples kneel in prayer or partake of the sacrament, they pause to examine their hearts, renew their commitments, and seek forgiveness through the Savior’s Atonement.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Church rituals don’t really change anything.” * You can respond:* “Elder Jaggi teaches that covenant worship connects us to Christ and opens access to His mercy, protection, and healing.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Treat the sacrament as a moment of intentional spiritual reflection.
2️⃣ View prayer as a personal “altar” where you bring concerns to God.
3️⃣ Approach covenants as living relationships rather than obligations.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Jaggi reminds disciples that the Savior invites all who are weary to come to Him. Sacred altars represent places where burdens can be laid down and healing can begin.

When humble souls kneel before God, they are not merely performing a ritual. They are responding to the Savior’s invitation to receive His mercy and rest.

What might change in my life if I approached sacred moments of worship as opportunities to truly bind myself to the Savior?

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You Haven’t Ruined Your Lifeby Autumn Dickson

My first message of this week was about Rebekah and Jacob tricking Isaac into giving Esau’s blessing to Jacob. Rebekah had received a revelation that the older would serve the younger, and she took matters into her own hands to make that happen. It worked, and Jacob was blessed. Unfortunately, Jacob also had to run for his life from Esau. He was sent to his uncle’s house far away to keep him safe.

It had been prophesied that the younger would rule over the older, but there was also some favoritism going on. The bible literally tells us that Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob. Rebekah went above and beyond to make sure Jacob came out on top.

Unfortunately, the opposite seemed to occur. Rather than ruling over his father’s house, Jacob ended up exiled. He was anything but a ruler for a very long time. Jacob’s uncle tricked him, and Jacob had very little power to protect himself. His wages were unfairly changed up on him. He was separated from his family, not a ruler of his family.

When Rebekah sent Jacob away to live with her brother, I wonder if she regretted what she did. When she was separated from Jacob, did she wish she could do things differently? I wonder if she asked herself whether she had made a mistake and ruined everything. I don’t know about Rebekah, but I think I would have had those feelings.

I wonder if Jacob ever felt a little bitter. I wonder if he was angry that the ruse had upended his life so thoroughly and ironically did the opposite of what it was supposed to be. Did he regret listening to his mother and tricking his father? Did he feel that everything was ruined?

Have you ever wondered if you ruined things too much? I’m not just talking about sinning so deeply that the atonement of Jesus Christ can’t reach you. I’m also talking about mistakes or sins that seemingly messed up what we believed we were supposed to become. Maybe there was a promise in your patriarchal blessing, a revelation that you felt strongly about that seems to have fallen flat, or a direction you never anticipated your life taking that led to heartache rather than increased ability to go out and serve.

One of the beautiful things about this story is the fact that the Lord can lead you there and make things come together even after mistakes and pitfalls and detours and even sin. Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac. They deceived him, and they did so in the name of a revelation given to Rebekah by the Lord. And honestly, I don’t know if that makes it better or worse. I guess she was trying really hard to follow the revelation, but we also need to be supremely careful about doing wrong things in the name of getting to the “right” destination. As in, we shouldn’t need to do wrong things in the name of getting to the right destination. I digress.

They sinned. They weren’t evil people, but they did sin. And yet, despite this sin and interference, the Lord still helped them get where they needed to be.

Jacob prospered and returned home and reconciled with his family. Esau likewise prospered independently. Esau’s descendants ended up serving Jacob’s descendants (Edom and Israel). Things turned out how they were supposed to, and no damage was permanent.

When I was dating Conner, I was very confused. We were really struggling. That era of our lives was very dark for both of us. I really don’t understand how we ended up together, but we did. In the middle of all that difficulty, I had people telling me that I could miss out on the man God had prepared for me if I kept wasting time with Conner.

This became a legitimate fear of mine. I was so afraid God would be angry with me for being confused and not being able to find my way. I would break up with him, and I felt led back to him but then things were so hard and very few people (I think 4 people total and even that was iffy) supported us being together. I was afraid that I would miss out on what was supposed to be mine because I wasn’t good enough to figure out what I was supposed to be doing.

In the midst of all this, I had a dear friend who was so faithful and trusting. She had dated her boyfriend on and off for years. It had stretched on and on, and they finally reached a point where they truly broke up. I remember asking her the questions that were pressing on me. I asked her if she was afraid that she had missed out on someone she could have married because she was so distracted with this other guy.

Her response was simple and profound. She wasn’t worried at all. She didn’t believe in a God like that, a God who would punish her for not knowing immediately. She was trying the best she could with what she had, even if it wasn’t perfect, and she believed that God would honor that and help her along.

If your heart is turned towards God and trying to follow Him, you don’t need to fear. He can lead you along. Even if you make mistakes along the way, even if you end up on roads you never pictured yourself on, He can lead you back to where you need to be.

I remember another time in college. They had just changed the missionary age, and I was suddenly able to serve. I had wanted to serve a mission my whole life, but in that moment, I shied away from it. I found myself in a bit of trouble. I was very mentally sick. I had taken a break from classes to pursue a music career. I had a couple of friends who didn’t let me totally lose myself, but I wasn’t headed in the direction I needed to be going. I was pretty adrift and lost, and though not all of it was my fault, some of it was a direct result of my own naive or selfish choices.

I remember sitting on my bed one night, knowing that I wasn’t where I needed to be. I didn’t kneel down or fold my arms. I didn’t open or close the prayer. I just quietly whispered, “If You could get me out of this, I would appreciate it.”

And He did. Very shortly after, I found myself on a plane home to Texas where I had grown up. One thing led to another and I found myself serving in Indiana, right where I needed to be.

It didn’t matter to Him that I had taken myself all over the map. The detours and “lost” time ultimately meant nothing. I ended up right where I needed to be. I didn’t truly lose anything. There was difficulty and regrets, but there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be salvaged through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

I have a feeling that if Rebekah and Jacob could have seen the exile they were setting into motion, they wouldn’t have done what they did. I have a feeling that there was some real introspection going on after everything went down. There were detours and difficulties on account of their own choices, but the Lord never lost sight of them.

I testify that He never loses sight of you. He is leading you along even if you don’t know it. I testify that He can take the worst parts and mistakes and turn them into good. I testify that all roads can lead home if we apply the atonement of Jesus Christ.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 24–33 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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Feeling Alone? Trust Him.by Autumn Dickson

The Old Testament is full of imperfect people. There is strife and difficulty. Families struggle together. We see people who are trying to follow God, sometimes in desperation, and they make mistakes along the way. We see a whole spectrum of human emotion. It makes me wonder how much we’re missing in the New Testament. We often tease about how the Old Testament and New Testament are so different, but are they truly? Or were they just written differently? Perhaps the curtain just gets peeled back a tad bit more with the Old Testament and we get to see the bad along with the good.

This week, we read about some of those imperfect people, and there is much to learn from them. We can learn from their mistakes in our own quest to follow after God. We can learn to watch our own predilections and flaws and hopefully avoid some of their same obstacles. I want to look at Jacob and Rebekah specifically.

It took a while for Rebekah to get pregnant, but when she did, she got pregnant with twins. They wrestled within her and caused her to ask the Lord what was going on. He spoke to Rebekah (likely through the Spirit) and told her that from the two brothers, two nations would be formed. It was also prophesied that the older would serve the younger.

Esau was born first and was Isaac’s favorite, and Jacob was born second and was Rebekah’s favorite. Rebekah had received a revelation that Esau would serve Jacob, but she took matters into her own hands. Isaac spoke to Esau and told him to prepare a dinner so that Esau could be blessed. Rebekah pushes and convinces Jacob to trick his father. This is what she tells Jacob.

Genesis 27:8-10

8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

She convinces Jacob to pretend to be Esau. Isaac is blind, and so the idea is that Isaac will give Esau’s blessing to Jacob. She takes the ruse even further by placing the hairy skins upon Jacob to further trick Isaac into thinking that Jacob is Esau (since Esau is hairy and Jacob isn’t).

Her ruse works. Isaac is tricked and gives the birthright blessing to Jacob rather than Esau. Esau comes home and is bitter and upset about what happened. He mourns his father but promises to kill Jacob when the mourning is over. Rebekah sends Jacob far away to her brother, Laban.

Jacob’s life isn’t made easier after this. He has been separated from his family. He starts working for his uncle and is tricked more than once. His uncle likewise changes his wages unjustly multiple times. The Lord calls upon Jacob to take his large family back home to where Esau is and Jacob fears his uncle and cousins enough that he tries to do it secretly.

It’s a long story, but I told the whole thing because the context is key in order to understand the principle I want to teach. I’ll shorten it to these four details. God whispers to Rebekah. Rebekah takes matters into her own hands, and Jacob listens. Jacob finds himself exiled.

Now the fraud and sin are not upon the head of Jacob alone. Rebekah pushed for this pretty hard; Jacob gave in and listened and did as his mother bade him. Both of them found themselves with poignant parallels.

When we don’t trust the Lord, we can find ourselves separated from family. Let me explain what I mean. I don’t necessarily mean that the Lord is going to exile you. I’m not prophesying that your children are going to be taken away. What I am teaching is this: not trusting the Lord can keep you separated from the family of God, spiritually and emotionally. It can make you feel like you’re all alone in the world.

Jacob had to go off on his own and try to make his own way. He didn’t have anyone to lean on. Do you feel that way? Do you feel that you have no one to lean on?

If you’ve been baptized and made covenants and kept those covenants and love the Lord but still don’t trust in His power to handle things (including your sins), you’re going to find yourself separated from Him. Not because He rejects you for not trusting Him, but because you are putting up a wall and keeping yourself from enjoying the relationship that’s possible.

Trust in the Lord is an irreplaceable part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can do all of the things, but it won’t matter without the trust. Rebekah was trying to help the prophecy along, and all it did was take her son away from her. She didn’t trust the Lord to handle it. It separated her from her loved one. Jacob listened and found himself separated from everyone.

I sat down with a loved one a couple of years ago, and she confided in me that she didn’t think she would make it to the Celestial Kingdom. She insisted that she had made many mistakes and didn’t know whether God would count her worthy. It made me so thoroughly sad. Sure, there had been mistakes, but there wasn’t a drop of rebellion in her. She loved the Lord and wanted to do what He wanted her to do.

And yet despite her goodness, she didn’t believe she could make it. Her lack of trust kept her from enjoying so many aspects of salvation right here and now. It kept her exiled and alone without anyone to lean on.

Do you know how good it feels to be a child of God? To feel close to Him even when you can’t see Him? It feels good. It feels tangible. I do not feel alone. I do not feel like I have to do this life on my own or figure out how to be okay all by myself without anyone to back me up. Trust in the Lord (whether that’s timing or unwanted answers or His ability to save) gave that to me.

If you feel that you’re supposed to be somewhere and it’s not coming together, don’t force it. Work appropriately, and trust Him. Trusting Him will keep you close rather than alone.

I testify that the Lord loves us. I testify that He wants to be close to us. I testify that His command for us to trust Him is a command because He knows it’s one of the most powerful tools for joy and peace. We are not alone. We do not have to take things into our own hands. We have an all-powerful Lord to guide us and lead us and open doors at the right times. We can rest, knowing He has our best interest in His capable hands.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “That All May Be Edified,” Chad H. Webb teaches that gospel teaching and learning are meant to do more than convey information. When centered on Jesus Christ and guided by the Holy Ghost, they are meant to shape discipleship over a lifetime.

Brother Webb emphasizes that meaningful spiritual learning requires intentional effort from both teachers and learners. Edification increases when responsibility is shared and agency is exercised.

As teachers, we can focus more on the learner’s progress, on meeting their needs, and on helping them to develop spiritual habits of lifelong discipleship. As learners, when we exercise our agency in the learning process, we signal to the Holy Ghost our willingness to be taught by Him.

This framing places growth where it belongs: not in presentation alone, but in preparation, participation, and personal responsibility.

Common Criticism: “Spiritual learning is primarily the responsibility of teachers and leaders.”It is easy to assume that meaningful gospel learning depends mostly on inspired teachers, well-prepared lessons, or compelling presentations. From this view, learners are largely recipients rather than participants.

Fallacy at Work: Passive Learning Produces Lasting FaithThis assumption treats spiritual growth as something that happens to us rather than something we actively choose. It underestimates the role of agency and personal preparation in inviting revelation.

Brother Webb’s Correction: Learners Must Choose to EngageBrother Webb teaches that edification increases when learners come prepared and when teachers create opportunities for personal revelation. When learners exercise agency in the learning process, they invite the Holy Ghost to teach them directly.

He points to the Savior as the perfect example. Jesus invited His disciples to prepare, to share what they were learning, and to act in faith. In doing so, He helped them take responsibility for their own testimonies.

Resolving this Fallacy:

Gospel learning is most powerful when it is shared, participatory, and centered on Christ. Teachers guide and invite, but learners must choose to engage if they are to be edified.

Living Apologetics: Agency Strengthens FaithBrother Webb’s message responds to a quiet but common concern. If faith depends on external teaching alone, it becomes fragile. His teaching reframes discipleship as an active process in which agency invites revelation.

This perspective addresses concerns such as:

“I don’t feel spiritually nourished at church.”
“Gospel learning feels disconnected from my real questions.”

Brother Webb teaches that when learners prepare, participate, and apply gospel principles, the Holy Ghost confirms truth directly to their hearts and minds.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Church doesn’t always meet my spiritual needs.” * You can respond:* “Brother Webb teaches that learning by faith requires active participation, which invites the Holy Ghost to teach us.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Prepare spiritually before gospel learning experiences.
2️⃣ Share insights and impressions when prompted.
3️⃣ Act on what the Spirit confirms as true.

Keep This Talk With YouBrother Webb testifies that when teaching and learning focus on Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost deepens faith and helps disciples become more like the Savior. Edification increases when learners exercise agency and teachers invite revelation.

The aim of all gospel teaching is not simply knowledge, but conversion.

How can I more intentionally exercise my agency so the Holy Ghost can teach me as I learn the gospel?

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On Behalf of Tenby Autumn Dickson

The Old Testament is chock full of stories. One of the stories this week is about Sodom and Gomorrah. They were an incredibly wicked city, and the Lord destroyed them. Before the Lord does so, He talks to Abraham about it. Abraham has a whole conversation with the Lord where he asks the Lord not to destroy the city if he can find righteous people within it. First, Abraham asks the Lord to spare it if he can find 50 righteous people. Then he keeps decreasing that number until we reach this point:

Genesis 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

The Lord agrees to not destroy it for the sake of ten righteous people.

This is an oft-repeating principle throughout scriptures. The Lord preserves nations because of a few righteous within it. The first example that comes to mind is Ammonihah. When Ammonihah killed and exiled all of the believers, it was ripe for destruction, and that was precisely what happened. The entire city was demolished by the Lamanites. The second one that comes to mind is in Isaiah 65 where the Lord talks about preserving the vine on behalf of a small cluster of good grapes.

It repeats far more than that, but those are just a couple of examples. And of course, there is a type in this. Let’s talk about it.

Sometimes it’s not about preserving a nation but a person. Abraham loved people enough that He pleaded with the Lord to save the city if he could find even a little bit of righteousness within it. Abraham is a type of Christ, and Christ pleads on our behalf even when there is only a little bit of righteousness within us. He loves us and wants us to have time to figure it out. It is important to understand what that means and why He does it.

When the Lord preserves a nation on behalf of the righteous who are dwelling there, He isn’t declaring the entire nation righteous. He isn’t turning a blind eye to the wickedness found there. He doesn’t plan on interceding on behalf of those who are unrepentant. For them, it will be as if no atonement had been made. Can you imagine how Lot’s daughters might have felt if Heavenly Father ignored what they had tried to do? Can you imagine how minimalized and cast aside and unsafe they would feel?

Mercy and intercession are not about ignoring wickedness. Rather, it is because He is providing the righteous with an opportunity to grow if possible.

In Alma 13, we read more about the king of Salem, Melchizedek. Melchizedek is a person from the Old Testament who blessed Abraham at one point. He was also king over a city that had waxed strong in abomination. They had “all” gone astray and were “full” of wickedness, except for Melchizedek. It was just Melchizedek. And yet, through the preaching of Melchizedek, the people repented and were saved.

When it comes to our own hearts, the Lord is willing to intercede if we repent. If there is a shred of goodness in us that holds sway, there is a chance to be saved.

On the flip side, we read about Ammonihah that I mentioned previously. Alma went there, was rejected, and left. He was commanded by an angel to return again, and in doing so, he came to Amulek. Amulek’s home welcomed him in and blessed him. After Alma and Amulek were preaching, some were converted but the leaders of Ammonihah killed them by fire.

Alma and Amulek escape, and Ammonihah is destroyed.

If we willfully kill those good seeds within us and reject Christ that thoroughly, He will not plead on our behalf. He does not save us in our sins. He saves us from our sins when we’re trying to escape them. He saves us long enough to let our choices play out in either direction, to the ultimate rejection of Him or to our repentance.

I want to expand the example of Ammonihah just a bit.

There are times when the Lord chooses to rain down His justice on purpose. There are times when He actively brings down trials and tragedy upon His people. When the wickedness is so bad that a softer answer won’t hit the mark, the Lord is not afraid of using a hard answer. There are times that He directly brings about difficulty in an attempt to reach us.

I wonder if it’s just a tad different with the city of Ammonihah. I wonder if the Lord didn’t have a hand in bringing the Lamanites to their doorstep to destroy them. I wonder if the Lord simply didn’t protect them any longer.

There is a type in this.

Sometimes the Lord purposefully rains down difficulty to try and shake us awake to our awful condition. But when it comes to a “final” judgment, He simply steps aside and doesn’t plead on our behalf. It is as if there is no atonement of Jesus Christ. Ammonihah wasn’t a final, final judgment, but it was a type of final judgment. It was meant to teach us something about the nature of eternity. The Lord wasn’t trying to reach them anymore; they had already shown that they didn’t want Him. Rather, He simply stepped aside and didn’t save them. His atonement simply didn’t apply in their lives.

Abraham pleaded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah because he couldn’t stomach the idea of such destruction. It was hard for him to watch. After Lot was gone, I’m sure Abraham hated to watch it happen, but accepted the tragic necessity. Abraham is a type of the Lord. Our Lord and Savior pleads on our behalf. If there are even ten good people, He wants to give us time and let us play out our choices. He intercedes on our behalf and preserves us until the day that we completely reject Him. He performed the atonement, the intercession, because He couldn’t stand to watch us be destroyed when there was good in us. Honestly, I think He can’t stand to watch us be destroyed even after we have rejected Him, but He weighs that option with letting us destroy everything around us.

I testify that the Lord wants to save us. He is pleading with us to come and be saved. He isn’t standing there with a ruler ready to kick us out at any infraction. He is doing everything He can to get us to hear Him and find peace in Him. He stands ready to save us and then walk us through repentance towards a happier state of being like He did with Melchizedek and the city of Salem. He wants to save. Let Him. Work with Him.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Do Your Part with All Your Heart,” Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches that discipleship is neither accidental nor passive. It is a deliberate and sustained effort to follow Jesus Christ patiently, consistently, and with commitment.

He reminds us that faith does not remain strong by default. Like any skill or discipline, it must be practiced and nourished over time.

“Simply put, discipleship takes self-discipline. It is not a casual endeavor, and it doesn’t happen by accident.”

This framing shifts discipleship away from momentary inspiration and toward daily, faithful engagement.

Common Criticism: “If salvation depends on Christ, my individual effort doesn’t really matter.”Some struggle to reconcile teachings about grace with the repeated call to effort. They may wonder whether emphasizing personal discipline undermines reliance on the Savior or whether effort is merely symbolic.

Fallacy at Work: Grace Replaces CommitmentThis view treats grace and effort as competing forces. It assumes that if Christ has done the “superhuman part,” then sustained personal discipleship is optional or secondary.

Elder Uchtdorf’s Correction: Christ Does the Saving, We Do the FollowingElder Uchtdorf addresses this tension directly. While salvation is made possible entirely through Jesus Christ, discipleship still requires intentional participation. He teaches:

“We know that our efforts alone cannot make us celestial. But they can make us loyal and committed to Jesus the Christ, and He can make us celestial.”

Grace does not eliminate effort. It gives effort meaning.

Resolving this Fallacy:

The gospel does not ask for perfection, but it does ask for participation. Faith grows as it is exercised, applied, and sustained over time.

Living Apologetics: Effort as Evidence of TrustElder Uchtdorf’s message offers a thoughtful response to the idea that effort implies self-reliance. Instead, he teaches that effort is an expression of loyalty to Christ.

Discipleship includes:

Practicing faith daily
Using spiritual gifts rather than burying them
Persisting even when growth feels slow

He explains that when faith is not acted upon, confidence erodes. When faith is nourished, it becomes resilient.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “I believe in Christ, but I don’t see why consistent effort matters.” * You can respond:* “Elder Uchtdorf teaches that faith grows only as we actively apply it. Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Identify one area where spiritual effort has become passive.
2️⃣ Choose a small and consistent action to reengage.
3️⃣ Trust that Christ magnifies sincere effort over time.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Uchtdorf reassures disciples that growth is gradual and that beginnings may be small, but they matter. Christ has already done what we could never do on our own. Our role is to follow Him step by step with trust and persistence.

“The beginning may be small. But that is OK.”

Where might the Lord be inviting me to engage more fully, patiently, and consistently in my discipleship?

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What True Worship Looks Likeby Autumn Dickson

I have been thinking a lot about what it means to worship God lately. It keeps popping up through random little avenues in my life. We’ve had the opportunity to have the missionaries in our home who taught about the ten commandments and only worshipping the one and true God. I’ve engaged in a couple of conversations about our beliefs of exaltation and what it means to become like our Heavenly Parents. I also recently saw a post about how celebrating Halloween is worshipping the occult, and so I asked myself, is that the truth? I love Halloween, and so I wanted to speak with the Lord and make sure I wasn’t doing anything He didn’t want me to do.

What does it mean to avoid idolatry and only worship Heavenly Father? Let’s read a couple of verses in Abraham to give us some principles to live by.

Abraham 1:6 For their hearts were set to do evil, and were wholly turned to the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt;

“…their hearts were wholly turned to the god of…” Your heart is representative of what you truly love. You can go to church and still have your heart oriented somewhere else. You can profess belief in our Heavenly Father and still not worship Him. You can watch Come Follow Me videos all you want, but if your heart is not engaged, it won’t save you.

And I believe that’s the key here. Only the Lord can save us. There are many ways that He saves us, one of which being an entrance into the kingdom of God, but there are many ways that He holds us and cares for us here on earth. He saves us by bringing true joy and peace. That’s what it boils down to. He doesn’t save us for the sake of saving us, and though that may seem like a silly nuance, it’s really important. He saves us because He wants us to be happy.

Part of worshipping the only true God is understanding that. Only the Lord can save us. Only the Lord can bring us true joy and peace.

We often ask: Is your heart centered on Jesus Christ? Do you only worship the true and living God? Perhaps a fantastic follow-up litmus test is this: Is your search for joy and peace centered on Jesus Christ?

The key word here is “centered.” That doesn’t mean you can’t have other things that make you happy and bring you joy. I believe that the Lord did what He did in order to give us an opportunity to enjoy other things in the context of eternity. There is a reason we keep hearing about the mansions in heaven. We can enjoy incredible things, but what matters in relation to the word “worship” is where our enjoyment is centered.

Let’s make it come full circle. Why is it important to center our worship, joy, and peace on the Savior? Because everything else will leave us ultimately empty. Nothing else can save you. Nothing else can truly bring joy and peace. There are many wonderful, incredible things out there that bring deep and lasting joy, but all of it will come to naught unless you have something more solid and capable: namely, Jesus Christ.

So I go and have fun and enjoy Halloween, all while keeping an eye on the fact that it doesn’t matter without Christ. My joy and peace are anchored in Him.

Here is another verse to give us a second litmus test of worship.

Abraham 1:8 Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children.

Before, we covered, “What is bringing you happiness? Is your peace and joy centered on Christ?” My next question is this: what are you willing to sacrifice for these other things that you love? What are you paying for it?

There are more questions we can ask that relate directly back to the experience of Abraham. Namely, are you sacrificing others? Are you sacrificing precious relationships with your family members? Are you sacrificing the needs and wants of others who are depending on you?

Look at how you spend time throughout the day. Look at the things that bring you a lot of happiness. What do those things cost in time, energy, and resources? What are you dedicating to it?

Are sports taking up so much time that you fail to spend quality time with family? Are you so obsessed with to-do lists that your kids are viewed as obstacles rather than purpose? Are you so caught up in social media that your kids miss you? Are you so caught up in anything else on earth that you’re sacrificing true joy?

Which leads to another follow-up question. Are you willing to hand what you love over to the Lord should He ask?

I think of my love of Halloween. If the prophet came out tomorrow and said that we weren’t going to celebrate Halloween anymore, would I listen? It’s okay to mourn things you love, but are you willing to hand it over as a sacrifice if the Lord asks? He should stand above all other things in your life. Your peace and joy should be centered on Him to the extent that you’re willing to give up other forms of joy should He ask. That’s what it means to worship.

Only worshipping the true and living God means that your peace and joy are centered on Him. It means a deep and abiding understanding that only Christ can really save you, and your ultimate source of relief comes through Him. It means that you’re willing to let go of other forms of happiness should He ask you to. It means that you are weighing the costs of where you are investing yourself. The cost of what you love should never tip the scales dangerously away from the most important things, and it should never come at the cost of your relationship with Christ.

I testify that true joy and peace is only found in Christ. I testify that He is worth any sacrifice. I testify that anything He asks us to sacrifice is actually only leading us closer to truth and joy. I testify that there is nothing that is more valuable than a relationship with Christ. He is worth the cost of anything else.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Be Reconciled to God,” Elder Kelly R. Johnson invites disciples to think differently about repentance and discipleship—not as occasional correction, but as an ongoing effort to remain aligned with God.

Drawing on his background as a forensic accountant, Elder Johnson explains reconciliation as the careful work of bringing two things back into alignment. Spiritually, to be reconciled to God means restoring harmony between our will and His will through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Simply put, being reconciled to God means aligning our will and actions with God’s will. . .

This framing emphasizes that reconciliation is not about punishment or shame, but about relationship.

Common Criticism: “If I’ve drifted spiritually, reconciliation with God is difficult, distant, or uncertain.”Many people quietly assume that once they have moved away from God—through neglect, disobedience, or doubt—the path back is complicated or unclear. They may feel unsure where to begin or question whether reconciliation is still possible.

Fallacy at Work: Distance Means DisqualificationThis mindset assumes that spiritual misalignment permanently damages the relationship with God. It treats repentance as something reserved for major turning points rather than a regular, accessible practice.

Elder Johnson’s Correction: Reconciliation Is Chosen and Enabled by ChristElder Johnson teaches that reconciliation begins with awareness and choice. Just as we may choose to distance ourselves from God, we must also choose to initiate the effort to return. Crucially, this return is made possible not by personal perfection, but by mercy.

He explains that reconciliation “is dependent on mercy,” and that “Jesus Christ’s gracious act of atonement makes reconciliation possible.” Through Christ, strained relationships with God can be restored fully and confidently.

Resolving this Fallacy:

Reconciliation is not a rare event reserved for dramatic moments. It is a repeated invitation to realign our lives with God through repentance, humility, and trust in the Savior’s Atonement.

Living Apologetics: Alignment, Not FearElder Johnson’s message responds to the belief that repentance is primarily about guilt or consequence. Instead, he teaches that reconciliation brings peace, clarity, and confidence before God.

This perspective addresses concerns such as:

“I’ve moved too far away to come back easily.”
“Repentance feels overwhelming or discouraging.”

By reframing repentance as reconciliation, Elder Johnson shows that discipleship is about restoring alignment, not erasing worth.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “I don’t even know how to fix my relationship with God.” * You can respond:* “Elder Johnson teaches that reconciliation begins by choosing to realign with God, made possible through Jesus Christ’s Atonement.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Notice areas of spiritual misalignment, however small they may seem.
2️⃣ Choose to draw nearer to God through prayer, obedience, and repentance.
3️⃣ Trust in Christ’s mercy, not personal self-sufficiency.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Johnson testifies that reconciliation through Jesus Christ leads to peace, confidence, and strength. Like Enos, those who rely on the Savior’s Atonement find that guilt is swept away and faith becomes unshaken.

Reconciliation is not a one-time correction but a sustaining pattern of discipleship—one that keeps us connected to the Savior and anchored in hope.

Where might I need to realign my will more fully with God’s will right now?

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Was the Flood an Act of Mercy?by Autumn Dickson

Noah’s ark is one of the most classic bible stories. Even when you’re not Christian, many people are aware of the story and what it means. I read these verses in the last post for this week, and I’m going to read them again with a new angle.

Genesis 7:19-20, 23

19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

The Lord destroyed everything. Oftentimes, this is rightfully seen as an act of justice. According to the Come Follow Me manual, the flood was also an act of mercy. I love that justice and mercy often come together, and I want to expand upon that.

Here is a quote from the Come Follow Me manual. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “corruption had reached an agency-destroying point that spirits could not, in justice, be sent here.” During Noah’s time, the world had become so dark and devastating that bringing new children into the world would have been wrong.

When you study child abuse and neglect, this makes complete sense. There comes a point when you are so traumatized that trauma is all you can offer others. And if there are no healthy adults to save the children, then society will just get darker and darker until it destroys itself anyway.

Perhaps God destroyed the evil, but they would have destroyed themselves anyway. Because of His decisions, He was also able to save many of the spirits that would have gone down and been destroyed alongside the rest.

Now this was an extremely large scale event, but that’s what makes it such an easy example to observe. Here is another scriptural example on a slightly smaller scale.

In The Book of Mormon, Nephi is teaching his brothers and trying to get them to repent, but they hate the things of God. Here is a verse that shows some of Nephi’s pleadings.

1 Nephi 17:45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.

The Lord had to be severe to reach them. We see this over and over and over again throughout scripture. Paul the apostle, Alma the Younger, the Israelites all throughout the Old Testament. You will see this theme all throughout Come Follow Me this year. The Lord is willing to do what’s necessary in order to reach us, but there is an important, adjacent understanding that goes hand in hand with this.

Jeffrey R. Holland taught, “Justice is not the work of an offended tyrant. It is the loving labor of a Father who is trying to get His children safely home.”

I LOVE this quote. He is not an offended tyrant. God is a loving Father, and He is wise enough to know how to reach His children. He’s not trying to punish us into submission. He’s trying to get through to us.

In 1 Peter, we learn that Christ went and preached to those in prison, specifically to the disobedient from the times of Noah. I wonder if they were finally ready to listen. I wonder if the flood and spirit prison reached them so that they were ready to live their life in a manner that brought happiness. I wonder if they are friends with Noah now. If they have repented, then I know this. They are grateful for the Lord and His wisdom in raining down justice and reaching them.

All of God’s decisions are based on love for His children, the seemingly severe and the softly spoken answer. He chooses the option that will most powerfully reach us. We’ve seen this on a large scale like with Noah and the flood, we’ve seen it on a smaller scale with Laman and Lemual. What does it mean for your own life?

We have to be careful not to take this principle beyond its proper bounds. The principle is this: God will use tragedy to reach us if it’s necessary because He loves us. The principle is not this: If you’re experiencing something tragic, it is because God is using tragedy to punish you or because you really need to repent. Tragedy does not equate to wickedness, but it can be a tool that God uses sometimes. It just depends.

I testify that all of God’s decisions are based on love. I testify that suffering in mortal life is not the worst thing that can happen to a person. I testify that death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person. I testify that God is wise enough to do what it takes to reach us, and I testify that He sent His Son to wash us, heal us, and suffer with us so that He could succor us when we’re prepared to accept that loving kindness. I testify that God uses justice to be merciful in our lives.

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A Flood and a Fresh Startby Autumn Dickson

This week we read about a couple of classic Bible stories, one of which is Noah and the ark. Let’s read a couple of verses.

Noah was led to build and ark, and then he went into the ark with his sons. God shut them up in the ark, and then this happened.

Genesis 7:19-20, 23

19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

The earth was completely covered with water, and everything was destroyed except for Noah, his family, and the animals who went with them.

The Guide to the Scriptures teaches us that, “During Noah’s time the earth was completely covered with water. This was the baptism of the earth and symbolized a cleansing.”

There is so much symbolism here, but I want to talk about one of the most important aspects of this symbolism. When we are baptized or take the sacrament, our sins are washed away and we start over.

The earth was filled with violence and corruption. Every imagination and thought of the people was evil continually.

That is a lot of cleansing. I have a feeling that you have not yet reached this point in your life. I have a feeling that if you’re reading Come Follow Me posts, your imaginations and thoughts aren’t evil continually. Maybe you’ve got some flaws that you can’t kick, but I’m guessing that if you’re inviting good into your life, you can’t possibly be thinking about evil continually.

And if God can wash away all of that evil at the time of Noah, He can wash away your sins too. He can make the baptism as “big” as it needs to be. He can “flood the earth” so to speak if that’s what it takes to wash away the sins that you do have. And that little tiny piece of you that is trying to do well and good will be preserved and provided with an opportunity to start over.

Every Sunday when you take up that little piece of bread and that little cup of water, you are remembering how the Lord paid for your sins. There was a tremendous amount of suffering, both in the flood and in the Garden of Gethsemane. Honestly, it’s crazy to think that there was more pain in that one night in the Garden of Gethsemane than there was during the flood.

But it is done. The suffering already happened. The price was already paid. It was a gift.

The gift offered is not automatic salvation. When Noah and his family were preserved, it wasn’t automatic salvation. They weren’t going to immediately experience joy just because all of that evil was all swept away. They still needed to build something after the water was gone. What would they build in the blank slate that the Lord gave them?

The gift is that the Lord is going to provide you an opportunity to build your life again without being weighed down by past sins. And you get to use that gift all the time, every time you repent.

We go to church on Sunday, we take the sacrament, we wash away all of the evil, and the Lord leaves the good. He doesn’t wipe away all of our flaws. Noah and his family weren’t perfect. He just wipes away all of the residue of sin, and from there, we begin to build again.

What are we going to bring into our new world? What will we bring into our new selves? As you look at the landscape of your life, it has been washed clean again. What will you create? What will you turn your life into?

Because it is about building. This is a story of grace, and it is a story of what we create with what we were given. Hopefully, we take the blank slate and choose to build up incredible things that bless us and bless those around us. We are given frameworks and blueprints that we can use to build our lives. It is not enough to want something beautiful built; the Lord gives us the beautiful opportunity to do the work alongside Him.

And as time moves on, hopefully we don’t need an entire flood every time we choose to take the sacrament. Hopefully the cleansings get smaller and smaller as we become more and more Christlike.

You may still grieve. I don’t think Noah and his family walked away from this experience lightly. I think they walked away with a lot of sorrow for what happened alongside the gratitude for being saved. Like Noah, washing away your sins won’t erase the memory of it. Even though it may bring grief, it’s a gift. It’s a gift because it can prevent you from walking down the path towards an earthwide flood again. It will bring depth to your gratitude. We don’t want to forget what happened, not really, despite the pain it may bring.

I testify that the Lord can wash away what you have. I testify that there are so many parallels with the flood and our own lives that can teach us about what the Lord did and what He offers. I testify that He did not automatically give us salvation; He gave us a blank slate so that we could build something worth having, so that we could enjoy eternity like He does. I testify that He will keep washing as long as it takes, as long as we need to build what He has in mind for us.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” Elder Gary E. Stevenson teaches that peacemaking is not a passive or naïve response to a troubled world. It is a deliberate, Christlike choice that requires courage, restraint, and moral clarity.

Against a backdrop of grief, violence, and rising contention, Elder Stevenson invites disciples to reconsider common assumptions about strength. Rather than equating power with aggression or volume, he points to the Savior’s example and calls peacemaking a higher, holier form of strength.

To be a peacemaker is not to be weak but to be strong in a way that the world may not understand.

This framing shifts peacemaking from a defensive posture to an expression of deep spiritual maturity.

Common Criticism: “In a world full of conflict, peacemaking is naïve, weak, or unrealistic.”When tensions run high—politically, socially, or personally—calls for peace can feel impractical. Some assume that strength requires sharpness, retaliation, or emotional intensity, while restraint and forgiveness are seen as concessions.

Fallacy at Work: Strength Equals AggressionThis mindset confuses dominance with courage and assumes that peace can come only after others change. It overlooks the reality that contention often multiplies harm and that cycles of retaliation rarely produce healing.

Elder Stevenson’s Correction: Christlike Strength Looks DifferentElder Stevenson teaches that peacemaking is not the absence of conviction. It is the discipline to act with charity even when emotions run high. True peacemakers do not surrender principle; they refuse to surrender love.

Drawing on the Savior’s teachings, Elder Stevenson reminds us that Jesus Christ—the Prince of Peace—never compromised truth, yet consistently chose mercy, restraint, and reconciliation.

Resolving this Fallacy:

Rather than waiting for ideal circumstances or universal agreement, disciples are invited to practice peacemaking now. The gospel calls for courage that builds rather than wounds and for strength that heals rather than escalates.

Living Apologetics: Strength the World MisunderstandsElder Stevenson’s message challenges a cultural assumption that loudness equals righteousness. In reality, peacemaking often requires more spiritual strength than retaliation.

This teaching speaks to concerns such as:

“If I don’t push back forcefully, truth will be lost.”
“Peacemaking means compromising my beliefs.”

Elder Stevenson offers a different vision: peacemaking demands courage, patience, and faith in Christ’s way of resolving conflict.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Peacemaking is too soft for today’s world.” * You can respond:* “Elder Stevenson teaches that peacemaking is a form of strength the world often misunderstands—but Christ calls His disciples to it.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Notice moments where contention feels justified. 2️⃣ Choose restraint and kindness deliberately, even when it feels costly.
3️⃣ Trust that Christlike strength leaves lasting influence.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Stevenson reminds us that peacemaking is not a modern trend or a situational response. It is a divine calling taught by Jesus Christ Himself and renewed in our day.

As disciples choose to be peacemakers—in hearts, homes, and communities—they become witnesses of the Prince of Peace and instruments of healing in a fractured world.

Where is the Savior inviting me to show Christlike strength through peacemaking right now?

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Why We Build Arks When We are Saved By Graceby Autumn Dickson

Moses 7 is powerful. There is so much. I have so many thoughts, but let’s keep it to a few. One of those thoughts came to me while reading this verse.

Moses 7:43 Wherefore Enoch saw that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his own hand; but upon the residue of the wicked the floods came and swallowed them up.

Noah and his family were surrounded by wickedness and danger. They built an ark, and the Lord protected them. The rest of the people were wiped out by the flood.

I want to draw your attention to two details. Noah built an ark, and the Lord held it in His hand. There is a type in this. Let’s talk about one of my favorite subjects: grace and works. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is frequently attacked for not being Christian because we believe that we will be judged by our works and desires and not just by whether we believe in the right Jesus. Other Christians believe that it’s just about accepting the Savior, not following Him. They believe that you don’t have to do anything. Some believe that if you try to do anything, you’re only taking away from His glory (or so I’ve been told by some of my friends; I recognize that there are nuanced beliefs within the Christian faith in general). I know others believe that it’s all about belief and works simply follow belief, but the works are just not necessary.

It is extremely important to note that Latter-day Saints believe 100% in grace. We believe that works are necessary, but works don’t save us. Christ saves us. Works are necessary, but they perform a different function, not saving

As I read the bible, over and over and over and over and over I get the message that the Lord does require works even if it’s not ultimately the works that do the saving. There are places in the bible that more directly teach this concept, namely in the letters of Paul, but there is also story after story after story that teaches this principle. Noah and the ark is just one of these stories. Noah and the ark can teach us about how Christ does the saving, and it teaches us about why the Lord requires works and will judge us by our works.

What do we learn from Noah’s story? How does Noah’s story teach us about grace and works? Let’s talk about it.

First of all, let’s look at it before Noah even builds the ark. The Lord saved Noah and his family because they were righteous. There is a type in this. Noah and his family weren’t perfect, but they were righteous. And even though they loved God, it didn’t save them. It just meant that God saved them. Would God have saved them if they hadn’t built the ark? My personal opinion is no. Why would He command Noah to build an ark if He didn’t actually care whether Noah built it?

Let’s look more specifically at Noah and the ark and not everyone who died in the flood. Our verse teaches us that the Lord held Noah’s ark in His hand. That’s the grace right there. The Lord protected Noah. The Lord saved Noah. The verse could have said, “Noah obeyed God and built the ark, and it saved him.” But that’s not what it said because that’s not what Latter-day Saints believe. In fact, it doesn’t even specifically say that God looked upon Noah, smiled at him, and saved him. It very specifically says that God looked at “it,” as in, the ark. God looked at the works of Noah. The works didn’t save Noah, but God looked at the works, judged them as good and smiled at them, and saved Noah.

If God is the one who saved Noah, then why did He have him build an ark? Why perform works?

That’s the million dollar question for Latter-day Saints. We believe that we are saved by grace, 100%. So why build an ark? Why do we believe in doing our best and performing works if the ark doesn’t do the saving?

It’s because God has to judge. He has to judge who will destroy heaven and who will be able to appreciate heaven and preserve it. He could have saved all the wicked by smiling at them and holding them in his hand, but the wicked would have destroyed heaven. They would have made it as miserable as they were making the earth with their violence and idolatry. They wouldn’t have been able to enjoy heaven because of their choices, because of their works. Beyond that, they would have ruined heaven.

Our works don’t save us, but God judges us by our works and saves us accordingly. That’s what Noah’s story is teaching us. The works don’t save us; they just allow us to appreciate heaven and preserve it. They determine whether God steps in with the atonement of Jesus Christ, saves us, and brings us back into our heavenly home.

So do Latter-day Saints believe that we are saved by works? No. We believe we are judged by them, but we believe that Christ does the saving with His atonement.

I think parents of addicts understand this more than most. If you have a child who is extremely addicted to dangerous drugs, you don’t keep bringing them back into your home just because they love you. They would destroy your home and any heavenly feelings that reside there. Even if you have the power to keep taking care of everything despite their addiction, I would hope that you wouldn’t bring them back in to destroy everything (unless God says differently, listen to Him for specifics). If you do choose to bring them back in, then it’s not home anymore. It’s not heaven so no one really got saved anyway.

So you make a judgment call. You pray your guts out for the child. You love the child, but you separate the child because of their works. You judge their works and preserve the home. If they repent and truly change, then they get to come back home. Not because of their works. Quitting drugs doesn’t pay for the house; it just makes it so that you trust them enough to bring them home.

I think it’s important to also note that not everyone’s ark looks the same. That’s one of the beautiful things about the atonement of Jesus Christ. It removed the absolute justice that kept us from heaven. It enabled Christ to be the judge and save who He decides to save. Some of us will build an ark. Some of us will look at the barren desert before us and be lucky to build a canoe, but you know what? The Lord judges perfectly. He looks at your entire situation and what you have, and He judges perfectly.

I testify that the Lord saves us with His grace. I testify that your ark is not enough to save you. I testify that even though your ark can’t save you, it builds you and God judges you by your circumstances and your ark and determines whether you’re going to contribute to our heavenly home. I testify that the relationship of works and grace is taught all throughout the bible.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “Look to God and Live,” Elder D. Todd Christofferson teaches a simple but demanding truth: enduring life—spiritually, emotionally, and even socially—requires more than good intentions or self-reliance. It requires deliberately and consistently looking to God.

Against the backdrop of tragedy, uncertainty, and moral confusion, Elder Christofferson testifies that turning to God is not an abstract religious ideal but a lived priority that shapes how disciples think, choose, and endure.

Looking to God means that He is not just one of our priorities; it means, rather, that He is our one highest priority.

This framing clarifies that faith is not meant to compete with other commitments—it is meant to order them.

Common Criticism: “Faith is a personal preference, not a necessary foundation for a flourishing life.”In modern discourse, religion is often treated as optional—one source of comfort among many. Moral reasoning, emotional resilience, and purpose are frequently framed as achievable through self-definition, cultural consensus, or personal strength alone.

Fallacy at Work: Self-Sufficiency as SalvationThis view assumes that individuals and societies can thrive without anchoring themselves to divine truth. When hardship, injustice, or loss arises, faith is sometimes dismissed as insufficient, outdated, or unnecessary.

Elder Christofferson’s Correction: Flourishing Requires GodElder Christofferson teaches that life in a fallen world inevitably includes sorrow, injustice, and disappointment. What determines whether people endure—or fracture—is not the absence of difficulty but where they look for help.

Looking to God, he explains, includes keeping His commandments, crying unto Him for guidance, counseling with Him in all our doings, and living with gratitude. When God becomes the highest priority rather than one among many, disciples gain access to divine strength that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Resolving this Fallacy:

When faith is treated as optional, people are left vulnerable to discouragement and confusion. When God becomes the organizing center of life, individuals receive clarity, restraint, and sustaining power—even amid suffering.

Living Apologetics: Where We Look Shapes How We LiveElder Christofferson’s message responds to a central modern tension: the belief that meaning and morality can be constructed independently of God. His teaching reframes the issue—not as one of control or limitation, but of access to divine help.

This perspective addresses concerns such as:

“Why does faith matter if life is still hard?”
“Can’t I decide what’s right for me without religious authority?”

The talk teaches that looking to God does not eliminate hardship, but it changes what hardship produces—turning suffering into refinement rather than despair.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “Faith shouldn’t be required to live a good life.” * You can respond:* “Elder Christofferson teaches that real flourishing comes when God is our highest priority, especially in a broken world.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Notice where you instinctively turn first when facing fear, loss, or uncertainty.
2️⃣ Deliberately look to God through prayer, scripture, and obedience.
3️⃣ Trust that God’s presence, not immediate answers, is the sustaining gift.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Christofferson reminds us that the opposite of flourishing is not hardship—it is distance from God. In a world filled with competing voices and shifting values, the invitation to “look to God and live” is both timeless and urgent.

Enduring well does not come from avoiding pain, but from anchoring life to the One who can redeem it.

Where in my life am I being invited to make God my highest priority more fully?

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Revelation, Submission, Sacrificeby Autumn Dickson

For this week, we get to read more about Adam and Eve and their posterity. While reading about this posterity, we find a really beautiful summary of how to live. It is so simple and yet so profound.

Moses 6:3 And God revealed himself unto Seth, and he rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice, like unto his brother Abel. And to him also was born a son, and he called his name Enos.

I want to take it one phrase at a time. God revealed Himself to Seth. Seth didn’t rebel. Seth offered an acceptable sacrifice like his brother did. Though this is about the personal life of Seth, there is a pattern that all of us can follow.

First, God revealed Himself.

It is not enough to try and interpret the bible perfectly. You can’t. It’s not possible for man to interpret it correctly even if it had been translated perfectly. God has to reveal Himself and the truth concerning why we are here and how we get back. You can’t go to school and have other people teach you about God because they have studied a ton. No matter how hard you think or how long you ponder, it is insufficient unless God chooses to reveal Himself.

He does this through a variety of ways. He reveals Himself through His prophets. He teaches us as we’re reading the bible. He teaches us as we listen to other people, but we have to remember that He is the one who gives us the information.

Then comes the next part. We decide what to do with it. Seth rebelled not.

Honestly, it reminds me of something that I read about the Tower of Babel. One of the reasons that God was so frustrated with the people in relation to the Tower of Babel was because He had told them how to reach Him. These people were descendants of Noah’s sons after the flood. Noah walked with God, and so it’s easy to assume that these descendants had been given a knowledge of how to form a relationship with God.

We do not know exactly what this looked like. We know that after Moses, there were more extensive ordinances contained in the Law of Moses that helped the people reach for God. In our day, we likewise make covenants and perform ordinances in order to reach Him and develop a relationship with Him.

I’m not sure what it looked like in Noah’s day, but these people had a prophet and it was likely that they had oral traditions to lead them along.

Unfortunately, they rebelled. They didn’t want to reach God in that way. They wanted to do it how they wanted to do it, and they ended up with chaos and confusion.

Through modern-day prophets, God has revealed how we can draw closer to Him. These avenues are not exclusive; they’re available to everyone who wants them. Some have had incredible experiences with the gospel but have chosen to only accept some avenues of closeness. Some believe they don’t need these extra things in order to draw closer to Christ rather than gratefully receiving any options He gives us to think of Him and follow Him.

I think of Cain and Abel. Cain was mad that God didn’t accept his crops even though God had asked him for a lamb originally. Cain only wanted to give what Cain wanted to give. And when God didn’t accept it, he was angry. Interestingly enough, God didn’t ask for a lamb for fun. It was very specific and meant to help Cain understand Christ. Cain missed the memo.

If you’ve had good experiences with the gospel, I can promise that accepting all of the gospel will only bring more goodness. Don’t rebel against it. Give it a chance, soften your own heart and see if God doesn’t bless you.

Then there is the last portion of this pattern that we’ll talk about today.

Seth offered an acceptable sacrifice like his brother. I love this part. We can offer acceptable sacrifices like our Brother.

There is much to be said of sacrifice, but I want to focus on one specific principle here.

The Lord asks for specific sacrifices. There are general ways that we draw closer to Christ through ordinances and covenants, but there will also be very personalized sacrifices that the Lord asks us to make. Christ had a very tailored sacrifice to give. It was perfectly picked just for Him.

There are very tailored sacrifices we will be asked to make. They are tailored in two ways: how we can give and how they can bless us.

Some of them are because God gave us gifts and expects us to use them to bless others. In ancient times, the oldest brothers received an extra portion in order to take care of the mother and sisters. Each of us have received some kind of specific extra portion, spiritual gifts that are not given to everyone. We are expected to take care of those who don’t have what we have. It is completely fair for Heavenly Father to ask us to give when He has given us more precisely for that purpose.

We have also been given a responsibility to make specific sacrifices because of how they will bless us. They will mold us to be more like the Savior in the exact ways that we need. Just like the lamb wasn’t random, our sacrifices don’t need to feel random. They can refine us.

I got pregnant 3 months after having a baby. My fifth child was born when my oldest was just six years old. I despise being pregnant. I’m grateful for it. My children are my greatest blessing, but I can’t begin to describe just how much I lose myself when I’m pregnant. Conner was out on the east coast every other week for work. I was overwhelmed and sick. My body was destroyed, and I still had a tiny baby that needed me so much. I had three other kids who also needed me, and I still felt the Lord telling me that I needed to keep sharing my testimony of Christ.

There were a million lessons learned through this specific trial given to me. The Lord needed me to change in specific ways in order to step into the life I wanted for myself and my family. I let go and let my kids step up in ways that were powerful for them, a beautiful blessing that I would have never voluntarily given over. I miraculously finished my work and still got a desperately needed nap almost every day. Both of these specific lessons have set me up in exactly what I want for my life. Most importantly, I learned that God really is on my side.

When I first found out I was pregnant again, I felt utterly betrayed. Believe it or not, we had taken some pretty intense measures to prevent pregnancy. This wasn’t a mistake on our part. It was a definitive choice for the Lord. I had told Him that I wanted to wait a bit. There have been numerous times in my life that the Lord has chosen different for me than I chose for myself. I grumbled and fought it just like anyone else. Getting pregnant again and losing myself for 18 months instead of 9 months felt like more than I could bear. For the first time, I felt truly betrayed by God. I felt like He had completely ignored everything I had wanted for myself. I felt like He had ignored what I needed, that He didn’t care what I needed. He was going to choose what He was going to choose. I knew logically that wasn’t the case. I had experiences with God and knew He loved me, and maybe that’s why it had been so painful. I had trusted Him, and this felt too far.

It took some time, but I learned the tailored lesson He sent me. I turned my heart around and accepted the sacrifice that had been asked of me and just like with any sacrifice, it was for me. He was trying to bless me, and He did. I thought I trusted Him before. It multiplied after this last baby. The Lord tailors our sacrifices for us, and in the end, we make them acceptable by putting our heart into it.

I testify that the patterns of the Lord are simple. I testify that He can guide our individual details in the midst of those grand patterns. I testify of a Lord who made an ultimate sacrifice and set an example for how we can draw closer to God. I testify that the scriptures can teach us of these patterns, and if we choose to accept them, He blesses us more than we can imagine.

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In his October 2025 General Conference address, “The Good News Recipe,” Elder John D. Amos uses a familiar metaphor to teach a deeply personal gospel truth: when life feels off balance, incomplete, or discouraging, the solution is not abandoning the recipe—it is adding more Jesus Christ.

Drawing on both culinary imagery and pastoral experience, Elder Amos teaches that discipleship is not about flawless execution. It is about recognizing what is missing and intentionally inviting the Savior more fully into our lives.

What’s the remedy? It’s simply to add more of what invites Jesus Christ into your life.

This simple counsel reframes how we approach weakness, mistakes, and spiritual frustration.

Common Criticism: “If I’m struggling, it must mean I’m doing the gospel wrong.”Many faithful disciples quietly assume that difficulty, inconsistency, or discouragement signals personal failure. When spiritual life feels messy or progress feels slow, they may conclude that something is fundamentally broken—or that they are.

Fallacy at Work: Perfection as ProofThis belief treats discipleship like a rigid formula where correct inputs guarantee immediate success. When outcomes fall short, confidence erodes. The gospel becomes a test of performance rather than a relationship with the Savior.

Elder Amos’s Correction: Christ Compensates for ImperfectionElder Amos teaches that imperfection is not evidence of gospel failure—it is the very reason Jesus Christ is central to the plan. Just as a recipe may need adjustment, discipleship invites ongoing evaluation and recommitment.

When something feels missing, the answer is not to discard faith or start over entirely. It is to add more of what invites Christ: prayer, scripture, charity, humility, and trust in His Atonement.

Resolving this Fallacy:

The gospel was never designed to eliminate struggle. It was designed to teach us where—and to whom—to turn when struggle arises.

Living Apologetics: When the Recipe Feels OffElder Amos’s teaching speaks powerfully to those who feel spiritually inadequate or overwhelmed. Instead of asking, “What am I doing wrong?” he invites disciples to ask, “How can I add more of Christ?”

This perspective responds to concerns such as:

“Why isn’t this working for me?”
“If the gospel is true, why do I still struggle?”

The answer is not found in harsher self-judgment, but in deeper reliance on the Savior.

Practical Apologetic Use If someone says: “I’ve tried the gospel, and it doesn’t seem to help.” * You can respond:* “Elder Amos teaches that when something feels missing, the answer is to add more of what invites Jesus Christ—not to give up.”

Ways to Apply Today1️⃣ Identify one area where discipleship feels strained or discouraging.2️⃣ Ask what might invite Christ more fully into that space.3️⃣ Act in small, simple ways, trusting the Savior to magnify effort.

Keep This Talk With YouElder Amos reminds us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not fragile. It is resilient, adaptive, and deeply merciful. When life feels out of balance, the solution is not self-condemnation—it is recommitment.

The Good News Recipe does not promise perfection. It promises that Jesus Christ can compensate for what we lack and transform sincere effort into lasting joy.

Where in my life might I need to intentionally add more of Jesus Christ right now?

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The Power of Giving God the Gloryby Autumn Dickson

We are learning all about how man came to be on the earth. The Lord is setting the stage for us to understand the context in which we were placed on the earth. Part of that context is understanding the Fall and everything associated with it. Here are a couple of verses that help us understand what we’re trying to emulate in the midst of this fallen world.

Moses 4:1-2

1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

The Lord is telling Moses, “You were just tempted by this Satan guy, and you commanded him to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Before the world was created, Satan wanted to redeem everyone, take away their agency, and keep all the glory. Christ came prepared to do My will and offered the glory back to Me.”

As a church, we talk a lot about following the will of the Father; this is a frequent discussion. We have also discussed how Satan wanted to take all the glory, and how Christ rightly placed the glory with the Father. Much of this life is a lesson in those two aspects: bending our will to match our Heavenly Father’s will as well as recognizing that the glory belongs to Him.

I want to focus on that second lesson: recognizing that the glory belongs to Him.

Glory is an interesting one because everyone likes to get credit for how they contribute. Christ gets credit for His role in the Father’s plan even if Christ is offering all of the glory back to His Father. Our prophet is just a man trying to follow the Lord, and yet, we honor him for the sacrifices he makes in order for us to hear the will of the Lord. I honor my parents for the continuous, ongoing sacrifices they make to bring me closer to Christ.

Hopefully, there is credit given when someone makes a sacrifice for you to draw closer to your heavenly home. This is a righteous principle.

And yet, Christ told the Father, “…the glory be Thine forever.” I think everyone knew Christ would be honored for what He did, and it is righteous to honor Him for what He did. He could have stopped at, “Thy will be done,” and left it at that. We all knew He deserved to be worshipped for what He was sacrificing, but He chose to keep speaking. He ended it with, “The glory be Thine forever.”

I’m sure Christ was aware that He would be loved and worshipped for it, but Christ was also aware of an important, adjacent principle. Seeking glory sucks the happiness out of life, and the entire reason He made the sacrifice was on behalf of our happiness. Setting the example for us to willingly hand over the glory whenever we follow the will of the Father was setting us up for success; it was setting us up to find happiness and joy more readily.

This wasn’t humble brag. It wasn’t lip service. Christ wasn’t saying, “I’ll go make this sacrifice and tell everyone that the glory is Thine because everybody knows I’m going to be worshipped for it anyway.” No. In His heart, Christ was saying, “If no one ever knew what I did, I would still choose to do it. If no one ever had an inkling of the sacrifice I was going to make, I would choose it if it means they can be happy.”

I’m sure when the prophet steps up, he knows that there are those who will respect him for his position. He knows that there will be honor for it. We don’t have to pretend there is not. It is righteous to love those who teach you about Christ. However, it can’t be about seeking honor or glory.

If you choose to step up and help with the Lord’s work, and if you do it with the right heart, you end up feeling grateful. You feel floored that the Lord let you come along anyway. Despite mistakes, lack of wisdom, and natural-man-tendencies, He let you be a part of it. When you’re participating in His work with the right heart, you’re filled with gratitude.

If you do not currently feel that way but want to feel that way, there is hope. If you find yourself with creeping feelings of vanity, if you find that you enjoy the praise of others a little too much, if you find this burning secret desire to make your sacrifices known, AND if you simultaneously don’t want those feelings, fear not. I’ve been there, and they don’t have to tear you up.

I battle those feelings often enough. I have always found guilty pleasure in people thinking I’m wonderful and smart and wise. Because of that weakness, I tried running anything that would tempt me. I didn’t want to experience that spike of happiness when someone told me that I was amazing. I didn’t want to be crushed when someone corrected me. I didn’t want my pride, and so I didn’t want to face my pride. I wanted to bury it.

And sometimes, the right choice is to bury it. Sometimes it’s better to run in the opposite direction.

However, I have learned that sometimes the right choice is to face it and keep practicing day after day after day after day after day.

When it comes to serving in the Lord’s kingdom and not seeking personal glory, there really isn’t another way. We are all asked to serve in one form or another. It is a responsibility to serve, which means you have to face the idea that someone is going to thank you for your service, and you’re going to have to face the weakness that isn’t gone yet.

So what do you do? Let’s discuss a general principle and then a couple of more practical tips.

General principle: You practice day after day after day after day after until you become. We battle our desires for glory until our desires no longer automatically jump towards glory. You school them. You become someone who knows better. That’s really what life is. You come down here and continually fight sin and weakness and consciously take hold of the direction of your growth. This is the overarching principle.

Here are some practical tips to help you fight that weakness when you’re presented with it:

It is easier to fill your life with good than it is to push out bad. Replace your pride with something that is more lasting, more important, more filled with joy. When I’m struggling to fight off desires for glory and it’s interfering in my ability to build the kingdom, I pray for a couple of things.

To see things clearly. I pray to help me see things as they really are. If I can see reality, then I don’t have to fight off feelings that I’m amazing and doing it all on my own. He helps me see the truth of how He’s holding me up. Beware of this one in high pressure environments; He is willing to teach you and let you flop on your own.

Gratitude. Rather than praying for gratitude (though that’s an option too), I just start being grateful within a prayer. When I start having those intrusive thoughts that say, “You’re the best. You help everyone. You’re so amazing. Everyone is lucky to have you,” I replace them with, “You are so lucky that Heavenly Father is taking you along for the ride. You are so blessed to be around these people who are carrying things you don’t understand. You are fortunate to be able to learn from them and be with them.” Oftentimes, when I start praying and focusing on gratitude, my feelings follow and the desire for glory gets silenced. It can’t stand up to that.

Charity. I mentioned earlier that Christ probably knew being honored was a part of making the sacrifice. It would be almost silly to pretend that’s not the case. Rather, the key here is that Christ wasn’t seeking glory. He would have done it without the glory because He just loved us so much. When I’m feeling prideful or wanting glory, I pray for charity to replace it. Loving others and wanting what’s best for them fills you. Trying to get enough validation and appreciation is like trying to fill a cup that has no bottom. Filling yourself with love for others pushes that cup aside completely and you find yourself overfilling.

I testify that our Savior is the ultimate example. He is the ultimate example in laying aside His own will, but He’s also the ultimate example in being so filled with love that glory seems silly. It’s not about the glory. He wants our love for sure; that brings Him joy. He knows how to live an eternal life that allows happiness rather than emptiness, and He set the example of filling yourself with love rather than glory in order to find that happiness.

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When You Covet What You Haveby Autumn Dickson

The Saints began to flee Kirtland in January 1838 because of religious persecution and mounting debts. A majority of them went to Far West, Missouri. When July came around, Newel K. Whitney and William Marks were still in Kirtland. They had originally been left behind to settle affairs, but they had remained there longer than necessary because they were attached to their property and didn’t want to liquidate it too quickly.

Honestly, no judgment. It would be hard to flee. It would be hard to just close the door on something you had worked so hard for. It would be hard to turn off the lights for the last time and know you would likely never see the place again. It’s difficult to close a chapter even when you have confidence in a well-laid plan for the next chapter, which Whitney and Marks didn’t necessarily have.

And yet, here is what the Lord counseled them.

Doctrine and Covenants 117:4 Let them repent of all their sins, and of all their covetous desires, before me, saith the Lord; for what is property unto me? saith the Lord.

According to the “Guide to the Scriptures,” part of the definition for “covet,” is to “have an excessive desire towards.” Our desires for our own things can be excessive. We are not always accustomed to speaking of coveting something that already belongs to us. Usually when we speak about coveting, we’re talking about wanting something that someone else has. And yet, the Lord is speaking to these men about their own property. You can covet your own property.

I think it’s important that the definition includes the word “excessive.” We do not need to banish any desire we have for things. We can want a house, good food, clothing, and objects that make our life nicer or easier. We just need to keep our desires from becoming excessive.

I believe that excessively desiring our own property can look like a couple of different things. I want to talk about two different scenarios of coveting your own property as well as ways that we can overcome that coveting.

I’ve watched people be perfectly content with what they have until after they started earning more and having more. I’ve watched them start to covet what they already have only after they were given more. This is a legitimate pattern. Despite the fact that we usually speak of coveting something that someone else has, I’ve found that the most common form of coveting is when you have an excessive desire for your own stuff. We see it all the time in The Book of Mormon with the pride cycle. The people start out humble and poor and taking care of each other. It’s only after they start having nice things that they truly get caught up in the things of the world.

So how do we keep ourselves grounded? How do we not get caught up in owning things in this scenario?

It can feel tricky since the Lord doesn’t begrudge us laboring to increase what we have. There isn’t anything wrong with an appropriate desire for things. Those desires just can’t be excessive. How do we keep our desires balanced?

I’m sure there are plenty of ways that we can keep our desires for our own things at appropriate levels: humility, gratitude, giving, recognition of stewardship. However, I want to talk about one specific way we can keep ourselves from coveting our own property when we find ourselves with more than what’s normal.

We keep ourselves grounded by accurately placing our desires alongside our desire for eternal things. When we have an accurate view of eternity and what that entails, it becomes much easier to see the actual worth of our property. So what is this accurate view of eternity?

The accurate view is that the Lord is building a mansion for you. You are meant to be a king or queen. It is your divine birthright to walk on streets of gold and have everything you need. It is also part of your birthright to grow into a glorious being capable of eternal happiness. Walking on streets of gold can only bring so much happiness. When you find yourself in the eternities, you’re not going to be able to derive any little bursts of happiness from having more than those around you because they will also be walking on gold. When you’re in the eternities, walking on gold will be nice to the extent that you have what you need. However, you will very quickly start to realize that there is only so much joy you can derive from gold. The accurate view of eternity is that you will have all you need and want; however, if you don’t also have the weightier matters, you’re going to be miserable and empty.

So we keep ourselves grounded by balancing our desires for our own stuff with our desires for what truly brings happiness. When you’re feeling a little miserable or empty, it can be tempting to want to go buy something to fill that little void. Rather, if we can remember to invest in relationships and serving and turning outwards when we’re seeking happiness, we’re going to find it. You cannot find deep, lasting happiness in stuff in this life or the next. It is only when your stuff is a part of something more important and enduring, that you can derive all the joy and peace that was meant to be your’s.

There is another way that we can covet our own property, and I think this particular scenario is closer to what William Marks and Newel K. Whitney were experiencing.

We have observed a pattern of how becoming richer can actually make you more susceptible to coveting your own property. Despite this being a regular pattern, I believe it’s just as possible to covet your own things when you don’t have as much. Perhaps you’re not looking around and yearning for what everyone else has, but perhaps you’re plagued by fear of losing what little you do have.

And isn’t that the very definition of sin? Wickedness never was happiness. Being plagued by fear of losing what you have is not happiness which is why it can also be classified as sin. We have already established that getting richer doesn’t inoculate you from coveting your own property. The only way we can truly rid ourselves of the weight of envying our own property is by changing our hearts.

The only way to experience true happiness, and not Satan’s counterfeit, is by changing our hearts to trust Him and desire righteousness.

You don’t have to wait until you have more stuff to find the peace you’re looking for. You don’t have to wait until your pantry is full to trust that the Lord is taking care of you. In fact, you may not find peace or trust even after you have everything you wished for.

We are seeking joy and peace. That doesn’t come from our stuff. It cannot come from our stuff! Property is incapable of providing it. Joy and peace only come from following the pattern of living laid down by our Savior. Just as the Lord instructs in Doctrine and Covenants 117, we have to repent of our covetous desires. We have to change our heart to desire the best things and to trust Him enough to find peace in a world that is filled with turmoil.

I testify of a Lord who loves us. I testify that it is not difficult for Him to give you everything you could possibly desire and want. Property is nothing to Him because there is no end to His property. He’s trying to teach us that. We don’t want to be afraid of what we won’t have tomorrow but that doesn’t come from having enough. Even if you become the richest person in the world, you can still lose everything. There is no security but in the Lord. I testify that if you want joy and peace, you have to follow after the Lord.

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President Dallin H. Oaks reminded the Church in October 2025 that the gospel of Jesus Christ is, at its heart, a family plan. Beginning in the premortal council, this plan unfolds in our mortal homes, and is fulfilled in eternal families through temple covenants. He taught that the family is not just a cultural value but the very structure of God’s eternal design for His children.

This vision stands in sharp contrast to the world we live in, where marriage rates decline and childbearing is often delayed or dismissed. Some scoff that the Church’s emphasis on family is restrictive or outdated. President Oaks countered with a clear witness: the family is not peripheral to the plan of salvation—it is the plan.

Common Criticism: the Traditional Family is Outdated Some critics argue that emphasizing marriage, childbearing, and temple covenants is naive. Modern perspectives on the meaning and practice of marriage, the expense and care of raising children, and cultural acceptance of alternative lifestyles make a family-centered gospel feel restrictive rather than liberating.

Fallacy at Work: PresentismPresentism is the tendency to judge past or eternal truths only by current cultural values.

In this case, critics assume that because society has changed its expectations about family, God’s doctrine must also change. This overlooks the eternal nature of covenants and the consistent prophetic witness that families are central to God’s plan.

President Oaks’s Correction: The family is not merely tradition—it is the covenant structure through which God exalts His children. He testified that the gospel was “first taught to us in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our mortal families, and its intended destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal families”

In other words, families are not an off-shoot to the gospel—they are the goal of the gospel..

Resolving this Fallacy: Rather than being restrictive, the Church’s teachings on family provide hope and purpose that extend far beyond the shifting values of the world. Eternal families anchor us in an identity larger than ourselves and remind us that our covenants are part of a divine pattern.

While marriage rates and birthrates may decline in society, Latter-day Saints look beyond temporary cultural shifts to eternal truths. Families are not about clinging to outdated traditions; they are about participating in God’s ongoing work of salvation and exaltation.

Living Apologetics: Families as Eternal Foundations, Not Cultural RelicsA common struggle today is the sense that family life is expensive, messy, or undervalued in society. Some worry that Church teachings on family feel impossible to live fully in the face of divorce, single parenthood, or declining marriage rates. President Dallin H. Oaks reframes this: families—whether complete or currently incomplete—are still at the center of God’s eternal plan. Every effort to teach, nurture, and covenant as a family is meaningful and consecrated.

Practical Apologetic Use:

If someone says: “The Church’s focus on family just doesn’t fit the reality of modern life.”
You can respond: “Families aren’t about outdated ideals—they’re about eternal promises. President Oaks reminded us that even in imperfect or broken circumstances, God consecrates our efforts and assures the possibility of eternal family joy.”

Ways to Apply Today:

1️⃣ Create daily family connection. Turn off technology for one meal or evening this week and give your family the gift of attention.
2️⃣ Teach eternal perspective. Share family stories or scriptures that remind children they belong to an eternal family, even when life feels uncertain.
3️⃣ Anchor in the temple. Set or renew a goal to attend the temple—alone or as a couple—to remember the sealing power that binds families beyond mortality.

Keep This Talk With YouGeneral Conference is more than a weekend of inspiring words—it is an invitation to anchor our lives more fully in God’s eternal plan. President Dallin H. Oaks reminded us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a family plan, designed to strengthen us in mortality and exalt us in eternity.

This week, try one small step:

Share a family story or scripture with your children or grandchildren.
Turn off technology one evening and give your family the gift of your time.
Pray for someone in your family who feels distant or discouraged.

“The family circle is the ideal place to demonstrate and learn eternal values, such as the importance of marriage and children, the purpose of life, and the true source of joy. It is also the best place to learn other essential lessons of life, such as kindness, forgiveness, self-control, and the value of education and honest work.” – President Dallin H. Oaks, The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ

How will you show your family this week that they are central to God’s eternal plan—and to your heart?

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Mistakes Were Part of the Planby Autumn Dickson

The church is running into some issues. They have incurred heavy debts, and leaders are growing increasingly worried. There was a member, Brother Burgess, who spoke of a widow who had left behind a lot of money hiding in her cellar. Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery travelled to Salem, Massachusetts to attempt to find this treasure. It was never found.

It’s important to note that this account was written 53 years later by a former church member. We may not have every detail correct, but here is a verse from that stay in Salem that may be referring to this experience.

Doctrine and Covenants 111:1 I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies.

The Lord isn’t mad that they went to Salem despite their follies. A folly is an error in judgment, a mistake. The Lord is not afraid of us making mistakes. He warns against sin making us unhappy, but an error in judgment does not need to tear us down. Joseph and his companions had sought means to relieve the debts of the church. How could the Lord be upset with that? They were proactive and sought to do all within their power to fix the problems they were facing.

This is actually really important to understand; it’s very important to internalize. The Lord isn’t angry when we make mistakes.

We came to earth so that we could eventually become like Jesus Christ. We did not come to earth to never make mistakes.

It may sound like the same thing sometimes, but it’s not.

I’m going to ask some questions now that I’m desperately hoping do not come off sounding sacrilegious. There are many definitions of some of the words I’m about to use, and I’m asking questions so we can better understand the scriptures.

What do the scriptures mean when they say that Christ is perfect? Did it mean that He never fell down when He was learning to walk? Did it mean that He never found Himself with setbacks on a journey because of unforeseen circumstances? Or did it mean that He handled unforeseen circumstances with absolute faith? Is that partially why people in Nazareth rejected Him? Is it because they had seen Him grow up and make mistakes (not sin! mistakes!)?

This is the gospel according to Autumn, but I’m not sure that’s what the scriptures meant when they described Christ as perfect. I believe He faced a lot of the same trials we did in mortality. He had the same veil placed over his eyes and had to learn who He was. He faced situations where He didn’t know the outcome or the most effective decision, and maybe He didn’t even know the perfect thing to say. We know that scriptures taught that the Savior increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. How can you increase beyond the traditional definition of perfection?

When the scriptures say that Christ was perfect, I believe it means that He never sinned. Sin is not the same thing as a mistake. I believe that when He faced two roads that He could travel, He didn’t always know which one to take. Instead, He moved forward with faith and listened to see if His Father would correct Him. I believe that when He faced setbacks, He never faltered in that faith and devotion. I believe that when He faced people who had experienced tremendous grief, He wasn’t necessarily given perfect words (because I believe there are situations in which there are no perfect words) but His words were filled with power because of His perfect love.

When the scriptures ask us to be perfect, I believe the scriptures are asking us to become devoted to the Savior. We become so devoted that our hearts become perfectly filled with faith in the Savior and perfectly turned outwards towards others. Does that mean we will never face a situation where we don’t immediately know what we’re supposed to do? No. Does that mean we’ll never face obstacles because we’re simply going to know everything to say ahead of time? Does it mean that we’re going to be proactive in making decisions that we completely circumvent every setback as we’re going about the work of the Lord?

I don’t think so. I could be wrong for sure. But I believe perfection, as described by the scriptures, is a state of heart in which we are wholly turned towards the Lord and then towards others. I don’t think it extends to omnipotence until the next life.

If we become paralyzed with fear of mistakes, we prevent ourselves from acquiring growth. Growth is essential to the entire purpose of the Plan of Salvation. So there you go. We didn’t come to earth to avoid mistakes. We came to earth to become like Jesus Christ.

And honestly, I believe this extends towards sin. This is the part where we obviously differ from Christ. We’re going to sin and make mistakes. And though the Lord was talking about the debts the church had incurred in Kirtland, the Lord loves to have layers of meaning in His words. Here is another verse from the same section.

Doctrine and Covenants 111:5 Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them.

Christ is not concerned with our debts. He already paid them. He knows the price because it was paid a long time ago. He isn’t concerned. He had enough to cover it.

He is wholly focused on your growth.

If Heavenly Father was wholly focused on avoiding sin, He never would have sent us here to earth at all because it was impossible to come to earth without sinning and making mistakes.

This doesn’t mean that we run around excusing ourselves and doing whatever we want because Christ paid the debt and Heavenly Father is wholly focused on our growth. He is not concerned when we have flaws we’re trying to overcome, and He is not concerned with our follies. He is concerned when we’re refusing to grow and receive the joy that comes with following after Him.

If you are actively repenting, if you are trying to orient your heart towards the Savior, if you are trying to turn your heart outward towards your fellow man, then rejoice. The Savior isn’t mad at your mistakes. Rejoice; don’t be concerned about your debts. They are taken care of.

I testify of a Savior who is perfect. I testify that He was wholly devoted to His Father and rejoiced in His Father because of His faith. I testify that He rejoices in your repentance and growth to the extent that He is not angry, nor concerned. I testify that He loves you perfectly even though He knows you exactly as you are; you don’t have to be afraid of your flaws or lack of wisdom about how to handle every circumstance in your life because He already knows and He loves you anyway.

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End of the Kirtland period; revelations in Missouri, 1838by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

BMC Team, “Why Was Martin Harris Cut Off from the Church?”, Book of Mormon Central, 1 June 2021. This brief article explains why Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, was excommunicated from the Church in late 1837 during a period of mass apostasy.
Stephen C. Harper, “The Tithing of My People,” Church History: Revelations in Context, last modified 13 January 2016. Harper, a historian for the Church History Department, explains how the Saints in Missouri understood how to calculate “one-tenth of all their interest annually” as tithing. (D&C 119:4)
Dennis B. Horne, “Reexamining Lorenzo Snow’s 1899 Tithing Revelation,” Mormon Historical Studies – Fall 2013, Vol. 14, No. 2. President Lorenzo Snow did not prophesy an end to the southern Utah drought at the time he received his famous tithing revelation in St. George in 1899 (as portrayed in the church-produced movie “The Windows of Heaven”). The tithing manifestation was indeed true and real, but President Snow’s son LeRoi C. later created an accompanying fiction of a prophecy that if the locals paid their full tithing it would yet rain that very season and save their livestock and crops. President Snow uttered no such prophecy and there was no end to the drought for two years.
Elder Boyd K. Packer, “The Least of These,” General Conference, October 2004. “I remember my servant Oliver Granger; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord.” (D&C 117:12)
Elizabeth Kuehn, “Finances and Faith in the Kirtland Crisis of 1837,” 2017 FAIR Conference.

Mike Parker is a business and marketing analyst with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services and cellular telephone industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) of St George, Utah. He also has eight years’ experience in corporate training and currently teaches an adult religion class in southern Utah. Mike and his wife, Denise, have three children.

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The Power of Conversion: Healing Through Christby Autumn Dickson

Thomas B. Marsh was frustrated with Joseph Smith for calling two of the apostles on missions without consulting him. He received a revelation that helped him repent and gave him spiritual counsel. Within the counsel he receives, there are two phrases that are found next to each other which take on profound meaning when you observe them together.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:13 And after their temptations, and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.

The Lord is talking to Marsh about the apostles. The Lord told Marsh to correct them and be an example to them before sharing this verse where He promises to reach out to them. The phrases that are interesting when placed together are, “…they shall be converted, and I will heal them.”

There are a couple of definitions of the word convert that are relevant. The first one is, “change in form, character, or function.” The second definition is to, “change one’s religious faith or other beliefs.” Let’s talk about both definitions and how they lead to healing. I’m actually going to talk about the second definition first.

To change one’s religious faith or other beliefs. This is an interesting one. We’re obviously not talking about converting to a different religion, but even within our own church, we need to be evolving our own beliefs as we learn more about the gospel. Let me give an example. It’s a long one, but sharing all of the details helps me teach the principle.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve actually had multiple friends come to me with marital problems and I shared a piece of advice that I had received. Love your spouse when you don’t feel loved. Interestingly enough, this is good advice no matter what kind of marriage you find yourself in. Even more interestingly, this is good advice for any relationship you’re in.

I can imagine that this might cause some outrage, especially for people who have escaped abusive relationships, but let me explain further.

God loves us infinitely more than anyone else. His love leads Him to act mercifully, to make sacrifices on our behalf, to continually turn towards us even when we’ve rejected Him. God’s love has also led Him to reject us, to put up boundaries, to separate us from Himself and others.

Love is a feeling, not a specific action.

When I originally shared this advice with my friends, some of them struggled with it. They felt that they had already sacrificed enough, and they weren’t seeing enough sacrifice on the part of their spouses. AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT I’M TRYING TO TEACH.

They struggled with the advice because they had inaccurate ideas of what love means and what it looks like. When I explained to them that my definition of love was a feeling that could lead to several different appropriate actions, that softened the blow a bit.

When we talk about converting in relation to the gospel, we’re talking about changing aspects of our faith and beliefs. I’m not talking about getting baptized in a different church; I’m talking about true, internal change within our hearts as we receive new perspectives and interpretations of doctrine. The more we convert, the more we heal. Let’s look at our example of love again.

I also gave this piece of advice to a friend whose significant other broke up with them in a hurtful way. I told my friend to love her, truly love her enough that you wanted what was best for her. I told him that if he wanted to heal from getting hurt in this manner, his best strategy was to love her. Love didn’t mean following her around. He had to change his belief of what love was and looked like, and if he chose to allow a more accurate definition of love to take hold in his heart, he was going to find healing.

As we convert closer and closer to the gospel, we are going to naturally find healing. Even as members of Christ’s church on the earth, we still have some inaccurate ideas surrounding gospel principles that we’re going to weed out as we grow older.

When we learn that forgiveness can look like complete mercy and letting go of past grievances as well as loving someone from a healthy distance, we can find healing.

When we learn that serving can bring about resentment if we’re not throwing our heart into the mix, we can soften our own hearts and find healing.

When we learn that humility doesn’t mean squashing ourselves and the spiritual gifts we’ve been given, we start to step into our divine destinies, and we find healing.

There are so many different aspects of faith that need to evolve as we learn more about the gospel. Following gospel principles inaccurately can make things more difficult, but if we convert our faith as we learn a more accurate perspective on these same principles, we will find the healing that Christ has talked about.

The first definition that I mentioned was to “change in form, character, or function.” I’m not going to elaborate too much on this because it’s simply another way of saying what has already been said. We change. Not only do we change our functions (i.e. the outward actions of the gospel), but we change in character. If you can utilize the actions to actually change your character, you find the salvation that Christ promised.

I testify that following Christ accurately is what brings about the true blessings of the gospel. I testify that we do need to convert as we learn more and more and more about what Christ meant when He gave certain commandments. I also testify that when we allow our faith to convert and transform, we will find the healing that He promised us.

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As prophet from 2018–2025, President Russell M. Nelson spoke again and again of the great work of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil. He taught that revelation, temples, repentance, and discipleship all converge in one grand purpose: binding God’s children to Jesus Christ through sacred covenants.

In truth, President Nelson testified that gathering Israel is the most important work on earth today, because it is how we prepare individuals and families to meet the Savior with joy. The increased number of temples built, the changes in how youth serve in the temple and the church and the focus on ‘gathering’ all lead to this end.

President Nelson preached and practiced gathering throughout his tenure as prophet, dispelling ideas that the Gathering of Israel is culturally or racially defined. The unprecedented building of temples is not about appearances, wealth or exclusivity. It is about making the ordinances of salvation available to all of God’s children.

“Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.” — President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail

Common Question: Are All of God’s Children of Equal Value?In today’s world, political and cultural voices often divide us, ranking people by race, wealth, nation, gender, or ideology. Sadly, some assume the Church does the same. They feel that it is exclusive, favoring some groups, cultures or races over others; or that it values members more than those outside the faith.

Fallacy at Work: Ranking FallacyThe assumption that if God (or an institution) gives special attention, blessings, or responsibilities to one group or individual, others must be less valued. It treats worth as comparative rather than intrinsic.

The ranking fallacy assumes that worth is comparative—that if some are chosen, others must be less. It mistakes God’s covenantal invitations as favoritism, when in reality His work is to unite all His children in Christ.

President Nelson’s Example: President Nelson taught and exemplified that the gathering of Israel is universal. Every man, woman, and child is invited to come unto Christ and receive His healing and power.

President Nelson traveled the globe more than any prophet before him—ministering in Africa, South America, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific—bearing witness that God “denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33). To gather Israel is to reach every soul, in every land, with equal love and urgency.

Resolving this Fallacy: The apologetic truth is that God’s kingdom is not built on rankings but on relationships: covenant relationships that make us one in Christ. Far from excluding, the covenant path is Christ’s way of bringing everyone home.

To say the Church elevates some and diminishes others is to misread the very heart of President Nelson’s ministry. His legacy is a call for us to honor the divine worth of all God’s children and to treat one another accordingly. In an age of division, his prophetic voice pointed us to unity, dignity, and peace in Christ.

Living Apologetics: Becoming Like Christ to Truly See Him President Nelson’s prophetic ministry centered on gathering Israel—not simply into congregations, but to Christ Himself. His repeated call was to choose Christ so fully that His image is written in our countenance. As John taught: “When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2; see also Moroni 7:48).

President Nelson spent his ministry showing us how to become like Him—through covenants, revelation, temple worship, repentance, and peacemaking—so that ultimately, all may see Him face to face.

Practical Apologetic Use:

If someone says: “The Church is just about excluding people with rules and rankings. It divides people instead of uniting them.”
You can respond: “President Nelson’s ministry testifies the opposite: covenants and commandments are not barriers but bridges. They are how we learn to become like Christ, and how we prepare to see Him as He is. Gathering Israel is about unity in Christ, not division by man-made categories.”

Ways to Apply Today:

1️⃣ Choose to “Think Celestial.” Reframe daily decisions through the lens of who you are becoming in Christ.
2️⃣ See others as God sees them. When tempted to rank or dismiss someone, remember: they too are a child of God, invited to the same covenants.
3️⃣ Live for the presence of God. Let temple worship, repentance, and scripture study point you to the day when you will see Christ face to face.

Keep President Nelson’s Ministry With YouPresident Nelson’s legacy calls us to take the gathering of Israel personally: to gather our neighbors, our families, and (maybe especially) our own hearts to Christ. The best way we can honor his life and ministry is to let his teachings shape how we see others and how we prepare to meet the Savior.

This week, try one small step:

Pray to see one person the way God sees them—and act on the prompting that follows.
Take one deliberate step on the covenant path: temple attendance, repentance, or seeking revelation.
Record in a journal one way you felt God’s love for you personally this week.

“Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!” President Russell M. Nelson, The Answer is Always Jesus Christ

How will you honor President Nelson’s ministry this week—by helping one soul draw closer to Christ, even if that soul is your own?

On a personal note, I wish to express my gratitude for the life, example and teachings of Russell M. Nelson. His love, enthusiasm and optimism have blessed my life and helped me come closer to my Savior. I’m grateful for him. I testify that he was a prophet of our God. I’m grateful I’ve had the opportunity to look more closely at his teachings thru this series. – DeLayna Beck

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Building the Kingdom in Diapers and Day Jobsby Autumn Dickson

The Saints have built the Kirtland temple. This week we read about the dedication event, including the revealed prayer from the Lord, and we read about the Lord restoring priesthood keys within the temple. Here is one of the verses from the prayer that was revealed to Joseph Smith.

Doctrine and Covenants 109:9 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hand unto the Most High–

This verse is talking about temple worship. When you come into the temple, your heart should be turned towards the Lord. When you leave the temple, that state of heart should follow you into the world. During temple worship, all of your salutations (or, in other words, your interpersonal communications) should reflect the Lord and His holiness.

There is a lot of power in focusing on Christ in the temple. Temple worship reflects the antiquity of the gospel, and it can feel very different than how we normally worship. When we use every part of the temple to reflect on Christ and look at every symbol through a lens of Christ, the worship experience becomes more meaningful.

However, I want to take this beyond the walls of the temple.

When I was a teenager, I remember attending EFY camps, fireside, Sunday youth classes, and all sorts of youth activities. Oftentimes, we would be invited to spend more time with the Savior. Being the perfectionist that I was, I often took this goal beyond what my leaders had likely intended. I would make goals about reading my scriptures, praying, and doing other spiritual activities that went beyond the bounds of what was balanced or even appropriate.

As an adult, I recall the Spirit whispering a very important truth to me. Spending time with the Savior is not just about going and doing traditionally spiritual things; it’s also about inviting the Savior into the rest of your life. Our incomings, outgoings, and salutations can be in the name of the Lord regardless of whether they are directly about the Lord.

Rather than constantly immersing myself in scripture study, I can take my learning to a new level as I bring Christ into the rest of my life. This has many outcomes, but let’s talk about a couple of them.

The first effect is that it transforms my life.

I can listen to secular music, read my favorite romance novels, go out to dinner with my husband, and hang out with my girl friends with the Savior as my companion. I remember driving to go buy a dress for a Christmas party. The sun was shining, and my Apple Playlist was giving me all of the best songs. The Spirit whispered to me that I should remember Christ, and I did. I thanked Him for moments like that, and it made it all the sweeter. I knew He was happy for me and that He was enjoying my happiness and gratitude.

Eternal life isn’t all work. I don’t know what the Savior does for fun, but I believe that fun is an important part of a healthy and balanced spiritual life. The Savior wants to be included in those moments too.

As a stay-at-home mom, my life can also get a bit repetitive meeting the needs of my kids. Helping the kids with their tasks that I’m trying to teach, making bottles, changing diapers, wiping the counter, picking up things so that I don’t trip over it, and refereeing can take its toll sometimes. The daily tasks can feel so mundane sometimes until you place them in the context of eternity. But then I bring the Savior into it. Eternity isn’t about learning some huge new lesson every few weeks. It’s not about giant, transformational experiences. It’s about daily habits that make us who we are.

When I invite the Savior to walk with me in my experience, it reminds me that I’m building discipleship into the rapidly developing brains of my children. Showing up for them over and over and over and over and over sets the stage for them to understand their Savior. He gives power and purpose to the mundane parts of my life. And though I speak of my personal experience as a stay-at-home mom, these principles extend beyond that. You can find power and purpose in the mundane parts of your life.

So we’re working on letting our incomings, outgoings, and salutations be in the name of the Lord. The first effect is that it transforms our lives. It makes sweet moments sweeter. It fills the mundane parts of life with purpose. And I didn’t talk about it, but it also soothes the hard moments.

The second effect is that it makes your work more powerful.

When you do something in the name of the Lord, it adds power. Acting in His name means that we are standing in for Him as if He were here. We are His representative. We are doing what He would do in our situation. Christ left His carpentry job to be a full-time missionary for 3 years, but that’s not our mission. He made premortal promises, and He fulfilled them. We also made premortal promises, but ours are not the same as His.

You don’t abandon your day job. You transform your day job. It’s “Bring the Savior to work day.” This has a couple of outcomes.

It quickens your ability to do your job. I watch my husband receive revelation all the time in his engineering designs. I pray all the time for his inspiration. The Saints were building the Kirtland temple, and I’m sure they learned a lot of spiritual lessons. They also developed some major construction skills. Maybe that doesn’t seem like an important skill until you realize that the Lord is preparing us to create like He did. Invite Him to join you, and do all things in His name. It can add purpose, and it can make you more capable.

When you do your day job in the name of the Lord, you also find ways to build the kingdom in creative ways. Sometimes we think building the kingdom means we go to church and do our calling, but building the kingdom can happen everywhere around you. Can you imagine how quickly our ability to build the kingdom would collapse if all the farmers left their jobs to be full-time missionaries? Jobs that are not traditionally thought of as spiritual can be done in the name of the Lord, and they can help build the kingdom.

Let all your salutations, incomings, and outgoings be done in the name of the Lord. That doesn’t mean you immediately need to preach to your coworker. It can also mean finding purpose, power, and fulfillment in the work that you are a part of. It doesn’t mean abandoning your day job to knock doors; it means bringing the Savior with you everywhere you go.

I testify that doing so transforms your life and your work. The Savior is the best companion on this unofficial mission we’ve been called to do. He knows the importance of daily tasks and can help us remember how our small contributions matter. He knows how to have fun. He finds great joy in your joy. He can expand your capacities and help you creatively utilize them for good.

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This book review was originally published here on December 12, 2021. It is being reposted now to help people get to know President Oaks better. It also contains information about the origin of the Proclamation on the Family, which is currently having its 30th anniversary celebrated.

Available from the FAIR BookstoreThis biography of Dallin H. Oaks was written by Richard E. Turley, Jr., who has been associated with Oaks throughout most of his (Turley’s) professional life. Turley has served as the Director of the Church History Department (originally selected to work for the department by Oaks), Assistant Church Historian, and Director of Public Affairs. He has previously written or co-written several other books, including Victims: The LDS Church and the Mark Hoffman Case and Massacre at Mountain Meadows: An American Tragedy.

The Beginning of Dallin H. Oak’s LifeDallin Harris Oaks was born August 12, 1932 in Provo, Utah. “Harris” comes from his mom’s side of the family, who was descended from a brother of Martin Harris. He grew up in Provo; Twin Falls, Idaho; Payson (where he stayed with his grandparents at times due to the death of his father when he was 7); and Vernal. As a child, he came close to dying several, beginning with his birth, with miraculous preservation of his life occurring each time.

Education, Marriage and MilitaryOaks eventually made it to Brigham Young University, where he met his first wife, June Dixon, and married her in his junior year. He was in the Utah National Guard, and the Korean War was going on, so he was unable to serve a mission. After BYU, he graduated cum laude from the University of Chicago Law School, worked as a clerk for the Supreme Court, and then began working at a law practice. During this time he also served as a stake missionary.

He then returned to the University of Chicago Law School as a professor (also serving in the stake presidency) until he was chosen to be the president of Brigham Young University. From there he went on to become a justice of the Utah Supreme Court. He was a potential candidate twice for the United States Supreme Court, but both times felt it wasn’t right. When asked about it once, he said: “That job is like being called to be a General Authority. Only a fool would aspire to it, but no one would turn it down” (page 168).

Called to the ApostleshipIn 1984 he received a surprise phone call from President Gordon B. Hinckley of the First Presidency, and he was called as an apostle, which he found to be shocking. “‘I feel so unworthy and so unprepared for this sacred calling,’ he confessed, ‘Yet I do know that there is nothing I cannot do if I am worthy of the help of our Heavenly Father. My challenge is to be worthy and to be in tune’” (page 180).

During his time as an apostle, he had many assignments and took very seriously his role as a special witness of the name of Christ. He became known for his doctrinal addresses. “He felt the heavy responsibility of spiritually feeding those who came–or tuned in–to hear him, and he wanted to align his will with God’s in selecting, developing, and addressing topics of importance in advancing the Lord’s purposes” (page 322).

Powerful Priesthood WitnessOne of his talks that is among my favorites was “Healing the Sick,” given in the April 2010 General Conference. Oaks gained faith in the power of the priesthood early in his life. His father was a doctor and someone once “asked him if he was going to grow up to be a doctor like his father and heal people. ‘No,’ he answered. He was going to be a ‘high priest like my father and bless babies’” (page 7).

Later, when he was ten years old, he had an experience that “has been a significant influence on my faith in the power of the priesthood” (page 15). When he was staying with his grandfather, his younger cousin fell unnoticed into an irrigation ditch and wasn’t found for 20 or 30 minutes. He had been floating facedown and was dead. His grandfather gave him a blessing and he was revived. “‘He suffered no after-effects, filling a mission to Australia, marrying a lovely girl, and living an exemplary life as a Latter-day Saint husband and father. I am witness,’ Dallin concluded, ‘to the miracle of his childhood death and restoration’” (page 17).

The Mark Hoffman CaseOne of his assignments was with Public Affairs, and this was when the Mark Hofmann case occurred. He was involved in responding to the media and encouraged transparency from the First Presidency in their dealings with Hofmann. After Hofmann was arrested and pleaded guilty, he wrote: “The outcome vindicates the Church in every particular! How blessed are we! The Lord truly looks after His work and His servants. We are buffeted by the world and afflicted with the consequences of our own mistakes, but when the stakes are large and the survival or significant momentum of the work is on the line, we are saved as by a miracle” (page 208).

When later reviewing the manuscript of Turley’s Victims, he wrote: “The facts are there, and his effort will set the record straight for purposes of history. Those who want to believe the worst about the Church and its leaders will do so, but those who want the truth and have ears to hear and hearts to understand will at last have the complete facts on the Church…involvement in the Hofmann affair” (page 209).

Travel AssignmentsThere were many travel assignments, including time spent as the Philippines Area President. As he got older, this became harder, and in 2006 during a trip to Africa, he wrote: “As I reflect on what I have been doing on this trip…I have been impressed with the fact that I am working so hard that I would not possibly do this for money. I love doing this for the Lord, and I love the people with whom I work and those I meet on these trips” (page 292).

The Family: A Proclamation to the WorldThe book gives us some information about the creation of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and Oaks’ role:

During the fall of 1994, at the urging of its Acting President, Boyd K. Packer, the Quorum of the Twelve discussed the need for a scripture-based proclamation to set forth the Church’s doctrinal position on the family. A committee consisting of Elders Faust, Nelson, and Oaks was assigned to prepare a draft. Their work, for which Elder Nelson was the principal draftsman, was completed over the Christmas holidays. After being approved by the Quorum of the Twelve, the draft was submitted to the First Presidency on January 9, 1995, and warmly received.

Over the next several months, the First Presidency took the proposed proclamation under advisement and made needed amendments. Then on September 23, 1995, in the general Relief Society meeting held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle and broadcast throughout the world, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” publicly for the first time.

During the period that the proclamation was being drafted, Church leaders grew concerned about efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of Hawaii. As that movement gained momentum, a group of Church authorities and Latter-day Saint legal scholars, including Elder Oaks, recommended that the Church oppose the Hawaii efforts…. (Page 215.)

There has been a theory that the Proclamation began as a response to the legalization efforts in Hawaii, and was written by a team of lawyers, but this clearly shows that not to be the case. If it sounds like it might have been written by legal experts, it’s probably because two of its co-writers were Oaks (a former Utah Supreme Court Justice) and Faust (a former lawyer).

Widower and Second MarriageDallin’s wife, June, died in 1998. He later had an experience in the temple where he felt her presence and heard her voice in his mind. She told him “(1) she is busy and happy, and (2) she knows why she died at this time. I was comforted.”

Four months after she had died, he was in the temple again. This time he didn’t feel her presence, but “I did feel a thought she had left for me, somewhat like a written message: ‘Your needs are not so great now, so I will not visit you on a regular basis, but from time to time as you need.’…Elder Oaks wrote that he ‘went away strengthened for a new era in my life’” (pages 235-236).

After that, he began thinking of remarriage and received advice and help from Elder L. Tom Perry, who introduced him to Kristen McMain. After a brief courtship and with the consent of his children, they were married.

Written CorrespondenceAs an apostle, Oaks responded to many letters. There are portions of some of his responses in the book. Here are some excerpts from those that I found interesting:

On another occasion…Elder Oaks offered four suggestions. The first was about reading from varied sources in searching for truth. Sometimes, Elder Oaks observed, those who say they read broadly exclude reading sources “that will sustain and nourish faith.” Second, he explained, “while doubt can be a virtue when it moves people to seek knowledge, it is also an eternal principle that faith precedes the receipt of knowledge from above.” Third, knowing the Church is true does not require “the kind of transcendental experience the Prophet Joseph Smith had.” That knowledge can come from simply keeping the Lord’s commandments. Fourth, we must avoid judging godly things “according to what seems ‘godly’ according to our standards or culture or experience.” Instead, “we are to learn from Him, not teach Him or confine Him within our criteria.” Finally, Elder Oaks wrote, no one can pass the responsibility for personal conversion to another. “The whole case is in your hands…and its resolution is between you and your Heavenly Father.”

…To a man who wrote on reconciling science and religion, Elder Oaks responded, “Because our knowledge of the truths of the gospel is still evolving with continuing revelation, and because the ‘truths’ of science are also very dynamic, I am skeptical about bringing them together at present, though I know that they will each be gloriously consistent when all truths are known.”

A man wrote asking whether he should refrain from promoting new concepts that came to him about Christ’s Atonement. “The Lord has given us a prophet and his two counselors,” Elder Oaks replied, “and they are the ones to whom we look for ‘new concepts’ on our doctrine. The rest of us should refrain.”

…One correspondent was bothered that a family member talked openly about purported spiritual manifestations… “Have you noticed,” Elder Oaks asked in response, “that General Authorities, fifteen of whom are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, rarely speak about personal and sacred spiritual experiences?

“That cannot be a coincidence,” he taught. “It is also true that there are many miracles and sacred spiritual experiences among the Latter-day Saints, and we rarely hear of them across the pulpit or in classes. That cannot be a coincidence either.

“True,” Elder Oaks agreed, “some individuals speak of their personal and sacred spiritual experiences, but I have noticed that those individuals are cautioned not to do so, and if they persist, they are generally released from their Church positions or requested not to speak in Church meetings.

“What explains all of this?” Elder Oaks inquired of the writer. “A person has only to read the directions in the Doctrine and Covenants to see that the Lord has told us that our sacred experiences are personal and are not to be shown before the world.” He concluded, “If every person would be careful to limit the use of their spiritual experiences to their own personal benefit, instead of using them for other purposes, the adversary would have less occasion to mislead us by counterfeit spiritual experiences.” (Pages 336-341.)

Called to the First PresidencyIn 2018, Elder Oaks became President Oaks as he was called to be a counselor in the First Presidency. At this time, I observed that there were some that felt that the counselor under President Monson that he was effectively replacing (Dieter F. Uchtdorf) was being demoted. However, when Uchtdorf “met with President Nelson, he recommended two other men to be counselors in the First Presidency. ‘Elder Oaks was one of my recommendations,’ he later explained.

‘Through the course of those interviews,’ President Nelson recounted, ‘it became very clear to me, as I prayed about it, that Dallin should be First Counselor because, upon my demise, he’s the next President of the Church. That’s the kindest thing I could do to the Church and for him…to give that exposure” (page 345).

As a member of the First Presidency,

“My understanding of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ has increased enormously. As a judge, I applied mortal laws and penalties. In contrast, as I have reviewed the cases of persons who have sinned previously and now seek renewal in the Church, I have been awed by the love of God and His merciful forgiveness of those who repent and return to Him…. I have greatly increased in knowledge of and appreciation for the inspired service of the members of the Twelve, the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, our General Officers, and our local leaders…. I have grown in my testimony of the reality of revelation to our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson” (page 368).

Describing the First Presidency meetings, he said they

“continue to be very revelatory for all three of us: open discussion of different points of view followed by sweet coming together in unity” (page 356).

On another occasion he wrote that

“The Lord is in charge, and with His direction we can make big changes” (pages 358-359).

Later he wrote, “President Nelson is receiving…inspiration, and it is always confirmed to President Eyring and me. Thrilling!” (page 359).

Changes in the ChurchSpeaking of the many changes that have been made by the First Presidency since it was formed, Oaks said to members in Arizona:

“Change is almost always exciting… But as I have thought about the many recent changes in the Church, I have felt some caution. The changes we have experienced in our Church meetings and policies should help us, but by themselves they won’t get our members to where our Heavenly Father wants us to be. The changes that make a difference to our position on the covenant path are not changes in Church policies or practices, but the changes we make in our own desires and actions” (page 361).

How the Book is OrganizedThe book goes through Oaks’ life chronologically until his calling as an apostle. At that point, it shifts into being arranged thematically. This includes a chapter devoted to his first wife. It’s followed by a chapter about his courtship and marriage to his second wife. The last three chapters cover his calling to the First Presidency and events leading up until the publishing of the book. A summary of the book can be found in the final chapter.

I would have preferred as much detail of his later life as there is of earlier parts of his life. But it’s understandable that many aspects of being an apostle and member of the First Presidency require confidentiality. (The author does explain this problem in the introduction.) The details that we are given are extremely interesting. I can see the value of arranging his apostolic ministry into themes. Many things would have been interwoven throughout multiple years otherwise.

I enjoyed this book so much that I gave a copy to my dad for his birthday. He read it and then bought a copy for his sister. President Oaks has truly lived a remarkable life. This book has inspired me to be a better person and increased my testimony of living prophets and apostles.

AuthorTrevor Holyoak is the Vice President of FAIR. He joined FAIR in 1997 and received the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award in 2014. Trevor graduated magna cum laude from Weber State University with a BS in computer science and now works as a programmer and systems administrator. Currently, he is currently serving as a young mens advisor in his ward. In his spare time, Trevor is also involved in the leadership of the Utah Valley Amateur Radio Club. He and his wife have five children and live in Cedar Hills, Utah.

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Your Body as a Temple: Surprising Lessons from the Kirtland Templeby Autumn Dickson

We have been asked to liken the scriptures unto ourselves. Oftentimes, I look at this from the perspective of studying the people who lived at the time of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants. As I study the events surrounding the revelations, I am able to learn so much more about what the Lord is trying to teach. I am able to relate, if not in situation than in feeling, to these Saints and the Lord’s words answer me just as it answered them.

Though I often go through this process in relation to people, there is another way to liken the scriptures to us this week.

The Lord declares that our body is a temple. When He declares this, He implies many things. Our bodies are tabernacles through which we experience mortal life and the (hopefully) resulting spiritual growth. Our bodies can house the Spirit. We treat our bodies as a gift from the Lord.

What can we learn from Section 110 that teaches us even more about our bodies that were given to us by the Lord? I want to pull out a couple of phrases and ideas.

The first idea is that the Kirtland temple was unique amongst temples in this dispensation.

Traditionally, a temple in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a place where we go to receive further instruction and power by entering into covenants with the Lord. Interestingly enough, temples looked very different before the Lord came to fulfill His mortal ministry. Even in this dispensation, we have the Kirtland Temple. Within the Kirtland Temple, there was no baptismal font or rooms for sealings. There was no endowment. It looked like a church. There was a place for the congregants to sit, worship, learn, and sing. There was a pulpit.

This uniqueness holds many implications for our own bodies. The first implication I can think of is the progression of the gospel, or the idea of a living church. We believe that the church does change. The doctrine doesn’t change, but we grow closer and closer and closer to the truth. The Kirtland Temple was not completely ready to start performing additional ordinances en masse. Neither were the people ready en masse to receive that ordinance. It was a step in the right direction as the Lord continued to give further light and knowledge. We grow and progress and sacrifice and learn before we also receive further ordinances.

There were also three keys that were restored in the Kirtland temple. Moses came and gave the keys of the gathering of Israel. Elias came with the gospel of Abraham, and Elijah came to restore the sealing power. A grand majority of us will never hold those keys, male and female alike. However, those keys unlocked power for everyone there. One of those purposes of the Kirtland Temple was to create a place and a people who were prepared to receive these keys, and it worked. The Saints sacrificed and toiled, and it prepared their hearts to utilize the power that was unlocked from those keys.

And so we work and sacrifice and prepare ourselves to receive the power of those keys to the same extent that the Saints felt the power of those keys. Priesthood keys unlock power. The Lord wants these restored keys to unlock power in each of our lives. He wants us to experience the power of the Gathering of Israel. He wants us to understand what it means to be part of the family of Abraham. He wants us to be sealed together as part of His eternal family.

There are more phrases and implications, but I want to discuss one more verse.

Doctrine and Covenants 110:7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.

In verse 7, the Lord accepts His house and places His name upon it. He also promises to manifest Himself there. We looked to eventually be accepted of the Lord as we build and refine ourselves. We carry His name upon us. And then there is also the matter of the manifestation of the Lord.

The Lord visited the Kirtland temple as a fulfilment of the promise He made that He would enter into His house if the Saints would allow no unclean thing to enter therein. I believe the Lord is willing to reveal as much as we are willing to bear, including the manifestation of Himself, and so we utilize His atonement to be cleansed and we work on ourselves to be prepared to hold that responsibility.

I believe this has another implication. The Lord will manifest Himself to His people. Sometimes a manifestation of the Lord is not always the act of standing in His presence. Honestly, looking at a sunset is a manifestation of Him if we’re looking through spiritual eyes. I believe that we can manifest the Savior to others. He can visit His people through us as we work to lift where we stand. When I strengthen my husband, kiss my children, and love my friends, they are receiving miniscule doses of the Savior. We can be walking temples that house the Spirit and bring the Savior closer to everyone on this earth.

I testify that there are many reasons that the Lord described our bodies as temples. I testify that one of those reasons is because we can parallel temples in many regards. We can look to temples to better understand what the Lord has in store for us. We can look to temples to better understand what the Lord expects of us. I testify that He can sanctify our sacrifices and efforts and make us clean as we work to become a type of the House of the Lord.

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Participate to Prepare for Christ’s ReturnElder Steven D. Shumway, “Participate to Prepare for Christ’s Return”In his April 2025 General Conference address, Elder Steven D. Shumway taught that callings and participation in God’s work are sacred opportunities to prepare ourselves and others to meet the Savior. As he explained, “When we say yes to serving, we are saying yes to Jesus Christ. And when we say yes to Christ, we are saying yes to the most abundant life possible.”

But some struggle with callings. “Why does the Church keep piling on assignments? Aren’t callings just burdens?” Elder Shumway’s message provides an answer: service in God’s kingdom isn’t busywork—it is consecrated discipleship that transforms us into the kind of people who can meet the Savior with joy.

Common Criticism: Callings Are InconvenientMany members—and critics—see Church callings as overwhelming, exhausting, or sometimes even meaningless. Instead of remembering the blessings and growth that come through service, they focus on the stress, sacrifice, or times they’ve felt overlooked.

Fallacy at Work: Negativity BiasNegativity Bias is our tendency to pay more attention to problems and frustrations than to blessings and growth.

In this case, someone may only recall the stress of a demanding calling or the weariness of late nights, while overlooking the friendships formed, faith strengthened, or character deepened through the same service.

Elder Shumway’s Correction: Callings are consecrated opportunities. As he testified: “When we consecrate our meager but best effort, God magnifies it. When we sacrifice for Jesus Christ, He sanctifies us.” Service is not about flawless performance—it’s about offering what we can and letting Christ transform both us and those we serve.

Solution: Rather than burdens, callings are God’s gift to His children: a way to prepare our hearts for the Second Coming. The bias toward seeing only difficulty hides the reality that discipleship through service is one of the greatest ways the Lord refines us.

Living Apologetics: Service as Transformation, Not PerformanceA common struggle is the feeling that callings are about performance—checking boxes or living up to expectations—rather than growth.

Elder Shumway reframes this: when we consecrate our efforts to Christ, our service becomes joyful and sanctifying. Our callings are not about what the Church gets from us, but about what God makes of us through them.

Practical Apologetic Use:

If someone says: “My calling just feels like exhausting busywork.”
You can respond: “Callings aren’t meant to measure performance—they are sacred opportunities for Christ to change us. God doesn’t ask us to serve because He needs the help, but because we need the growth and grace that come through service.”

Ways to Apply Today:

1️⃣ Shift perspective. Instead of asking, “Why me?” ask, “What is God helping me become through this calling?”2️⃣ Notice blessings. Write down one way your calling has blessed you or others this month—it’s easy to forget when Negativity Bias takes over.

Keep This Talk With YouGeneral Conference is meant to be more than a weekend of inspiration—it is an invitation to live differently. Elder Shumway reminds us that participation in God’s work—through callings, covenants, and quiet acts of service—prepares us for Christ’s return.

This week, try one small step:

Pray to see your calling as preparation, not performance.
Record one blessing that has come through your service.
Encourage someone who feels overlooked to participate in God’s work.

“When we say yes to serving, we are saying yes to Jesus Christ.” —Elder Steven D. Shumway

How will you let your service—whether visible or unseen—prepare you to meet Jesus Christ?

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Prevail Against Mine Enemiesby Autumn Dickson

The Saints were driven from their homes and living as refugees in Clay County, Missouri. Joseph Smith and other church leaders received letters with news regarding what had happened. Besides the letters, Joseph also received a revelation from the Lord with this declaration:

Doctrine and Covenants 103:6 Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour.

The Lord declares that the Saints will begin to succeed over His enemies immediately. This likely brought great hope to those who were worried about the redemption of what was meant to be Zion. As Joseph and other leaders gathered Zion’s camp to go and win back the Saints’ lands, I’m sure they were full of faith that the Lord would help them restore the Saints back to their homes.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Zion’s camp was disbanded. The Saints lived in Clay County and then Caldwell County before being ultimately expelled approximately five years later. They never made it back to their homes in Jackson County where Zion was supposed to be.

Some would argue that they did not succeed against their enemies. Then again, perhaps they were succeeding against the Lord’s enemies. And who is truly the Lord’s enemy? Satan.

It brings to mind different stories from the scriptures.

The Lord commanded Nephi to go and get the brass plates. It took multiple tries before Nephi succeeded against Laban, but what did Nephi learn as he “failed” first? The growth that Nephi received must have been a true victory for the Lord.

The Lord commanded Moses to go and save the Israelites. Plague after plague seemed to fail in softening Pharaoh’s heart. What did the Israelites learn in the meantime as things actually grew progressively harder for them at first? What did they learn as they looked back upon the fact that things were difficult before they were free?

And then of course, the most important battle that ever occurred.

Christ suffered in Gethsemane, and no mortal man watched. He was taken by soldiers, tortured, and then killed. Not exactly a resounding victory to anyone objectively looking from the outside. He rose three days later, and yet, that was only part of the victory. The victory was found in His resurrection, but the victory was also found within His pain and death.

Interestingly enough, the Jews were looking for a Savior to free them from the Romans, and so they completely missed the mark of what would be the most important victory in their unending lives.

What does victory look like to the Lord? His ways are not our ways, and so we can assume that the Saints were likely mistaken when He declared that they would prevail over their enemies and they got excited that they would be restored to their homes in Jackson County.

Some of my most important victories have occurred in what would objectively be seen as losing a battle by the world.

There was a time when my husband’s chosen career path was being taken away from him by lies. I remember watching it all unfolding, and I remember retiring to my room and praying. I told the Lord I knew how powerful He was. We were scrambling to find alternate solutions to keep things on track, but nothing was looking super promising. I pleaded with the Lord to stop the man who was lying and to stop the men who were acting because of those lies. I told the Lord that I knew He was more powerful and could open a door that we didn’t know about and stop everything in its tracks. I knew it would be easy for Him to save us.

I also distinctly remember the Spirit whispering that I should stop praying for that. At that moment, I knew we would “lose.”

Of course, those moments of loss marked the beginning of much more important victories in our lives. The Lord has been merciful in helping me see that our loss led to my husband being placed on a path that would ultimately lead him towards fulfilling the promises he made before he came here. That loss made him grow. It made me grow. Despite all worldly signs pointing to the opposite, I count it as a great victory.

As those Saints struggled along the banks of the river, as they fought persecution for years to come, as they found themselves ultimately driven out, and as they were pushed thousands of miles west, they were finding a victory much more important than land. Within these darkest moments, the Lord was winning His most important victories.

I testify of a Lord who knows what He is talking about and fulfills all His words. I testify that Zion will be redeemed one day, and that the Saints will return there. I also testify that the Lord was beginning His victory against His enemies in the moment He declared so. I testify that He is mighty to save, and I testify that He utilizes our dark moments as part of that victory.

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Did the Lord Fail?by Autumn Dickson

To give a bit of content for what we’re reading about this week, the Saints have been driven from their homes in Missouri, and Joseph Smith received a revelation that talked about gathering a group of Saints to go and win back their homes. After marching towards Jackson County, the camp was actually disbanded.

Doctrine and Covenants 105:13 Therefore it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season, for the redemption of Zion.

The Lord called off what the Saints believed to be the original purpose of the Zion’s camp: redeeming the Saints’ lands in Missouri. Here is a bit of what the Lord said about His true purpose.

Doctrine and Covenants 105:19 …and it is expedient in me that they should be brought thus far for a trial of their faith.

There are two ways that the Saints could have their faith built during this experience. The first way is how to stick around when the going gets tough.

Being a part of Zion’s Camp was not an easy thing. It was hot and muggy. Food and water could be scarce. There was disease, and members of Zion’s camp even died of cholera on this expedition that did not provide the results that many Saints looked for.

One of the characteristics the Lord is trying to instill and test us in is the idea that we will follow Him. Truly follow Him, not just rewards.

In the New Testament, many followers left when they realized that He wasn’t going to keep miraculously giving out bread. Interestingly enough, the bread was a distraction from the most important, life-changing aspects of following Christ. They couldn’t see the miracle of who Christ was because they were too distracted by their want of bread. Never mind that Christ had performed an incredible miracle and dispersed an immense amount of food. The people in the New Testament were too distracted by the fact that their bread stopped to remember that He had done something powerful in their lives. They were too distraught by the lack of bread to stick around and wonder if there was something more powerful at work.

The Lord doesn’t want obedient dogs. He didn’t keep giving out bread just to keep people coming back. He wants the loyalty and love of His people through anything. He doesn’t want to give us a treat every time we show up. He wants us to truly follow Him through thick and thin. He wants us to trust Him when the treat doesn’t immediately appear. He wants us to choose to love Him and follow Him through difficulty just as He followed us through difficulty. The only way that He can instill and test this aspect of faith is to allow us to face incredible obstacles and choose Him.

Trials can try the faith. When you’re trying to fulfill the Lord’s commands and there are obstacles, it can lead you to wonder whether you’re truly fulfilling the Lord’s commands. Understanding the purpose of mortal life can help us understand the irreplaceable effect of trials. The Lord needed to try us or we would never be able to grow into what we needed to become. Trials are not just a punishment; trials are also to help the righteous grow. We cannot afford to see them as proof that the Lord is not with us otherwise it completely prevents us from accessing a level of growth that is completely necessary.

But this experience wasn’t just about trials. There was a second way that this experience could make or break the faith of the Saints.

This faith-shaking experience was not just about a difficult trip; it was about the fact that the trip seemed unsuccessful. This could easily call Joseph’s prophetic call into question, and it did. This experience caused many to wonder, and yet, it did the exact opposite for others. In the Come Follow Me manual we read, “Faithful members of Zion’s Camp, many of whom later became leaders of the Church, testified that the experience deepened their faith in God’s power, in Joseph Smith’s divine call, and in Zion—not just Zion the place but Zion the people of God.”

It deepened their faith in God’s power and Joseph Smith’s divine calling as prophet. From the world’s perspective, this is ridiculous. Why would you believe more in the God that is being preached to you when He couldn’t deliver on His promises? Why would you believe more in Joseph’s calling at the end of this? The idea that the Lord was trying to create a Zion-like people may feel like a thinly-veiled excuse for bailing after the governor rescinded his promise to send a militia to aid the Saints. Why on earth should we believe and continue to follow?

Exploring this concept is important because there are plenty of aspects in the church that don’t make sense from a worldly perspective. There are revelations that seem like sad excuses. For example, the Lord rescinded His command for polygamy when the United States threatened to take away everything that was beloved by the church and Saints. If the Lord is so powerful and if He is truly leading His Saints along through a prophet, why did He bail on Zion’s Camp? Why did He continue to enforce polygamy until the going got too tough?

When it comes to the gospel, it is IMPOSSIBLE to make things make sense from a worldly perspective. Faith precedes understanding. It is impossible to convince someone of Joseph’s prophetic call. If you try to explain that the Lord was trying to build a Zion-people rather than being concerned about the land, they will laugh in your face.

When it comes to the gospel, your testimony cannot form from the idea that it has to make sense before you choose to believe. Sooner or later, you are going to come across something that doesn’t come together in your mind. You are going to come across principles, policies, or history that feel like they create cognitive dissonance in your mind.

It would seem like the Lord would try to avoid these faith-shaking experiences altogether. He’s trying to build our faith. Why would He allow it to be shaken after this manner?

Interestingly enough, the only way to build a truly strong faith is to let it be shaken. Faith is not knowing everything. Faith is choosing to trust when we don’t know.

The Lord wants to take our testimony from, “I know the Lord leads His church today because He made this miracle happen,” to, “I know the Lord leads His church today, and I will follow Him through hell if He calls me to do so.” When we can unlock that second level of faith, we become powerful disciples. We find a new level of salvation when we find that trust and relinquish our need to control and understand everything.

How do we make that jump in faith? How did the members of the Zion’s Camp come out of this experience with stronger faith rather than weaker faith?

I’m sure there are many answers, but I can only truly share my own.

I talk to God, and He answers. For me, that is the single largest portion of my testimony.

I have had experiences where I have looked back in awe at how the Lord made everything come together for me. I was amazed when I saw how He manipulated details from the years before to help everything stitch together and help me come out on top. Those are faith-building experiences. They helped me grow in my faith.

But they no longer define my faith. I am immensely grateful for those experiences. I cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to look back and see how the Lord saved me because He has indeed saved me. I am grateful, but they do not define my faith.

My faith has shifted. I talk to Him on a regular basis, and He answers, and I will not deny it. When things don’t go as planned, when I feel confused, when something new comes along that makes me wonder if I’m on the right track, I talk to Him and He answers. Regardless of whether He chooses to give me a new perspective or help me understand something, I have talked with Him enough that I trust Him. He is my Friend. He has shown me His power enough, and I will follow Him.

I have had enough experiences with Him to hold on, and I am happier since I have let go and chosen to trust Him through anything. I testify that when you choose to keep at it and continue to follow this path that has been presented to you, you will find the same results. In fact, you will be grateful that He allowed you the experience of questioning and finding Him again and again.

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To Become Like Himby Autumn Dickson

We read about many stories in the scriptures where someone is a type of Christ. We seek to be a type of Christ. We seek to pattern our lives after Him. There is a verse in Doctrine and Covenants that puts forth a similar idea.

Doctrine and Covenants 101:4 Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.

In the story of Abraham and Isaac, Isaac is a type of Christ who was willing to follow his father’s will. And though we often speak of people being a type of Christ, it’s interesting to me how Abraham was able to be a type of Heavenly Father. He was willing to sacrifice his son if that’s what was required.

The Saints in Missouri at this time were driven out of their homes and were camped out on the river in the cold. Approximately 200 of their homes had been burned down, and many had lost all. They had not been asked to sacrifice their son, but they had been asked to sacrifice something they had longed for – a safe home.

Why would the Lord ask His people to sacrifice these things? Why would He ask Abraham to sacrifice his son? Why would He allow the Saints to be tried in this manner? As the Saints continue to flee persecution in this time period, many will lose more than homes.

Why does the Lord take away so much and ask us to love Him anyway?

Let’s explore it.

We are meant to be more than a type of Christ. We are meant to be more than a type of Heavenly Father. We are meant to become like Them. We are meant to inherit what They have. We are meant to inherit Their characteristics, who They are.

Our Heavenly Parents cannot allow us to inherit all that They have without us being prepared to act responsibly.

The Lord allowed the Saints to be expelled from Missouri because they were not spiritually prepared to build up Zion, and they would not become spiritually prepared by remaining there. Zion would have been forever lost if the Lord allowed anyone to live there just as heaven would be lost if He was not willing to make the necessary judgment calls. In order to preserve Zion, in order to preserve heaven, the Savior had to be willing to make the difficult decision.

Why does He ask us to sacrifice so much? Because we have to be like Him; we have to be prepared to make difficult decisions. We have to be tried to the extent that we are willing to sacrifice as Abraham was willing to sacrifice. If we are not prepared to live like Him and if He chose to allow us to inherit all that He has anyway, we would destroy heaven when we couldn’t make the difficult decisions that He has to make. When we have to watch our own children experiencing mortality, will we be strong enough to allow them to struggle and strive in order to become all they’re capable of becoming? Will we love them enough to let them suffer if it is the only means by which they can eventually reach a full happiness? If not, the Lord has to be willing to withhold some of His blessings in the next life. He has to be willing to sacrifice all that He had in mind for us if we are not prepared to receive it.

Despite His willingness to make those decisions, make no mistake; it was difficult for the Lord to watch His Saints on the bank of that river. It hurts Him to watch us suffer.

Doctrine and Covenants 101:9 Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember my mercy.

He loves us. He, more than anyone, loves us. And this is precisely why He requires so much sacrifice of us.

Going back to the original verse in this post, we read that the Saints have to be chastened and tried even as Abraham. The word “chasten” means to correct or to discipline. We’ve heard that definition many times. I was interested to learn that “chasten” also means to “have a restraining or moderating effect on.” It implies the idea of subduing intense feelings. This definition makes a lot of sense when I think of Heavenly Father having to sacrifice His Beloved Son. He had to subdue His intense love for His Son on behalf of the rest of us; there was no other way. And then He also needed to not hate the rest of mankind for requiring such a sacrifice.

That’s what we have to become. We have to be willing to sacrifice and continue to love those around us because that’s what our Heavenly Father is. That’s what our Savior is. It is the only kind of Being that can truly live an eternally joyful life.

To recap, our Heavenly Father loves us dearly. We are His children. He was willing to sacrifice His Son on our behalf, and He was willing to love the rest of mankind that required that sacrifice. It was the only way He could save us. He was willing to watch His Saints sit on the river banks in the dead of winter for their own behalf. It was the only way He could save us. He had to subdue His intense feelings of love in order to help us reach the greatest good. More accurately, He had to subdue the intense desire to shield us because He loves us.

If we want to receive all that He has, we have to hold those same characteristics. The only way we can gain those kinds of characteristics is in real-life practice. And so the Lord allows us to be chastened and tried even as Abraham, and we get to see whether we’re willing to endure chastening and still love Him afterwards. We cannot learn the importance of these lessons unless we live them.

I testify of a Lord and Savior who loves us so much that He is willing to subdue His strong inclinations to protect us in order to help us become all that we are capable of becoming. I testify that all that we suffer can one day contribute to the glory He intends to give. I testify that loving Him for what He gives and loving Him for what He chooses to take away can bring the greatest peace, happiness, and joy.

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The Lord’s people & secular governmentsby Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

In March 1907, the First Presidency issued a proclamation affirming that the Church is politically neutral, and that the state should not control the church, neither should the church control the state: “An Address: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the World,”, Improvement Era 10, no. 5 (May 1907): 492–93.
Today’s First Presidency has continued to reaffirm this policy; see “Political Neutrality,” Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Spencer W. Kimball, “The False Gods We Worship,” Ensign, June 1976, 3–6. President Kimball’s First Presidency message, criticizing militarism among Latter-day Saints, was published one month before the commemoration of the United States bicentennial.
Rodney Stark, “The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History,” PBS Frontline: From Jesus to Christ, April 1998. Stark, a world-renowned sociologist of religion, argues that what made early Christianity unique—and one reason why it prospered and became a world religion—was because it “taught that mercy is one of the primary virtues—that a merciful God requires humans to be merciful.”

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In Peace and Troubleby Autumn Dickson

The Saints in Missouri were experiencing tremendous persecution at this time. The leaders of the mob wanted the Saints to promise that they would leave Missouri by spring, and they wanted the Saints to promise it within 15 minutes of demanding that they do so. The situation was tricky. The Lord had commanded them to build up Zion, but the opportunity to do so was being taken forcefully out of their hands.

How would you have responded? You’ve been commanded to build up Zion, but you’re still finding yourself under the influence of evil men. The Lord is all-powerful and able to defend you against all your enemies, but He’s been pretty quiet.

When the leaders didn’t immediately promise that they would leave, the violence escalated. Property was destroyed. People were attacked. The leaders finally relented and promised to leave.

I’m not sure how many of us have been threatened with bodily harm if we do not relent following the commandments, but the Lord often allows obstacles to arise to oppose us as we try to follow His commandments. So what do you do?

The Lord recommends this course of action.

Doctrine and Covenants 98:1-2

1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;

2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.

Fear not. Be comforted. Rejoice. Give thanks. Wait on the Lord.

Let’s talk about the first three together. Fear not; be comforted; rejoice.

Whenever I’ve felt commanded by the Lord to do something and it’s not working out, my main fear has become that I’m not doing enough to follow through on the Lord’s commands. I think of Nephi. If the Lord commands it, then it’s going to happen. So am I not being faithful enough? I worry that the Lord is upset with me or that I’m not being good enough.

Since then, I have learned that if I am putting forth an honest effort, I don’t need to be afraid of the Lord being angry. Nephi didn’t obtain the brass plates the first time despite his tremendous faith. The Lord wasn’t punishing him; He wasn’t upset with Nephi. Sometimes, the Lord simply doesn’t allow us to succeed the first time despite His ability to help us succeed the first time. It’s not because our faith is insufficient to bring the miracle immediately; it’s because true faith is acquired and shown when we keep at it after it didn’t work out the first time.

We do not have to be afraid that the Lord isn’t powerful enough to follow through. We do not have to be afraid we’re innately insufficient to fulfill what He has asked. We do not have to be afraid when it doesn’t work out how we were expecting. We do not have to be afraid that the Lord is angry with us because it doesn’t feel like it’s immediately coming together.

We can choose to trust the Lord so completely that we feel comforted and rejoice in His yet-to-be-fulfilled promises. If He promised it, it’s happening even if it takes a little while.

So fear not. Be comforted. Rejoice.

His next piece of advice is to give thanks. Interestingly enough, giving thanks is one practical way to help ourselves get to the point where we can set aside our fears, allow ourselves to be comforted, and rejoice. “Giving thanks” isn’t an “end;” it’s a journey that takes us to our desired end: peace and joy in Christ. We thank Him for the times He has shown up before. We thank Him that nothing in this life can take away our happy ending. We thank Him that despite our own imperfections, He is mighty to save. As we reflect and find gratitude for Him and His choices, we find that comfort and joy.

And as we rejoice, we show up diligently doing our best and wait on Him to come and do His own work on His own timetable. Waiting on Him is His last piece of advice.

If you were a leader in Missouri at this time, the right course of action is to wait on the Lord. We read about stories in the scriptures where the Lord fights all the battles for His people. We read about stories where the Lord commands His people to flee. We read about stories where He allows them to be attacked regardless of whether they were being righteous because sometimes He simply allows His children to be tried.

We might not be sure which scenario the Lord is going for, and so we wait on Him to answer and do the best we can in the meantime because He doesn’t always answer immediately even when the situation feels dire. We choose to trust the Lord in times of plenty and in times of scarcity. We rejoice in His wisdom in what He allows to come to pass, and we wait for all He’s promised.

I testify of a Lord who is all-powerful to save, but I also testify of a Lord who doesn’t step in to stop every tragedy. I testify of a Lord who has a plan even if He doesn’t reveal it immediately. I testify of a Lord who we can trust in, and I testify that if we trust in Him, we will find comfort and peace even when the situation is trying to pummel us with the opposite. We can set aside our fears, allow ourselves to be comforted, give thanks for however He chooses to let things play out, and we wait.

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Elder Michael B. Strong, “Charity—a Sign of True Discipleship”“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)

In his April 2025 General Conference address, Elder Michael B. Strong taught that the destination of discipleship is not based on belief or outward conformity, but transformation: to literally become as Jesus Christ is. The unmistakable sign of that transformation is charity—the pure love of Christ, expressed in deliberate, covenantal love for others.

But critics sometimes claim that discipleship in the Church looks like “checklist religion.” Ministering may be done to meet a quota. Kindness may be offered for appearance’s sake. Rules may be followed for cultural conformity.

Elder Strong’s message provides an answer: true discipleship is not performative. It is charity—love in action—that transforms us into Christ’s likeness and reveals the depth of covenant commitment.

Common Criticism: Isn’t This Just ‘Checklist Religion’?The critique often arises that Church service and discipleship are shallow or rule-bound—reduced to outward behaviors with little inner meaning. Some see ministering visits, callings, or covenant keeping as legalistic “busywork” rather than genuine discipleship.

Elder Strong’s answer to this criticism is simple: the true sign of discipleship isn’t outward performance but inward transformation through charity.

What is charity?Charity is the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:47; 8:17). It is not a fleeting kindness or polite gesture, but a divine, enduring love that moves us to act in compassion and lift others as the Savior did.

Charity is inseparably tied to faith and hope—and without it, we are nothing (Moroni 7:44–46; 10:20). It suffers long, is patient and kind, and it never fails (Moroni 7:45–48). It is both commandment and covenant, the defining attribute of true discipleship: “ye shall have charity, for charity never faileth” (2 Nephi 26:30).

It is the sanctifying bond that brings us nearer to Christ, enabling us to be “full of love towards all men, and to the household of faith” (Alma 7:24). Ultimately, charity is the sign that we are His—love in action that endures forever and transforms us into His likeness (Ether 12:34, 37).

Fallacy at Work: This criticism reflects the Attribution ErrorAttribution Error is the tendency to explain someone’s behavior by assuming shallow or negative motives, while overlooking deeper context or external factors.

In this case, critics assume Church members minister or serve to “check a box,” ignoring the covenantal love and unseen compassion that often motivate discipleship. Many unseen acts of compassion, sacrifice, and covenantal love are evidence that discipleship in the Church is far more than performance.

Solution: Charity isn’t about surface-level “niceness.” It is the very nature of Christ made manifest in us—selfless, covenantal love that leads to action, endures forever, and identifies us as His disciples.

“Charity, like faith, leads to action.” 1

Living Apologetics: Ministering as Covenant LoveA common example of this criticism is ministering (previously home or visiting teaching). To some, it can feel like a shallow checklist—“just niceness” to fulfill an assignment.

Elder Strong’s reminder reframes ministering: true discipleship means embodying the love of Christ for that person – not just to “get it done”. When ministering is covenantal love in action, it becomes the very evidence that we are Christ’s disciples.

Practical Apologetic Use: If someone says: “Ministering is just busywork—it doesn’t really change lives.” * You can respond:* “Ministering isn’t meant to be a task—it’s an invitation to live charity as Christ did. The Savior showed compassion, noticed unspoken needs, and helped people forward spiritually. That’s what covenantal ministering looks like.”

Ways to Apply Today:1️⃣ Pay compassionate attention. Elder Strong pointed to the Savior’s way of noticing unspoken needs.Most of the time, if you ask someone directly if you can help, they will say “no.” But the Spirit can teach us what others are feeling and needing if we are willing to notice. Charity means not being afraid to act on those quiet impressions.

2️⃣ Act with covenantal depth. Choose one ministering assignment this month where you intentionally go beyond surface kindness—help, invite, or encourage in a way that mirrors the Savior’s compassion.

Keep This Talk With YouGeneral Conference is meant to be more than a weekend experience—it is an invitation to live differently after the closing prayer. Elder Strong’s message reminds us that discipleship is deliberate, and its defining sign is charity, the pure love of Christ.

That means charity is not a momentary feeling or a task to check off. It is a way of seeing and serving others that changes both them and us. When we notice unspoken needs, act on promptings, and approach ministering as covenantal love instead of convenience, we carry this talk with us into our daily lives.

This week, try one small step:

Pray to recognize someone who needs compassion.
Pay attention to promptings, even if they seem small.
Act in a way that reflects covenant love, not just surface kindness.

“Charity … is the pure love of Christ.” (Moroni 7:47)

As you act, you’ll find that charity not only blesses others but transforms you—helping you to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ, whose life is marked by love in action.

How will you let charity—not convenience or comfort—be the sign of your discipleship this week?

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Uncleanby Autumn Dickson

The Lord is giving instructions about things He wants built in Kirtland, Ohio. The verses I’m about to share describe a building that was meant to be a meeting place for the First Presidency to carry out their work, but it was never built. The Lord gave some pretty specific instructions for its construction; these instructions were both spiritual and temporal. Here are some of His spiritual instructions for the building.

Doctrine and Covenants 94:8-9

8 And ye shall not suffer any unclean thing to come in unto it; and my glory shall be there, and my presence shall be there.

9 But if there shall come into it any unclean thing, my glory shall not be there; and my presence shall not come into it.

The Lord is very clear here. In fact, He is doubly clear. If it is kept clean, He will be there. If it is not, He won’t be.

We live in a world that despises being called unclean. It flip flops between playing a victim and being enraged that we would dare to label it. We are the bad ones for using the word unclean. And yet, here is the Lord, Himself, using it. He’s not necessarily pronouncing eternal judgment, but neither is He afraid to call it what it is. There is power in being able to label something as unclean as long as we don’t let Satan push us to use it in a damaging way.

When the Lord describes something as unclean, it’s for two reasons that boil down to one reason. The two reasons are: He is trying to keep you safe, and He wants to make you the best person you can be. Both of those reasons boil down to one: He loves you.

Let’s look at this idea of uncleanliness through the lens of those two motivations of the Lord: keeping you safe and helping you be the best you can be.

The first lens is keeping you safe. One of the examples that the world truly hates is the Law of Chastity. I view teaching the Law of Chastity in the same way I teach my kids about safety regarding the street.

I teach my kids how to utilize a street correctly. I teach them when it’s safe to cross the street. I teach them to look around and make a judgment call about whether it’s safe to cross the street. I teach them that crossing the street is an important part of life (okay, I don’t really teach that but I plan on teaching the Law of Chastity equivalent). I teach them all the important aspects of crossing the street, and I teach them that there are appropriate times to cross the street.

But you better believe that I’m also teaching them about how incredibly dangerous it can be to cross the street if you do it unwisely.

I don’t hesitate to tell my kids that they can get hit by a car. I don’t hesitate to tell my kids that even if they’re big enough to look across the street, their baby sister is not. I am unafraid of teaching my kids the consequences of ignoring danger. Everyone can understand this when it comes to crossing the street. For some reason, the world has a difficult time understanding this in terms of the Law of Chastity.

You can teach a child that intimacy is good in the right circumstances, and you can teach them that their divine identities rejoice in the righteous use of sexuality. In fact, you should teach them this. There doesn’t need to be any shame. Interestingly enough, you can simultaneously teach them that using it inappropriately can cause a lot of harm. You can teach them that breaking the Law of Chastity is unclean. Or, in other gospel words, it can bring a mess into their lives that the Savior can heal and put back together after a lot of work.

The Lord uses the label unclean so that we know to stay away from it. It’s to keep us safe.

But uncleanliness isn’t just about the Law of Chastity. There are many thoughts, feelings, and actions that can be unclean.

We can also view the term “unclean” by looking at it through the lens of the Lord trying to make us a better person.

When I first read this verse, I had a slightly inaccurate picture come to my imagination. I pictured the Savior wanting to walk into the building that was meant to be kept clean before realizing that there was someone or something inside of it that was unclean. I pictured Him not turning His back in a rage, but in frustration that He couldn’t come in because His glory would burn whatever was unclean. Obviously, there are some serious logistical flaws with that imagination, but it also holds a tiny portion of truth.

Our Heavenly Father and Savior will not allow uncleanliness into their kingdom because it would be devoured in the fire in which they dwell.

Oftentimes, Satan tries to use this concept to influence us to despair and give up, but what if we flip that on its head?

Instead, we can realize that the whole point of coming here was to become like our Heavenly Father and Savior. We came here to internalize the fact that we are meant to be glorious; our countenances are meant to grow into the countenance of our Savior. We are meant to become so incredible that our countenances are like lightning, that we dwell in that same burning fire that He does. All of the things that the Savior deems “unclean” are actually beneath us. Like our Savior, we don’t deign to utilize things that cause harm.

And when we are imperfect (because we’re not like the Savior yet), He cleanses us. That was always the plan.

The term “unclean” was utilized to warn us that something could harm us and make a mess in our lives (such as in the street example); it was also utilized to warn us that something was beneath what we were meant to become.

Satan likes to twist it. Satan is the one trying to tie the term “unclean” to your identity when you make mistakes, and then he likes to point at the Church and blame them for making you despair. Satan is the one who likes to bring a mess into your lives and whisper to you that the only reason you feel unhappy is because the Church shames you.

When used correctly, “unclean” is a warning from a loving Savior. It was never meant to describe your identity! Why on earth would the Savior go through what He went through if He believed you were just innately unclean? Satan is the one who whispers it when in actuality, the opposite is true. “Unclean” was meant to help you keep your divine identity and make you realize that you deserve so much more.

I testify of a Savior who loves us enough to warn us. I testify that the word “unclean” can seem so harsh, but it can also be descriptive and teach us something valuable, namely the fact that the Savior can cleanse us and make us whole. I truly testify of that; we can rejoice because the Savior can cleanse us and make us whole. Because of Him, we can eventually reach the point where we internalize that all of that unhappiness is beneath us and no longer allow it to bring us down.

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The Kirtland Templeby Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Elwin C. Robison, The First Mormon Temple: Design, Construction, and Historic Context of the Kirtland Temple (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1997). For this book, Robison thoroughly investigated the temple architecture and structure, integrating that information with historic photographs and documents.
“The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by The First Presidency and The Twelve,” Improvement Era 19, no. 10 (August 1916): 934–42. This official declaration firmly rooted the identification of Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, with Jesus Christ. Prior to this, the name-title Jehovah was used by Latter-day Saints to indicate either the Father or the Son (as seen in section 109).
These two articles explore the identity of the figure of Elias who appeared in the Kirtland Temple on 3 April 1836 (D&C 110:12): Kevin Barney, “Who was the Elias of D&C 110?,” By Common Consent, 2 March 2006; Samuel Brown, “The Prophet Elias Puzzle,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 39, no. 3 (Fall 2006): 1–17.
Trever Anderson, “Doctrine and Covenants Section 110: From Vision to Canonization,” master’s thesis, Brigham Young University, July 2010. Anderson explores how the account of the appearances of Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah was recorded, taught, and eventually canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants.

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Glory of Godby Autumn Dickson

Section 93 is full of truth that revolves around how eternity works. It speaks of light, knowledge, and application. It speaks of our eternal nature. Here is one important, eternal principle.

Doctrine and Covenants 93:36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

Here is a quote from Joseph Smith that is enlightening. He taught:

God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that 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…

When I was on my mission, I taught a lot of Chinese students who had come to the United States for an education. Many of these students had backgrounds in Buddhism, and I learned a bit about their beliefs as I worked with them. Forgive me if I get a bit of their beliefs wrong, but I’m going to try and describe a bit of their understanding.

Buddhists believe that suffering is something that occurs because of our nature here on earth. They believe that suffering can be ended, and that you overcome suffering by letting go of attachments and cravings for things that are not permanent (we would probably say eternal). Eventually you reach a state called enlightenment where I would repeat what Joseph Smith described. You receive truth, approach perfection, your views become clearer, and your enjoyments grow deeper until you overcome all the evils that are holding you back.

I grew to love many of their perspectives and found that they held a lot of truth. The gospel according to Autumn believes that they once received truth but apostasized just like many of the Western religions; they just went in the opposite directions. Where many Western religions left behind the idea of personal progress in exchange for faith-only based salvation, Buddhism went to the other side of the spectrum. You grow and grow and receive more and more joy, but they lost the incredible aspects of Christ and His grace. There is truth there, just not all of it.

And though they lost that essential portion of salvation, I believe that they hold perspectives that can add to our understanding of the truth.

Part of salvation is receiving light, growing, overcoming natural tendencies and cravings, and eventually arriving at a state where you can enjoy all the eternities have to offer. I know of many people who have walked further in their path of enlightenment, and they truly enjoy much.

Section 93 speaks of truth, and one of the truths that can add to our understanding of this section is that wickedness never was happiness. There is innate suffering with clinging to things that are not eternal. When we can school our thoughts, desires, and loves to cling to the things of eternity, we let go of the wickedness that binds our soul to unhappiness.

Christ can cleanse us and keep us in the Celestial Kingdom all He wants. However, if we continue to cling to unhappiness we cannot partake in the fullness of salvation because salvation is the epitome of deepest joy. How can you experience the deepest joy if you still love unhappiness?

So we work and overcome and walk towards enlightenment, or more accurately, towards exaltation where we are in a state where we can actually receive a fullness of joy. All the while, Christ keeps us continually clean until that beautiful day that He no longer has to. We rejoice and worship Him for making our journey mean something, for paying the price so that all the suffering we caused others can be made up, for paying the price so that we can be cleansed and cleansed so we can stand in the presence of our beloved Father. We rejoice and get to enjoy being around Him.

The Institute Manual shares a quote from President Joseph F. Smith. He teaches, “…Intelligence is the glory of God; and no man can be saved in ignorance.”

You can’t be saved in ignorance because salvation is not just about cleanliness and innocence. You can’t be saved in ignorance because you can’t fully enjoy all there is to enjoy without intelligence, and salvation is the epitome of joy.

We believe in receiving light and truth. We believe in overcoming the natural man so that we no longer cling to unhappiness. We believe in Christ’s atonement that saves. We believe in a fullness of joy, a fullness of salvation.

I testify of a Savior who has so much more to give. I testify that He yearns to give it as soon as we are ready to receive it. I testify that His salvation includes His cleansing and healing; I also testify that His salvation includes His knowledge and power and glory that we can progress towards.

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A Type of Christby Autumn Dickson

Doctrine and Covenants 93 teaches us about the character of God and our Savior who came to the earth. Here is just a little of what is taught to us.

Doctrine and Covenants 93:12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;

There is a quote in the Institute Manual that provides some more clarification.

President Lorenzo Snow taught:

When Jesus lay in the manger, a helpless infant, He knew not that He was the Son of God, and that formerly He created the earth. When the edict of Herod was issued, He knew nothing of it; He had not power to save Himself; and [Joseph and Mary] had to take Him and [flee] into Egypt to preserve Him from the effects of that edict. … He grew up to manhood, and during His progress it was revealed unto Him who He was, and for what purpose He was in the world. The glory and power He possessed before He came into the world was made known unto Him.

When we place this side by side with a quote from the Come Follow Me manual, we learn an important truth.

We learn from Joseph Smith that, “If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”

We came here to become like Christ. Ideally, people would be able to look back at our lives and see a type of Christ. There are so many things that we could talk about in the scripture and quotes I just shared. We could talk about what perfection actually looks like. Christ has always been perfect, and He still had to grow and learn who He was. We could talk about who our Savior wants us to become and what He wants to share with us. Many people believe exaltation is blasphemous; I say that I worship God all the more because He wants to give me so much more than I deserve. There is so much we could talk about.

I want to talk about the fact that Christ had to learn who He was. He grew from grace to grace. In the manger, He was as unaware as the rest of us and had to progress. Part of that progression included learning about why He came to earth. I want to talk about the fact that understanding this portion of His character can help us understand ourselves. This is yet another way that we can mimic Christ.

You have to learn who you are. You came here to learn and grow and become, but you were also given responsibilities. They are not as magnificent as the Savior, but they do typify Him. They are still important.

There are many whose gut reaction is to say, “Oh no…I’m not important. I’m not anything special. I was not special before I came here. I’m not good enough to contribute.”

Imagine the power that Satan would have gained if he could have convinced Christ that humility meant giving up His identity. Imagine, for a moment, the power that Satan does hold because He has convinced us that humility means allowing him to tell us that we have nothing to contribute.

It is a powerful day when you’re able to cast off the idea that you have to make yourself small. It is a powerful day when you decide that through the power of Christ, you can do anything He needs you to do. It is a powerful day when you learn that accomplishing grand and important things does not always look grand and important. It is a powerful day when you simply accept what the Lord wants you to do without allowing Satan to whisper that you’re incapable or that your role isn’t particularly paramount.

When I think of my most important calling, I think of being a mother. I am a mother to my own children, but I have been a mother to many before that and I will mother many who come after. Being a mother is part of accepting my divine identity to nurture God’s children and help them know who they are.

It is not glamorous or loud. The world will often laugh at it or outright scorn it.

But I am powerful. I know who I am even if the world rejects me like they rejected Christ. No, I do not innately hold the power that He held, but I have all the power I need because He carries me and enables me. I can do all things through Christ. “All things” does not necessarily mean that I will move a mountain. Likely, it means that I will do something far more important. It means that I will powerfully love those around me.

Christ came here without any idea of who He really was. He did not know He was a God at first. He did not know that He could wipe out Herod or the Romans or the evil Jews if necessary. And when He did learn it, He did something more powerful. He loved and made Himself a servant. And by doing so, He stepped into His identity and changed the world. We can be a type of Christ and follow after Him.

I testify that Christ wants you to be His joint heir. That doesn’t mean simply receiving a mansion. It means so much more. He wants US to become so much more, and that blessing is readily available to us regardless of where we were born or how much we were born with. Even the least of us can be incredibly powerful with nothing but our faith in Christ. He can make us mighty to save with His power. We can let Him lead us to our roles in life, and we can trust that those roles can change the world as He did. We can also remember that changing the world as He did will look like Him, quietly serving and lifting where we stand.

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For the Weakest Saintby Autumn Dickson

The Word of Wisdom is a gift. Some view this advice as ridiculous and unnecessary. Honestly, it reminds me of when my son thinks it’s ridiculous and unnecessary for him to wear shoes and a helmet when he rides his dirt bike. Sure, he may ride his dirt bike and never get seriously injured. Maybe it even feels better to ride his dirt bike without a helmet, but it is worth protecting yourself.

As I read the Word of Wisdom this week, this verse stuck out to me.

Doctrine and Covenants 89:3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

The Word of Wisdom, our health law given from God, was “adapted to the capacity of the weakest of all saints.” If the Lord adapted it, it means that He “made something suitable for a new purpose.” The Lord modified the Word of Wisdom so that the weakest saints would be capable of following it. The Lord did this in a couple of ways.

The first interpretation was the fact that the Word of Wisdom did not originally come as a commandment. In 1833, it was given to the Saints as some strong advice, as a revelation filled with wisdom. In 1882, the Lord told John Taylor that the Word of Wisdom was to be formally recognized as a commandment. In 1919, Heber J. Grant made it a requirement for the temple recommend. The Lord could have come out and made it a commandment immediately, but there were many people who were addicted to these substances. So the Lord adapted the law for His vulnerable saints. He changed it to start out as advice so that the people could become prepared to live it before it would condemn them.

Though this section is about the Word of Wisdom, this idea of adaptation from the Lord has numerous implications. One of those implications is the fact that the Lord is willing to meet us where we’re at and work with us until we’re where He wants us to be. He knows we’re imperfect and weak. He adapts on a societal level such as when He installed the Law of Moses to give the Israelites a step up towards His higher law. He also adapts on an individual level where He chooses to look at the bigger picture, unafraid of our mistakes along the way.

I had a dear friend who was overcoming a serious, serious pornography addiction. Addiction is definitely a spectrum, and he was thoroughly enmeshed. He didn’t have much support at home and had started extremely young. If I remember correctly, he found himself entrapped in pornography even before the age of accountability. In many ways, he was on his own to overcome it. And without support, especially as a young kid, overcoming it was going to be difficult (to put it lightly).

He had some wonderful youth leaders who took him in. One of those leaders was inspired by God to help him change his goals in relation to pornography. Because he was so deeply addicted, she recommended taking baby steps. Instead of trying to cut everything out and move on, she recommended starting with smaller goals that would eventually build to that ultimate goal.

His first goal was to make it an hour without looking at some version of pornography. That goal would build to 24 hours. Eventually he would make it to a week, a month, a year. She didn’t worry about what he would pull up at the end of that hour when he had reached his small goal. Rather, she gave him baby steps to work towards that law.

As we speak of adapting, I worry that this could sometimes get taken out of context and used as justification. Adaptation and justification are not the same thing. The entire point of adaptation on the part of the Lord is to help us step towards exaltation. The Law of Moses was definitely a step down from the law Christ wanted to give the Israelites, and yet, it was a step in the correct direction. This is not about justifying our sins or changing the law because we think we’re too weak. It’s about setting ourselves up for eventual success in following the Lord.

The Lord did not give the Word of Wisdom as a full-on commandment in the beginning because He needed to adapt it for those who were already addicted.

There is also a second interpretation of adaptation that I find important. I want to teach this second perspective by jumping back to that original analogy I used with my son and his helmet.

We have a rule in our home that you wear your helmet when you go out on the dirt bike. Imagine if our house rule was actually, “You don’t have to wear a helmet if you’re really strong and talented. Only the weakest family members need to wear a helmet.” There are a few problems that could arise.

First of all, none of my kids would classify themselves as weak riders, not even the four year old. I might as well not bring up the helmets at all. Secondly, even the strongest riders can make mistakes. No matter how strong and talented you are, a blow to the head can cause serious and permanent damage.

The Lord created the Word of Wisdom to protect the weakest of Saints, but He asked all of us to live it because He’s wise enough to know that none of us would classify ourselves as weak. We all think we would be strong enough to use dangerous substances wisely, and there would be significantly more problems. I’m not just talking about addiction. I’m also talking about the kinds of problems that arise within families when inhibitions have been dampened and lines are crossed.

This concept also extends to the idea of the strongest members running into issues. Even if you’re spiritually strong and only utilize substances at certain times, you are still leaving yourself incredibly vulnerable to others with bad intentions. Even the strongest can take a “blow to the head” when they are not adequately mentally present to protect themselves.

The Lord knows that experiences with substances do not always lead to destroyed lives, but the Lord is also wise enough to know that it causes enough pain and destruction to just avoid it altogether. He adapted these principles for the weakest of saints, but these principles protect all of us.

I testify of a Lord who is wise enough and cares enough to get involved and help us stay away from compromising and dangerous situations. I testify of a Lord who wants us to be safe and even though He desires a world where the most vulnerable are protected, I testify that He’s smart enough to know that’s not the world we live in yet. For now, we need these rules to keep us safe and help us protect ourselves more fully. Some see the Word of Wisdom as a desire to control. I see a wise and loving Father who is just trying to help His children live life more fully and healthy. I’m grateful for His protections and sage advice.

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Accepting Christ’s Giftby Autumn Dickson

I love when the scriptures give us more insights into how the relationship between the atonement of Jesus Christ and our works come together. I think it’s a relationship that needs to be studied thoroughly if we are to understand how to enjoy Celestial Glory. For while we believe in worthiness and the necessity of following after Christ, we also believe that we were given a gift. Here is a verse that can add another layer to our understanding of the relationship between grace and works.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.

Christ gives us a gift, but we have to utilize the gift. That is one way of describing the relationship between grace and works. Gifts are free. There are no strings attached. There are many who argue that we, as Latter-day Saints, do not believe in grace because we believe in the necessity of worthiness. I do not believe that grace and works are mutually exclusive, and this verse helps to describe it.

When someone gives you a gift at Christmas and you open it and utilize it, does that suddenly mean the gift wasn’t free because you had to work to use it? I’ve been accused of not being a Christian because if we believe in the necessity of works then I don’t truly believe that His gift is free. Believing in the concept of worthiness does not negate the fact that Christ gave His gift. If Christ had been unsuccessful in atoning, and I had still worked towards worthiness, I still wouldn’t have made it to the Celestial Kingdom. No one would. Christ gave a gift of atonement.

As for worthiness, this verse also describes it beautifully. When someone places a gift in your lap, you can be grateful and love that person for putting it in your lap. But who is going to be more grateful to the giver: the person who just stares at the beautifully wrapped gift or the person who opens it and utilizes it?

The gift is free, but salvation has multiple parts because heaven has multiple parts. You enjoy heaven because you’re perfectly clean, near the Savior, and you’re enjoying a heavenly society where love abounds.

The cleanliness (and therefore, the ability to be near God and the Savior) comes from Christ. You cannot stand in the presence of God without that cleanliness or you’ll get eaten alive by the fire that He dwells within. This is where the gift of Christ’s atonement comes into play. He just cleans us. Even if we worked and practiced, our works do not cleanse us. It is free.

But salvation is more than cleanliness. Even if Christ is continually cleaning you (because you don’t believe in worthiness; you didn’t have to change or shed natural man tendencies), you won’t experience salvation even if you’re standing in the location of heaven. You have to be perfectly clean (thank you gift of Christ’s atonement), but salvation is also about enjoying eternity. If you want to enjoy eternity, the works part is necessary.

There is innate unhappiness that comes with wickedness. Wickedness never was happiness. So even if Christ cleanses you continually so that you are capable of standing in heaven, you still won’t be able to enjoy heaven because you are still actively pursuing wickedness that brings in innate unhappiness. You didn’t even really touch your gift. You didn’t open it. It was free. It’s sitting in your lap, but it brought you no joy because you didn’t even use it.

There is another aspect of this verse that I think is really important for Latter-day Saints who overemphasize works. While we believe in worthiness, I believe that Christ is much more willing to save than we think He is. He worked so very hard, harder than we can comprehend, to place that gift in our laps. Fewer things bring Him more satisfaction than when we rejoice and trust in that gift.

He does not want us to be leery of that gift. He doesn’t want us to look at His gift and think, “Mmmm I just don’t know if He really wants me to have this.” HE DOES. Use it. Rejoice in it. Trust it. It was a gift. Rejoice in the fact that He has the power to cleanse over and over and over. Rejoice in the fact that if you’re willing to follow Him, He can work with that.

I’m not perfect. I am so not perfect. But I have found salvation. I have opened the gift and got excited about it. I wave it around for everyone to see. Look what Christ gave me. He gave it to me. I didn’t earn it. I’m getting better at using it. He is teaching me to use it, and that’s going to be enough.

I testify of a Savior who loves you and wants you to rejoice in His perfection. I testify that if you’re willing to follow Him, if you’re trying to do as He asks even if you fail repeatedly, He has the power to pull you along anyway. He can cleanse you until you’ve completely changed and figured it out. He can keep you clean, and you can enjoy the happiness that innately comes with striving to love God and love others. You can rejoice in your salvation.

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“The Olive Leaf”; the divine natures of God and man (D&C sections 88, 93)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Diana L. Mahony and Marla D. Corson, “Light-Mindedness versus Lightheartedness: Conflicting Conceptions of Laughter among Latter-day Saints,” BYU Studies 42, no. 2 (2003): 115–29.
Kenneth W. Godfrey, “The History of Intelligence in Latter-day Saint Thought,” in The Pearl of Great Price: Revelations from God, ed. H. Donl Peterson and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University, 1989), 213–36.

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Receiving Joyby Autumn Dickson

There are eternal truths in this world that spill over in the world to come. Whether we fight against those truths determines what we’re going to enjoy. The Lord said this:

Doctrine and Covenants 88:32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

This verse is actually speaking about Outer Darkness and the sons of perdition, but I feel like there is doctrine here that spreads itself across all kingdoms. Judgment day is about being placed somewhere that we can enjoy as much happiness as our choices allow.

The Lord will place us somewhere good and safe and whole where we can receive as much joy as possible. The Lord paid for our sins so that we could enjoy all that the Father has. This was a free gift that He gave, but He will not force joy upon us. We still have to live after the manner of joy. The Lord wants us to enjoy bright, whole, healthy families. He wants us to enjoy a perfect society where everyone cares for each other. He wants us to know what it feels like to be perfectly wise, kind, and good. Therein lies joy.

Interestingly enough, He offers it now, not just for the next life. So many aspects of heaven are available to us here. There may be some aspects that are out of reach at this small moment in your never-ending life, but the Savior has promised that all aspects of joy are going to be available to us if we desire them in the next life.

This is one of my favorite doctrines. At first glance, it might not seem to make sense. Why would anyone choose anything less than the most glorious kingdom? Why would anyone refuse any manner of joy that the Lord is trying to offer? And yet, receiving joy is more than walking into the celestial kingdom. Receiving joy is more than plugging into some eternal happiness drug.

A willingness to receive joy is a willingness to follow the Savior.

Though this principle applies to a million different gospel principles (forgiveness, repentance, pursuing education), I’m going to talk about one gospel principle specifically.

I had a friend who worked at a hospital. A bunch of the nurses were talking, and one of them announced she was pregnant. An older nurse responded with something along the lines of, “Oh my goodness! I’m so excited for you. You never know love until you become a mother.” Another nurse became offended by this. She had chosen to not have children, and it made her upset that someone would suggest that she didn’t love as deeply.

Let’s talk about this idea because there are different facets, and I think it’s important to be specific about what I’m discussing here. I wholly recognize that there are men and women who are deeply mourning the fact that they do not have children. I do not place these individuals in the same category of not being able to love as deeply. After all, the verse we read earlier talks about being willing to receive joy. If you are deeply mourning the fact that you have not yet been blessed with children, then you are obviously willing to receive joy. Not to mention, if you’re mourning that missing opportunity, you sometimes have an even deeper appreciation of parenthood and consequent love. You already love deeply if you are open to the opportunity for spirits to join your home.

I think the case is different when you have chosen to remain childfree. When you have chosen to remain childfree, it’s usually for selfish reasons. I’m not saying that you’re a terrible person, but I would argue that most people who choose not to engage in parenthood are doing it because they don’t want to sacrifice what they enjoy. Ironically, they do not realize that there is more joy available to them in losing oneself and sacrificing everything to love someone else. There is inherent joy in not just in children but in the selflessness that it requires of you.

I don’t think there is a single other product or service that receives more five star reviews than parenting. Even as we all stand to lament the juxtaposition of never-ending chaos with never-ending mind-numbing work, parenting is joy incarnate. Parenting in all of its forms (beyond just traditional ideas of biologically birthing someone) is joy incarnate.

And this is the case with so many gospel principles. Forgiving others is freeing. Repentance brings you closer to the Savior. Pursuing education opens up your perspectives and enriches your life. God has given laws and principles. He teaches us. He tells us how to receive joy, but He will not force that joy upon us. Receiving joy is more than walking up to the Lord and asking for the Celestial Kingdom. If you are refusing aspects of joy, then walking into the Celestial Kingdom isn’t going to suddenly make that joy burst upon you. You have to be celestial.

A willingness to receive joy is a willingness to follow the Savior.
I testify of a Savior who has shown us the way. He walked the difficult path because He loved us and because it was the most joyful path despite everything it put Him through. I testify that He paid for us to have this experience so that we might learn what He has learned and live how He lives. I testify that following Him brings difficulty, but that difficulty helps contribute to the deepest joys available to God’s children.

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Reverence as the Foundation for Spiritual Connection

Have you ever wondered why certain moments in worship feel life-changing—while others feel ordinary, even rushed? In a world that increasingly scoffs at the idea of sacred times and places, Elder Ulisses Soares’s April 2025 General Conference message, Reverence for Sacred Things, is a powerful reminder: reverence is not an accessory to spirituality—it is spirituality.

Elder Soares draws us to the image of Moses before the burning bush—removing his sandals, aware he was standing on holy ground. That act was more than cultural tradition; it was a physical expression of a heart fully turned toward God. Reverence, he teaches, is the virtue that prepares our hearts to receive divine instruction, whether we are in the temple or in our own homes.

Doctrine and Covenants 88 echoes this call: “Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him” (v. 68). Reverence is not simply about silence or outward formality—it is the alignment of our whole being with God’s presence. It can transform a home into a sanctuary, and a building into the House of the Lord.

In the words of Elder Soares:

Reverence for sacred things is the greatest manifestation of a vital spiritual quality; it is a by-product of our connection to holiness and reflects our love for and proximity to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we study D&C 88 this week, the pattern is clear: the Lord invites us to create holy places—“a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (v. 119)—not only in our temples, but in our homes. The question is, will we pause long enough, and reverently enough, to meet Him there?

Apologetic Issues: Reverence & the Relevance of Sacred SpaceDoctrine Issue: “Reverence Is Just Outward Formality”Misconception: “Reverence is about being quiet and somber—it’s just an old-fashioned cultural formality, not essential to spiritual connection.”

Response:Reverence is not a cultural habit—it is a Christ-centered virtue. In Joseph Smith’s day, the word virtue carried the meaning of moral power, excellence, and strength of character—not just moral purity. C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters warns that the adversary will do all he can to prevent the formation of true virtues, because they shape how we receive God’s influence.

Elder Soares teaches that reverence is “a feeling or attitude of profound respect, love, and gratitude,” which invites the Holy Ghost and opens us to God’s blessings. Doctrine and Covenants 88 calls us to “sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God” (v. 68) and to “establish … a house of God” (v. 119). This inward alignment transforms outward stillness into spiritual receptivity. Reverence is the soil where testimony and revelation grow.

Common Fallacy: False Analogy – assuming two things are alike in all respects because they share some similarities.
This misconception treats reverence as the same as cultural formality. While formality can be empty, reverence is a spiritually potent virtue that changes our capacity to receive light (D&C 88:67).
Solution: Distinguish between empty custom and divine principle. Reverence is not about keeping an outdated style—it is about cultivating the inner condition that allows the Spirit to speak and be heard.

Social Issue: “Sacred Spaces Aren’t Necessary—God Is Everywhere”Misconception: “If God is everywhere, I don’t need a temple or a special setting to worship. My home, hobbies, or nature walks are enough.”

Response:It is true that God can be worshiped anywhere, but throughout scripture He commands the creation of dedicated sacred spaces. The Lord told Moses to remove his shoes because he stood on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). In D&C 88, He commands the Saints to build a temple and to establish their homes as “houses of prayer … faith … learning … glory” (v. 119).

Sacred spaces—especially the home and temple—do more than mark a location; they mark our intent. They provide a context for covenant, order, and focused worship that cannot be replicated by casual devotion alone. Elder Soares teaches that showing reverence for sacred things gives meaning to our everyday lives and freedom from the apathy that the irreverence of the world catapults us toward.

Common Fallacy: Hasty Generalization – drawing a broad conclusion from a few cases.
This misconception assumes that because God can be worshiped anywhere, all places are equally effective for deep spiritual formation.
Solution: Recognize that while God hears prayers anywhere, He commands and blesses the creation of set-apart spaces for His work. Sacred spaces amplify our focus, readiness, and covenant connection.

Apologetic Application: Reverence as a Christ-Centered Virtue that Unlocks Spiritual LightElder Ulisses Soares’s talk teaches a doctrinal truth with profound apologetic value:
Reverence is more than etiquette—it is a covenantal virtue that opens our hearts to God’s presence.

In Joseph Smith’s day, virtue meant far more than chastity—it was moral power, excellence, and strength of soul. C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters warns that the adversary seeks to prevent the formation of such virtues, knowing they shape our ability to receive heaven’s influence.

In D&C 88, the Lord links reverence to divine vision: “Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him” (v. 68). This is not about outward posture—it’s about the alignment of heart, mind, and will to Christ.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Reverence ≠ Empty FormalitySome dismiss reverence as a hollow cultural habit. But in scripture, reverence is repeatedly tied to encounters with God—Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush (Exodus 3:5), the Lord commanding His people to build a temple “that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8), and His instructions in D&C 88 to establish “a house of prayer … faith … learning … glory … God” (v. 119).
Defense: Outward expressions of reverence reflect inward humility and readiness to receive revelation. They are not ends in themselves—they are tools to help us stand on holy ground.

2⃣ Sacred Spaces Are Commanded, Not OptionalSome argue that since God can be worshiped anywhere, dedicated spaces like temples and worship-centered homes are unnecessary. While God indeed hears prayers offered anywhere, He commands the creation of holy places (Isaiah 2:3, D&C 88:119) as a pattern for covenant relationship and focused worship.
Defense: Sacred spaces amplify spiritual focus, strengthen covenant identity, and serve as protective “holy ground” in an increasingly irreverent world.

Practical Apologetics

This doctrine clarifies that reverence is a spiritual discipline that invites the Holy Ghost and allows the Lord to “unveil his face” (D&C 88:68). Practically, it becomes a defense against cultural trends that scoff at sacredness—showing that reverence isn’t just “acting” a certain way but a divine requirement for those who would see God.

Apologetic Use:When someone claims, “Your Church is too rigid about how worship should look,” you can respond: “It’s not about rigidity—it’s about readiness. Reverence prepares the heart to receive revelation. God asked Moses to remove his shoes before holy ground. Today, He asks us to sanctify our homes and temples so He can meet us there.”

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsReverence for sacred things is not a cultural invention—it is a divine pattern, repeated in every dispensation. Anciently, the Lord commanded Moses to remove his sandals before the burning bush, because he was standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). Israel was taught to sanctify themselves before approaching Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:10–11). The early Saints were commanded to do the same in their day.

In December 1832, Joseph Smith and other leaders met in the upper room of Newel K. Whitney’s store in Kirtland, Ohio, to seek the Lord’s will “concerning the upbuilding of Zion”. The result was Doctrine and Covenants 88—the “Olive Leaf” revelation—a message of peace after prophecies of war. In it, the Lord commanded His people to “sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God” and to establish “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (vv. 68, 119). This call to reverence mirrored ancient Israel’s preparation for holy encounters and reaffirmed that sacred spaces are central to covenant life.

Elder Soares’s counsel continues this prophetic continuity. He reminds us that reverence is not optional—it is preparatory. Just as the Saints of Kirtland were commanded to create a temple and sanctify themselves, we are called to treat both our homes and temples as holy ground. Reverence is the spiritual posture that enables the Holy Ghost to “abide in your hearts” (v. 3) and fills our lives with light until we can “see [God]” (v. 68).

Connection to This Week’s Come, Follow Me Lesson:This week’s study of Doctrine and Covenants 88 focuses on light, sanctification, and the house of God. Elder Soares’s message fits perfectly:

D&C 88:67 – “If your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light.” Reverence aligns our vision with God’s glory.
D&C 88:68 – “Sanctify yourselves … and the days will come that you shall see him.” Reverence is the act of sanctifying both our space and ourselves.
D&C 88:119 – “Establish … a house of God.” The Lord commands physical and spiritual preparation for sacred encounters.

By honoring this pattern—whether in our living rooms or in the temple—we claim the same promise given to the Saints in Kirtland: that God will “establish his name” among us and fill our homes with His presence.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we help others understand that reverence is not outdated formality, but the foundation for real spiritual experience?

Elder Soares testifies that “…as we strive to incorporate such virtue into our daily lives, we will be able to increase our humility, expand our understanding of God’s will for us, and strengthen our confidence in the promises of the covenants we have made with the Lord.” In an age where sacredness is often dismissed, this truth helps us respond to cultural skepticism: reverence is not about restriction—it is about readiness.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Criticism of “Formality in Worship” When someone says, “Your church is too formal about worship,” respond:
→ “Reverence isn’t about formality—it’s about focus. Just like Moses removed his shoes before holy ground, we set apart our spaces and hearts so we can receive God’s guidance.”

2⃣ Explain Why Sacred Spaces Matter When someone says, “I can worship anywhere, so temples aren’t necessary,” respond:
→ “We can pray anywhere, but God repeatedly commands His people to create holy places so we can meet Him in covenant. Homes and temples give us both the setting and the spiritual preparation to hear His voice more clearly.”

Conclusion: Standing on Holy Ground Every DayElder Ulisses Soares’s message calls us to rediscover reverence as the foundation of spiritual life—a virtue that transforms both sacred buildings and humble homes into holy ground. Reverence is not an empty tradition; it is the posture of a heart prepared to meet God.

From Moses before the burning bush to the early Saints commanded in D&C 88 to sanctify themselves and build “a house of God,” the Lord’s pattern is clear: when we recognize and honor the sacred, we open ourselves to the light, peace, and guidance He is eager to give. In a noisy world that often mocks the idea of sacredness, choosing reverence becomes a powerful, even countercultural act of discipleship.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson echoes the same truth: sanctifying ourselves and creating holy places—both physically and spiritually—prepares us to “see Him” (D&C 88:68). The temple and the home are not just places we enter—they are environments we create through our choices, our preparation, and our devotion.

Elder Soares reminds us:

…As we embrace this gift of reverence for sacred things—whether in the mountain of the Lord’s house, in a meetinghouse, or in our own homes—we will be filled with astounding amazement and awe as we connect to the perfect love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

What will you do this week to make your home and your heart holy ground?

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Prophecy of war; expulsion from Independence; Zion’s Camp (D&C sections 87, 90, 100–101, 103, 105)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Elder Graham W. Doxey, “Missouri Myths,” Ensign, April 1979, pp. 64–66. Brother Doxey, who had been president of the Missouri Independence Mission (1973–1976), explored some of the “urban legends” about Missouri that persist among Latter-day Saints.

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Holy Places and Taresby Autumn Dickson

I want to talk about two different themes from the sections assigned this week, standing in holy places and the parable of the wheat and tares. I’m not sure whether the Lord purposefully put these two themes right next to each other, but now it’s caught my attention and won’t leave me alone. Here are just a couple of excerpts from the Lord regarding these themes.

In the parable of the wheat and tares, the Lord says this.

Doctrine and Covenants 86:6 But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

In the parable of the wheat and tares, the wheat are the righteous and the tares are the wicked. Many biblical scholars believe that the tares are darnell, a plant that looks incredibly similar to wheat until it’s fully grown. Only at the last day are they divided, after what they truly are comes to fruition.

Then the Lord prophesies of immense war through Joseph Smith before teaching us this:

Doctrine and Covenants 87:8 Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.

In Section 86, we learn that we will be surrounded by the wicked and the righteous until the day of the Lord.

In Section 87, He tells His Saints that they should stand in holy places until the day of the Lord.

Even though the Lord allows us to grow amongst wickedness, He asks us to stand where it’s holy.

How do we stand in holy places when much of the world around us isn’t holy? We cannot forever stand on temple grounds. We cannot stay in the chapel indefinitely. Even if we can turn our homes into sacred spaces, I don’t think it’s advisable to never leave your home.

In the guide to the scriptures, we learn that “Holiness indicates purity of a person’s heart and intent.”

THIS IS SO DANG COOL TO ME. It’s cool because wheat and tares look incredibly similar. You can’t really tell them apart in a field until they are fully ripe. And though wheat and tares look similar, what they truly are is hidden internally. Holiness is something that happens internally. When a place is holy, it’s because the things that are happening within that place are turned towards the Lord.

We can make ourselves a holy place. The space that we inhabit, the air that we breathe, can be a holy place if we are pure in heart and intent. We can stand in holy places by making ourselves holy.

How do we make ourselves holy? How do we purify our hearts and intent?

Get this. We weed out any of our personal tare tendencies.

Tare and wheat look similar. Sometimes we have traits that look Christlike but aren’t. Sometimes we do things that look Christlike but are not truly so.

For example, sometimes we serve and find resentment. Sometimes we go out and try to correct someone from a pedestal we’ve put ourselves upon. Sometimes we think we’re so wonderful for tolerating someone to their face, but find ourselves relieved when they’re gone because we haven’t taken the time to truly develop love for them. Christ felt true love. He didn’t tolerate people and then secretly rejoice when they left. And yet sometimes we think we’re being Christlike because we’re nice on the outside. We’re nice, but we’re not actually being Christlike. We’re not wheat. We are being tares, and we have to work to weed those tendencies out of ourselves.

As we extend ourselves to being truly Christlike, we become wheat. As we practice truly seeing others and loving them in our heart, we purify ourselves and become holy.

The Lord placed us in an environment that has plenty of tares. And though He placed us in an unholy environment, He asks us to stand in holy places. There are many ways to stand in holy places, but one of the best ways is to take holiness with us. We take holiness with us by weeding out the parts of ourselves that are not truly Christlike even if it mimics Christlike behavior.

I testify that as we shed those parts of ourselves that look like love but are not based in love, we will become a blessing to others and to ourselves. I’m an introvert. Being around people is often tiring for me. There have been plenty of times that I’ve been a tare, and I’ve just endured people until I could get some peace. However, as I truly engage and connect with others, I have found that those encounters are worth it even if I’m tired after. I’ve learned that the Lord is extremely willing to help us shed those tendencies. I testify that He stands ready to help purify us so that we can experience life as He does.

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Raising a Generation That Can Stand in Holy Places

What happens when Jesus is reduced to a symbol? A vague ideal? A cultural icon with no real power to save?

In her powerful message Thou Art the Christ, Sister Amy A. Wright of the Primary General Presidency pleads for something deeper than casual Christianity: a life centered on the real, resurrected, glorified Jesus Christ. Not a fictional Jesus. Not a simplistic or bodiless Jesus. But the living Son of God—mighty to save, and intimately involved in our lives.

She also issues a clear call: our children must come to know this Jesus. If we want them to stand in holy places as the storms of mortality and morality rage, they must encounter not just teachings about Him, but personal testimony, sacred images, and spiritual experiences that anchor their discipleship.

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 85–87, where the Lord warns of global upheaval and commands, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved” (D&C 87:8), Sister Wright’s message becomes strikingly urgent. In a world of shifting norms and relentless noise, the holy place that matters most may be the one built in a child’s heart—where faith in the true Christ takes root.

Apologetic Issues: Misunderstanding Who Jesus IsMisconception: “Latter-day Saints don’t believe in the same Jesus as traditional Christians. Their view of Christ is simplistic or unorthodox.”

Response: Latter-day Saints affirm that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God, the divine Savior of the world, who was resurrected with a glorified, immortal body and now sits at the right hand of the Father (see John 20:27; Philippians 2:9–11). Sister Wright testifies powerfully of this same Jesus: “a glorified, omnipotent, resurrected, exalted, worshipful, powerful Only Begotten Son of God, who is mighty to save.” Her plea is to center our lives not on a caricatured or casual Christ, but on the real, risen Redeemer—not merely admired, but worshipped.

Common Fallacy: False Dilemma – presenting two oversimplified options as if they are the only possibilities
Critics often set up a False Dilemma, suggesting that one must either accept a traditional creedal view of Jesus or conclude that Latter-day Saints worship “a different Christ.” But scripture teaches that belief in Christ is demonstrated by faith in His words and power (see John 14:15–21)—not by agreement with post-biblical creeds.
Solution: Recognize that Latter-day Saint Christology is rooted in scripture and emphasizes a real, personal relationship with the living, resurrected Lord.

Social Issue: “Faith Is Optional—Goodness Is Enough”Criticism: “Why teach kids to center their lives on Jesus Christ? Isn’t it enough to just be kind, honest, and a good person?”

Response:While kindness and honesty matter, they are not enough without Christ. Sister Wright warns: “If we are not testifying to the veracity of His … Resurrection in our homes and in every single meeting of this Church, then our messages of love, service, honesty, humility, gratitude, and compassion can become nothing more than a jaunty pep talk of thoughtful living.”Christ isn’t a motivational figure. He’s the source of all transformation. Without Him, our efforts may improve behavior—but they cannot redeem souls.

Common Fallacy: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism – the belief that God wants us to be nice, but isn’t personally involved unless needed
This critique reflects Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, a shallow worldview that sees Jesus as optional and religion as a self-help tool. It strips discipleship of its divine power.
Solution: Teach that Christ is not just an example of goodness, but the only source of salvation (Mosiah 3:17). Faith in Him enables not just goodness, but godliness.

Apologetic Application: The Nature of Jesus ChristAt the heart of Sister Wright’s message lies a clear doctrinal call: Jesus Christ is not symbolic—He is real, resurrected, glorified, and divine.This doctrine holds deep apologetic value in a world that increasingly reduces Christ to metaphor, myth, or mere moral teacher.

The restored gospel teaches that:

Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God (John 3:16), born in the flesh, crucified, and resurrected with an immortal body (Luke 24:39; 3 Nephi 11:14–15).
He is omnipotent, exalted, and worshipped by all who recognize His divine identity (Philippians 2:9–11; 2 Nephi 25:29).
His role as Savior is not symbolic—it is actual, embodied, and eternal.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Jesus Is Not a Mere Moral ExampleMisconception: Some claim Jesus was just a wise teacher whose value lies in His ethical philosophy.
Clarification: Sister Wright challenges this directly: “Without Jesus Christ there is no power to change, no purpose to aspire to, and no reconciliation of the travails of life.”Latter-day Saints affirm that Christ’s power is redemptive, not just inspirational (Mosiah 3:5–8). The Atonement, Resurrection, and priesthood covenants transform mortal experience—they’re not optional footnotes to a good life.

2⃣ Jesus Is Resurrected and Exalted—Not Abstract or DistantCriticism: Some critics argue Latter-day Saints believe in a “different Jesus,” or that their view is too anthropomorphic.
Clarification: In reality, the restored gospel declares Jesus rose in a glorified, tangible body and remains eternally divine (D&C 76:22–24; 3 Nephi 11). This doesn’t diminish His power—it fulfills prophecy and affirms the reality of resurrection for all.
Sister Wright underscores this with reverent precision: He is not a casual or fictional Jesus, but “a glorified, omnipotent, resurrected, exalted … Only Begotten Son of God.”

Practical Apologetic Use

Understanding the real nature of Jesus Christ protects against cultural Christianity that values virtue but forgets divinity.
Apologetic Use: When someone says, “All that really matters is being a good person,” you can respond, “We agree that goodness matters—but goodness alone can’t save us. We follow Christ not just because He taught truth—but because He is the truth, and He alone has power to transform and redeem.” Analogy: A lighthouse isn’t just inspiring—it’s essential to navigate storms. Without the real, shining light of Christ, even moral people can drift off course.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsThroughout scripture and across dispensations, the Lord has issued this same charge to His people: Stand in holy places and be not moved. From Israel at Sinai to the Nephites at Bountiful to Latter-day Saints preparing for Zion, sacred spaces have always served as spiritual strongholds amid chaos, division, and uncertainty.

Sister Amy A. Wright reinforces this enduring command by pointing us back to the central source of holiness—Jesus Christ Himself. She urges that He must not be reduced to a symbol, fictionalized, or made casual. The real Christ—resurrected, glorified, and worshipped—is the reason any place becomes holy at all.

In Doctrine and Covenants 87, the Lord prophesies war and global calamity—not as a message of doom, but to highlight where peace can be found:

“Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved.” (D&C 87:8)

Sister Wright’s words offer modern continuity to this command. The “holy places” of today are not limited to temples or churches—they include homes where testimonies are borne, lives shaped by covenants, and hearts centered on Christ’s reality and mission.

Just as Christ invited the Nephites to “thrust their hands into his side” and “feel the prints of the nails” (3 Nephi 11:14–15), Sister Wright reminds us that our children need real experiences with the real Christ—seeing, hearing, and feeling the Spirit testify of Him in ways that transcend the symbolic.

Doctrinal Connections to Come, Follow Me (D&C 85–87): D&C 85:6 – “Yea, thus saith the still small voice…” Just as the Spirit testifies of truth in quiet, personal ways, so too must our testimonies of Christ be sincere, specific, and Spirit-led—not abstract or generic. * D&C 86:11 – “Be a light unto the Gentiles, and through this priesthood, a savior unto my people…” Sister Wright calls each of us to teach, guide, and lift others—especially children—by connecting them to the living Christ. * D&C 87:8 – “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved.”* This isn’t just a warning—it’s an invitation to build a holy refuge in our hearts and homes, founded on an unshakable testimony of Jesus Christ.

These revelations echo and support Sister Wright’s message: faith in the real, risen Christ is what makes any place holy, any testimony powerful, and any disciple steady in turbulent times.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This TodayHow can we help others see that discipleship isn’t about vague values—but about anchoring our lives in the real, living Jesus Christ?

Sister Amy A. Wright reminds us that a fictional, casual, or symbolic Christ cannot sustain us in turbulent times. If we want the rising generation to remain steady, we must bear bold, reverent testimony of the glorified and resurrected Jesus Christ. And we must live as if He truly leads His Church today.

This has powerful apologetic value. When critics claim our religion is just rules, or that belief in Christ is outdated or simplistic, we can respond with clarity and conviction:
We don’t follow a philosophy. We follow a Person—resurrected, real, and mighty to save.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Counter the “Good Without God” Narrative When someone says, “You don’t need religion to be a good person,” try this:
→ “Being good is important. But Sister Wright reminds us: without Jesus Christ, there is no power to change or reconcile life’s deepest wounds. Christ doesn’t just inspire good people—He transforms broken people.”

2⃣ Teach Kids More Than Values—Teach Christ In Primary, family study, or youth lessons, avoid reducing gospel lessons to generic kindness or morality.
→ Instead, say: “We’re kind because we follow Jesus. His life isn’t just a story—it’s our example, covenant, and power.”

Conclusion: Standing Steadfast with the Real ChristSister Amy A. Wright’s message is a bold and beautiful reminder: we do not follow an abstract ideal—we follow Jesus Christ, resurrected, exalted, and real.

In a world filled with shifting values, symbolic faith, and casual discipleship, our strength comes not from standing in a place—but from standing with a Person. He is the one who transforms our homes into holy places and our testimonies into spiritual protection.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson (Doctrine and Covenants 85–87) echoes her call with prophetic clarity: stand ye in holy places, and be not moved (D&C 87:8). Holiness is not just a setting—it’s a way of living, testifying, and pointing others to the living Christ.

Whether you’re teaching your children, defending your faith, or simply trying to hold on through personal storms, Sister Wright’s invitation rings true: make Christ the center, not the backdrop. Let your discipleship be intentional, your testimony of Him specific, and your worship of Him reverent.

Where in your life can you shift from admiring Christ to truly standing with Him?

“If we become casual in our discipleship of Jesus Christ, it could be catastrophic for our children.” — Sister Amy A. Wright

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Renewalby Autumn Dickson

There is a promise found in Section 84. And though it is specifically in relation to priesthood ordinations, I believe the promises we find there can apply to all of us. Here it is.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:33 For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.

There’s a lot of good stuff here. Sanctification by the Spirit is a huge part of receiving and magnifying a calling. Some might even say it’s the entire purpose of receiving and magnifying a calling. However, the specific portion I want to speak about is the “renewing of their bodies.” I find this to be a very unique promise that coincides with something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.

Namely, the widow of Zarephath found in 1 Kings in the Old Testament. It is one of my absolute favorite scripture stories of all time which is probably why I’ve spoken about it on more than one occasion. The gist of the story is this.

There is a great famine in the land, and the widow of Zarephath only has enough food for one more meal with her son before they starve. The prophet Elijah is led to her door, and he promises her that her food will never run out if she feeds him first and then feeds herself and her son.

I think about that widow a lot. She didn’t have much to lose since they were already facing starvation. I think about how she chose to give out of what she didn’t really have. I think about how she must have felt when she looked at her son and made the decision to feed Elijah.

I also think about what happened after she fed Elijah. What happened right after? What happened the next day? What did this miracle look like?

Did she wake up to a full barrel? Or in the days that followed, was her barrel always full? Would it get replenished the second she took from it?

Or perhaps the miracle looked different. Maybe she opened that barrel the next morning, and it was full. Perhaps she emptied that barrel all the way to the bottom over time and when she arose the morning after emptying it, she found that barrel filled again.

Or maybe it looked even different than that. Maybe there was always just enough for the next meal. I think this option would have felt the scariest. Did it feel scary to open the lid every day and find an almost-empty barrel? Did she still feel adrift and worried? Or did she see the miracle and recognize that whether the barrel was completely filled up or not, it would never be empty?

This is a story that teaches a great many things. One of the things that it teaches is renewal.

When it comes to priesthood ordination or any kind of service you choose to do in the name of the Lord, there will be enough in the barrel. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, there can enough energy, time, resources, and love when you are magnifying your calling in His name. You can be renewed to do what needs to be done, what the Lord wants you to do.That doesn’t mean He will enable you to do everything, but there will be enough in the barrel for what He needs you to do. He will renew you for what you need done.

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Repentance, Worth, and the Real Meaning of Godliness

Have you ever worried that your repentance doesn’t count anymore—because you’ve had to ask for forgiveness again? Or that your standing with God depends on your performance?

In her talk “Your Repentance Doesn’t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy,” Sister Tamara W. Runia offers a powerful message of hope, identity, and covenant belonging. She dismantles perfectionism, reframes repentance as joy, and affirms that God’s love is constant—even when our progress feels slow.

In a world that confuses worth with worthiness, Sister Runia’s testimony is a healing reminder: God delights in your return. Your place in the covenant doesn’t depend on perfection—it depends on choosing Him again. And again.

This week’s Come, Follow Me study of Doctrine and Covenants 84 affirms the same truth: The power of godliness is revealed not through flawlessness, but through covenant connection. That power is extended to all—male and female, strong and struggling—through ordinances, faith, and the Savior’s sustaining grace.

Apologetic Issues: Repentance, Perfectionism, and Divine WorthMisconception: Repentance as a Burden on Christ – “I shouldn’t need to repent so much. My repeated failures must disappoint Him—or prove I’m just not cut out for this path.”

Response:
This misconception creates a spiritual catch-22: the more you try and fail, the more ashamed you feel—and the more distant you assume Christ must be.

Sister Runia lovingly corrects this idea by reframing repentance not as a burden but as a divine joy:

The Savior loves us always—but especially when we repent.” (quoting President Nelson) “He delights to forgive us, because to Him we are delightful.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–22 affirms that “the power of godliness is manifest” through priesthood ordinances. But that divine power is accessed through more than sacred ritual—it begins with sacred desire. Repentance is not an ordinance we perform upon us; it is a principle we live by. It is an active expression of faith in Christ and a vital part of the covenant path.

Rather than disqualifying us, the need to repent signals our willingness to change, our openness to grace, and our readiness to receive God’s power through His ordained ordinances. This distinction matters deeply: it means that repentance is not the evidence we’ve failed to earn divine love—it’s the very way we reach for it.

Common Fallacy: False Cause – A false cause fallacy occurs when a cause is incorrectly identified based on correlation or timing. In this case, some assume:
“If I need to repent again, it must mean I’m a failure—or that God is disappointed in me.”
This reasoning falsely links the repetition of repentance with spiritual unworthiness, as if sincere effort and imperfection are mutually exclusive.
This oversimplifies the purpose of repentance and misrepresents the nature of God’s covenant relationship. Repentance is not evidence that we’ve broken something beyond repair—it’s the way we stay repaired and remain connected to Him.

Solution: Recognizing that repentance is a gift of relationship, not a penalty for weakness, resolves this false cause. It reorients our view: the need to repent doesn’t mean we’re defective—it means we’re devoted. We are choosing Christ again and again, and He rejoices every time.

Social Issue: Latter-day Saints Only Feel Loved When They’re ObedientCriticism: “Your Church teaches that God’s love is conditional—if you sin or struggle, you’re worth less.”

Response: This is a painful and common concern—not only among critics of the Church, but even among lifelong Latter-day Saints. Many have absorbed the mistaken idea that God’s love increases or decreases depending on our level of obedience. Sister Tamara W. Runia gently but clearly corrects this belief:

Your worth isn’t tied to obedience. Your worth is constant; it never changes. It was given to you by God.

While obedience brings blessings, direction, and peace, it does not qualify us for love. We are loved because we are His—not because we are flawless. Priesthood ordinances don’t measure our value; they manifest God’s power to help us grow into who we already are: His children.

Common Fallacy: Category Error – A category error occurs when two distinct concepts are treated as if they are interchangeable. In this case, many conflate spiritual worthiness (our current standing in a covenant relationship) with eternal worth (our inherent, unchangeable identity as children of God).
Some assume:
1⃣ If I’m obedient, I’m valuable.
2⃣ If I sin, I’m worth less to God.
This fallacy causes people to confuse their current behavior with their eternal identity.

Correction: Our worth is fixed and divine—rooted in our identity, not our performance. Worthiness is about our present alignment with God and our willingness to return to Him. Understanding this distinction offers freedom from shame and a deeper trust in Christ’s ability to forgive and sustain us.

Apologetic Application: Repentance Reveals Our Covenant BelongingSister Tamara W. Runia teaches a doctrinal truth with powerful apologetic weight:
Repentance is not a reset button for the guilty—it’s a covenant practice for the faithful.

Her message emphasizes that repentance is not about earning love or reclaiming lost worth. It is the process of continually choosing Christ—and rejoicing in His power to receive us.

At the heart of her testimony lies a doctrinal triad:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ – The source of our healing and joy (Alma 7:11–13).
The Covenant Relationship – A connection maintained through daily repentance, not flawless performance (Mosiah 5:2; D&C 84:47–48).
Divine Worth – A truth that remains fixed, regardless of obedience (D&C 18:10).

Defending Core Beliefs

1⃣ God’s Love Is Not Earned Through ObedienceMisconception: “If I obey, God will love me more. If I fail, He loves me less.”
Correction: Sister Runia clearly refutes this idea:

Your worth isn’t tied to obedience. Your worth is constant.

God’s love is not a reward for performance. It is a foundation for growth. Doctrine and Covenants 84 reminds us that through priesthood ordinances, we access “the power of godliness”—not to prove ourselves worthy, but to help us become more like Him.

2⃣ Repentance Is Proof of Relationship, Not FailureCriticism: “Needing to repent again means I’m failing.”
Clarification: The covenant path is not about never stumbling—it’s about continually returning. Sister Runia says:

We don’t stay on the covenant path by never making a mistake. We stay on the path by repenting every day.

Just as ordinances like the sacrament renew our covenants weekly, repentance is not a reset—it’s a ritual of reconnection.

Practical Apologetic Use

When someone says, “Your church is too focused on worthiness and rules,” respond with clarity and compassion:

→ “It’s true that we talk a lot about obedience—but not because we’re trying to earn God’s love. We obey because we love Him. And when we fall short, repentance isn’t proof we’ve failed—it’s proof we’re still walking with Him.”

Analogy: Think of a GPS. You don’t throw it away when you make a wrong turn—you follow the prompt: “Recalculating.” That’s repentance. Not a system error—but the system working.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsGod has always invited His children into covenant relationships—not by demanding perfection, but by offering power. From Adam’s repentance and sacrifice (Moses 5:5–8), to Alma’s cries of “O that I were an angel… to cry repentance” (Alma 29:1–2), to Jesus proclaiming that He came “not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17), the pattern is consistent: God’s people are always flawed, always invited, and always loved.

Sister Tamara W. Runia’s message carries this eternal theme into the present with grace and clarity. She affirms that God’s power isn’t reserved for the perfectly obedient—it is extended through repentance to those who choose Him again and again.

In Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–22, we are taught that “the power of godliness is manifest” through priesthood ordinances. That power isn’t abstract—it is felt in sacrament prayers, temple covenants, and daily acts of repentance.

Sister Runia applies this directly:

Maybe you… feel deflated because you haven’t kept all the commandments. Let me remind you that it is also a commandment to repent!

This is a transformative insight: Repentance isn’t evidence of failure—it’s part of the divine order. It is how covenant power is accessed and experienced.

President Nelson echoes this in his prophetic promise:

The Savior loves us always but especially when we repent. (The Power of Spiritual Momentum, Apr. 2022)

We don’t need to wait until we’re perfect to experience His love. In fact, it’s through imperfect, honest returning that His power is most clearly manifest.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we help others understand that God’s love is not earned, and that repentance isn’t failure—it’s faith in action?

Sister Tamara W. Runia’s message is a powerful reminder that the gospel is not performance-based—it’s relationship-based. Her reframing of repentance and divine worth helps us respond to common criticisms about perfectionism, shame, and exclusivity in Latter-day Saint teachings.

She testifies that our repeated efforts to return to Christ—especially when we fall—are not exhausting to Him. They are what He rejoices in.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Perfectionism in Conversations about the Church When someone says, “I just can’t be good enough to belong at church,” respond: → “You don’t come to church because you’re perfect—you come because you’re in a relationship with Christ. Repentance is part of that relationship. It’s not proof you’ve failed—it’s how you stay connected.”2⃣ Clarify the Difference Between Worth and WorthinessWhen someone asks, “Don’t you believe God loves you more if you’re obedient?” → Try saying: “We believe God’s love is constant. Obedience brings blessings and closeness, but your worth doesn’t change. God doesn’t withdraw His love when you’re struggling—He draws closer.”Conclusion: A Covenant Relationship, Not a PerformanceSister Tamara W. Runia’s powerful reminder cuts through shame, perfectionism, and spiritual discouragement: You are not your mistakes. Your worth is unchanging. And repentance is how we stay close to Christ—not how we re-apply for His love.

Her testimony affirms that we are already in relationship with the Savior—He has already claimed us. What He asks in return is not flawlessness, but faithfulness in returning. His joy isn’t delayed until we get it right. It begins the moment we try.

This week’s Come, Follow Me focus in Doctrine and Covenants 84 reinforces the same doctrine: Priesthood ordinances manifest the power of godliness—not through perfection, but through covenant connection. When we participate in repentance and renewal, we are drawing on that power in real time.

We live in a world that often mistakes performance for worth and mistakes struggle for failure. But the restored gospel teaches a different message:
God’s love is not earned. It is remembered.

And repentance is not a reset. It is a return.

What if every time you repented, you imagined the Savior smiling with joy instead of keeping score?

“Repentance is our best news!” — Sister Tamara W. RuniaThe Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.

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Much is Requiredby Autumn Dickson

Rather than talking about a specific verse from this week, I want to talk a bit more about context so that the verses we read are more powerful. Hearing the Lord speak about gospel principles is wonderful, but sometimes understanding the stories behind the principles He chooses to talk about make a big difference because it makes it more relatable. So let’s talk a bit about what’s happening in the lives of the people who the Lord is speaking to.

It is no secret that Emma and Joseph suffered much in their personal lives during the restoration of the Lord’s church. They buried several children, many of whom did not live past babyhood. For a moment, I want you to think about this timeline that is shared in the Institute Manual.

March 15 – Section 81 was given.

March 24 – Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were taken by a mob and tarred and feathered.

March 29 – One of the adopted twins of Joseph and Emma died from measles.

April 1-24 – Joseph and other leaders travel to Missouri.

April 26 – Section 82 was given.

April 30 – Section 83 was given.

Joseph is tarred and feathered. Five days later his son dies. Two days later he leaves to go to Missouri. Emma is left behind after a traumatic couple of days.

The fact that Joseph preached to the Saints the day after being tarred and feathered, and the fact that he still followed the Lord’s command to go to Missouri after all of this is a sermon in itself. The fact that Emma stuck around is a sermon as well.

This is a strange analogy, but it’s the only way to explain what I’m picturing.

I picture this earth life as some kind of virtual reality game that we’re trying to conquer. We put on our helmets, and we’re put into this very intense training arena where we actually have very little control. Everyone can choose their own path. You are given a team, but some teams are effective and other teams are not. You receive little missions to accomplish, but there are so many obstacles. Sometimes those missions feel worthwhile, and sometimes you look back and think, “What was the point of all that effort?” The arena can be dangerous, disheartening, discouraging, devastating.

It feels so real, and that was the point; the Lord wanted to train you. It was meant to be real because anything less than a completely immersive experience would hinder your progression.

And this immersive experience is rough. You are actually quite limited in how missions go, and you are also quite limited in saving your team. Sometimes it feels like you’re pushing against this giant unmoving wall. Sometimes it feels like you’re losing more ground and more people than you’re gaining.

But in the end, it really is only a virtual reality game. Though it doesn’t feel like it, you are actually completely safe. Someday, when it’s time to take off the helmet, you’re going to look around and see that you were never truly in danger. You’re going to laugh at yourself for some of the things you’re stressed over. You’re going to rejoice that some of the things that were drowning you weren’t “real.” This was all just an intensive training experience that the Lord paid for. The Lord isn’t cruel. He didn’t look the other way when it seemed like the missions He gave were impossible. He didn’t send you on wild goose chases for nothing. He wasn’t permanently taking away things that uplifted you. He wasn’t just manipulating everyone like game pieces for His own glory or fun.

He was manipulating everything, but He was manipulating everything in order to try and train His children to become as powerful as possible.

Without the Savior’s atonement, this virtual reality experience would have trapped us and the stakes would have been impossible. You may have learned, but it would have all come to naught. It is the Savior’s atonement that enabled Him to make this training experience mean something, and our success literally boils down to whether we love Him and are trying. You can’t lose if you lean in and garner the experience He meant for you to have.

The devastation that Joseph and Emma experienced was real. What you’re feeling in your life is real. I’m not trying to make light of difficult situations or minimize what you’re going through. What I’m trying to do is place your pain in the context of eternity so that it doesn’t drown you. You can grieve and experience hope at the same time. You can lean into the immersive experience and trust the Lord’s plan, resources, and abilities. You can recognize that you didn’t step into this virtual reality to actually complete anything or save anyone. You didn’t step into this arena to feel safe or have the Lord take care of you. You don’t need the Lord to take care of everything in order to prove His love. Rather, the real and difficult immersive experience and readily available happy ending is the proof of His love.

You came because you wanted that growth that the Lord wanted you to have, and He is delivering it. Lean into the growth and accept the price you have to pay in order to gain that growth. Simultaneously recognize that the price you pay for that growth is paid back by the atonement of Jesus Christ. You lose nothing and gain everything because of a Savior whose purpose is rooted in love.

In the beginning before I described my analogy, I said that sometimes the Lord waits to ask us to do something when we’re drowning. Joseph could have very easily been drowning. He could have resented the Lord for what was asked of him in his deepest grief. And yet, the Lord didn’t ask it of Joseph because He’s cruel. It’s because when we’re drowning, it pushes us to more readily lean into Him where we find true safety. Sometimes we get to the point where we have no choice but to trust in Him. If we can remain in a state where we’re looking to Him and leaning on Him, this virtual reality experience will be at its most effective. It won’t wear us down or destroy us. We will know that everything that happens is a sign of His love as He coaches us through specific experiences to garner the characteristics we need to live like Him.

We have a Savior who loves us. Everything He and the Father arranged in this plan are signs of that love.

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Finding Wholeness While Waiting for Healing

I think we have all wondered why God doesn’t heal every pain, fix every struggle, or resolve every heartache right now—especially for those who earnestly follow Him. Watching my parents, family members and children go through so many difficulties has taught me just how much we all long for relief—for miracles.

Through these challenges, I’ve begun to learn something life-changing: wholeness isn’t about a life free of trials. It’s about a heart full of Christ. Illness or death doesn’t mean God’s disfavor. Trials—if we let them—can bring us closer to Him, not farther away.

In her General Conference message Spiritually Whole in Him, President Camille N. Johnson reminds us of this truth. She teaches that while physical and emotional healing may come later—in the Lord’s time—we can be made spiritually whole now through faith, repentance, and covenant connection with Jesus Christ.

“I can be whole while I wait for healing if I am wholehearted in my relationship with Him.”

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 81–83, President Johnson’s message resonates powerfully with the Lord’s invitation to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5). Both remind us that God’s timing doesn’t diminish His love—and His wholeness is available even in the waiting.

What does it mean to you to be spiritually whole in the middle of unanswered prayers? And how can trusting Christ’s timing bring peace when the healing you long for hasn’t yet come?

Apologetic Issues: Healing, Wholeness & God’s TimingCriticism: If God is truly loving and all-powerful, why does He allow faithful people to suffer from chronic illness, depression, or even death? Shouldn’t faith guarantee healing?

Response: God’s love does not shield us from every trial in mortality. As President Camille N. Johnson teaches, “Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.”

The scriptures are clear that ultimate healing—physical and emotional—comes through the Resurrection (Alma 40:23). In the meantime, faith in Christ can make us spiritually whole even when mortal struggles remain unresolved. Trials don’t prove that God is absent. Rather, trials can deepen our reliance on Him and prepare us for His promised restoration.

Common Fallacy: False Dilemma – A false dilemma (or false dichotomy) occurs when only two options are presented as if they are the only possibilities, ignoring other reasonable alternatives. Some argue: “If God is loving and all-powerful, He must heal every affliction immediately. If He doesn’t, then He must not be loving or even real.” This reasoning creates a false dilemma by assuming there are only two possibilities:
1⃣ God removes all pain now, or
2⃣ God is unloving or absent.
This oversimplifies the doctrine of God’s plan. Mortality is designed as a time for growth, testing, and learning faith. Healing comes in His time—spiritual healing now, physical and emotional healing in the Resurrection.
Solution: Recognizing that God’s love is expressed through sustaining grace in trials, not just the removal of trials, resolves this false dilemma and reinforces trust in His perfect timing.

Social Issue: Trials mean God is displeased with me

Misconception: “If I’m struggling with sickness, loss, or unanswered prayers, maybe God is punishing me or I’ve lost His favor.”

Response: God allows trials not as punishment but as opportunities to draw nearer to Christ, to experience His grace, and to grow in spiritual strength. The Apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7–10) reminds us that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, and joy can be found even amid struggle.

Common Fallacy: Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc – (“after this, therefore because of this”) is a logical fallacy that assumes that if one event follows another, the first must have caused the second. Some assume: “Because trials came after my sin or weakness, they must be God’s punishment for it.” This reasoning commits the Post Hoc fallacy by connecting two events (sin → trial) as cause and effect without considering other explanations.
Correction: Not all suffering is the result of sin. The scriptures teach that trials are part of mortality and can refine even the righteous (Mosiah 23:21–22). Christ’s grace is not about sparing us from hardship but transforming us through it. Recognizing that difficulties can sanctify rather than condemn helps us avoid blaming God or ourselves unnecessarily.

Apologetic Application: Wholeness Through Christ’s Atonement Requires Faith and CovenantPresident Camille N. Johnson’s message reveals a doctrine with profound apologetic value: wholeness is not about perfect circumstances—it’s about perfect reliance on Jesus Christ. This perspective shifts the focus from expecting life to be free of pain to trusting that Christ can bring peace, strength, and purpose even in the midst of trials. At the heart of her message lies a doctrinal triad that helps us understand how Christ makes us whole.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are healed from sin and strengthened to endure life’s challenges with faith (Alma 7:11–13). His grace is sufficient to sustain us, even when our outward circumstances do not immediately change. And covenants deepen our conversion, anchoring us to Him and filling our “lamps with oil” as we prepare to meet the Bridegroom and experience ultimate wholeness (D&C 81:5; Matthew 25:1–13).

As President Johnson beautifully reminds us, “Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.”

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Healing ≠ Proof of God’s FavorSome critics argue that illness or ongoing struggle means either “God doesn’t love you” or “faith doesn’t work.” But Latter-day Saint doctrine refutes this. Christ’s grace doesn’t eliminate all trials—it transforms us within them. The Apostle Paul gloried in his “thorn in the flesh” because it taught him that “when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Wholeness is spiritual first, physical later.

2⃣ God’s Love Is Redemptive, Not TransactionalAnother misconception is that blessings and healing are rewards for “being righteous enough.” President Johnson counters this:

“I can be whole while I wait for healing if I am wholehearted in my relationship with Him.”

Faith is not a lever to control God—it’s a covenantal relationship that sustains us through trials and draws us to Christ. Christ’s Atonement isn’t conditional on our perfection. It’s extended to all who will come unto Him.

Practical Apologetic Use

When someone says: “If God really cared about people, He wouldn’t let them suffer like this” or “Faith is useless if it doesn’t fix your problems,” you can respond with this principle:

“Faith in Christ isn’t about having a life free from pain—it’s about having Christ in the middle of the pain. His Atonement can bring peace and strength now, and His Resurrection assures full healing later.”

This answer does two things:

It reframes the conversation so God’s timing and plan are seen as loving and purposeful rather than indifferent or absent.
It invites others to consider spiritual wholeness as a reality they can experience, even in unresolved trials.

You might also use President Johnson’s quote to gently offer perspective:

“Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.”

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsThroughout scripture and in every dispensation, the Lord has shown that wholeness in Him is not dependent on perfect circumstances but on a willing heart. From Job’s declaration, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15), to Paul’s testimony that “when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10), God has demonstrated that spiritual strength often comes amid mortal weakness.

President Camille N. Johnson builds on this eternal pattern by teaching:

“Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.”

This truth is echoed in Doctrine and Covenants 81–83. In these revelations, the Lord calls His Saints to bind themselves in covenant relationships and lift others:

D&C 81:5: “Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”
D&C 82:10: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”

These passages remind us that covenant faithfulness fills our lamps with the oil of conversion and enables us to become whole in Christ—even while waiting for full healing in the Resurrection.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This TodayHow can we help others see that spiritual wholeness is possible in Christ—even when physical or emotional healing hasn’t yet come? President Camille N. Johnson testifies that wholeness is not the absence of trials but the presence of Christ in our lives. This message has powerful apologetic value in conversations with those who wonder why God doesn’t heal every hurt or prevent every tragedy.

This doctrine helps us respond to criticisms that suffering disproves God’s love or that faith is ineffective if it doesn’t immediately change circumstances. In truth, faith in Jesus Christ transforms hearts now and prepares us for complete healing in the Resurrection.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Questions About Suffering and Faith When someone asks, “If God loves us, why doesn’t He heal everyone?” respond:
→ “The Savior’s mission isn’t just to fix mortal pain—it’s to transform hearts. He promises full healing in the Resurrection, but He also offers spiritual wholeness now for those who walk with Him.”

2⃣ Use Scriptural Stories to Encourage Hope When you hear, “I’ve prayed, but nothing changes,” gently share:
→ “Even the Apostle Paul had a ‘thorn in the flesh.’ Christ didn’t take it away, but He made Paul strong in his weakness. Sometimes the miracle isn’t the removal of pain but the strength to endure it with Christ.”

Conclusion: Becoming Whole in ChristPresident Camille N. Johnson’s message invites us to consider a profound truth: wholeness in Christ is not about a life without pain but a heart filled with His peace. Physical and emotional healing will come in the Resurrection, but spiritual healing—wholeness of soul—is available now for those who choose to walk with Him.

We are not forgotten. We are not disqualified by our weaknesses, grief, or unanswered prayers. As we turn to Jesus Christ in faith, keep our covenants, and let our light shine, we discover that He makes us whole—even in the waiting.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson reminds us that covenant discipleship means “succoring the weak, lifting up the hands which hang down, and strengthening the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5). As we do this for others, we also find our own hearts strengthened in Him.

Are you allowing Christ to make you whole today—or are you waiting for all your circumstances to change first?

“Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ.” — President Camille N. Johnson

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A Recycled Revelationby Autumn Dickson

This week I’m talking a lot about context rather than any specific verses which is not usually my norm. However, I think that delving into the context of these sections is really important and can make the scriptures feel more rich. Just as we learn from the stories in our other books of scripture, we can learn more about the revelations from the Lord by studying when they were given. So here is some context for what we read this week.

Section 81 was originally given to a man named Jesse Gause who was called to serve as Joseph Smith’s counselor in the forerunner of what would eventually evolve into the First Presidency. When Gause was excommunicated, he was replaced by Frederick G. Williams. Gause’s name was also replaced by Williams’ name in the revelation that was given.

I wonder if it slightly bothered Frederick G. Williams when he didn’t get his own revelation upon being called. Please note that I’m not saying it should bother him; I just wonder if it did.

Imagine being in a ward where the bishop gets called and then moves six months later. A new bishop comes in, and the stake president is just like, “Here. We recorded the blessing for the last bishop. We’ll set you apart, but this blessing is just going to be yours now.”

Imagine going in to receive your patriarchal blessing and the patriarch recycles an old blessing he gave and inserts your name in it. Would you feel a little shafted? These are supposed to be individualized, right?

Now, I’m not sure that it bothered Williams at all. Maybe he didn’t think twice about it, but it can’t hurt to explore the concept and dig deeper.

Joseph Smith was receiving a lot of revelation during this time period. He probably could have easily received something just for Williams, but he didn’t. Have you ever felt skipped over at church? Have you ever felt like everyone else was receiving something special but you weren’t? Maybe it was a calling or a special experience. It could have been anything.

I have. I used to feel that way all the time. I remember having experiences where parents told me about how special the patriarchal blessings of their kids were. They talked about how it felt so powerful and singular, and I remember feeling very un-special.

I’m going to tell you a little secret that changed my life. When we seek to be set apart from others, to be singular, to receive something that no one else has received, we usually end up having the opposite experience. Trying to be more than others is an insatiable desire; you can temporarily please it but you can’t quench it. Maybe we don’t think we’re trying to be more; I certainly didn’t recognize it at the time, but I was. There was a comparison, and you can’t win with comparisons. No matter how things play out, you lose.

In my own life, those deep and unrelenting desires to be special were coming from a place of insecurity about my Heavenly Father’s love for me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t just trying to feel loved. I wanted to be more loved, probably in some mistaken belief that it would drive away the insecurity.

Luckily, the Lord is smarter than giving me what I want sometimes.

He could have given me something special. He could have given me some experience that no one else got to have to make sure that I knew that He knew me and that I was important to Him. He could have looked at me and worried about the insecurities and worried about the fact that I didn’t have a testimony of His love.

But He didn’t want to do that for a couple of good reasons. He didn’t communicate that I was more special because I’m not more special. It would be silly to tell me an untruth. He also didn’t give some overt, flamboyant sign of His love because it would have actually just fed the insecurity. You would think that I’d be able to take these huge signs of love and accept them. But in my experience, it simply doesn’t work. Think about it from a mortal perspective. You can make huge overtures of your love to someone, but until they’re ready to believe it, the signs you choose to give don’t change their insecurity.

Rather, He continued to feed me a healthy, quiet kind of love and left me to accept it. He never caved when I felt unloved, insecure, and assumed He was so angry with me. He just kept feeding me that unrelenting, reverent love and waited for me to finally accept it.

Drawing this back to Frederick G. Williams, I would have felt distraught over getting a recycled blessing that had originally been given to someone else. At the time that I was still seeking that unhealthy form of love, I would have let that circumstance speak to me, and it would have said, “You don’t really matter. You don’t even get your own blessing.”

I’ve learned a few things since my angsty teen years. The Lord does love me. I’m so important to Him even if that’s illogical. Nowadays, if I were to receive a recycled blessing, I would be able to quietly read it in gratitude. That gratitude would have enabled me to see the quiet, personalized messages He was sending. The recycled blessing would have been as personalized as I allowed. The help of the Spirit, love from our Heavenly Father, and my own belief in that love would have given me what I was seeking – a reassurance of His love for me.

The most interesting part about this experience is the fact that once I let go of comparison, once I let go of desperately seeking some inarguable sign that I was valuable, I was able to start seeing the small tokens of His love. If I had received a “recycled” blessing and chosen to let go of any whispers of insecurity, the experience of receiving this revelation would have been a sacred and treasured experience. Letting go of the need to have my own, I would have been able to read this blessing in a state of mind where the Spirit could whisper the personalized messages I needed to do my work to serve others.

Isn’t that ironic? Once I let go of trying to receive some ostentatious sign that I was special, I was able to see and receive those smaller, special messages that were meant for me at a specific time period in my life. And once I began appreciating and accepting those small, special messages, I have become convinced that I’m special to my Heavenly Father.

I testify that the Lord loves you. He recycles the same values, words, and lessons that He teaches everybody because He loves all of us. You’re not going to receive anything “new,” but I promise that you can receive something better, something that fills you up more.The need for something singular can be sinister. It can prevent you from receiving the healthy kind of love that sticks with you and fills in all of the cracks. I testify that the Savior loves you with a deep and abiding love and that His love is enough to fill you up, even if it’s not more than the love He gives to others.

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The office of high priest; the United Firm (D&C sections 78, 80–83, 85, 92, 104)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Max H. Parkin, “Joseph Smith and the United Firm: The Growth and Decline of the Church’s First Master Plan of Business and Finance, Ohio and Missouri, 1832–1834,” BYU Studies 46, no. 3 (2007): 5–66. Parkin sheds light on how the United Firm was organized and operated and the role it played in early Church history.
David J. Whittaker, “Substituted Names in the Published Revelations of Joseph Smith,” BYU Studies 23, no. 1 (Winter 1983): 103–12. Whittaker explains Joseph Smith’s use of code names when he published the revelations related to the United Firm.
D. Michael Quinn, “Jesse Gause: Joseph Smith’s Little-Known Counselor,” BYU Studies 23, no. 4 (Fall 1983): 487–93.
Joseph Smith’s 27 November 1832 letter to William W. Phelps, an extract of which was canonized in 1876 as section 85.
Bill Shepard, “‘To Set in Order the House of God’: The Search for the Elusive ‘One Mighty and Strong’,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 39, no. 3 (Fall 2006): 18–45. Shepard traces the various interpretations of and claimants to the “one mighty and strong” mentioned in D&C 85:7.
First Presidency statement on the “One Mighty and Strong,” Improvement Era 10, no. 12 (October 1907): 929–43. This statement—written and signed by Presidents Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund—suggests two possible interpretations of D&C 85:7.

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Be of Good Cheerby Autumn Dickson

The Doctrine and Covenants are interesting as a book of scripture. They are different from other books of scripture. So many of the scriptures that we read are stories from which we can draw lessons or sermons given by the people in those stories. The Doctrine and Covenants is simply the voice of the Lord as He directs His restored gospel. He reveals things a bit at a time as the people are prepared to receive. And though He is revealing much, He is not revealing everything.

Doctrine and Covenants 78:18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

The first phrase found in this scripture, “ye cannot bear all things now,” reminds me of the promise that the Lord gave through Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith taught that the Lord is willing to make all things known even unto the “least” Saint as soon as that person is prepared to “bear them.” A grand majority of us are not prepared to bear all that the Lord wants to offer. We aren’t ready. We’re not strong enough or prepared enough or faithful enough or obedient enough. The list goes on and on. We are not yet ready to bear all things.

And yet, the very next phrase reads, “…be of good cheer, for I will lead you along…”

There are many ways to interpret this verse so that it speaks to us personally, but I will share what I am “hearing” today when I read this message from the Lord.

“You are not yet good enough, but rejoice anyway because I’m going to lead you there. The kingdom and blessings and riches of eternity are yours.”

He isn’t saying, “Hey, once you finally pay for your own sins, you can rejoice.” He isn’t saying, “Hey, once you finally get over those flaws, you’re going to have the riches of eternity.” He is saying, “Hey, you’re not ready yet, but rejoice RIGHT NOW anyway.”

The idea that we are not yet good enough makes it so easy to get bogged down and depressed. Even when we have a testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can still find ourselves wondering whether we can make it. It is easy to feel the weight of our own sins and flaws. Even when we’re trying our very best, those mistakes can come back and yell in our faces. Sometimes, it’s even worse when we’re trying our best because our best isn’t “good enough.” Other times, we feel like we’re even falling short of our very best. We know better, and yet, our same flaws keep running around to pull us down.

And yet, here is the Lord, telling us that we can rejoice. He doesn’t say dance around it. He tells us, “You’re not ready yet.” Interestingly enough, we all believe that part. We know we’re not ready yet. And yet, when He also tells us to be of good cheer, we seem to bypass that part. When He tells us that the riches of eternity are our’s, we seem to skim over that part and focus on how we’re not prepared to receive everything yet.

We don’t give ourselves permission to rejoice. We do not yet believe that the riches of eternity are our’s. I think it’s critical that we note the Lord’s specific wording here. He didn’t say, “If you keep following this path, the riches will by your’s.” He says, “The riches ARE your’s.” And yet, we don’t feel like rejoicing or being of good cheer. The weight of our sins is too heavy and tethers us down.

Yesterday, in Relief Society, a woman named Sydnee shared a beautiful comment in Relief Society and gave me permission to share what she was expressing. It’s not exact by any means, but the message is similar. She taught me this:

Are we really allowed to let go of being sad over our mistakes? Are we really allowed to set those flaws aside and not hold on to them? Yes. I cannot yet rejoice in myself, but I don’t have to carry those sins around. I can rejoice in Christ and the fact that He’s perfect.

And if you don’t believe my friend, believe the Savior. He knows you’re not ready to bear all things yet. He knows you’re not ready to be exalted, or maybe you’re not even ready for the Celestial Kingdom. None of us deserve the Celestial Kingdom, but that’s the entire point of the gospel. Because He paid for our sins, He’s giving it to us anyway.

You don’t have to be perfect in order to receive the riches of eternity. You don’t have to have a knowledge of the universe to receive the riches of eternity. The Lord was not speaking in a future tense. He told the Saints that the riches of eternity ARE already theirs. They weren’t perfect either.

Here is another verse where the Lord teaches us the exact same thing.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Set aside every weight and sin which besets you. I used to interpret this verse as saying, “Set that weight and sin aside. Don’t do it anymore. You’re so easily tempted,” but that isn’t what the verse is saying. The definition of “beset” is “to trouble.” Lay aside all of your sins and flaws that are troubling you. Set them down. The Lord already carried them. You have permission to set them down. You don’t have to carry them so that they keep you in line.

Rather, carry the perfection of Christ. Carry His sacrifice. The joy that springs forth from that sacrifice is much lighter, and that is what He wants you to carry around. The love that inspired that sacrifice will “keep you in line” much better than any shame you might be hauling with you. It will inspire you to rise above the things that are holding you back and propel you towards the preparation that’s needed to follow after Him.

You are not ready. You are flawed, and you sin. You will continue to sin, and those flaws are going to be around for a while. But be of good cheer. Find good cheer in Him, His perfection, His ability to save you anyway. You are not perfect, but the kingdom and blessings and riches of eternity ARE your’s. Find joy in that. Rest in it.

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Spiritual Epistemology in President Eyring’s “Draw Near unto Me”

Have you ever wondered how you can really know the Savior—not just believe in Him, but know Him?

In his deeply personal testimony Draw Near unto Me, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency invites us to consider the many ways we come to know Jesus Christ—not just through grand revelations, but through small, faithful acts: prayer, covenant, scripture, service, and spiritual memory.

In a world that often dismisses spiritual experiences as “just feelings,” President Eyring offers something both bold and deeply grounded: a lived, layered witness of Christ. He shows that faith is not blind, and that knowledge of divine things is possible—because Jesus Christ draws near to those who draw near to Him.

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 77–78, we see the Prophet Joseph Smith asking questions about the book of Revelation—and receiving divine answers. President Eyring’s talk echoes that process in a modern, personal way: both remind us that God honors the seeker.

Apologetic Issues: Knowing Truth & Trusting Spiritual ExperienceCriticism: If spiritual experiences are subjective and emotional, how can they be considered real evidence of truth?

Response: This concern is common in a culture that privileges the empirical and dismisses the spiritual. But President Eyring challenges that view—not by abstract argument, but by example. He shows that spiritual knowledge is cumulative, experiential, and confirmed through multiple witnesses over time.

Spiritual truths are not “less real”—they are part of a broader epistemology that includes reason, memory, service, and revelation. We do not need to apologize for spiritual witness. We can anchor it.

Common Fallacy: False Dichotomy—the mistaken idea that truth must be either emotional and unreliable or empirical and objective.
This criticism sets up a false choice by saying something is either emotional and not real, or factual and trustworthy. But spiritual truths—like knowing God is near—can be both felt and real. They don’t have to fit into just one box.
Correction: In reality, truth can be known through many means—logic, experience, testimony, scripture, revelation. Latter-day Saint belief embraces a holistic epistemology that integrates the mind and the Spirit.

Social Issue: “It Felt Real, but It Was Just Emotion”

Misconception: “I used to feel something at church or in scripture study, but I realize now it was just emotion—not anything real.”

Response: This is exactly the distortion C.S. Lewis warned about in The Screwtape Letters. When spiritual feelings are dismissed as fantasy, while pain and fear are exalted as truth, we fall into a cultural trap that confuses reality with trauma.

Lewis writes: “The general rule which (the devils) have now pretty well established among them (humans) is that in all experiences which can make them happier or better only the physical facts are ‘Real,’ while the spiritual elements are ‘subjective.’” (Letter 30)

President Eyring reclaims spiritual experience as valid and sacred. His witness of feeling light during the sacrament, of ‘burning hearts’ on the road to Emmaus, and of the Savior’s nearness through covenant, testifies that spiritual peace is not delusion—it is revelation.

Common Fallacy: Reductionism – The error of oversimplifying something complex by explaining it only in terms of one of its parts—ignoring its full meaning or depth.
In this case, this error reduces spiritual experiences to “just emotions,” as if that’s all they are. But real experiences with God often include feelings—and meaning, memory, action, and change. There’s more going on than just emotion.
Correction: Just as music cannot be explained by sound waves alone, spiritual experiences are more than the sum of their parts. They point to a divine source and invite us to know the Savior.

Apologetic Application: Sentiment or Truth?Today’s critics often challenge religious conviction by questioning its epistemology—How do you know it’s true? Faith, they argue, is just an emotion. A warm feeling. A sentiment.

President Eyring answers that claim not by debate—but by demonstration.

Through quiet, layered experiences, he shows how spiritual knowledge comes through scripture, prayer, service, memory, and covenant. His testimony is not built on momentary emotion but on decades of repeated witness. When he says, “I am a witness of the Resurrection as surely as if I had been there,” he’s affirming a kind of spiritual knowing that is real, reliable, and cumulative.

C.S. Lewis described this very issue in The Screwtape Letters, where a senior devil boasts that people have been trained to believe only painful emotions are “real,” while joy, beauty, and divine peace are dismissed as illusion:

“In all experiences which can make them happier or better, only the physical facts are ‘Real’ while the spiritual elements are ‘subjective’… (the man you’re tempting), properly handled, will have no difficulty in regarding his emotion at the sight of human entrails as a revelation of Reality and his emotion at the sight of happy children or fair weather as mere sentiment.” —Letter 30, The Screwtape Letters

Spiritual experiences are not less real—they are the very moments when we most clearly perceive divine reality.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Spiritual knowledge ≠ wishful thinking.A common criticism is that religious belief is just emotional comfort or sentimentality. But this assumes that feelings of peace, love, or spiritual insight are less real than fear, doubt, or anger. As President Eyring’s testimony shows, spiritual experiences are valid and cumulative ways of knowing.

When President Eyring testifies, “I am a witness of the Resurrection… as surely as if I had been there”, this is not blind belief—it’s a knowledge formed through decades of prayer, scripture, service, and covenant. Latter-day Saints reject the false idea that truth must be purely empirical. God speaks through the Spirit—and we can know it.

2⃣ Feelings ≠ fantasies.Critics often reduce spiritual experiences to “just feelings.” This reflects a reductionist mindset: simplifying something sacred to a single biological cause and dismissing its spiritual depth. But scripture teaches, “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24:32). That burning is not imaginary—it’s revelatory.
As C.S. Lewis warned, our culture often treats trauma as truth and joy as illusion. But President Eyring reclaims joy, memory, and peace as sacred evidences of Christ’s reality. Knowing God isn’t irrational—it’s relational.

Practical Apologetic Use:When someone says, “You just believe that because it makes you feel good,” reframe it:

“Spiritual feelings are part of how we recognize truth—not the whole of it, but an important part. Just like love, trust, or beauty, some of the most important truths in life are known through experience, not just data.”

The gospel doesn’t ask us to shut off our minds. It asks us to bring our whole souls—mind, heart, and spirit—to the process of coming to know Christ.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsThroughout every dispensation, God has invited His children to draw near by seeking truth, asking questions, and acting in faith. From Moses at the burning bush to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, truth has been revealed not through passive observation—but through faithful inquiry, covenant, and discipleship.

President Henry B. Eyring echoes this eternal pattern in his talk Draw Near unto Me. His personal witness unfolds through prayer, scripture study, covenant keeping, and a lifetime of spiritual remembrance. It is a deeply Latter-day Saint model of how we come to know truth.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson from Doctrine and Covenants 77–78 beautifully parallels that model:

D&C 77: Asking Questions to Receive RevelationJoseph Smith approaches the Lord with a series of direct questions about the book of Revelation—and receives inspired answers.

This teaches that asking sincere, faithful questions is an essential part of knowing divine truth.

President Eyring does the same: he searches the scriptures, prays to feel the Savior’s nearness, and reflects on past witness to strengthen present faith. This shows how the pattern of prophetic inquiry is also the pattern of personal discipleship.

This continuity—from ancient Israel to early Restoration Saints to modern-day Apostles — strengthens our confidence that God still reveals truth, still honors covenants, and still draws near when we ask, seek, and knock (D&C 88:63).

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we show that knowing Christ is not sentimental—but spiritual, cumulative, and real?President Eyring teaches that we come to know the Savior through repeated acts of faith: scripture study, prayer, covenant keeping, and service. Apologetically, this counters the claim that faith is naïve emotion or social conditioning. It reveals faith as a discipline of divine familiarity—a real relationship built over time.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe “It was just emotion” with spiritual epistemologyWhen someone says, “I used to feel something at church, but I realize now it was just emotion,” respond gently:
→ “What if those feelings were actually telling the truth? President Eyring teaches that peace, love, and joy are part of how the Spirit helps us recognize what’s real.”
→ Then share: “You will come to know the Savior, and in time you will come to be like Him.”

2⃣ Honor sincere seekers by pointing to Joseph Smith’s modelIf someone wonders whether it’s OK to question and seek truth in spiritual matters, say:
→ “Doctrine and Covenants 77 shows that even prophets ask questions—and God answers. Faith isn’t afraid of questions. It grows from them.”
→ Invite them to explore their questions through prayer, scripture, and personal reflection.

Top Apologetic Facts Revelation comes through faithful questioning. (Historical Context) In Doctrine and Covenants 77, Joseph Smith receives answers from God by asking direct, sincere questions. This confirms that the Restoration is not built on blind belief but on prophetic inquiry, showing that faithful discipleship welcomes truth-seeking. * Spiritual experiences are a valid source of knowledge. (Doctrinal Insight) President Eyring’s talk demonstrates spiritual epistemology—we can come to know the Savior through prayer, memory, covenant, and service. The Holy Ghost is a teacher, not a vague feeling (see Moroni 10:5; D&C 88:63). * Testimony grows through lived discipleship. (Practical Application) Eyring’s witness isn’t dramatic or sudden—it’s the fruit of a lifetime of faithful patterns*. This models a defensible, reproducible path of gaining knowledge: small acts of obedience that build cumulative certainty.

Conclusion: Knowing the Savior—Not Just Believing in HimPresident Henry B. Eyring’s quiet, confident witness in Draw Near unto Me offers more than inspiration—it offers a roadmap. In a world that questions whether spiritual experiences are real, he gently testifies that they are not just real—they are how we come to know Jesus Christ.

This is not abstract theology. It’s personal and practical. Through scripture, service, prayer, covenant, and memory, we draw near to Christ—and He draws near to us. As we walk that path repeatedly, our hearts begin to burn, and our understanding deepens.

The same pattern appears in Doctrine and Covenants 77–78. Whether it’s Joseph asking questions and receiving revelation, or the Lord promising to “lead [us] along,” the message is clear: Discipleship is not passive. Revelation is not rare. And closeness with Christ is not reserved for the perfect.

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you.” (D&C 88:63)

Which moments in your life have become evidence that God draws near to you?

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The Vision of the three degrees of glory (D&C section 76)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Philo Dibble, “Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Juvenile Instructor 27, no. 10 (15 May 1892): 303–04. Dibble recalled his firsthand experience being in the room when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon experienced the Vision now canonized as section 76.
Joseph Smith, “A Vision,” Times and Seasons 4, no. 6 (1 February 1843): 81–85. William W. Phelps wrote a letter in poetic verse to the Prophet Joseph about the celestial kingdom, and Joseph responded with a poetic form of section 76.
Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Perfection Pending,” General Conference, October 1995. Then-Elder Nelson offered a suggestion on the meaning of the word telestial.
Kevin Barney, “The Etymology of ‘Telestial’,” By Common Consent, 27 January 2010. Barney takes a scholarly approach to the origin of the word telestial.

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Becoming Holy Through Charity and Virtue

Have you ever felt that eternal life is meant for people holier than you—people more spiritual, more disciplined, more sure of themselves in God’s presence?

In his final remarks at the April 2025 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson offers a bold and empowering invitation: We can prepare for celestial glory now—by becoming the kind of person who feels confident standing in the presence of God.

But how do we become that kind of person?

President Nelson doesn’t point us to outward signs of worthiness or visible achievement. He draws from Doctrine and Covenants 121, where the Lord declares that “confidence shall wax strong in the presence of God” when virtue and charity guide our lives. These terms are often misunderstood—but President Nelson reclaims them with divine clarity:

Charity is not just a nice gesture. It is the essence of who the Savior is. And it is what He expects us to become.

This talk reframes charity as the divine love that transforms, and virtue as the spiritual power to become holy. These are not distant ideals—they are the pathway to exaltation. Through consistent choices to live with compassion, moral strength, and devotion to Christ, we become more than improved humans. We become celestial beings.

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 76, President Nelson’s message echoes the vision of glory Joseph and Sidney saw—a vision not of hierarchy, but of transformation. What if confidence in our relationship with God is not earned, but grown—through one act of charity and virtue at a time?

Apologetic Issues: What Does It Mean to Be “Worthy” to Enter God’s Presence?Misconception: “Your church teaches that only the perfect—or obsessively obedient—can enter heaven.”
Response: President Nelson teaches that confidence in the presence of God is not the reward of perfection—but the fruit of charity, virtue, humility, and covenantal living. These are not standards of exclusion; they are processes of transformation.
Doctrine and Covenants 76 affirms that those who are “valiant in the testimony of Jesus” receive of His fullness and glory (D&C 76:79). The standard is not flawlessness, but valiant discipleship—a willing alignment with divine truth.

He echoes Webster’s 1828 definition of virtue as “voluntary obedience to truth,” reinforcing that virtue is not repression—it is power. The kind of moral courage that fuels sanctification.

“Charity towards all men is essential to our progress. Charity is the foundation of a godly character.” —President Russell M. Nelson

Common Fallacy: False Dilemma – A False Dilemma presents only two options when more exist.This issue commits the False Dilemma Fallacy—assuming only two extremes: either we are perfect, or we are damned.
Solution: Scripture and modern prophets reject this binary. Exaltation is not pass/fail—it is grow and become. Charity and virtue are not checklists; they are qualities we cultivate in relationship with Christ.

Social Issue: Is “Virtue” Just a Polite Code Word for Shame?Criticism: “The Church’s focus on virtue, especially for women, seems outdated and shame-based.”
Response: That interpretation reflects modern misunderstanding, not scriptural intent. President Nelson reframes virtue as spiritual strength and personal sanctity, not social compliance. He testifies that it is essential for becoming confident before God.

Joseph Smith and early Restoration teachings often used “virtue” to mean spiritual force —something empowering and divine, not restrictive. When applied as moral courage and obedience to eternal truth, virtue becomes not a burden, but a shield (D&C 121:45–46).

Common Fallacy: PresentismThis critique relies on Presentism—judging ancient or eternal principles by modern cultural norms.
Correction: When we study scriptural definitions in their original context—like Webster’s 1828—virtue becomes liberating, not limiting. It is not about controlling people—it’s about freeing them to live aligned with divine truth.

Apologetic Application: Charity Isn’t Just Kindness—It’s Covenant Power

President Nelson’s message brings us back to a divine truth:

Charity is not just an emotion. It is a sanctifying force.

At the heart of exaltation lies charity—not merely good behavior, but a sacred transformation of the soul through Christ. Scripture declares:

“Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever” (Moroni 7:47).
And D&C 121:45–46 promises that if virtue and charity adorn our thoughts, we will have confidence before God.

Webster’s 1828 definition of charity is “Supreme love to God, and universal goodwill to men.” President Nelson’s remarks support this definition, reminding us that charity is a doctrinal cornerstone, not social sentiment.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Charity just means giving to the poor or helping people in need.In modern usage, charity often refers to acts of generosity—donating money, volunteering, or offering aid to the less fortunate. While these are good and important, they are outward expressions, not the essence of scriptural charity.

In scripture, charity is “the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:47)—a divine attribute that transforms hearts and relationships. It’s not just doing good but becoming good—becoming like Jesus Christ in how we see and treat others.

President Nelson teaches that charity is what empowers us to become peacemakers in a divided world:

As charity becomes part of our nature, we will lose the impulse to demean others. We will stop judging others. We will have charity for those from all walks of life. Charity towards all men is essential to our progress. Charity is the foundation of a godly character.

While charity often includes generosity toward the suffering, it goes much further. It leads us to forgive enemies, abandon tribalism, and seek the healing unity of Zion.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:45 links charity to spiritual strength and divine confidence:
“Let thy bowels also be full of charity… and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”

2⃣ Virtue and charity are lofty ideals, not actionable traits.Some feel that virtue and charity are abstract (and therefore unattainable) ideals. To them, these qualities seem like ethereal goals that can’t be lived in real, daily life.

President Nelson directly counters this notion. He teaches that charity and virtue are not just qualities to admire—they are powers to cultivate. In fact, he promises that as we intentionally cultivate charity and virtue, our joy and faith will increase.

As we diligently seek to have charity and virtue fill our lives, our confidence in approaching God will increase. I invite you to take intentional steps to grow in your confidence before the Lord. Then, as we go to our Heavenly Father with increasing confidence, we will be filled with more joy, and your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. We will begin to experience spiritual power that exceeds our greatest hopes.

These traits are not passive states—they are choices, repeated over time. Each time we forgive, speak truth with love, curb a cruel impulse, or honor our covenants, we are acting in virtue. Each time we offer mercy, hold back judgment, sacrifice for another, or try to see others as Christ sees them, we are practicing charity.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsWhen Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received the vision recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76, it astonished early Latter-day Saints—not because it was harsh, but because it was too merciful.

Rather than a binary heaven-or-hell judgment, the Lord revealed a spectrum of glory—a plan in which almost all of God’s children would inherit some degree of salvation. To some, this felt threatening. It challenged entrenched notions of exclusivity and punishment. But it also testified of a God who is more gracious, loving, and just than anyone had imagined.

D&C 76:5 begins with a striking reassurance:

I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.

This vision offered not just a theology of rescue, but of refinement. The Celestial Kingdom is promised to those who are “valiant in the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:79)—not because of flawless behavior, but because of covenantal transformation through Christ. This is echoed in President Nelson’s bold assertion that charity and virtue are the key to becoming more like Him—that confidence before God is not earned, but cultivated through Christ’s grace and our willingness to be changed.

This week’s Come, Follow Me block (D&C 76) directly supports this doctrine of holy becoming. While D&C 76 unveils the glorious outcomes of those who follow Christ with full purpose of heart, D&C 76:69–70 makes the process clear:

These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.

This doesn’t mean being perfect—it means being “made perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32), a process fueled by virtue (moral strength and purity) and charity (the pure love of Christ). Both attributes lead us to peacemaking, humility, and trust in divine mercy.

By restoring the fuller picture of God’s justice and mercy, The Vision connects ancient prophetic patterns to modern revelation. From Isaiah’s messianic hope to John’s heavenly visions, to Joseph Smith’s revelatory insight, we see the same eternal pattern: God’s plan is one of restoration, not rejection. And His end goal is not mere salvation—it’s transformation, through Christ.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we explain that confidence before God isn’t arrogance, but a spiritual gift available to all who walk the path of discipleship?

President Nelson’s message turns a common narrative on its head. Rather than portraying divine confidence as something earned only by the ultra-faithful, he teaches that confidence is cultivated as we grow in virtue (moral integrity) and charity (Christlike love).
This is apologetically powerful—especially in a world where religion is often seen as shame-inducing or exclusionary. The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to be transformed, not tormented. When we follow Him with sincerity, the fruits of that journey include peace, confidence, and assurance in our standing with God—right now, not just after death.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Misconceptions About Worthiness When someone says, “Your Church makes people feel like they’re never good enough,” try responding:
→ “Actually, we believe worthiness isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being willing. Confidence before God comes from striving with real intent, not checking boxes.” Then add President Nelson’s insight: “Charity and virtue will qualify us for the Holy Ghost and assure us that we will be prepared to stand confidently before God.”

2⃣ Define Charity Beyond Generosity If someone thinks “charity” just means giving to the poor, gently clarify:
→ “Charity isn’t just what we do—it’s what we become. The pure love of Christ turns us into people who bring peace, forgive quickly, and walk with humility. That’s why it leads to confidence—it shapes us into someone ready to see God face to face.”

Top Apologetic Facts 1. Charity isn’t just kindness—it’s transformation. (Doctrinal Insight)Many assume charity means giving to the needy, but in scripture, it means becoming like Christ. As Moroni 7 teaches, “charity is the pure love of Christ”—a divine attribute, not just an action. President Nelson affirms that cultivating charity changes who we are, empowering us to stand confidently before God.

2. Confidence before God is a spiritual gift, not a personality trait. (Practical Application)Some believe confidence in God’s presence is presumptuous or reserved for prophets. But D&C 121:45–46 and President Nelson’s talk teach that confidence grows from virtue and charity. This doctrine reframes worthiness as progress, not perfection.

3. Doctrine and Covenants 76 connects transformation with celestial glory. (Historical Context)Revealed in 1832, D&C 76 emphasizes that those who inherit celestial glory are “just men made perfect through Jesus.” President Nelson echoes this eternal pattern: through Christ, ordinary disciples can become holy—not just later, but now.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Sacred Language and PowerPresident Nelson’s prophetic message redefines confidence—not as pride or entitlement, but as the fruit of charity and virtue, cultivated in covenant living. When we grow in the pure love of Christ, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us: not as impostors or pretenders, but as becoming holy through His power.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson in Doctrine and Covenants 76 expands that vision. It reveals a God who glorifies the faithful, not for their perfection, but for their willingness to be made perfect through Christ. The traits we often reduce to vague ideals—charity, virtue, holiness—are actually sacred tools for transformation. When lived intentionally, they prepare us for celestial glory and give us peace in God’s presence now.

Let’s reclaim this sacred language. Let’s teach our children, our friends, and ourselves that these are not passive virtues—they are actionable ways to become more Christ-like..
You can become holy. You can live in truth and love. You can stand confidently in the presence of God.

“The great opportunity before us is to become the people God needs us to be.” —President Russell M. Nelson

What would your life look like if you intentionally chose virtue and charity?

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Hear Himby Autumn Dickson

In Section 76, we receive an immense amount of information that had been lost over time. If you grew up with the Plan of Salvation, it may not feel that way but this was all very new. Though it was hard for some Saints to accept it at the time, we rejoice in this doctrine that the Lord restored. I am so grateful to know it.

And though we received this immense amount of information from the Lord, we also read this at the end of the vision.

Doctrine and Covenants 76

115 Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter;

116 Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him;

117 To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves;

118 That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.

We did not receive everything that Joseph and Sidney received in this vision. It reminds me of 2 Nephi 32:7. The Spirit stops Nephi from saying more.

The Lord wants to give more. He has more to give. Our eventual goal is to be reunited with Him, and that goal doesn’t have to wait until the next life. There are a myriad of quotes and scriptures that seemingly plead with us to actively seek Him so that He can give more than we’ve received. The scriptures can only give so much. There are things we have to receive directly from the Lord through the Spirit, and the Lord wants us to receive it as soon as we are able.

When I was younger, I remember very distinctly praying for a vision. I did it periodically as I was growing up. I wanted the Lord to just give me a dream or something. Some of my intentions were pure. I did want to be with the Lord again, but there was also some pride involved. Regardless of my intentions and spiritual readiness, I would pray very sincerely for this type of revelation. I figured if the Lord wanted to give more, I wanted to receive it. Luckily, He is wise enough to do what’s best for us and not just give us everything we ask for.

I have stopped asking for visions because I have learned that the Lord doesn’t often work that way. Doctrine and Covenants 76 holds a record of one of the most significant restorations of truth in the early church, possibly in the whole history of the latter-day church. It is significant to consciously recognize how Joseph and Sidney received this vision.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:15, 18-19

15 For while we were doing the work of translation, which the Lord had appointed unto us, we came to the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of John…

18 Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit.

19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.

Joseph and Sidney did not ask for a vision. They just asked for clarification regarding scripture. This is truly significant because it gives us a path to follow. The Lord has so much to give you, but it has to be built. You have to be prepared. He doesn’t just hand it out as soon as you recognize the fact that He has more and wants to give it to you. It requires seeking and study and learning His voice and character. It requires work. Otherwise, we get to remain in the dark.

These verses that we just read, specifically 18-19, can give us a clue about how to start building and preparing for what the Lord wishes to give. The verse in John caused them to marvel because it was given to them by the Spirit. I recognize this pattern now. When I’m seeking what the Lord wants me to share in my weekly messages, the Spirit “gives” me something. I’m reading and a phrase jumps out to me. The feeling is extremely subtle, but if I pause and start to write about it, it expands and expands and expands and I receive so much more than I would have otherwise.

I have noticed that it has expanded beyond just the scriptures. I can be having a conversation or walking by some people and overhear a phrase, and that subtle feeling comes over me again. It’s as if the Lord stamps it softly into my head and if I take the time to pause, or if I hold onto it until I have time to think about it, the Lord often gives more.

President Nelson has asked us to learn how to “Hear Him.” I echo President Nelson’s request. Learn to hear Him. Seek Him. He has more to give. It does not start out with visions, and receiving everything He wants to give starts with preparation. So prepare. It’s worth it.

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A Glorious Godby Autumn Dickson

For those of us who grew up with the concept of the Plan of Salvation and its many kingdoms, the vision recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 is nothing new. Because of our familiarity with it, I think it can be easy to miss the majesty and goodness that is God. One of the things I love about the doctrine we received in this section is that it upholds the idea that God is good and perfect and just. As Latter-day Saints, we don’t just claim that God is a perfect judge. He actually is a Perfect Judge.

The traditional beliefs surrounding what is recorded in the bible about heaven and hell make no sense upon closer examination. I have had friends who have believed I was going to hell. They very specifically iterated that Conner and I were good people, but they still retained their beliefs that God would throw us into an eternally burning pit. I pondered this for a very long time.

There are many interpretations of heaven and hell and judgment, but the most common I’ve come across is the idea that if you believe in Christ (the right Christ because apparently we don’t believe in the right one), you will be saved. If you don’t believe in the right Christ, you will be thrust into an eternal fire. For many, it doesn’t matter how evil you lived your life. If you believe in Christ, you’re good to go.

I want you to imagine, for a moment, that you were saved on Judgment Day. In fact, God even asked you to come and help carry out His judgment because your belief was sufficient. One day, He sends over a man for you to toss out of heaven. This man was a good man who loved his family, freely gave to all of his neighbors around him, and deeply sacrificed on behalf of his belief in God. But he was not Christian. It is now your job to toss this uplifting man into a literal fire pit, and that man gets to stay there forever.

Would you do it? How would you feel about God afterwards? Would you look at Him and call Him perfect because He calls Himself perfect?

As Latter-day Saints, we believe in heaven and hell but have different interpretations of it. There are many different kingdoms in heaven so as to make room for all the children of God to fit perfectly and comfortably. The bible declares that God is good and perfect and just, and I believe that. If I had never heard of God and someone came and taught me the truths found in Doctrine and Covenants 76, I would not need someone to declare to me that God was good and perfect and just. His plan declares it for Him.

There are so many ways that this doctrine plays out in individual lives, but I suppose that’s the point. This doctrine allows Christ to judge perfectly rather than trying to fit the whole spectrum of humanity into something as stark as heaven and hell. Let’s observe how this might play out in one circumstance so that we can better understand how beautiful this truth is.

Let’s say that you don’t believe in God and don’t want to worship Him. Even if you got to the spirit world on the other side and people tried to preach to you, let’s say that you still refused to worship God. Heavenly Father would send you somewhere safe and warm because you are still His child. He would send you to a place that has everything you need, and you would be surrounded by people who feel similar to you. As a mother, this kind of judgment makes perfect sense to me.

But there is still judgment, and though you would be “saved” in a place where you’re safe and warm, you would still experience some level of hell because you refused to worship God. The aspect of hell that you would experience is opportunity cost. I believe in a God who is worth worshipping. I picture an adult child who reflects on their life and sees all of the opportunities given to them by a loving mother. I picture an adult child who can see the heartache and sacrifice experienced by this loving mother, and I picture that adult child feeling such a deep attitude of awe and gratitude that it’s akin to worship.

I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. I have seen the sacrifices He, and His Beloved Son, have made on my behalf. I have personally felt how the Lord is turned completely towards my eternal joy, and I worship Him for that. I experience heaven when I experience that awe and gratitude. Being around Someone who loves me like He does is an incomparable feeling that I have only glimpsed. You would experience hell to the extent that you miss out on experiencing the greatness that is God.

We believe that God is a perfect judge (not just because He says so but because He really is perfect). We believe that He loves His children and will place them where they will have all they need and will experience as much happiness as their choices allow.

And so with Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon and so many, many other Saints, I declare these words as well.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:1-3

1 Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him there is no Savior.

2 Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doings none can find out.

3 His purposes fail not, neither are there any who can stay his hand.

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Receiving Eternity’s Gifts Through Christ

Have you ever felt that no matter how much you believe in Christ, His promises feel just out of reach—like peace, healing, or wholeness belong to someone holier, stronger, or more deserving?

In his Easter message Eternity’s Great Gifts: Jesus Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offers a sweeping and tender reminder: God’s eternal gifts are not reserved for the perfect—they are extended to all. What matters most is not whether the gift is offered (it is!) but whether we are willing to receive.

Drawing from Isaiah’s vision of “beauty for ashes” and the Savior’s declaration in the synagogue that He came to “heal the brokenhearted,” Elder Gong teaches that the Atonement, the Resurrection, and the Restoration are not distant doctrines—but deeply personal invitations. Through Jesus Christ, each of us—poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, bruised—can be made whole.

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, Elder Gong’s message resonates with striking power. What does it mean to receive what Christ offers? And how does our willingness, not our worthiness, shape our eternal destiny?

Apologetic Issues: Receiving Salvation & Blaming the ChurchCriticism: If God truly loves all His children, why doesn’t He just save everyone—regardless of their beliefs, choices, or covenants?

Response: While Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, and the Restoration are extended to all, the Atonement and Restoration must be received. Elder Gong teaches that God “saves all the works of his hands” except those who willfully reject Him after receiving knowledge (D&C 76:43). This is not a restriction—it is a recognition of divine love that honors our agency. Salvation is offered freely, but God will not force it upon the unwilling.

In Elder Gong’s words:

Jesus declared His mission to bless us each with all we are willing to receive.

Receiving salvation requires a willing heart, not a flawless record. The gospel is not about earning heaven but accepting Christ’s gifts and following Him with purpose and intent.

Common Fallacy: Straw Man – misrepresents or oversimplifies another person’s argument in order to make it easier to attack or refuteThis critique creates a Straw Man Fallacy by misrepresenting the doctrine of salvation as either universal or cruelly exclusive. In reality, Latter-day Saint doctrine teaches that God desires to save all, but will not violate our agency or override the natural consequences of our choices.
Solution: Recognizing that agency is instrumental to grace helps us appreciate both the justice and mercy of God.

Social Issue: Blaming the Church for Spiritual DiscontentMisconception: “I left the Church because the Church failed me. I didn’t feel seen, heard, or spiritually fulfilled.”Response: It is deeply painful when people feel hurt, neglected, or unseen. But Elder Gong gently reminds us that while Christ always sees us, receiving His healing and guidance requires our active participation. Like the mourners who met the resurrected Christ in the garden or the brokenhearted He declared His mission to heal (Luke 4:18), we must come to Him.

The Savior offers garments of salvation and robes of righteousness—but He doesn’t force us to wear them. Some spiritual discontent comes not from what the Church failed to give, but from what we failed to seek. Rather than outsource spiritual growth to an institution, we are invited to claim our stewardship as disciples. The Church can support, but only Christ can transform—and only we can choose Him.

Common Fallacy: Attribution Error – the tendency to explain someone else’s behavior by blaming their character or intentions, while overlooking external circumstances or situational factors.This reflects the Fundamental Attribution Error—blaming external systems (like “the Church”) for internal struggles without acknowledging personal agency or stewardship.
Solution: Taking spiritual accountability—our study, prayer, service, and effort—restores power to our discipleship and invites Christ to heal and guide us personally.

Apologetic Application: Receiving Christ’s Gifts Requires Agency and Willingness

Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s talk underscores a doctrinal truth with powerful apologetic value:
God’s gifts are universal in offer—but conditional in reception.

At the heart of this message lies a doctrinal triad:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ – offered to all for the redemption of sin and sorrow (Alma 7:11–13).
The Resurrection – a universal gift, unconditionally granted to all who have lived (1 Corinthians 15:22; Alma 11:42–44).
The Restoration of the Gospel – a divine process to empower willing disciples through priesthood authority, covenants, and revelation (D&C 76:42–43; 2 Nephi 30:8).

Elder Gong teaches that Christ’s mission is not to coerce but to heal, lift, and liberate—as much as we are willing to receive.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Salvation ≠ Forced Equality.Some critics claim it’s unfair that God doesn’t give everyone the same eternal reward. But this overlooks the difference between resurrection and exaltation. Resurrection is a universal gift—a free offering through Christ to every soul. Exaltation, on the other hand, honors our agency and desires. As Elder Gong teaches:

“He saves all the works of his hands—except those who willfully deny the Son.”

God doesn’t restrict salvation—He extends it. But He also respects our choices.

2⃣ God’s Love Is Universal, Not Coercive.Some see the plan of salvation as exclusive or elitist, but that misrepresents the doctrine. Jesus Christ came “to heal the brokenhearted… to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18)—and that includes all of us.

Elder Gong emphasizes that Christ’s invitation is open in “every time, every land, every circumstance.” But real love invites—it doesn’t override. God does not drag people into heaven. He empowers them to become heavenly.

Understanding that reception, not worthiness, is the gate helps dismantle the false belief that the gospel is only for the already-righteous. This view aligns beautifully with Latter-day Saint teachings on grace, growth, and accountability.

Practical Apologetic Use: When someone claims, “Your Church is too focused on rules and worthiness,” this doctrine shifts the focus: “Worthiness” isn’t about perfection—it’s about willingness. Christ meets us where we are, but He invites us to walk with Him through covenants.” This answer not only clarifies the doctrine but offers a loving, scriptural lens through which to see it.

The gospel is a gift. Discipleship is choosing to open it.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsThroughout scripture and in every dispensation, the Lord has extended divine gifts to His children—but always with an invitation to receive them intentionally. From Adam’s covenant sacrifices to Isaiah’s Messianic prophecies to the Restoration of priesthood power, God has shown that salvation is offered freely but must be accepted willingly.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong draws on this eternal pattern by quoting Isaiah’s description of the Savior’s mission:
“To preach the gospel to the poor … to heal the brokenhearted … to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:18; cf. Isaiah 61)
He reminds us that this promise is as real today as it was anciently—fulfilled anew in our lives through the Atonement, Resurrection, and Restoration of Jesus Christ.

In his talk, Elder Gong affirms that the Restoration is not just a historical event—it is an ongoing promise: the Savior continues to heal, restore, and guide today through living prophets, priesthood ordinances, and the quiet power of personal revelation. The same Christ who brought “beauty for ashes” in Isaiah’s day continues to do so now.

Doctrine and Covenants 67–70 offers powerful continuity to this theme. These revelations testify that:

It is our privilege to receive divine confirmation through spiritual means, not carnal reasoning (D&C 67:10)
We are stewards over the sacred truths entrusted to us (D&C 70:3-4,9-12)

Just as Elder Gong teaches that we must receive what Christ offers, these sections emphasize that revelation and salvation are not passive experiences—they involve faith, stewardship, and accountability. Christ’s gifts are enduring and personal. God will give us truth, peace, and healing—but we must act in faith to claim them.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today How can we help others understand that Christ’s gifts are real, available, and require our participation?

Elder Gong testifies that the Savior offers each of us “atonement, resurrection, and restoration—peace, becoming, and belonging.” These gifts are universal in invitation but personal in reception. Apologetically, this helps us respond to criticism that Church teachings are exclusionary or conditional. In truth, they are covenantal—meant to be received, not imposed.

Principle in Practice: Two Ways to Apply Apologetic Principles1⃣ Reframe Accusations of Exclusivity When someone says, “Only your church thinks it’s right,” respond:
→ “Christ offers salvation to everyone. Our doctrine teaches that He honors agency—and invites all to receive what they are willing to accept.”

2⃣ Use Isaiah’s Language to Reassure the Weary Elder Gong quotes Isaiah’s promises to the “poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and bruised.” → In conversation, say: “This isn’t just poetic—it’s who Christ came to heal. And that means all of us. The gospel is for the bruised, not the perfect.”

Top Apologetic Facts 1. Salvation is universal, exaltation is invitational. Joseph Smith’s teachings in Doctrine and Covenants 76 boldly revealed a God who will “save all the works of His hands”—offering resurrection to all through Christ. But exaltation requires willingness and discipleship, not passive inheritance.

2. Restoration reveals a healing, not condemning, Christ. In contrast to fire-and-brimstone portrayals of God, the Restoration affirms Jesus Christ’s mission to “heal the brokenhearted… and set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). His gospel is redemptive, not punitive.

3. “Beauty for ashes” is a covenantal promise. Isaiah 61:3 is more than poetic—it’s a pattern of restoration. Christ offers hope and transformation through His Atonement. As Elder Gong testifies, His gifts include atonement, resurrection, and restoration— extended to all who will receive them.

Conclusion: Receiving Heaven’s Gifts with Willing HeartsElder Gerrit W. Gong’s Easter message invites each of us to step into the healing, peace, and joy made possible through Jesus Christ’s Atonement, Resurrection, and the Restoration of His Church. These are not distant theological concepts—they are personal, practical gifts waiting at the threshold of our willingness.

We are not forgotten. We are not too broken. In every circumstance, Jesus Christ offers beauty for ashes, garments of salvation, and robes of righteousness. But as Elder Gong reminds us, the Savior’s gifts must be received—not just known about, or admired, or believed in abstractly, but embraced with covenantal commitment and faith in action.

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson underscores the same truth: stewardship, accountability, and trust in God’s word prepare us to receive His richest blessings. Through our choices, we decide whether eternity’s gifts will be symbolic… or transformative.

Are you willing to receive what Christ is already offering?

“May we each find in Jesus Christ atonement, resurrection, and restoration—peace, becoming, and belonging—that which is enduringly real and joyful, happy and forever.” — Elder Gerrit W. Gong

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A Testimony of the Revelationsby Autumn Dickson

Joseph Smith and various elders gathered this week to decide whether they would publish the revelations that Joseph had thus far received. Many of the elders were prepared to write their testimonies to be published right alongside the revelations, but others were hesitant. Joseph was not always eloquent, and he was not incredibly educated. Several of the elders did not yet believe that the revelations had come from the Lord.

In Section 67, the Lord issues a challenge. He tells the men to select the “least” of the revelations and then to take their wisest man and have him try to write a revelation like it. William McLellin, a school teacher, took up the challenge. According to the institute manual, this is how things played out.

Joseph Smith described the outcome of William’s attempt to write a revelation: ‘[William] E. McLellin … endeavored to write a [revelation] like unto one of the least of the Lord’s, but failed; it was an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The elders, and all present, that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ, renewed their faith in the fulness of the gospel and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord had given to the church through my instrumentality; and the elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world

Since we’re talking about how the Lord’s words are more powerful than man’s (even when it is filtered through a man), let’s look directly at some of His words. I want to talk about three different principles found throughout the chapter.

To gain a testimony

Here is how the Lord starts out the revelation in response to this situation we’ve been discussing.

Doctrine and Covenants 67:1 Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.

Does the Lord sound angry with these elders because of their unbelief? I don’t think so. He’s literally telling them, “I’ve heard your prayers, and I know your hearts and desires.” The hearts of these elders are apparently soft enough that they don’t need rebuking. Rather, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge of us, knew that these elders simply lacked the testimony they needed as of yet.

It could have been easy for Joseph to get offended that these men felt his words were insufficient, but this wasn’t coming from Joseph. It was coming from the Lord, and the Lord knew His children enough to know that they simply needed more opportunities to practice faith and see Him in this work.

And so He set them up to gain a testimony of the revelations received by Joseph Smith.

The Lord does rebuke His children sometimes, but that is usually the result of hard hearts. If the Lord is calling someone out and forcefully calling for repentance, it is usually because a softer approach will be ineffective. For this particular chapter, I picture the Lord being very matter-of-fact about it.

So what do we learn from the Lord’s relaxed tone?

We learn that we don’t necessarily have to be afraid or ashamed if we have doubts. We don’t have to worry or put immense pressure on ourselves to “already know” or “just have faith already.” Rather, we can work to make (or keep) our hearts soft and give the Lord an opportunity to lead us along and show us. He knows our hearts, and He knows if you’re sincerely trying to find Him. He can work with that. It reminds me of the father in the New Testament who asked the Lord to “help Thou mine unbelief.” The Lord can give us eyes to see reality, and He can give us reasons to trust Him. We merely need to seek Him out and be willing to experiment upon His words, just like these men experimented.

Missing out

Here is another tidbit from the Lord.

Doctrine and Covenants 67:5 Your eyes have been upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and his language you have known, and his imperfections you have known; and you have sought in your hearts knowledge that you might express beyond his language; this you also know.

There is at least one general principle here that we can pull out and apply it many different ways. It is this: when we hyperfocus on the mistakes and supposed flaws of others, we miss out on so much goodness. When we scoff or mock, we’re voluntarily skipping over blessings.

This actually makes me think of Christ’s mortal ministry. Christ’s words and actions were obviously perfect, but I’m not sure they were perfect in the sense of how we sometimes picture the meaning of that word. He was a traveler. He was likely dirty from walking everywhere. He didn’t wear priestly robes or hold any worldly authority or education except in carpentry. Think of what the Pharisees and Sadducees missed out on because they couldn’t see past what they perceived as beneath them.

Think of what these elders might have missed out on had they continued on that path where they perceived the revelations of God as beneath them.

What are we perceiving as beneath us? What are we missing out on? The list could be endless: sacrament talks, good people, wisdom from parents.

Set aside our fears

In verse 3, the Lord tells His elders that they tried hard to believe that they would receive a blessing, but fear prevented them from actually receiving it. He also said this.

Doctrine and Covenants 67:10 And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.

There are a lot of things that we could talk about in this verse. How might jealousy have played into the elders not being able to recognize the revelations for what they were? There are so many phrases we could pull out and talk about, but I want to talk about stripping yourself of fear instead.

One of the steps for preparing to “see” the Lord is to remove fear.

I always try to put the Lord into the context of parenting because that is when I best understand Him. In this instance, it reminds me of when my son comes down and tells me that he’s too scared to go to bed. There are times when it’s appropriate for me to go up and comfort him, but usually he just gets scared again the second I leave the room. I have often found myself saying, “There is no way that I can make you any safer than you are now.” I assure him of all the reasons he is safe. We’re downstairs, dad has adequate means of self-defense, and we’ve got a dog that has protected my family before. Unfortunately, sometimes my son doesn’t believe in that safety. It’s a process to learn that kind of trust, but as we actively engage in choosing that trust, we’re going to find enough peace to rest.

The Lord is even more capable of protecting us than I am of protecting my son.

After over four years of trying to settle out on the east coast, things have finally lined up and we’re moving forward on a house. We did a lot of research in order to decide if this is what we wanted. We put in a lot of time to make sure this was a good move for our family. We prayed about it, and we felt good about the house, or at the very least, we didn’t feel bad about the house. When we were moving through this process, I felt like this is where we had been led after four years of searching.

But it’s easy to backslide and get scared again. I was so scared that we had chosen wrong or that the Lord had washed His hands of us and left us to fail. Logically, I know that the Lord doesn’t work that way, but that’s what my fear was saying. My husband is an entrepreneur which means that things can go really well, but they can also go really wrong. The risks of life suddenly seemed tremendously overwhelming. What if I had missed His warnings? What if we expected more than the Lord was willing to give at this time?

I’ve prayed for reassurances so many times, and the Lord has often answered. But even after the Lord answered, the fear remained or came back again. I was scared that I misunderstood Him or that I was seeing revelation where it wasn’t.

The Lord isn’t going to force me to lay down my fears. He is not going to constantly whisper in my ear that we’re going to be fine because that’s not what is best for me. He wants me to choose to trust Him. If I want to feel better and find rest, I have to choose to believe that the Lord is making my family as safe as we need to be.

The Lord promises His elders that if they can strip themselves of fear (alongside a few other things), the veil will be rent and they shall see Him.

As I hush my fears, as I remind myself of all the times He’s never abandoned me, I start to “see” Him again. This past week, the fears did come up and try to overwhelm me and there were moments when those fears were successful. But as I consciously remembered my experiences with the Lord and who I’ve come to know Him as, it was as if I put on spiritual glasses. Not only was I able to remember old experiences, but I started to have new ones. He started to whisper insights that helped me believe I was on the right track. I could “see” Him again.

I testify of a Lord who is willing to help us have the experiences we need to build trust in Him. If we keep our hearts soft and seek to trust Him and His prophets, He will give us what we need to know that we’re on the right track. If we push back against our fears, we will be able to see Him in our lives.

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Receiving the Light of Christ—and Letting Go of What We Cannot Carry

Have you ever wondered what it actually means to forgive someone—especially when the pain they caused hasn’t gone away?

In his tender and Christ-centered address, And We Talk of Christ, Elder Gary E. Stevenson reminds us that Jesus Christ is the Light we receive—and the Light we share. His Atonement is not just about removing our sins, but about transforming our sorrows into peace and our suffering into joy.

Elder Stevenson rejoices in the “peace and hope” that come from forgiveness made possible by Christ’s atoning sacrifice. But how do we forgive when reconciliation feels impossible—or even unsafe? When we trust that the Savior’s sacrifice is sufficient for both justice and mercy, we can let go of the burden of judgment and step into healing. Forgiveness is not about excusing, forgetting, or reconciling—it’s about trusting Christ enough to release the pain.

As we study Doctrine and Covenants 64 this week, we hear the Lord Himself say: “Let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds” (D&C 64:11). Let’s explore how receiving Christ’s light enables us to forgive—even when reconciliation is not possible.

Apologetic Issues: Forgiveness vs. ReconciliationCriticism: If I forgive someone, that means I’m obligated to reconcile with them—especially if I’m trying to be a ‘real Christian.’

Response: Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same. Forgiveness is a personal, spiritual act—letting go of resentment and entrusting justice to God (see D&C 64:10–11). Reconciliation, however, involves mutual trust and safety and may not be possible—or even wise—in situations of abuse, betrayal, or repeated harm.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson teaches that “we rejoice that because of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, we can be forgiven… This brings us peace and hope”. That same peace and hope are what we extend to others when we forgive—not a demand to restore broken relationships.

The Savior’s atonement provides the power to forgive without returning to harm. That is not weakness—it is faith in Christ’s justice and mercy.

Common Fallacy: Equivocation – When a single term is used in different ways without clarification. The word forgiveness is equated with reconciliation, though they are distinct actions. Forgiveness is commanded; reconciliation is conditional.
Solution: Clarify terms. A faithful disciple can forgive without resuming unsafe contact. Forgiveness is vertical (between you and God); reconciliation is horizontal (between people) and requires mutual healing and trust.

Social Issue: Justice for VictimsMisconception: Forgiveness lets people get away with sin. If we forgive, there’s no justice.

Response: Forgiveness is not the absence of justice—it is trust that ultimate justice belongs to God. Elder Stevenson teaches that Christ’s Resurrection and Atonement mean that all wounds will be healed, and all wrongs made right in Him. Forgiveness means we no longer carry the burden of demanding compensation—we give it to the One who already paid the price.

Terry Warner explains:

Because we believe [Christ] paid for every sin, we do not desire to exact payment for whatever we have suffered. Instead, we are able freely to forgive.

Elder Kearon adds that victims are not responsible for what was done to them, and healing does not mean the wrong is excused—it means it is given to Christ:

You are not responsible… You are not less worthy… The Savior has descended below all things—even what has happened to you.

Common Fallacy: Straw Man – Misrepresenting a position to make it easier to attack.This objection creates a straw man by misrepresenting forgiveness as permission for abuse. But forgiveness does not erase accountability—it entrusts it to God.
Correction: Christ does not overlook injustice—He atoned for it. Forgiveness doesn’t mean the offender “gets away with it.” It means the victim no longer has to carry the weight of vengeance.

Apologetic Application: Forgiveness Is an Act of Trust in Jesus ChristElder Gary E. Stevenson’s testimony in And We Talk of Christ affirms a profound doctrinal truth: because of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven—and we can forgive. That power doesn’t come from minimizing injustice, but from trusting that Christ’s Atonement is enough to right every wrong and heal every wound.

Core Doctrine: The Atonement of Jesus Christ Enables Forgiveness. Forgiveness is not just a moral obligation—it is a sacred act of faith in the power of Jesus Christ. It means trusting that He has already suffered the full cost of the injustice, and that we don’t have to carry that pain alone.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ enables forgiveness not merely as a commandment but as a divine invitation to participate in the healing power of Christ’s suffering, mercy, and justice. When we choose to forgive, we are not declaring that the offense was insignificant or that justice no longer matters—we are testifying that Jesus Christ has already paid the full price for every wound, injustice, betrayal, and sin. His suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross bore not only our guilt as sinners but our grief as victims. As Isaiah declared, “He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Forgiveness, then, is not an act of weakness—it is an act of profound trust in the Savior’s promise that He will “judge between me and thee” and that His justice will not fail (D&C 64:11). It allows us to lay down the heavy burden of vengeance or resentment and walk forward in peace, knowing that Christ has already absorbed the cost and stands ready to both heal the wounded and hold the unrepentant accountable. This makes forgiveness an apologetic witness: it proclaims that we believe in a God who is both merciful and just, and who has conquered all things through His atoning love.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Forgiveness ≠ Endorsing Sin. Critics often argue that forgiving someone is equivalent to saying their sin didn’t matter or wasn’t harmful. But that misunderstands the doctrine. Forgiveness is not excusing sin—it is handing judgment over to Christ, who already bore its full weight (see Mosiah 15:7–9).

Elder Holland affirms:

In order to forgive fully, you [do not] have to reenter a toxic relationship… But notwithstanding even the most terrible offenses, we can rise above our pain only when we walk the forgiving path.

Forgiveness says, “I choose to stop carrying this, because Christ already carried it for me.”

2⃣ Forgiveness Heals the Victim, Too. Forgiveness is often framed as a gift to the offender, but in Latter-day Saint doctrine, it’s also about liberating the victim.

“We suffer from doing wrong to others… But forgiving, we avoid doing ourselves terrible harm.” —C. Terry Warner

Letting go of resentment is a sacred form of personal healing through Christ. It helps the disciple stop defining their identity by the harm they’ve endured.

Forgiveness clarifies two key misunderstandings –

It does not minimize evil. It confronts evil and places it squarely on the Savior’s shoulders, where justice and mercy meet.
It does not mean reconciliation. It means peace, even if the relationship cannot be restored.

Practical Apologetic Use: This doctrine clarifies that forgiveness is not about removing accountability, but about trusting Christ to deliver justice perfectly. It relieves victims from carrying the burden of judgment and reorients the question from “Will they get away with it?” to “Do I trust the Savior enough to let Him carry both my pain and their consequence?”

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsTrusting Christ Then and Now: Forgiveness as a Pattern of Discipleship

In And We Talk of Christ, Elder Gary E. Stevenson bears witness of Christ’s power to forgive sins and fill us with peace and hope. His words echo a profound moment in Restoration history: in September 1831, the Lord chastened early Latter-day Saints in Missouri and Ohio for refusing to forgive one another.

Though those Saints had made covenants and sacrificed greatly, they still struggled to let go of personal offenses. The Lord responded with direct and sobering counsel in Doctrine and Covenants 64:

Ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not… standeth condemned before the Lord… let God judge between me and thee (D&C 64:9–11).

That commandment still applies today. Elder Stevenson helps modern disciples understand that forgiveness is not a one-time act, but a process made possible through receiving the light of Christ and choosing to walk in it.

Just as early Saints had to learn to trust God with their wounds, so must we. The Lord didn’t ask them to deny what happened—but to stop carrying what only He could heal.

When we forgive, we act in faith that Christ’s Atonement is sufficient to judge sin, heal victims, and redeem all that is broken. This faith removes the burden of bitterness and replaces it with hope and peace, fulfilling the promise in D&C 64.

Living Apologetics: Forgiveness as a Witness of Christ How do we explain or live the doctrine of forgiveness when it feels impossible or unsafe?
Elder Gary E. Stevenson reminds us that receiving the Savior’s light enables us to act in faith, not fear—including in our efforts to forgive. “We receive the Savior’s light as we choose to have faith in Him, follow Him, and believe Him.”

Principle in Practice: Forgiveness Requires Trust in Christ, Not the OffenderForgiveness is often misunderstood as reestablishing trust with someone who harmed us. But Elder Stevenson’s testimony—and the Lord’s words in D&C 64—make it clear: we forgive because we trust Christ to carry the burden of justice.

1⃣ Set boundaries and still forgive.From this week’s Come, Follow Me: “Forgiveness does not mean we allow others to hurt us.” Teach that forgiveness can exist without reconciliation. This principle corrects common critiques that Latter-day Saints minimize abuse or trauma.

2⃣ Explain that forgiveness is an act of strength, not weakness.Use examples like Jesus on the cross (“Father, forgive them”), or Saints who forgive amid tragedy—not because the offense is small, but because the Savior is mighty.

Top Apologetic Facts 1. Forgiveness is a commandment, not a concession.Doctrine and Covenants 64 teaches that refusing to forgive brings spiritual condemnation. Forgiveness is not excusing sin—it’s obeying Christ’s command to release others to His justice and receive peace through Him.

2. Trusting Christ means trusting His justice.Elder Stevenson affirms that forgiveness is only possible through Christ’s healing power. By placing judgment in the Lord’s hands, we declare our faith in His ability to heal us and deal justly with others—even when we cannot see how.

3. Forgiveness does not require reconciliation.Both Elder Holland and this week’s Come, Follow Me lesson emphasize that forgiveness is compatible with healthy boundaries. Letting go of resentment doesn’t mean returning to harmful relationships—it means moving forward with Christ.

Conclusion: Forgiving in the Light of ChristElder Gary E. Stevenson’s testimony is a call to draw nearer to Christ—not just by speaking of Him, but by receiving His light so deeply that it changes how we carry sorrow, how we view justice, and how we respond to those who hurt us.

His message reminds us that forgiveness is not about forgetting or enabling sin—it’s about choosing to trust the Savior more than our pain. As we walk in His light, we are enabled to lay down burdens that were never ours to carry. We can forgive without compromising safety. We can find joy even amid injustice. We can move forward, not because others have changed, but because we have been changed through Christ.

This is the heart of Christian discipleship—and the heart of Latter-day Saint apologetics: bearing witness that Christ’s power is real, and that it works in the messy, painful places of life.

Forgiveness is a gift we give to ourselves by trusting in the Lord and letting His light heal us.

What burden are you still carrying that Christ is willing to carry for you?

The post And We Talk of Christ: Forgiving Through His Light appeared first on FAIR.

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The Greater Sinby Autumn Dickson

The Lord talks a little bit about forgiveness this week. Section 64 was given at a time when tempers were running hot and Zion felt far away. What did the Lord have to say about forgiveness?

Doctrine and Covenants 64:9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

I remember being young and thinking that didn’t make sense. I didn’t understand how the Lord could condemn a victim for holding on to their anger against someone who hurt them. As I’ve learned more and more about the gospel, I’ve received a different perspective. That’s not what the Lord is doing at all. It was merely me misunderstanding the Lord. Let’s talk about it.

Different kinds of sin

My definition and understanding of sin has evolved. It’s probably important to highlight that this is how I define the concept of sin personally. I likely don’t have it all correct, but we’re working towards perfect knowledge still, right?

Sin is sin. It is bad. We should try to avoid it as much as possible. Let it be known; I absolutely believe that the Lord cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance. It would thwart the Plan of Salvation, His perfection, and it would stunt our growth dramatically.

But I used to take the concept of sin and tag on extra implications that weren’t necessarily true. I used to connect sin with an inherent badness on the part of the sinner. When there was condemnation, it was the Lord doling out punishments because we had been bad.

After becoming a parent, I have learned that it’s not necessarily that black and white. Making mistakes does not mean you’re bad, and the Savior is coaching us towards exaltation. Sometimes He utilizes consequences but not because He’s looking to make us suffer. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Consequences teach us so we don’t have to suffer any longer.

And then sometimes He doesn’t dole out consequences at all. Sometimes our choices come with inherent repercussions. He seeks to pull us out of those choices, but another form of condemnation is when we refuse Him and stay right where we’re at. I repeat. Another form of condemnation is when we refuse to accept His healing and grace. We condemn ourselves.

In my mind, sin has expanded beyond just a definition of “badness” to “anything that takes us farther away from the Lord.” This expanded understanding has many implications that have shifted how I look at the gospel.

One of the implications applies to the verse we just read. There are times when the Lord condemns; we see that most especially when someone is hard-hearted. When you read the New Testament, the Lord would condemn the Pharisees because softer forms of teaching were ineffective.

But sometimes condemnation isn’t coming directly from Him. When you read that verse more carefully, it doesn’t say that the Lord condemned the person who refused to forgive. It says that they stand condemned before the Lord. Sometimes, we stand before the Lord condemning ourselves because we refuse the salvation He is offering.

My personal interpretation of this verse is that the person refuses peace (and therefore, salvation) by refusing to forgive those who hurt them.

Putting it into context

I’m going to use a real-world example, and then I’m going to expand upon it.

I read a book about trauma a couple of years ago, and there is a story that has stuck with me. It spoke about a girl who had been locked in the closet from the time she was very little. When I studied the effects of abuse, I was surprised to learn that neglect from a very young age leaves deeper scars than actual abuse. This little girl was essentially feral when she was finally found and taken out of the custody of the parents. She was placed somewhere safe and spent far more time in a wholesome environment than she did locked inside that closet.

Unfortunately, the first three years of our lives often make the biggest impressions because our brains are developing so rapidly. When neglect and abuse happen in the first three years, it gets built into the brain as a blueprint for how someone looks at life. It can be changed, but because the growth of our brains slows down significantly, it takes far more time to undo the damage than it did to make the damage.

This girl grew up, became an adult, and went on to abuse another child. From a person who grew up healthy, it would be easy to wonder, “You know what it’s like to be hurt! Why would you do that to someone else?” But when you study the brain, you recognize a perfect storm. This adult girl was essentially unable to grow up. Her body matured, but her brain did not. She didn’t have the inhibitions of an adult. She didn’t develop empathy (because that develops in your second or third year). And when she wanted to be romantically involved, she was completely unable to relate to adults. She could only relate to a child.

She never really had a chance. And even as I speak about her struggles, we don’t allow cycles of abuse to continue. We work to protect potential victims. We do the logical thing and stop her from hurting others. However, it’s possible to protect victims, stop the abuse, and have compassion for the girl who suffered in ways that most of us don’t understand.

Here is the part where I expand upon this story with hypotheticals. The Lord is the perfect judge so we’ll ultimately leave this up to Him, but I’m going to postulate so that we can explore the forgiveness principle we were talking about before.

Fast forward to the next life. This girl has been healed by the Savior. She is no longer constrained to a brain that is broken and undeveloped because of what happened to her. Her spirit is free to be good and wholesome, and let’s say that’s exactly who she is.

How would you judge her? If she were your child and you loved her, would you banish her away from you? I hope not.

Now let’s look at the child who was abused by this broken woman. Let’s say this child grows up and passes away. He gets to the other side and sees her enjoying the presence of the Lord and being welcomed by good people around her. Let’s say this child is enraged by this.

How would you judge him? I would hope you wouldn’t judge him harshly. He has also been through some horrific things. But would you throw her out because he demanded it? I would also hope not.

I hope that we would be pleading with this young man to trust that the Lord knows everything perfectly, and she is safe to be around. I would hope that we would be pleading with him to come and join us and be healed and enjoy everything that the Lord meant for us to enjoy.

If he refuses to forgive and join in on the “heaven,” then yes, he is standing condemned before the Lord. He is condemning (or, in other words, consigning) himself to hell by clinging to pain and anger. He refuses to accept the healing and the celestial possibilities. He refuses the happiness that’s standing in front of him. He holds the “greater” sin because he is refusing to let go of hell. He is separating himself from the Savior and those in His company, and that’s the definition of hell.

We have to change how we interpret sin and condemnation and damnation. Sometimes the Lord does step in and mete out judgment as needed. Sometimes it’s just us condemning ourselves by refusing the path of healing, peace, and goodness.

For those struggling to forgive

I want to take a moment to talk about forgiveness and what it looks like. Forgiveness is a process that occurs in the heart. Because it’s an internal process, the outward manifestation can look different. Sometimes forgiveness looks like welcoming someone back into your life, and sometimes forgiveness looks like stepping away from someone for the rest of your life. Look at Nephi. He was commanded by the Lord to leave his brothers behind, and they did not reconnect in this life. Forgiveness does not always look the same on the outside, and it doesn’t mean that you have to invite a dangerous person back into your life.

But let’s examine forgiveness in the heart for a moment.

Doctrine and Covenants 64:11 And ye ought to say in your hearts–let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.

God will judge, and He will judge perfectly.

Forgiving doesn’t mean the other person gets off easily. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re enabling them to go on hurting others. That’s not what forgiveness is about. God sees all, and He will judge accordingly. He’s not going to let someone come into heaven and destroy it with manipulation or harm. I think sometimes we’re afraid to forgive because we’re afraid of getting hurt. Fortunately, we have a loving Heavenly Father who separates people according to the goodness they offer those around them. If He has forgiven someone, it’s because they’re prepared to be different.

Going back to our previous example, I’m going to postulate again. In this specific imaginary scenario, I believe that the girl (the one who Heavenly Father judged was safe and worthy) will be so grateful for her healed mind. I believe that despite what she went through, she will also feel horrified by how her actions harmed another person. I believe that so much of what we experience in the next life is coming to terms with what happened to us and what we did to others in our mortal life.

You can let go and trust God to handle it perfectly. You can trust that you’re safe and will be healed. That is a process, and you don’t need to harangue yourself if it takes a while, but working towards it will free you. Forgiveness has everything to do with you and finding peace again. If you want to heal from damage caused by another person, you have to dig down deep and find love for that person. You have to sincerely want them to heal and make better choices and stop harming others. That is where you’re going to find the freedom and peace the Lord means for you to have.

I testify of a loving Savior who will protect and heal the innocent. I testify of a Father in Heaven who is a perfect judge. I testify that He teaches us principles that are meant to bless us, and I testify that forgiveness is one of those principles.

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Overcoming Fear, Comparison, and Inaction in the Light of ChristWhat does it really mean to be ready to meet the Savior—at His Second Coming or at the end of our mortal journey?

In his message Personal Preparation to Meet the Savior, Elder Dale G. Renlund teaches that Christ’s return should not fill us with fear, but with hope. Using three parables from Matthew 25, Elder Renlund outlines a pattern of preparation not based on dramatic change or public deeds, but on quiet, faithful consistency.

At the heart of this preparation is a personal reckoning: Are we living as the Savior invited us to live—or are we holding back out of fear, comparison, or self-doubt? Elder Renlund urges us to:

Overcome fear by trusting Christ more than uncertainty.
Stop comparing by recognizing that the Lord measures our faithfulness, not our resumes.
Act in faith with what we uniquely have, knowing that our offerings, however small, are precious to Him.

These teachings are not abstract ideals—they are the daily, deliberate choices of discipleship. Whether we meet the Savior at His coming or at our life’s end, Elder Renlund reminds us that we prepare by living our covenants, serving others, and embracing the person God created us to become.

Apologetic Issues: Readiness and Individual Worth in ChristCriticism: The Church teaches that Latter-day Saints must earn their way into heaven by being good enough, which causes unnecessary fear and perfectionism.

Response: Elder Renlund directly addresses this fear-based misconception: “God will be disappointed if we do not rely upon the merits, mercy, and grace of the Savior.” Latter-day Saint doctrine affirms that we are saved by Jesus Christ, not by our own perfection. Personal preparation does not mean performing flawlessly—it means trusting the Savior, repenting daily, and moving forward with hope. The parables Renlund teaches from (especially the wise virgins and talents) demonstrate that the Lord does not expect us to have identical gifts or results—only faith-filled effort rooted in covenant trust. The Savior’s grace magnifies our sincere efforts, no matter how small, and prepares us to meet Him.

Common Fallacy: Straw Man – Misrepresenting someone’s position to make it easier to attack.
This criticism misrepresents Latter-day Saint beliefs by creating a straw man, suggesting that we believe in salvation by self-sufficiency.Correction: True doctrine emphasizes covenant partnership with Christ. As we do our part—however imperfectly—He fulfills the rest with mercy, power, and love.

Social Issue: Comparison Culture and Spiritual AnxietyQuestion: If I’m not as spiritual, talented, or successful as others, does that mean I’m not ready to meet God? The effects of Comparison Culture and Spiritual Anxiety.

Response: Elder Renlund offers a powerful reassurance: “That we may start with differing abilities is irrelevant to Him. And it should be to us.” The Lord judges our hearts, not our highlight reels. The parable of the talents teaches that the reward was the same for both servants who magnified their gifts—regardless of how much they were originally given. Fear, comparison, and hesitation come from the adversary. Christ invites us to prepare by becoming our best selves, not someone else’s version of righteousness.

Common Fallacy: False Equivalence – Treating two unequal things as if they are the same.
This concern commits a False Equivalence Fallacy, assuming that differing spiritual gifts or outward accomplishments equal differing value in God’s eyes.
Correction: Readiness is not measured by outward status, but by inward commitment and humble effort.

Apologetic Application: Divine Stewardship and Individual AccountabilityCore Doctrine: God entrusts each soul with divine gifts, and He holds us accountable not for equality of outcome, but for faithful effort. This stewardship model is rooted in love, agency, and grace—not perfectionism or performance pressure.

The doctrine of divine stewardship teaches that God entrusts each of us with unique abilities, opportunities, and spiritual responsibilities—and that He judges us not by comparison with others, but by our individual faithfulness. As taught in Doctrine and Covenants 11:7, “every man may receive his own reward, according to his own labor,” and Mosiah 4:27 reminds us that the Lord does not require more than we have the strength to give. Elder Renlund builds on this eternal principle through the parable of the talents, affirming that what matters most is not how much we begin with, but how faithfully we magnify our God-given stewardship. Our efforts must be rooted not in fear or perfectionism, but in trusting “the merits, mercy, and grace of the Savior” to lift and magnify what we offer.

Defending Core Beliefs1⃣ Salvation is through Christ, not performance. Some critics claim that Latter-day Saints believe salvation must be earned through personal righteousness or works-based perfection. But the restored gospel clearly teaches that we are saved by grace through the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. Our actions—like keeping covenants, serving others, and repenting—are not attempts to earn heaven but demonstrations of our faith in the Savior and willingness to follow Him. As Elder Renlund teaches, God will be disappointed not if we fail to be perfect, but if we fail to trust Christ enough to magnify what we’ve been given. Our works are the fruit of discipleship, not the currency of salvation.

2⃣ Spiritual success is unique, not uniform. A frequent misconception is that faithful discipleship in the Church looks the same for everyone—public callings, confident testimonies, measurable results. But Elder Renlund affirms that God honors individual effort, not comparison. Whether we begin with five talents or one, what matters to the Lord is our willingness to act in faith with what we’ve been given. “That we may start with differing abilities is irrelevant to Him. And it should be to us.” In other words, the covenant path is deeply personal. It includes quiet service, unseen growth, and small victories—each sacred to God. Readiness to meet the Savior is not about visibility; it’s about sincere, covenantal living in partnership with Christ.

Practical Apologetic Use: This doctrine clarifies that God’s expectations are individually tailored and merciful. It removes shame from spiritual comparison and replaces it with Christ-centered accountability. For those who feel “not enough,” this doctrine reorients the question from “Am I as good as others?” to “Am I offering what I uniquely can?”

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsDivine Stewardship Then and Now: Trusting the Lord with Our Unique Gifts

In August 1831, several elders returned from visiting Zion without having shared the gospel as they were commanded. Some were bold, but others had hesitated—“because of the fear of man” (D&C 60:2). The Lord’s response was not harsh condemnation, but clear, compassionate correction:

“Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).

Like the Savior’s parable of the talents (Matthew 25), these revelations underscore a timeless truth: God gives us specific gifts and expects us to use them faithfully, not fearfully. This principle echoes through Elder Renlund’s talk, where he reminds us that:

“The Savior expects us to use our gifts, talents, and abilities to bless the lives of Heavenly Father’s children, especially the most vulnerable and needy.”

The revelations in Doctrine and Covenants 60–63 reinforce the same spiritual pattern Elder Renlund teaches in his message: to overcome fear, stop comparing, and act in faith with what we’ve been given. In D&C 60:2, the Lord gently rebukes those who “hide the talent… because of the fear of man,” and in verse 13, He adds, “Neither shalt thou bury thy talent.” These early disciples were not condemned for failure, but for inaction rooted in fear—just like the unprofitable servant in Christ’s parable. In contrast, D&C 62:3 reassures faithful missionaries that even simple testimonies “are recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon,” and D&C 63:47 promises that “he that is faithful and endureth shall overcome the world.” Taken together, these verses illustrate a clear doctrinal and historical continuity: from New Testament parables to early Restoration revelation to modern apostolic teaching, the Lord consistently invites His followers to trust Him, use their gifts, and prepare to meet Him—not with anxiety, but with humble, faithful effort.

Living Apologetics: Becoming the Disciple God Meant You to Be How can we help others understand that faithful discipleship is not about perfection or comparison, but about acting in trust with what we’ve been given?

Principle in Practice: “Why were you not the man I gave you the capacity to be?”This piercing question from Elder Renlund challenges the idea that we must match others’ gifts, visibility, or impact to matter in the eyes of God. Our faithfulness matters—even when it’s quiet, unseen, or imperfect.

1⃣ Normalize spiritual individuality.Many people—both within and outside the Church—struggle with feeling spiritually inadequate because they don’t serve in visible roles, express themselves eloquently, or have the same spiritual strengths as others. But God’s expectations are not based on comparison but on personal stewardship. A powerful way to offer reassurance is to gently testify that the Lord doesn’t expect uniformity—He expects sincerity and faithfulness in our unique sphere of influence. This doctrine removes shame from spiritual differences and replaces it with divine confidence: “The Lord needs you to be you.”

2⃣ Counter perfectionistic doubts with covenant-centered confidence.It’s common for people to feel overwhelmed by the idea of preparing for the Second Coming or meeting the Savior, especially when they view spiritual readiness as a standard of flawlessness. Elder Renlund helps shift that mindset by teaching that preparation is not about performance—it’s about faithfulness and trust in Christ’s enabling power. The Savior’s parables show that the real danger is not being imperfect—it’s doing nothing out of fear. The covenant path is not a race to perfection but a steady walk with Jesus, whose “loving assistance” transforms our sincere efforts into something holy. When someone expresses anxiety about not being enough, we can bear testimony that covenant-keeping is not about earning salvation—it’s about building a relationship with Christ, who makes us whole.

Top Apologetic Facts 1. Fearful inaction is spiritually hazardous.In Doctrine and Covenants 60, missionaries were rebuked not for failure, but for fearful inaction—a pattern echoed in the parable of the talents. Both remind us that inaction born of fear is spiritually hazardous.
2. Improvement and progression are individual.Elder Renlund teaches that God’s expectations are shaped by our circumstances and capacity (see also Mosiah 4:27). He does not judge us against others, but invites us to be our best selves through Christ.
3. Consistent, sincere effort pleases God.Sharing your testimony, using your unique gifts, and serving others—even imperfectly—are sacred ways to prepare for the Savior. Consistent, sincere effort matters to God far more than visible success.

Conclusion: Becoming Who God Meant You to BeElder Dale G. Renlund’s message is a powerful reminder that preparing to meet the Savior is not about becoming someone extraordinary—it’s about becoming exactly who God created us to be. We do this by trusting Him enough to overcome fear, letting go of unhelpful comparisons, and acting in faith with whatever gifts He’s entrusted to us.

This doctrine doesn’t just build our personal faith—it offers clarity and hope to those who feel overwhelmed, inadequate, or unsure of their standing before God. Whether you’re helping a friend who feels unworthy, or wrestling with your own fear of not measuring up, Elder Renlund’s message replaces pressure with peace.

Are you becoming the best version of yourself?

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The Church in Ohio, August–November 1831 (D&C sections 63–69)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

President J. Reuben Clark Jr., “When Are the Writings and Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?,” address to Seminary and Institute personnel at BYU, 7 July 1954.
Kirtland, City of Revelation: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast is an eight-part documentary miniseries that explores the way men and women flocked to Kirtland in the 1830s to hear the voice of God through the prophet Joseph Smith. The episodes consider Kirtland as a site of abundant revelation and the place where church leaders organized much of the church. The episodes also illuminate how Joseph Smith was intent on teaching church members in Kirtland how to hear the voice of God themselves. Series host Spencer W. McBride interviewed historians and Church leaders for this podcast.

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Faith and Signsby Autumn Dickson

Ezra Booth was a Methodist preacher who joined the church after witnessing Joseph Smith heal Alice Johnson’s arm. He later left the church and published material that was particularly antagonistic. Despite witnessing a miracle, Ezra didn’t hold on to his faith.

We see this time and time and time again throughout the scriptures. Signs are insufficient conversion tools. I’ve spoken about signs before, but I want to talk about it on a more individual level today. Let’s cover the basics and then bring it into our personal lives. Here is some of what the Lord has to say about seeking signs.

Doctrine and Covenants 63:7, 9

7 And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation.

9 But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.

Let’s break these down just a bit.

Verse 7. He that looks for signs will receive them, but it won’t bring salvation. In my mind, the Lord is saying, “The signs are already there, and I’ll send you signs, but it won’t do you any good because you don’t believe.” The same people will look at the complexity of the earth and see completely different origins. There are signs, but they’re not going to change you or bring you the full extent of happiness if you don’t believe there is a Creator behind it.

Verse 9. You don’t receive faith from signs. You see the signs when you have faith. Faith is a conscious choice that you make of your own accord, and then you start to see. Here is a quote from one of my all-time favorite BYU speeches given by Lawrence E. Corbridge.

“I don’t know if pigs will ever sprout wings and fly, but if they do, flying pigs will never be nearly as amazing as the ordinary pig in the first place.”

If you have faith, the pig is the miracle. Everything the Lord has already given us is a miracle and a “sign.”

Faith comes first.

Now, many of us have already made the conscious choice to believe in the restored gospel. We go to church every week and we attend the temple and pray and follow the commandments. We profess that we believe, so what do these verses mean for us? Let’s look at a few different ways that they could apply to someone who already believes in God.

Revelation

Interestingly enough, there’s another verse from this week that can get tied into the message I’m trying to cover today.

A revelation was given on the banks of the Missouri river. The Lord said a few things in this revelation, but one of the things that He taught these elders was that they could choose to travel how they wanted.

Doctrine and Covenants 62:8 These things remain with you to do according to judgment and the directions of the Spirit.

Revelation can feel tricky, but it’s an enormously powerful tool that is life-changing. I had the fortunate experience of being raised in a home where I was taught to seek revelation, but unfortunately, I occasionally took it to the extreme. I had such a hard time moving forward unless the Lord had told me to do so. I did seek signs for everything, and you can imagine that might cause problems.

Sometimes I would “find” signs that I believed He had sent when it was actually in my own mind. I had a hard time accepting the idea that He was choosing to be silent so that I could make decisions for myself. Other times, I would come to the conclusion that He was mad at me or that I wasn’t being good enough to receive revelation. Other times, I would just panic and stay confused rather than making a decision that sounded good to me.

I often found signs, but they were not unto salvation.

The Lord wants you to make decisions because you’re training to be like Him. He’s not trying to keep you from making mistakes; He is trying to help you gain the wisdom you’ll need to do what He does. There is no other way to do that except for making your own decisions sometimes.

Sometimes we’re worried about jumping in. We’re either scared that we’ll make a mistake, take a route He doesn’t want us to follow, or we’ll somehow shoot ourselves in the foot. In reality, the Lord wants us to have faith. He wants us to trust Him to speak as necessary, course-correct when it matters, and rescue us when we paint ourselves into a corner.

As we move forward with faith in His ability to save, the signs follow! If we take the time to look back prayerfully, we’ll find that He was leading us along the whole time.

Maybe we’re not asking for signs before we’re willing to believe in God, but I do believe that sometimes we ask for signs before we’re willing to believe in Him enough that we can move forward with rejoicing. If we choose to have faith, the signs will follow after.

Feeling love or forgiveness

Here is another potential example of seeking signs because we don’t quite believe in the Savior enough.

I know far too many people who don’t quite feel the love of their Savior. Logically, they can kinda get behind it because it comes along with having a testimony of the restoration. Unfortunately, despite this general testimony of the gospel, it’s still hard for them to dive in and bask in that love and acceptance towards their own person.

This extends to other feelings such as forgiveness. When we’ve made a mistake or when we’re falling prey to a particular flaw, it can be difficult to accept that the Lord has moved on. We want a sign that we really are forgiven. We want some indisputable evidence that we’re okay, and He’s not mad anymore.

Interestingly enough, even when He does give little signs of His forgiveness, we often don’t accept the signs and we cling to those mistakes and flaws.

Trusting that the Savior loves you and forgives you is a conscious act of faith, and the faith comes first! When you have truly chosen that faith, then you have finally reached the point where you’re able to accept the signs.

This circumstance doesn’t translate perfectly, but I want to utilize it anyway because I feel like it makes it more concrete.

Conner and I have been married for eight years. That’s not long, relatively speaking, but I have learned a few lessons along the way. One of those lessons is to trust Conner and his love for me. When we argue, I have learned to find peace in the fact that I know things are going to be just fine. Arguing doesn’t mean we’re going to get divorced. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to be stuck in an unhappy marriage forever. Conner has showed up for me time and time again, and it has taught me that we’re going to come back from whatever we’ve fallen into. I don’t spiral anymore when things aren’t perfect in our marriage.

Conner’s love for me was there anyway. There are plenty of ways that he shows up for me and gives me signs of his love. However, I don’t find peace and “salvation” in that love if I don’t have faith and consequently find all the signs of his love.

Like I said, it doesn’t translate perfectly, but you get the idea. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you even more than Conner loves me. The love is there. All the signs are there, but you can’t see them (or in the very least, you can’t trust them) without faith. Faith has to come first. You have to choose to look at your situation and believe that He loves you. You have to believe that He loves you enough to send challenges but also a Savior to pull you through it. As you choose to look at each situation as a manifestation of His love, I promise that the signs follow. You’ll see them everywhere once you start to choose faith in His love and willingness to forgive.

I testify of a Savior who loves. I testify that He is constantly showing His love. I testify that He is constantly reaching out with that love, but you have to turn on your end of the receiver. Believe and the signs will follow. That extends towards revelation as well. As you trust in Him, you’ll be able to move forward and make decisions. As you keep moving forward, you’ll be able to look back and see the signs that He’s been guiding you all along.

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From Passive Observers to Active Participants in God’s Prophetic Work

Have you ever assumed that the Restoration was something that happened once—and now we’re just meant to follow along?

In his deeply doctrinal message, “The Times of Restitution of All Things,” Elder David A. Bednar challenges that assumption. Quoting Acts 3:21, he draws our attention not just to what God has restored, but what He continues to restitute—through us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized in 1830, yes—but that event was part of a prophesied restitution of all things foretold by prophets throughout time. And we are not merely witnesses to it—we are meant to be agents in it.

Elder Bednar’s invitation is clear: learn the message, prove it for yourself, and act on it. The Restoration isn’t only about what God did through Joseph Smith—it’s about what He is now doing through each of us. So the question is: Are we content to be acted upon? Or will we choose to act in faith as disciples in the final dispensation?

Apologetic Issues: Restoration and ApostasyMisconception: Many members believe the Restoration was a one-time historical event completed through Joseph Smith. Others concede the idea of an “ongoing restoration” but assume that only Church leaders receive revelation and direction, leaving ordinary members to simply follow.

Response: Elder Bednar reframes this entirely: the Restoration was only the beginning of the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21). This restitution includes not only restored priesthood, ordinances, and doctrine—but also our individual participation in fulfilling prophecy. Elder Bednar teaches that each of us is to “learn about and prove this message,” actively preparing the world for the Second Coming.

Common Fallacy: False Dichotomy – Presenting only two options when more exist.
Correction: Elder Bednar adds a third, crucial truth: The Restoration inaugurated a restitution that requires each of us to engage—studying, praying, acting, and helping to fulfill God’s promises.

Criticism: Critics often argue that there was no “Great Apostasy,” and that the early Christian Church has continued uninterrupted through history. In their eyes, the Apostasy is an LDS invention justifying the need for a new Church.

Response: Elder Bednar (quoting the Restoration Proclamation) affirms that after the death of Christ’s original Apostles, “Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth.” The Restoration was not about dismissing past faith, but about restoring priesthood authority, covenants, and organization through a divinely appointed prophet. This directly fulfills the biblical promise of a future restitution.

Common Fallacy: Straw Man – Misrepresenting a position to make it easier to attack.
Correction: The Church does not claim that all truth disappeared—only that authority and fullness had to be restored by divine means.

Apologetic Application: The Apostasy, Restoration and RestitutionCore Doctrine: The Great Apostasy refers to the loss of priesthood authority and gospel fullness. What began with Joseph Smith is part of a broader restitution (Acts 3:21)—one that invites us to actively participate in preparing the world for Christ’s return.

This doctrine helps clarify why the Restoration was not just about correcting teachings or starting a new church—it was about divinely reestablishing Christ’s original authority, ordinances, and covenants. It affirms that the Church today stands not only as a restored institution but as the prophesied means of gathering Israel, sealing families, and preparing for the Second Coming. Recognizing that we live in the era of restitution reframes our role as disciples—not as observers of sacred history, but as active partners in the fulfillment of God’s work on earth.

Defending Core Beliefs

1⃣ The Apostasy and Restoration were prophesied. The Apostasy was prophesied (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Amos 8:11–12), and the Restoration was needed to return authority and ordinances to the earth. Prophets and apostles foresaw a falling away from truth and priesthood power, which made a divine intervention necessary. The Restoration through Joseph Smith wasn’t just a revival—it was a re-establishment of the Church with the same authority and covenants Christ originally gave.

2⃣ Restitution is participatory.
It includes each of us gaining a testimony and acting in faith to help fulfill God’s promises. Rather than being spectators to prophecy, we are agents commissioned to act. Through missionary work, temple service, personal revelation, and teaching others, we take part in the fulfillment of Acts 3:21 as co-laborers in the Lord’s ongoing work.

Practical Apologetic Use: Rather than viewing the Restoration as a completed chapter in Church history, Elder Bednar urges us to see it as the opening act in an ongoing divine process. The year 1830 marked the official organization of the Church, but it was just the beginning of a sweeping restitution that continues to unfold. Understanding this helps us reframe our role—not as bystanders in a finished work, but as engaged participants in the prophesied gathering, teaching, and temple work that defines this dispensation.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsIn Acts 3:21, Peter foretells a future time when God would orchestrate the “restitution of all things.” Elder Bednar links this to modern revelation:

The Savior’s restored Church is being established throughout the world and is the instrument by which God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ.’

Come, Follow Me Connection:This week’s study includes Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–29, a passage that beautifully complements Elder Bednar’s message. The Lord teaches that He does not intend to “command in all things”—instead, He calls us as disciples to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause” and to act “of their own free will.” Elder Bednar’s invitation to “learn about and prove this message” reflects that same divine expectation. We were never intended to experience the Restoration as a passive spectator; each of us is meant to be an active participant through initiative, faith, and agency.

Living Apologetics: How to Apply This Today We are not passive recipients of restored truth—we are participants in the restitution of all things.

Principle in Practice: We need to be engaged in the restitution of all things1⃣ Explain That Priesthood Authority Had to Be Restored:

Many Christians believe that the Church merely needed reformation, not restoration. But Elder Bednar testifies that priesthood authority and saving ordinances were lost and had to be restored by heavenly messengers—not simply rediscovered through scholarship. When someone questions why a Restoration was necessary, explain that authority from God can’t be self-appointed or inherited through tradition; it had to be divinely conferred once again.

2⃣ Emphasize Personal Revelation as a Covenant Expectation:

While we often associate revelation with prophets, Elder Bednar reminds us that each disciple is invited to receive answers and direction from God. Revelation isn’t reserved for leadership—it’s foundational to our covenant relationship with Him. You might say: “One of the greatest truths of the Restoration is that each of us can ask, seek, and receive.”

Top Apologetic Facts 1. The Church Was Organized After Key Restorations – The formal organization of the Church on April 6, 1830, occurred after priesthood authority had been restored by John the Baptist and the Apostles, and the Book of Mormon had been translated and published. This sequence emphasizes that the Church is built upon divinely conferred authority—not human ambition or historical tradition.
2. Restitution Means Ongoing Fulfillment – Restitution, as used in Acts 3:21 and by Elder Bednar, means more than restoring what was lost—it means bringing to pass everything prophesied, promised, and covenanted in all previous dispensations. It includes temple covenants, family sealing, gathering Israel, and preparing for the Second Coming.
3. Testimony Is Gained Through Action – Elder Bednar promises that those who “learn about and prove this message” will be blessed with their own divine witness. This underscores that faith is not passive; it is a process of seeking, acting, and receiving. Living the gospel is how we come to know it is true.

ConclusionThe Restoration of the gospel was not the end of a story—it was the beginning of a divine unfolding. Elder David A. Bednar reminds us that we are not merely inheritors of restored truth, but agents in a continuing restitution—a prophetic work that gathers, heals, and prepares the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

We are invited to learn, to prove, and to act. The Lord trusts us to move forward without needing to be “compelled in all things” (D&C 58:26), and He has placed power within us to participate in fulfilling prophecy, not just observe it.

So let’s ask ourselves: Am I waiting to be acted upon—or am I fully engaged in the restitution of all things?

The Savior’s restored Church is being established throughout the world and is the instrument by which God will ‘gather together in one all things in Christ.’

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“The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions” by Blake T. Ostler at the 2005 FAIR ConferenceI’d like to begin my presentation (there should have been an outline that was handed out that you have in front of you). But I want to begin a bit off outline. I was amused- I was reading this morning that we have (and Chris Buttars is a good friend of mine) and he’s wondering whether he should introduce intelligent design into Utah schools. And I was thinking intelligent design? Chris is a Mormon and he probably doesn’t even realize what he would be teaching isn’t Mormon cosmology.

And I was reading another article—as a matter of fact just last night—about how the Big Bang proved this story of Genesis and I was thinking, apparently the people who read- who know all about the Big Bang have never read Genesis. (Laughter)

CONTINUED HERE

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Align With Himby Autumn Dickson

Trials. There is always something more to say about trials, and that’s what I want to talk about this week. I specifically want to talk about one aspect of trials and how we can sometimes make things harder on ourselves.

Some of the Saints have made it to Missouri this week, and they are disappointed about what they arrived to find. They were looking for Zion and were surprised to find that it had not been built yet. They had just travelled hundreds of miles away from their comfortable homes in New York. Their original destination had been changed when they were kicked off of what was supposed to be their home. As they arrived in Missouri, they didn’t find homes. They found that their journey was just beginning.

The Lord gave Section 58 as a response, and here is one of the things the Lord says.

Doctrine and Covenants 58:3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

As the Saints originally looked around at the undeveloped land, they were probably met with some aches and pains as they remembered what they had back in New York. All they likely saw was a bunch of work they had yet to do. I imagine them receiving these words from the Lord, and I imagine them trying to look at the land with new eyes. They probably tried picturing an industrious, protective community where they could raise their families and build the church. Though they missed their homes, they likely found great comfort in the hope that the Lord had significant plans.

Interestingly enough, they would not live to see the end result of the Lord’s plans for Missouri. We have not yet lived to His plans for Missouri, and so this might seem a bit confusing. They went to build Zion, but it kinda seems like Zion never happened for them. Let’s explore that idea and then apply it to our own lives.

What was the Lord talking about?

I want to bring your attention to the first verse of Section 58 so we can get a better feel for what the Lord is truly talking about.

Doctrine and Covenants 58:1 Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to my word, and learn of me what I will concerning you, and also concerning this land unto which I have sent you.

The people had the land sitting in front of them, and that was in the forefront of their minds. They had just travelled and travelled and travelled in order to arrive at this specific land, so that’s what they were listening for. They were asking themselves, “What would the Lord have us do with the land?” However, look at what the Lord said first. He said, “Listen to what I want concerning YOU, and then we can talk about the land I sent you to.”

Zion is so much more than some land in Missouri. While the Saints were preoccupied with the land, the Lord was preoccupied with His people. It’s always about His people. The Lord designated the physical place of Zion to be in Missouri but acquiring a “Zion people” is the much harder and far more important work of the Lord. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Missouri if you can’t be kind and compassionate and loving to your neighbor. If you are not a Zion-like person, Zion will never exist even if you’re in the right location.

Yes, the Lord speaks about the physical land of Missouri, but try to look at the section with new eyes. Read the section from the Lord’s perspective of trying to build Zion within His people first rather than trying to build cabins, farms, and shops. Utilize this perspective as we look at this next verse in which the Lord describes His purpose for sending His Saints to Missouri specifically.

Doctrine and Covenants 58:7 And also that you might be honored in laying the foundation, and in bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand;

There is a lot we can talk about, but I want to draw attention to one particular phrase, “…that you might be honored in laying the foundation…”

He sent them to Missouri so that they could be honored in laying the foundation of Zion. Maybe they weren’t able to lay the foundation of the temple while they were in Missouri, but they laid a much greater foundation for the rest of us; they did some of the hardest groundwork to prepare for Zion. I don’t think any of us can fully comprehend just how blessed we are to build upon the moral and social foundations that were set down by those who came before us. They did start to build Zion, and they did it in a much more important way than tilling the land and building cabins and infrastructure.

Building you

So how does that translate to us?

My first thought is that we can learn about the differences between the Lord’s focus and what human minds tend to gravitate towards. I suppose I could be wrong, but I would imagine that when the Saints received this revelation, they were gung-ho about physically building up Independence, Missouri. In actuality, the Lord was looking to build His people. And when I say build, I mean that He was going to let them go through really hard things.

We all have to go through trials. They were an absolutely necessary, completely irreplaceable portion of the Plan of Salvation. But interestingly enough, we make those trials much harder when our goals are different from the Lord’s goals.

When you have it in your mind that the Lord wants you to build a cabin, you’re going to get very confused, disheartened, and disillusioned when the cabin doesn’t turn out (or turn up) at all. The Lord doesn’t care about the cabin; He wants to build you. The Lord can rearrange the elements, soften hearts, and add zeros to a bank account. What He refuses to do is take away your agency. Because of this personally imposed stipulation, it is much more difficult for Him to build you. And if He just lets you build the cabin with no obstacles, then it becomes impossible for your character to get built.

So when you run into issues and trials, He isn’t trying to impede your service. He hasn’t abandoned you. He isn’t hiding or uninvolved. It’s not a sign that this isn’t His work or that you’re destined to be a failure. He is doing exactly what He set out to do; He is building you. When you realize that you are His priority, the seeming obstacles pushing back against your goals become stepping stones towards your exaltation.

Because of the trials

Recap thus far. The Lord wanted to build Zion. The people thought He meant that they needed to build infrastructure in Independence, Missouri. That is an eventual goal of His, but more importantly, He wanted to build a Zion-people. You can’t actually build Zion when the people aren’t ready. Any disappointment on the part of the Saints likely stemmed from their inaccurate assumptions about the Lord’s purposes.

As I was reading through this, I thought of my husband. And since he doesn’t read or listen to my stuff, I’m going to talk about him.

My husband is an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur can come with a lot of awesome perks, but there are also plenty of downsides. He has met plenty of people who have told him that he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. He has gotten plenty of negative reviews on what he’s trying to accomplish. He has hit obstacle after obstacle after obstacle.

And after a while, those things add up and start to affect him. He has expressed the sentiment that he feels like a failure, and he has expressed it hundreds of times.

We’ve always had what we needed even when things got rocky, but the combined weight of negative opinions tends to pull his focus away from the ways he’s been absolutely successful.

When he says, “I’m a failure,” it’s because he is looking in the mirror and saying, “I haven’t reached the goals I had for this point in my life. I’m not providing the kind of life that I wanted for my family, etc., etc.”

When I look at our life together, I’ve seen anything but failure. However, let’s imagine for a second that he has failed as an entrepreneur. It sucks. It’s not fun. It hurts when you have goals that don’t come together in the way that you want them to, and that disappointment can come back to bite you frequently.

Do you know what helps that specific kind of trial? Realigning your goals with the goals of the Lord. He’s not specifically looking for successful businessmen, perfect homemakers, or anything else you could possibly have a goal about. He’s looking to build you into someone who can build heaven.

Doctrine and Covenants 58:3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

All of those obstacles that my husband has faced combined with all of the times that he has stood back up counts for something. And it counts for something incredibly important. Even if we were to lose everything, the effort he has put into his goals aren’t wasted. Rather, if he can switch his mindset to align with the Lord’s, my husband will find plenty of successful moments.

And interestingly enough, if Conner had never met some of those business “failures” he would have never been able to find those spiritual successes.

I testify that you can’t lose when you’re aligned with the Lord. Every mistake, failure, flaw, and obstacle can transform into the desperately needed stepping stones towards exaltation when you take advantage of the atonement of Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean there won’t be disappointment, but even disappointment turns into glory when you stay close to the Lord. I testify that we do not yet have eyes to see everything that the Lord wants to create within us, but I do know that it’s better than we can imagine.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 58–59 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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The rise & fall of the Jaredites(Ether 1–3, 6–11, 13–15)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

[The below is additional content not included in Mike Parker’s original lesson]This video by Charles Dike from FAIR’s 2023 Defending the Book of Mormon Virtual Conference offers additional insights on the Jaredite voyage:

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ether 1–3, 6–11, 13–15 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

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Faith-Building Experiencesby Autumn Dickson

We have now moved into the book of Ether. Though the people described in the book of Ether occurred before the rest of The Book of Mormon, this record was inserted towards the end of The Book of Mormon. Moroni was the one who worked to add these plates to the records that had been kept by the Nephites. Though the book of Ether ends in tragedy, there are also recorded stories of extremely righteous people.

The brother of Jared was one such righteous person. After a series of experiences led by the hand of the Lord, the brother of Jared had the veil removed from his eyes and he was able to behold the Lord.

Ether 3:13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

The brother of Jared achieved the end that we should seek. He was redeemed from the fall and brought back into the presence of God. I often speak about how heaven can be experienced on earth. I’m convinced that this is yet another aspect of heaven that we can receive before we cross over to the other side. The Lord isn’t waiting for us to die before He redeems us from the fall and pulls us back into His presence; He is merely waiting for us to be prepared.

The book of Ether is one of my favorite books of scripture because on a minute, digestible scale, the Lord teaches us the kind of experiences we need to have in order to be prepared for what He wants to give us as soon as we are ready. There are many events and principles experienced by the brother of Jared in preparation to receive the Lord. I won’t be able to cover all of them. However, let’s cover a couple of the experiences that build enough faith for the Savior to take full effect in the life of an individual.

Observing, listening, and asking

As Jared and his brother watched the people around them building the Tower of Babel, they grew concerned. They were in the midst of wickedness. Jared asked his brother to pray to the Lord for deliverance from the confounding of languages. The Lord did so. This is something that is often natural. Something frightening is happening around us, and we want to be protected from it. As the Lord shows up repeatedly, our faith builds in His abilities and desire to take care of us.

But there’s another part of this story that I think comes less naturally. It’s no less important; it just tends to require a bit of extra conscious effort. Not only does Jared ask his brother to pray to the Lord to avoid the language problem, but he specifically asks the following.

Ether 1:38 And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.

This request from Jared is a little bit different than the other one. It’s different from the time that Lehi and his family were warned by the Lord to flee Jerusalem. This extremely specific question indicates a spiritual maturity in Jared. When I read that verse, I see how the Holy Ghost has been whispering to Jared, hinting at future events and actions that need to take place. Not only does Jared ask, “Should we leave?” Jared sensed that there was something prepared for his family, and proactively worked to achieve that end.

I think it’s important to understand that each of us has somewhere we need to be. Maybe it’s not a specific location or job or ward. Maybe it’s not a specific park at a specific time to meet a specific person who needs our specific help. However, we all made promises before we came here. Understanding that can help us to proactively seek out any steps we might be missing. It helps us work to be anxiously engaged.

A few years ago, I watched my husband’s assumed and hoped-for future taken away from him. And though I knew it was important to let him deeply grieve what he had lost, the Spirit was whispering to me that there was somewhere else he needed to be to fulfill the promises he had made before coming here. I could feel it so clearly. It took years, but we’re starting to see the path he’s been led to.

We are not the Lord’s prophet. We do not have jurisdiction over the church, to guide it and receive revelation about where to take it. But we do each have a jurisdiction, even if it’s just in our families. I believe there are sacred times in our lives where the Lord will whisper to us about future events; He will whisper to us that we should make proactive changes that will take us places we would otherwise miss. Being prepared to receive those small-scale prophesies on behalf of our families increases faith. And it is faith that prepares us to be redeemed from the fall.

We see the opposite side of this, when Jared and his family were not being proactive. The families went as far as the seashore, pitched their tents, and they simply stopped. They stayed there for four years. Maybe they completely forgot the Lord and didn’t call on Him at all. Maybe they simply got distracted in the midst of trying to survive, and they stopped listening for the next steps they needed to take. They didn’t go anywhere. They weren’t moving forward. They were living, but they weren’t moving.

It’s important to note that following the path the Lord would have you take isn’t always super clear. There have been plenty of times in my life where I felt really insecure about where I was supposed to be. There have been plenty of times that things have felt blank, and He hasn’t been telling me anything. I have learned that sometimes we’re already on the right path, and He doesn’t need to change anything so He doesn’t say anything. Just because you’re not directly feeling those whisperings doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. I’m not telling you that you’re messing up if you haven’t felt those whisperings. I’m trying to encourage you to develop that open stance towards the Lord. I’m trying to encourage you to direct your eyes toward Him, make decisions about what you want in life, and keep an ear open in case He has something to add. Sometimes He is leading us quietly towards those promises we made without whispering ahead of time. The key is to be the kind of person who’s listening so He can easily speak.

Obeying and planning

After building the barges and coming across two new obstacles, the brother of Jared once again turns to the Lord. He asks how they’ll be able to get air and how they’ll be able to get light. The Lord teaches the brother of Jared what to do in order to get air, and the brother of Jared obeys. He then asks the Lord once again about the light.

This time the Lord responds differently. He asks the brother of Jared what he wants the Lord to do for him. The brother of Jared decides to prepare stones for the Lord to touch and light up. The Lord acquiesces.

These are two principles that I paired together hoping that the contrast between the two would help us better see them as separate experiences. It’s important to have both kinds of experiences to build our faith. The first is simple obedience. Obedience builds faith because we follow the Lord according to His foreknowledge and later on, when we see the blessings of that obedience, we realize the Lord really does know what He’s talking about. Obedience is taught often. Most of us have an understanding of the principle of obedience.

The second experience is slightly different. It’s not just obedience. The Lord is pushing the brother of Jared to choose for himself. The Lord wants him to solve the problem, and He will provide the support. If you’ve studied child development or parenting styles, you learn just how cool the Lord is.

We have learned that doing everything for our kids can actually cause a lot of problems. When we step in again and again to solve things for them, we’re teaching them that they can’t do it. We’re teaching them that they’re inherently too small or unskilled to handle problems and come up with solutions. The Lord wants us to feel a power within ourselves, a power that is inherently there because we are His children.

I had a friend once express to me that she thought it was pretty sacrilegious to believe that the Lord was trying to exalt us, to push us to grow and develop. She believed we were sent here to simply worship and praise and let Him carry us. I don’t mock this belief; sometimes I think we need more of the belief that He’s willing to carry us more than we allow. However, I want you to imagine these two different parenting styles in a home.

One parent is allowing their kids to struggle and come up with solutions. They’re providing grounds for creativity and offering support as needed. They want this child to grow to be independent, to love themselves and feel capable and confident. They want their child to experience all of the joy that comes with consciously building a full life. They want their child to have everything they have, if not more.

The second parent handles everything. The overarching theme in the home is that the child is simply unworthy and can’t do anything, and mom and dad are just these fantastic people who are going to swoop in and take care of absolutely everything. The idea that the child should grow up independent and capable is actually kind of offensive. The parents should handle everything, and they should be utterly admired for it for the rest of their lives.

I ask you. Which home produces the child who “worships” their parents more? Which child is going to grow up believing that their parents really did give them everything? Which child feels like the parent is focused on them rather than on their own personal, high status?

Being obedient absolutely builds our faith. I will also tell you that the opportunities I’ve had to make decisions and be supported by a loving Father in Heaven has built my faith just as much, if not more, than the simple decisions of obedience. I feel an immense amount of hero-worship and gratitude towards the Lord when He has allowed me to build and create and learn something for myself. I have felt my faith develop as I’ve recognized how my obedience to His word has uplifted, blessed, and protected. I have also felt a tremendous amount of faith develop when I’ve felt Him building me, investing in me. He’s not looking to keep me down and feeling unworthy on some level far below Him. I know I’m unworthy. I know I didn’t earn these gifts He’s giving me. I also know He loves me enough to build me beyond that unworthiness, and I love Him all the more for it.

There are many sacred mini-stories and principles here in the first few chapters of Ether. We have heard of prophetic experiences and visions of the Lord. This is one of those times that we get to watch the brother of Jared move through his life, learning the lessons and building the faith that will prepare him to welcome the Lord into His life.

I testify of a Heavenly Father who loves us. I testify that He wants to lead us through specific life experiences that will build our faith sufficiently that we can be prepared to enter His presence again. I testify that Christ paid for us to come down here and have those specific experiences.

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How can we find answers to spiritual questions in a world full of doubt and uncertainty? For many, questions about the gospel, Church history, and personal faith can be complex and emotionally charged. Sister Tracy Y. Browning’s talk, “Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions,” offers profound insights into navigating spiritual curiosity with patience, trust, and a willingness to follow God’s guidance, even when answers seem elusive.

In her message, Sister Browning underscores that questioning is an essential part of spiritual growth. The gospel invites us to seek truth with a sincere heart and “real intent,” trusting that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will guide us “line upon line, precept upon precept.” For those who struggle with faith questions, her counsel offers a hopeful roadmap.

Common Questions, Misconceptions, and CriticismsDoctrineMany faith questions revolve around the nature of God, revelation, and eternal progression. Sister Browning’s talk addresses common questions about whether God answers us in real-time and how much of His plan is available to our understanding right now.

Does the Church’s belief in a corporeal God conflict with traditional Christian teachings about the Trinity?
- Response: Traditional Christian views of the Trinity describe God as one essence in three persons without a physical body.The LDS doctrine of God teaches that Heavenly Father has a glorified, tangible body, as described in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.” Latter-day Saints believe this distinction aligns with biblical accounts of God appearing in physical form, such as Moses speaking with God “face to face” (Exodus 33:11).
- Common Fallacies: Straw Man Fallacy: Critics may misrepresent LDS beliefs by implying that Latter-day Saints worship a “different God” entirely. However, Latter-day Saints worship the same God of the Bible, with a different understanding of His nature. Appeal to Tradition: Some argue that the Trinity has been accepted for centuries, and thus alternative views are invalid. However, early Christian writings indicate a diversity of thought about God’s nature.
- Resources: FAIR: The Nature of God; LDS Gospel Topics Essay: The Godhead
Why does the Church teach that humans can become like God (deification), and is this doctrine biblical?
- Response: The doctrine of deification, or theosis, teaches that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, humans can become like God and inherit all that He has. This belief is rooted in scripture, such as Romans 8:16-17, which states that we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ,” and 2 Peter 1:4, which invites us to become “partakers of the divine nature.” Early Christian leaders like Irenaeus and Athanasius also wrote about the idea of deification.
- Common Fallacies: False Dilemma: Critics may assert that believing in deification conflicts with worshiping God alone, but Latter-day Saints maintain that our exaltation glorifies God, as it is through His power and grace that this transformation is possible. Ad Hominem: Some may dismiss this belief by labeling it as self-aggrandizing, rather than engaging with its scriptural and historical basis.
- Resources: FAIR: Deification; LDS Gospel Topics Essay: Becoming Like God; Article: Theosis: The Early Christian Doctrine of Divinization (BYU Studies)

History Is ongoing revelation through modern prophets a contradiction to the Bible’s teaching of sola scriptura (scripture alone)? * + Response:Latter-day Saints believe that God continues to guide His children through modern revelation, as promised in Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” This belief does not diminish the importance of the Bible but builds on the principle that God’s word is “quick” (living and active) (Hebrews 4:12). * + Common Fallacies: Circular Reasoning: Critics who advocate for sola scriptura (the idea that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority) often use the Bible itself to argue that no other scripture or revelation is valid. This is an example of circular reasoning because they are using the Bible to prove a conclusion that relies on the Bible being the only source of authority, essentially assuming their conclusion is true from the start. Slippery Slope: Some claim that accepting modern revelation opens the door to false prophets, ignoring safeguards like scriptural consistency and spiritual confirmation. * + Resources:* FAIR: Modern Revelation; LDS Gospel Topics Essay: Revelation

Defending Divine DoctrinesDoctrinal Emphasis:Sister Browning speaks about the importance of obedience to God’s laws, even when understanding is incomplete. She highlights Adam’s willingness to obey without full understanding as a model of faithful obedience, noting that obedience often precedes understanding. Her emphasis on obedience to divine law as a gateway to personal revelation counters criticisms that God’s commandments are restrictive.

Application:This emphasis helps to clarify misunderstandings about why LDS members place such importance on faith and obedience. Sister Browning explains that faith does not mean having all the answers but rather embracing the journey of spiritual discovery as a sacred, step-by-step process with God as our guide.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsContextual BackgroundHistorically, Latter-day Saints have encountered criticisms regarding doctrines like eternal progression and revelation. Sister Browning’s talk places these in the context of patiently seeking truth and recognizing divine timing. Her emphasis on the role of the Holy Ghost as a “personal teacher” offers a useful perspective when responding to criticisms about revelatory practices in the Church.

Resources for Deeper Understanding

The FAIR article on The Nature of God and this talk “We Can Do Better and Be Better” provide insights that reinforce Sister Browning’s counsel to trust in divine timing.

Living ApologeticsPractical ApplicationTo live the principles Sister Browning teaches, individuals can begin by applying her counsel to daily spiritual practices. Here are practical ways to cultivate a deeper, trust-filled faith:

Respectful Dialogue: When addressing sensitive topics with others, use Sister Browning’s approach of encouraging sincere questioning without contention. Listen thoughtfully and answer questions by sharing your personal journey.
Faith in Action: Take your concerns to the Lord with “real intent,” as Sister Browning suggests, meaningfully committing to accept and follow His guidance.

Faith in ActionReflect on Sister Browning’s teachings and how they resonate with your personal experiences of seeking answers. Consider journaling your thoughts and feelings of your own faith journey.

Quick Reference: Key Defenses and FactsDefensive Highlights:

Seeking Truth: Trust that Heavenly Father has a timing for each of us, and revelation often requires waiting and preparation.
Divine Guidance: Faithful obedience prepares us to receive further understanding, even when it’s difficult to comprehend immediately.
Living Prophets: Prophets provide modern-day revelation to help navigate today’s unique challenges. Sister Browning’s counsel aligns with President Nelson’s encouragement to seek guidance through prayer and study.

Top Apologetic Facts:

Revelation is Continuous and Essential: The belief in ongoing revelation distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other Christian denominations. Revelation is not confined to ancient scripture but continues today through prophets (as affirmed in Amos 3:7) and personal spiritual guidance. This underscores the doctrine that God’s communication with His children is active and personalized.
Trust in God’s Timing and Wisdom: The principle of receiving truth “line upon line” (2 Nephi 28:30) teaches patience and trust in divine timing. Answers to spiritual questions often come incrementally as individuals are spiritually prepared to receive them. This prioritizes individual readiness by obedience and faith.
Obedience Precedes Understanding: As illustrated by Adam’s obedience in offering sacrifices (Moses 5:5-7), obedience often lays the foundation for deeper spiritual insight. Sister Browning emphasizes that obeying God’s commandments even without complete understanding invites greater revelation.
Faith and Questions are Compatible: Asking questions is not seen as a sign of weak faith but as a precursor to spiritual growth. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches that questions lead to learning and deeper understanding.

Conclusion

Encouragement and Reflection:
Sister Browning’s talk offers a profound reminder that faithful seeking is a journey that requires trust, patience, and obedience. Her insights reassure us that Heavenly Father is intimately aware of our sincere questions and will provide answers that lead us closer to Him. Consider how you can apply these teachings in your life, especially in moments of uncertainty. What can you do today to practice faith while waiting for answers?

“Our sincere gospel questions can provide Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with opportunities to help us grow.” Tracy Y. Browning

Share your insightYour thoughts and experiences can help others along their journey. Share them below, and let’s continue this conversation on sustaining the Savior’s light together.

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Moroni’s commentary on the Jaredites & the Nephites(Mormon 8–9, Ether 4–5 & 12, Moroni 1–6)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Sidney B. Sperry, professor of religion at BYU (1932–1971), conjectured that Moroni₂ wrote his material in the Book of Mormon in several stages, composing the Title Page in between. See “Moroni the Lonely: The Story of the Writing of the Title-Page to the Book of Mormon,” Improvement Era 47, no. 2 (February 1944): 83, 116, 118.
Moroni₂ informed us that the script he and other Nephite writers used was called, by them, “the reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32). There are numerous examples of Egyptian writing being modified and used by other cultures; see William J. Hamblin, “Reformed Egyptian,” FARMS Review 19, no. 1 (2007): 31–35.
Both Moroni 4:2 and D&C 20:76 instruct the entire congregation to kneel when the sacrament prayers are offered. This practice was observed in the restored Church during the nineteenth century, but slowly fell into disuse in the early twentieth century. In 1902 Church President Joseph F. Smith wrote an editorial instructing that this practice “may be regulated by the presiding authority, according to local surroundings, circumstances, and conditions.” Joseph F. Smith, “Questions and Answers: On Administering the Sacrament,” Improvement Era 5, no. 6 (April 1902): 473–74.

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Trusting the True Godby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters for this week, Mormon writes his last testimony before Moroni takes the record and begins some of his first writings. Moroni is alone. His people have been wiped out. His father was killed. He has no friends. Even before everyone was wiped out, he was surrounded by people who were bitter and bloodthirsty. Moroni knows what it means to be lonely.

As he is wandering the wilderness, grieving and listening carefully for the Lamanites who are hunting down all the Nephites, he chooses to engrave upon the plates left by his father. In the midst of everything that must have been pressing in on him, Moroni chose to share messages that would point us to Christ.

Here is one such message. I share only the beginning of the verse.

Mormon 8:10 And there are none that do know the true God save it be the disciples of Jesus…

The true God was unknown to these people. Moroni goes on to testify of a time when the knowledge of this true God would be restored to the people, but it would be a long time before that occurred. The Book of Mormon would be brought forth for the express purpose of helping restore true knowledge about God, but for now, these people lived without that knowledge.

What do our lives look like when we know Him? How do we feel? How do we change and act when we know the true God?

The next step in faith

When we know the true God, with all of His loving and wise characteristics, we change how we interact with Him. Knowing Him, in the way you know any kind of trustworthy and uplifting person, changes how you approach Him and how you follow Him. I’ve talked a lot about faith in the form of obedience as well as faith in the form of trust. Both are absolutely essential, but I want to talk about faith in another light today. It goes along with the same idea of trust, but I’d like to delve deeper into that specific avenue.

There comes a point in your faith where you really believe He is there. You start to feel a quiet confidence that He is present and has blessed your life. This makes you feel safe about your future. It’s a good feeling to believe that there is a wise, loving, and powerful Being on your side.

But Heavenly Father likes to take our faith beyond that step. He wants to turn our transactional faith into a transformational faith. Heavenly Father wants to bring our faith to the point where we trust Him and not just the positive outcomes in our lives. It’s no longer about following Him because we get a reward when we do what is right. Learning to trust in this manner is a process that occurs in your mind and heart and can feel somewhat nebulous. Let’s look at it in a more concrete example so that we can more readily apply it internally.

I’m imagining a child. This child has good parents who have shown up repeatedly to help them have the resources and support they need. These good parents have also helped the child to grow independent in appropriate ways. The child sees the good outcomes, and they choose to follow their parents because they see that it’s bringing what they need.

Now I imagine the house of this child is on fire one night. The child wakes up and finds it difficult to breathe. They’re old enough to understand that there’s danger, and they want to get out of the house. They climb off their bed and open their door to find their dad on his hands and knees in front of the door. The child trusts dad so they follow his example and get lower.

But here comes the difference between trusting God and trusting positive outcomes.

The child is primed to start crawling down the stairs after dad to get out of the house as quickly as possible, but dad does something unanticipated. He does not start crawling towards the stairs, but instead, he starts crawling the opposite direction back towards his room. The child logically knows that the wise move would be to get out of the house. Why is dad taking them away from safety? Doesn’t dad love them and want to protect them? Doesn’t dad know better?

There is a crossroads here that would likely occur in a split second in the situation of a house fire, but in real life it might take a lot of time and a myriad of decisions. We all come to a crossroads in our life where we have to decide whether we’re going to follow our Heavenly Father in a direction we don’t understand or even like. We all are going to arrive at a critical juncture where we decide whether we’re going to try and convince Heavenly Father to follow our knowledge or whether we’re going to trust what we’ve experienced of Him. We’re going to reach a point where we say, “Why are things going this way? Can’t you change this?”

This is the moment where we decide whether we trust God as Himself or whether we trust the positive outcomes He’s given us so far in our lives.

In regards to our fire example, the child doesn’t understand why dad is headed away from the front door. The child knows that getting to the front door and out of the house is the right choice. But the child also inherently feels this trust in their father that has been built from a lifetime of choices. The child chooses to follow dad back to his room. Once they’re in the room, the child feels dad putting his hands on their waist before being hoisted up and out of a window into mom’s arms to climb down a ladder that is hanging over the side of the window.

Do we trust outcomes or do we trust God? There is a difference. Trusting God means following Him when you feel like He’s headed in the wrong direction (or even not moving fast enough in what you perceive as the right direction), whether that’s in your personal life and circumstances or things you don’t understand in the church.

Allowing the struggle instead of explaining Himself

It would be so much easier if God would just explain that He was leading us to the window, but if He did, it wouldn’t give us the opportunity to trust Him as He is. And trusting Him on a deeper level is crucial to our development. He has to give us opportunities for imperfect circumstances so we can choose to trust Him and not just rely on the positive outcomes. Allowing us to struggle in our understanding of His decisions takes our relationship with Him beyond the transactional into the transformational.

The world will tell you to trust yourself and demand better. I’m telling you that God sees things you don’t and will lead you towards the right path according to everything He sees. You’re going to have to make the decision about which path you’re going to take. You’re going to have to reflect on your own experiences and make decisions about whether you believe God is involved and whether He is worthy of your trust.

Withholding your heart prevents the process

If you’re going to make the decision to follow God, you have to do it with your heart. Simply doing it with your actions will simply leave you feeling conflicted. When you choose to act without your heart, all you receive is a feeling of cognitive dissonance. Merely acting is insufficient; it will only leave you with discontent.

Let’s make it concrete again. Following the Lord and doing what He says but withholding your heart looks like the child who decided to follow their father but is following him while crawling backwards and constantly looking at the stairs. The child isn’t going to feel peace while staring at the stairs and wondering if they really made the right decision to follow dad. They’re going to be constantly worrying. In our imaginary scenario, the child will likely make it to the bedroom and out the window before they decide to bolt for the stairs. But in real life, that hallway can get really, really long. It can stretch out for a long time before you get to the window. There are answers and perspectives that can bless you just as the window blesses the child, but you won’t stick around long enough to find those blessings if you withhold your heart from the Lord in the process of following Him. You’ll leave for the stairs before He can lead you to the window.

On the plus side, that hallway can stretch on forever, but it doesn’t have to be a painful experience. If you choose to turn around with your heart and trust the Lord (not just follow, but trust), He can give you the assurance you need to make it to the window. If you’re going to try the experiment of following Him, it won’t do you any good unless you surrender your heart. You have to say, “Okay God, I don’t understand but I’m going to trust you. Please don’t let me down.” You may not get to the window immediately, but you’ll feel enough peace to believe that the window exists. You’ll feel enough peace to keep moving down the hallway after Him.

This process will likely need to get repeated over time, whether with new circumstances or the same issue over and over and over.

Moroni trusted the true God

Moroni trusted his Heavenly Father. After talking about the destruction of his people as well as his immense loneliness, he testifies that the hand of the Lord “hath done it.” Moroni’s life was tragic. From what we know of his life, I don’t see much respite. I don’t see the positive outcomes.

But I know what Moroni saw. No matter how cruel life can get, it feels different when you have a loyal, wise, good friend to stand by you. Moroni experienced the Lord as Himself. He experienced the true God. He was probably given tender mercies along the way, but the real experience that Moroni had was getting to know Christ as He was.

I can be going through something terrible and still be able to recognize the goodness emanating from one of my friends. My children build their trust on the positive experiences they have with me. They are learning to continue trusting when I choose things for them that they don’t like. Moroni had moved beyond this elementary understanding of, “I do this good thing and get this good outcome.”

Moroni trusted God and not just his immediate outcomes. Moroni experienced the true God, and it enabled him to stick around in the midst of tragedy.

I testify of a Heavenly Father who is worth trusting. I testify that He is leading us exactly where we are supposed to be. I testify that He can lead us individually, to enlighten and teach us, and I also testify that He guides the church through His prophets. We can trust the prophets. I testify that He can bring peace when we choose to surrender our hearts so that we don’t have to wander in complete darkness. He can help us understand we’re on the right path even if we don’t see the window yet.

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What might we each consider as “weapons of rebellion” in our own lives? Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s talk, “Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion,” invites each of us to lay aside any resistance we feel toward God’s will. Rebellion, whether active or passive, can manifest in ways we might not immediately recognize (see Rebellion, Rebel). For those struggling with doubts, questions, or a tendency to disregard divine direction, Elder Christofferson’s words offer a path back to peace through repentance, humility, and surrender to God’s guidance. His talk draws on powerful stories from the Book of Mormon and Church history, reminding us that no one’s past is beyond God’s reach.

Rebellion, as explained in the talk, includes anything that draws us away from God. This includes passive resistance, such as choosing our own path over God’s. Elder Christofferson gently clarifies that this isn’t about strict conformity but about learning humility.

This message resonates with the Come, Follow Me curriculum for this week as we study Mormon 1-6, where we see the devastating effects of hard-heartedness. Elder Christofferson encourages us to examine our own spiritual weapons, from resentment to self-righteousness, and to replace them with a desire to follow Jesus Christ’s example. Doing so will help us avoid the consequences that arise from hardening our hearts and rebelling against God.

Common Questions, Misconceptions, and CriticismsIn answering critiques and common questions, Elder Christofferson’s message on repentance and alignment with God addresses some of the most frequent misunderstandings about the Church’s teachings on obedience, personal choice, and growth in Christ. Here are some key questions:

Doctrine Question: Does the Church require “blind obedience” from its members? * + - Response: The Church teaches that obedience is a choice grounded in agency and understanding, not coercion. Members are encouraged to ask questions, seek understanding, and willingly align their will with God’s. - Common Fallacies: This view often reflects a false dilemma—suggesting one can either question everything or obey blindly, without recognizing that members are encouraged to gain and act on their own spiritual confirmations. * Question: Why does the Church emphasize repentance and humility? * + Response: Repentance and humility allow individuals to draw closer to God, fostering a life aligned with divine guidance and peace. The Church views these principles as essential for spiritual growth and happiness. + Fallacy: This question can reflect appeal to emotion*, framing repentance as a negative experience, while the Church views it as a pathway to freedom and joy.

HistoryCriticism: The Church’s doctrine appears contradictory, especially with figures like William W. Phelps, who repented after betraying Joseph Smith. Response: The Church’s teachings emphasize that forgiveness is available to all who genuinely repent, reflecting God’s boundless mercy. Figures like Phelps demonstrate the Church’s belief in the power of transformation. * Common Fallacies: This type of criticism often uses an anecdotal fallacy*, focusing on one individual’s failings without considering the broader doctrine of redemption and repentance.

Misconception: Repentance (and the repentance process) is an attempt to control members’ choices. Response: Repentance is a personal, voluntary act; members choose to repent and align with Church teachings. Repentance is not self-condemning, but rather stems from a desire to improve and become more like the Savior. Elder Christofferson teaches that true freedom comes from putting aside rebellious habits and cultivating a willing heart. * Common Fallacies: This misconception is rooted in the straw man fallacy* by presenting repentance as a control mechanism, which distorts its intended purpose of offering peace and growth.

Social Issues Why does the Church have strong views on topics like humility, repentance, and following God’s will? * + Response: The Church believes that following God’s will leads to lasting peace and joy. Elder Christofferson uses the example of the Lamanite converts, who laid aside their pride and rebellion, finding spiritual strength and freedom. + Common Fallacies: Often, this view stems from an appeal to personal autonomy, suggesting that only self-determined paths bring happiness, while the Church teaches that aligning with divine will leads to personal (and social) fulfillment and ultimate joy. * Criticism: Why does the Church teach against “doing it your way” and instead focus on obedience to God’s way? * + Response: The Church emphasizes obedience to God’s teachings as a means of finding true joy, seeing life as a journey back to God. Personal choice is essential, but Elder Christofferson teaches that lasting peace comes through spiritual surrender. + Fallacy: This criticism includes the false dichotomy fallacy*, where it’s implied that personal choice and following God’s way cannot coexist. The Church teaches that true happiness integrates personal agency with divine guidance.

LeadershipMisconception: Church leaders demand obedience to control members. Response: Church leaders encourage members to seek their own answers through prayer and personal study. Obedience to teachings comes through individual conviction, not through compulsion. * Fallacy: This misconception reflects a hasty generalization* by assuming all guidance is enforced rather than offered as counsel for personal spiritual growth.

Question: Why does the Church emphasize loyalty to God’s will instead of focusing on individual paths? Response: Loyalty to God’s will is taught as the path to eternal happiness. Elder Christofferson stresses that a self-centered life lacks the peace that comes from yielding to God’s guidance and teachings. * Fallacy: This question may stem from a begging the question fallacy*, presuming that personal paths are inherently more fulfilling without considering the Church’s view of divine fulfillment.

Defending Divine DoctrinesElder Christofferson’s talk clarifies that repentance and personal agency are not oppositional but complementary. Some key apologetic points:

Repentance as a Path to FreedomElder Christofferson reminds us that freedom comes through surrender to God’s will. His invitation to “lay down the weapons of our rebellion” teaches that we can experience true liberation by removing spiritual barriers.
God’s Mercy and RestorationDrawing from the example of the Lamanite converts, Elder Christofferson illustrates how forgiveness and transformation work together. This doctrine answers criticisms that view repentance as a “one-size-fits-all” expectation; rather, it’s a deeply personal journey of renewal and discipleship.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsContextual BackgroundIn Mormon 1-6, the Nephite prophet Mormon witnesses his people’s decline due to sin and unrepentant hearts. Elder Christofferson references similar spiritual deterioration in the Book of Mormon, noting that a willing heart is central to true conversion.

Resources for Deeper UnderstandingFor those interested in further study, the following resources expand on Elder Christofferson’s teachings:

Agency vs Predestination
LDS.org Lesson on Humility and Forgiveness
BYU Religious Studies on William W. Phelps and Church History

Living ApologeticsPractical ApplicationReflect on what personal “weapons” might hold you back. Whether it’s self-doubt, pride, or something else, Elder Christofferson’s message encourages us to surrender these to Christ. Here are practical ways to implement these ideas:

Identify one “weapon of rebellion” in your life that you can consciously surrender to God.
Engage in a sincere prayer asking for help in turning this “weapon” into a tool for good.
Share your insights with someone you trust, fostering accountability and growth.

Faith in Action Application Ideas: + Reflect on one area of personal resistance to God and write in your journal about how you can overcome it. + Study scriptural examples of repentance and surrender, focusing on the Lamanite converts’ transformation. + Meditate on Elder Christofferson’s teachings, focusing on how to yield to God’s will* more fully.

Quick Reference: Key Defenses and FactsDefensive Highlights Repentance is freedom: True freedom is found in surrendering rebellion to God. * Christ’s mercy is limitless: Forgiveness and transformation are available to all who repent. * Agency remains essential*: Members are encouraged to inform themselves and then choose willingly, not to obey blindly.

Top Apologetic Facts Freedom Through Repentance: Christofferson teaches that repentance doesn’t limit agency but liberates us. * Transformation Through Surrender: The Lamanite story illustrates that lasting change comes from yielding our hearts. * Historical Example: Figures like William W. Phelps exemplify the Church’s belief in redemption and renewal*.

ConclusionElder Christofferson’s talk, “Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion,” is an invitation to open our hearts to Christ’s peace by surrendering any element of rebellion. Just as the Lamanites transformed their lives through repentance, so too can we. What “weapons” might you lay aside today? Reflecting on this talk can guide us as we seek to better understand our role in God’s plan and feel His peace in our lives.

Share your insightYour thoughts and experiences can help others along their journey. Share them below, and let’s continue this conversation on sustaining the Savior’s light together.

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In a world where “happiness” often seems fleeting, Elder Patrick Kearon’s talk “Welcome to the Church of Joy” offers a profound answer to one of life’s biggest questions: How can we find lasting joy? His talk addresses foundational gospel principles like the Plan of Salvation, agency, and the essential nature of organized worship as pathways to joy. Elder Kearon asserts that true joy flows from understanding God’s plan, reverencing Christ, and gathering as an organized church to partake of the sacrament. Let’s explore how these principles answer common questions and critiques about the Church’s teachings on worship, joy, and mental well-being.

Questions, Misconceptions, and CriticismsDoctrine * What does it mean for Latter-day Saints to view people as literal children of God? Many people interpret the doctrine of humanity as God’s literal sons and daughters differently than Latter-day Saints. In many Christian denominations, individuals are viewed as creations of God rather than as His spiritual offspring, which leads to different beliefs regarding our potential, purpose, and agency. + Misconception: Some argue that the belief in human potential to become like God is irreverent, even heretical, assuming it places human abilities on par with God’s infinite power. + Response: This belief does not equate humans with God in status or glory. Instead, it means that, as Elder Kearon emphasized, our joy and eternal growth stem from a Christ-centered life. Being literal children of God empowers us to act and grow through divine guidance, progressively becoming more Christlike. This view aligns with Lehi’s teaching that people are “things to act” rather than merely creations to be “acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:14). Our capacity to act and make choices helps us shape our eternal destiny, with God’s help. + Common Fallacies: The fallacy of false equivalence suggests that by believing in their potential to become like God, Latter-day Saints somehow reduce God’s divinity. In reality, the Church teaches that human growth and potential are only possible because of God’s power and grace. Our joy and progress are grounded in humility and reverence for Him. * How does the concept of agency differ in Latter-day Saint doctrine from other religious perspectives? The doctrine of agency is a cornerstone of the Plan of Salvation in Latter-day Saint belief, teaching that individuals have the power to act and make choices, which shape their growth and eternal destiny. Some perspectives, however, view humanity as more passive in God’s design—created by God with predetermined limitations and thus more subject to external circumstances. + Misconception: Some argue that true agency is impossible, especially in matters of faith and keeping the commandments – giving the impression that Church standards and expectations are confining and unfair rather than liberating. + Response: Agency in Latter-day Saint doctrine empowers individuals to act rather than to be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:14), supporting a belief in personal responsibility and growth. While Church teachings provide a moral framework, it’s through our choices within this framework that we exercise agency, develop character, and deepen our connection with Christ. This doctrine encourages us to take active steps toward becoming more Christlike, fostering joy in our journey of growth and personal accountability. + Common Fallacies: The false dichotomy fallacy assumes that agency must mean either absolute freedom or strict control. However, the Church teaches that agency can and does operate within God’s eternal plan, where guidance and structure help us make meaningful choices that align with our divine potential. * Can’t I just worship God effectively on my own, without attending church? It’s common for people to believe they can connect with God independently without organized church attendance. Elder Kearon emphasizes that while personal devotion is crucial, worshiping with a community creates a unique sense of unity, joy, and accountability. Elder Kearon also emphasizes the importance of the ordinance of the sacrament, which is administered only through church authority. + Misconception: “I can worship God alone; I don’t need church.” + Response: Elder Kearon counters this view by explaining that sacrament meetings are more than personal worship—they are sacred times to partake of the ordinance of the sacrament and remember Christ’s atonement as a community. Sharing worship strengthens faith, and receiving the ordinance of the sacrament renews our commitment to Christ each week. + Common Fallacies: False dilemma (either/or fallacy) – This fallacy assumes that there are only two exclusive choices: worshiping independently or attending church. In reality, both individual devotion and community worship are essential parts of faith for Latter-day Saints, each fulfilling different purposes. While personal worship strengthens one’s individual relationship with God, church attendance enables the communal aspects of faith, including the sacrament ordinance, mutual support, and collective worship. Elder Kearon explains that sacrament meetings go beyond personal reflection, offering a sacred space to renew covenants, receive grace, and draw strength from gathering with others who share a commitment to Christ. Both private and communal worship enrich and reinforce each other, creating a fuller, more balanced faith experience.

Defending Divine DoctrinesDoctrinal Emphasis:
In Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation for His children, joy is more than a feeling; it’s a purpose of life. The prophet Joseph taught that joy “is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God”. Elder Kearon likewise reminds us that joy is not a denial of life’s difficulties but a divine peace that comes to us through our agency and individual accountability. We can choose joy through intentional worship, service, and reliance on Christ.

Application:Elder Kearon encourages us to reconstruct our reverence into “joyful reverence,” a state where our gratitude and respect for God coexist with a joyful spirit. This joyful reverence has transformative power to move sacrament meetings from mere routines into worshipful experiences that foster deep, collective joy. By gathering in joyful reverence for the sacrament, we recommit ourselves to Christ, and help one another take joy in Him, His atoning sacrifice, and the great Plan of Happiness.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsHistorical Context of Lay Ministry and Organized Worship

The Latter-day Saint Church’s structure is unique in its lay ministry—where members serve voluntarily without paid clergy. Critics argue this is unprofessional, but Elder Kearon suggests that lay ministry embodies the Church’s focus on agency and service. This structure allows each member to actively participate in Christ’s work, experiencing the joy that comes from serving others selflessly.

Historical Insight: Lay ministry has historical roots in early Christianity, where disciples served without pay, reflecting a model focused on service over hierarchy. This model encourages personal growth and unity, fostering joy through a shared purpose.

Resources for Further Study: Explore Lay Leadership: Volunteer Ministry of the Church.

Living ApologeticsApplying Joyful Reverence and Active Worship

Elder Kearon’s talk calls for members to approach worship actively, not passively. This means participating wholeheartedly in hymns, sacrament, and prayer as expressions of gratitude and joy in Christ. Members can transform their sacrament meetings by focusing on active worship rather than mere attendance.

Practical Application

Start a Discussion: Share Elder Kearon’s concept of joyful reverence with friends or family, discussing how to make church attendance a more meaningful experience.
Express Gratitude Publicly: Bear your testimony in sacrament meeting, class or family gatherings, sharing the practical ways Christ has brought joy to your life.
Reflect and Apply: Write down each week how Christ’s teachings on agency or forgiveness have impacted you personally, helping you to internalize joy as a gift of the Spirit.

Quick Reference: Key Defenses and Facts

Plan of Salvation: The purpose of life is joy through God’s plan, not the absence of struggle. (2 Nephi 2:11)
Church Attendance: Community worship gives us access to the ordinance of the sacrament as it deepens our personal connection to God and renews our covenant with Him.
Sacrament: The ordinance of the sacrament allows us to remember Christ’s atonement and renew the covenants we made at baptism. In return, the Lord renews the promised remission of our sins.
Lay Ministry: Serving without paid clergy fosters joy through selfless participation in Christ’s work.
Clinical Depression and Joy: Depression doesn’t preclude joy, as gospel joy is a resilient peace rooted in Christ’s love and sacrifice.

ConclusionEncouragement and Reflection:Elder Kearon’s talk offers an invitation to experience joy through the gospel, whether we face moments of happiness or trials. His words remind us that joy isn’t about living without struggle but about finding peace and purpose in Christ’s teachings and community worship. Through meaningful participation in sacrament meetings, joyful reverence, and serving joyfully in the Church, we can discover how joy in Christ transforms our lives.

How will you embrace joyful reverence in your worship this week?

For more insights into experiencing joy through the Plan of Salvation, visit FAIR’s article on agency and accountability.

“Is this spirit of collective rejoicing in Christ what you find? Is this what you bring? Maybe you think this doesn’t have much to do with you, or perhaps you are simply used to how things have always been done. But we can all contribute, no matter our age or our calling, to making our sacrament meetings the joy-filled, Christ-focused, welcoming hour they can be, alive with a spirit of joyful reverence.” – Elder Patrick Kearon

Share your insightYour thoughts and experiences can help others along their journey. Share them below, and let’s continue this conversation on sustaining the Savior’s light together.

The post Choosing Joy in a Troubled World: The Power of Worship and Christ-Centered Living appeared first on FAIR.

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Irreplaceable to Himby Autumn Dickson

When I read Mormon, I feel as though I’m reading his journal. He had been commanded by Ammaron to find the records that had been hidden and add his own observations. These sacred writings were always meant to come to us, the House of Israel in the latter days, and yet, Mormon also seemed to simply write about his own experiences and life.

Here is one of the things he expresses.

Mormon 2:18 And upon the plates of Nephi I did make a full account of all the wickedness and abominations; but upon these plates I did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man.

Throughout his life, Mormon saw the worst of the worst. He saw plenty of bloodshed on the battlefield, and he saw the utterly wasteful destruction of women and children to idols. He spoke about being forbidden to preach the gospel to his people. He talked about refusing to join them, about being an idle witness to all of the darkness.

Mormon watched these things and yet, he continued to love them. Because he loved them, he suffered long. In this manner, Mormon is a type of Christ.

Mormon as a type of Christ

There are many ways in which Mormon is a type of Christ. He was quick to observe. He was obedient. He was prepared and sober. These are all incredible qualities that can teach us about Christ. However, there is one specific characteristic that I want to talk about that helps us really learn about our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Mormon’s love and long-suffering towards his people depict exactly how Christ feels about us.

Think about each of the following actions, feelings, and thoughts from Mormon. How do we see Christ represented in each individual aspect?

Mormon tried to preach to his people until he was forbidden to do so. He led his people and fortified their cities to the extent that he could. He got excited when they started to mourn because he hoped it would lead to their repentance, and he felt immense sorrow that they continued to harm themselves and others. He tried to encourage his people with great energy when they were facing off in battle. He stood with them against terrifying odds. He continued on fighting for them even though he knew the end. He refused to help them when they wanted to go to battle for the wrong reasons. He couldn’t help himself from praying for them, even though it was without faith because he knew they were choosing their own destruction. He delivered them from their enemies multiple times. He went back and helped them again in battle after observing them being swept off in a wave of destruction. He fought for them and sacrificed even though he knew that they wouldn’t choose to be saved. His soul was rent with anguish.

Those are many of the experiences that Mormon had throughout the six chapters of this week. I can’t imagine the kind of man that was required to be deeply aware of their impending destruction and simultaneously continue to fight for them. That was the man that Mormon was, and that is the man that Christ is.

Christ’s motivation is love, not perfection

Christ didn’t cut corners and only pay for the sins of those He knew would repent. He didn’t just suffer the agonies of those who were going to come home. He took care of all of it. He sacrificed and fought for those despite being deeply aware that there would be many who would refuse to be cleansed and healed by Him.

I think that oftentimes we pictured Christ doing all of these things because He was perfect and fulfilling God’s plan. These facts are true, but when we look at Mormon as a type of Christ, we see that Christ didn’t do these things because He was perfect, and that’s an important distinction. He did them because He loved us. He couldn’t help Himself from trying even though He knew the end.

I think of righteous parents who can’t stop hoping for their wayward children. They can’t stop the hope that rises each time they repent. They can’t help but feel agony when it doesn’t play out. They can’t help but feel misery when they know deep down that their children are not yet ready to change. Despite everything that the child has done, all they want is for their child to come back around, make amends, and move forward. They would be willing to let go of the past if the child would simply turn around.

Within each of us, He has planted glimpses of what He experiences so that we can understand Him. Like Mormon, we all know what it is to watch someone you love hurt themselves. We know what it is to fight for someone who doesn’t want to be fought for. We know those experiences and those feelings. They are Christlike feelings. Christ has those feelings.

Christ feels. He doesn’t do these things as a perfect robot. He doesn’t do these things because He had to as the perfect, oldest Child of Heavenly Father. He is driven by a deep love. This deep love has caused Him a lot of pain, both as part of His atoning sacrifice that would be left on the shelf by many as well as the sorrow He feels watching them hurt and reject it.

Replaceable

In Doctrine and Covenants 35, the Lord tells us that He gave the keys of the kingdom to Joseph Smith. If Joseph chose to abide in the Lord, he would keep those keys. If he didn’t, another would be placed in his stead. This makes a lot of sense. Heavenly Father wouldn’t throw His entire plan off kilter because Joseph couldn’t get it together. He would have enabled someone else to come and restore the kingdom.

It makes sense, but I personally took this principle beyond its proper bounds as I was growing up. I thought that this sentiment meant I was easily replaceable to the Lord, and He was perfectly willing to leave me behind. As I have reflected on my own, God-given feelings as mother, I have been able to better place myself in His shoes.

If one of my children ever decided to totally destroy their own lives, I would keep moving forward for the sake of the rest of my children. You don’t sacrifice all of them because you lost one. But despite the fact that I would keep moving forward, despite the fact that I would delegate their family responsibilities to my other kids, despite the fact that I would “replace” them, I would never forget them or stop hurting over them.

When Mormon continued to pray and fight for his people, he was without hope because he knew they were choosing their own destruction. He knew that the Lord would stop protecting them. I think sometimes we subconsciously equate that lack of protection and moving forward with Him being angry and not loving us anymore. This is absolutely false.

If one of my kids got deeply into drugs, continually stole from me, and perpetually hurt their siblings, I wouldn’t house them any longer. I would cease protecting them and move forward. Depending on age, that might mean sending them to a rehabilitation center or simply kicking them out if I didn’t have the legal power to take them to rehab. But I wouldn’t house them any longer. At least, my completely inexperienced and naive self believes this is how I would react.

I can understand the sentiment of parents who are in this situation and feel things such as, “I love them. How can I abandon them when they need me the most?” I get that. I really do. True love brings out the desire to forget about yourself and protect the one you love. This isn’t an evil or morally wrong sentiment. I’m also not telling anyone they need to be kicking their kids out because everything is so situational and only the Lord can help you know the right course to take. I’m not telling anyone they are wrong for how they’re choosing to handle difficult situations like this. What I am trying to do is help us understand how Heavenly Father feels.

When it comes to Heavenly Father, He ceases the protection at a certain point. This is not because He abandons them when they need Him most. It’s not because He loves His other children more. Heavenly Father ceases the protection because He loves the wayward child. He is wise enough to understand that people often have to hit rock bottom if they’re ever going to turn around. He loves that individual child too much to enable them. He loves them too much and knows that He can’t teach them, “You can still have everything you want and need. I will protect you no matter what you do. You can keep hurting yourself and your siblings.” Instead, through His actions, He teaches, “It is more important for you to learn the hard way. I’m giving you a gift by teaching you to live better. I love you too much to do anything else. I will still be waiting when you’re ready.”

That was a long tangent that was meant to help us understand the mind of God as He handles His children here on earth. It is meant to help us understand the love He feels as He wisely chooses His reactions. I share this tangent for two reasons.

One. We need to comprehend that Heavenly Father isn’t some nebulous Being that administers mercy and justice in perfection. Rather, He is a loving, feeling Being. He perfectly loves, and that perfect love helps Him perfectly know how to administer mercy and justice according to our needs.

Two. It is essential to understand that even though Heavenly Father may have to move forward without us, even though He may choose to cease protecting us, we are irreplaceable to Him.

Even if I had to make the decision to let my child hit their rock bottom, I would never forget them. I would miss them for as long as they chose to remain separated, even if it meant that I would miss them forever. I would be long-suffering. In other words, I would suffer long because I would love long.

It is the same with our Heavenly Father. Just because He chooses certain reactions in response to our rebellion does not remove His love, it is evidence of His love. Just because He has to administer justice and have a Judgment Day and move forward with those who want to move forward doesn’t mean He will ever stop feeling the ache of the child He lost.

You are irreplaceable to Him. You will never be forgotten if you choose to remove yourself.

I testify of a Heavenly Father and a Savior who act out of love. I testify that we have been given a glimpse of how They feel as we work to react to those we love around us. We were given these feelings so that we could understand Them. I testify that They will wisely do the right thing, but I also testify that you will leave a hole if you choose to not follow. You are essential and important to Them. They will suffer long without you.

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A Utopian Societyby Autumn Dickson

Fourth Nephi describes a people who were all converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ together. It talks about what their lives looked like and how they felt. Fourth Nephi also describes how everyone was wicked again within three hundred years.

Fourth Nephi describes exactly why the Lord has a Judgment Day. It can also help us see what’s going to be necessary before the Saints are allowed to go and build up Zion again.

Judgment Day

Fourth Nephi can help us better understand Judgment Day and the Lord’s purposes.

Heaven is bestowed, but it is also created by those who live there. Heaven is bestowed in the manner that Christ paid for our sins so we could be cleansed to return to Heavenly Father. He also died so that we could be resurrected and receive perfectly whole bodies; this is another important aspect of heaven. Heaven is also bestowed in the manner that Heavenly Father has created a beautiful, glory-filled place for all of us to live after we die.

But even though there are certainly aspects of heaven that are given to us as gifts, there are also aspects of heaven that the people create. Listen to the heaven that was created by the people who lived after Jesus Christ visited the Americas.

4 Nephi 1:3, 15-17

3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

What is heaven? What does it mean to live in heaven? Heaven is living with our Heavenly Parents and Jesus Christ again. It is living with everything we need and never worrying about having enough. It is having perfectly whole bodies that don’t decay or have infirmities.

Heaven is also being surrounded by people you can trust. You can look around you and be completely selfless. You can completely let go of what you need because you know that your neighbor is likewise looking out for you. You never have to be wary of people who might hurt you because everyone you’re surrounded by loves you, and you love them. That’s not something Heavenly Father forces. That’s something that we have to be.

Look at what happens later in the chapter after some time passes from when Christ visited.

4 Nephi 1:24-25

24 And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.

25 And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them.

Their little heaven had burst. I picture myself living during that time. Perhaps you’re willing to be selfless and have all things in common among everyone, but because there are selfish people who want to have more, you actually have to be careful. There will be people who will take and not support back. The entire utopian society collapses if you can’t trust those around you to also be giving and work hard to help support everyone.

In Doctrine and Covenants 90, the Lord counsels Joseph Smith Sr. to keep his family small as pertaining to those who didn’t belong to his family. The Lord counseled Joseph Smith Sr. to be wise in how much he opened his home to those in need. We want to help everyone we can, but if everything is gone, there will be nothing left with which to help. Because we do not yet live in heaven, we have to be wise in how we distribute. You don’t leave your own family destitute by giving away everything to everyone else.

And this is precisely why the Lord has to have a Judgment Day. This is why He has to judge and separate us. Otherwise we would just keep living the way we’re living here except with resurrected bodies. There has to be a Judgment Day so there can be a heaven to live in. This isn’t just applicable in regards to temporal wealth; it’s applicable in every aspect of how the Lord asks us to treat one another.

Zion

Zion is a fascinating concept to me. I’ve always pictured what it would be like for the prophet to tell us it was time to head to Zion. I think a lot of us have imagined what that day would be like. Like heaven, I think sometimes we believe that Zion will just be handed to us on a silver platter.

Nope. Zion is something that we create. We don’t get to go build up Zion until we’re ready to be a part of it. When we have created Zion within our homes, wards, and stakes, then the Lord will know we’re ready to create it altogether in one place. Zion doesn’t just happen. It’s not given to us. We make Zion if we want to enjoy Zion.

Now we still live in a mortal, fallen world. The Lord doesn’t expect us to start living in a utopian society where everything is common among everyone. We can’t survive a completely utopian life in a world that doesn’t reciprocate. It’ll just ruin us. The Lord is wise about this.

So we don’t necessarily start living that utopian lifestyle in that manner yet. However, Zion starts in an individual heart. It is built heart by heart, person by person. Zion means you stand ready to forgive and let go of old grievances so that there can be peace. Zion means you stand ready to let go of your possessions and trust that the Lord has surrounded you with people who are like-minded. Zion means that you stand ready to give people the benefit of the doubt in any interaction. Once again, we don’t live in a utopian Zion yet. There are people who want to cause harm and hurt others, so we should be wise in how we interact with others.

But we can prepare ourselves and others will prepare themselves. The wheat and chaff will be separated, and we will be able to enter into that Zion society with the purest hope that we can experience as much heaven as is available here on earth.

As a child, I remember learning that Satan would be bound in the Millennium for a thousand years. I remember asking my dad why they let him go at the end of the thousand years. Was it prophesied that he would “escape” somehow? Obviously, my literal and limited understanding as a child has grown to understand that Satan didn’t have his hands tied behind his back. The world was simply choosing to be righteous enough that Satan had no effect.

We choose Zion, and the Millennium, and heaven. We create it.

In the last April General Conference, Elder Holland posed the philosophical question, “…it has always been intriguing to me that Jesus felt the need to pray at all. Wasn’t He perfect? About what did He need to pray?” Elder Holland gave his beautiful answer, and I add my own philosophical opinions to it.

Asking the question, “Why did Jesus have to pray if He was perfect?” carries the implication that we have the wrong definition of perfection. In our world, we think that being perfect means you can do everything and not need anyone. You can be happy completely on your own. You are a self-sustaining, blooming little island. This is utter garbage.

Real perfection is connection, the kind of connection we observe in 4 Nephi. Heaven is connection. It’s connecting with people who want to genuinely, peacefully, good-naturedly connect with you. This doesn’t mean that every introvert suddenly needs to become an extrovert. It doesn’t mean that you have to be connected to every single person at any given moment. I believe it means you truly treasure the most important and long-lasting sources of happiness, your family and close friends. It means that you can have a boundary without worrying about anyone purposefully crossing it. It means you won’t have to worry that others will assume the worst of you when you have a boundary because they will also be the kind of people who give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Zion, the Millennium, heaven are going to be rather pleasant.

The people in the beginning of Fourth Nephi were experiencing a heaven on earth, and it eventually fell apart because the people destroyed it themselves. Someday we won’t have to worry about that anymore. Someday we will be given the opportunity to go live with our Heavenly Parents and Jesus Christ. Christ will make sure we’re cleansed, and He will help us don our resurrected bodies. If we choose to follow Christ, to trust His judgment of others, and stand ready to freely give to those who freely give back, we will be prepared to go there.

I’m grateful that I have Heavenly Parents who were wise enough to create this plan. I am grateful for a Savior who enabled this plan. I am grateful that They were wise and kind and selfless enough to teach us how to be like Them.

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“Why are Latter-day Saints so different?” This is a question many young members of the Church find themselves facing. In a world that values conformity, living differently can feel daunting, even isolating.

In his talk, “O Youth of the Noble Birthright”, Brother Brad Wilcox speaks to the youth of the Church, reminding them of their noble birthright as covenant children of God. He emphasizes that this identity calls for a distinct way of life, not because they are better than others but because they have a greater purpose to fulfill. Brother Wilcox’s words don’t just offer comfort but also a deeper understanding of how living differently aligns with God’s trust in His children and how it impacts their divine mission. This talk speaks directly to questions of identity, purpose, and divine trust, making it relevant for anyone encountering questions about faith, doctrinal beliefs, or the demands of discipleship.

Common Questions, Misconceptions, and CriticismsDoctrine Why do Latter-day Saints believe God is a corporeal being? + Response: Latter-day Saints believe that God is a glorified, resurrected, corporeal being, based on the scriptural teachings that God created man in His image (Genesis 1:27) and the accounts of God appearing in tangible, physical form to prophets, such as Joseph Smith’s First Vision (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). This view of God as having a body of “flesh and bones” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22) distinguishes the LDS faith from traditional Christian views of the immaterial Trinity but aligns with early Christian understandings of God as a personal, physical being. (One key figure is Irenaeus of Lyon, a second-century Church Father, who in Against Heresies (Book 5, Chapter 6), affirmed the belief in the resurrection of the physical body and emphasized the material nature of God’s creation, pointing to the glorified, physical body of the resurrected Christ as the model for believers. Irenaeus argued that believers would inherit a transformed, glorified body like Christ’s. Additionally, Tertullian (160–225 AD), in Against Praxeas (Chapter 7), taught that God the Father had a physical form by saying, “For who will deny that God is a body, although God is a spirit?” Tertullian argued that although God is spirit, He possesses a material, tangible body, aligning with Latter-day Saint teachings on God’s corporeality.) + Common Bias/Fallacy: The straw man fallacy is often present in criticisms of this doctrine, where critics misrepresent the LDS belief as reducing God to a limited, human-like form, rather than recognizing the glorified, divine nature of His corporeal body. Additionally, critics may display confirmation bias, favoring evidence that supports the traditional Christian view while ignoring early Christian beliefs that God had a body. + Resources:
Doctrine and Covenants 130:22: God’s Nature as a Resurrected Being * How can humans aspire to be like God? (Theosis/Deification) + Response: The belief that humans can become like God, known as theosis or deification, is rooted in both Latter-day Saint doctrine and early Christian teachings. The Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants teach that through Christ’s atonement, humans can progress eternally and inherit divine attributes (2 Nephi 2:25, Doctrine and Covenants 76:58). This belief is supported by biblical passages such as Romans 8:16–17, where Paul refers to believers as “heirs of God” and “joint-heirs with Christ.” Early Christian theologians like Irenaeus also spoke of theosis as a divine goal for humanity. + Bias/Fallacy: Critics often commit the appeal to tradition fallacy by assuming that mainstream Christian interpretations of salvation are the only correct ones, ignoring early Christian teachings on deification. Additionally, the slippery slope fallacy may be invoked when critics assume that the LDS teaching leads to polytheism, which misrepresents the doctrine’s focus on exaltation through Christ’s grace. + Resources:Romans 8:16–17: Theosis and Early Christianity * Why does the Church place so much importance on family ties? + Response: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that family relationships are central to God’s plan of happiness. Families provide a foundation for personal growth, moral teaching, and spiritual development. The importance of the family is emphasized in the doctrine of eternal families, where members believe that family ties, when sealed by proper priesthood authority, can continue beyond death (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–20). This view is rooted in the doctrine that God’s work and glory are to bring about the eternal life of His children, and family units play a key role in that eternal progression. + Bias/Fallacy: Critics often employ the false dichotomy fallacy by assuming that focusing on family ties excludes love or service to others outside the family, whereas LDS doctrine emphasizes that strong families are a way to strengthen communities and fulfill God’s plan for all of His children. + Resources:*The Family: A Proclamation to the World: Why Families Are Central in God’s Plan

Defending Divine DoctrinesDoctrinal Emphasis:

Brother Wilcox’s talk emphasizes the birthright and covenant relationship of the youth. By entering covenants, members of the Church gain access to divine privileges, setting them apart not for superiority but for service. The Plan of Salvation explains this divine potential: that as children of God, members are entrusted to grow, progress, and participate in God’s work on Earth.

Application:

Teachings like the Plan of Salvation and covenant relationships serve as powerful tools to clarify questions and affirm that these doctrines are based on God’s eternal love and His desire for His children to grow and serve with purpose.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsContextual Background:Brother Wilcox touches on the idea of birthright, which historically in the Old Testament carried added responsibility. The birthright son stayed to take care of the family and inherited greater blessings as a result. Today, this can be seen as a metaphor for the responsibilities of discipleship. In the context of the Church, young members are reminded that they are responsible for preserving and sharing their faith and helping others along the way.Resources for Deeper Understanding: Plan of Salvation: FAIR: Plan of salvation * Eternal Families and Covenant*: Resources on why family relationships and covenants are central to the LDS faith. Why Is Family So Important? Why Ordinances and Covenants Matter

Living ApologeticsPractical ApplicationBrother Wilcox encourages youth to live distinctly because they have made covenants with God. Here are a few ways this talk inspires real-life application:

Respectful Dialogue Guide: When discussing LDS beliefs about God, eternal families, or doctrinal uniqueness, it helps to emphasize understanding over defensiveness.
Faith in Action:
- Start conversations about birthright responsibilities and how they impact daily choices.
- Share insights on what it means to be a child of the covenant in family home evenings or youth group discussions.
- Journal your reflections on living as a covenant child of God and how that deepens your understanding of discipleship.

Quick Reference: Key Defenses and FactsDefensive Highlights: Birthright: This is not just about privilege but about stewardship and serving others. * Divine Potential: Early Christian texts also taught about becoming like God; this is not a uniquely LDS doctrine. Read more about becoming like God here. * Nature of God*: LDS beliefs are grounded in scripture that portrays God as a loving, perfected, and personal Being. Learn more about this understanding of the nature of God here.

Top Apologetic Facts:

The doctrine of Theosis aligns with early Christian thought.
Eternal Families are not exclusionary but are meant to extend the concept of eternal love and connection.
The Plan of Salvation includes everyone in God’s family, not just Latter-day Saints, and is a message of inclusivity and divine hope.

ConclusionEncouragement and Reflection:

The unique aspects of Latter-day Saint teachings provide clarity and comfort, even in a world that may not always understand. Brother Wilcox’s message is a powerful reminder of the privilege and responsibility that comes with being a child of the covenant. How can you better embrace your birthright and work hand in hand with Jesus Christ? Consider exploring more FAIR articles on related topics to deepen your understanding and strengthen your commitment.

For further exploration, click here to access more FAIR resources on these and other important topics.

“As you fulfill your birthright responsibilities, you are never alone. The Lord of the vineyard labors with you. You are working hand in hand with Jesus Christ. With each new covenant—and as your relationship with Him deepens—you hold each other tighter and tighter until you are firmly clasped together… ‘O youth of the noble birthright, carry on, carry on, carry on!’ I testify that you are loved—and you are trusted—today, in 20 years, and forever. Don’t sell your birthright for a mess of pottage. Don’t trade everything for nothing. Don’t let the world change you when you were born to change the world.” – Brother Bradley R. Wilcox

Share your insightYour thoughts and experiences can help others along their journey. Share them below, and let’s continue this conversation on sustaining the Savior’s light together.

The post Living as Children of the Covenant: Understanding Our Birthright and Responsibility appeared first on FAIR.

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Keeping a Sacred Recordby Autumn Dickson

Christ continues His teaching and prophesying amongst this portion of the House of Israel. He teaches about the sacrament, keeping records, and the last days. He teaches them to study and appreciate the words of Isaiah. There is a lot of content here.

At one point in time, He asks Nephi to bring forth the Nephite records that had been kept. After looking through them, He notices that the account of Samuel the Lamanite is missing. Samuel had been commanded to go and warn the Nephites that Christ was coming; Samuel did so. There is a faith-inspiring event that occurs because of Samuel’s prophecies in which the believers are about to be put to death by the unbelievers if Samuel’s prophecies don’t come true. The details had been prepared beforehand by the Lord, and the believers are saved by His timing. It’s wonderful and there are a myriad of principles we can draw from that story.

When Christ notices that this account is missing, He turns to Nephi.

3 Nephi 23:12-13

12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.

13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Keeping adequate records was obviously important to Christ. He’s a busy Man, and He knows how to fill His time with the most important priorities. Why does Christ ask us to keep records?

How to keep a sacred record

Before we delve into the reasons why, I’d actually like to talk a little bit about what I believe Christ means when He talks about keeping records.

Nephi may have been commanded to write on gold plates, but things are different now. On a surface level, I think that keeping a record can be far more broad than we once assumed. It’s so easy to take pictures nowadays; take pictures of the things that matter to you. You can write in a journal. You can type a journal. I type my journal on Google Docs so that I can access it from my phone wherever I am. You can even just open up the notes app on your phone and record something quickly. Start a gratitude journal; it was actually this specific habit that started my regular journal writing. Make a video or photo book with captions about things that are important. You can even use voice recordings that you transfer to your computer once a month and sort into files according to date. So much of the scripture that we read was given orally and recorded afterwards. There are likely even free programs out there that will dictate your recordings into typed pieces that you can put in a safe place on your computer. Record your testimony twice a year at Easter and Christmas. What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to be a good writer to record important things. What will it look like in your life?

The second principle (and probably more important principle) stems from the Lord’s commandments in general. When the Lord gives us a commandment, He is usually trying to change us somehow. If your record isn’t changing you, then you’re not getting the best return on your investment and you’re going to discontinue the practice. Record a hard lesson you learned. Record how the Lord helped different details come together. Record a dream that felt different than your other dreams. Record your feelings and not just events. Record the feelings that don’t necessarily feel perfect or worthy. Record yourself as you are and simply allow the Lord to be a part of it.

When the Lord gave the Law of Moses to the Israelites, He wanted them to draw closer to Him. He didn’t really care about sacrificing animals; He wanted them to understand Him and draw near to Him in ways that they could comprehend. It is the same with any commandment that we receive today. It’s not about the recording. It’s about utilizing a powerful way to draw closer to the Lord. When you’re recording, include the Lord in the process. Even if you’re recording silly details, include Him. Maybe even record them to Him. He likes to hear about all of it.

Ultimately, keeping a record can be much broader than it used to be. We don’t have to engrave upon plates. We don’t even have to write on paper. The most important principle is that the process changes you. What are you going to record that’s meaningful? How are you going to record it? If you’re going to make a goal about keeping records, make a goal with those questions in mind.

My sacred record

There are likely a myriad of reasons I haven’t discovered yet, but I’d like to cover a few of the ways that keeping a sacred record has changed my life in powerful ways. The most overarching change it has created in my life has been increased faith in Jesus Christ. It sounds super simple, but the effects are potent. There are two specific ways records have helped increase my faith.

Keeping a record has increased my faith because it allows me to process my life with God. There were so many times in my life when difficult things would come up, whether from my own flaws or from the nature of mortality. Sometimes, I’d put my head down and muscle through on my own because I was stubborn or self-destructive. However, other times I did it on my own because I’d simply forget to include God. Sometimes difficulties would come along, and it wouldn’t even occur to me that I should turn to Him because there was no habit to do so. I didn’t have a strong enough relationship with Him that it was natural to turn to Him.

Keeping a record has been instrumental in changing that. I’ve kept a regular journal since I was 14 because I love writing, but it wasn’t until the mission that I really started to include the Lord as I recorded. And because it became a habit to include Him, it didn’t change when I talked about difficulties that came up. As I learned to include the Lord and as I would write about something difficult, I could be inspired by how He would respond. I would be thinking about the difficult thing, and I would remember to include Him. This would naturally lead to me praying for help.

Here’s a real life example to illustrate that process. When we were living in that hotel in Virginia, I would start writing about all of my fears so that I could release them. Because I had learned the habit of including the Lord, I would naturally start to view these fears in a new light. I would be afraid of making a mistake and missing out on the path that the Lord wanted us to take, but when I wrote it down and put it into the ether, it made it easier to examine my thoughts and find which ones were based on faulty understandings of the Lord. It made it easier to look at the thoughts and change them according to what I had been taught about the Lord.

Or if I was angry at someone, I would write about it. Putting my thoughts outside of my brain where I could look at it enabled me to observe my thoughts in a more objective way. When I also chose to include the Lord, it made it that much easier to change those thoughts to be closer to the reality of eternal things. Observing them so consciously allowed me to change my thought patterns with the Lord, and it allowed me to change.

Keeping a record has helped me “watch” the Lord influence, support, and stretch me; it has increased my faith.

The second way keeping a record has increased my faith is by allowing me to see more than I saw before. I debated whether to tell this story, but if President Monson can share a story about almost starting a forest fire, I can tell this one.

In family home evenings lately, we’ve been talking about fire safety. I taught my kids to not open the door if smoke was filling their room. I taught them to open their windows and scream for help if they could, and we review this quite regularly. I was so proud of myself for being so prepared and teaching my kids.

But unfortunately and fortunately, my four year old is particularly adventurous. He’s capable and smart and brave, and this comes with pros and cons from the viewpoint of a parent. One evening, my son opened his window, pushed the screen out, and climbed onto the roof. Luckily, our neighbor across the street saw him, yelled at him to get back inside, and texted us. Needless to say, he’s learned his lesson, but here’s the part that is particularly relevant to this post.

I type my prayers at least once a day. The next day, I opened up my computer to delete the old prayer and start typing a new one. As I went to delete the old one, my eyes locked on one of the things I had been inspired to pray for the day before. I prayed that the right adults would be in the lives of my children at the right time to protect them. I hadn’t thought of it in this specific context, but the Lord had. The Lord likely would have protected my son anyway because apparently it’s not his time to die despite his frequent escapades. However, because I recorded something sacred, I saw the Lord’s hand where I wouldn’t have recognized it previously. The Lord inspired me to pray for the right adults to be there (because I knew I wouldn’t be there all of the time), and then I was able to see how He manipulated the details and protected Warner.

This has happened over and over and over. I record things, and my eyes are spiritually opened and all of a sudden I see that the Lord was directly involved. He would have been involved anyway in some cases, but it was much more powerful because I knew that He was involved. I watched Him easily sway the currents that were moving in my life. I watched Him show up and prepare me. I saw it happen repeatedly in the past, and it has helped me trust that He will show up in the future.

Conclusion

As I’ve written down my experiences, observed them with the Lord, and changed accordingly, I’ve learned to see how He’s supporting and stretching me in all of the best ways. I’ve been able to observe my thoughts more objectively and more accurately apply what I knew about the Lord rather. As I’ve written down prayers, things I’m worried about, things I need help with, or things I’m grateful for, the Lord is given consecrated time to work with me and open my eyes to how He is handling all the details that come my way.

The more I record, the more I see the Lord. The more I see the Lord, the more I trust Him. The more I trust the Lord, the happier my life has been. It’s as simple (and as powerful) as that.

I know from personal experience why the Lord asks us to keep records. My records aren’t always about traditionally spiritual things. Oftentimes, they’re about very temporal things. And yet, they have become sacred to me because keeping a record has taught me that the Lord is involved in all aspects of my life.

He is involved in your life. He is manipulating the details in your favor, whether that is in the form of a trial or a tender mercy. He will continue to be wholly involved in your life regardless of whether you recognize Him because that’s simply how much He loves you. But until you’re able to recognize Him, you’re going to continue to fret and worry about what’s coming next. The most powerful blessing I’ve received from keeping a record is that I recognize the Lord, and it has enabled me to live my life with a peaceful faith and trust.

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In a world that seems to thrive on contention and division, it’s natural to wonder: How can I hold onto light in the midst of it all? Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s talk, “Behold I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up,” invites us to do just that—find, hold, and share the light of the Savior. His message calls on us to strengthen our commitment to Jesus Christ by sustaining our leaders and lifting each other. But what does “holding up” the light really mean? And how do we fulfill this call in today’s complex world?

Elder Rasband’s talk offers a clear apostolic witness of Jesus Christ as the Light of the world and reaffirms the sacred role of prophets in guiding us through spiritual challenges. He emphasizes that sustaining leaders isn’t passive; it’s a call to action. By holding up those called to lead, we strengthen our own resolve and align ourselves with divine purposes. Elder Rasband’s counsel is especially relevant for those facing questions about the role of modern prophets, the fallibility of leaders, and how best to support others in a world often skeptical of faith.

Common Questions, Misconceptions, and CriticismsDoctrine

Why should we sustain modern prophets when they’re just men and fallible?
- Response: Sustaining prophets isn’t about believing they’re perfect but rather that they are called by God despite their human imperfections. From Moses to Peter, scripture provides examples of how the Lord works through His chosen leaders to accomplish His purposes. Elder Rasband reminds us that by supporting modern prophets, we are trusting in God’s choice and showing our faith that He guides His Church through them. As Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”
- Common Fallacies: This criticism often relies on a genetic fallacy by dismissing leaders based on their humanity, not their divine calling. It assumes that if a prophet is fallible, his guidance is invalid—an assumption that ignores the scriptural precedent of God using imperfect people to achieve His perfect work. (Read more about genetic fallacy here)
Why is it necessary to support leaders when we could follow Christ directly?
- Response: Supporting our leaders and following Christ aren’t mutually exclusive—they complement each other. Elder Rasband teaches that by sustaining the prophet, we are choosing to align ourselves with Christ’s teachings and receiving His counsel through those He has chosen. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 reinforces this truth: “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” In following inspired leaders, we strengthen our commitment to Christ.
- Common Fallacies: This critique often presents a false dichotomy by suggesting that we must choose between following Christ or sustaining our leaders. However, sustaining leaders is a direct expression of following Christ, as we follow the order He established for His Church.

History

Aren’t ancient prophets like Moses more significant than modern leaders?
- Response: Elder Rasband uses examples like Moses to illustrate continuity in the Lord’s pattern. Modern prophets, like their ancient counterparts, are divinely appointed to lead us. The Lord doesn’t place temporal limits on the importance of His servants—He calls prophets in every age to serve the needs of their time. As Elder Rasband states, we hold up the prophet to benefit from his experience, revelation, and guidance specifically tailored to today’s spiritual and moral challenges.
- Common Fallacies: This critique stems from the appeal to antiquity fallacy, suggesting that earlier leaders are inherently more authoritative because of their time period. However, the Lord’s pattern of revelation remains consistent, underscoring the timeless importance of prophetic leadership.

Social Issues

Doesn’t focusing on sustaining leaders encourage blind obedience?
- Response: Elder Rasband clarifies that sustaining leaders involves active engagement, not passive acceptance. To “hold up” our leaders is to thoughtfully consider, pray about, and act on their teachings. This isn’t blind obedience—it’s a way to exercise our own faith and receive spiritual growth. By studying their counsel, seeking personal revelation, and applying their teachings, we show both loyalty to the Savior and personal integrity.
- Common Fallacies: This criticism involves a straw man fallacy by mischaracterizing sustaining leaders as unthinking compliance. The doctrine of sustaining leaders encourages thoughtful discipleship and personal revelation, not passive acceptance.

Defending Divine DoctrinesDoctrinal Emphasis:Elder Rasband’s message aligns with key doctrines that support the Church’s teachings on the role of prophets. His talk reinforces that modern prophets are called to guide us through present challenges and provide inspired counsel. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 powerfully supports this: “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” Such teachings are central to the Church’s understanding of prophetic authority and serve as a clear defense against criticisms of human fallibility.

Application:By understanding that the Lord works through His servants, we can see the bigger picture of His guidance in our lives. The Plan of Salvation itself shows us that the Lord gives us inspired leaders to keep us on course. Elder Rasband’s emphasis on sustaining leaders invites us to remember that the Savior’s light is carried forward through prophets, just as it was anciently. This continuity adds depth to our understanding of how we each play a role in supporting God’s work on earth.

Historical and Doctrinal ConnectionsContextual BackgroundIn referencing leaders like Moses, Elder Rasband draws a connection between ancient and modern-day servants of the Lord. Just as Moses led the children of Israel through a time of great trial, modern prophets guide us through today’s unique challenges. This connection demonstrates that the Lord’s method of calling prophets has not changed, reinforcing the Church’s doctrine of continuing revelation.

Resources for Deeper UnderstandingFor those interested in exploring the role of prophets further, consider reading the FAIR article, “Trusting Imperfect Prophets” This resource provides a more in-depth look at how prophets have served as the Lord’s spokespeople throughout history and continue to do so today.

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Living ApologeticsPractical Application

Elder Rasband’s counsel provides us with several ways to put “Living Apologetics” into practice:

Strengthen Your Family: Start by sustaining those closest to you. Elder Rasband reminds us that we hold up our spouses, children, and friends. Show them your love by being present, offering support, and sharing your testimony with them.
Engage in Respectful Dialogue: As you uphold the prophet’s teachings, be prepared to discuss them with others. Consider using a “Respectful Dialogue Guide,” where you listen actively, avoid contentious language, and share your beliefs with love and understanding.
Serve in Your Community: Living apologetics means representing the Savior’s teachings through action. Look for ways to serve those in your community, showing by example the importance of loving and lifting others.

Faith in Action

Consider the example of members in your ward who volunteer in the community or serve their neighbors regardless of their faith. Their actions reflect Christ’s light and show others the power of sustaining and lifting each other.

Quick Reference: Key Defenses and FactsDefensive Highlights:

The Role of Prophets: Prophets are called to guide us in our specific time and circumstances, continuing the pattern set by God throughout history.
Sustaining Leaders Is Active, Not Passive: To sustain leaders is to thoughtfully engage with their teachings and incorporate them into our lives. Praying for our leaders is another way we can sustain them.
Holding Up Christ’s Light: By sustaining our leaders, we are participating in the Lord’s work to bring light into the world, just as He commanded in Matthew 5:16.

Top Apologetic Facts:

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38: The Lord affirms that the words of His servants are as His own, providing a clear basis for modern-day revelation.
Historical Continuity: The calling of prophets is a timeless principle, seen from Old Testament figures to today’s leaders.

ConclusionEncouragement and Reflection:As we hold up the Savior’s light, we become a source of strength for others, reflecting His love and purpose. Elder Rasband’s talk invites each of us to support our leaders, lift those around us, and embrace our role in the Lord’s work. How will you hold up the light in your own life? Consider exploring more FAIR articles on related topics to deepen your understanding and strengthen your commitment.

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“We hold up the Lord’s light when we hold fast to our covenants and when we support our living prophet as he speaks the words of God.” – Elder Ronald A. RasbandShare your insightYour thoughts and experiences can help others along their journey. Share them below, and let’s continue this conversation on sustaining the Savior’s light together.

The post Holding Up the Light of Christ: Sustaining Leaders and Each Other appeared first on FAIR.

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Jesus Christ’s ministry among the people of Nephi, part 2(3 Nephi 19–30)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

The words doctrine and gospel have very specific definitions in the Book of Mormon. Noel Reynolds explores this in two articles: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ as Taught by the Nephite Prophets,” BYU Studies 31, no. 3 (Summer 1991): 31–50; “The True Points of My Doctrine,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 5, no. 2 (1996): 26–56.
When Christ was with the Nephites, he felt it was important to bless each of the children one by one and pray to the Father for them. Those children were to become the second generation of the Zion people that Christ was forming; as such, their preparation was vital. See M. Gawain Wells, “The Savior and the Children in 3 Nephi,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14, no. 1 (2005): 62–73, 129.

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Experiencing Christby Autumn Dickson

I want to highlight the timeline of events in chapter 17.

Jesus has just spent a ton of time with these people. He has come to them in glory, not as the mighty but humble mortal who lived in Jerusalem. He has taught them and blessed them, and He recognizes that their capacity to receive more is already bursting at the seams. Receiving spiritual knowledge and spiritual things extends far beyond sitting in front of the risen Christ. It requires a built up tolerance for spiritual things. It requires a strength we can’t observe, an endurance that can’t be measured in mortality, and these people had maxed out. The Lord invites them to go home and pray and ponder.

The people didn’t ask Him to stay, but they wanted Him to. He felt this, and He decided to put aside His to-do list for a short time and show compassion. He healed many of them. They worshiped Him. He blessed their children.

Then something rather interesting happens.

Christ commands everyone to kneel, and He joins them. I want to share three verses.

3 Nephi 17:14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

Christ is troubled by the wickedness He views on earth. He begins an incredible prayer that couldn’t be written.

3 Nephi 17:18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

The people were overwhelmingly happy after hearing Him pray.

3 Nephi 17:20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

There are characteristics of Christ that we can pull from this happening. There are principles we can learn from Christ and how He felt during what was occurring around Him.

Where His feelings came from

Before we delve into His specific feelings, I want you to reflect on your own life. During this reflection, I’m trying to conjure up memories of when you were overwhelmed at all the problems in humanity. There might have been a myriad of things that evoked these emotions, but it’s the memory of the emotions I want to bring about.

Perhaps you read a horrible news article. Perhaps you heard some incredibly startling and troubling statistics. Perhaps you observed patterns of poverty or abuse. Maybe it was a documentary or a dramatization of true events. There are a million different events across the world that can evoke these emotions. Personally, I get these emotions whenever I think about the mothers and kids who are affected by wars. Those are always the stories that get me.

And then I want you to try and conjure up feelings of when you were surrounded by people you loved and people who loved you back. Maybe it was family; maybe it was a group of really good friends. Maybe it was a parent, a sibling, or a single friend.

For this particular “feeling” memory, I recall quite a few different times. I remember how it felt as a kid when all of my seven siblings would come home to visit for holidays. I remember a specific group date with two other couples where we literally laughed so hard we were crying.

By recalling these memories of times when we have felt certain things, we can find ourselves relating to Christ. I think it’s important to be able to relate to Him. If we ever want to have a personal relationship with Him, relatability is crucial to that connection.

I believe that sometimes we create Christ as this “other.” Obviously, there are things about Christ that we can’t comprehend yet. There are aspects of Him that we worship even though we can’t process exactly what it means. This is good. It’s important to recognize these things.

But I still hold to the idea that it’s important to humanize Him in order to connect with Him.

Christ was looking at these people around Him. He was experiencing really beautiful things, and He was surrounded by children who loved Him and He was able to bless them. Somewhere in the midst of that experience, His mind caught hold of unpleasant circumstances that were happening around the world. Maybe as He looked at the faces of the children, He remembered other children who weren’t finding themselves in such beautiful circumstances. It affected Him, just as it affects us.

And then soon afterwards, He was brought back into the present moment as He looked at all the people around Him. He loved them, and He felt their love returned. It made Him happy.

I’m not trying to bring Christ “down” to our level where we can understand Him better. Rather, I’m trying to highlight the very real pieces of Him within us.

The entire spectrum of feelings we experience in mortality are divine. From the heartbreak and compassion we experience over tragedy to the deep joy and contentment we experience amongst someone who accepts and loves us, all of these feelings are Christlike. They are all essential parts of eternal life. These feelings are part of what makes us like Christ. Those emotions we describe as so very human are actually like God.

Living forever would be empty with the full spectrum of experience and feeling. We came to mortality to feel all of these things so that we could better understand God because until you’ve felt it, you simply can’t understand.

It was the people

The other principle I want to draw from observing Christ’s feelings is the fact that His joy was made full from simply being around these people.

I remember thinking about what it meant to worship Christ when I was younger. I used to try and determine what it meant to worship Him in very black and white terms. I wanted to know what specific acts of worship there were. It’s interesting because I think I used to imagine experiences based off of what I knew from idols. It was about abasing yourself and putting God up on the pedestal. That’s what I believed of worship.

I have now come to believe that the central aspect of worship is connection with God. The acts are less significant; it is about the feeling. There are acts of worship that more readily evoke this connection that is essential to worship, but the act itself isn’t necessarily relevant.

The moments I have held God in the highest esteem have been the moments that I have felt close to Him, not the moments where I separated myself from Him because of my unworthiness. Even now, as I picture King Benjamin’s sermon about us being less than the dust of the earth, I don’t picture a scowling king telling his people to bow down and pray to a Being that towered over them and loved to rule over them. Surely King Benjamin was right when he said we were less than the dust of the earth, but this knowledge doesn’t have to mean any level of hatred towards ourselves. I know that’s how King Benjamin felt because I’ve felt it. I know what it means to have my eyes opened to how the Lord has been patient with me and to have that accompanying feeling of, “Thank you. I can’t believe You did that for me.” If we do it right, the knowledge of our nothingness should be accompanied by a deep reverence and gratitude and connection with the Lord for loving us anyway.

Which brings me back to this account of the Lord being filled with joy as He was surrounded by people who believed in Him, utilized His gifts, and loved Him. Perhaps other apostate gods that we read about in literature desire different kinds of worship. They want to be admired and placed up higher than everyone else. However, the true God, the God that we worship just wants to be close to us. If we want to worship Him, we have to draw near to Him. If we truly want to please Him, we need to allow Him to stand near us through everything. He won’t force Himself on us, but we have to learn that He wants to be with us. That’s what pleases Him. That’s what fills Him with joy. That’s what makes His sacrifice worth it. He just wants to be near us, love us, and feel our love in return.

We feel a desire for unity. We desire acceptance. We desire to sustain and support those we love. We desire closeness and understanding. These are not weak, human emotions. They are Godlike emotions. This is what Christ desires; He doesn’t need it, but He sure wants it.

I’m grateful for a Savior who loves me. I’m grateful that I was sent here to mortality so that my eyes could be opened to this human and divine spectrum of emotions. I’m grateful He created the earth so that I had a place to come down and feel what He feels. I’m grateful that He has opened my eyes and helped me to understand that so many of the feelings I experience here are reflections of His life. I’m grateful that He has helped me see that there is so much of Him within me.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ

Elder Dale G. Renlund
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As we approach General Conference, we are invited to move closer to the Savior and build spiritual momentum, as Elder Renlund described in his talk, “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ.” Elder Renlund shared a personal experience of a kayaking excursion in Hawaii to illustrate a key truth about spiritual progress: maintaining steady effort and momentum helps us navigate life’s challenges. Similarly, preparing for, participating in, and taking action after General Conference allows us to continue ‘rowing’ toward the Savior, no matter how many times the waves of life knock us off course – and no matter where we are in our individual faith journey.

Preparing for General Conference

Just as Elder Renlund’s guide gave him instructions before the kayaking trip, preparing for General Conference helps us enter with a clear sense of direction. Begin by setting aside time for prayer and reflection. What questions do you hope to find answers to? What challenges or spiritual needs weigh on your heart? Preparing spiritually is like studying the route before embarking on a journey—having a clear destination helps you stay focused when distractions arise. We can also prepare by clearing space in our schedules and homes to fully participate in the sessions, creating an atmosphere where the Spirit can speak to us.

Action items for preparing: + Set Clear Intentions: Decide what you want to gain from General Conference. Write down specific questions or concerns you hope to address. + Fast with Purpose: Consider fasting before (or during) Conference with the specific purpose of gaining clarity and direction. + Ask for Personal Revelation: Pray specifically for the Spirit to guide you to find the answers you need, rather than general inspiration. * Establish a Quiet Environment: Create a space in your home where you can watch Conference without distractions, helping you focus on the messages. * Read the Book of Mormon Leading Up to Conference*: Even small daily readings can help build a spiritual connection before Conference begins.

In a faith crisis? Consider preparing with this in mind: Limit Preconceptions: Approach Conference with an open mind, allowing yourself to hear the messages without preconceived judgments. * Engage in Self-Reflection*: Take time to reflect on your current spiritual state and why you are in a faith crisis. Writing down your thoughts may help you gain insight.

Participating in General Conference

As we started out, I rowed faster than Ruth and Ashley. After a while, I was far ahead of them. Though proud of my heroic pace, I stopped paddling and waited for them to catch up. A large wave—about 13 centimeters (5 inches)—hit the side of my kayak and flipped me over into the water. By the time I had turned the kayak upright and struggled to get back on top, Ruth and Ashley had passed me by, but I was too winded to resume paddling. Before I could catch my breath, another wave, this one truly enormous—at least 20 centimeters (8 inches)—hit my kayak and flipped me over again. By the time I managed to right the kayak, I was so out of breath I feared I would not be able to climb on top.

Seeing my situation, the guide rowed over and steadied my kayak, making it easier for me to climb on top. When he saw that I was still too breathless to row on my own, he hitched a towrope to my kayak and began paddling, pulling me along with him. Soon I caught my breath and began paddling adequately on my own. He let go of the rope, and I reached the first island without further assistance. Upon arrival, I flopped down on the sand, exhausted.

After the group had rested, the guide quietly said to me, “Mr. Renlund, if you just keep paddling, maintaining your momentum, I think you’re going to be fine.”

During his kayaking trip, Elder Renlund learned the importance of keeping up a steady pace. His guide advised him to keep moving and keep his momentum – and that would keep him safe. The same applies to our participation in General Conference. Actively listen to the talks, take notes, and be mindful of spiritual impressions. Just as Elder Renlund found that slowing down made him vulnerable to the waves, we risk losing momentum when we become passive listeners. Participating actively—whether by pondering the teachings or discussing insights with family—helps us maintain spiritual momentum and opens the door for revelation.

Action items for participating: + Listen for Specific Answers: Watch each session with the intent to receive answers to your personal questions. + Take Notes on Feelings, Not Just Words: Pay attention to how certain talks make you feel rather than just the information presented. + Write Down Promptings Immediately: As you feel any inspiration or guidance, jot it down right away, even if it seems small or unrelated to the talk. * Be Present and Avoid Multitasking: Give your full attention to the talks, allowing yourself to really hear the messages. * Focus on Christ*: Tune your ears and heart to teachings that directly address Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

In a faith crisis? Consider participating with this in mind: Recognize the Role of Doubt in Faith: Pay attention to any talks that acknowledge the reality of doubt and how it can coexist with faith. * Don’t Expect Perfection*: Remind yourself that Church leaders, like all of us, are human and will not be perfect in their communication or delivery.

Following Up After General Conference

On his kayaking venture, Elder Renlund realized that maintaining his momentum would help him face the larger waves ahead and avoid being swept off course. In our spiritual lives, it’s critical to keep momentum after Conference ends. The talks and inspiration we receive don’t have to be fleeting; they can become tools for daily, continued growth. Review your notes, re-listen to key talks, and make a plan for how to act on the promptings you felt. Elder Renlund emphasized the importance of daily nourishment for our faith: “Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be nourished daily.” By consistently applying what we learned at Conference, we keep our momentum and nourish our faith daily – helping us grow closer to Christ.

Action items for following up after General Conference: + Act on Promptings: When you receive a prompting during or after Conference, even if it’s small, act on it. Faith grows through action. + Pray About Specific Insights: In your prayers, bring up specific points from the talks that felt meaningful and ask Heavenly Father how to apply them. + Study Talks One at a Time: After Conference, pick one talk per day or week to study deeply. This slower approach might reveal new insights. * Review Your Notes: Go back over the notes you took and highlight any key points or promptings that stood out. Revisit them throughout the coming weeks. * Use General Conference in Daily Prayer and Study*: Incorporate lessons and themes from Conference into your daily prayers and scripture study to keep your connection to the messages alive.

In a faith crisis? Consider preparing with this in mind: Be Patient with the Process: Recognize that spiritual growth and overcoming doubts often take time. Allow yourself to revisit talks or topics as needed. * Give Yourself Grace: Understand that faith crises are normal and part of the spiritual journey. Be kind to yourself as you navigate your path back to faith. * Engage in Meaningful Conversations*: Discuss the talks with family, friends, or a Church leader, and be open about your faith crisis. Sometimes talking things out brings new clarity.

Conclusion: Keep Rowing Toward the Savior

We become vulnerable when we slow down and especially when we stop. If we maintain spiritual momentum by continually “rowing” toward the Savior, we are safer and more secure because our eternal life depends on our faith in Him.

As Elder Renlund’s guide taught him to maintain steady momentum, we too are invited to “keep paddling” spiritually as we prepare for, participate in, and follow up on General Conference. This consistent effort brings us closer to the Savior and helps us endure life’s waves. Elder Renlund promises, “When we assume responsibility for our own testimonies, we gain spiritual momentum and gradually develop bedrock faith in Jesus Christ, and the doctrine of Christ becomes central to the purpose of life.”

As General Conference approaches, choose to make deliberate preparations, participate with full intent, and continue your spiritual momentum by acting on the lessons you receive. In doing so, you’ll find greater peace, direction, and strength in your journey toward the Savior.

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Be Perfectby Autumn Dickson

The Savior appears and starts teaching the people immediately. He elaborates on fulfilling the Law of Moses and lays out His higher law for the future. He teaches them about a million different things from prayer to judging to His personal characteristics. There is so much.

In the very first section of the Come Follow Me manual, we find one of the most intimidating exhortations.

3 Nephi 12:48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

The Lord commands us to be perfect. I think logically we all understand that the Lord doesn’t expect us to be perfect just yet. We understand that the entire reason He suffered the atonement was because He knew that we wouldn’t be perfect. So why command it? Why give us what we can’t live up to?

There are two critical understandings we need in order to understand how and why the Lord gave us the commandment to be perfect.

Waiting until we were “ready”

Understanding why the Lord would give us such a commandment can be better understood when we observe the context of the rest of His teachings in this chapter. Christ is teaching about his fulfillment of the Law of Moses all leading up to that last verse in chapter 12 where He asks us to be perfect like Him and His Father. The sequence of this is significant, and it can teach us a lot about what He is asking and why He is asking. Context and purpose are everything if we hope to fulfill what He desires of us.

Let’s look at the context of what the Savior is teaching so that we can understand His purpose.

The Lord gave the Law of Moses back in the time where the Israelites had just been freed from slavery. He didn’t do this because He has lesser standards for different groups of people. In the end, we will receive all that the Lord has by living as the Lord lives. There is no other way to find those blessings. And yet, the Lord gave the Law of Moses because He understood that they had just come out of slavery. Their understanding of morality was childlike at best. They likely believed that life was one big test of whether you get caught when you do something wrong rather than doing right when no one is looking.

The Lord understood this, and He didn’t punish them for it. He never lowered the standards for the Israelites; He merely gave them a stepping stone. One day, if we wish to live the kind of life that He lives, every single one of us will have to live according to this higher law and we will have to live it perfectly. But the Israelites needed a stepping stone before they were prepared as a whole society for a higher law, and the Lord is wise enough and loving enough to give that stepping stone.

As the people spent more and more time away from slavery, and as generations passed and trauma slowly healed, the people became more prepared for this higher law. However, it’s significant to understand that even though they were becoming more prepared, they weren’t “ready” for this higher law in the sense that they would be able to keep it immediately. They had grown in their capacity to do what’s right after having the Law of Moses for so long, but they still weren’t capable of living the higher law perfectly yet. The Lord didn’t give them the higher law because they could live it perfectly; He gave it to them so that they could become capable of living it perfectly.

And that is critical understanding number one: The Lord gave us the commandment to be perfect because if He had waited until we were ready to be perfect immediately, we would have never become perfect because we wouldn’t have strived for it. The only way for us to fulfill that commandment was to begin striving for it.

Think of it in this manner. I teach my kids to control their tempers and not hit each other. My six year old isn’t even ready to live this law perfectly. When Warner comes after Evelyn, torturing her over and over, she eventually gives in and chases him around the house until she catches him and can tackle him.

Emotionally, she is unprepared to live my law of loving her brother enough to control her temper. Logically, she’s not capable of sinning yet because she’s not eight. One could make the argument that I’m cruel for expecting something of her she can’t do, something that she’s not even guilty for yet. But I feel like most of us can understand that that’s a stupid argument.

I give her the law. I don’t do it because I believe she’s capable yet. I don’t have expectations for her to fulfill it perfectly. I give her the law because I want her to start practicing. She will never learn to not hit if I wait until she’s ready to live it perfectly before I give it as a law.

The same goes for the exhortation to be perfect. He didn’t give us this commandment because we were ready to live it right now. He didn’t give it to us so He could hold it against us. He gave it to us so we would have a standard to look to, something to work towards, something to strive towards. The perfecting process would have been held off indefinitely if it wasn’t given as the standard.

The Lord already won

When I think about the Lord commanding us to be perfect, I think of Nephi.

Nephi was commanded to go and get the brass plates in Jerusalem. He hadn’t even left for Jerusalem when he testified that the Lord never gives a commandment unless He opens the way to fulfill that commandment. Nephi “failed” more than once in his attempts. He didn’t agonize over his failed attempts. He didn’t worry that the Lord had disowned him. He kept believing that the Lord would provide a way, and the Lord did. Each misstep and obstacle that Nephi experienced weren’t true failures; they were steps he had to live through in order to be ready to be led by the Lord. Because of his simple belief that the Lord would provide the way, Nephi had already won the battle. He had basically already received the plates before even leaving for Jerusalem because of that simple faith that the Lord would provide the way. You can’t fail with the Lord on your team.

Our second critical understanding in relation to the commandment to be perfect is this: The Lord already provided the way. He already won. Our destiny to be perfect is set and coming if we simply continue trying.

The Lord has provided the way for us to become perfect. He believes in us. He stands ready to teach us everything we need to learn, to guide us through each experience and failure we desperately need in order to actually fulfill that commandment to become perfect. Like Nephi, we have nothing to fear. If we love the Lord and keep trying, then we are 100% safe. The Lord paid for our sins and already won the battle. That means that all of the missteps and failures and obstacles are not evidence that we have failed His commandment; they are opportunities to step towards that commandment. They are precisely what we need to become perfect.

The commandment to be perfect is a gift, not a measuring stick with which to beat ourselves. If we look at it in the manner in which the Lord gave it to us, we will see it for what it is. We will see it as a glimpse of what He has in store for us. We will see it as our ultimate end, our literal destiny, if we simply continue trying. The commandment to be perfect is the ultimate testament to His love, a sign that He literally wants everything for us.

Being perfect was always your destiny. It is your birthright as a literal son or daughter of God. It is something you will grow into. It was given to you now so that you could work towards it, not so you get it right the first time.

In summary, there are two critical understandings when we think about the Lord’s commandment to be perfect.

If the Lord had waited to give the commandment, we never would have made it because we never would have strived for it. He had to give it to us before we were ready so we could grow.

The second critical understanding is that the Lord will provide the way. Work towards that perfection without all of the pressure. The pressure adds nothing to your journey except discouragement and extra exhaustion. The pressure was on the Lord to live perfectly and fulfill the atonement, and He already won. Now we just keep practicing, and we’ll get there.

I believe in a Lord who does everything for our benefit. I believe that every tender mercy comes from Him, and I believe that all of the obstacles and failures we’re experiencing on earth can be turned into gifts when combined with the power of His atonement. They can become contributions towards that ultimate goal of perfection because they can be powerful learning tools. We have every reason to rejoice in the Lord and trust Him.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 3 Nephi 12–16 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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Jesus Christ’s ministry among the people of Nephi, part 1(3 Nephi 8–18)by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best. This post will cover the content for the next two weeks, plus part of the following week.)

Class Notes

Additional Reading

John W. Welch explains that everything in 3 Nephi, especially the ministry of the Savior, echoes themes related to the temple and the presence of the Lord in the Holy of Holies. Welch, “Seeing Third Nephi as the Holy of Holies of the Book of Mormon,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 1 (2010): 36–55.

The great destructions and thick darkness in the Book of Mormon lands described in 3 Nephi 8 have all the indications of intense volcanic activity. Several Latter-day Saint scientists have written about this; their conclusions are summarized in these brief articles from Book of Mormon Central:

“What Caused The Darkness And Destruction In The 34th Year? (KnoWhy #197),” 28 September 2016.
“Is There Evidence of Sunken Cities in Ancient America? (KnoWhy #429),” 1 May 2018.
“Is There Evidence for Great Destruction in the Land Northward at the Death of Christ? (KnoWhy #530),” 6 September 2019.

Immediately before Jesus’s appearance at the temple in Bountiful, the people there “were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place great” (3 Nephi 11:1). What was this “great and marvelous change”? Clifford Jones argues that it refers to “the essential, infinite change wrought by the Atonement.” (Jones, “The Great and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Interpretation,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 2 (2010): 50–63.)

When Jesus appeared at Bountiful, “the whole multitude” of the people there “fell to the earth.” (3 Nephi 11:12) This description echoes Lehi₁’s dream of the tree of life, in which he saw “multitudes” of people who “did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.” (1 Nephi 8:30) For more on the connections between these two passages, see Matthew L. Bowen, “‘They Came Forth and Fell Down and Partook of the Fruit of the Tree’: Proskynesis in 3 Nephi 11:12–19 and 17:9–10 and Its Significance,” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 5 (2013): 63–89.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Opposition in All Things

Elder Mathias Held
of the Seventy

Summary

To be able to exercise our agency, we need to have opposing options to consider.

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Commandments, Jesus Christ, Agency, faith in Jesus Christ

Scriptures

2 Nephi 2:16, 2 Nephi 2:11, 2 Nephi 2:5, Moroni 7:16, 2 Nephi 2:5, Alma 7:11, 12; Helaman 5:12, 3 Nephi 9:14, 2 Nephi 2:2, Deuteronomy 29:4, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36

Other Sources

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Related talks:

See Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Jesus Christ lives and stands there at every moment, waiting for us to choose to call upon Him to provide succor, strength, and salvation.
Description of His Atonement.
- Jesus promised to “take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people … that he may … succor,” or help us as we turn to Him.
- Jesus Christ’s infinite sacrifice was certainly the greatest example of pain and suffering ever seen, but it also brought about the wonderful blessings of His Atonement to all of God’s children.
Description of His relationship with us.
- (God) loves us and sent His Beloved Son to help in our trials and to open for us the door to return to Him.
Words of Christ
- Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
- Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

…In our lives we sometimes make wrong decisions and … we must live with the consequences humbly and patiently until we are able to change our course again.
Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency precisely so that we could learn from our choices—from the right ones and also from the wrong ones. We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens. Heavenly Father’s plan for all of us is about learning, developing, and progressing toward eternal life.
To be able to exercise our agency, we need to have opposing options to consider.
Even though we usually cannot choose between these kinds of situations because they just happen, we are still free to choose how to react to them. We can do so with a positive or with a pessimistic attitude.
We choose how to react to these circumstances.
Remember that we are agents and not objects.
We can choose to build our foundation on the rock that is Jesus Christ so that when the whirlwind comes, “it shall have no power over [us].”
…Opposites don’t exist apart from each other. They can even complement each other. We would not be able to identify joy unless we had also experienced sorrow at some point. Feeling hungry at times helps us to be especially grateful when we do have enough to eat again. We would not be able to identify truth unless we had also seen lies here and there. These opposites are all like the two sides of one same coin. Both sides are always present.
These contrasting experiences taught us that we are never alone in moments of suffering, and they also showed us how much we can carry with the Lord’s succor and help. These experiences helped to shape us in wonderful ways, and it has all been totally worthwhile. Is this not what we came here for?
Our world today is often characterized by fear and anxiety—fear of what the future might bring for us. But Jesus has taught us to trust and “look unto [Him] in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
Where there is sunshine, shadows must be there too. Floods can bring destruction, but they usually bring life as well. Tears of grief often turn into tears of relief and happiness. Feelings of sadness when loved ones depart are later compensated with the joy of meeting again. In periods of war and destruction, many little acts of kindness and love are also happening for those with “eyes to see, and ears to hear.”
Our difficulties, sorrows, afflictions, and pains do not define us; rather, it is how we go about them that will help us grow and draw closer to God. It is our attitudes and choices that define us much better than our challenges.

Lists

Heavenly Father’s Plan for us is all about:

Learning
Developing
Progressing toward eternal life

Things Lehi taught Jacob:

the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself
it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things
We’ve been instructed sufficiently to know good from evil

Some of the important choices we confront in life are:

Choosing whether or not we will follow God’s commandments.
Choosing to have faith and recognize when miracles happen or to skeptically wait for something to happen before choosing to believe only then.
Choosing to develop trust in God or to fearfully anticipate another challenge the next day.

Things we can do when we’re suffering the consequences of our own actions:

choose to receive comfort through the divine process of repentance
make wrong things right again
learn some life-changing lessons

Opposition and trials from things outside of our control, but we can choose how to react to them:

In general, with any trial, we are free to choose to react with a positive or pessimistic attitude
- (positive) we can seek to learn from the experience and ask for our Lord’s help and support
- (pessimistic) we can think that we are on our own in this trial and that we must suffer it alone.
When things don’t go how we expected them to
- (positive) we can “adjust our sails” to the new reality
- (pessimistic) we can decide not to change anything.
Moments of health and periods of sickness.
- (positive attitude) we can seek medical and spiritual help
Times of peace and times of war
Hours of day and of night
- (positive attitude) in the darkness of night, we can turn on our lights
Seasons of summer and of winter
- (positive attitude) in the cold of winter, we should choose to wear warm clothes
Times of labor followed by times of rest

Examples in the scriptures that illustrate that opposition helped realize blessings:

Lehi taught his son Jacob that the afflictions he suffered in the wilderness helped him know the greatness of God and that “[God] shall consecrate [his] afflictions for [his] gain.”
During Joseph Smith’s cruel incarceration in Liberty Jail, the Lord told him that “all these things shall give [him] experience, and shall be for [his] good.”
Finally, Jesus Christ’s infinite sacrifice was certainly the greatest example of pain and suffering ever seen, but it also brought about the wonderful blessings of His Atonement to all of God’s children.

Invitations/Challenges

We can always choose to receive comfort through the divine process of repentance, make wrong things right again, and in doing so learn some life-changing lessons.
Make a conscious effort to see both sides of every coin allotted to us in our lives
How we choose to react to our trials will help us grow and draw closer to God.
When in health, cherish and be grateful for it every moment.
When in sickness, seek to patiently learn from it and know that this can change again according to God’s will.
When in sorrow, trust that happiness is around the corner; we often just cannot see it yet.
Never forget to be grateful.
Choose to believe.
Choose to have faith in Jesus Christ.
Choose to always trust God.
Choose to “think celestial,” as President Russell M. Nelson recently taught us!
Let us always be mindful of our Heavenly Father’s wonderful plan for us.

Warnings

Never forget to be grateful.

Blessings/Promises

Even though both sides might sometimes not be immediately visible to us, we can know and trust that they are always there.

Stories:

Elder Held tells the story of when he and his wife were driving to visit a friend, they made a wrong turn and wound up driving miles out of their way to find a place where they could turn around again.
Elder Held gives an example from his own life, that marrying and having children brought both great joy and profound pain. He said that the contrasting experiences taught them that they were never alone, and that with the Savior’s help they could do so much more.

Application Ideas

Choose one of your current challenges. Prayerfully consider this trial in light of these admonitions from Elder Held:
1. How can I be grateful, given the situation I’m in?
2. How can I choose to have faith in Jesus Christ?
3. How can I choose to trust God?
4. How can I choose to ‘think celestial’?
Set aside time each day this week to list things you are grateful for in your journal.
Once a week, have a prayer wherein all you do is thank Heavenly Father for your blessings.
Consider if you are letting difficulties, sorrows, afflictions, and pains define you and your mortal experience. If you are, choose to pray for strength and inspiration to change.

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Giving Your Broken Heartby Autumn Dickson

We have reached the crowning jewel of The Book of Mormon. We have reached the climax, the epitome, the purpose of The Book of Mormon. Christ has arrived to reach out to His people in other parts of the world.

When Christ’s voice pierces the darkness that the Nephites and Lamanites had found themselves in, He started to teach them immediately. He proclaims the destruction, but He also invites them to come and be healed. Before He even directly appears before them, His voice teaches them that the Law of Moses has been fulfilled. Of all the things the Lord could have chosen to express with His voice through the darkness, one of the things He chose to tell them was that the Law of Moses was no longer in effect. While this may seem like a slightly less significant happening when compared to all the destruction and His literal presence amongst these people, it heralded the incoming of a higher law. It brought about the new way to draw closer to Christ, and this new way would become the standard for all the generations afterwards (including our’s). It was a big deal that the Law of Moses had been fulfilled. It is a big deal that we have been given new ways to approach Christ and learn of Him.

Christ visited the Nephites and Lamanites. Living according to His new law is how we invite Him to visit us, to make Him a part of our lives.

Here is how Christ told them about the fulfilled Law of Moses.

3 Nephi 9:19-20

19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

Christ will no longer accept sacrifices according to the Law of Moses. He doesn’t want burnt offerings or the shedding of blood. He wants a different kind of sacrifice. He wants us to offer the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

The way this is worded is fascinating to me. When we think of sacrifice, we often picture giving up something we really love and adore. We believe that we’re going to receive something back which is the whole reason we agree to it. However, we are still giving up something that holds worth for us.

Which is why I find this new law so interesting. I can understand why Christ would ask for a broken heart and contrite spirit. It makes sense when you understand that the Lord is trying to change us, and a willingness to change often helps that process. However, Christ specifically asked for these things as a sacrifice. What can we learn from the way He worded this?

Broken hearts hold value

If Christ is asking us to offer up broken hearts and contrite spirits as a sacrifice, it implies the idea that these things are valuable to us. If you were to list things that were valuable to you, a “broken heart” might not be at the top of the list. And yet, sometimes our actions and underlying feelings can give us greater hints about what we value than our logical minds.

For example, I can talk all day long about how much I love my kids. However, I remember an experience one day where I was praying for them. I wasn’t at my best at that particular point in my life and so I started praying that they would feel my love even though I wasn’t showing it very well at the time. I think there are appropriate times to pray for that. However, in that particular moment, the Spirit whispered to me that I had prayed for the wrong thing. I loved my kids, but I wasn’t valuing them sufficiently at that time. How could I expect the Lord to just help them feel prioritized when I wasn’t actually prioritizing them? I could talk about how much I loved them all day, but until it changed how I was acting and feeling, then I was really just loving myself. I could tell you that I loved my kids more than myself, but my actions and underlying feelings during that time period were hinting at something different.

The same goes for a broken heart. We may not consciously value our broken hearts, but why do we sometimes withhold our broken hearts? Why do we hide our vulnerability? Why do we often continue to kick against the pricks rather than allowing our spirits to feel contrite? We’re not doing it for funsies, so there must be some reason we want to hold onto these things rather than handing them over to the Lord.

I had an experience some time last year; I believe it illustrates a time when I was withholding my broken heart and when I finally released it to the Lord and the resulting experience. I want to try very hard to maintain the point of me sharing this and not get distracted by the actual subject matter. It’s important to me that we take the principle I’m trying to teach so that we can apply it to all of our different situations rather than trying to hyperfocus on what my broken heart was about.

Last year, I had a quiet moment where I started thinking about Heavenly Mother. It had never bothered me before that She was relatively unknown or that we didn’t talk about her. I hadn’t put much thought towards it up until the time I became a mother and learned what it meant to be a mother. Her role is likely far more significant than we realize, and I started to wonder if She ever felt unappreciated because everyone was so quiet about Her. She likely has much more perspective than I do, but it affected me. I held onto those feelings for a while, not willing to give up how I felt about it. It suddenly felt all wrong, and I felt very right. I held tight to that feeling of my being right.

But then I started to reflect on the relationship I had with my Heavenly Father. I thought about the Savior and how He had sacrificed so much for me. I thought about how He had shown up for me multiple times, and I reflected on how I had sincerely felt His love.

I didn’t understand why Heavenly Mother wasn’t more openly appreciated, but I decided that I’d had enough experiences with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that I still trusted Them. Instead of holding onto my rightness, I held onto the relationship I had with Them. I turned to pray, and I remember asking, “Why?” but how I asked that question had suddenly changed dramatically.

Rather than asking, “Why?” in my determined rightness, I asked, “Why?” but I also mentally said, “Okay.” I let my heart feel sad over the issue, and I turned to Him for comfort regarding the issue. I gave Him my broken heart.

I’m not going to go into detail regarding the answer I received. It was very personal to me, and I believe that my answer was for me. He spoke to me in a way that I understood, and it changed everything. I don’t want to talk about how He answered me. I want to highlight the fact that giving my broken heart to Him changed things for me. I had held onto my broken heart believing that I was right in doing so, but the experience of giving it up had been beautiful, and I’m so grateful I did.

Different circumstances require giving up your broken heart

I believe that with certain issues throughout our lives, it’s going to be an elaborate dance as we work towards having that kind of experience. Handing your broken heart to the Lord has to be done in your heart; it’s not something you can fake or force. It requires examining where you’re at and accepting where you’re at so that the Lord can work with where you’re at.

I have very little advice on how to go about this elaborate dance of handing your broken heart over to the Lord because that process has been so different for different circumstances in my life. The Lord has had to patiently walk me through that process because half of the time, I didn’t even realize I was withholding a broken heart. He would have to guide me in how to experience my feelings before handing them over to be worked through with Him. I guess my only true advice is to turn to Him. You can even ask Him to walk you through the process because you don’t know how to do it on your own. You don’t have to know how to hand it over to Him; He can teach you how if you ask.

I believe that handing over your broken heart can be related to issues you don’t understand in the church. I believe that it can relate to personal circumstances when you don’t understand why He allowed you to enter into certain trials. I believe that anything that can break our hearts can be taken to the Lord.

I also believe that handing over your broken heart or finding your way towards a contrite spirit can often feel like a sacrifice. You have to sacrifice your pride and question whether you see the whole picture. You have to sacrifice your desire for Him to just fix things instead of allowing mortality to take its course. You have to sacrifice your desire to keep yourself safe and allow Him to step in.

I testify that it’s worth handing over. I’ve never been disappointed when I’ve handed my heart over to the Lord. I’ve also learned that the process of truly handing my broken heart over can take years of trying and failing and patience. As I’ve accepted the need to work through things and not just come to simple, clean answers, I’ve learned that this process of submitting your heart to the Lord has been a worthwhile experience. I trust Him. When He opens my eyes to the details He has adjusted in my life, I see that He has never let me down. Just like with any sacrifice, the Lord offers more than He asks for.

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by Scott Hansen

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

The closest scriptural parallel we have to modern-day general conference is found in the Book of Mosiah. People who gathered to hear the words of King Benjamin “pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which King Benjamin should speak unto them” (Mosiah 2:6). Each April and October, we do our best impersonation by remaining in our pajamas with our attention fixed on the television screen. All kidding aside, this multi-day sermon recorded in the Book of Mormon was a pivotal moment in the lives of everyone in attendance. What can we do to make general conference a pivotal moment in our lives? Here are three ideas:

CONTINUED HERE

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Be One with Christ

Elder Quentin L. Cook
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Summary

We are united by our love of and faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The essence of truly belonging is to be one with Christ.

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

Oneness, charity, agency

Scriptures

Moroni 7:27–28, 2 Nephi 9:41, John 17:20, John 17:21–22, Doctrine and Covenants 20, Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–36, 2 Nephi 2:7, Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 2 Nephi 26:33, 2 Nephi 26:28, Alma 1:4, Doctrine and Covenants 29:49–50, 2 Nephi 2:27–28, Doctrine and Covenants 58:27, 2 Nephi 2:27, Moses 4:3, Alma 41:10, 1 Nephi 2:4, Doctrine and Covenants 20:29–31

Other Sources

16 Not Doubting nor Despairing

Peter Wood, Diversity: The Invention of a Concept (2003), 20.

True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference (2004), 12.

Poetical Works of Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1917), 129.

Related talks:

D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Agency”
Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,”
Neal A. Maxwell, “Response to a Call,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Building Bridges,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I can remember to this day the great love and appreciation Grandpa had for the Savior and His Atonement.
- I bear my sure and certain witness that Jesus Christ lives, and because of His Atonement, we can be one with Christ. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Atonement.
- I have felt deeply about the Atonement of Jesus Christ since I was quite young
- no one can return to God by good works alone without the benefit of the Savior’s Atonement.
- Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement.
- salvation comes as Jesus Christ justifies and sanctifies repentant souls because of the Savior’s grace. (D&C 20) sets the stage for the preeminent role of His Atonement.
Description of His relationship with us.
- Christ is “the Keeper of the Gate”
The words of Christ
- “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.”
- “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion.
The Lord’s saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status, or race. It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments.
The content of this revelation (D&C 20) is truly remarkable. It teaches us the significance and role of the Savior and how to access His power and blessings through His atoning grace.
The doctrine, principles, sacraments, and practices that the Lord established through Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration, are truly seminal.
It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic or social attainment is necessary. The poor and the rich have the same spiritual requirements. There are no race, gender, or ethnicity requirements. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness, “black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.” “All men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.”
Given our “likeness” before God, it makes little sense to emphasize our differences.
Some have wrongly assumed that because all people are invited to receive His goodness and eternal life, there are no conduct requirements. However, the scriptures attest that all accountable persons are required to repent of sins and keep His commandments.
To receive the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement, we must affirmatively exercise our moral agency to choose Christ and obey His commandments.
A fundamental doctrine of our faith is that we do have moral agency, which includes free will. Agency is the ability to choose and act. It is essential to the plan of salvation. Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress, or choose to be one with Christ. Because of moral agency, we “are free to choose liberty and eternal life.”
The Father’s plan included agency as an essential element.
We are free to choose and act, but we do not control the consequences.
In this extremely competitive world, there is a constant effort to excel. Striving to be the best we can be is a righteous and worthwhile endeavor. It is consistent with the Lord’s doctrine. Efforts to diminish or deprecate others or create barriers to their success are contrary to the Lord’s doctrine. We cannot blame circumstances or others for a decision to act contrary to God’s commandments.
In today’s world, it is easy to focus on material and occupational success. Some lose sight of eternal principles and choices that have eternal significance. We would be wise to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to “think celestial.”
The most significant choices can be made by almost everyone regardless of talents, abilities, opportunities, or economic circumstances.
For the most important choices, we do have control.
On matters of principle, conduct, religious observance, and righteous living, we are in control. Our faith in and worship of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is a choice that we make.
We should strive to include others in our circle of oneness.

Lists

Elder Cook’s grandfather advised him to:

avoid any sense of entitlement or privilege because of his faithful ancestors
Focus on the Savior
Focus on the Savior’s atonement
Remember that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father
Remember that we each will report to the Savior on how well we kept the commandments

A summary of essential Church doctrine (contained in D&C 20):

the reality of God
the Creation of mankind
the Fall
Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
requirements for baptism into the Lord’s Church
the sacrament prayers

Requirements for baptism:

humility before God
a broken heart
a contrite spirit
repenting of all sins
taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ
enduring to the end
showing by our works that we have received of the Spirit of Christ

About moral agency:

Moral agency includes free will
Agency is the ability to choose and act.
It is essential to the plan of salvation.
Without moral agency, we could not learn, progress, or choose to be one with Christ.
Because of moral agency, we “are free to choose liberty and eternal life.”

Invitations/Challenges

To receive the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement, we must affirmatively exercise our moral agency to choose Christ and obey His commandments.

Warnings

avoid any sense of entitlement or privilege because of your faithful ancestors
Please understand I am not advocating less interest in education or occupation. What I am saying is that when efforts relating to education and occupation are elevated above the family or being one with Christ, the unintended consequences can be significantly adverse.

Stories:

Elder Cook shares a meaningful experience from when they were 25, just after graduating from Stanford Law School and while studying for the California bar exam. Upon hearing that their 86-year-old grandfather, Crozier Kimball, was dying, they traveled to Utah for a visit. Crozier was pleased to see them and shared his testimony, emphasizing that despite having faithful ancestors like his father, David Patten Kimball, and his grandfather, Heber C. Kimball, true focus should be on the Savior and His Atonement. Crozier counseled them to avoid any sense of entitlement based on their heritage, reminding them that all will answer to the Savior, the “Keeper of the Gate” as described in 2 Nephi 9:41, for how well they kept His commandments. He expressed his hope that he had repented enough to receive the Savior’s mercy. The speaker was deeply moved by their grandfather’s humility and love for the Savior, and the visit strengthened their appreciation of the Atonement, which they have carried with them ever since.
In 2019 during an assignment in Jerusalem, I visited an upper room which may have been near the site where the Savior washed His Apostles’ feet prior to His Crucifixion. I was spiritually touched and thought of how He commanded His Apostles to love one another.
On the recent cover of a major university alumni publication, a prominent biologist-professor asserts, “There’s no room for free will.” Not surprisingly, the professor is quoted in the article as saying, “There’s no such thing as God, … and there’s no free will, … and this is a vast, indifferent, empty universe.” I could not disagree more strongly.
Going back to my missionary days, Elder Marion D. Hanks, our mission president, had all of us memorize part of a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox: There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, Can circumvent or hinder or control The firm resolve of a determined soul.

Application Ideas

Prayerfully look at your own life and consider if your time at work or school are “elevated above the family or being one with Christ.” Make a note of any area of your life you feel is out of balance.
How can I include others in my circle of oneness this week?

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Nephi Waited All Dayby Autumn Dickson

The chapters this week are full of some intense events that all occurred within a very short span of history. Within approximately 30 years, we find the almost-genocide of a religion, a major war in which an entire nation comes together to live in the same place, and a governmental collapse. I mean…how long did people even live during this time period? That’s quite the life to have.

Though there were many tragedies and anxiety, there were also great miracles. One such miracle was the birth of Christ in Bethlehem with its accompanying signs in the western world. Before this grand event, we find that almost-genocide. Non-believers were convinced that the prophesied signs of Christ’s birth had past, and they were prepared to put the believers to death.

Nephi, an immensely righteous prophet of the Lord, found himself in charge of a people who were condemned to death. Here is where we find Nephi at this particular point.

3 Nephi 1:12-13

12 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

Nephi prayed all day, and the Lord’s voice came to him, comforting him and telling him that the sign was coming soon enough to spare his people.

We love the Lord who delivers us. We love the stories of miracles when He comes in and saves the day, and we testify boldly of His sacrifice that made Him the ultimate hero.

However, do we also love the Lord who waited all day before responding to Nephi? Do we trust Him when we’re in the middle of a crisis and receiving nothing? Do we have faith in the last-second Lord and the Lord who allows for tragedy?

Nephi was a good man

In the first chapter of 3 Nephi, we find Nephi who is the son of Nephi who is the son of Helaman. Just to give you a quick recap, Nephi Sr. (the son of Helaman) was the guy who preached to the people on his garden tower about the death of the chief judge. He was also given the sealing power from the Lord in which he called down famines and wars. He was a great man. This Nephi, the son of Helaman, “departs” within the first few verses of 3 Nephi. We don’t know much about his departing, but we know that’s the last we hear of him.

Nephi Sr., son of Helaman, also named his son Nephi. So Nephi Jr. is who we’re working with right now for this post. He is the leader of a people who is about to be put to death for believing in a coming Messiah; he has also just apparently lost his father. The combination of his father’s departure and the new mantle of leader over a threatened people likely weighed on him. Think of all the new leaders we hear from. How many times have you heard them describe their feared inadequacy? How many times have we heard about new leaders feeling overwhelmed and scared of the mantle they were being given?

Nephi (I’m dropping Jr. now since we know who we’re talking about) had this mantle placed upon him at a particularly tumultuous time, both in terms of the church and his personal life. The Lord didn’t pull any punches.

If my child came to me in these particular circumstances, praying about whether they were going to be okay, I feel like I would have responded immediately. That would have my natural inclination, to immediately ease their worry and suffering on top of so much they were already feeling. I would have worked quickly to remove any burden they felt as they were trying to lead my people to be faithful.

But not so with the Lord. A day might not seem like very long to wait relatively speaking. However, the Lord was really cutting it close to crunch time. Nephi was counting down the time to the impending death of himself and his fellow congregants, awaiting the Lord’s response. I’m sure Nephi was pleading with the Lord for comfort, but I also imagine that Nephi was pleading with the Lord for direction. Should the people depart? Should they arm themselves? I’ve gotten answers to “wait” before, but Nephi was getting nothing for a while despite his seemingly pressing need.

An effectual struggle

A few months ago, we talked about Limhi and his people and their effectual struggle. As a reminder, “effectual” means to bring the intended result. We discussed how Limhi’s effectual struggle taught the people what they needed to learn. They were repenting of sin, and being released immediately from any effects of their sin would have likely just taught them, “I can do whatever I want and not experience consequences. Look! I sinned a ton, and I didn’t have any problems. I can definitely go back to sinning.” The effectual struggle did not pay for their salvation, and it wasn’t a result of the Lord exacting vengeance. The effectual struggle was a merciful, beautiful lesson given to the people of Limhi to drive them to be better and avoid their bonds.

Since that lesson, I have been taught that every struggle in mortality can become an effectual struggle with the Lord. Even when we are righteous and seeking the Lord like Nephi, the Lord still has lessons for us to learn. Effectual struggles are essential for those lessons; we couldn’t learn what we needed to learn without them. More importantly we couldn’t become what we need to become without them.

For instance, patience is a highly underrated characteristic of the Lord. We hate learning and practicing patience, but patience is one of the most beautiful characteristics the Lord has. Can you imagine where we would be if the Lord grew impatient with humanity? Someday, we will hopefully step into the shoes of the Lord and do as He does. However, that is going to require a patient being. Patience isn’t something that comes with a perfect life. You don’t learn patience as you receive enough rest, get enough alone time, or have everything sufficient for your needs. Those are beautiful gifts of eternity, but those gifts will not help you develop the patience you need to do what the Lord does, namely being patient when everything seems to be going wrong.

Only an effectual struggle can help you develop that resilience.

Sometimes we experience trials for “no” reason. We get to the end, and it didn’t feel like there was an overarching lesson or purpose. It feels random and tragic and unnecessary. However, as we turn to the Lord, perhaps we’ll recognize that sometimes the purpose is to stretch and practice our patience. You can’t become patient unless you’re given an opportunity to practice it, and we have to become patient to be exalted.

The lesson for Nephi and his people

I don’t know what lesson Nephi specifically needed to learn as the Lord remained quiet during a crucial time. Perhaps there were many lessons. Perhaps all of the followers had different lessons they needed to learn as they waited on the Lord to let them know it was going to be okay. I know that the Lord wasn’t ignoring Nephi because He was too busy, because He wanted Nephi to squirm and struggle, because He was insensitive to the things that Nephi was experiencing. No, the Lord was providing an effectual struggle.

I can guess at one potential lesson. Just like with patience, we need an opportunity to practice faith in order to increase our faith. There comes a point in your testimony where you start to feel pretty sure that God is there and aware of you. You have learned that lesson. God has shown up enough in your life that you know He’s got you. You have developed that faith.

But the Lord calls on us to stretch and grow our faith beyond that. After you know He’s there, He wants to push us to trust that He’s going to show up at the right time with everything you need. You’re not going to have to practice faith with nothing to lose. Imagine if the story we were reading was different. There was no antagonism towards the believers. There were people who didn’t believe in Christ, people who believed that the time for the sign had passed. However, these non-believers didn’t give a rip about whether others believed a sign was still coming.

The believers might have still looked forward with faith or the sign to come, but they had nothing to lose. If it never came, they didn’t really lose out on much. There was no test. There was no stretch. There was no effectual struggle. There was no opportunity to really decide whether you were going to hold on because it didn’t actually matter if you held on. The Lord gave them an opportunity to stretch when He remained silent for a time. It was an opportunity, not a punishment or a sign that He didn’t love them. It was the only way for them to become like Him.

Surely these trials can take different forms. There will be times in our lives where we receive respite and care, and we’re immensely grateful for those times and we enjoy them. However, those effectual struggles are actually the tender mercies that we came to earth for. Utilize them. You don’t have to love them. Christ didn’t love the idea of suffering in Gethsemane so don’t put pressure on yourself to grin and bear it. But utilize the opportunities you’ve been given to stretch your faith and patience and whatever other gifts come from being tested. Recognize what they are for. Don’t use them as “evidence” that you’re being punished. Use them as evidence that the Lord is preparing you. Understand that there was no other way to give us what we had asked for: a chance to be like Him.

I testify that you’re safe. I testify that the Lord is going to show up at the right time. I testify that you’re not going to be abandoned. I testify that the Lord’s overwhelming love is what drives Him to push us beyond what’s comfortable. I testify that appreciating the purpose of the effectual struggle of mortality can make our lives a fulfilling and less bitter process. If you wait on the Lord and trust Him, you are in no danger. Not really. Not when we’re talking about the eternities. We have already won so take your turn being stretched and recognize the struggle for what it is.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Swallowed Up in the Joy of Christ

Elder Brian K. Taylor
of the Seventy

Main Points

I testify that our Heavenly Father hears your tearful pleadings and will always respond in perfect wisdom.
We don’t know why some people receive miracles quickly while others don’t; but we know that God does all things for our welfare and happiness.
The power of Christ rests upon us in our afflictions, making us strong.
Life’s trials prove us and refine us

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

Jesus Christ, Atonement, Obedience

Scriptures

Mark 10:52, Mark 8:25, 2 Corinthians 12:8, Psalm 130:5, 1 Nephi 11:17, Helaman 12:2, 2 Nephi 26:24, Abraham 2:8, 2 Nephi 2:2, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Abraham 3:25–26, 1 Nephi 20:10, 2 Nephi 4:19–35, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, Alma 7:11–12, John 16:33, 2 Nephi 31:20, Ether 12:4, Moroni 7:48, Hebrews 12:2, Mosiah 15:7, Alma 31:38, Psalm 30:5, John 15:10–11, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Joseph Smith Translation, James 1:2 (in James 1:2, footnote a); 2 Nephi 2:25, 9:18; Alma 26:6–7, 11, 27, 37; 28:8; 33:23; 36:20–21; Doctrine and Covenants 109:76; Moses 5:10–11, Mosiah 24:14; Alma 33:23, Luke 23:34, 43; John 19:26–27, Alma 7:12, Jacob 2:8, Matthew 11:28, Matthew 28:20, Mosiah 24:14, John 14:18, Doctrine and Covenants 98:3, 3 Nephi 17:7; Alma 36:3, 27; Exodus 2:24; 3:7; Mosiah 24:12, 2 Nephi 2:24; Mosiah 4:9; Isaiah 55:9, Alma 33:23, Alma 31:38; see also Psalm 30:5; John 15:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Joseph Smith Translation, James 1:2 (in James 1:2, footnote a); 2 Nephi 2:25; 9:18; Alma 26:6–7, 11, 27, 37; 28:8; 33:23; 36:20–21; Doctrine and Covenants 109:76; Moses 5:10–11.

Other Sources

Orson F. Whitney, in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 16.

Missionary Work and the Atonement

Joseph Smith, letter to Presendia Huntington Buell, Mar. 15, 1839, josephsmithpapers.org.

“Lord, I Would Follow Thee,” Hymns, no. 220.

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 118.
D. Todd Christofferson, “The Refining Fire of Affliction,” Liahona, Mar. 2022, 7.
Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 94.
Linda S. Reeves, “Worthy of Our Promised Blessings,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 11.
“Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 81–84.
Camille N. Johnson, “Jesus Christ Is Relief,” Liahona, May 2023, 81
Neal A. Maxwell, “Endure It Well,” Ensign, May 1990, 34
Neil L. Andersen, “Wounded,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 83–86.
Jeffrey R. Holland, “An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 38

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- With joyful reverence, I witness our Savior lives and “His promises are sure.” Especially for you who are troubled or who are “afflicted in any manner,” I testify that our Heavenly Father hears your tearful pleadings and will always respond in perfect wisdom.
Description of His Life.
- “Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight.”
- Even the Savior “learned … obedience by” and was made “perfect through sufferings.”
Description of His Atonement.
- “My hands are not the hands that save. Those hands belong to the Savior! Instead of looking at my scars as a reminder of what I was not able to do, I remember the scars my Savior bears.”
- “[Our] eternal life is dependent upon [our] faith in [Christ] and in His Atonement.”
- The Savior suffered ‘pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ so that He can comfort us, heal us, [and] rescue us in times of need.”
- How did He do it? We learn, “For the joy that was set before him [Christ] endured the cross,” His will “being swallowed up in the will of the Father.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- Without God, the dark experiences of suffering and adversity tend to despondency, despair, and even bitterness.
- President Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions”
Words of Christ
- Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole
- Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment.
- Behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
- Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.
- In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
- If thou endure it well,God shall exalt thee on high.
- Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; … that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
- I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Why do some receive their yearned-for miracles quickly, while others patiently endure, waiting upon the Lord? We may not know the why, yet gratefully, we know He who “loveth [us]” and “[doeth] all things for [our] welfare and happiness.”
God, who sees the end from the beginning, reassures, “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment,” and they shall be consecrated “for thy gain.”
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education. … All … that we [patiently] endure … builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our [heavenly parents].” (Orson F. Whitney)
Coming to trust in God’s divine purposes breathes hope into weary souls and kindles determination in seasons of anguish and heartache.
“As we look at all things with eternal perspective, it will significantly lighten our load.” (President Russell M. Nelson)
Envision an eternal reward rather than focus on the excruciating difficulties of the day.
“After having been inclosed in the walls of a prison for five months it seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before. … I think I never could have felt as I do now if I had not suffered the wrongs that I have suffered.” (Joseph Smith)
During eternity’s most crucial, agonizing hours, our Savior did not shrink but partook of the bitter cup. How did He do it? We learn, “For the joy that was set before him [Christ] endured the cross,” His will “being swallowed up in the will of the Father.”
This phrase “swallowed up” deeply moves me. My interest was heightened when I learned that in Spanish, “swallowed up” is translated as “consumed”; in German, as “devoured”; and in Chinese, as “engulfed.” Thus, when life’s challenges are most painful and overwhelming, I remember the Lord’s promise—that we “should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it [be] swallowed up [consumed, devoured, and engulfed] in the joy of Christ.”
“When, for the moment, we ourselves are not being stretched on a particular cross, we ought to be at the foot of someone else’s—full of empathy and proffering spiritual refreshment” (Neal A. Maxwell)
“Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come” (Jeffrey R. Holland)

Lists

Divine Principles of approaching life’s challenges:

Stronger faith comes by putting Jesus Christ first.
Brighter hope comes by envisioning our eternal destiny.
Greater power comes by focusing on joy.

Three examples of faith and healing

Blind Bartimaeus received an instant miracle.
The man in Bethsaida was healed after two blessings.
The Apostle Paul did not receive the healing he sought but was strengthened in his weakness.

Three divine principles

Stronger faith comes by putting Jesus Christ first.
Brighter hope comes by envisioning our eternal destiny.
Greater power comes by focusing on joy in Christ.

Three divine perspectives

God sees the end from the beginning.
Trials refine us and build our character.
Eternal perspectives ease earthly burdens.

Invitations/Challenges

Put Christ first in your life.
Envision your eternal destiny.
Focus on joy.
Trust in the Lord’s timing for miracles and answers to prayers.
Focus on the eternal joy that comes from enduring trials faithfully.
Turn to Jesus Christ in moments of weakness, and you will find strength.

Warnings

Without turning to God during adversity, suffering may lead to despair or bitterness.
Focusing only on immediate relief can prevent us from seeing the eternal growth that trials offer.

Blessings/Promises

“May God grant unto you,” as He has done for our family in times of great need, “that your burdens may be light,” even “swallowed up in the joy of Christ.”
Christ’s power will rest upon us in our afflictions.
Our burdens will be swallowed up in the joy of Christ.
God will turn our trials into growth, blessing us with deeper peace and eternal joy.

Stories:

In the New Testament, blind Bartimaeus was healed instantly by his faith. A man in Bethsaida, however, received healing after two blessings from Jesus. In contrast, the Apostle Paul prayed three times for relief but did not receive the healing he sought.
Holly and Rick Porter’s 12-year-old son, Trey, tragically passed away in a fire. Holly, severely burned while trying to save him, later testified of the immense peace and joy the Lord gave her family during their grief. She found comfort in recognizing that it was not her hands that could save, but the Savior’s. Holly’s experience exemplifies the promise that viewing trials through a celestial lens can bring new understanding and peace.
Last year, Jill and I met Paula, a beautiful young Guatemalan woman who was struggling mightily with cancer. Her response to my question of how she was feeling left an unforgettable memory in our minds and hearts: “I am grateful,” this humble teenager quietly responded almost in a whisper, “that the Lord gave it to me and not to my sister.” Then, although she was not feeling well, she; her sister, Sariah; and their father went on two ministering visits to two elderly widows with great personal needs and challenges of their own.

Application Ideas

Read the definition of the word “Prove” in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary. With that definition in mind, read through the Topical Guide entry “Prove”. Stop and read any of the references that stand out to you. Write any insights you have about your own life in your journal.
Ponder this sentence: “Coming to trust in God’s divine purposes breathes hope into weary souls and kindles determination in seasons of anguish and heartache.” What does it look like in your life to “come to trust” God? How can you come from where you are now to a place where you trust God? Write down one thing you can do this coming week to come closer to trusting God.
Elder Taylor invites us to put Christ first in our lives. Brainstorm ways you are already putting Christ first in your life, and recognize your efforts in your journal or by sharing with a close friend. Make it a subject of prayer to find other ways to put Christ first.
Elder Taylor posits that greater power comes by focusing on joy, and points to Christ as an exemplar in that principle.

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Foretold Promisesby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters for this week, we find Samuel the Lamanite. His title, “the Lamanite,” is actually very telling for this particular passage in The Book of Mormon. All throughout the history of The Book of Mormon, the Lamanites were traditionally the ones who rejected the gospel. And yet, we’ve reached a point in the timeline where the Nephites had grown extremely wicked. The Lord sent a Lamanite to go to the Nephites and preach the gospel to them.

Samuel listened and did so. He warned them of all sorts of scary things that could happen if they didn’t repent, and he was miraculously preserved as he delivered his message.

He also testified that Christ was coming.

Helaman 14:2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.

Samuel told the Nephites that Christ would be born back in Jerusalem in five years. Even though Christ would be born an ocean away, there were going to be all sorts of signs that would precede His birth. The night before His birth, there wouldn’t be darkness in the night. A new star would appear. There would be many signs and wonders, and many would fall to the earth in amazement and wonder.

Even though many of Samuel’s prophecies can be considered frightening, it didn’t need to scare anyone who chose to repent. Samuel even teaches that Zarahemla was currently being preserved because of the righteous people who were still in the city.

Prophets prophesy of things to come. They foretell of signs to look for. They encourage us to change our lives according to the events on Heavenly Father’s timeline. Let’s talk about it in a modern context so that this can be a more relatable principle.

In our day

I want you to imagine that President Nelson told us all that Christ was returning in five years. This will likely not happen since we’ve been taught that no one, not even the angels, know when Christ is coming. However, for the sake of applying the scriptures, let’s pretend that he did.

I’m sure there would be plenty of mockery in the world, just as there was with Samuel the Lamanite. I wonder how many people who are not of our faith would become curious over this miraculous and bold announcement. It would be an interesting day on social media to say the least.

But how would you respond? What would you change? If Christ was really coming within the next five years, what kind of feelings would you experience with this announcement?

President Nelson did not come forward last General Conference and announce the coming of the Savior, but he is a prophet and he has made pronouncements. He has admonished us in specific ways but because there is no deadline, sometimes we underestimate the importance of such guidance.

I can think of two specific ways that President Nelson’s (along with other prophets) pronouncements should change us. I want to cover the first, but I want to focus on the second.

Behavior

The first way it should change us is in our behavior.

If I knew Christ was coming, I’d probably get a bunch more food storage. I’d spend more time with my family and at the temple. I would probably cut out a lot of extra things that once felt so important to me. I would probably spend more conscious time considering how I spent my free time, reading books with tons of value in comparison to these cheap filler novels I can find on Stuff Your Kindle day. I’d spend my money differently knowing that things would change after He came.

To an extent, it’s wise to consider how we would change. It can help us refocus our priorities and remember what has true value.

However, I want to highlight the phrase, “To an extent…” It’s also important to remember that we might live another hundred years before He comes. There’s a balance there. For example, I mentioned how I would change the way I spent my time and money. We just spent the last two months trying to fix up our yard. Would I have bothered to fix it up if I knew Christ was coming? Maybe. I definitely would have reconsidered if I knew that the world was going to look different in five years.

We can’t drop everything and live our lives as though Christ is coming in five years because we don’t know whether He is, but we can consider how we would change. Pondering this idea may not dramatically change our current actions, but they might realign what we’re focusing on and worrying about.

Which leads me to my second point that I truly want to hone in on.

How we feel would change

I hope that an announcement regarding the coming of the Savior would make you feel hope over despair. I hope that the idea of facing Him would fill you with all the best kinds of anticipation. I hope that your life would feel lighter.

When we have something really exciting to look forward to, all of the days leading up to that event can often feel more exciting even though the event isn’t there yet. When you’re looking forward to a cruise or the last day of school, the anticipation can be just as fun as the event itself. I remember I used to love Fridays at school because it meant the weekend was coming. Friday was technically the same as any other day at school, but Friday felt different because I was looking forward to something.

During a district meeting on my mission, we all made lists of the blessings that we were most excited for. It was actually a really fun exercise and made me feel lighter and better even though nothing had really changed. It simply brought the anticipation of the promised blessings of the Savior to the forefront of my mind where I could enjoy them even though they weren’t here yet.

We listed blessings from the ridiculous to the deep. We were excited to hold our children, to be happy and safe in a marital relationship. We were excited to be able to fly (I don’t know if that was ever directly promised, but one could argue it’s implied). We were excited to see a beautiful world that was even prettier than what we already have. We were excited to not get the flu anymore, to see loved ones who had passed on, and to pet lions.

Like Samuel, we have modern day prophets who have warned us. However, also like Samuel, we have prophets who have taught us about the Lord’s promises, and we have every reason to rejoice in those blessings today. If we are repenting, remaining close to the Lord, and trying to be a good person, we have every reason to believe that He will bestow all that the Father has on us. That means whole and healed family relationships, healthy bodies that can move and act in tremendous and free ways, and a gorgeous setting to enjoy all of it in.

What is hurting you? What has the Lord promised you that’s adjacent to that hurt? Can you visualize it? Can you visualize the fulfillment of His merciful promises? We don’t have to be afraid of getting our hopes up. Christ has the capacity to fill our hopes beyond what we could have dreamed of. Sit in that visualization of that fulfilled promise, and let it fill you with faith. Let it fill you with a sweet and healing gratitude for your Savior.

The Savior has promised tremendous blessings. Make a conscious list of them and allow yourself to hope for them. It’s okay to still feel hurt and disappointment and sacrifice in this life as we ache to have those blessings fulfilled now. The Savior does not begrudge us feeling misery when He built the world for the very purpose of experiencing the full spectrum of life. However, when you’re ready to step out of the misery and you’ve allowed yourself to feel it sufficiently, let His promises be a balm to you. Let your anticipation of the fulfillment of these promises be as exciting as the event itself.

I testify of a Savior who is coming again even if we’re not sure when. I testify that He has the capacity to fulfill His promises; He already won! He already secured the right to give us everything our hearts desire. I testify of a Savior who also has the capacity to help you strive and reach and repent so that you’re ready to experience those blessings. If you’re worried about being able to receive those blessings because you’re worried about your ability to follow Him, then visualize the promise that there is no darkness too far where He can’t reach you and save you. And beyond pulling you from that darkness, He wants to give you more than you can imagine. He can give you more than you can imagine. Hold those promises in your heart, and let them fill you now.

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Healed by the Saviorby Autumn Dickson

The theme of remembrance is abundant in the chapters we’ve been reading lately, and that does not cease for this week. Nephi is preaching to the people from the tower in his garden, and he starts to bring up stories that they should remember. One such story is succinctly taught in these verses.

Helaman 8:14-15

14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.

Nephi teaches the people of a story found in our Old Testament. The Israelites had been bitten by serpents and were dying. Moses lifted up a brazen serpent, and if the Israelites looked at it, they would be healed. Many looked and were saved; many did not and perished.

Such a simple concept. The Israelites were members of the church who had made covenants with God. They still found themselves in trouble throughout their lives, and in this particular instance, the solution to their problems was to simply look at a brazen serpent.

We are likewise members of the church who find ourselves in trouble throughout our lives. Is it really as simple as looking to the Savior? Is this just another way to teach the theme of remembrance? If we can simply remember to look towards the Savior, will we really find the solution to our problems?

I wholeheartedly argue yes.

Interaction with the Savior

Let’s look at the woman with the issue of blood as an example. This woman in the New Testament had been sick for years and years. She had a blood disorder of some kind that made her continually unclean. When you dive into the Law of Moses, you learn that women who were bleeding were not to be touched. They were unclean, and if you touched them, you became unclean. Though this sounds awful, I believe the Lord was actually protecting the health of His daughters during vulnerable times. After a woman was done bleeding, she needed to go and do specific washings to become clean again. Then she was allowed to be touched again.

This woman wasn’t supposed to be touched. No matter how many washings she went through for the Law of Moses, she couldn’t be healed. No matter how obedient she was to the Law of Moses, it was insufficient. Doctors during this time period couldn’t help her either.

It likely didn’t help that the Jews during this time period were all about the Law of Moses. There were all sorts of extra rules that made sure you were following the Law of Moses. It was a badge of honor to be following the Law of Moses “perfectly.” The outward ceremonies and acts of worship had become dramatic, and the people had forgotten that all of these ceremonies were meant to be pointing them towards a Savior that was coming. Obedience to the Law of Moses was inherently worthless without the coming of the Savior.

And we see the physical manifestation of this truth in this story. The woman could not wash herself clean or heal herself with obedience. She could not return to her relationships because she was untouchable. The only thing that healed her was approaching the Savior and touching the hem of his garment.

It was not obedience that healed the woman; it was approaching the Savior in faith.

That’s an important concept to master. I’m not trying to teach that obedience is unimportant. Obedience is vastly important, but it’s important for different reasons than we’re often seeking. We’re looking for obedience to save us, to heal us from our maladies, to make us happy, but obedience cannot provide that. Only a relationship with the Savior can do that.

Obedience offers many blessings. The Law of Moses was important because it was meant to open the eyes of the people so that they could recognize their Savior. It was meant to help them understand their Savior on a deeper level. It protected them. It pushed them to rise above earthly circumstances. It prepared them.

But it could not save them.

We don’t go to the temple to be healed. We go to the temple so we can more easily feel the Savior who can heal us. We don’t read our scriptures to make us happy. We read our scriptures so we can feel the Spirit and catch a glimpse of the presence of the Savior to make us happy. We don’t pray to get what we need; we commune with our Heavenly Father and Savior so we can find solace, adjust our lives according to their foreknowledge, and learn to trust in Their abilities and promises.

All of the acts of obedience and worship are inherently worthless without the aspect of the Savior. We obey and perform and show up and follow the primary answers because they more readily facilitate a relationship with the Savior. If you’re focused on completing the obedience and tasks, you’ll miss the blessings.

Let that knowledge change your worship. Let it change how you attend the temple, church meetings, and service. Let it change how you pray and read your scriptures. We don’t necessarily need to give more; sometimes we just need to adjust our focus to our purpose – the Savior.

A more specific example

This is an example that is more specific in nature, but I feel prompted to share it so here ya go.

I have found that I cannot feel the Savior in the same ways when I’m depressed. This makes perfect sense because I often feel disconnected from people in general when I’m depressed. No matter how I engage or invite, I feel oddly alone and cut off. This problem is exacerbated when we remember that I can’t even physically see the Savior show up like I can with my other relationships.

So when I’m in a dark place, I try to apply the same principles to the Savior that I do to my friends and family. Even when I feel depressed and disconnected from my friends, I talk myself through it. I feel dark, but they don’t hate me. They don’t think I’m annoying. They’re still here, and they’ll still be here when I come back out of it. I can’t feel the connection with them right now, but I know that’s just something in my brain. That connection was and is real.

The same goes for the Savior. He doesn’t hate me. He’s not disappointed in me. He hasn’t fled from me because I’m doing something wrong. He’s not annoyed with me. He’s still there, and He will still be there when I come back out of it. It’s just something in my brain that was given to me for a wise purpose in Him. That connection was and is real, even if I can’t currently feel it.

I take what I’ve been taught about a perfect Savior, and I apply it to my situation. His promises are still real. His concern and desire to push me farther are still real.

This is not always practiced perfectly. Sometimes I forget or stumble and stay on the ground. But practicing has been worthwhile anyways.

Looking to the Savior

Nephi asked his people to remember how looking towards a representation of the Savior had saved their ancestors because he wanted his people to look to the Savior so they could be saved.

In any aspect where you find yourself troubled, you can look to the Savior and include Him. I promise for any problem you find yourself facing in life, there is a corresponding miracle, story, principle, or promise adjacent to the Savior that can either solve your problem, help you understand the purpose of your problem, or lift your sights, and strengthen your faith that deliverance is coming. Every single aspect.

Include Him. And when I say include Him, I mean actually include Him. Don’t include some skewed version of Him that is inaccurate. I used to do that. I pictured the Savior, but I never pictured Him helping me, offering mercy, lifting me up, and encouraging me on. For some bizarre reason, I pictured Him angry with me.

The Savior is a perfectly loving Being who is constantly pursuing us. If He’s disciplining His people, it’s being done out of love to bring them back. All of His acts are acts of love. His no’s, His silences, and His deliberate choices to allow your struggles are all proof of His love. That’s the Savior you need to bring into your life on purpose. That’s the Savior you need to turn to with each obstacle you face. That’s the Savior who won’t let you down.

It takes a lot of mental strength and patience to develop a relationship with a Being you can’t see. It takes a lot of energy to develop and maintain a relationship with anyone, let alone a Being you can’t see. However, I testify that it is infinitely worth it. I testify that on the days I remember to include the Savior in every aspect of my life, I am changed and happy. Life is worth living. All the wilderness we’re asked to endure and walk through is worth it. I testify that He, and He alone, heals and saves. Worship and obedience are beautiful principles, but they were only ever meant to point us to Him because He is the only path to salvation with all of its accompanying goodness.

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To Support and Sufferby Autumn Dickson

One of the most well-known stories in The Book of Mormon is that of the stripling warriors. Though their story is replete with inspiring stories and principles, I want to actually discuss their fathers, namely the Lamanites converts who changed their name to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. These Anti-Nephi-Lehies came to dwell with the Nephites, and the Nephites offered them protection as they had taken oaths of pacifism because of their past dealings with violence. When Lamanites came to battle against the Nephites, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did not participate in the war despite the fact that they were beneficiaries of the bravery of the Nephites.

Consider the whole of the story. These Nephites, who had once been mortal enemies with the Anti-Nephi-Lehies they were now protecting, were going out to war to protect all the people. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies helped support the war effort by helping to provide for the armies; however, before the stripling warriors, they offered up no warriors. The fathers had made an oath not to fight.

Though I would have whole-heartedly supported these Anti-Nephi-Lehies in keeping their covenant of pacifism, I acknowledge that this might have been difficult for some to swallow (maybe it wasn’t hard for anyone, I obviously don’t know because it doesn’t say specifically). I wonder if any Nephite mothers felt unwanted resentment as they sent out their husbands and sons, knowing that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies were not contributing in the same manner. Perhaps, in the minds of some, they felt that it was actually morally wrong that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies wouldn’t contribute similarly in the middle of a war. It wasn’t just about their own deaths; it was about helping to protect Nephite lives as well. We know this wasn’t a completely absent opinion because before the stripling warriors stepped forward, their fathers (who had taken the oath of pacifism) wanted to break their oaths and help fight alongside the Nephites.

I don’t point out this side of the story to cause discontent or even to play devil’s advocate. I point it out so that we can better understand the principle I want to teach today. That principle is found in the following verse. Helaman is writing to Captain Moroni and explaining that he didn’t want the Anti-Nephi-Lehies to break the covenant they had made with God.

Alma 56:8 But I would not suffer them that they should break this covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the fulfilling the oath which they had taken.

Because this was a war and because we live in a fallen world, there was going to be suffering and sorrow and loss. However, Helaman testifies of a benevolent God who would not allow the Nephites to suffer more because they had made the decision to protect the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The Nephites were making a sacrifice, a potentially heavy sacrifice, in order to support someone else following the Lord. And yet, they were not truly going to lose.

There are a lot of modern day applications to this principle. There were sacrifices made by the saints in the early period of this dispensation as they buried family members, lost limbs, and suffered extreme depravities to provide a safe place for the church to grow for the countless people in generations to follow. There are also modern day implications that are likely more relatable because they aren’t a life or death situation. Serving missions, serving in time-heavy callings, and serving in general can take time away from other important priorities. All of the people who choose to answer the call and volunteer when called upon by the Spirit are sacrificing something potentially important, and yet, no one has to truly lose. Not really.

There are two points I’d like to cover.

A supposed sacrifice

Even if we were to end up sacrificing more than we would have otherwise, the Lord has every right to call upon us. I want to look at the idea of sacrifice as if we were truly sacrificing on behalf of others to better highlight the rightness of sacrifice.

I was called to serve in a primary presidency a week before I gave birth to my second child. Our ward had an enormous primary, and each half could hardly fit into the primary room for singing time. Needless to say, there was some time involved in the calling. It wasn’t even necessarily an extreme amount of time. However, as it came at the inopportune moment of delivering my second child, I was feeling a bit bitter. It didn’t help that my postpartum depression raged harder after my second child than with any other child. I felt stretched to the limit in many capacities. Conner’s schedule was absolutely chaotic, and Sunday was the only real day that I could have him home with the family with any kind of regularity. I wanted that time as a family, and I also wanted my nap time that I felt I desperately needed. But alas, Sunday was the only day that worked for the presidency to come together.

I fulfilled my responsibilities, and I believe I did so with a brave face (though it’s hard for me to tell…when I’m depressed, I have a hard time adequately gauging the success of my social endeavors). However, despite the brave face, I was angry and resentful of having this time taken away from me. I didn’t want to leave my house to take care of other kids. I wanted to stay home with my new baby.

I wasn’t even offering up my life like the Nephites, and yet, I felt cheated.

I’m not sure how long it took for my heart to soften enough that the Spirit could chastise me. But I remember walking around, delivering little packages to the primary families in the surrounding neighborhoods, when the Spirit helped me to see the kids who didn’t have what my kids had at home. I was missing out on a couple hours max with my little baby who was safely tucked away at home napping or with dad, but some of the kids that were on my list needed the gospel and they weren’t getting it at home. The Lord needed someone else to bring it to them.

My bitterness dried up quickly as my mind cleared to see the situation accurately. With everything beautiful that had been given to me, how was I to turn my back on the Lord and say He was asking too much? How could I deny these tiny sacrifices that had the potential to bless kids who needed it so badly because of the circumstances they were born into?

Perhaps the Nephites were wiser than me and recognized this. Perhaps they saw that these former Lamanites had been born into circumstances that were harmful. Perhaps the Nephites had their eyes opened, and they were completely taken aback as they recognized the strong spirits who had turned away from their previous traditions because of their immense faith. Perhaps the Nephites saw the situation for what it really was, and because of what they clearly saw, it was easy to make the decision to protect them even when it might have been perceived as “unfair.”

Which leads to my next point.

The Savior didn’t have the same promise but sacrificed anyway

No one has sacrificed more than the Savior. No one has given up what He gave up to save us. If He had been born into our circumstances, He still would have chosen to be perfect. And yet, despite the fact that He didn’t need to operate with the humble understanding that Heavenly Father would have tried to save Him in our circumstances, He still sacrificed. From our viewpoint, we can have the humble realization that we are no better than those we sacrifice for. For His viewpoint, He is better, but that’s not what mattered. What matters is that He loved everyone enough to want them to come home and so He sacrificed accordingly.

He sacrificed for each of us individually. He asks us to be like Him, to let go of what we believe we deserve, to sacrifice on behalf of those who can’t do it for themselves. There was no one to promise the Savior that He wouldn’t have to suffer more for choosing to step up for those who couldn’t step up for themselves. And yet, He did it. And because He did it, He offers us the promise that Helaman testified of, namely that He will not have us truly sacrifice anything that matters when we’re stepping up to sacrifice for another.

I also know this to be true. There have been a million moments in time where I have asked the Lord why He has asked me to do this blog when all I ever wanted to do was be a mother. There have been moments where I have failed my kids because I’ve been sacrificing to try and share these messages. There have been plenty of moments of bitterness where I have felt like He’s asked me to set aside my family in order to fulfill this responsibility He’s asked me to do. When looking at those individual moments, it would be easy to become confused and believe that it’s wrong to make these sacrifices when my priority should be my family. And yet, when you step back and look at the scales that include all of the blessings and sacrifices that have been made, I cannot testify enough that no one has been blessed more than me and my family. So much of what I love about myself has come because of these “sacrifices” I’ve been asked to make, and I know that these powerful beliefs about my Savior and myself will be passed on to my children. Though there are moments of sacrifice, my children will ultimately receive far more than they would have gotten otherwise.

Be willing to make the sacrifice with a willing heart, and you will also find the overwhelming blessings I have found on behalf of yourself and those you love.

The Nephites did not suffer more for being willing to uphold the Anti-Nephi-Lehies as they kept their covenants with God. I know it because I have had the same experience in my small way. The Lord is overwhelmingly good, and when He has asked us to step up and serve on behalf of others, He will turn again and bless us. If we follow Him with all of our hearts, we will never be able to repay Him for what He offers in return.

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The Zoramite, Amalickiahite & Lamanite Wars(Alma 43–63)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

This important book examines Book of Mormon warfare from many different aspects, including Mormon₂’s reasons for including these accounts in the text: Warfare in the Book of Mormon, eds. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book / Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1990).

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What You Choose to Seeby Autumn Dickson

We have arrived at the war chapters. Within these chapters are plenty of principles that we can still spiritually engage with despite the fact that the events are taking place on a battlefield. During one such battle, Captain Moroni bears his testimony to Zerahemnah (one of the antagonizing military leaders) regarding the protection of the Lord.

He testifies that they have the true faith and that the Lord strengthened and protected them because of their belief and worship. After bearing testimony, he commands Zerahemnah to make an oath that he and his men will never come against the Nephites again. Otherwise they will commence the battle and wipe out the remainder of the men.

Zerahemnah delivers his weapon to Captain Moroni but refuses the oath. Zerahemnah gives this as his reasoning:

Alma 44:9 Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords. Behold, it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.

Captain Moroni believes that they won because of their faith. Zerahemnah believes it was because they were good at war. Note that both sentences contain the word “belief.” People can find evidence of whatever they choose to look for. Captain Moroni found evidence of the Lord’s protection, and Zerahemnah did not.

What we choose to see

I taught a man on my mission who had lost his faith. He had grown up a devout Catholic. He attended mass regularly, and after marrying his wife who was a member, he also started attending church meetings with us. He met with us regularly, read The Book of Mormon, and participated in other faith-promoting activities.

And yet, if you were to ask him, he would have maintained that he didn’t feel any faith in God. He had watched a movie that had asked a question, “What if it’s not true?” or something along those lines. That question had stuck with him, and he had not been able to feel faith since.

My companion and I worked over and over and over to teach him to look for those good feelings from God. We wanted so badly for him to find that faith he had lost. There was one evening where the Spirit was so powerful. We had randomly chosen to sing a hymn or primary song (can’t remember which one). He, his wife, my companion, and I found ourselves in tears. It was “thick” in the room.

But still, our friend could not bring himself to attribute it beyond good hormones that were conjured up with beautiful music. He still could not bring himself to see God in it.

I’ve learned since then that faith is a choice, both when it comes to obedience and when it comes to seeing God in our lives.

My friend participated in faith-promoting activities but wasn’t choosing faith; he wanted faith to descend upon him. Where we felt the presence of God, he felt good feelings that didn’t necessarily come from Him. People can look at the same event and draw completely different conclusions.

When I pray about finding my lost keys, I can choose to believe that God helped me find them or that it was a coincidence. When I feel good emotions associated with church, I can believe that the Lord is making His presence known or that I simply have positive pathways built in my brain when it comes to church. When we look at mistakes leaders in the past and present, we can choose to see fallible humans who are still generally led by God or we can see evidence that they can’t really be prophets if they had flaws. When Alma faced off with Korihor, he testified that all of creation was a witness of God. Obviously, there are millions of people throughout history who have come to a completely different conclusion.

The truth remains that you can find “evidence” to support your beliefs no matter which beliefs you ascribe to. I feel that almost most everyone goes through moments in their lives when they ask, “What if it’s not true?” Though these moments can be a little scary, both for ourselves and those we love, these moments can be defining. They can be the threshold in our lives where we really decide where we are going to invest our belief, and that’s incredibly powerful.

We may be tempted to desperately avoid questions such as, “What if it’s not true?” However, rather than avoiding them, we can examine them closely and try to include the Lord we’ve been taught about. We can use it as a testing ground rather than unraveling because we’re afraid of it.

Why should I choose to invest in faith?

So let’s say we’ve reached that threshold. We’ve asked ourselves, “What if we were wrong about everything? What if I was just seeing what I wanted to see?” If you can find “evidence” of whatever you believe in, why should you choose faith?

Unfortunately, this is an extremely personal question that gets handled by the Lord according to each individual. I can only share my experiences.

For a long time, I’m not even sure I had a good reason for choosing to invest in faith because I’m not sure I was consciously choosing it. I was afraid to consider the alternative of leaving the church, and I had found enough goodness and evidence that I felt okay moving forward. I invested in faith because I had been taught to invest in faith. I believed that my good feelings were coming from God because I had been taught to believe. I’m so grateful for that gift.

I’m also grateful that I reached the point where I’ve made my own, conscious choice to continue investing in faith. It was scary facing some of those questions at first, but walking through those low points created an opportunity for me to invest on my faith on purpose, and that has been far more rewarding.

I still receive all those good feelings and quiet moments and associate them with God, but those are not the reasons I choose to keep investing. Those are rewards I receive from investing, but they are not the reasons I continue investing.

I think my most definitive reason for investing right now is how I’ve felt guided. Over the past couple years, I have been watching the Lord guide my prayers before something happened and then watching them be fulfilled before my eyes.

I’ve told the story before, but as we were moving to Virginia, I opened my journal and prayed for absolutely everything I wanted. I left nothing out, no matter how silly or artificial it seemed. At a time when my husband was under immense stress trying to find something we could afford that wasn’t a box in an alley, I was feeling pretty good about everything and asking for whatever I wanted. Sure enough, seven months later, we were led to a temporary home that had every single thing I had asked for. Not to mention, it was given to us at a price that was unheard of, and we did absolutely no work to get it. It quite literally fell into our laps.

I would have been fine if the Lord had given us a tiny apartment without all the extras and I told Him that too, but it was one of those moments where one of the most important lessons He taught me was, “I heard you.” Maybe in and of itself, this can be considered coincidence, but this has been repeated over and over and over.

I pray. I am guided as I pray. Things come together, and I recognize the Lord’s hand because He told me to pray for it. He would likely still bless my family, but because I prayed for it, I was given the tremendous gift of recognizing that He was speaking to me.

Maybe this is how Captain Moroni felt. Maybe Zerahemnah was impressed with their shields, breastplates, and cunning, but maybe Captain Moroni had felt something nagging at him ahead of time to prepare his men in precisely this manner. Then, when he saw everything come together, he quietly thanked the Lord for preparing him ahead of time. Or, maybe Captain Moroni had enough experiences of that manner that he knew the Lord had been guiding them, even if he hadn’t felt any specifics in that particular moment.

Right now, prayer and its results are the reasons I keep investing in faith. I have had other experiences where my prayers have been much shorter and involved far less of my silly, little wants, and I have seen how those prayers were also guided because He led me towards something that I wasn’t expecting. I have had even more experiences where I did pray for everything I wanted, but I felt this little nagging feeling that I wasn’t going to get it. And sure enough, I was led elsewhere.

The Lord could lead me for my entire life without me knowing it. But because He has commanded me to pray, He has been able to guide my feelings ahead of time so that I can recognize Him later. And isn’t that just a beautiful reason to pray? Prayer isn’t about getting what we want. It’s about helping us find our Heavenly Father, and it has surely done that for me.

I testify of Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers. I testify that He can guide our prayers and feelings if we practice that skill. I testify that He can make Himself known to you should you choose to invest in faith and ask for help in recognizing Him. The experiment surely won’t hurt you. You have nothing to lose by asking Him to help you see Him if He’s really there. The rewards I have personally experienced have gone far beyond what I could have imagined, and I know it all comes from a loving Heavenly Father who loved me because He made me.

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by Michelle Pack

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

Wilford and Phebe Woodruff’s first child, Sarah Emma, was born on July 14, 1838. Just over a year later, Wilford left his family to serve a mission in England. In his journal on July 14, 1840, he wrote, “Sarah Emma is two years old this day. May the Lord preserve my wife and children from sickness and death until my return. O Lord, I commit them into thy hands. Feed, clothe, and comfort them, and thine shall be the glory.” Wilford had a strong testimony of the power of covenants to unite his family for eternity. In a letter to Phebe on July 16, 1840, he said:

CONTINUED HERE

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Perspectives on Coriantonby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters we’ve been reading lately, Alma is counseling with his sons. We read so many incredible sermons of missionaries and prophets to their people, but these are incredible messages given from father to sons. One of these messages is especially relevant today as Alma talks to his son Corianton. Corianton had been guilty of sexual sin. As the Come Follow Me manual so eloquently puts, it can be hard to know how to help our loved ones when they’ve made a big mistake.

I believe there are a couple of perspectives that can help us when we’re trying to know what to say or how to support. People can feel how you feel about them, even if it’s just subconsciously. If we have the right perspective going into the situation, they will be able to feel how we feel about them, and it will make all the difference in how they perceive whatever words come out of our mouths. There is no perfect way to respond, but if we have a correct knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and an accurate perspective of what we’re really looking at, it can be easier to set aside our own personal feelings and be there for those who need it.

The gravity of certain sins

Here is one of the things that Alma said to Corianton.

Alma 39:5-6

5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?

6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.

So sexual sin is pretty high up there on the list of sins. If we were to weigh the gravity of sins, the most serious would be denying the Holy Ghost (this is a specific sin that most of us aren’t capable of). The second highest is shedding innocent blood, and the third is sexual sin.

A couple of weeks ago, I actually found myself pondering this idea of the gravity of sins (I suppose the Lord was preparing me for this week), and I remember distinctly thinking that it was interesting to find sexual sin right next to murder. Heavenly Father judges us by our hearts, and I want you to consider for a moment the state of the heart of those who murder vs. those who commit sexual sin.

I would wager that those who shed innocent blood have pretty dark hearts. Now compare the hard heart it would require to murder someone vs. the heart that commits sexual sin. I fully recognize that there are plenty of people out there who commit sexual sin with the intent to hurt, and I believe that there will be reckoning for that.

However, consider the hearts of those who made a mistake. Consider the hearts of the young teenagers who found themselves with too much freedom and undeveloped brains. Consider the hearts of two people who are about to get married. Please do not mistake me. I’m not seeking to excuse sin. I’m merely pointing out the difference in the hearts of those who murder and the hearts of those who commit sexual sin in a moment of weakness because there is a difference. Heavenly Father knows this.

So if Heavenly Father is judging us by our hearts, why is sexual sin right up there next to murder?

This is the perspective I wish to share that may help you know how you should approach your loved one. Namely, sometimes the gravity of sin is not weighed by our hearts but by the potential of consequences and the required healing.

A lot of the hearts that commit sexual sin are nowhere near as dark as those that commit murder. And yet, the fact remains. Even if your heart wasn’t dark, the potential for consequences and the need for healing remains. Even if it was a moment of weakness in the midst of a million successful evenings, the consequences can be painful.

The world doesn’t like us teaching the consequences of sin because they believe that we’re trying to scare people into doing what’s right. There are many positive reasons to keep the law of chastity, but it’s not wrong to teach my kids about how sexual sin can hurt them just like there’s nothing wrong with teaching my kid that they can get hit by a car for running out into the road. Having all the information, good and bad, can help our children make the right decisions.

I don’t want to hyperfocus on the consequences because this post isn’t about not committing sexual sin; it’s about having the right perspective to approach those we love. I believe that most adults can easily imagine all the potential consequences of sex, from a baby (and all of the options in that scenario) to how it changes a young brain. So instead let’s focus on how this perspective of hearts can change how we approach our loved ones.

The other side of repentance

Much of repentance is a true recognition of how sin affects us and others. It’s a realization that we don’t want to bring those kinds of results into the world, and it’s about rising above and choosing to live our life on a higher plane.

But the other side of the coin of repentance is healing. It is essential that we don’t neglect this portion of repentance if we truly want our loved ones to live at a higher plane. We don’t want them limping around the rest of their lives, carrying shame in a desperate attempt to not make mistakes anymore. No. We want them to fully heal. If you really want someone to choose the right, one of the most essential ingredients is that they need to feel good about themselves. Punishing myself and hating myself never led me to goodness, just perfectionism and there is a difference. When I learned to love myself, I wanted to treat myself better and take care of myself. Hating myself made it harder to do what was right because I didn’t care what happened to me.

The other positive aspect of healing is that it can nurture a deep appreciation for the Savior. If we can help our loved ones approach the Savior, they’re going to find something way more powerful than anything they can find in this world. At the end (and all throughout!) the repentance process, we want them to be feeling the effects of the Savior and His ability to wash away the darkest of sins. If you want your loved one to do what’s right, you introduce them to the Savior. Introducing them to the Savior means personally recognizing the state of their hearts, their need for healing, and then helping to deliver those things. Their deep gratitude for the Savior offers a deep propulsion to turn around and live happier lives.

The moment we offer love is important

Alma the Younger is the one delivering the message to his son, and this is so perfect. Alma the Younger came to a deep awareness of his sins. When did he start to feel better? The second he reached for Christ. His sins were washed away, and he praised the Lord. The Lord didn’t wait to deliver His love and healing and acceptance until after Alma went out and started trying to make up for his sins. No. The Lord flooded Alma with His love the second Alma’s heart was prepared to receive it, and because Alma was flooded with that love, Alma wanted to go out and do what was right.

The order of that is important. I feel like sometimes we want to withhold our love because we want them to feel the consequences of what they’ve done to discourage them from making those mistakes again. Ironically, it often comes from a place of love because we want them to be better. Unfortunately, it’s also coming from a place of fear which isn’t as helpful. Consequences can be a great way to not repeat mistakes, but only to an extent.

Think about how the Savior does it (because He obviously does it perfectly). He wields consequences, but He usually does so in response to hard hearts as He tries to soften them. He often responds to soft hearts with love, and that love changes them and turns their lives around. And let’s review what we know about the hearts of those who commit sexual sin. Yes, there are those who have hard hearts, but there are many who have made mistakes and need love instead if we want them to heal and come back from those mistakes.

Love immediately. Put yourself on their team immediately. Recognize that they’re going to experience consequences regardless of whether you deliver them yourself, and recognize where their hearts are sitting. You can help them understand the gravity if necessary, but in most scenarios, they’re already going to know and feel it.

What they don’t know is whether you still love them and whether you’ll still accept them. Helping them feel loved and accepted will be a precursor to their ability to let the Savior in to love, accept, and heal them to the extent that they are changed and want to be better.

I believe in a Savior who understands the consequences of sin. I believe that sexual sin can cause a great amount of heartache which is why the Lord seeks to protect us from it. I also believe that the Lord wants to heal and love, especially when we’re seeking, and I believe that allowing that love and healing throughout the entire process is more effective than sharp disapproval, cold shoulders, and fear. Love them so much that they love themselves and want better for themselves. Love them so much that they catch a glimpse of the Savior’s love and are able to accept His atonement on their behalf.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Covenants and Responsibilities

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
First Counselor in the First Presidency

Summary

The Church of Jesus Christ is known as a church that emphasizes making covenants with God.
In his talk “Covenants and Responsibilities,” President Dallin H. Oaks emphasizes the foundational role of covenants in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their significance in both personal and societal commitments. He explains that covenants, formal commitments to fulfill specific responsibilities, are essential for personal regulation and societal functioning. Highlighting examples from various professions and religious traditions, he underscores the importance of covenants in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly through ordinances like baptism and temple ceremonies. Temples and the associated covenants are central to the Church’s mission, providing unique blessings and binding members to Christ, ultimately guiding them toward eternal life.

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Restoration, Ordinances and Covenants, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Genesis 17:2–9; Exodus 6:2–4; 19:5–6; Leviticus 26:42; see also 2 Nephi 9:1; 1 Nephi 13:23, 1 Nephi 15:18; 17:40; 22:9; 2 Nephi 29:14, 1 Nephi 14:14; 2 Nephi 6:13; 9:1, 2 Nephi 1:5; 3:4; 31:7, 13, 14; Mosiah 5:5–8; 6:1; Alma 7:15; 46:21–22, Joseph Smith—History 1:33–34, 39, Hebrews 8:8, Hebrews 12:24. Doctrine and Covenants 76:69, Doctrine and Covenants 115:4, Doctrine and Covenants 20:37; see also Mosiah 18:10–13, Doctrine and Covenants 20:75, 77; Doctrine and Covenants 1:15, Doctrine and Covenants 1:22, 2 Nephi 4:32; 33:9, Doctrine and Covenants 76:59, 62, Doctrine and Covenants 14:7

Other Sources

Church History Topics, “Nauvoo Temple”

Related talks:

Gordon B. Hinckley, “God Is at the Helm”
Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I testify of Jesus Christ, who is the head of that Church, and invoke His blessings on all who seek to keep their sacred covenants.
Description of His Atonement.
- Jesus (is) the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.
Description of His relationship with us.
- The Abrahamic covenant is fundamental to several great religious traditions. It introduces the holy idea of God’s covenant promises with His children.
- People who enter into covenants with God are called “the covenant people of the Lord.”
- The Mediator of the New Covenant
Words of Christ.
- Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah
- And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people; For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;
- But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; that faith also might increase in the earth; that mine everlasting covenant might be established;
- And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

…We know from millennia of experience that persons give up some individual freedoms to gain the advantages of living in organized communities. Such relinquishments of individual freedoms are principally based on commitments or covenants, expressed or implied.
The Abrahamic covenant is fundamental to several great religious traditions. It introduces the holy idea of God’s covenant promises with His children.
We do not know the full content of the angel Moroni’s early instructions to this maturing young prophet. We do know he told Joseph that “God had a work for [him] to do” and that “the fulness of the everlasting Gospel” must be brought forth, including “the promises made to the fathers.” We also know that the scriptures young Joseph read most intensively—even before he was directed to organize a church—were the many teachings about covenants he was translating in the Book of Mormon. That book is the Restoration’s major source for the fullness of the gospel, including God’s plan for His children, and the Book of Mormon is filled with references to covenants.
Covenants were foundational in the Restoration of the gospel.
The central role of covenants in the newly restored Church was reaffirmed in the preface the Lord gave for the first publication of His revelations.
President Gordon B. Hinckley gave this summary of the effect of our baptism and our weekly partaking of the sacrament: “Every member of this church who has entered the waters of baptism has become a party to a sacred covenant. Each time we partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, we renew that covenant.”
President Russell M. Nelson often refers to the plan of salvation as the “covenant path” that “leads us back to [God]” and “is all about our relationship with God.” He teaches about the significance of covenants in our temple ceremonies and urges us to see the end from the beginning and to “think celestial.”
Now I speak more of temple covenants…There (in the temple) persons who were endowed were to be taught God’s plan of salvation and invited to make sacred covenants. Those who lived faithful to those covenants were promised eternal life, wherein “all things are theirs” and they “shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.”
persons who wear their garments faithfully and keep their temple covenants continually affirm their role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is constructing temples all over the world. Their purpose is to bless the covenant children of God with temple worship and with the sacred responsibilities and powers and unique blessings of being bound to Christ they receive by covenant.
Covenants are inherent in each of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation this restored Church administers.
The ordinance of baptism and its associated covenants are requirements for entrance into the celestial kingdom. The ordinances and associated covenants of the temple are requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom, which is eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” That is the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lists

Here are some examples of covenant responsibilities in our society:

Judges
Military
Medical personnel
Firefighters
LDS full time missionaries

All of those involved in these familiar occupations make a commitment—often formalized by oath or covenant—to perform their assigned duties.

Those under such covenant can be identified by distinctive clothing, name tags, and wedding rings which are intended to:

Signify that the wearer is under covenant
Signify that the wearer has a duty to teach and serve
Signify that the wearer should be supported in their service
To remind the wearers of their covenant responsibilities.

There is no magic in their distinctive clothing or symbols, only a needed reminder of the special responsibilities the wearers have assumed.

Covenants are:

a foundation for the regulation of individual lives
a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities
the foundation and history of many religious affiliations

The practice of covenanting with God or religious leaders is recorded:

In the Old Testament (the Abrahamic covenant)
In the Book of Mormon writings about Nephi
In the Book of Mormon writings about Joseph in Egypt
In the Book of Mormon writings about King Benjamin
In the Book of Mormon writings about Alma
In the Book of Mormon writings about Captain Moroni

The Book of Mormon is:

The Restoration’s major source for the fullness of the gospel
The major source for information about God’s plan for His children
Filled with references to covenants

Some covenants in the restoration are:

Baptism
Partaking of the Sacrament
The endowment

About the temple garment:

Persons who have been endowed in a temple are responsible to wear a temple garment
The garment is an article of clothing not visible because it is worn beneath outer clothing.
The garment reminds endowed members of the sacred covenants they have made in the holy temple
The garment reminds endowed members of the blessings they have been promised in the holy temple.
We are instructed to wear temple garments continuously (with obviously necessary exceptions)
To remove one’s garments can be understood as a disclaimer of the covenant responsibilities and blessings to which they relate
persons who wear their garments faithfully and keep their temple covenants continually affirm their role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Definitions

covenant = a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities
The New Testament = The New Covenant

Warnings

Personal commitments are essential to the regulation of our individual lives and to the functioning of society. This idea is currently being challenged. A vocal minority oppose institutional authority and insist that persons should be free from any restrictions that limit their individual freedom.
Because covenants do not “take a day off,” to remove one’s garments can be understood as a disclaimer of the covenant responsibilities and blessings to which they relate.

Blessings/Promises

Persons who wear their garments faithfully and keep their temple covenants continually affirm their role as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I testify of Jesus Christ, who is the head of that Church, and invoke His blessings on all who seek to keep their sacred covenants.

Stories:

When I was born in Utah in 1932, our Church membership was only about 700,000, clustered mostly in Utah and nearby states. At that time, we had only 7 temples. Today the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints numbers more than 17 million in about 170 nations. As of this April 1, we have 189 dedicated temples in many nations and 146 more in planning and construction.
The endowment ceremonies in the Nauvoo Temple provided early pioneers with spiritual strength and power, which they testified helped them endure their difficult journey and successfully establish themselves in the West.

Application Ideas

President Oaks mentions several examples of covenant responsibilities in our society. Take the time to examine the covenants these professionals enter into: The Air Force Oath of Enlistment, The U.S. Army Oath of Enlistment, the Oaths of justices and judges, the Firefighter Code of Ethics, and the Oath of Modern Hippocrates. What do these oaths (covenants) have in common?
Examine the list above: “About the Temple Garment.” As you ponder this list, consider the different oaths of military, firefighters, doctors and judges. What difference does it make that these professionals wear clothing that identifies them? Do any of those reasons apply to the wearing of the temple garment?
Consider watching or listening to “We Need an Endowment,” by Anthony Sweat.
As he concludes his talk, President Oaks invokes God’s blessings on “all who seek to keep their sacred covenants.” Make it a matter of prayer to know how to keep your covenants in a way that pleases God. Write any impressions you have in your journal.

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[English]

Diese Liste von verfügbaren Ressourcen wurde erstellt, um die Fehlinformationen in der kürzlich veröffentlichten Abhandlung von Francois Radzik mit dem Titel „13 Thesen: Die Irreführung durch die Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage, die Mormonen“ besser einordnen und klarstellen zu können. Leser, die mit den von der Kirche bereits veröffentlichten korrekten Informationen sowie mit den üblichen Taktiken der Fehlinformation vertraut sind, werden die Verzerrungen in dieser Abhandlung erkennen. Wie bei den meisten Angriffen auf die Kirche heutzutage ist das einzig Neue die Verpackung.

Nützliche Informationsquellenvon Keith Erekson

1) Wissen über Gott wird Zeile um Zeile offenbart

Vorträge über Theologie („Vorlesungen über den Glauben“) (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
King-Follett-Rede (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Wie Gott werden (Abhandlungen zu Evangeliumsthemen)
Veränderung ist in Ordnung (siehe 2 Nephi 28:30; 29:9; Lehre und Bündnisse 61:20; 9. Glaubensartikel)

2) Vollmacht und Führung

Wiederherstellung des Aaronischen Priestertums (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Wiederherstellung des Melchisedekischen Priestertums (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Nachfolge in der Führung der Kirche (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Heilige, Band 3: Unerschrocken, erhaben und unbeirrbar (Salt Lake City: Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage, 2022), 214-217 (Kapitel 12). [Beschreibt die Lehren von Brigham Young]

3) Visionen von Jesus Christus und anderen Boten

Berichte über die erste Vision (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Joseph Smith, Journal, April 3, 1836 [Jesus, Mose, Elias, und Elija im Kirtland Tempel] (nur auf Englisch abrufbar)
Alexander L. Baugh, „Parting the Veil: The Visions of Joseph Smith“, BYU Studies 38, Nr. 1 (1999): 23–69 (nur auf Englisch abrufbar).

4) Die frühe Geschichte von Joseph Smith

Siehe Joseph Smith-Lebensgeschichte 1:55-56
Schatzsuchen (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Sehersteine (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Berichte über die erste Vision (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Joseph Smith, Geschichte, 1832 [frühester schriftlicher Bericht über die Erste Vision]
Die Übersetzung des Buches Mormon (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Engel Moroni (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)

5) Mehrehe

Die Mehrehe in Kirtland und in Nauvoo (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Fanny Alger (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
„Mercy Thompson und die Offenbarung über die Ehe“, in Offenbarungen im Zusammenhang

6) Veränderung im Laufe der Zeit

Kollegium der Zwölf Apostel (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Rassenzugehörigkeit und Priestertum (Abhandlungen zu Evangeliumsthemen)
Das Manifest und das Ende der Mehrehe (Abhandlungen zu Evangeliumsthemen)
Veränderung ist in Ordnung (siehe 2 Nephi 28:30; 29:9; Lehre und Bündnisse 61:20; 9. Glaubensartikel)

7) Zion

Zion/Neues Jerusalem (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Das Buch Mormon und die DNS-Forschung (Abhandlungen zu Evangeliumsthemen)

8) Geschichte der Kirche in Missouri

Zion/Neues Jerusalem (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Gewalt im Kreis Jackson (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Die Kirtland Safety Society (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Daniten (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Krieg mit den Mormonen in Missouri 1838 (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Ausrottungsbefehl (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Gefängnis zu Liberty (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Prophezeiungen von Joseph Smith (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)

9) Frühe Tempel und Verordnungen

Kirtland-Tempel (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Nauvoo-Tempel (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Endowment im Tempel (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Freimaurerei (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Anpassungen bei der Tempelarbeit (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Tempelbau (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)

10) Auszug aus Nauvoo

Nauvoo (Commerce), Illinois (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Freimaurerei (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Rat der Fünfzig (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Versuchte Auslieferung nach Missouri (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Nachfolge in der Führung der Kirche (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Treck der Pioniere (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)

11) Brigham Young

Brigham Young (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Tod von Joseph und Hyrum Smith (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Utah (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Daniten (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Massaker von Mountain Meadows (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Frieden und Gewalt unter den Heiligen der Letzten Tage im 19. Jahrhundert (Abhandlungen zu Evangeliumsthemen)

12) Studium und Glauben

Nach Antworten auf Ihre Fragen suchen (Themen und Fragen)
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, „Kommen Sie zu uns!”, Generalkonferenz, Oktober 2013
Russell M. Nelson, „Christus ist auferstanden; Glaube an ihn versetzt Berge“, Generalkonferenz, April 2021
„Auskünfte aus zuverlässigen Quellen“, Allgemeines Handbuch: Wie man in der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage dient, 38.8.41
Dallin H. Oaks, „Criticism“, Ensign, Februar 1987 (nur auf Englisch abrufbar)

13) Zehnter

Zehnter (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)
Finanzen der Kirche (Themen im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte der Kirche)

Übliche Taktiken in antagonistischen Materialien

Anbieten von neuer Freiheit und fortschrittlichem Denken
Mitteilen von ausgewählten Fakten, die aus ihrem größeren Zusammenhang gerissen sind
Darstellen von Fehlern, als ob sie richtig wären, wobei Fakten und Fehler oft miteinander vermischt werden
Behaupten von geheimnisvollen Verschwörungen und dunklen Motiven

Siehe auch „How Can We Find Truth in a Sea of Information?“ (Liahona, April 2023 – nur auf Englisch abrufbar)

Keith Erekson is an author, teacher, and public historian who has published on topics including politics, hoaxes, Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, and Church history. He grew up in Baltimore, served a mission in Brazil, and earned advanced degrees in history and business. He works for the Church History Department in efforts to encourage outreach and historical engagement. His 2021 FAIR Conference presentation, “Real Vs. Rumor,” can be seen here.

The post Aufgewärmte Fragen, bereitstehende Antworten: Sich mit Radzik und seinen 13 Thesen auseinandersetzen appeared first on FAIR.

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Alma’s counsel to his sons Helaman, Shiblon, & Corianton(Alma 36–42)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Handout

Additional Reading

Alma₂’s testimony in Alma 36 is one of the longest and most complex examples of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon; it is a poetic and literary masterpiece. See See John W. Welch, “A Masterpiece: Alma 36,” in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, eds. John L. Sorenson and Melvin J. Thorne (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1991), 114–31.
Michael R. Ash, “The Sin ‘Next to Murder’: An Alternative Interpretation,” Sunstone 143 (November 2006): 34–43. Mike Ash argues that the serious offense for which Alma₂ chastised his son Corianton was not sexual sin (although that, in itself, is serious), but rather destroying their testimonies of the Zoramites₂ through his bad example. In effect, Corianton committed “spiritual murder.” See also “KnoWhy #147: Why Was Corianton’s Sin So Serious?,” Book of Mormon Central, last modified 20 July 2016. For the doctrinal reasons behind the seriousness of sexual sin, see Jeffrey R. Holland’s 12 January 1988 BYU address, “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments.”
In 1856 Brigham Young delivered an address in Salt Lake City in which he discussed, at length, the location of the post-mortal spirit world. See Journal of Discourses 3:367–73.
This chart shows the major chiastic elements in Alma 36.
Stephen Ehat explains chiasmus and how Alma₂ used it to explain the atonement of Christ in Alma 36. (From Book of Mormon Central.)

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Morning Session

Motions of a Hidden Fire

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Summary

In his talk “Motions of a Hidden Fire,” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reflects on personal trials, including the loss of his wife and his own serious illness. He emphasizes the power of prayer, recounting his gratitude for the prayers offered on his behalf. He underscores the importance of earnest prayer, the example set by Jesus Christ, and the need for faithfulness and covenant-keeping. Holland encourages a deeper commitment to discipleship, trusting in God’s timing and the power of prayer to bring about divine intervention and personal growth.

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Prayer, The Plan of Salvation, The Holy Ghost

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 112:4–5, 14; Luke 18:1–8, 2 Nephi 4:35, Luke 21:36, Alma 13:28 & 34:27; Doctrine and Covenants 23:6, Alma 34:27, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, Alma 34:21, James 5:16, Psalm 55:17, Mosiah 24:10–12, Alma 34:27, 3 Nephi 20:1, Doctrine and Covenants 19:28, 3 Nephi 18:19–21, Alma 33:3, Matthew 14:23 & 18:19–20, 3 Nephi 18:16, 21–24, 30; Helaman 3:35, Matthew 6:13; Luke 22:40; 3 Nephi 18:15; Doctrine and Covenants 10:5, 2 Nephi 32:8; Joseph Smith—History 1:15–16, Romans 8:26; 3 Nephi 19:24; Doctrine and Covenants 50:30, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:3; Luke 9:29; 3 Nephi 19:25, Matthew 17:2; Luke 9:29; 3 Nephi 19:25, Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:35, Luke 22:44, Matthew 7:23, Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 7:33 (in Matthew 7:23, footnote a), Doctrine and Covenants 76:66, Hebrews 4:16, Job 42:3

Other Sources

K. Chesterton, A Short History of England (1917), 72.
“Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire,” Hymns, no. 145.
“Sweet Hour of Prayer,” Hymns, no. 142.

Helps

From the Oxford Dictionary: ex·pi·a·tion /ˌekspēˈāSH(ə)n/, noun
the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement.“an act of public expiation”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- But it has always been intriguing to me that Jesus felt the need to pray at all. Wasn’t He perfect? About what did He need to pray? Well, I have come to realize that He too, with us, wanted to “seek [the Father’s] face, believe his word, and trust his grace.”
- Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and His recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it.
Description of His Life.
- Ultimately, we can look to the example of the Savior, who prayed so very, very often.
Description of His Atonement.
- Luke describes Jesus’s descent into His expiation as requiring Him to pray “more earnestly.” How does one who was perfect pray more earnestly? We assume that all of His prayers were earnest, yet in fulfilling His atoning sacrifice and through the pain that attended its universal reach, He felt to pray ever more pleadingly, with the weight of His offering finally bringing blood from every pore.
Words of Christ
- Thou shalt bear record of my name … [and] send forth my word unto the ends of the earth. … Morning by morning; and day after day let thy warning voice go forth; and when the night cometh let not the inhabitants of the earth slumber, because of thy speech. … Arise[,] … take up your cross, [and] follow me.
- “I never knew you”
- “[You] never knew me”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

My beloved sisters and brothers, since that experience, I have tried to take up my cross more earnestly, with more resolve to find where I can raise an apostolic voice of both warmth and warning in the morning, during the day, and into the night.
Brothers and sisters, I testify that God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection.
It is for reasons known only to God why prayers are answered differently than we hope—but I promise you they are heard and they are answered according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable.
…If there be any time we feel not to pray, we can be sure that hesitancy does not come from God, who yearns to communicate with His children at any and all times. Indeed, some efforts to keep us from praying come directly from the adversary.
When we don’t know how or exactly for what to pray, we should begin, and continue, until the Holy Spirit guides us into the prayer we should be offering. This approach may be the one we have to invoke when praying for our enemies and those who despitefully use us.
But it has always been intriguing to me that Jesus felt the need to pray at all. Wasn’t He perfect? About what did He need to pray? Well, I have come to realize that He too, with us, wanted to “seek [the Father’s] face, believe his word, and trust his grace.”
Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and His recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it.

Lists

Three recent experiences that Elder Holland has had:

The death of his wife, Patricia, and an increased value on their sealing.
A near-death experience which left Elder Holland with a conviction that he must return to his ministry, and he has made changes and found new resolve from that experience.
gratitude for the prayers and faith of others on his behalf.

Some things about prayer:

We are to “ask not amiss”
there are no limits to when, where, or about what we should pray
We are to pray always
We are to pray for those around us
We are to believe that sincere prayer of the righteous makes a difference
Our prayers should be vocal when there is privacy
Silent, heartfelt prayer is also appropriate
Prayers are described in the hymn as “motion of a hidden fire”
Prayers are always to be offered to God our Father in the name of Jesus Christ

We should pray:

Individually
in our families
in congregations of all sizes
as a shield against temptation

If there are times we ‘feel not to pray’:

we can be sure that hesitancy does not come from God
some efforts to keep us from praying come directly from the adversary
We should begin to pray and continue until the Holy Spirit guides our prayer

Ways that Jesus prayed:

He retreated from society to be alone
He prayed in the company of a few companions
He would seek heaven on behalf of multitudes
Sometimes prayer glorified His clothing
Sometimes it glorified His countenance
Sometimes He stood to pray
Sometimes He knelt to pray
At least once He fell on His face in prayer.

We need to believe in:

Angels
Miracles
The promises of the holy priesthood
The gift of the Holy Ghost
The influence of good families
The influence of good friends
The power of the pure love of Christ
Revelation
Prophets, seers, and revelators and President Russell M. Nelson
That we can be exalted

Things we can do to be exalted:

Pray
Plead
Be personally righteousness

Invitations/Challenges

Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and His recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it.
I bear witness that when Christ comes, He needs to recognize us… as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples.

Warnings

I bear witness that when Christ comes, He needs to recognize us—not as nominal members listed on a faded baptismal record but as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples. This is an urgent matter for all of us, lest we ever hear with devastating regret: “I never knew you,” or, as Joseph Smith translated that phrase, “[You] never knew me.”

Blessings/Promises

Fortunately, we have help for this task—lots of help.
Brothers and sisters, as we repent of our sins and come boldly to the “throne of grace,” leaving before Him there our alms and our heartfelt supplications, we will find mercy and compassion and forgiveness at the benevolent hands of our Eternal Father and His obedient, perfectly pure Son. Then, with Job and all the refined faithful, we will behold a world “too wonderful” to understand.

Stories:

Brothers and sisters, I have learned a painful lesson since I last occupied this pulpit in October of 2022. That lesson is: if you don’t give an acceptable talk, you can be banned for the next several conferences. You can see I am assigned early in the first session of this one. What you can’t see is that I am positioned on a trapdoor with a very delicate latch. If this talk doesn’t go well, I won’t see you for another few conferences.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shares the deeply personal and painful experience of losing his beloved wife, Pat. He describes her as the greatest woman he has ever known, highlighting her purity, gift of expression, and spirituality. He recounts a talk she gave titled “Fulfilling the Measure of Your Creation,” expressing that she did so more successfully than anyone could have imagined. Elder Holland reflects on the blessing of their 60-year marriage and the hope of being reunited with her for eternity through their sealing.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recounts a medical crisis he faced just 48 hours after his wife’s burial. Hospitalized and in and out of consciousness for weeks, he had a profound experience that felt like a journey to the edge of eternity. He received an admonition to return to his ministry with greater urgency and focus on the Savior. Inspired by a revelation given to the Twelve Apostles nearly 200 years ago, he resolved to more earnestly take up his cross and raise an apostolic voice of warmth and warning continually.

Application Ideas

Elder Holland invites us to “look to the example of the Savior” and ways that He prayed. Carefully read this section of Elder Holland’s talk (paragraphs 16 and 17), and read the scriptures Elder Holland references. Write in your study journal any thoughts or ideas that come into your mind as you study. Prayerfully choose one aspect of Christ’s prayers that you would like to emulate and make a plan to focus your personal study and prayer on that aspect in the coming week.
Elder Holland warns us that when Christ comes, He needs to recognize us as individuals. He also invites us to become recognizable to Christ by our being “thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples.” In your study journal or journal, write each of those three items at the top of a column, and number 1-10 below each one. Brainstorm 10 ideas that would help Christ recognize you as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, and covenant-keeping. Set a goal to do one of those ideas every week. Write your experiences in your journal.
Elder Holland instructs us to “employ prayer as a shield against temptation.” Think about the things you find tempting. Prayerfully read Ether 12:27. As you recognize your own temptations and weaknesses, make those a subject of prayer. Keep in mind this instruction from Wendy Ulrich: “Even when we sincerely repent of our sins, obtain forgiveness, and become clean again, we remain weak. We are still subject to illness, emotion, ignorance, predispositions, fatigue, and temptation. But limitations and inadequacies are not sins and do not keep us from being clean and worthy of the Spirit.” (Wendy Ulrich, “It isn’t a Sin to Be Weak,” April 2015 Ensign)
Read the list “We need to believe in:” (found in the talk here). Over the course of the next week, choose one of those items listed before each of your prayers. Spend a few moments as you compose yourself to prayer, pondering that item. Follow Elder Holland’s advice as you pray about these aspects of testimony: When we don’t know how or exactly for what to pray, we should begin, and continue, until the Holy Spirit guides us into the prayer we should be offering.

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Diligence is Underratedby Autumn Dickson

There was a period in my life where my stress levels grew to problematic levels that were consuming me. I was experiencing some postpartum depression, and that was combined with responsibilities that threatened to drown me. I was tired all of the time. I was waking up at the crack of dawn with a toddler (after waking up with the baby throughout the night), and I would move from task to task to task to task until as late as 10:00 pm. This was compounded by health problems that I started experiencing. For weeks on end (maybe even a few months), it felt like there wasn’t a reprieve. There wasn’t any time to pull my head above water for a breath. Conner was swamped with his own work, and so we were both just surviving.

My sweet mother kept telling me to simplify my life, and I truly tried to do so. I looked at what tasks were filling my day and genuinely considered which of those tasks could be dropped. I wanted to simplify my life, but there really wasn’t anything that I could let go of. I was taking care of small children and all the endless tasks that required. I was making sure my house was a sanitary enough place even if it wasn’t always tidy. My health problems grew better when I started cutting out certain ingredients, but that meant I had to cook a lot of things from scratch which was also time consuming. I couldn’t give up my kids or all the tasks associated with them. I couldn’t give up the extra cooking unless I wanted to have chronic pain again. We didn’t have the resources at the time to take on some of my tasks. The only thing I could really give up was the blog.

But alas, the Lord said no. Quite forcefully actually. I even asked one too many times, and He essentially answered with, “Stop asking or you’re crossing over into disobeying Me.” So I stopped asking, but I remained frustrated. I felt like He didn’t care that I was destroying myself. Every once in a while, I would feel a whisper that I didn’t have to destroy myself; He would enable me to do what I needed to do without carrying the weight of the world.

For some bizarre reason that I don’t understand, I didn’t listen. I suppose I didn’t trust Him sufficiently yet. I felt like I had to carry myself because no one else would pick up the slack.

It would have been easy for Him to remove my stress and let things flow easily. He could have minimized other tasks quite easily for me or brought in resources that would have enabled me to delegate tasks. Some might even believe it was cruel that He simply watched me struggle for so long; there were definitely times that I subconsciously thought so.

But the Lord wasn’t there to make my life easy. Honestly, I see now that He was wise enough to let me push myself until I broke. He knew that there was no other way to soften my heart and help me learn those lessons the easy way. So He let me suffer in my bullheadedness, and He waited to teach me a lesson that would change how I lived the rest of my life.

I know that comparatively, I was blessed. However, I also know that I’m not the only one who feels like they’re being run ragged while trying to do everything they’re supposed to be doing. I know I’m not the only one who has been afraid of failing if I didn’t martyr myself. I know that each of us will have to go through periods in our life where we have to learn to trust the Lord with what needs to be accomplished.

Helaman is given a responsibility

Alma has a son named Helaman, and this week, we read the chapter where he passes the sacred responsibility of the plates down to his son. He admonishes his son to treat them with gravity, to be steadfast in his obedience to the Lord so that he could fulfill the responsibility which he was given.

Over and over and over in Alma 37, we learn about a small principle that can make a big difference in our life. Let’s start with this verse.

Alma 37:20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God as they are written.

Diligence is a remarkably underrated Christlike attribute. It’s definitely not one of the first qualities I think of when it comes to Christ, but it has made a surprisingly large difference.

According to Preach My Gospel, “Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord’s work.” I have learned that the Lord doesn’t ask for some all-consuming, overwhelming effort that completely takes over our lives; He asks for diligence. Diligence is an act of faith where we show up with willingness, and the Lord helps us do what we need to do.

When I finally hit my breaking point in my stress, I turned to the Lord. I told Him I would do what He wanted me to do, and I told Him that if everything totally failed and died, I couldn’t be blamed. I had given everything I felt I could give, and if it wasn’t good enough, well…then that was just too bad. I didn’t have anything else.

The Lord taught me that I wasn’t giving everything; I was withholding my trust. Accurately practicing diligence also requires a faith that He can quicken our abilities, magnify our efforts, and bring miracles where we fall short.

Another phrase found in this chapter is, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings…” So that’s what I did. Every morning, I would wake up, look at my to-do list, smirk at the fact that there was not enough time in the day, and then I would tell the Lord to tell me what He wanted.

For a while, I had the training wheels on. For a short period of time, I felt guided in every section of my day. I knew when I needed to fold laundry, when it would be wisest to work on the blog, and when I needed to let go of responsibilities and focus on my kids. I even felt very deliberate pushes to rest, nap, or read a book. He gave me way more breaks than I had given myself.

And you know what happened? It all got done. When I needed to work on the blog, the kids would miraculously play well together, and I wasn’t a constant referee. Somehow dinner made it onto the table, and my kids got an occasional bath. I had the same tasks, and sometimes the tasks still lasted into the night, but the weight was gone. I had hit my breaking point and so I finally handed the weight over to the Lord; I physically couldn’t carry that anymore so I handed Him my trust.

I still have lots to do, but the weight is gone. The stress is gone. I guess I should be careful saying that because I’m still imperfect and get tired and fall back into old neurotic habits, but it’s not killing me anymore.

A couple lessons

I have seen this principle of diligence take on many forms. I have learned that diligence looks different at different times in my life.

For a while, when I was really overwhelmed, it looked like the Lord guiding my day to know which activities to perform. Sometimes it looked like me closing my laptop because I was beating my head against a wall, and I knew that the Lord would give me what I needed when He was good and ready. There was no need to force it.

Right now, it looks like a goal and a prayer. When I found out I was pregnant again and needed to be preparing extra videos for when the baby came, I made a goal with God about how much I would work on it. I do my best to hit that goal, and I pray hard that my diligence will be sufficient and that He will help me finish what I need to do in the time I’ve been given. Under normal circumstances, I’m not sure I would be investing enough time. Under my current, miraculous circumstances, I feel like the Lord is going to bring a miracle I need. So even when I worry about deadlines, I remind myself that He has the power to accomplish whatever needs to happen in the time He has given me. I don’t have to carry that weight because He does.

Another way I saw it manifested is when I recently got called to teach Youth Sunday School. I was pumped, but that also meant more gospel study on top of the other messages I was already trying to prepare. When our bishop came to ask me, he spoke about how he had found himself immersed in the scriptures for way longer than he had ever been. He talked about how he felt a deep need to prepare and do his best for these kids. I smiled as I thought about the very individual lesson that the Lord was teaching him.

And rather than putting pressure on myself to spend multiple hours a week preparing lessons for the youth, I had a testimony that the Lord could work with the time I had. I spend about an hour a week preparing the lessons for the kids, but I’m constantly immersing myself in the scriptures and trying to be worthy of the Spirit. Even if I can’t dedicate seven hours to their specific lesson, my spiritual diligence in general counts towards preparation for them.

The principle of diligence evolves and looks different at different times in our lives. Sometimes, He’s telling me to stop being idle. Other times, He’s telling me to stop trying to carry the weight by myself. I can do the tasks without carrying the immense pressure. When I work in this manner, I find that I can still get everything done that I need to and the tasks are much more fulfilling because they don’t feel like they’re killing me.

It’s on Him

The task that was given to Helaman was not an easy one. He was asked to engrave the records of the people on the plates. I’m sure this was not the only responsibility Helaman had, and I highly doubt he was getting paid for it. Think about all the tasks Helaman must have had to just survive in a pre-electricity world, not to mention his other extra religious duties. This was an extra responsibility that was given to him by his father. Despite the extra task he had been given, his father also gave him this promise:

Alma 37:16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you…behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.

There are a couple of keys here. If you do what the Lord commands (not what you command or society commands or outward pressures command), then no power of earth or hell can stand against you. God will help you do the task He has given to you. Whether it’s acquiring the brass plates or finding time to invest in extra responsibilities, He will provide a way for you to accomplish the thing He commands. You will have what you need if you diligently show up with willingness.

So be diligent. Show up regularly and allow Him to work with you. Give the pressure to Him because He’s the one truly doing the work anyway, and small means will show you marvelous works.

I know that the Lord can move mountains through me. I know that He can help me find out ways to carve time into my schedule. I know that He can help me know how much time is sufficient. I know that He can help me accomplish the tasks He’s given to me, and that it doesn’t have to be at the detriment of my health or the happiness of my family. I know that I can trust Him to bring the miracle if I’m simply willing to diligently show up and be utilized.

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Nourish Beliefby Autumn Dickson

This week, we find the well-known sermon taught by Alma about planting a seed of faith and nourishing the tree. Alma is approached by the poorer class of people who have been cast out of the synagogues because of their coarse clothing. Alma then begins to preach unto them, teaching them about worship and belief. Here is the beginning of the analogy he teaches to the people.

Alma 32:28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

When you nurture a seed of belief, it grows within you, whatever it is that you choose to nurture. I believe that many of us read this sermon and apply it to our own faith, but I’m not sure how many of us have recognized the implications for belief in general. A sentiment I often hear is that it’s arrogant to believe you have the real truth when so many others believe the same thing about their own faith.

One of the principles I pull from this verse is that what you nurture grows. My husband often talks about how most people don’t know whether what they believe is true. They believe, but they don’t know. He talks about how any time you take time to nourish belief, that’s where you’ll continue to build and find evidence of your beliefs. You find what you look for. If you invest and nurture belief in pretty much any positive belief system, you’re going to find “evidence” for what you believe.

This has a million implications.

All truth will find a tree

One of the implications is the fact that all truth produces good fruit, not just truth that is directly taught by those within the restored gospel.

We believe we have found the truth in Jesus Christ. However, people who belong to the Islamic faith also believe they have found the truth. They have nurtured their belief and found good-tasting fruit in those beliefs.

When we look at it from the perspective of the seed analogy, it makes complete sense. Whatever bit of truth you’ve found, you’re going to find good-tasting fruit. There was a time on my mission where we knocked on the door of a Muslim family. They invited us in, fed us, and they even took The Book of Mormon. They weren’t interested in the gospel, but they were so kind. They asked if we had any rules about the book, whether it should be kept off the ground or anything like that because they wanted to respect something that was sacred to us.

If they treated most of the things in their lives the way they treated us, of course they were going to find good-tasting fruit. If you’re respectful to others, you find fulfilling relationships and that feels good. That’s just how things work. And as these people practiced these good principles, they were going to find the same blessings. In my mind, they were practicing Christlike principles even if they didn’t yet know Christ, and He still rewarded them and blessed them for that.

Because they were living their lives in a good manner, they were going to find good fruit. They were going to find “evidence” that their beliefs were producing something, and so they were going to continue to invest in those beliefs.

This may feel extremely confusing for some. How are we supposed to find the truth, if any bit of truth that gets nurtured grows into good-tasting fruit? If everyone is tasting good fruit within their own religions, how are we supposed to differentiate who has the truth? This is a legitimate concern. It would make things a bit more confusing if you’re trying to look for the truth. However, look at the Lord’s alternative.

What if He only helped the tree grow when it was a perfect seed? What if He only sent good fruit when we had every bit of truth rather than just a portion of it?

This would be disastrous for a million reasons. I grew up in the church, and my seed (my understanding of the truth) still isn’t perfect. What if He had never let any of the tree grow because my seed wasn’t perfect? What if I had never tasted anything good because my seed wasn’t perfect? The consequences would be disastrous because nobody would ever take the time to nourish anything. If I had never had good experiences with the gospel, I wouldn’t have nurtured anything. I would only have a dormant seed.

In another less-extreme, alternative plan from the Lord…what if He only let your tree grow within the restored gospel?

Surely, this would help people recognize the truth when they found it more easily. No one would get confused about other religions if their religions weren’t producing fruit. However, would anyone seek religion at all? Can you imagine if no one got good fruit unless they had been taught the restored gospel? Once again, the results would be disastrous. The world would be a terrible place filled with people who had never tasted good fruit and probably wouldn’t be willing to try it even if it was offered to them because life would suck.

No, the Lord chose to send good fruit to anyone who was nurturing any bit of truth. It was the only legitimate way to bring as much good into the world as possible. It gave His restored church the best chance to flourish, and it would give people the best chance to find it in comparison to never receiving good fruit at all. Sure, it sometimes makes things confusing as people find good fruit and “evidence” in all sorts of different churches, but the alternative option for the Lord was worse.

And that’s actually another reason I love our beliefs so much. The Lord picked the best option for this fallen world (namely sending good fruit to anyone who nurtured any goodness). This had some tricky consequences because of our fallen world; namely, it made it a little more confusing to find the truth when everyone found evidence within their own good beliefs. However, we believe in the Plan of Salvation. We believe in a perfect God who allows all of His children to truly hear and accept the gospel. Everyone will get a real chance. We don’t have to be scared of the tricky consequences because we believe in a perfectly fair God who sent His Son to perform the atonement and make sure we all really had a chance to go home.

Planting weeds

There is another implication to the idea that whatever we nurture, grows. This isn’t just true for good truth and good fruit. Nourishing the negative will bring in bad fruit. If you nurture weeds, they grow. Eventually, you don’t even have to nurture them anymore, they stick around all on their own. And weeds are tricky, tricky little things.

What have you been nurturing lately? What resources have you been bringing into your life and do you feel more faith or discontent when you’re done utilizing those resources?

Whatever you feed, grows.

There was a time in my life where I was consuming far more social media than spending time in the actual scriptures. This doesn’t have to necessarily be a bad thing; social media doesn’t have to be evil. However, I found that I was listening to lots of voices. Some of those voices even came in the form of members of the church, but they were sowing discontent.

I took a step back from some of the accounts I was following and made a goal to spend more time simply reading The Book of Mormon with no outside commentary. The faith crisis I had been feeding went away rather quickly, and I found that despite my questions and concerns, I felt different. I felt more compassion towards the imperfections. I felt more faith towards a more perfect future. I fed my hope.

What you feed, grows.

Some may argue with me that I was unwise to turn a blind eye towards issues, and that’s fine. I don’t feel blind; I just feel more faith. There are some who believe we have a duty to churn up the issues and make our voices known about it. That’s fine too. You can choose to feed that.

But my personal experience is this. I wasn’t happy listening to the discontent. It wasn’t right for me. There are times when I listen and explore and turn to the Lord with concerns (and that’s important and can lead us to more truth), but there are also times when that discontent grows out of balance. I’m happier seeking out faith over bitterness and discontent. I’m happier when I feed my faith sufficiently. I feel close to God, and my testimony that He’s there seems to grow stronger. I know we find evidence of what we’re nurturing, but I like what I’ve built and worked towards. I like what I’ve nurtured, and I like the fruit I’ve found. I believe it’s a happy way to live.

So picture your future. What do you want your life to look like? What fruit do you want to be experiencing? Do you want to feel closer to God? Are the resources you’re using nurturing that belief in Him?

By their fruits, ye shall know them.

I believe in my Heavenly Father. I believe there’s a reason we’re counseled to seek out voices of faith, and I have found more faith and more happiness as I’ve listened to that counsel. I have found that I want to nurture what I’ve been finding even more. I believe in a loving Lord who provides fruit to help us understand what we want to nurture, and I’m grateful He’s chosen to give good fruit for any goodness we choose to follow. It isn’t a perfect system, but it’s the best plan He could have chosen for our fallen world, and I believe that He sent His Son to make up for the gaps in that imperfect system. I’m grateful for Them and the peace I’ve received investing in Them.

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

“Be Still, and Know That I Am God”

Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

We can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
We can overcome external commotion – we can recognize the need to tune out the world’s distractions to achieve inner stillness.
We need to build on the Rock of Christ by strengthening our faith and spiritual foundation through Christ.
Sacred Times and Holy Places: Utilizing the Sabbath, temples, and homes as spaces for spiritual renewal.
Promise of Spiritual Stillness: Assurance that a life built on Christ’s teachings brings peace and the strength to face challenges.

Gospel Doctrine & Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Holy Ghost, The Atonement, The Lord’s Covenant People, Covenants

Scriptures

Psalm 46:10, Doctrine and Covenants 101:16, 1 Nephi 14:14, Doctrine and Covenants 101:16, Mosiah 18:9, Moroni 7:28, Mosiah 15:6–9, 2 Nephi 2:27–28, Moroni 7:28, Helaman 5:12, Ether 12:4, Moses 7:18, 21; Doctrine and Covenants 121:45–46, Colossians 1:23; 2:7; 2 Peter 1:12; Doctrine and Covenants 59:9, Mosiah 18:30, 2 Nephi 31:20, Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:10

Related talks:

Neal A. Maxwell, “Overcome … Even As I Also Overcame”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and our Advocate with the Eternal Father and the rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives.
- God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
- I joyfully witness that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and the “rock” of our salvation. I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Atonement.
- True faith is always focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ—in Him as the Divine and Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father and on Him and the redemptive mission He fulfilled.
Description of His relationship with us.
- He is the ultimate source of the spiritual stillness of the soul that strengthens us to do and overcome hard things.
Words of Christ.
- “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.”
- “Let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.”
- “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

The world grows increasingly noisy. … The distractions … can impair our ability to hear Him.
The Lord promises spiritual stillness … as we come unto Him.
A life built upon a foundation of Jesus Christ will not fall.
We can experience the peace of the temple in our homes.
Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and our Advocate with the Eternal Father and the rock upon which we should build the spiritual foundation of our lives.
The foundation of our lives must be connected to the rock of Christ if we are to remain firm and steadfast.
The sacred covenants and ordinances of the Savior’s restored gospel can be compared to the anchor pins and steel rods used to connect a building to bedrock. Every time we faithfully receive, review, remember, and renew sacred covenants, our spiritual anchors are secured ever more firmly and steadfastly to the “rock” of Jesus Christ.
As the foundation of our lives is built upon the Savior, we are blessed to “be still”—to have a spiritual assurance that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
The Lord provides both sacred times and holy places to help us experience and learn about this inner stillness of our souls.
On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.
Every Sunday, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
In His holy house, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
The principal purposes of sacred time and holy places are exactly the same: to repeatedly focus our attention upon Heavenly Father and His plan, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the edifying power of the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the sacred ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.
Our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still” and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior… only as we return to our homes with the spiritual perspective and strength obtained in [other] holy places and activities can we then sustain our focus upon the primary purposes of mortal life and overcome the temptations so prevalent in our fallen world.
Our ongoing Sabbath, temple, and home experiences should fortify us with the power of the Holy Ghost, with an ongoing and stronger covenant connection to the Father and the Son, and with “a perfect brightness of hope” in God’s eternal promises.
As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we may be troubled on every side, but we will not be distressed in our minds and hearts. We may be perplexed by our circumstances and challenges, but we will not be in despair. We may be persecuted, but we will also recognize that we are never alone. We can receive spiritual strength to become and remain firm, steadfast, and true.

Lists

Things in modern life that seem to demand our attention:

Hectic pace
busyness
noise
diversions
distractions
detours

What does it mean to ‘be still’:

More than just not talking or not moving
remember and rely upon Him and His power
- At all times
- In all things
- In all places
reminding us to focus upon the Savior

In Helaman 5:12, Christ is not the foundation – we are admonished to build our foundation on Him. Why a foundation:

The foundation is the part of a building that connects it to the ground.
- A strong and reliable connection between the ground and a foundation is essential if a structure is to remain sturdy and stable over time.
- anchor pins and steel rods can be used to attach the foundation of a building to “bedrock.”
A strong foundation provides protection from natural disasters and many other destructive forces.
A proper foundation also distributes the weight of a structure over a large area to avoid overloading the underlying soil and provides a level surface for construction.

The Lord provides sacred times and holy places to help us experience and learn about this inner stillness of our souls:

The Sabbath is a sacred time
- to remember and worship the Father in the name of His Son
- to participate in priesthood ordinances
- to receive and renew sacred covenants
- to worship the Lord during our home study
- To worship the Lord as “fellow citizens with the saints” during sacrament and other meetings
- To show our love to Him through our thoughts, actions, and demeanor
Meetinghouses and other approved facilities are holy places
- of reverence
- of worship
- of learning
- dedicated by priesthood authority as a place where the Spirit of the Lord may dwell and where God’s children may come “to the knowledge of their Redeemer.”
The temple is a holy place
- specifically set apart for worshiping
- specifically set apart for serving God
- specifically set apart for learning eternal truths
- where we think, act, and dress differently from any other places that we may frequent.

What is the process of anchoring our soul to Christ?:

Faithfully receive sacred covenants
Review our covenants
Remember our sacred covenants
Renew our covenants
The anchoring process is incremental
The anchoring process increases in process of time
Gradually virtue begins to garnish our thoughts unceasingly
We become increasingly more confident in our relationship with God
The Holy Ghost becomes our constant companion
We become more grounded
We become more rooted
We become more settled
We become more established
We are blessed to have a spiritual assurance that
- God is our Heavenly Father
- We are God’s children
- Jesus Christ is our Savior

Invitations/Challenges

I pray the Holy Ghost will enlighten each of us as we consider a higher and holier dimension of stillness in our lives—an inner spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
This remarkable blessing (an inner stillness of soul) is available to all Church members who are striving faithfully to become “covenant people of the Lord.”
On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.
Our homes should be the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still” and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Blessings/Promises

Every Sunday, if we will, we can be still and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior.
As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we may be troubled on every side, but we will not be distressed in our minds and hearts.
As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we may be perplexed by our circumstances and challenges, but we will not be in despair.
As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we may be persecuted, but we will also recognize that we are never alone.
As home and Church are gathered together in one in Christ, we can receive spiritual strength to become and remain firm, steadfast, and true.
I promise that as we build the foundation of our lives on the “rock” of Jesus Christ, we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost to receive an individual and spiritual stillness of the soul that enables us to know and remember that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can be blessed to do and overcome hard things.

Stories:

During a temple open house, Elder Bednar led journalists on a tour, emphasizing the celestial room’s representation of heavenly peace. He asked for silence inside, allowing guests to experience its tranquility. Afterward, a journalist emotionally expressed awe at the profound stillness, highlighting the importance of overcoming external distractions to find inner peace. This reaction underscored the powerful impact of spiritual stillness.
In 1833, the Saints in Missouri faced severe persecution, having been driven from their homes in Jackson County. Despite relocating to nearby counties, threats persisted. During these trying times, the Lord instructed Joseph Smith from Kirtland, Ohio, to comfort the Saints with the message: “Let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.” This revelation emphasized trust in divine control amidst adversity.

Application Ideas

Elder Bednar repeats a variation of the phrase “God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior” 8 different times in his talk. Search out those occurrences and ponder each one. Why do you think Elder Bednar used that phrase so many times? Write your feelings in your journal or share them with someone you trust.
Elder Bednar uses the phrase “if we will” three times in this talk. How would you apply this to your own personal “stillness”? Consider reading 2 Nephi:14-29 or Be 100 Percent Responsible for additional insight.
With Elder Bednar’s description of sacred times and holy places in mind, what changes could you make to your home and schedule that would help it be the “the ultimate combination of both sacred time and holy place wherein individuals and families can “be still” and know that God is our Heavenly Father, we are His children, and Jesus Christ is our Savior”?
Consider how you are ‘striving faithfully to become “covenant people of the Lord.”’ Write of this in your journal.

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Rise! He Calleth Thee

Elder Massimo De Feo
Of the Seventy

Main Points

The gospel is not a way to avoid challenges and problems but a solution to increase our faith and learn how to deal with them.
The biblical story of Bartimaeus provides the framework for teaching us how we can focus on Christ to keep our spiritual vision clear.
The way to (leave the natural man behind, repent and begin a new life) is by making and keeping covenants to rise to a better life through Jesus Christ.
One of the most important lessons in this story is that this man exercised true faith in Jesus Christ and received a miracle because he asked with real intent, the real intent to follow Him.

Gospel Principles taught

Agency, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Missionary Work, Obedience

Gospel Doctrine taught

Commandments, Covenants

Scriptures

Mark 10:47, Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 21:9, Mark 10:48, Mark 10:50, Mark 10:52

Other Sources

“Charge” – defined: That which is enjoined, committed, entrusted or delivered to another, implying care, custody, oversight, or duty to be performed by the person entrusted.

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I testify that this gospel is the answer for everything, because Jesus Christ is the answer for everyone.
Description of His Life.
- The story of the healing of Bartimaeus.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Rise!”
Description of His Atonement.
- Acting in faith means to rely on our Savior, believing that through His Atonement, we can rise above everything at His command.
Description of His relationship with us.
- He calls to us
- He invites us
- He heals us

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Living the gospel of Jesus Christ does not remove pain and trials, which are necessary to grow.
The gospel is not a way to avoid challenges and problems but a solution to increase our faith and learn how to deal with them.
It is interesting that this blind man, who didn’t have physical sight, recognized Jesus. He saw spiritually what he couldn’t see physically, while many others could see Jesus physically but were totally blind spiritually.
He (Bartimaeus) acted instead of being acted upon. Despite his limited circumstances, he used his faith to go beyond his limitations.
In this confusing and confused world, we must stay faithful to what we know, faithful to our covenants, faithful in keeping the commandments and reaffirm our beliefs even stronger, like this man did. We need to cry even louder our testimony of the Lord to the world. This man knew Jesus, stayed faithful to what he believed, and was not distracted by the voices around him.
The voices of the world are trying to silence us, but that’s exactly why we must declare our testimony of the Savior louder and stronger.
…the Lord is counting on me and you to declare our testimonies, to raise our voice, and to become His voice. If we don’t do it, who will testify of Jesus Christ? Who will speak His name and declare His divine mission?
We have a spiritual charge that comes from our knowledge of Jesus Christ.
As long as we make excuses to feel sorry for ourselves, sorry for our circumstances and problems, and sorry for all the bad things happening in our lives and even all the bad people who we think make us unhappy, we keep the beggar’s coat on our shoulders.
It is true that at times people, consciously or not, hurt us. But we need to decide to act with faith in Christ by removing the mental and emotional coat that we might still wear to hide excuses or sin and throw it away, knowing that He can and will heal us.
Acting in faith means to rely on our Savior, believing that through His Atonement, we can rise above everything at His command.
He was able to listen to the voice of the Lord in the middle of all other voices. This is the same faith that allowed Peter to walk on water as long as he kept his spiritual focus on the Lord and was not distracted by the winds around him.
For me, keeping a clear spiritual vision is all about focusing on Jesus Christ.
I testify that this gospel is the answer for everything, because Jesus Christ is the answer for everyone.
I am grateful for what I can see as I follow my Savior.

Lists

We keep a clear spiritual vision when we:

focus on Jesus Christ
stay true to what we know to be true
decide not to listen to the voices of the world around us
stay faithful to what we know
stay faithful to our covenants
stay faithful in keeping the commandments
reaffirm our beliefs
leave the natural man behind
repent
begin a new life in Christ
hear the voice of the Lord
allow Him to guide us

The Lord is counting on me and you to:

declare our testimonies
to raise our voice
to become His voice

Choices Bartimaeus made that we can emulate:

He recognized that Jesus was indeed the Messiah
He saw spiritually what he couldn’t see physically
He ignored the voices around him
He acted instead of being acted upon
He used his faith to go beyond his limitations
stayed faithful to what he believed
at the Lord’s command to rise, he acted again in faith
as he threw away his beggar’s coat, he got rid of all excuses

The reason we receive blessings in our lives is to help us follow Jesus Christ. It is about:

recognizing Him
making and keeping covenants with God because of Him
changing our very nature through Him
and enduring to the end by following Him

We “keep the beggar’s coat on our shoulders” (remain in excuses, choose to be ‘acted upon’ instead of acting) when we make excuses to:

feel sorry for ourselves
feel sorry for our circumstances
feel sorry for our problems
feel sorry for all the bad things happening in our lives
feel sorry for ourselves because of all the and even all the bad people who we think make us unhappy (i.e. we blame others for our unhappiness)

I am grateful for what I see.

I clearly see the hand of the Lord in this sacred work
I clearly see the hand of the Lord in my life
I see the faith of many wherever I go who strengthen my own faith
I see angels all around me.
I see the faith of many who don’t see the Lord physically but recognize Him spiritually, because they know Him intimately.

Invitations/Challenges

We need to decide not to listen to the voices of the world around us.
We must stay faithful to what we know, faithful to our covenants, faithful in keeping the commandments and reaffirm our beliefs even stronger, like this man did.
We need to cry even louder our testimony of the Lord to the world.
It is true that at times people, consciously or not, hurt us. But we need to decide to act with faith in Christ by removing the mental and emotional coat that we might still wear to hide excuses or sin and throw it away, knowing that He can and will heal us.
May we cry our testimony of Him louder than the voices around us in a world that needs to hear more of Jesus Christ and not less.
May we remove the beggar’s coat that we might still wear and rise above the world to a better life in and through Christ.
May we get rid of all excuses not to follow Jesus Christ and find all good reasons to follow Him as we hear His voice.

Warnings

The voices of the world are trying to silence us, but that’s exactly why we must declare our testimony of the Savior louder and stronger.
There is never a good excuse to say, “I am the way I am because of some unfortunate and unpleasant circumstances. And I cannot change, and I am justified.” When we think that way, we decide to be acted upon. We keep the beggar’s coat.

Blessings/Promises

I promise that as we hear the voice of the Lord and allow Him to guide us on the Savior’s covenant path, we will be blessed with clear vision, spiritual understanding, and peace of heart and mind throughout our lives.

Stories:

Some time ago I asked my wife, “Can you tell me why, as far as I remember, we have never had any major problems in our lives?” She looked at me and said, “Sure. I’ll tell you why we have never had any major problems; it’s because you have a very short memory!”
A few months ago …I was walking one day and suddenly my sight became blurry, dark, and wavy. I was scared. Then the doctors told me, “If you don’t begin treatment immediately, you may lose your sight even in a matter of weeks.” I was even more scared. And then they said, “You need intravitreal injections—injections right in the eye, wide-open eye—every four weeks for the rest of your life.” Then a reflection came in the form of a question. I asked myself, “OK! My physical sight is not good, but what about my spiritual vision? Do I need any treatment there? And what does it mean to have a clear spiritual vision?”
The story of Bartimaeus in the Gospel of Mark. Though he was blind, he recognized the Savior as the Messiah and called out to him for help.
This humble and faithful man understood that he could rise to a better life at Jesus’s command. He knew that he was better than his circumstances, and the very first thing he did when he heard Jesus calling him was to throw away his beggar’s coat. Again he acted instead of being acted upon. He might have thought, “I don’t need this anymore, now that Jesus has come into my life. This is a new day. I’m done with this life of misery. With Jesus I can start a new life of happiness and joy in Him, with Him, and through Him. And I don’t care what the world thinks of me. Jesus is calling me, and He will help me live a new life.”

Application Ideas

Elder De Feo alludes throughout his talk to Lehi’s counsel to his son Jacob (2 Nephi 2:11-28). Prayerfully consider what it means to “act” versus “to be acted upon”. What does this look like in your own life? Write your impressions in your study journal.
‘There is never a good excuse to say, “I am the way I am because of some unfortunate and unpleasant circumstances. And I cannot change, and I am justified.” When we think that way, we decide to be acted upon. We keep the beggar’s coat.’ Evaluate any areas of your life where you may be ‘keeping the beggar’s coat.’ Choose one thing about yourself that you have been avoiding changing and make a plan to move from where you are to a better place. Pray about your plan and follow any guidance you receive. If you don’t feel you receive any clear direction, just do ‘the next good thing.’
Draw a vertical line down the center of a page of paper. On the left, list excuses you or others commonly use to not follow Jesus. On the right hand side of the paper, list reasons to follow Christ. Keep the list in your scriptures or journal and add to it as ideas come to you. When you are tempted to use an excuse, find the reason to follow Jesus and focus on that.
Make a conscious effort to notice which voices in the world around you are trying to lead you away from Christ – or even just distract you from following Him. Consider ways that you can focus more on Christ than on those voices.

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by Keith Erekson

[This document was prepared in response to a paper recently published in German by Francois Radzik called “13 Theses: The deception of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons.” As with most attacks on the Church today, the only thing new is the packaging.]

1) Knowledge of God Revealed Line Upon Line

Lecture on Theology (‚Lectures on Faith‘) (Church History Topics)
King Follett Discourse (Church History Topics)
Becoming Like God (Gospel Topic Essays)
Change is okay (see 2 Nephi 28:30; 29:9; Doctrine and Covenants 61:20; Article of Faith 9)

2) Authority and Governance

Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (Church History Topics)
Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood (Church History Topics)
Succession of Church Leadership (Church History Topics)
Saints, Volume 3: Boldly, Nobly, and Independent (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2022), 181-184 (chapter 12). [Describes Brigham Young’s teachings]

3) Visions of Jesus Christ and Other Messengers

First Vision Accounts (Gospel Topics Essays)
Joseph Smith, Journal, April 3, 1836 [Jesus, Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple]
Alexander L. Baugh, “Parting the Veil: The Visions of Joseph Smith,” BYU Studies 38, no. 1 (1999): 23–69.

4) Joseph Smith’s Early History

See Joseph Smith-History 1:55-56
Treasure Seeking (Church History Topics)
Seer Stones (Church History Topics)
First Vision Accounts (Gospel Topics Essays)
Joseph Smith, History, 1832 [earliest written account of the First Vision]
Book of Mormon Translation (Gospel Topics Essays)
Angel Moroni (Church History Topics)

5) Plural Marriage

Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo (Gospel Topics Essay)
Fanny Alger (Church History Topics)
“Mercy Thompson and the Revelation on Marriage,” in Revelations in Context

6) Change over Time

Quorum of the Twelve (Church History Topics)
Race and Priesthood (Gospel Topics Essays)
The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage (Gospel Topics Essays)
Change is okay (see 2 Nephi 28:30; 29:9; Doctrine and Covenants 61:20; Article of Faith 9)

7) Zion

Zion/New Jerusalem (Church History Topics)
Book of Mormon and DNA Studies (Gospel Topics Essays)

8) Church History in Missouri

Zion/New Jerusalem (Church History Topics)
Jackson County Violence (Church History Topics)
Kirtland Safety Society (Church History Topics)
Danites (Church History Topics)
Mormon-Missouri War of 1838 (Church History Topics)
Extermination Order (Church History Topics)
Liberty Jail (Church History Topics)
Prophecies of Joseph Smith (Church History Topics)

9) Early Temples and Ordinances

Kirtland Temple (Church History Topics)
Nauvoo Temple (Church History Topics)
Temple Endowment (Church History Topics)
Masonry (Church History Topics)
Adjustments to Temple Work (Church History Topics)
Temple Building (Church History Topics)

10) Departure from Nauvoo

Nauvoo (Commerce), Illinois (Church History Topics)
Masonry (Church History Topics)
Council of Fifty (Church History Topics)
Missouri Extradition Attempts (Church History Topics)
Succession of Church Leadership (Church History Topics)
Pioneer Trek (Church History Topics)

11) Brigham Young

Brigham Young (Church History Topics)
Deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith (Church History Topics)
Utah (Church History Topics)
Danites (Church History Topics)
Mountain Meadows Massacre (Church History Topics)
Peace and Violence among 19th Century Latter-day Saints (Gospel Topics Essays)

12) Seeking and Learning

Seeking Answers to Questions (Topics and Questions)
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” General Conference, October 2013
Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” General Conference, April 2021
Dallin H. Oaks, “Criticism,” Ensign, February 1987

13) Tithing

Tithing (Church History Topics)
Church Finances (Church History Topics)

Common Tactics in Antagonistic Materials

Offer new freedom and advanced thinking
Share selected facts that are taken out of their wider contexts
Present errors as if they are correct, often blurring facts and errors together
Allege secret conspiracies and dark motives

See alo “How Can We Find Truth in a Sea of Information?” (Liahona, April 2023)

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

The Testimony of Jesus

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

My invitation is to act now to secure your place as one who is valiant in the testimony of Jesus.
All but a relatively few individuals are eventually redeemed into one of the three kingdoms of glory.
Our own desires, manifested through our choices, dictate which kingdom we’re redeemed into.
Note that the distinguishing characteristic for the inhabitants of each kingdom is how they relate to “the testimony of Jesus,” ranging from (1) wholehearted devotion to (2) not being valiant to (3) outright rejection. On each person’s reaction hangs his or her eternal future.
Our Father wants all His children who will to enjoy eternal life with Him in His celestial kingdom. Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected to make that possible. He “hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men.”

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Holy Ghost, The Atonement, Final Judgement, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, Jesus Christ, Testimony, Exaltation

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 76:39, Doctrine and Covenants 76:89, Romans 8:17, Doctrine and Covenants 76:51, 69; Doctrine and Covenants 76:75, 79; Doctrine and Covenants 76:101; JST, John 1:4, John 1:1–3, Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–24, Doctrine and Covenants 76:51–53, Moroni 7:47, Ephesians 4:13, Alma 27:27, Mosiah 16:12, Moroni 6:4, Mosiah 18:9, John 8:31–32, Doctrine and Covenants 76:75; 58:27, 3 Nephi 27:20; see also verses 16–21; 3 Nephi 11:31–36; Helaman 3:34, Helaman 3:35, Mosiah 5:7; 27:24–31; Alma 5:11–15, 26; Moses 6:59–60, Alma 34:33, Doctrine and Covenants 45:2; see also Helaman 13:38, Alma 35:15, Mosiah 5:12, Luke 14:27 , Moroni 7:27

Other Sources

John H. Groberg, “Writing Your Personal and Family History”

Related talks:

Dallin H. Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory”
Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Power of Spiritual Momentum”
Neal A. Maxwell, “Settle This in Your Hearts”
Quentin L. Cook “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus”
Rebecca L. Craven “Careful versus Casual”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- He is the divine Son of God
- He is the Messiah
- He is the Redeemer
- He was in the beginning with God
- He is the Creator of heaven and earth
- In Him is the gospel
- He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven
- He lives!
- He is the Only Begotten of the Father
- By him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created
- In this Easter season especially, we joyfully, publicly, and unreservedly proclaim our witness of the resurrected, living Christ.
- Jesus is our essential Redeemer
Description of His Teachings.
- “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.”
Description of His Atonement.
- “There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh.”
- Our Father wants all His children who will to enjoy eternal life with Him in His celestial kingdom. Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected to make that possible. He “hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- He is the Mediator of the New Covenant; through him, just people are made perfect.
- “In Him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men.”
- The inhabitants (of the worlds) thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

God’s plan of redemption constitutes a universal opportunity for all His children, whenever and wherever they may have lived on the earth.
Our Father’s hope is that we will choose—and, through the grace of His Son, qualify for—the highest and most glorious of these kingdoms, the celestial, where we may enjoy eternal life as “joint-heirs with Christ.”
Note that the distinguishing characteristic for the inhabitants of each kingdom is how they relate to “the testimony of Jesus,” ranging from (1) wholehearted devotion to (2) not being valiant to (3) outright rejection. On each person’s reaction hangs his or her eternal future.
The inheritors of the celestial kingdom “receive” the testimony of Jesus in the fullest sense by being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and overcoming by faith.
Beyond this testimony (of Jesus) is the question, What do we do about it?
In this Easter season especially, we joyfully, publicly, and unreservedly proclaim our witness of the resurrected, living Christ.
God does not force us into the better path, the covenant path, but He instructs His prophets to make us fully aware of the consequences of our choices.
It is this mighty change of heart—yielding our hearts to God and being spiritually reborn through the grace of the Savior—that we seek.

Lists

Descriptions of who inherits each Kingdom of Glory:

The Celestial
- they who received the testimony of Jesus
- just men (and women) made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant
The Terrestrial
- They are essentially good people.
- They are the “honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.”
- They “are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus.”
The Telestial
- Those who “received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus.”

The distinguishing characteristic of the inhabitants of each kingdom is how they relate to the testimony of Jesus :

wholehearted devotion
- They don’t just accept the testimony of Jesus; they act on their testimony of Jesus
- They are distinguished by their zeal towards God
not being valiant
- They accept the testimony of Jesus, but they don’t act on it
- A degree of apathy or casualness
- Being “lukewarm”
outright rejection
- Reject the testimony of Jesus
- Reject the gospel
- Reject the covenants
- Reject the prophets
- Live according to their carnal wills and desires
- Not calling on the Lord for mercy

What is the testimony of Jesus?:

It is the witness of the Holy Spirit that He is the divine Son of God, the Messiah and Redeemer.
It is John’s testimony that Jesus was in the beginning with God, that He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and that “in him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men.”
It is “the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, … that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven.”
It is the knowledge that “there is no other name given whereby salvation cometh.”
It is the “testimony, last of all,” given by the Prophet Joseph Smith, “that he lives! … That he is the Only Begotten of the Father—that by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.”

The inheritors of the celestial kingdom “receive” the testimony of Jesus by:

Being baptized
Receiving the Holy Ghost
Overcoming by faith
Allowing gospel principles and truths to govern their priorities
Allowing gospel principles and truths to govern their choices
Manifesting their testimony of Jesus in what they are & what they are becoming
Being motivated by charity, “the pure love of Christ”
Focusing on pursuing “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

What does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?:

Nurturing and strengthening that testimony
- prayer, study of the scriptures, Sabbath observance, partaking of the sacrament, repentance, ministering, and worship in the house of the Lord.
Being open and public about one’s witness.
Heed His messengers.
Encouraging others, by word and example, to likewise be valiant, especially those of our own families.
Pursue individual holiness

Invitations/Challenges

President Nelson has urged us to “Think celestial!” by making the celestial kingdom our eternal goal and then “carefully considering where each of [our] decisions while here on earth will place [us] in the next world.”
My invitation is to act now to secure your place as one who is valiant in the testimony of Jesus.
“do not procrastinate the day of your repentance”
Be zealous in keeping your covenants with God.
Do not be “offended [by] the strictness of the word.”
“Remember to retain the name [of Christ] written always in your hearts, … that ye [may] hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.”
“settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which [Jesus] shall teach, and command you.”
I pray that we may all be blessed with a burning testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoice and be valiant in that testimony, and enjoy the fruits of His grace in our lives continually. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Warnings

“Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance,” lest “in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.”

Stories:

In 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received a remarkable vision concerning the eternal destiny of God’s children.
Elder Groberg’s story of a young family in a branch in Hawaii. The daughter had been hospitalized with an unknown illness, and when the father and his son began to prepare the sacrament in church, the branch president jumped up and told them they couldn’t and told them to leave immediately. The family was embarrassed and dejected and left immediately. The father told his family how much he loved them and that they would go back to church and that “We will not allow any man or any hurt or embarrassment or pride to keep us from being together forever.”

Application Ideas

Decide today to make the celestial kingdom your goal. Create a vision board or vision statement reflecting your decision and put it in a prominent place.
Spend some time studying and pondering the word “zeal.” You might include the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary definition of Zeal, and the resources in the index and topical guide. Brainstorm ways that you could show more zeal in keeping your covenants. Act on your ideas.
Ponder what daily repentance looks like in your life. If you have negative feelings or associations with repentance, pray diligently for a greater understanding and desire to repent.
Choose one of the talks Elder Christofferson quotes and incorporate it in your study.

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He Relentlessly Pursues Usby Autumn Dickson

In chapters 24 and 25 of Alma, we read about the details of a war between the Lamanites, Nephites, and the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. Let’s cover the timeline of this story so we can pull out details of how the Lord works with His people.

In chapter 24 of Alma, we see the Lamanites originally coming upon the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. These converts of Anti-Nephi-Lehi had buried their weapons and as they were being slain, they raised their hands and praised the Lord. Over a thousand of these converts were slain before the Lamanites pulled back and couldn’t do it anymore. All of them stopped killing the converts, but there were still two different reactions among these aggressors.

More than a thousand of the Lamanites were so affected that they joined the church that day. First of all, that experience in and of itself is mind boggling, both on the part of the killed and those doing the killing. Let’s say you’re in the group that was attacked; you’re watching a thousand of your family members and friends being killed. The second the killing stops, you jump in to help comfort, teach, convert, and welcome those who had been killing. Wild. I also think it’s wild that so many of those who were doing the killing were able to jump so quickly into redemption. It’s hard to forgive yourself, but these guys did it and it’s remarkable.

But there was also a second group of Lamanites. These guys couldn’t stomach the idea of killing the defenseless people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi any longer, but their hearts were still hard. In verse 1 of chapter 25, we learn that they decided to direct their anger towards the Nephites instead. I want you to try and comprehend the switch. These Lamanite hearts are soft enough that they can’t handle killing someone stretched out on the ground before them, but their hearts are still hard enough that they can’t let go of their anger. I would imagine this is partially because they can’t bring themselves to accept the reality of what just happened. The Lamanites were raised as a wild and bloodthirsty people, but sin always affects the sinner. These experiences stayed with the Lamanites and facing the reality of what they had done to the converts was probably harder than redirecting their anger towards a different group of people who would fight back.

So that’s what they did. They turned their anger to the Nephites and were like, “Yeah. This was definitely all the fault of the Nephites. Let’s get vengeance on them instead.” Their hearts were still too hard to break unto the Lord; their hearts were hard enough that they still felt that killing was the answer.

As the Lamanites turned to the Nephites, they killed all the wicked people in Ammonihah before being driven back again and again. They could not overpower the Nephites, and so we find this experience next.

Alma 25:6 For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in the wilderness.

Many of the leftover Lamanites converted as well.

There are only a bajillion principles in this timeline ranging from forgiveness and charity to the merits of defending yourself vs. pacifism according to the will of the Lord. I can’t cover them all so the one I want to cover today is summed up nicely in the words of Elder Patrick Kearon in his conference address from this last April.

God is in relentless pursuit of you.

How many chances qualify as sufficient?

There were three chances (that we know of) that this last group of Lamanites received to accept the gospel.

The first chance came in the land of Nephi. Ammon, Aaron, and their brethren came to the Lamanite lands to preach the gospel. Many converted, and it would have likely been impossible to miss the surge of religious fervor in the area. These Lamanites had been given a chance to hear the gospel and accept it. We know that they heard some of the message because in the verse we read (Alma 25:6), it talks about how they remembered the words of Aaron. Though many joined the church, there were still plenty who rejected it.

The second chance came after they literally went to war with the converts who had come to be known as Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Not only did they reject the gospel, but many Lamanites actively sought against it. Think about the state of their hearts. They killed one thousand and five converts who were laid out on the ground in front of them. The people they killed were praising God as they were slaughtered. Think about what you understand of war and what it requires to actually kill someone. Then think about how much more it would require of a man to stab a defenseless person with a sword because you were mad that they had joined a church. So much of war these days is impersonal, bombs dropped where you can’t see the people you’re affecting. Even shooting a gun is less personal than having to use a sword.

I don’t bring up these facts to be gruesome. I bring them up because I want to highlight the state of the hearts of these Lamanites; understanding how far “gone” they were can help us understand just how much the Lord pursues us. I mean, we get discouraged when our friends don’t accept a copy of The Book of Mormon or an invitation to church. These Lamanites were killing, and yet, the Lord didn’t abandon or give up on them. The Lord relentlessly pursued their souls despite everything they had done, despite the state of their hearts and their willingness to kill.

There came a point where even the most hardened Lamanites couldn’t kill any more defenseless people. It was too much. A large number of these Lamanite hearts broke as they acknowledged that the killing they had participated in was wrong, and the Lord was standing there, ready to forgive and heal them from the trauma they had brought on their own heads.

The Lord brought them in and worked with them as soon as they were ready for it. As soon as they were ready to join hands with those who had been their “enemies,” as soon as they were ready to look into the faces of the family members of the people they killed, the Lord was ready to gather them in. I also find it beautiful that the family members of the murdered were standing ready to be the hands of the Lord and welcome them in, to show these broken Lamanites just how far the Lord was willing to go for them.

But the story doesn’t even end there! Though many of the Lamanite hearts broke unto the Lord, there were still many who refused to acknowledge that maybe they were on the wrong side here. There were many who refused to consider that maybe they were only hurting themselves by continuing to kick against the pricks.

Their hearts were still hard! They could no longer stomach the idea of killing defenseless, happy people, but they refused to let go of their anger and hard hearts. Instead, they just decided to go and kill the Nephites because apparently that made loads of sense to them. They couldn’t kill the converts anymore, so they decided that all this apparently revolting (in their eyes) religious conversion was definitely the fault of the Nephites so they decided to go and kill some more.

The combination of Aaron’s warnings and being beaten down by Nephites finally did it for them. Their hearts finally softened and broke, and they finally considered that maybe they had been looking at the entire situation wrong. And there was the Lord, ready to accept them into the folds through the medium of baptism.

If you were in the Lord’s shoes (exactly as you are, not perfect like Him but as you are now), when would you have given up on these Lamanites? When would you have said, “Okay. Enough is enough. I’m done trying to save you; you refuse to be saved.”

In the midst of all this overwhelming tragedy, this one principle screams through. The Lord’s love for us runs deeper than we can truly fathom, and He absolutely, unendingly, relentlessly pursues us. We may give up, but He does not.

Even when it seems like the end, His actions are still demonstrative of His relentless pursuit. As the Lamanites suited up for war against the converts, many of us would have believed, “They’re placing the last nail in their own coffins.” As the killing began, our hearts would have broken for those who were being killed and maybe even for the Lamanites who were hurting themselves. We would have thought, “Surely, they can’t come back from this.” We would have been floored with surprise as many of them threw down their own weapons in their first act of conversion, and hopefully would have cried surprised tears of joy as they entered the waters of baptism.

As we watched the rest of the Lamanites angrily march off to go and kill Nephites instead, we would have thought, “Okay if that experience didn’t change them, they’re never going to change.”

We would have given up, but the Lord never does. Where we saw acts of rebellion that surely announced the bull-headed desire to be damned, the Lord saw opportunities for the Lamanites to finally figure it out. When Satan started to rejoice over the powerful hold he had over the Lamanites, the Lord was just warming up and utilized all of Satan’s chains to wake them up.

We are not the Lord, but let’s not forget the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies, more than any other group, held a balm for these broken-hearted Lamanites that sealed their budding conversion. These converts, who had been changed themselves, believed that the Lamanites could change and welcomed them into their homes and families. The Lord loved and relentlessly pursued, and He utilized the Anti-Nephi-Lehies as one of the extensions of that love. He can likewise utilize us.

I testify of a Lord who never gives up, and I testify that if we choose to offer the same grace, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance towards our enemies, we will find greater peace than we ever thought possible.

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by Scott Hansen

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe “that God has revealed” and “will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Articles of Faith 1:9). However, change can be unsettling after we have already gotten into a routine. Ordinances, policies, and procedures serve as a mechanism for us to have spiritual experiences. When these things change, it can be hard. So, why do Church policies and procedures change? Here are three reasons:

CONTINUED HERE

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Pillars and Rays

Elder Alexander Dushku
Of the Seventy

Main Points

We too can have our own pillar of light—one ray at a time.
No two people experience God’s light and truth in exactly the same way.
Most of us receive truth line upon line, not in one big revelation

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost, Faith in Christ,

Gospel Doctrine taught

Restoration, Prophets

Scriptures

Joseph Smith—History 1:10–13, Joseph Smith—History 1:14–16, Joseph Smith—History 1:17, Joseph Smith—History 1:20, Mosiah 16:9, Doctrine and Covenants 84:46; John 1:9, Doctrine and Covenants 88:12–13, Doctrine and Covenants 6:23, Doctrine and Covenants 8:2; Helaman 5:30, Mosiah 5:2; Doctrine and Covenants 11:12, 2 Nephi 4:21; Helaman 5:44, Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–14, Doctrine and Covenants 18:35–36, Mosiah 2:17; Moroni 7:45–48, 1 Nephi 1:20, Helaman 5:9–12, Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79, Moroni 10:3–4, Doctrine and Covenants 88:40, Alma 32:35, Doctrine and Covenants 50:24, Alma 32:41

Other Sources

Joseph Smith, Journal, Nov. 9–11, 1835, 24

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith Chapter 23: Receiving a Testimony of Jesus Christ

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Closing Remarks”
Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Munich Germany Area Conference, 1973, 77; quoted in Graham W. Doxey, “The Voice Is Still Small”
David A. Bednar, The Spirit of Revelation
Gerritt W. Gong, Ministering
Always Remember Him

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Jesus Christ “is the light and … life of the world”
- Christ’s “Spirit giveth light to every man [and woman] that cometh into the world”
- His light “fill[s] the immensity of space”
- His light gives “life to all things.”
- I bear witness of Jesus Christ, that He is the light and life of the whole world—and of your personal world and mine.
- I testify that He is the true and living Son of the true and living God and that He stands at the head of this true and living Church, guided and directed by His true and living prophets and apostles.
Description of His Teachings.
- The Lord teaches truth line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.”
- The Lord’s typical pattern, brothers and sisters. Rather than sending us a pillar of light, the Lord sends us a ray of light, and then another, and another.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

My message is for those who worry about their testimony because they haven’t had overwhelming spiritual experiences.
The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ began with an explosion of light and truth!
All that, and much more, began with a boy’s desperate prayer and a pillar of light.
One of the great truths of the Restoration is that the heavens are open—that we too can receive light and knowledge from on high. I testify that is true.
One of the great truths of the Restoration is that the heavens are open—that we too can receive light and knowledge from on high. I testify that is true.
But we must be wary of a spiritual trap. Sometimes faithful Church members become discouraged and even drift away because they haven’t had overwhelming spiritual experiences—because they haven’t experienced their own pillar of light.
President Spencer W. Kimball warned, “Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication.”
Rather than sending us a pillar of light, the Lord sends us a ray of light, and then another, and another.
The Light of Christ is literally all around us.
Perhaps you were reading in the Book of Mormon and a verse spoke to your soul, as if God had put it there just for you—and then you realized that He did.
Brothers and sisters, I have not seen a pillar of light, but, like you, I have experienced many divine rays. Over the years, I’ve tried to treasure such experiences. I find that as I do, I recognize and remember even more of them.
I remember studying and praying desperately to receive a more certain witness of Jesus Christ. Then one day, as I pled with Heavenly Father, I felt a powerful sense of light and warmth. And I knew. I just knew.
You have had your own experiences—your own light-filled bursts of testimony. As we recognize, remember, and gather these rays “together in one,” something wonderful and powerful begins to happen. “Light cleaveth unto light”—“truth embraceth truth.” The reality and power of one ray of testimony reinforces and combines with another, and then another, and another. Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a ray and there a ray—one small, treasured spiritual moment at a time—there grows up within us a core of light-filled, spiritual experiences. Perhaps no one ray is strong enough or bright enough to constitute a full testimony, but together they can become a light that the darkness of doubt cannot overcome.
In time and through “great diligence,” we too can have our own pillar of light—one ray at a time. And in the midst of that pillar, we too will find a loving Heavenly Father calling us by name, pointing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and inviting us to “Hear Him!”
May we recognize and receive His glorious light and then choose Him over the darkness of the world—always and forever.

Lists

We have needs just like Joseph did:

Freedom from spiritual confusion.
Freedom from worldly darkness.
The need to know for ourselves.

The restoration brought a flood of:

Divine revelation
New scripture
Restored priesthood keys
Apostles
Prophets
Ordinances
Covenants
Reestablishment of the true and living church

We are ‘living in revelation’ (worthy to receive these divine rays constantly) if:

We have received the gift of the Holy Ghost
We are striving to exercise faith
We are striving to repent
We honor our covenants

Different ways we experience the light and Spirit of the Lord:

Peace spoken to your mind about something that has worried you
An impression to do something good
A desire to follow Jesus Christ
A desire to be faithful
Felt that the testimony you shared was true
Felt an assurance that God loves you
Someone else’s testimony of Christ touches you and gives you hope
A verse in the Book of Mormon seems to be just for you
Felt love of God as you serve others
Remember past tender mercies

Invitations/Challenges

“Immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration.” (Russell M. Nelson)
May we recognize and receive His glorious light and then choose Him over the darkness of the world—always and forever.

Warnings

But we must be wary of a spiritual trap. Sometimes faithful Church members become discouraged and even drift away because they haven’t had overwhelming spiritual experiences—because they haven’t experienced their own pillar of light.
President Spencer W. Kimball warned, “Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication.”

Blessings/Promises

in time and through “great diligence,” we too can have our own pillar of light—one ray at a time. And in the midst of that pillar, we too will find a loving Heavenly Father calling us by name, pointing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and inviting us to “Hear Him!”

Stories:

Elder Dushku tells the story of Joseph Smith. “And then, “at the very moment when [he’s] ready to sink into despair and abandon [him]self to destruction,” when he doesn’t know if he can hang on any longer, a glorious brilliance fills the grove, scattering the darkness and the enemy of his soul.” The answer to his question was given when a pillar of light appeared in the grove, with the Father and the Son.
Elder Dushku remembers being a rowdy teenager at a baptism and having the Spirit urge him to sit down and be reverent.
He recounts how he received a more sure witness of Christ before his mission.
“Being awakened one night years later by a feeling of “pure intelligence” telling me I would be called to serve in the elders quorum.”
“I remember a general conference where a beloved member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke the exact words of testimony I had told a friend I hoped to hear.”
I remember kneeling with hundreds of brethren to pray for a dear friend who lay unconscious on a ventilator in a small, faraway hospital after his heart had stopped. As we united our own hearts to plead for his life, he woke up and pulled the ventilator out of his own throat. He serves today as a stake president.
And I remember waking up with strong spiritual feelings after a vivid dream of a dear friend and mentor who passed away far too early, leaving an enormous hole in my life. He was smiling and joyful. I knew he was OK.

Application Ideas

Take some time to think about how you experience the light and Spirit of the Lord. Write your observations in a journal or your study journal. Revisit and revise your comments over time.
Over the next month, spend a week focusing on each of the items under “living in revelation.” Write about your experiences or share them with a trusted friend.
Honestly evaluate whether or not you are being aware of the spiritual trap Elder Dushku mentions. Ask Heavenly Father for a desire to overcome and weakness you may find.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

All Will Be Well Because of Temple Covenants

President Henry B. Eyring
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Main Points

There is nothing more important than honoring the covenants you have made or may make in the temple.
The temple brings understanding and peace.
The temple is a place where Christ can come.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Lord’s Covenant People, The Family Can Be Eternal, Eternal Marriage

Gospel Doctrine taught

Priesthood and Priesthood Keys, Ordinances and Covenants, Marriage and Family, God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Joseph Smith—History 1:39

2 Corinthians 12:7–10

John 14:27

Doctrine and Covenants 59:5

Other Sources

“1976: The Teton Dam Failed, KTVB Captured the Aftermath from the Air,”

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant”
Thomas S. Monson, “Blessings of the Temple”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation”
Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I give you my sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. He lives and leads His Church.
Description of His Teachings.
- ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid [John 14:27].’”
Description of His relationship with us.
- I know the Lord loves you.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Whatever the outcome, all will be well because of the temple. We have made covenants with God and have been sealed as an eternal family.
…The sealing ordinances, found only in the house of the Lord and administered by proper priesthood authority, had bound us together as husband and wife, and our children had been sealed to us. There truly was no need to fear…
“The safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!”
Qualifying to make sacred covenants is not a one-time effort but a lifetime pattern. The Lord has said it will take our full heart, might, mind, and strength.
When you keep your temple covenants and remember them, you invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost to both strengthen and purify you.
It is through the sealing covenants in the temple that we can receive the assurance of loving family connections that will continue after death and last for eternity.
Trials, challenges, and heartaches will surely come to all of us. None of us are immune from “thorns of the flesh.” Yet, as we attend the temple and remember our covenants, we can prepare to receive personal direction from the Lord.
I give you my sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. He lives and leads His Church. Temples are houses of the Lord. President Russell M. Nelson is God’s living prophet on the earth. I love him, and I love each of you.

Lists

As we attend the temple, we are reminded of:

the eternal nature of our spirits
our relationship with the Father
Our relationship with Christ
our ultimate desire to return to our heavenly home.

President Nelson taught about temples that:

The safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!
Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple.
Each person who makes covenants … in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.
Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever.
God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him.
All those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy.

Invitations/Challenges

Frequent participation in the ordinances of the temple can create a pattern of devotion to the Lord.
It is through the sealing covenants in the temple that we can receive the assurance of loving family connections that will continue after death and last for eternity.
Give children opportunities to pray for each other.
Discern quickly the beginnings of discord
positively recognize acts of unselfish service, especially to one another.
No matter where you are on the covenant path, I urge you to qualify and become eligible to attend the temple.
Visit the temple as frequently as circumstances will allow.
Make and keep sacred covenants with God.

Warnings

Consistent care of brothers and sisters for each other will come only with persistent efforts to lead your family in the Lord’s way.

Blessings/Promises

“As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace.” (Thomas S. Monson)
“ … We will grasp the true meaning of the words of the Savior when He said: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid [John 14:27].’” (Thomas S. Monson)
When you keep your temple covenants and remember them, you invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost to both strengthen and purify you.
You may then experience a feeling of light and hope testifying that the promises are true.
You will come to know that every covenant with God is an opportunity to draw closer to Him, which will then create a desire in your heart to keep temple covenants.
Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us.
Honoring marriage and family covenants made in temples of God will provide protection from the evil of selfishness and pride.
When siblings pray for each other and serve each other, hearts will be softened and turned to each other and to their parents.
I bear witness that there is nothing more important than honoring the covenants you have made or may make in the temple.
No matter the outcome, all will be well because of temple covenants.

Stories:

President Eyring related an experience he and his wife, Kathy, had on June 5, 1976, when he was serving as president of Ricks College. They attended a temple sealing in nearby Idaho Falls, and while they were there, the Teton Dam failed, trapping them in Idaho Falls. They had left their children in Rexburg with a sitter, and they were unable to contact them to find out if they were alright. Even in this situation, Elder Eyring was able to experience calm. He said to his wife, “Kathy, whatever the outcome, all will be well because of the temple. We have made covenants with God and have been sealed as an eternal family.”
President Eyring related his experience of the first time he walked into the Salt Lake Temple. He had a clear thought in his mind “I have been in this lighted place before.” But then immediately there came into his mind in a voice that wasn’t his own: “No, you have never been here before. You are remembering a moment before you were born. You were in a sacred place like this where the Lord could come.”
President Eyring tells about being sealed by (then) Elder Spencer W. Kimball, who counseled, “Hal and Kathy, live so that when the call comes, you can walk away easily.” They followed that counsel and did receive an assignment years later. That counsel in the temple prepared them to accept that calling.

Application Ideas

Ponder President Eyring’s instruction on creating a pattern of devotion to the Lord. Prayerfully plan out a pattern of devotion for your life now. This pattern may include temple attendance, personal prayer and study, and church attendance; pay attention to the promptings of the spirit in choosing what your pattern will include.
Follow President Eyring’s admonition, “No matter where you are on the covenant path, I urge you to qualify and become eligible to attend the temple.” Take the first step!
Pray for your siblings by name. Be aware of their hardships and situations and specifically importune the Lord on their behalf.
“Honoring marriage and family covenants made in temples of God will provide protection from the evil of selfishness and pride.” What marriage and family covenants have you made? How can you better honor those covenants?
Consider the Eyring’s experience with living so that they were ready to accept any calling the Lord should extend to them. Is there any way that you and your family can follow that same advice?

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Pray, He is There

President Susan H. Porter
Primary General President

Main Points

I invite you to pray to know Heavenly Father is there, pray to grow to become like Him, and pray to show His love to others.
Pray to Know: Encouraging children to pray to understand that Heavenly Father is real, listens to their prayers, and loves them.
Pray to Grow: Highlighting the importance of prayer in seeking personal growth, such as developing patience, courage, and other virtues through divine guidance.
Pray to Show: Advising to pray for opportunities to show Heavenly Father’s love to others, helping and serving them, and being examples of Christlike behavior.

Gospel Principles taught

Prayer, Faith in Jesus Christ, Service, Endurance, Personal Revelation

Gospel Doctrine taught

Prayer, Faith, Service, Endure to the end

Scriptures

John 16:24; 3 Nephi 27:29, Doctrine and Covenants 11:13, Moses 1:6–8, 27–29, 35; 1 Nephi 16:18, 23–24, John 3:16–17, John 13:34–35

Other Sources

“A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook, 12.

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Sister Porter shares her testimony by affirming, “I know He lives and loves you.”
Description of His Life.
- She mentions that “Heavenly Father loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way to live.”
- He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way to live.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Ask, and ye shall receive.”
Description of His Atonement.
- Sister Porter explains that Jesus “suffered, died, and was resurrected so we can be forgiven of our sins.”
- Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected so we can be forgiven of our sins and grow to become more like Him.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Pray to know Heavenly Father is real and loves you.
Pray to grow in virtue and develop Christlike attributes.
Pray to show love and serve others.
Our Savior taught us to pray always.
Through sincere prayer, we draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Prayer changes our hearts and brings peace.
Even when we feel alone, we can pray and know that Heavenly Father hears us.
Often the best question to ask Heavenly Father is not why but what.
Heavenly Father does not force anyone to make a choice. He can send us answers to our prayers in other ways.
Perhaps you are praying for blessings for your family and others you love. Don’t give up! Heavenly Father will show you what you can do.

Lists

What do you need to know:

That Heavenly Father is really there
Listen to the feelings in your heart
Listen to the thoughts that come to your mind
Heavenly Father can see us
We are never alone

You can pray for help to show Heavenly Father’s love to others:

Heavenly Father will help you notice someone who is sad so you can comfort them.
He can help you show His love by forgiving someone.
He can give you courage to serve someone and share with them that they are a child of God.
You can help others come to know and love Jesus and Heavenly Father as you do.

Gifts you can pray for:

Pray to know.
Pray to grow.
Pray to show.

Invitations/Challenges

Pray to Know: She invites listeners to pray to know that Heavenly Father is real, loves them, and listens to their prayers.
Pray to Grow: She challenges individuals to use prayer to seek personal growth and develop Christlike attributes.
Pray to Show: She encourages praying for opportunities to show love and serve others, reflecting Christ’s love through actions.
Share with Heavenly Father what is in your heart. As you sincerely ask for His help, you will receive His Spirit to guide you.
Praying every day will fill you with love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This will help you want to follow Them your whole life!
I invite you to pray to know Heavenly Father is there, pray to grow to become like Him, and pray to show His love to others. I know He lives and loves you.

Warnings

Heavenly Father wants to help you grow!

Blessings/Promises

You can come to know for yourself that He is there and that He loves you.
When you know that Heavenly Father is real and that He loves you, you can live with courage and hope!
Heavenly Father will guide you when you ask Him what you can do and what you can learn.
Through His Spirit, your heart can change, and you can receive strength.
Through His Spirit, Heavenly Father will help you notice someone who is sad so you can comfort them.

Stories:

One day when our granddaughter Ashley was six years old, she was the only one without a friend to play with on the school playground. As she stood there, feeling unimportant and unseen, a specific thought came into her mind: “Wait! I’m not alone! I have Christ!” Ashley knelt down right in the middle of the playground, folded her arms, and prayed to Heavenly Father. The moment she opened her eyes, a girl her age was standing there asking her if she wanted to play. Ashley came to know, “We are important to the Lord, and we are never truly alone.”
When Nephi and his brothers went to hunt for food, Nephi broke his bow. But he didn’t ask why. Nephi made a new bow and asked his father, Lehi, where he could go to get food. Lehi prayed, and the Lord showed them where Nephi could go. Heavenly Father will guide you when you ask Him what you can do and what you can learn.
Jonah shared how he prays to help feel less anxious about going to school.
The story of President Porter’s father, who never joined the church in this life. She prayed for this blessing from the time she was a child until she was a grandmother. After his death, she felt a confirmation that he had accepted the gospel. Her family was sealed together in the temple.

Application Ideas

Over the next few days, read the information found here. As you study, keep your heart open in prayer and ask to feel Heavenly Father’s love for you personally. Write any impressions in your journal.
Consider President Porter’s words: “Perhaps you are praying for blessings for your family and others you love. Don’t give up! Heavenly Father will show you what you can do.” It’s very likely that when you read that, the name of someone you love who is struggling in some way came to your mind. Think of ways that you can “not give up” as you pray for Heavenly Father to show you what you can do to help that person. Take prompt action on any ideas that come to you, even if they seem small.
Pray to grow. Make it a central part of your prayers to understand one thing that you could do right now to come closer to your Heavenly Father and Christ. When you feel you have received an answer, write it down in your scriptures or journal, and then take action on that answer.
President Porter encouraged us to pay attention to the thoughts in our mind and the feelings in our heart. What does this differentiation mean to you? Write in your journal about how God communicates with you.
Think of something you could do right now to show someone you love them. Go and do it!

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Revelation for Almaby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters for this week, we read about Alma and Amulek attempting to convert the hard-hearted people of Ammonihah. In the beginning, we observe Alma as he originally goes into the city to preach to the people. They spit on him and revile him, and he leaves the city with much sorrow. As he is journeying, an angel comes and uplifts him and shares this message.

Alma 8:16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.

Alma takes this message and hurries right back to the city to try again.

Now why was this the order of things? Why did Alma leave and come back? The angel could have easily delivered his message before Alma left, comforting him and encouraging him to continue on his work. Is there a reason for it or is it simply a detail of how the story unfolded that doesn’t matter?

Maybe it didn’t really matter, and that’s totally fine. Maybe Amulek needed an extra day of heart-preparation before he was ready for the angel to come and talk to him and prepare him to receive Alma. Maybe Alma needed some time to grieve before the angel came in and encouraged him. And once again, maybe it didn’t really matter.

There isn’t really an answer, so why is it important? I believe it’s important because despite whether there’s a reason for this turn of events or not, it can teach us about the process of revelation in our own lives. It can help us have the faith we need to do two things: grow in the way the Lord would have us grow and trust that revelation will come as needed.

Understanding the purposes of the Lord

I believe that in order to understand why and how revelation comes to us, we have to understand the reasoning of the Lord. What is He truly trying to accomplish with us? I think sometimes it’s easy to believe that the Lord is just trying to keep us on a perfect path with as little interference as possible, and even if we don’t believe that consciously, we often act like that’s His entire purpose. Surely, He wants us to follow Him, but His true purpose isn’t avoiding missteps; His true purpose is our growth, and that is essential to understand (even in the context of revelation).

For example, we often become paralyzed as we’re trying to make decisions about what to do in our lives because we don’t want to misstep. We really, really, really want to do what the Lord would have us do and so we wait and wait and wait for an answer that may never come rather than acting. I don’t believe the desire to do what the Lord wants us to do is bad (obviously), but I do believe that the fear that sometimes accompanies missteps stems from incomplete understanding about the purposes of revelation.

So what is the Lord’s true purpose for us? To put it in incredibly simple terms, He wants us to be like Him. He wants us to make purposeful decisions based on wisdom like He does. He wants us to create the kind of life we desire. He wants us to create goodness without someone pulling us along to do so.

What does this mean for revelation? Everything. It explains why the Lord answers in specific ways.

For example, let’s look at a college student who is trying to choose a major. If you were in the Lord’s shoes, and you wanted this student to become brave and bold in their decisions, how would you respond to them? Would you simply give them the answer whenever they asked for it? Surely, they could potentially avoid some mistakes and anxiety, but what are you truly wanting for them?

There are appropriate times that the Lord gives us an answer directly and quickly. Sometimes He allows us to sink deeper into our faith so we’re prepared to receive more important answers. Sometimes, He is totally silent. Sometimes, He answers and turns us around after we’ve started acting. All of these responses are crafted carefully so that we can be given the tailor-made opportunities to step into His shoes and become like Him.

In the context of Alma

Let’s look at it in the context of Alma. Now one of the difficulties in the scriptures is the fact that they were abridged. We don’t necessarily have the entire story. We might be missing some details about how Alma decided to leave Ammonihah, but let’s just take the story at face value.

Alma was doing the Lord’s work, but we don’t see Alma on his knees for any length of time praying for an answer about whether he should leave Ammonihah and move on to another city that would be more prepared for the work. All we see is that Alma recognized that the people had hard hearts, and he made an extremely logical decision to go find someone who was prepared for the word of God. In missionary work, this is actually tremendously important. Dropping unprepared people in faith is critical because it shows the Lord that we believe in His ability to lead us to people who are prepared. Alma used the faculties of mind he had been blessed with and started to move on.

However, the Lord had more information than Alma. He knew that there were a couple people in the city who needed the missionaries, and He also knew that the people were preparing to destroy the liberty of the Nephites. Was the Lord angry that Alma had moved on without asking? No! He sent an angel to course correct. The Lord wasn’t angry at all. Observe Alma’s heart. Alma had enough love in his heart for these people that he was sad for them and their inability to accept the gospel. Alma also quickly course corrected and trusted the Lord immediately upon receiving an answer. Why would the Lord be angry?

But are we sometimes worried that the Lord will be angry with us if we choose wrong? Do we sometimes inadvertently believe that the Lord will abandon us to decisions made upon limited information? Do we subconsciously think that if we make the “wrong” decision that the Lord will wash His hands of us and we’re going to ruin our own lives? There are wrong decisions morally speaking, where you’re choosing to cause problems. And then there are wrong decisions where you didn’t choose the path the Lord had in mind, and He course-corrects. He doesn’t get mad over the second kind of “wrong.” He just fixes it. So if your heart is set on following Him, you’re going to be fine.

Perhaps we profess faith in the Lord, but do we feel enough faith that we make our own decisions with enthusiasm, believing that the Lord sees the whole picture and will course correct as necessary? Do we feel immense relief over the fact that we know He loves us and isn’t going to abandon us to our limited knowledge? Do we experience gratitude when we think about the fact that He’s given us the opportunity to create what we want our lives to look like while simultaneously promising to guide us along should it be needed? Do we have enough faith in Him to trust that He can give us answers in a way that we will understand?

When our desperate desire to avoid missteps overpowers our faith in Him, His purposes, and His abilities to guide us, we will find ourselves at a standstill. We dramatically limit ourselves from accomplishing so much good. We cripple our ability to grow to become like Him.

Look at this verse in Doctrine and Covenants.

Doctrine and Covenants 58:29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.

We’re damned if we don’t make decisions. We’re not damned because He’s cursing us. We are literally damned in our progression. We aren’t able to grow to become like Him because that’s exactly who He is. He does good of His own accord with His unlimited knowledge. When we stop ourselves from gaining this kind of growth and experience, we’re hurting our progression and damning ourselves.

A word of advice on revelation

If you really want to seize the opportunities you’ve been given here on earth, there are a couple of attitudes you can adopt to help you along. The test we’ve been given on earth is less of a multiple choice test and more of a final project where you are the product that’s turned in. So rather than focusing on trying to get an answer for every decision and following it perfectly, try focusing on cultivating certain attitudes that will allow the Lord to utilize you in tremendous ways.

Honestly, there is one overarching posture that you can cultivate that will enable you to receive everything you need to be successful. Seek a closeness with the Lord. Being close with the Lord will allow you to understand two things: His love and concern for you, and His wisdom.

Knowing that He loves you and wants the best for you will allow you to breathe freely. It will help you trust that He wants to watch you soar of your own free will and that your future happiness is very safe with Him. You have nothing to worry about. He will reach you as necessary so go create goodness as much as you can in the ways that you love.

Understanding His wisdom will cultivate a natural desire to turn Him and check in. Alma may not have been praying about whether he should leave Ammonihah, but he was turned to the Lord. This made it very easy for the Lord to speak to him, and it also made it very easy for Alma to course correct. When we know who God is, it becomes more difficult to ignore Him and very natural to seek Him out regularly as you would a loving, all-knowing Parent.

We have every reason to believe that the best is coming. Even when we know that we’ll be stepping into difficulty and peril throughout our lives, we can know that our ending is perfectly safe. There is no circumstance that can permanently destroy our happiness or take away our eternal reward. Your job is to love the Lord and trust Him, and that love will lead you towards Him and towards perfection.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Bridging the Two Great Commandments

Elder Gary E. Stevenson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Our ability to follow Jesus Christ depends upon our strength and power to live the first and second commandments with balance and equal devotion.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, Faith in Christ

Gospel Doctrine taught

Commandments, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Matt. 22:35; Mark 12:28; Luke 10:25, Matthew 22:36–40, John 14:15, Mosiah 2:41

Other Sources

Bible Dictionary, “Lawyer”

Explanatory footnotes:

Anciently, Jewish scholars had enumerated 613 commandments in the Torah and actively debated the relative importance of one versus the other. Perhaps the lawyer intended to use Jesus’s answer against Him. If He said one commandment was the most important, it might allow an opening to accuse Jesus of ignoring another aspect of the law. But the Savior’s response silenced those who had come to entrap Him with a foundational statement that today is the bedrock for all we do in the Church.

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- May this strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, of which I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” The lawyer, “tempting him” and seeking a legalistic answer, with seemingly deceitful intent, received a genuine, sacred, divine response. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment.” Hearkening to our bridge analogy, the first tower! “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
- “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
- Jesus’s parable of the good Samaritan

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Bridges take us places we otherwise would not be able to go.
Love of the Lord is not complete if we neglect our neighbors.
Love of the Lord is not complete if we neglect our neighbors. This outward love includes all of God’s children without regard to gender, social class, race, sexuality, income, age, or ethnicity. We seek out those who are hurt and broken, the marginalized, for “all are alike unto God.” We “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”
“I often wonder if the Lord picked on you exclusively or if you were just the one who listened.”
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially … when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.”
There is an important interdependency between loving the Lord and loving one another.
For any suspension bridge to do what it was built to do, its towers must function together in complete harmony. Likewise, our ability to follow Jesus Christ depends upon our strength and power to live the first and second commandments with balance and equal devotion to both.
How do we build our own bridge of faith and devotion—erecting tall bridge towers of both loving God and loving our neighbors? Well, we just start.

Lists

A suspension bridge is likened to:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (tower one)
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (tower two)
On these hang all the law and the prophets (the remaining elements of the bridge)

“Loving the Lord” condenses the essence of the law embodied in the sacred teachings of the Old Testament.:

love the Lord with all your heart—your very nature.
love the Lord with all your soul—your entire consecrated being
love the Lord with all your mind—your intelligence and intellect
Love for God is infinite and eternal

Ways that we can love Heavenly Father and Jesus:

Prayer
Scripture study
Temple worship
Paying tithes
Keep the Sabbath day holy
Live a virtuous life
Live a chaste life
Be obedient
Use social media to build up instead of tear down
Leave a party/movie/activity if standards are challenged
Show reverence for sacred things

Love your neighbor includes all of God’s children without regard to:

gender
social class
race
sexuality
income
age
ethnicity

Ways we fail to keep the first and second commandments faithfully:

Some are so focused on keeping the commandments that they show little tolerance of those they see as less righteous.
Some find it difficult to love those who are choosing to live their lives outside of the covenant or even away from any religious participation.
Some emphasize the importance of loving others without acknowledgment that we are all accountable to God.
Some refuse entirely the notion that there is such a thing as absolute truth or right and wrong and believe that the only thing required of us is complete tolerance and acceptance of the choices of others.
Either of these imbalances could cause your spiritual bridge to tip or even fall.

Invitations/Challenges

Today I invite you to look at this stately bridge—with its ascending twin towers built on a strong foundation—through a gospel lens.
Can you let go of grudges, forgive enemies, welcome and minister to your neighbors, and assist the elderly? You will each be inspired as you build your tower of love for neighbor.
Just start building your own bridge of loving God and loving your neighbor. It might consist of a few realistic goals to understand the Lord’s gospel more or to vow to judge others less. No one is too young or too old to begin.
In the days ahead, when you pass over a majestic suspension bridge or even when you see a picture, with its soaring towers, I invite you to remember the two great commandments, described by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

Blessings/Promises

King Benjamin promised remarkable power for those who follow the first great commandment. “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments. … They are blessed in all things, … and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven … in a state of never-ending happiness.”
May the Lord’s instructions inspire us. May our hearts and minds be lifted upward to love the Lord and turned outward to love our neighbor.
May this strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, of which I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Equations

Loving the Lord → eternal happiness
Giving help to others=our joy

Stories:

Elder Stevenson shared a story of his passion for suspension bridges. “Whether it’s the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo, the Tsing Ma Bridge in Hong Kong, the Tower Bridge in London, or others I have seen, I marvel at the engineering genius built within these complicated structures.” He also offered condolences to those affected by the recent Baltimore Bridge collapse.
Elder Stevenson shares the story of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in California, which is considered one of the engineering wonders of the world. “It is a classic suspension bridge with bookend towers, supported by massive piers. The colossal, majestic weight-bearing twin towers soaring above the ocean were the first elements to be constructed. Together they shoulder the load of the sweeping main suspension cables and the vertical suspender cables, which cradle the roadway below. The extraordinary stabilizing capacity—the power of the tower—is the magic behind the engineering of the bridge.”
The story of collecting fast offerings from Sister Muellar, a German immigrant widow who was in his ward. She was legally blind, and very poor, but paid a fast offering. He could tell that she loved the Lord.
Brother Evans was surprised when he was prompted to stop his car and knock on an unknown door of an unknown family. When a widowed mother of over 10 answered the door, their difficult circumstances and great needs became readily apparent to him. The first was simple, paint for their home, which was followed by many years of temporal and spiritual ministering to this family.

Application Ideas

In view of Elder Stevenson’s statement, “we seek out those who are hurt and broken and the marginalized.” This week, prayerfully watch for those who were hurt and broken and marginalized. Find a way to extend the love of God to them.
Think of the ‘thankful mother’ Elder Stevenson quotes. “I often wonder if the Lord picked on you exclusively or if you were just the one who listened.” Choose a day this week to “be the one who listened.”
This week in your personal and family prayers, ask for a greater love for God and for your ‘fellow man’. Write down and follow any promptings you have.
Ponder this quote from Elder Stevenson, “Can you let go of grudges, forgive enemies, welcome and minister to your neighbors, and assist the elderly? You will each be inspired as you build your tower of love for neighbor.” Examine your own life and situation. Is there a grudge you can let go of? Is there an enemy you can forgive?

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The Change of Heartby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters for this week, we find various sermons and experiences from Alma as he is traveling from city to city to try and build up the church. In one of the areas, Zarahemla, he found some issues within the church that were plaguing the Saints and taking them away from the Lord.

This is another one of those chapters growing up that troubled me and made me worry about my salvation. As I read verses about being stripped of pride and envy (particularly difficult as an insecure teenager), or when I read verses about walking blameless before God, I was convinced I didn’t stand a chance.

I never think it’s a bad idea to consider the state of your soul and talk to the Lord about it, but it has to be done right. There have been plenty of times that I’ve examined the apparently black state of my soul growing up and thinking that there was no way I’d ever be good enough to live with God again. This wasn’t uplifting or helpful. It didn’t make me a better person. It just made me focus more on myself. I was doing plenty of good things, but those good things weren’t changing me. Which is rather unfortunate and ironic when you think about the fact that change is literally the entire point of this earthly exercise.

A mighty change of heart absolutely includes a desire to do what’s right, to follow the Lord, and serve those around us. However, a mighty change of heart includes much more than that. There is a process to follow that I believe often gets pushed out of order to our own detriment.

Let’s observe exactly what Alma is teaching here, and I think we’ll find how to have our hearts changed in a way that is uplifting and joyful. Understanding exactly what Alma is teaching about being prepared to meet God can help us to accomplish more good works than we otherwise would be able to, and it can also help us go about this process in a way that fills our souls rather than leaving us empty.

How does the change of heart occur?

Alma is addressing the Saints in Zarahemla when he starts talking about remembering the captivity of their fathers. He talks about them being encircled by the bands of death and chains of hell. An everlasting destruction awaited them. Were they destroyed? No. Their restraints were loosed. Alma then asks:

Alma 5:10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea, what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the chains of hell?

That’s what we’re trying to find out here, right? We’ve all found ourselves encircled with bands that we can’t break ourselves. We’ve all sinned. So how did our fathers escape? Because if we can figure out how they escaped, we can know how to escape ourselves. Luckily, Alma describes it clearly.

And if I had been able to observe the answer as a teenager, it would have surprised me.

Alma 5:12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

What saved them? It wasn’t an incessant, bullheaded attempt to do everything right. It was faith! It’s so funny because I was absolutely surrounded by Texas Christians growing up who were of the opinion that “works” were completely unnecessary. You were only saved by believing in Christ. We believe in works, and there is a place for works, and we will talk about works. But maybe they were onto something. I feel like we have a culture in the church that talks about our belief in grace and faith as they are related to salvation, but we also inwardly scoff a little. We’re afraid to lean on grace and faith to the extent that we relinquish responsibility for our actions to our detriment. I feel like we profess the idea of grace and faith, and yet oftentimes, our beliefs about our own worthiness and the extent to which we beat ourselves up does not reflect this belief in the Savior’s ability to redeem.

And yet, here we have Alma, teaching that it was faith that freed them from their bonds.

So let’s cover grace and works again. Where does faith come in and what’s the point of works? How do the two relate together? I’ve only talked about it a million times, but that’s because the relationship between the two is complex. There are a lot of ways to teach it and better understand it. There are layers to it, so we’re going to add another layer here that can hopefully add to what we’ve already studied about grace and works.

Works-first method

Perhaps we don’t mean to, but I believe we often follow a “works first” method and we believe that the faith (and all the feelings associated with salvation) just kinda descends later. I tried that for a long time, and it never descended. I think sometimes we believe that if we’re following the commandments and standards, those good feelings of freedom and peace and salvation are simply going to show up. Not so.

Here is a disclaimer before I start elaborating. Someday perfection will come. Someday, you’ll never have to fall down again. That day is not today, not in this environment on earth. Heavenly Father set you up to fail, not because He doesn’t love you but because we had to fail. We needed to fail in order to become like Him. It had to happen. He wants us to be like Him, and He knew the only way to achieve that all-important goal was if we were placed in an environment with enough opposition to fall down repeatedly. He set us up to fail for a good reason, and He provided His Son to pay for those failures.

So stop trying to stop failing. Don’t make that your goal. When we follow a works-first based method, we place all of our hopes on the idea that we’re going to stop falling down. We believe that we have to stop falling down in order to go home. Perhaps we don’t phrase it like that out loud, but that’s what we internally believe. That’s why we beat ourselves up every time we mess up or when we can’t overcome our flaws as fast as we want. That’s why we get discouraged and wonder if we’re good enough. It’s because we subconsciously believe we have to stop falling, and as we covered before, there is purpose in our weaknesses and fallen environment.

In a works-first method, we’re placing our faith in ourselves, not in Christ. We claim to believe in Christ. We claim that He pays for our sins and will forgive as often as we repent. However, if we truly believed that, if we truly let His grace seep into our hearts, we would feel joyful about His ability to save us and bring us home. When I say we’re placing our faith in ourselves, I mean that we’re trying to use our own abilities to stop falling down. It won’t work. It will only leave you battered and discouraged until you eventually want to stop trying. Have you ever felt that way? “I can’t do everything. I’m so tired. I want to just give up.” It’s because subconsciously we believe that we have to do everything, and it’s simply not true.

Faith-first method

Like I mentioned previously, sometimes we internally scoff at people who tell us to stop striving, that belief is all you need. I’m not telling you to stop striving. I’m telling you to change your goal. I’m telling you to switch to a much more effective method of striving.

The works-based method and the faith-based method both have the same eventual goal: perfection. However, they approach it in dramatically different ways. Only one is effective: faith-based.

When you are following the faith-based method, you know that trusting Christ is the only way to salvation. You stop trying to stop falling down. Instead, you collect strength every time you fall down and get back up. You have faith in a Savior who paid the price so you could be sent here to fail and gain the experience you so desperately needed.

And as we choose to focus on collecting strength and developing a deep gratitude for the Savior’s ability to redeem, something absolutely incredible happens.

Our hearts change.

I have experienced it, and it feels so good. The gospel feels good. Salvation feels good.

I do fail. I’m not a perfect mother or wife. I get angry when I feel wronged. I murmur. I can be vain. I can be selfish, and I can hold a grudge. But because I believe in my Savior, I turn to Him. I believe that He adores me, that He thinks I’m wonderful, that He believes in me, so I turn to Him. And as I repeatedly turn to Him with trust, I feel those wonderful feelings of salvation, and I change. It’s difficult to be angry and vain and selfish when faced with the reality of the love of your Savior. My heart changes. I want to do good, and it becomes easier to do good and become good.

Faith comes in two forms, or at least that’s how I’m going to describe it so I can make sure I’m really hitting this point home. There is faith in the form of obedience, and there is faith in the form of trusting your relationship with the Savior. Both types of faith are action words. I had to choose to trust my Savior as much as I’ve ever had to choose to be obedient. Trying to choose faith in the form of obedience without faith in the form of trust is the worst. Don’t do it. It’s a miserable way to live the gospel, and it’s completely ineffective.

I think sometimes we’re afraid to let go of our own constant nagging towards ourselves because we’re afraid we’ll let go, become comfortable in our sin, and then we’ll actually find ourselves in a ton of trouble. I know I was afraid of that.

But it’s not what happens. When we let go of the nagging and embrace the Savior and His ability to save, you find a much deeper motivation to do good and be good. You want to be stripped of envy and pride? Experience the love of your Savior, and you won’t feel a need to compare yourself to anyone. It melts away.

Embrace the Savior. Embrace faith and trust in Him. It’s the only happy and effective way to live the gospel.

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

A Higher Joy

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

May we all seek and find the higher joy that comes from devoting our lives to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.
Profound joy and confidence comes from following the Savior and walking in His way.
You were made for this – you were made to experience joy.
To find greater joy in your life, draw near to Christ, look for joy and bear one another’s burdens.

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, Agency, Faith in Christ, Charity

Gospel Doctrine taught

Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation

Scriptures

2 Nephi 2:11, John 11:35, Moses 7:28–37, John 14:27, John 10:10, Luke 2:10, Matthew 11:28–30, 2 Nephi 2:25, Luke 15:11–32, Luke 15:11–32, 59:18,20; 88:63, James 4:8, Mark 5:24–34, Mark 5:28, Matthew 7:7, Galatians 6:2; Mosiah 18:8, Acts 20:35, 1 Kings 17:8–16, Mosiah 2:17, Romans 2:6–7, 10; Luke 6:38, Matthew 25:31–46, Luke 3:10, Philippians 4:7

Other Sources

John Gillespie Magee Jr., “High Flight,” poetryfoundation.org.
Christopher Klein, “10 Things You May Not Know about the Wright Brothers”
Americans are the unhappiest they’ve been in 50 years
“The Great Gloom: In 2023, Employees Are Unhappier Than Ever. Why?”
“Clean and unclean.”

Footnote Commentary

Twenty-four hundred years ago, Aristotle observed that happiness is the one thing all humans desire most. In his treatise Nicomachean Ethics, he taught that the greatest good in life is the thing we pursue as an end itself (as opposed to those things we pursue that are a means to some other end). Happiness, above all else, is just such a thing. “We always desire happiness for its own sake,” he said, “and never as a means to something else” (The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, trans. J. E. C. Weldon [1902], 13–14).
If you have any concerns about whether or not your Father in Heaven will accept you and allow you to receive His joy, I invite you to prayerfully read Christ’s parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11–32). In that parable, we learn how our Heavenly Father feels about His children and how He awaits and celebrates our return after we have strayed from Him! From the moment we “come to ourselves” (see verse 17) and begin the journey home, He will see us, for He stands watching and waiting. And what is He waiting for? For us! As we draw near to Him, He will celebrate our return and call us His child.
By bearing each other’s burdens, we “fulfil the law of Christ”
In his Epistle to the Romans, Paul states that God “will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: … glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I have learned that if we draw near to God and reach out to touch Him, we can indeed find healing, peace, and joy.
Words of Christ.
- “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
- “Seek, and ye shall find.”
- “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

“Higher, Orville, higher!”
My purpose today is not to diminish or trivialize mental health issues. If you face such challenges, I mourn with you, and I stand beside you. For some people, finding joy may include seeking help from trained mental health professionals who devote their lives to practicing their very important art. We should be thankful for such help.
Life is not an endless sequence of emotional highs.
Feeling sad is not a sign of failure.
The peace He gives us is not like what the world gives. It’s better. It’s higher and holier.
Joy is the very purpose of God’s plan for His children. It’s what you were created for—“that [you] might have joy”! You were built for this!
Our Father in Heaven has not hidden the path to happiness. It is not a secret. It is available to all!
Our beloved Father in Heaven wants all His children to have as much happiness as possible, so He has filled this world with beautiful, wholesome pleasures and delights…By inviting everyone and sharing the Savior’s good news of great joy, we do not discount any of these sources of joy. We’re simply saying that God has something more to give.
Worldly happiness, by contrast, does not last. It cannot. It is the nature of all earthly things to grow old, decay, wear out, or become stale. But godly joy is eternal, because God is eternal. Jesus Christ came to lift us out of the temporal and replace corruption with incorruption. Only He has that power, and only His joy is perpetual.
Finally, she was within reach. She extended her hand. And she was healed. Aren’t we all somewhat like this woman?
We rarely find something we are not looking for.
Are you looking for joy?
True joy multiplies when it is shared.

Lists

The gospel of Jesus Christ is:

the “good news of great joy”
a message of matchless hope
a message of yoke-bearing
A message of burden-lifting
A message of light-gathering
A message of heavenly favor
A message of higher understanding
A message of holier covenants
A message of eternal security
A message of everlasting glory

Joy is promised to those who:

walk the path of discipleship
follow the teachings of the Savior
follow the example of the Savior
keep the commandments
honor covenants they make with God

Godly joy:

Higher
More profound
Transcendent
endures heartbreak
penetrates sorrow
diminishes loneliness.

Worldly happiness:

Does not last
Is an earthly thing and therefore subject to corruption
Grows old
Wears out
Becomes stale

Beginning steps to get more godly joy in your life:

Draw near to God
Look for it
Bear one another’s burdens

Reasons we hesitate to draw near the Savior:

We may face ridicule or condemnation by others.
Pride.
We may dismiss the possibility of something so simple being of so much value.
We may think that our condition somehow disqualifies us from His healing
We may think that the distance is too great
We may think that our sins are too many.

Bring joy to others by:

Doing simple things for them.
Praying for someone with all your heart.
Giving a sincere compliment.
Help someone feel welcome.
Help someone feel respected
Help someone feel valued
Help someone feel loved
Share a favorite scripture and what it means to you.
Just listen.

Invitations/Challenges

If you feel there could be more of this kind of joy in your life, I invite you to embark on the journey of following Jesus Christ and His Way. It is a journey of a lifetime—and beyond.
During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to spend time in a sincere, full-hearted effort to draw near to God.
During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy.
During the coming days, weeks, and months, may I invite you to bring joy to others around you.

Equations

The peace Christ gives us ≩ what the world gives
IF you seek THEN you will find
IF you don’t seek THEN you don’t find

Warnings

If we seek reasons to be angry, to doubt, to be bitter or alone, we will find them too.

Blessings/Promises

if we seek joy—if we look for reasons to rejoice and to happily follow the Savior, we will find [joy].
Are you looking for joy? Seek, and ye shall find.
“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God,” and God will repay your kindness generously.
The joy you give to others will return to you in “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.”
My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, as you search the word of God for a deeper understanding of God’s eternal plan, accept these invitations, and strive to walk in His Way, you will experience “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” even in the midst of sorrows. You will feel a greater measure of God’s unsurpassable love swelling within your heart. The dawn of celestial light will penetrate the shadows of your trials, and you will begin to taste the unspeakable glories and wonders of the unseen, perfect, heavenly sphere. You will feel your spirit lifting away from the gravity of this world.
May we all seek and find the higher joy that comes from devoting our lives to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. This is my earnest prayer and blessing in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Stories:

The story of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Their father had been afraid of losing both his sons in a plane crash, so they had never flown together. Their father, Milton Wright, finally gave them permission to fly together 7 years after the first successful flight at Kitty Hawk.Then Orville convinced Milton to go on a flight with him. He was exhilarated and shouted, “higher, Orville, higher!”
The story of the woman with the issue of blood, touching the hem of Jesus’ clothes to be healed. She had reasons to hold back and not go near him.

Application Ideas

Think about the phrase, “Reach out to Christ.” The woman with the issue of blood was able to literally reach out to Christ for healing. In your prayers this week, ask Heavenly Father how you can reach out to Christ for healing and peace. Write down any promptings or impressions you have and make a plan to act on them.
Choose seven of the “Bring joy to others” list, and do one each day for the next week. Write your experiences in your journal.
Take Elder Uchtdorf’s counsel to “seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy.” Consider studying the scriptures referenced here, here and here for guidance.

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Mosiah and Amliciby Autumn Dickson

Within the chapters this week, we see two contrasted examples of men who are types of the Savior and Satan. It’s remarkable that these two examples were so closely put together within these chapters, and it’s very easy to observe the Plan of Salvation on a minute scale because of it.

King Mosiah

First, we have King Mosiah. He is obviously the representation of the Savior. He had all of this power bestowed on him, true power that was valid and recognized among the people. Here are two verses that very clearly put forth the Savior’s stance during the war in heaven as we were trying to decide how to proceed with the rest of our very long lives.

Mosiah was king over the Nephites and decided to form a new government. The people would elect judges and acknowledge laws and all live according to those laws. This is what King Mosiah had to say about it.

Mosiah 29:31-32

31 For behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings.

32 And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land.

The second verse is very easy to find the parallel. Our Savior wanted us to have our freedom to choose. He wanted us to have the right to design our own eternal lives, to build what we wanted our eternal futures to look like. He was wise enough to understand that this was the only way we could truly be happy, to have the freedom to choose happiness. You can’t force someone into happiness even if you can force them to make choices that were meant to bring happiness.

The first verse that I included was also important because it describes the other side of the coin of freedom. King Mosiah teaches his people that sin can be caused by kings which equates to that sin falling upon the heads of the kings rather than on the heads of the people. Responsibility is as crucial to our happiness as freedom. We need the opportunity to take control of our own futures because it is only in the building of those futures that we find true happiness.

Let me give an example. I dated Conner for a year and a half before we got married, and I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed for an answer about whether to marry him. I know that some people do receive answers when they pray about that kind of thing which is awesome, but I had a slightly different experience. Heavenly Father never truly answered me, and as I’ve made my way through marriage, I learned why.

I chose Conner on my own. I had known him for a very long time. We had seen the worst of each other if I’m being perfectly honest, but we had also seen plenty of good. After we got married, I don’t feel like I was completely caught off guard by choices he made because I knew what I had married.

There was beauty in this. I had desperately craved that validation from Heavenly Father, and I think Heavenly Father is wise in whether He chooses to bestow that validation or not because we’re all learning different lessons at different times in our lives. But for me, at this time in my life, He knew that I needed to make my own choice.

I needed to make my own choice so that when hard things came up in my marriage (which they inevitably always do), I couldn’t shake my fists at the heavens and ask why Heavenly Father had put me here. I had to look at myself, take responsibility for the choice I had made, and decide what I was going to do with those hard things. That doesn’t mean I leave Heavenly Father out of the equation, to the contrary. I ask Heavenly Father for help all the time. The difference is that I decide to make my marriage what I want my marriage to be. When something difficult comes along, I don’t throw up my hands and say, “Well this is where Heavenly Father put me so I guess I just have to deal.” I decide how I’m going to change, how I’m going to approach Conner, and a million other little choices. I’m very blessed to have a husband who makes these same choices.

The Lord let me own my marriage, and because He let me own it, I’ve been able to create something beautiful with my own choices and His help. It’s been an exhilarating and fulfilling process that has brought me far more happiness than I thought possible. It has brought me far more happiness in comparison to hoping that happiness would just fall on me; happiness simply doesn’t happen that way. We need freedom and responsibility to own our lives and build what we want.

Sometimes Heavnely Father gives us an answer, and that’s comforting and wonderful and definitely has its purposes in our life that can teach us important lessons. Sometimes He’s silent, not because He doesn’t care or doesn’t love us, but because He’s trying to push us into our big kid shoes. He’s trying to make us like Him, where we get to create what we want. We get to make choices, tell Him what we want, and then He helps us build that kind of future. He does this because He knows it’s an incredible process. King Mosiah also wanted this for his people.

Amlici

On the other end of the spectrum, we find Amlici. Amlici wanted to get rid of this new system of government five years after Mosiah put it into place; he wanted there to be kings again and he wanted to be king. So everyone got together and put in their votes, and the voice of the people came back. Amlici was not to be king. Not enough people wanted it. When Amlici was not chosen as king, this happens:

Alma 2:9-10

9 And it came to pass that they gathered themselves together, and did consecrate Amlici to be their king.

10 Now when Amlici was made king over them he commanded them that they should take up arms against their brethren; and this he did that he might subject them to him.

Can we not see the parallels between Amlici and Satan?

When Satan lost the war in heaven, he threw a hissy fit and dubbed himself powerful over the world. He enlisted those who had followed him to try and bring as many people under his control as possible.

And that is where we observe the true Satan. That is where we get a glimpse of Satan as he truly is, not as he is promoting himself to the people. Amlici wasn’t going around telling people that he wanted to be powerful and rule over everyone. He was arguing the merits of having a king to protect them. He was whispering and promising power to those who would be loyal to him. Amlici’s arguments were attractive.

But the second he didn’t get what he wanted, he tried to force them.

This is Satan. Satan had an “attractive” plan. Everyone would come home after going down to earth because Satan was going to make sure of it. Anyone who has had a loved one leave the gospel and felt fear or whether that loved one would be coming home can feel the attraction of Satan’s plan. You don’t have to look around you and wonder who is going to be missing. You don’t have to look internally and wonder whether you’re going to be missing. Satan told you he loved you, that he wanted to bring you home, that he would never risk your soul by sending you down to make mistakes. You have a “king” who will protect you and bring you home no matter the cost.

And that was precisely the problem. No matter the cost. What was the cost of Satan’s plan? Everything.

The point of the Plan of Salvation was to come down here, make mistakes and struggle and grow, and go home prepared to live like our Heavenly Father. It is only in this manner that we can find eternal happiness.

Satan’s “Plan of Salvation” would have brought all of us home. But the cost was the entire purpose of the plan. We would have returned unchanged. We would not have been prepared to live like God which means we would have been damned in our capacity to experience happiness forever. We would have been stuck right where we were, forced to do what’s right forever but never tasting the goodness of those right choices because they weren’t really our choices.

Amilici didn’t want to protect the people as king. He wanted to own the people as king. He was willing to risk the lives of his followers and those who voted against him because no one mattered to Amlici except Amlici. He didn’t care about those who died in battle. He cared about whether he won.

Satan didn’t love us enough to want to bring us all home. He loved himself enough to be willing to sacrifice the happiness of all of his brothers and sisters because he believed that power over us would make him happy. The ultimate narcissist. When he lost, he just went on a rampage working to destroy any shred of happiness on the earth. If he had truly loved us, he would have still worked for our happiness under any conditions he was given. But he doesn’t love us. He loves himself, and he’s willing to sacrifice us.

These are powerful stories and characters that can teach us so much about Heavenly Father’s choices for our lives here on earth. We hear people cry about the trauma and devastation on earth, and those are valid cries. But the opposite, a removal of agency, was a fate worse than death literally. It was an eternity stuck in the same state. It was an eternity of boredom and unhappiness and damnation in our progression.

Agency was necessary and beautiful. There were some immensely tragic consequences to agency, but we can look to two facts for comfort. One. The alternative was worse. Two. We have a Savior who suffered and promised to take care of everything. No hurt will stay hurt with the Savior. No wound is too deep. No consequence of agency is too far for the Savior to reach.

Our Heavenly Parents and Savior love us. They chose this plan for us, and then They took care of absolutely everything. They know how to be happy, and they have provided us with the perfect plan to find that happiness and to build it in our lives forever. And then the Savior paid for it. We are so loved; we have every reason to trust Them.

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by Kamryn Maughan

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

Going to the Savior, Peter asked, “How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Jesus responded, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21–22). Just as we are commanded to forgive others, our merciful Heavenly Father promises to forgive us. Although we may understand this promise, it can be difficult to know if we’ve been forgiven. Three actions can help us feel God’s forgiveness: repenting, recognizing the Spirit, and reflecting on Jesus Christ.

CONTINUED HERE

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Morning Session

Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ

Elder Ulisses Soares
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

When we enter the Lord’s house, we embark on a sacred journey of learning to become higher and holier disciples of Christ.
Confidence before God comes from covenant living
The construction of new temples throughout the world serves as a symbol of the expansion of the Lord’s kingdom
‘Holiness to the Lord’ is an invitation to become higher and holier disciples of Christ
We are seeking through covenant to becomes confident in the Lord
The enemy tries to drive doubt and despair, fear and frustration, heartache and hopelessness deep into our hearts, especially when life is hard, trials are long, or circumstances are difficult.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Chrsit, Agency, The Atonement, The Lord’s Covenant People, Faith in Christ, Temple Work

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ordinances and Covenants, God the Father, Jehova/Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation, The Covenant Path

ScripturesExodus 28:36; 39:30; Psalm 93:5, Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; 132:19–20, 24; Hebrews 10:35, 1 Nephi 3:15, 1 Nephi 4:6–38, 1 Nephi 14:14, Doctrine and Covenants 45:32, Doctrine and Covenants 121:45,

Other Sources

See Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, “bound.”

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Closing Remarks,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- The Savior desires that we become prepared to understand, with great clarity, exactly how to act as we make covenants with our Heavenly Father in His name. He wants us to be prepared to experience our privileges, promises, and responsibilities; to be prepared to have the spiritual insights and awakenings that we need in this life.
- God lives, Jesus is our Savior, and this is His restored Church on earth. I reverently declare these truths in the sacred name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- we simply cannot and must not have unkind feelings toward anyone.
Description of His Atonement.
- God and Jesus Christ…promise that we can inherit the gift of eternal life.
- Covenants made through the power of Jesus Christ make covenant confidence possible
- “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

[Covenant confidence] confidence is the quiet yet certain assurance of receiving the blessings that God promises for those who keep their covenants and is so needed amid the challenging circumstances of our day.
I wondered if sometimes we get lost in the excitement of having new temples in our cities and communities and neglect the holier purpose of the sacred covenants made in the temple.
As we make covenants in holiness before God and commit to follow the Savior, we receive the power to change our hearts, renew our spirits, and deepen our relationship with Him. Such an endeavor brings sanctification to our souls and forms a sacred bond with God and Jesus Christ, who promise that we can inherit the gift of eternal life. The result of this sacred journey is that we obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day-to-day lives within our covenants made through Jesus Christ.
Those who gain genuine confidence in the covenants made in the house of the Lord through Jesus Christ possess one of the most powerful forces that we can access in this life.
I have seen firsthand the Lord’s loving promises and power flowing into the lives of God’s children, strengthening them to face life’s circumstances.
My dear friends, if there is one thing we could possess—and one thing we could pass on to our children and grandchildren that would help each in the tests and trials ahead—it would be confidence in the covenants made through Jesus Christ.
Preparation isn’t just for those going to the temple for the first time. We all should be perpetually preparing to go to the house of the Lord.
“Home centered, Church supported, and temple bound.”
Bound is an interesting word in that it means focused on a direction, but it also means fastened to or secured by, resolved and determined, sure. So being temple bound secures us to the Savior, giving us proper direction and stability while ensuring we have covenant confidence through Jesus Christ.

Lists

As we make covenants in holiness & commit to follow the Savior:

We receive the power to change our hearts
We receive the power to renew our spirits
We deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ

This endeavor (the above list):

Brings sanctification to our soul
Forms a sacred bond with God
Forms a sacred bond with Jesus Christ
Opens the way for us to inherit the gift of eternal life
Enables us to obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day to day lives

Holy and higher confidence for our lives (which we obtain within our covenants which were made through Jesus Christ):

This confidence is the pinnacle of our divine connection with God
Can help us increase our devotion to Christ
Can help us increase our gratitude to Jesus Christ for his atoning sacrifice
Fortifies our ability to love others
Fortifies our ability to serve others
Strengthens our souls to live in an unholy world
Empowers us to overcome doubt
Empowers us to overcome despair
Empowers us to overcome fear
Empowers us to overcome frustration
Empowers us to overcome heartache
Empowers us to overcome hopelessness

We gain confidence through Jesus Christ:

through humility
By centering our lives on the Savior
By living by the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ
By receiving the ordinances of salvation and exaltation
By honoring the covenants we make with God in His holy house.

Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires:

spiritual preparation
A total conversion of mind
A total conversion of heart
Conversion to make us more like the Lord
us to be an honest citizen
us to be a better example
Us to be a holier person

Equations

Confidence in the covenants made through Jesus Christ=standing in holy places
IF we change our preparation to enter the temple THEN we will change our experience in the temple;
- IF we change our experience in the temple THEN our lives outside the temple will be transformed;
- IF our lives are transformed THEN “… shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.”
IF we want the Spirit of the Lord to be unrestrained in our lives THEN we simply cannot and must not have unkind feelings toward anyone.

Invitations/Challenges

My dear friends, if there is one thing we could possess—and one thing we could pass on to our children and grandchildren that would help each in the tests and trials ahead—it would be confidence in the covenants made through Jesus Christ.
Preparation isn’t just for those going to the temple for the first time. We all should be perpetually preparing to go to the house of the Lord.
All of us should intentionally enhance such binding by having our next appointment scheduled with the Lord in His holy house, whether the temple is near or far away.

Warnings

The enemy tries to drive doubt and despair, fear and frustration, heartache and hopelessness deep into our hearts, especially when life is hard, trials are long, or circumstances are difficult.
We also know from the temple that if we want the Spirit of the Lord to be unrestrained in our lives, we simply cannot and must not have unkind feelings toward anyone. Giving place in our hearts or minds for unkind feelings or thoughts will produce unkind words and actions, whether on social media or in our homes, causing the Spirit of the Lord to withdraw from our hearts.

Blessings/Promises

I pray that we may be spiritually renewed by the inspired messages from our leaders this weekend and rejoice in what I love to call “covenant confidence through Jesus Christ.”
I know that when the Lord sees even a spark of desire or a flicker of righteous effort in our willingness to center our lives on Him and on the ordinances and covenants we make in His house, He will bless us, in His perfect way, with the miracles and tender mercies we need.
When we walk out of the temple, transformed by our hope in the promises of the covenants, armed with power from on high, we take the temple with us into our homes and lives. I assure you that having the spirit of the Lord’s house in us changes us, completely.
As we change our preparation to enter the temple, we will change our experience in the temple, which will transform our lives outside of the temple. May this transformation fill us with confidence in our holy covenants made with God through Jesus Christ.

Stories:

Nephi beautifully exemplified the power of this type of covenant confidence through his faithfulness when he faced setbacks and challenges, like getting the plates as commanded by the Lord. Nephi, despite being exceedingly sorrowful for the fear and lack of faith of Laman and Lemuel, remained confident that the Lord would deliver the plates to them. He said unto his brothers, “As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.” Because of Nephi’s confidence in the Lord’s promises, he was able to accomplish what he had been commanded to do.
The story of his wife’s trip to the temple, seeing so many people worshiping in the temple in spite of physical difficulties and personal life circumstances.
A bishop I know refers to the oldest class in Primary not as a “Primary” class but as a “temple preparation” class.

Application Ideas

Make an appointment to attend the temple.
As you reflect on your life, are you able to find specific situations, fears or concerns that consistently seem to affect you and your confidence before the Lord? Prayerfully consider how to resolve these things so that Satan cannot use them against you.
Ponder how you might prepare before each time you go to the temple.

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Evening Session

Faithful to the End

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus
Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency

Main Points

Sister Spannaus addressed her remarks to the youth of the Church.
By His hand, you will be able to bring down every Goliath that appears in your life.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism, Sacrament, Obedience.

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ordinances and Covenants, Commandments, God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation, Agency, Other, The Covenant Path.

Scriptures

1 Samuel 17, 1 Samuel 17:40, 45–49, Matthew 22:36–38, Alma 7:11–14 , 1 Nephi 7:12, 3 Nephi 14:24–27, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, Doctrine and Covenants 6:33–34, Alma 5:46, 1 Nephi 8:19, 30; 15:24–25; Helaman 3:29–30, 3 Nephi 22:13.

Other Sources

For the Strength of Youth, 32, “Young Women Theme” and “Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme,”

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity”
Russell M. Nelson, “The Power of Spiritual Momentum,”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “For the Strength of Youth: The Savior’s Message to You,”
Dallin H. Oaks, “Testimony,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- David chose to put his trust in Jesus Christ.
- Having faith in Jesus Christ means to fully trust His wisdom, His timing, His love, and His power to atone for our sins.
- There is joy in being faithful to the God of the universe, the Savior of the world, the King of kings. There is joy in being a disciple of Jesus Christ. God is our Father. He knows your heart’s desires and your possibilities, and He trusts you. Dear youth, Jesus Christ will help you to be faithful to the end. Of these truths I bear my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- Christ taught the difference between a house built on rock and one on sand.
Description of His Atonement.
- When Jesus Christ came to earth, He suffered for our sins, and He took upon Himself our sorrows, our pains, our weaknesses, and our physical and mental illnesses. That’s why He knows how to help us.
- “Repentance isn’t punishment for sin; it is the way the Savior frees us from sin. To repent means to change―to turn away from sin and toward God. It means to improve and receive forgiveness. This kind of change is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- Previously, David had fought a lion and also a bear. From his own experience, he knew that God had protected him and made him victorious.
- “God loves you. He is your Father. His perfect love can inspire you to love Him. When your love for Heavenly Father is the most important influence in your life, many decisions become easier.”
- Our personal connection to Jesus Christ will give us the courage and confidence to move forward amid people who do not respect our beliefs or who bully us.
Words of Christ.
- “Look unto me in every thought.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

I have a message for you, the youth of the Church of Jesus Christ.
While David used only one stone to kill Goliath, he was prepared with five. With five! This makes me think about how I can prepare myself to face the world.
To David, the cause of God was the most important cause. So, full of faith in a God who would not abandon him, he gathered five smooth stones, took up his sling, and went to face the giant.
Loving God is the first great commandment.
Our love for God and our close relationship with Him give us the strength we need to transform our hearts and more easily overcome our challenges.
When Jesus Christ came to earth, He suffered for our sins, and He took upon Himself our sorrows, our pains, our weaknesses, and our physical and mental illnesses. That’s why He knows how to help us.
Having faith in Jesus Christ means to fully trust His wisdom, His timing, His love, and His power to atone for our sins.
We can overcome this fallen world because He overcame it first.
Everything changes when I know who I really am.
Nothing is more liberating than feeling God’s forgiveness and knowing that we are clean and reconciled with Him. Forgiveness is possible for everyone.
The covenants we make with God, such as those we make in the ordinance of baptism, give us access to the power of godliness.
How can we draw upon this power of Jesus Christ? Obeying our covenants and increasing our faith in Jesus Christ are key.
Our testimony is built by personal spiritual experiences in which we recognize the divine influence in our lives. No one can take that knowledge from us. Knowing what we know from having lived our spiritual experiences is priceless. Being true to that knowledge gives us freedom. It gives us joy!
If we love the truth, we will seek it, and once we find it, we will defend it.
There is joy in doing good. There is joy in being faithful to the God of the universe, the Savior of the world, the King of kings. There is joy in being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
God is our Father. He knows your heart’s desires and your possibilities, and He trusts you.

Lists

In the past year since this new Young Women Presidency was called, they have met with youth throughout the world and have:

studied the teachings of Christ together.
sung songs.
made new friends.
served with you in our communities.
been strengthened by listening to your testimonies at youth conferences and world events
worshiped together in the house of the Lord.
Shared a message from our Lord Jesus Christ.

David’s stones represent different strengths we need to be triumphant in our own lives:

My love for God
- Loving God is the first great commandment
- Our love for God helps us build a close relationship with Him.
- Our love for God gives us strength to transform our hearts
- Our love for God gives us strength to more easily overcome our challenges
My faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ means:
- to fully trust His wisdom
- To fully trust His timing
- To fully trust His love
- To fully trust His power to atone for our sins.
My knowledge of my true identity
- My most important identities are as a child of God, a child of the covenant, and a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- Everything changes when I know who I really am.
My daily repentance
- Nothing is more liberating than feeling God’s forgiveness.
- Nothing is more liberating than knowing that we are clean.
- Nothing is more liberating than knowing we are reconciled with Him.
- Forgiveness is possible for everyone.
My access to God’s power
- The covenants we make with God give us access to the power of godliness.
- God’s power is a real power that helps us face challenges,
- God’s power is a real power that helps us make good decisions,
- God’s power is a real power that helps us increase our capacity to endure difficult situations.
- God’s power is a real power that helps us grow in the specific abilities that we need.
- Covenants connect us to Heavenly Father and the Savior.
- Covenants increase God’s power in our lives.
- “A house doesn’t survive in a storm because the house is strong. It also doesn’t survive just because the rock is strong. The house survives the storm because it is firmly attached to that strong rock. It’s the strength of the connection to the rock that matters.” (Uchtdorf)
My testimony
- is built by personal spiritual experiences in which we recognize the divine influence in our lives.
- No one can take that knowledge from us.
- Knowing what we know from having lived our spiritual experiences is priceless.
- Being true to that knowledge gives us freedom.
- Being true to that knowledge gives us joy!

Christ took upon Himself:

our sorrows
our pains
our weaknesses
our physical illnesses
our mental illnesses.

My most important identities are:

I am a child of God.
I am a child of the covenant.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Thinking about the Savior gives us clarity of mind:

to make decisions
to act without fear
to say no to what is contrary to God’s teachings

There is joy in:

Praying every day
Reading in the Book of Mormon every day
Partaking in the Sacrament every Sunday
Going to seminary
Doing good
There is joy in doing good.
being faithful to the God of the universe, the Savior of the world, the King of kings.
being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Invitations/Challenges

Christ invites us to keep Him in our thoughts constantly; He tells us, “Look unto me in every thought.”
I invite you to meet with your class, quorum, or family and think about what other strengths you need to acquire to remain faithful to God and, therefore, overcome the world.

Equations

Our love for God + our close relationship with Him = the strength we need

Blessings/Promises

The stone of faith in Jesus Christ will defeat any “giant” in our lives.
“Covenants connect you to Heavenly Father and the Savior. They increase God’s power in your life.”
Thinking about the Savior gives us clarity of mind to make decisions, to act without fear, and to say no to what is contrary to God’s teachings.
Dear friends, Christ is eager to accompany us on the journey of our lives. I promise you, as you hold on to the iron rod, you will walk hand in hand with Jesus Christ. He will be guiding you, and He will be teaching you. By His hand, you will be able to bring down every Goliath that appears in your life.

Stories:

The story of David and Goliath, from the Old Testament. During a battle between the Israelites and the Philistines, a giant Philistine named Goliath made a challenge of single combat every morning and evening. The soldiers would not accept that challenge, but David, a young shepherd, did. He had fought both a lion and a bear and knew by his own experience that the Lord could protect him and give him victory. He selected five stones for his sling and went to battle Goliath. The first stone he threw killed Goliath.
When I doubt my abilities, I often repeat to myself in my mind or out loud, “I am a daughter of God, I am a daughter of God,” as many times as I need until I again feel confident to keep going.
When my day is difficult and I feel like I can’t take any more, thinking about Christ brings me peace and gives me hope.

Application Ideas

Brainstorm a list of ideas of how you might think about the Savior more, especially when you are making decisions. Choose one of those ideas to implement each day this week.
Meet with your class, quorum, or family and discuss what strengths you need to acquire to remain faithful to God and, therefore, overcome the world. Based on your discussion, make a goal together.
Find 6 stones and write one of Sister Spannaus’ powerful words on each one: love, faith, identity, repentance, power (or ‘covenant’) and testimony. Put these stones somewhere that you will see them often throughout the day.
Take the list above “There is joy in” and try an experiment (like in Alma 32) upon Sister Spannaus’ words. Try to prayerfully incorporate this list into your daily life this week. Write about your experience in your journal.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

God’s Intent is to Bring You Home

Elder Patrick Kearon
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.
Our choices really matter, even though God’s plan is designed to bring us home
The purpose of the Father is our salvation; the purpose of the Son is to fulfill the will of the Father.
The Plan of Salvation is brought about by and through the Lord Jesus Christ
God is benevolent
With God’s grace we can do the things we need to do and change the things we need to change in order to come back home.
This is the good news! I am unspeakably grateful for these simple truths.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Repentance, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Prophets and Revelation, Commandments, God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Plan of Salvation, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

2 Nephi 26:25, 27; Moses 1:39; Moses 7:33; Jacob 6:8; Alma 12:30; Alma 42:15; Alma 42:8, 16; Moses 6:62 ;Doctrine and Covenants 45:4; Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70; Omni 1:26; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 5:43–44; Mosiah 5:2; Alma 42:13; Mosiah 3:19; John 8:11; John 6:38; 2 Nephi 26:24; Luke 15:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Doctrine and Covenants 18:11–12; 3 Nephi 9:14; 3 Nephi 17:7; see also verse 6; Matthew 7:13–14, 21–25; Matthew 27:50–51; Hebrews 9:6–12

Other Sources

God’s Plan and Your Role in His Work of Salvation and Exaltation

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,” Liahona, Nov. 2023
Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- He does not put up roadblocks and barriers; He removes them. He does not keep you out; He welcomes you in. His entire ministry was a living declaration of this intent.
- The Father’s design, His plan, His purpose, His intent, His wish, and His hope are all to heal you, all to give you peace, all to bring you, and those you love, home. Of this I am a witness in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son, amen.
Description of His Life.
- (God) sent His precious Beloved Son to this fallen world to live the full range of the human experience, to provide an example for the rest of His children to follow, and to atone and redeem.
Description of His Teachings.
- Surely one of Jesus’s most consistent invitations and pleas during His mortal ministry was that we change and repent and come unto Him. Fundamentally implicit in all of His teachings to live on a higher plane of moral conduct is a call to personal progression, to transformative faith in Christ, to a mighty change of heart.
Description of His Atonement.
- Christ’s great atoning gift removes every roadblock of physical and spiritual death that would separate us from our eternal home.
- They call it the plan of redemption, the plan of mercy, the great plan of happiness, and the plan of salvation, which is unto all, “through the blood of mine Only Begotten.”
- Christ’s infinite atonement covers all of us. “Infinite” means “infinite.” None are excluded.
- “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.”
- Then of course there is His atoning sacrifice itself, which is harder for us to understand, beyond our mortal capacity to comprehend. But, and this is an important “but,” we do understand, can comprehend, the holy, saving intent of His atoning sacrifice.
Description of His relationship with us.
- Jesus’s will is the benevolent Father’s will! He wants to make it possible for every last one of His Father’s children to receive the end goal of the plan—eternal life with Them. None is excluded from this divine potential.
- The Saviour, the Good Shepherd, goes in search of His lost sheep until He finds them.He is “not willing that any should perish.”
Christ’s words.
- “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
- “Mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.”
- “Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

It is… indeed a great honour to serve the Saviour, in any capacity, and to be engaged with you in sharing the good news of His gospel of hope.
It has been said that behind every new Apostle stands an astonished mother-in-law.
My friends, my fellow disciples on the road of mortal life, our Father’s beautiful plan, even His “fabulous” plan, is designed to bring you home, not to keep you out. No one has built a roadblock and stationed someone there to turn you around and send you away. In fact, it is the exact opposite. God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to bring you back.
God is in relentless pursuit of you.
Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.
Christ’s great atoning gift removes every roadblock of physical and spiritual death that would separate us from our eternal home.
Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.
The intent of the Father’s great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities. It is not to prevent your happiness and cause you instead worry and fear.
The intent of the Father’s plan of redemption is in fact your redemption, your being rescued through the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, freed from the captivity of sin and death. It is not to leave you as you are.
The intent of the Father’s plan of mercy is to extend mercy as you turn back to Him and honour your covenant of fidelity to Him. It is not to deny mercy and inflict pain and sorrow.
The intent of the Father’s plan of salvation is in fact your salvation in the celestial kingdom of glory as you receive “the testimony of Jesus” and offer your whole soul to Him. It is not to keep you out.
God wants for us a radical reorientation of our selfish and prideful impulses, the eviction of the natural man, for us to “go, and sin no more.”
If you are prone to worry that you will never measure up, or that the loving reach of Christ’s infinite Atonement mercifully covers everyone else but not you, then you misunderstand. Infinite means infinite. Infinite covers you and those you love.
He did not cast away the woman with the issue of blood; He did not recoil from the leper; He did not reject the woman taken in adultery; He did not refuse the penitent—no matter their sin. And He will not refuse you or those you love when you bring to Him your broken hearts and contrite spirits. That is not His intent or His design, nor His plan, purpose, wish, or hope.
He does not put up roadblocks and barriers; He removes them. He does not keep you out; He welcomes you in. His entire ministry was a living declaration of this intent.
The veil of the temple was rent in twain when Jesus died upon the cross, symbolising that access back to the presence of the Father had been ripped wide open—to all who will turn to Him, trust Him, cast their burdens on Him, and take His yoke upon them in a covenant bond.
The Father’s plan is not about roadblocks. It never was; it never will be.
Are there things we need to do, commandments to keep, aspects of our natures to change? Yes. But with His grace, those are within our reach, not beyond our grasp.
The Father’s design, His plan, His purpose, His intent, His wish, and His hope are all to heal you, all to give you peace, all to bring you, and those you love, home.

Lists

Our Heavenly Father’s plan:

Is beautiful. (“pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.”)
Is fabulous. (“extraordinary, especially extraordinarily large.”)
Is designed to bring you home.
Is not designed to keep you out.
Does not have a roadblock.
Does not have someone stationed there to turn people away
Is designed to bring everyone home

God, our Heavenly Father,:

Is in relentless pursuit of you to bring you home to Him
Wants all of His children to return to Him
Employs every possible measure (“a plan or course of action taken to achieve a particular purpose”) to bring you back
oversaw the Creation of this earth
Created the earth so that we could experience mortality

The express purpose for which God created the Earth:

To provide an opportunity for us to experience mortality stretching and refining experiences of mortality,

The purpose of mortality is:

To stretch us
To refine us
To use our moral agency to choose Him
To learn
To grow
To make mistakes
To repent
To love God
To love our neighbor
To return to Him

God sent Christ to the earth:

To live the full range of human experience
To provide an example for us to follow
To atone
To redeem

The prophets call the Heavenly Father’s plan:

plan of redemption
the plan of mercy
the great plan of happiness
the plan of salvation

The intent of Heavenly Father’s plan:

Your happiness, now and in the eternities
Your redemption
your being rescued through the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ
To free you from the captivity of sin and death
Is to extend mercy as you turn back to Him and honour your covenant of fidelity to Him.
Your salvation in the celestial kingdom of glory

The intent of Heavenly Father’s plan is NOT:

to prevent your happiness
to cause you worry
To cause you fear
to leave you as you are
to deny mercy
To inflict pain
To inflict sorrow
To keep you out

Implicit in the Savior’s teachings is:

A call to live on a higher plane of moral conduct
a call to personal progression
A call to transformative faith in Christ
A call to a mighty change of heart.

Jesus opened the way for all to return to the Father to all who will:

turn to Him
trust Him
cast their burdens on Him
take His yoke upon them in a covenant bond

Warnings

Even though the way has been cleared for us through Christ, we still need to keep the commandments and stay true to our covenants.

Blessings/Promises

If you are prone to worry that you will never measure up, or that the loving reach of Christ’s infinite Atonement mercifully covers everyone else but not you, then you misunderstand. Infinite means infinite. Infinite covers you and those you love.
The Saviour, the Good Shepherd, goes in search of His lost sheep until He finds them.

Equations:

redemption=being rescued through the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ

Stories:

From a hotel window, Elder Kearon observed a policeman who was stationed to redirect traffic from a road that was closed. As more and more traffic came, the policeman seemed to enjoy turning the traffic away, and was unsympathetic to travelers who spoke to him.

Application Ideas

Ponder the quote “If you are prone to worry that you will never measure up, or that the loving reach of Christ’s infinite Atonement mercifully covers everyone else but not you, then you misunderstand. Infinite means infinite. Infinite covers you and those you love.” If this sounds like something you are inclined to do, post this quote where you can see it several times a day. Make a point to read the quote several times a day for the next week, and in your prayers ask for a greater witness of how the atonement applies to you personally.
Focus your scripture study this week on the Plan of Salvation. Make a list of all the words you can find that describe the Plan.

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He is Justiceby Autumn Dickson

This week, we find Abinadi standing before King Noah and his wicked priests. They love to lounge around, preaching at people, and spending their strength in highly questionable ways. Abinadi teaches them a plethora of doctrine, the ten commandments, the Law of Moses and its true purpose in the plan, and the coming of Jesus Christ since the House of Israel seems to forget about the Messiah and hyperfocus on a law that was always meant to point to a Messiah.

Abinadi teaches them that those who listen to the prophets and hope for Christ will be taken care of. Then Abinadi warns them.

Mosiah 15:26-27

26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection.

27 Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its claim.

Abinadi is warning these men that they’re going to miss out if they don’t repent. If you’re spending the time reading and listening to Come Follow Me posts, videos, and podcasts, I’m going to take a wild guess that you’re not out doing the things that these priests are doing, not the least of which is murder. I doubt Abinadi would be calling you to repentance in the same manner that he’s calling these priests to repentance.

But there are still principles here for us to learn. There is one phrase in particular that can help us better understand the perfect judgment of the Lord.

“…for he cannot deny himself…”

One of my favorite topics is the perfection judgment of the Lord because I spent so long calling His judgment perfect and attributing less than perfect judging skills to Him. Let’s talk about what I mean. We’re going to cycle around a bit, but we’re going to come back around to this specific phrase.

The definitions of perfection

One of the ways that we can understand Judgment Day and the atonement of Jesus Christ is to look at it through the lens of two different definitions of perfection. I say, “one of the ways,” because these concepts are complex ideas, and I have not yet found a way to completely encompass all of the perfect principles that make up these ideas. I have talked about many of them, but here is yet another way to understand them.

When we’re talking about perfection in reference to Judgment Day and the atonement of Jesus Christ, you could almost say that there are two different definitions of perfection, and they come into play at different points.

The first definition of perfection is the more traditional way we frame perfection. It is to be without sin or flaw. Without the atonement of Jesus Christ, we could not make it back to heaven. We all sin and come short of the glory of God. We messed up, and we don’t deserve it. We have corrupted ourselves, and no corruptible thing can coexist with God or it burns up in His glory. This is our first idea of perfection.

Interestingly enough, is this actually fair? Is this truly perfect judgment? Think of all of the remarkable people who overcame great odds and trials and became compassionate, selfless human beings. Do they truly deserve to find unhappiness for an eternity? Is that really perfect judgment? In my unqualified opinion, I think not. We weren’t capable of being perfect. We needed the opposition to grow into perfection so why punish us for something we were incapable of?

And yet, this is what had to be. Corruption simply cannot exist in the presence of God. It’s obliterated. We needed to come to earth to grow into perfection and happiness; this absolutely, unequivocally meant that we would corrupt ourselves to a degree. These were the very real facts of our circumstances. A catch-22. Stay in the presence of God and experience damnation in the sense that we were stopped from progressing for forever or leave God’s presence, grow, but be tainted and away from His loving presence forever.

But here is where our second definition of perfection comes in. Christ was perfect in the sense of our first definition. He was without sin. We don’t understand how, but He paid for those sins. And because He paid for them, we can be cleansed. Voila. Catch-22 solved. We can go to earth, become corrupted to a degree (because it was inevitable), but we can also gain the experience we need to move past our damnation, our stop in our progression. That corruption gets cleansed, and we can coexist with Heavenly Father without getting burned up in the all-consuming fire that is the glory of His presence.

The second definition of perfection includes aspects of justice and mercy. People who are really trying and growing and believing and learning still get to come home even though they’re made mistakes. What is a more “perfect” definition of perfection? The first or second? Which is a more perfect judgment? The one that called for absolute discipline for the imperfect or the one that included the very real aspects of mercy?

Once again in my extremely unqualified opinion, the second definition of “perfect” is nicer, but it’s also a more perfect definition of perfect.

He became justice

Let’s cycle back to the phrase from the beginning: “…he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice…”

We have all heard the phrases, “Christ is justice,” and “Christ is mercy.” In some sense, those are literal and accurate statements. Because of what He did for us, that first scenario of perfection is not applicable. There is no more catch-22. There is no more third party justice that disallows us from going back into the presence of our Heavenly Father to be consumed by His glory. Christ’s atonement can cleanse us so we can go back. These are our new and true circumstances. Christ gets to decide whether we come home because He took the place of justice when He paid justice. He is our debtor. He is justice.

Our original circumstances that existed with the first definition of perfection are no longer our circumstances, and yet, we keep acting like they are. We keep acting like justice overpowers mercy and not the other way around.

In my home, I am justice. I am also mercy. These are temporary roles that were given to me by a Father in Heaven who needed me to teach His children because He couldn’t do it Himself. My husband, Conner, also holds these roles though he practices them less often because he’s gone working.

Maybe it sounds silly to say I am justice and mercy, but in so many real aspects of the words, it’s true. The worlds of my children very much fall into what I create for them.

I believe that one of the reasons the Lord set up these circumstances in this manner was because He wanted me to understand His atonement. I am wildly imperfect, but I do have some sense of what perfect judgment looks like. I may lose my cool with my kids, but I have my King-Solomon-wisdom moments too. When I take a step back from the overstimulation and chaos, I often know where my kids’ hearts are at. I know if they’ve been stressed with specific circumstances, different triggers for their big emotions, and whether they went to bed on time. I know if Warner was literally trying to play with his sister or whether he was trying to get his kicks torturing her. I know whether Evie meant to push her brother off the couch or whether she’s still learning to control her growing body.

As of yet, none of my children have done anything worthy of getting kicked out. They have punched, bit, threw, pushed, and taunted. They have continuously provoked and purposefully broken things, but I’m not crazy enough to believe that merits getting kicked out of my home. I am not perfect, but I do have some immature understanding of perfect judgment. I have some inkling of what it means to wisely distribute mercy and justice according to the needs of my children so that they can grow into well-adjusted adults without banning them from the home.

Heaven forbid the day ever came that I would need to kick a teenager out to protect my other children, but I hope I would be wise enough to do that too if the situation called for it.

Now let’s take this little home scenario and zoom out to look at the world the Lord created for us. I am imperfect. I am also a good person. I want peace in our “home” here on earth even though I often make mistakes and hurt my siblings. I love my Father and Brother.

And in my imperfect sense of perfection, I know that I have not merited getting kicked out yet. He will distribute mercy and justice according to what I need to learn in order to become a well-adjusted Being like Him, but He’s not kicking me out of the house. I made covenants that bind me to Christ and allow Him to cleanse me so that I can coexist with my Heavenly Parents, and I am someone who wants to follow Them. They can work with that.

I am saved by the atonement of Jesus Christ. I experience salvation regularly in the forms of peace, hope, and joy in my home. It is a beautiful feeling, and it’s a feeling that my Savior wanted me to experience. He paid an excruciating price so that I could experience it and experience it now, not just in the next life. I am grateful to Him for bringing about the second definition of perfect, for banishing the catch-22, and enabling me to experience eternal happiness.

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Zeniff’s return to the land of Lehi‐Nephi; Abinadi’sconfrontation with king Noah(Mosiah 9–17)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Additional Reading

These two articles by BYU religion professors address Abinadi’s teachings on the Messiah as the Father and the Son in Mosiah 15:1–5:

Paul Y. Hoskisson, “The Fatherhood of Christ and the Atonement,” Religious Educator 1, no. 1 (2000): 71–80.
Robert L. Millet, “The Ministry of the Father and the Son,” in The Book of Mormon: The Keystone Scripture, ed. Paul R. Cheesman (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University, 1988), 44–72.

How was Abinadi executed? One suggestion is that he was beaten to death with burning torches.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Mosiah 7–10; Mosiah 11–17 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

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Limhi and Repentanceby Autumn Dickson

One of the stories that starts to get introduced this week is that of Limhi and his people. The order of events over the next few (or ten) chapters can be a little confusing because you’re jumping around in the timeline, and you’re following different groups of people. This is also intermingled with sermons that break up the stories and can make it even harder to follow if you’re not really trying.

I want to talk about Limhi and his people today. I know that their story is spread out over multiple chapters and weeks, and so if I want to talk about them as a whole, I’m going to have to venture into their story a bit more even if I’m getting ahead of myself in the manual. Luckily, the principles that I want to share are all found within verses that are included for this week.

I want to give the full story so we can look at the principles in context. I know I’m omitting some details, but I want to focus on this specific timeline. So the Nephites are all in one big group of people. At one point in time, a man named Zeniff decides that he wants to inherit the land where the Lamanites are living because he feels as though that land was originally supposed to be the inheritance of the Nephites from the Lord. He takes a big group of people, and the Lamanite king lets them settle on some of that land. The Lamanites try attacking Zeniff’s people, the Lamanites lose, and Zeniff’s people are really happy. After Zeniff passes away and time moves on, Zeniff’s people become wicked. Zeniff’s people come into bondage under the Lamanite king and are forced to pay crazy amounts of taxes.

The original group of Nephites become curious about what happened to Zeniff’s people, and they send Ammon and a small group of people to go find them. Ammon finds them, and Limhi (the new king of Zeniff’s group) is ecstatic because he wants to free his people from the Lamanites.

The scope of today’s message

Limhi’s people differ from the other group of people that we read about over the next few weeks in the sense that their sin brought them into bondage. The other group of people (Alma’s people) were brought into bondage despite their righteousness, and they were likewise freed by the Lord. Both this group of people and Limhi’s people are reflective of our own lives. Sometimes affliction happens even when we’re striving to do what’s right; affliction was an essential ingredient to the Plan of Salvation if we really wanted to reach our full potential so even when we’re doing what’s right, the Lord may still allow us to wander into difficult circumstances.

On the flip side, sometimes our affliction is brought about by our own sin, as was the case for Limhi’s people. It is this specific circumstance that I want to talk about today. Despite the fact that repentance can be broadened to encompass the growth experienced by Alma’s people, I want to talk about repentance within the scope of overcoming sin specifically. In my opinion, repentance can be any step towards Christ whether that’s in the form of overcoming sin, learning something new about Christ, healing, developing a talent, or getting stronger. But for this particular message, I want to zoom in the lens and just talk about repentance in the form of overcoming sin.

It is in this context that we can study parallels between Limhi’s people and our own repentance process.

A posture of accountability

One of the things that impresses me most about the parallels between Limhi’s people and the general process of overcoming sin comes from Limhi, himself. In truth, we know very little about Limhi. We hadn’t heard of him before this moment even though he was King Noah’s son. We don’t know what his past was like, how often he participated in wickedness with his father, or how involved he was when Abinadi was killed. And yet, we read this from him:

Mosiah 7:25-26

25 For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon them. But behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did shed blood among themselves.

26 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and prophesied of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming of Christ.

Limhi knew that his people had done wickedly, and he didn’t shy away from that fact. He knew that their bondage was a result of falling into transgression.

I want you to think about Limhi for a second. He was raised in a wicked society with an awful father. His experience with religion had been limited to wicked priests that his father had put in place. Not exactly fertile soil. It could have been easy for Limhi to be completely self-absorbed like his father. It could have been easy for him to be vain and surround himself with “religious” men who would stroke his ego. It could have also been easy to turn his back on religion completely considering the fact that his experience with it was full of hypocrisy, pride, and silencing anyone who dared disagree. If this was the God that Limhi was introduced to by wicked priests and his father, why did he want anything to do with it?

And yet, somehow, Limhi became an unbaptized convert waiting for the missionaries to show up. How he learned about the true character of God and the nature of sin is anyone’s guess, but somehow Limhi knew. Somehow he shed the example of doing whatever you wanted and calling it righteous. He stepped into the mantle of king over a people in bondage, and he was brave enough to tell them that their own wickedness had brought their destruction, even though Abinadi had been killed for doing the same thing.

If we’re looking at Limhi’s people as an example of repentance, we can look at Limhi as holding the primary state of mind. Limhi was ready to repent; he was ready to change. His was a posture of repentance that included several aspects: an ownership of the sins, a willingness to seek help in order to be freed, preparedness for penance (was willing to be slaves to the Nephites even though that idea was shot down fast), and a steadfast desire to avoid running right back into the sins that brought the problem in the first place. All of these attitudes provided a readiness for Limhi and his people to be saved.

An effectual struggle

When deliverance for Limhi’s people arrives in the form of Ammon, Limhi addresses his people. This is one of the things he says to them:

Mosiah 7:18 And it came to pass that when they had gathered themselves together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.

Ammon found Limhi’s people, and Limhi is thrilled for good reason. He sees that freedom is possible. They don’t have to remain in bondage and pay forever. However, there is a little phrase at the end that is very telling.

“…I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.”

“Effectual” means to produce the desired result, and I believe that this struggle was meant to produce freedom in its truest sense.

I want you to imagine working super hard to free a people from bondage. You succeed, and it’s wonderful and celebratory and beautiful. But then, they run right back into their bonds that you freed them from. It’s silly, but it happens on a spiritual level quite often. We believe that Heavenly Father requires work and allows for guilt and struggle, but not because He wants to punish us or because we have to pay for our sins. Heavenly Father requires an effectual struggle that will free us from the bonds and keep us from going back to them. Having an effectual struggle doesn’t mean destroying ourselves for imperfection (that would not be effectual in the slightest). Rather, an effectual struggle enables us to appreciate the sacrifice that was made by the Savior. We receive enough of the consequences that we recognize we don’t want those bonds (if we were always bailed out with no struggle, why wouldn’t we keep going back?). And there is also a beautiful kind of growth that is experienced in that effectual struggle.

Do not fear the struggle. We want to be freed from past mistakes and the consequences that still seem to haunt us. We want to be freed from flaws that aren’t contributing to our happiness. But the Lord was wise in allowing us to struggle.

Limhi teaches one other principle in this chapter that can help us determine our relationship with this effectual struggle.

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

Our true requirement here is to continually turn to the Lord. When we sin, we turn to Him. When we struggle, we turn to Him. When we run into obstacles while trying to do what’s right, we turn to Him. We trust Him. If we do this, He WILL deliver us out of bondage. He will deliver us. It’s going to happen. He’s going to deliver us according to His own wisdom about what’s best for us, but we can lift up our heads and rejoice right now. An effectual struggle doesn’t mean we’re not forgiven. It means we are loved by a Lord who frees us from sin and is wise enough to know the struggle will put us where we need to be.

I’m grateful for a Savior who can teach me in whatever situation I need. I’m grateful that I have gained a testimony that He will deliver me, and I’m also grateful He lets me struggle. Or, to be more accurate, I’m grateful for what I get out of the struggle. Even as I face consequences and obstacles, I know that they could easily be removed. I’m not actually in any “danger.” I simply need them to become everything I can be, and I’m grateful the Savior gives that to me.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon

President Mark L. Pace
Sunday School General President

Main Points

It is my prayer that reading the Book of Mormon this year will be a joy and a blessing for each of us.
Study implies effort.
We can have a personal experience with the love of God by prayerfully studying the Book of Mormon.
We need the Book of Mormon every day.

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, Agency, The Holy Ghost, Prayer, Scriptures, Second Coming

Gospel Doctrine taught

Prophets and Revelation, Prophets

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 64:33, Doctrine and Covenants 11:13, Moses 5:12–16, Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45; Doctrine and Covenants 65:2, Doctrine and Covenants 50:22; see also verses 17–21, Jacob 1:3–4, Jacob 4:6, 1 Nephi 5:21–22, 1 Nephi 8:14–16, 2 Nephi 25:26, Doctrine and Covenants 6:22–24

Other Sources

Topics and Questions, “Dispensations,” Gospel Library
Conversion Is Our Goal,” Come Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024
Ryan Jensen, “Church Distributes 200 Millionth Copy of the Book of Mormon,” Church News, Dec. 29, 2023
Introduction to the Book of Mormon

Related talks:

Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints
Russell M. Nelson, “The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006
Russell M. Nelson, “Opening Remarks,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018
Kevin W. Pearson, “Are You Still Willing?,” Liahona, Nov. 2022
Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Heavenly Father lives. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. The Book of Mormon contains His words and conveys His love. President Russell M. Nelson is the Lord’s living prophet on the earth today. I know these things to be true because of the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost, which witness I first received while reading the Book of Mormon as a boy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Your daily connection with God and His word has profound consequences.
Now, today, we live in the dispensation of the fulness of times. This is the only dispensation that will not end in an apostasy. It is this dispensation that will usher in the Second Coming of the Savior Jesus Christ and His millennial reign. So, what’s different about this dispensation? What has the Lord provided us today, especially for our time, that will help us draw near to the Savior and never leave Him? One answer that comes to my mind is the scriptures—and particularly the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
While God has promised there will never be another general apostasy, we need to be mindful and careful to avoid a personal apostasy—remembering, as President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth.”
Studying the Book of Mormon, as we are doing this year, always brings us closer to the Savior—and helps us stay close to Him.
Sometimes reading the Book of Mormon is just about feeling connected to God today—nourishing the soul, being strengthened spiritually before heading out to face the world, or finding healing after a rough day out in the world.
The great worth and spiritual power of the scriptures continue undimmed in our lives today.
There has never been a people in history with the access to the Book of Mormon and other scriptures that we enjoy today.
The most important copy of the Book of Mormon is our personal copy. It is the copy that we read.
From the time I started reading the Book of Mormon, I felt that Heavenly Father was aware of my efforts. And I felt that I mattered to Him. As I read and prayed, comfortable, peaceful feelings rested upon me. Chapter by chapter, the light of faith was growing brighter inside my soul. In time, I realized that these feelings were confirmations of truth from the Holy Ghost. I came to know for myself that the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
Nephi said it right. It was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry the scriptures with us throughout our lives. The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” that makes this dispensation different from all previous dispensations.

Lists

Reading the Savior’s teachings in the scriptures:

Helps us transform our homes into sanctuaries of faith
Helps us transform our homes into centers of gospel learning
Invites the Spirit into our homes
Enables the Spirit to fill our souls with joy
Enables the Spirit to convert us into lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ

Reading in the holy books of scripture, we find the following pattern in every dispensation:

God restores or reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ through His prophets.
The people follow the prophets and are greatly blessed.
Over time, some people stop heeding the words of the prophets and distance themselves from the Lord and His gospel. This is what we call apostasy.
We see a pattern of restoration and apostasy repeated in the dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others.

President Nelson’s promises to those who study the Book of Mormon prayerfully every day:

You will make better decisions every day
The windows of Heaven will open
You will receive answers to your own questions
You will receive direction for your own life

Invitations/Challenges

It is my prayer that reading the Book of Mormon this year will be a joy and a blessing for each of us and will draw us ever nearer to the Savior.

Warnings

we need to be mindful and careful to avoid a personal apostasy

Blessings/Promises

Studying the Book of Mormon, as we are doing this year, always brings us closer to the Savior—and helps us stay close to Him.
We study the scriptures so the Holy Ghost, the great teacher, can deepen our conversion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and help us become more like Them.
“Heavenly Father wants you to know for yourself. But you must put in the effort. You need to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know by the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father will answer your prayers.”
As we study the Book of Mormon and follow the living prophet, there will be no personal apostasy in our lives.

Stories:

The story of Lehi’s vision of the tree of life. This vision teaches us how important it is that we have a personal experience with the love of God. Lehi was an intentional parent – he led his children to partake of the fruit with clear directions so he couldn’t be misunderstood.
President Pace had a similar experience with his mother, who instructed him to work to know for himself that the gospel is true. “Her question ignited in me a desire to know for myself.” He read from the Book of Mormon every night before going to bed, then knelt and prayer to know of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon

Equations:

IF ‘we improve our learning at home’ THEN ‘we improve our teaching at Church’
IF ‘it was wise for Lehi and his family to have the scriptures’ THEN ‘it is just as wise for us today’

Application Ideas

“What has the Holy Ghost taught us this week during our study of the Book of Mormon?” Write your answer in your journal or scripture journal.
Ask yourself, “How does what I studied this week bring me closer to the Savior?” Write your answers in your journal.
How can you have a personal experience with the love of God this week?
How can you increase your experience with the Book of Mormon this week?

The post Consider Conference: It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon appeared first on FAIR.

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By Aubrey Barzee

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

While every page of scripture testifies of Jesus Christ, actually having a Christ-centered study can be hard at times. With so many responsibilities competing for our time, we might just read a few verses without getting much personal meaning out of them and feel satisfied that we’ve checked off “read the scriptures” for our day. Sometimes we may even find ourselves getting so caught up in deeper history or unnecessary questions that we completely miss the mark. Studying can be simple—it should fill us with the Spirit and a desire to become more like our Savior.

Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal in 1883, “While studying the word of God we learn truths which cannot be obtained from any other source.” His words are supported by another servant of the Lord, Apostle D. Todd Christofferson, who stated, “The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ.” So, how do we do that? Here are some study strategies that will help you increase your faith in Jesus Christ and feel His love for you personally.

CONTINUED HERE

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Words Matter

Elder Ronald A. Rasband
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Words set a tone. They voice our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, for good or bad.
God’s words matter. The prophets’ words matter. And our words matter.

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, Prayer, Scriptures, Personal Responsibility

Gospel Doctrine taught

Marriage and Family, Commandments, Agency, Prophets

Scriptures

Alma 31:5, Genesis 1:3, Matthew 24:35, John 14:23, Luke 1:38, Joseph Smith—History 1:17, 2 Nephi 1:15, Jacob 4:13, Jacob 7:5, Ephesians 2:21, 2 Nephi 32:3, 2 Nephi 32:3, 2 Nephi 32:2, 2 Nephi 33, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1

Other Sources

“More Holiness Give Me,” Hymns, no. 131
“President Nelson Invites Us to #GiveThanks”
Chapter 6: Sustaining Those Whom the Lord Sustains
News for Temples in Five Nations
Dedicatory Prayer – Bangkok Thailand Temple, 22 October 2023

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson, “I Studied More Than 2,200 Scriptures about the Savior in Six Weeks: Here Is a Little of What I Learned,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Sustaining the Prophets,”
Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel”
Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,”
Russell M. Nelson, “President Nelson Shares Social Post about Racism and Calls for Respect for Human Dignity,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity”
Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,”
Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,”
Thomas S. Monson, “Blessings of the Temple,”
Thomas S. Monson, “To the Rescue,”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I love the Lord Jesus Christ. He is, in the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” And as the Apostle John made clear, Jesus Christ Himself is “the Word.”Of this I testify as an Apostle called to the Lord’s divine service—to declare His word—and called to stand as a special witness of Him. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- First and foremost, the Lord’s words matter.
Christ’s words:
- “Let there be light:
- “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
- “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Words matter a lot. Let me say that again. Words matter! They are the bedrock of how we connect; they represent our beliefs, morals, and perspectives. Sometimes we speak words; other times we listen. Words set a tone. They voice our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, for good or bad.
First and foremost, the Lord’s words matter.
The “word of God” surpasses all other expressions.
When we think celestial, we see “things as they really are, and … really will be.” In this world burdened with confusion and contention, we all need that perspective.
Our words can be supportive or angry, joyful or mean, compassionate or tossed aside. In the heat of the moment, words can sting and sink painfully deep into the soul—and stay there. Our words on the internet, texting, social media, or tweets take on a life of their own. So be careful what you say and how you say it. In our families, especially with husbands, wives, and children, our words can bring us together or drive a wedge between us.
Let me suggest three simple phrases that we can use to take the sting out of difficulties and differences, lift, and reassure each other: “Thank you.” “I am sorry.” And “I love you.” Do not save these humble phrases for a special event or catastrophe. Use them often and sincerely, for they show regard for others.

Lists

Words can be used negatively. Words:

Can be thoughtless
Can be hasty
Can be hurtful
Cannot be taken back once they’re spoken
Can wound
Words can punish
Words can cut down
Words can lead to destructive action
Words can weigh heavily on us

Words can be used positively. Words:

Can celebrate victory
Can be hopeful
Can be encouraging
Can prompt us to rethink
Can prompt us to reboot
Can prompt us to redirect our course
Can open our minds to truth

Ways we “Hear Him” – ways we listen to the word of the Lord:

We “hear Him” in the words of scripture
We “hear Him” in personal revelation
We “hear Him” in promptings from the Holy Ghost
We “hear Him” in answers to prayer
We “hear Him” in those moments when only Jesus Christ, through the power of His Atonement, can lift our burdens, grant us forgiveness and peace, and embrace us “in the arms of his love.”

What words matter?

The word of God
The words of prophets

Memorable words of President Nelson:

Keep on the covenant path
Gather Israel
Let God prevail
Build bridges of understanding
Give thanks
Increase your faith in Jesus Christ
Take charge of your testimony
Become a peacemaker
Think Celestial

Invitations/Challenges

We can say “thank you” on the elevator, in the parking lot, at the market, in the office, in a queue, or with our neighbors or friends. We can say “I am sorry” when we make a mistake, miss a meeting, forget a birthday, or see someone in pain. We can say “I love you,” and those words carry the message “I am thinking about you,” “I care about you,” “I am here for you,” or “You are everything to me.”

Either/Or

Our words can:

Be supportive OR be angry
Be joyful OR mean
Be compassionate OR tossed aside

Warnings

We “hear Him” in the words of scripture, but do we let them just sit on the page, or do we recognize He is speaking to us? Do we change?
Words of the prophet matter to the Lord and to us.
In the heat of the moment, words can sting and sink painfully deep into the soul—and stay there. Our words on the internet, texting, social media, or tweets take on a life of their own. So be careful what you say and how you say it. In our families, especially with husbands, wives, and children, our words can bring us together or drive a wedge between us.
Do not save these humble phrases for a special event or catastrophe. Use them often and sincerely, for they show regard for others. Talk is growing cheap; do not follow that pattern.
“The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” We are Heavenly Father’s children and He is our God, and He expects us to speak with “the tongue of angels” by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Blessings/Promises

Believing and heeding the word of God will draw us closer to Him. President Russell M. Nelson has promised, “If you will study His words, your ability to be more like Him will increase.”
(quoting President Nelson) As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change, … you will view trials and opposition in a new light, … [and] your faith will increase.
President Thomas S. Monson used to say, “There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save.”30 Saying “thank you,” “I am sorry,” “I love you” will do just that.
I promise that if we
1. “feast upon the words of Christ” that lead to salvation,
2. (feast upon) our prophet’s words that guide and encourage us,
3. and our own words that speak of who we are and what we hold dear,

Then the powers of heaven will pour down upon us.

Stories:

The story of how Alma counseled that they use the word of God because it had a greater effect on the people than anything else.
Reminded us that the “words of God” that Joseph heard in the Sacred Grove were “Hear Him!”
Elder George Albert Smith, long before becoming President of the Church, spoke of sustaining the prophet and heeding his words. He said: “The obligation that we make when we raise our hands … is a most sacred one. … It means … that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; … and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct.” In other words, we will diligently act upon our prophet’s words.
Told of his experience in dedicating the Bangkok, Thailand, temple. He had written out the words of the prayer and it had been translated into 12 languages, but the night before the dedication, he felt inspired to add these words to the closing part of the prayer: “May we think celestial, letting Thy Spirit prevail in our lives, and strive to be peacemakers always.”
Story of when he traveled for business, he would call home at the end of every day and he and his wife Melanie would “report in.” These conversations always led to expressing love to each other. “Every day, those words served as an anchor to my soul and my conduct; they were a protection to me from evil designs. ‘Melanie, I love you’ spoke of the precious trust between us.”

Application Ideas

This week, pray for the desire to have the “powers of Heaven pour down” upon you. Ponder what that would mean in your life.
Each day this week, take the opportunity to “feast upon the words of Christ.”
Each day this week, find a way to “feast” upon the words of the prophets. As you are ‘feasting,’ identify the prophet’s words that seem to offer you guidance, and identify the prophet’s words that offer you encouragement. Write those words in your journal.
Pay attention to the way you speak, especially to and about those you love. How can you use your words to illustrate what things, people and relationships you hold dear?
Find one example of how your words have driven a wedge between you and someone else. How can you use your words to mend that relationship? Pray about your situation and follow any promptings you receive.

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Watch Your Thoughtsby Autumn Dickson

King Benjamin doesn’t mess around with his sermon. He knows what he came to do, and he does it. He doesn’t mince words. He teaches some pretty essential doctrines with no apologies attached. Let’s talk about one of these no-nonsense doctrines.

Mosiah 4:29-30

29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

These are some of those verses that used to haunt me back before I knew how much I mattered to the Lord. There are so many ways to sin and if I can’t watch every little thing about myself, I’m going to perish. There is a reason I can sympathize with those who have left the church and felt a “great burden lifted off their shoulders.” It is because of misunderstanding verses like this. It’s not fun to carry that kind of fear and perfectionism around.

And though there is much I could say about sin and its consequences, I actually want to run in a different direction with this verse.

Interpreting a tone

When my daughter first joined gymnastics, her coach was a lady who had escaped the Soviet Union. She spoke in a thick Russian accent, and there was absolutely no coddling. In a society where gentle parenting has taken a really strong foothold, this was a very different approach. She corrected the girls immediately, loudly, and with no remorse. She also demanded respect from them.

Though some parents shied away from this gym for that reason (more power to them, plenty of right ways to parent a child), I chose this gym for that reason. I wanted my daughter to get used to personalities that could be considered abrasive in our culture because I knew there was value there. Evelyn’s coach loved her, and she showed Evelyn that she loved her. She just didn’t show it with smiles and pats on the back. I knew that if Evelyn could learn to internalize the good in an environment that might seem hostile to some, I would be doing her a huge favor.

It would have been easy to internalize this coach’s approach as criticsm and wither underneath it especially when you consider how different it is from other approaches found in America.

So let’s go back to this verse with King Benjamin. It was very easy for me as a child to read that verse and internalize fear as the motivation for living the gospel. If I didn’t watch myself, I was going to perish. I have seen the church (as well as lots of other churches) get torn apart for teaching this kind of doctrine. “We shouldn’t try to scare people into doing what’s right. It’s so damaging to teach a young child or teenager that they need to behave or they’re going to be destroyed.” In all honesty, I have found that this is true. I have watched friends talk about overcoming religious trauma, and I have had to work through unhealthy religious beliefs as well.

Scare tactics aren’t super effective or healthy; THAT is a true principle. In the same breath, I also feel that the critics are missing a couple key points to the story, and it is these very key points that can help us know how to teach the truth about sin while simultaneously helping our children absorb the gospel in the most effective manner.

The whole truth

So what’s the whole truth here? What parts of the story are missing? What are the critics missing?

As I worked through some of my own incorrect, harmful religious beliefs, I remember experiencing the scriptures and conference talks completely differently. As I learned about the atonement, the mercy of Christ, my own divine potential, the freedom afforded me by my Heavenly Father, and His coaching methods, I internalized completely different messages.

When I look back on my experience with King Benjamin’s sermon as a teenager, I remember fixating on my own nothingness and the need to desperately watch my thoughts, words, and actions so I wouldn’t perish. Now when I read his sermon, I find myself saying things like, “Yes! That’s how I feel! I have tasted of His love, and I want to remember it and follow Him.”

There is an aspect of internalization when it comes to the gospel, and that means there is also a subtle layer of personal accountability. I can only imagine how many times my parents and leaders taught me that I was beloved of my Heavenly Father, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I truly internalized it. My parents did teach the good news of the gospel. I was just a depressed teenager that fixated on the negative.

King Benjamin warned us that sin hurts us, and he rightfully did so. It’s true, and it needs to be taught so we can be protected. But he also taught so, so, so much more than that. Read his sermon. Pay attention to the language about Christ, joy, and freedom. I cannot blame King Benjamin for teaching me to be a perfectionist because he didn’t teach that. Satan did, and I let him because I didn’t recognize him.

Please know that I’m not trying to pass blame around. Maybe we can do better at making sure every child has internalized what it means to a divine Parentage. But maybe there is something else we can teach in addition to this principle that will help our loved ones (and probably ourselves too) take control of what they’re internalizing in terms of the gospel.

Recognizing Satan

A powerful tool in combating the self-loathing and perfectionism that is often associated with religion is to recognize Satan at work.

I believe that one of Satan’s favorite tactics is making the gospel a painful experience. He loves getting into our heads and screaming half truths as we’re trying to learn the doctrine. He’s trying to brush over and numb the parts that teach us who we really are and Who is standing behind us. If he can turn the gospel into a negative thing, the Spirit cannot testify of it. The gospel suddenly seems like the problem because we’re not actually learning the gospel. We’re learning harmful, partial truths, and we feel extremely burdened by it. When we finally shed those harmful, partial truths, it’s no wonder we feel liberated.

I find it interesting that King Benjamin teaches us that we need to watch our thoughts as well as our actions. This could easily be processed as an extreme process to strive for perfection as defined by the world. In relation to what we’ve been talking about, I also believe it’s appropriate to observe our thoughts and try to determine the sources they’re coming from. We watch our thoughts. We look at them. Are they coming from the Spirit? Are they coming from Satan? Are they coming from our own perceived notions and habits? Are our thoughts actually reflecting the gospel or some twisted version of it?

If we don’t take the time to watch our thoughts, trying our best to align them with true gospel principles, we may find that Satan has led us to believe in a false gospel completely based on perfectionism and an incessant need to “do” all the things while neglecting the heart of the matter.

And what did King Benjamin warn would happen if we didn’t watch our thoughts? He warned that we would perish. Living the gospel in the way that Satan wants us to live the gospel is equivalent to perishing. It doesn’t feel like salvation; it feels like hell (which is Satan’s whole point). Satan wants us to perish and be miserable.

We cannot experience a fullness of salvation here on earth. Some of the aspects of salvation will only be unlocked on the other side. However, there is a good amount of salvation that we can experience right now. It includes feelings of peace, confidence in your Savior’s ability to heal and save, and a deep sense of worth. If you’re not experiencing these feelings, maybe ask yourself who you’ve been listening to. Go back and read passages of scriptures, and look at them objectively. What is the actual message being shared and what message have you been internalizing?

Are we teaching our loved ones to watch their thoughts and own what they’re holding onto within their own minds? It’s a powerful teaching to own your beliefs and thwart Satan.

I testify of a Savior who wants to offer salvation now. He never meant for us to carry around the burdens He paid for or the burden of perfectionism. When He teaches us (through King Benjamin) to watch our thoughts or perish, it’s not because He wants to rain down curses on our heads or give us the evil eye for making mistakes; it’s because He knows that Satan wants to subtly destroy us and make us miserable. He’s trying to prevent our unhappiness, not add to our worries.

I testify that He loves you. If you don’t know that, I also testify that He is already doing everything He can possibly do to show you that He loves you. There comes a point where you have to make a choice to trust Him. There comes a point when we will need to choose to internalize that doctrine. There is a measure of personal accountability when it comes to whether we place our faith in that principle. I testify that if you place your faith in Him and His love, you will be happy in the most important sense of the word.

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King Benjamin’s temple sermon(Mosiah 2–6)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Handout

Additional Reading

John W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks, eds., King Benjamin’s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom” (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1998).
John A. Tvedtnes, “King Benjamin and the Feast of Tabernacles,” in By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley, volume 2, eds. John M. Lundquist and Stephen D. Ricks (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1990), 197–237.
Matthew L. Bowen, “Becoming Sons and Daughters at God’s Right Hand: King Benjamin’s Rhetorical Wordplay on His Own Name,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture 21, no. 2 (2012): 2–13. Bowen argues that King Benjamin’s reference to being “found at the right hand of God” in Mosiah 5:9 is a play on his own name, which means “son of the right hand.”
Donald W. Parry, “Service & Temple in King Benjamin’s Speech,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 16, no. 2 (2007): 42–47. Parry, a professor of Hebrew Bible at BYU, explores how King Benjamin’s speech focuses almost entirely on service, repeating four variations of the word—servants, serve, served, and service—fifteen times in only eighteen verses (Mosiah 2:10–27).

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2024 April General Conference, Saturday Morning Session

Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ
Sister J. Anette Dennis
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

Main Points

Through honoring our covenants, we enable God to pour out the multitude of promised blessings associated with those covenants.
As we choose to draw nearer to Him through a covenant relationship, it allows Him to draw nearer to us and more fully bless us.

Gospel Principles taught

God the Father, Our Heavenly Family, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Atonement, The Lord’s Covenant People, Temple Work

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ordinances and Covenants, The Plan of Salvation, Agency, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Mark 4: 33-34, Matthew 17:20, Luke 15:3–7, Luke 15:11–32, Matthew 13:9, Matthew 13:10–13, John 3:16–17, John 1:29, 1 Nephi 11:20–22, Doctrine and Covenants 133:53, Deuteronomy 7:9, Jeremiah 31:33; 1 Nephi 17:40; James 4:8; Doctrine and Covenants 88:63, Mosiah 5:5; Mosiah 18:8–10, Romans 6:3–4; Colossians 2:12, 2 Nephi 31:13; Moroni 6:3; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, Galatians 3:27, Luke 22:19–20, John 6:56, 2 Nephi 28:30, Exodus 28; 40:12–13 , Genesis 3:21, Romans 13:12&14, Ephesians 6:10–18, Mosiah 24:13–15; Psalm 119:105; 1 Nephi 17:13, Mosiah 4:24–25, Alma 41:14; John 3:16–17; 15:12–13; Doctrine and Covenants 34:3, Isaiah 49:14–16

Talks & Works Cited

Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Muhlestein, God Will Prevail, 9–12; Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Russell M. Nelson, “Spiritual Treasures,” Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Camille N. Johnson, “Jesus Christ Is Relief,” Dale G. Renlund, “Accessing God’s Power through Covenants,” Jean B. Bingham, “Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect, and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory,” Dale G. Renlund, “Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ,” “Sacred Temple Clothing,” David A. Bednar, “Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Merciful Obtain Mercy,” Jeffrey R. Holland, “None Were with Him,” Russell M. Nelson, “A Plea to My Sisters,” General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Temple Recommends 26.5.1, Temple Ordinances for the Living 27.2.2, Russell M. Nelson, “Closing Remarks”

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. His atoning sacrifice for us became the greatest symbol of His and our Father in Heaven’s infinite love for each of us, with the tangible symbols of that love and sacrifice—the marks in the Savior’s hands, feet, and side—remaining even after His Resurrection.
- I testify that the great blessings of that covenant relationship are well worth the price.
Description of His Teachings.
- Jesus taught through stories and symbols—a mustard seed to teach the power of faith, a lost sheep to teach the worth of souls, a prodigal son to teach the character of God. His parables were symbols through which He could teach deeper lessons to those who had “ears to hear.” But those not seeking the deeper meaning would not understand…
Description of His Atonement.
- When God the Father offered His Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice for us, Jesus Christ Himself became the highest symbol of our Father in Heaven’s undying love for each of us. Jesus Christ became the Lamb of God.
- Jesus Christ is at the center of all covenants we make, and covenant blessings are made possible because of His atoning sacrifice.
- Being immersed in the water and coming up again is symbolic of the Savior’s death and Resurrection to new life.
- The gift of His Atonement is symbolically offered to us each week when a priesthood holder, representing the Savior Himself, offers us the bread and water.
- Everything we do in the temple points to our Father’s plan for us, at the heart of which is the Savior and His atoning sacrifice.
- Our temple garment reminds us that the Savior and the blessings of His Atonement cover us throughout our lives.
- I am so grateful for the privilege of wearing the garment of the holy priesthood to remind me that the Savior and the blessings of His infinite Atonement constantly cover me throughout my mortal journey.
Description of His relationship with us.
- Each person on earth is a beloved son or daughter of God.
- Our Father wants a deeper relationship with all His sons and daughters, but it is our choice.
- He will protect me from evil, give me power and increased capacity, and be my light and guide through the darkness and difficulties of this world.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

When God the Father offered His Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice for us, Jesus Christ Himself became the highest symbol of our Father in Heaven’s undying love for each of us. Jesus Christ became the Lamb of God.
We have the privilege and blessing of being invited into a covenant relationship with God, in which our own lives can become a symbol of that covenant.
When we choose to be part of a covenant, it enhances and deepens our relationship with Him.
As we choose to draw nearer to Him through a covenant relationship, it allows Him to draw nearer to us and more fully bless us.
Jesus Christ is at the center of all covenants we make, and covenant blessings are made possible because of His atoning sacrifice.
As we make covenants with God in the house of the Lord, we further deepen our relationship with Him.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, those of us who have chosen to make covenants with God in the house of the Lord wear sacred ceremonial outer clothing during temple worship, symbolic of the clothing worn in ancient temple rituals. We also wear the garment of the holy priesthood, both during temple worship and in our everyday lives.
As part of the temple endowment, we are authorized to wear the garment of the holy priesthood. It is both a sacred obligation and a sacred privilege.
It (the garment) also reminds me that as I keep the covenants I have made with God in the house of the Lord, I have symbolically put on Christ, who Himself is an armor of light.
There is deep and beautiful symbolic meaning in the garment of the holy priesthood and its relationship to Christ. I believe that my willingness to wear the holy garment becomes my symbol to Him. It is my own personal sign to God, not a sign to others.
As I keep my covenants and obligations with God, including wearing the garment of the holy priesthood, my very life can become a personal symbol of my love and deep gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my desire to have Him with me always.
Through a covenant relationship with God, our own lives can become a living symbol of our commitment to and deep love for our Father in Heaven, our hesed for Him, and our desire to progress and eventually become like our Savior, being prepared to one day enter Their presence. I testify that the great blessings of that covenant relationship are well worth the price.

Lists

Covenants:

Create a relationship with God
that covenant relationship allows God to mold and change us over time
That covenant relationship allows God to lift us to become more like the Savior
Draw us closer and closer to Christ and the Father
Eventually prepare us to enter Their presence.

Our Heavenly Father wants a deeper relationship with us, but choosing that deeper relationship is up to us. We have exercise our agency to choose to draw near to Him. Here is the progression of that relationship:

God sets the conditions and obligations of the covenants.
When covenantal conditions and obligations are met, there are promised blessings attached.
A natural consequence of keeping covenantal conditions and obligations is power to change and become more like Jesus Christ.
When we choose to enter that covenant relationship, we witness our willingness to abide by the conditions He has set.
The way we witness that willingness is through symbols & symbolic actions.
As we honor our covenants, our actions enable God to bless us with the promised blessings.

Symbols in baptism:

Baptism by immersion is the symbolic gate through which we enter into a covenant relationship with God.
Being immersed in the water and coming up again is symbolic of the Savior’s death and Resurrection to new life.
As we are baptized, we symbolically die and are born again into the family of Christ.
When we are baptized, we show our willingness to take His name upon us.
With our baptism, we symbolically put on Christ.
We ourselves embody that symbolism.

Symbols in the sacrament:

The bread and water are symbolic of Christ’s flesh and blood shed for us.
The gift of His Atonement is symbolically offered to us each week when a priesthood holder, representing the Savior Himself, offers us the bread and water.
As we perform the action of eating and drinking the emblems of His flesh and blood, Christ symbolically becomes a part of us.
We again put on Christ as we make a new covenant each week.

Symbols in the temple:

Everything we do in the temple points to our Father’s plan for us.
At the heart of the Plan of Salvation is the Savior and His atoning sacrifice.
In the temple, the Lord teaches us line upon line through symbolism.
The garment of the holy priesthood is deeply symbolic and points to the Savior.

A closer look at the garment of the holy priesthood:

Many religious traditions employ special clothing during worship, symbolizing their beliefs and their commitment to God.
In ancient times, sacred ceremonial clothing was used in temple worship.
In modern times, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have chosen to enter temple covenants wear sacred, ceremonial clothing during temple worship – symbolic of ancient temple worship.
Additionally, those who have covenanted also wear the garment of the holy priesthood, both during temple worship and in daily life.
The garment of the holy priesthood is symbolic.
The garment of the holy priesthood points to the Savior, symbolic of His sacrifice for us.
It also reminds me that as I keep the covenants I have made with God in the house of the Lord, I have symbolically put on Christ, who Himself is an armor of light.
Not because of personal preference, inconvenience, or style, but because of certain medical conditions, for some people, wearing the garment is much more difficult. The Lord knows our hearts and understands our desires to honor our commitments with Him. See, for example, Mosiah 4:24–25.

Sister Dennis’ own experience:

Wearing the garment is a privilege
Wearing the garment reminds me that the Savior and His infinite atonement cover me throughout mortality.
Wearing the garment reminds me that as I keep my covenants, I have symbolically put on Christ.
Christ himself is an armor of light. He will:
- Protect me from evil
- Give me power
- Give me increased capacity
- Be my light through the darkness of this world
- Be my guide through the difficulties of this world
I believe that my willingness to wear the holy garment becomes my symbol to Him. It is my own personal sign to God, not a sign to others.
As I keep my covenants and obligations with God, including wearing the garment of the holy priesthood, my very life can become a personal symbol of my love and deep gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my desire to have Him with me always.

Prerequisites for making temple covenants:

Be at least 18 years of age
No longer attending High School (or equivalent)
Be a member of the Church for at least a year.
Meet standards of personal holiness (as reviewed here).

Not prerequisites:

Have a mission call.
Be engaged to be married.

Through a covenant relationship with God, our lives can become:

a living symbol of our commitment to our Father in Heaven.
a symbol for our deep love for our Father in Heaven.
a symbol of our hesed for Him.
A symbol of our desire to progress and become like our Savior.
A symbol of our desire to enter into the presence of Heavenly Father and our Savior.

Equations & Definitions

The armor of light=Jesus Christ
Hesed = a covenant relationship in which both parties are bound to be loyal and faithful to each other
Kaphar = atonement; “to cover”

Invitations/Challenges

Our temple garment reminds us that the Savior and the blessings of His Atonement cover us throughout our lives. As we put on the garment of the holy priesthood each day, that beautiful symbol becomes a part of us.
If you have not yet done so, I invite you to choose a deeper relationship with God by making covenants with Him in the house of the Lord.
Study the talks of our prophet (including the beautiful teachings in the footnotes of his talks, which most conference talks have). He has spoken repeatedly about covenants for years and especially since becoming President of the Church.
Learn from his teachings about the beautiful blessings and increased power and capacity that can be yours through making and keeping covenants with God.
If you have the desire to deepen your relationship with your Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ by making sacred covenants in the house of the Lord, I invite you to speak with your bishop or branch president and let him know of your desires. He will help you know how to prepare to receive and honor those covenants.

Blessings/Promises

The Lord will teach us line upon line through the symbolism of the ordinances and covenants as we open our hearts and prayerfully seek to understand the deeper meanings.

Stories:

Sister Dennis recalled that she had purposely chosen books to read to her children that had symbolism within the story. It was enjoyable to her to help them discover the meaning behind the symbols. She was delighted to find out that her young son had started a new book with the intent of just enjoying the story; but he found himself trying to find a deeper meaning. Sister Dennis was pleased that he was looking for symbols.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught that when we choose to make covenants with God, our relationship with Him can become much closer than it was before our covenant, and it enables Him to bless us with an extra measure of His mercy and love, a covenantal love referred to as hesed in the Hebrew language. The covenant path is all about our relationship with God—our hesed relationship with Him.
When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit and had to leave the Garden of Eden, they were given coats of skins as a covering for them. It is likely that an animal was sacrificed to make those coats of skins—symbolic of the Savior’s own sacrifice for us. Kaphar is the basic Hebrew word for atonement, and one of its meanings is “to cover.”
In the New Testament book of Romans, we read: “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. … Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Application Ideas

Think about symbols: in the scriptures, in talks and books, in your patriarchal blessing, and in your life. Take time to list in your journal what the most powerful symbols are for you and why you feel that way.
Consider the function of agency in making and keeping covenants. You may want to note in your scriptures, journal or study journal what difference it makes in a covenantal relationship ( in any relationship) to “act” and not be “acted upon.” (see 2 Nephi 2)
Brainstorm a list of actions, behaviors, thoughts, deeds and words that you could use to show your Heavenly Father and Christ that you desire a stronger relationship with them. Choose one to focus on for the next week.
Whether you are endowed or not. pray for a greater understanding of the garment of the holy priesthood.
Study President Nelson’s talks (listed above). Consider looking for and highlighting the following things as you look for patterns and instruction in covenants:
1. beautiful blessings promised to those who make and keep covenants
2. increased power granted to those who make and keep covenants
3. Increased spiritual capacity as a natural consequence to making and keeping sacred covenants

Write in your journal any observations you have as well as any promptings you feel for taking action on the prophet’s words.

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Enos’s wrestle with God; Nephite spiritual decline; Mosiah led righteous Nephites to Zarahemla(Enos, Jarom, Omni, Words of Mormon, Mosiah 1)by Mike Parker

Class Notes

Handout

Additional Reading

Clifford P. Jones, “The Prophets Who Wrote the Book of Omni,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 34 (2020): 221–44. The brief accounts written by Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki, taken alone, don’t always inspire confidence in their righteousness. Jones argues that, when the specific words used by these men and all relevant context are taken into consideration, it’s reasonable to conclude that each of these authors of the book of Omni was a prophet of God.
The people of Zarahemla were the descendants of a group that came from Jerusalem who were led by Mulek, a son of King Zedekiah. (Omni 1:14–19; Mosiah 25:2; Helaman 8:21) There is no outside historical record of Zedekiah of Judah having a son named Mulek, and the Old Testament record claims that Zedekiah’s sons were killed by the Babylonians in front of him. (2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:6; 52:10). However, an ancient Judean stamp seal has been identified as bearing the Hebrew form of the name Malkiyahu, son of the king, which may refer to the Mulek of the Book of Mormon. See Jeffrey R. Chadwick, “Has the Seal of Mulek Been Found?”, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 12, no. 2 (2003): 72–83.
For more information on how the small plates of Nephi became the replacement for the lost 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon, see the notes and slideshow for Doctrine and Covenants lesson 3.
Mosiah chapter 1 is identified as “Chapter Ⅲ” in the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon. This evidence indicates that these two missing chapters from the book of Mosiah were part of the 116 manuscript pages lost by Martin Harris. Royal Skousen, editor of the Book of Mormon Critical Text project, discusses this with Michael De Groote in “Scholar’s Corner: The stolen chapters of Mosiah,” Deseret News (24 June 2010).
The Words of Mormon describes Mormon₂ finding the small plates of Nephi and placing them with his own record (the plates of Mormon). This diagram from Book of Mormon Central helps to visualize the source materials that went into compiling the final printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

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2024 April General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys
President Russell M. Nelson
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Main Points

Priesthood keys govern how the priesthood of God may be used to bring about the Lord’s purposes and bless all who accept the restored gospel.
The Kirtland Temple has unusual significance in the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Several events that took place there had been prophesied for millennia and were essential for the Lord’s restored Church to fulfill its latter-day mission.
The promise Christ gave of the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836, applies to every dedicated temple today: “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.”
The significance of the restoration of Priesthood keys to the earth cannot be overstated.
Joseph Smith’s dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple is a tutorial about how the temple spiritually empowers you and me to meet the challenges of life in these last days.
Understanding the spiritual privileges made possible in the temple is vital to each of us today.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Heavenly Family, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Priesthood, Priesthood Organization, The Lord’s Covenant People, Missionary Work, The Family can be Eternal, Eternal Marriage, Temple Work & Family History, Gathering of Israel

Gospel Doctrine taught

Priesthood and Priesthood Keys, Ordinances and Covenants, The Restoration, Marriage and Family, Agency, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 110:3
Doctrine and Covenants 110:4
Doctrine and Covenants 110:7
Doctrine and Covenants 110:11
Doctrine and Covenants 110:12
Genesis 18:18
1 Nephi 15:18
Malachi 4:5–6
Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16
Doctrine and Covenants 13
Doctrine and Covenants 27:7–8, 12
Doctrine and Covenants 20:1–4
Doctrine and Covenants 121:28
Doctrine and Covenants 95:8
Doctrine and Covenants 109:22
Doctrine and Covenants 132:45–46
2 Nephi 26:33
Doctrine and Covenants 109:8
Doctrine and Covenants 109:15
Doctrine and Covenants 109:22
Doctrine and Covenants 109:24–26
Doctrine and Covenants 110:12
Doctrine and Covenants 132:29–30

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- The Prophet recorded that the Savior’s “eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters.”
- My dear brothers and sisters, I testify that this is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He stands at its head. We are His disciples.
Christ’s own words.
- “I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.”
- “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Jesus Christ…declared that He had accepted the temple as His house and made this stunning promise: “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.” This significant promise applies to every dedicated temple today.
Then Elijah the prophet appeared. His appearance fulfilled Malachi’s promise that before the Second Coming, the Lord would send Elijah to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.”10 Elijah conferred the keys of the sealing power upon Joseph Smith.
The significance of these keys being returned to the earth by three heavenly messengers under the direction of the Lord cannot be overstated.
The power of these priesthood keys is infinite and breathtaking.
Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.
Priesthood keys distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth. Many other organizations can and do make your life better here in mortality. But no other organization can and will influence your life after death.
Priesthood keys give us the authority to extend all of the blessings promised to Abraham to every covenant-keeping man and woman. Temple work makes these exquisite blessings available to all of God’s children, regardless of where or when they lived or now live. Let us rejoice that priesthood keys are once again on the earth!
The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.
How much does it increase your confidence to know that, as an endowed woman or man armed with the power of God, you do not have to face life alone? What courage does it give you to know that angels really will help you?
The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has in store for each of us, for the temple is the only place on earth where we may receive all of the blessings promised to Abraham.

Lists

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery experienced a series of remarkable visions in the Kirtland Temple on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1836:

Jesus Christ appeared. He affirmed His identity as the Savior and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His House.
Moses appeared. He conferred upon Joseph Smith the keys for the gathering of Israel and the return of the ten tribes.
Elias appeared. He committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to Joseph.
Elijah the prophet appeared. Elijah conferred the keys of the sealing power upon Joseph Smith.

About priesthood keys:

Constitute the authority and power of presidency.
Govern how the priesthood of God may be used to bring about the Lord’s purposes.
Bless all who accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Gave Joseph Smith authority to organize the Church in 1830.

Different priesthood keys mentioned:

Keys of the Aaronic priesthood
Keys of the Melchizedek priesthood
Keys of the Gathering of Israel
Keys of the Gospel of Abraham
Keys of the Sealing Power

These keys are essential in order to authorize Joseph Smith and all succeeding Presidents of the Lord’s Church

To gather Israel on both sides of the veil
To bless all covenant children with the blessings of Abraham
To place a ratifying seal on priesthood ordinances and covenants
To seal families eternally
make it possible for every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy incredible personal spiritual privileges.

Without these keys:

You could not be endowed with the power of God.
The Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more.
None of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants that bind us to our loved ones eternally and allow us eventually to live with God.

I invite you to consider carefully the following three statements:

The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere.
The gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of His children everywhere. He invites all to come unto Him—“black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.”
The sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere and wants each of them to choose to return home to Him.

The Temple is:

a house of prayer
a house of fasting
a house of faith
a house of learning
a house of glory
a house of order
a house of God

This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.

New Temples announced:

Uturoa, French Polynesia
Chihuahua, Mexico
Florianópolis, Brazil
Rosario, Argentina
Edinburgh, Scotland
Brisbane, Australia south area
Victoria, British Columbia
Yuma, Arizona
Houston, Texas south area
Des Moines, Iowa
Cincinnati, Ohio
Honolulu, Hawaii
West Jordan, Utah
Lehi, Utah
Maracaibo, Venezuela

Invitations/Challenges

I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this conference throughout the coming months.
I invite you to ponder what the Lord’s promise (“I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.”) means for you personally.
Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth.
I encourage you to study that prayer (the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple), recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 109.
How much does it increase your confidence to know that, as an endowed woman or man armed with the power of God, you do not have to face life alone? What courage does it give you to know that angels really will help you?
Let us rejoice in the restoration of priesthood keys, which make it possible for you and me to enjoy every spiritual blessing we are willing and worthy to receive.

Blessings/Promises

This list of attributes (“a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”) is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.
Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever.
Regular temple worship will enhance the way you see yourself and how you fit into God’s magnificent plan. I promise you that.
We are also promised that in the temple we may “receive a fullness of the Holy Ghost.” Imagine what that promise means in terms of having the heavens open for each earnest seeker of eternal truth.
all who worship in the temple will have the power of God and angels having “charge over them.”
“no combination of wickedness” will prevail over those who worship in the house of the Lord.
My dear brothers and sisters, here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshiping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing!

Stories:

40 years ago to the day, on April 7, 1984, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Russell M. Nelson were sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
When Russell M. Nelson was born (Sept 9, 1924), there were only six functioning temples in the Church:St. George, Logan, Manti, and Salt Lake City, Utah; as well as in Cardston, Alberta, Canada; and Laie, Hawaii; as well as the Nauvoo and Kirtland temples, which the Saints had to leave when they moved west. The Nauvoo was destroyed by arson, and rebuilt and dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinkley. The Kirtland temple was first desecrated by enemies of the Church, then acquired by the Community of Christ, and now (along with several historic sites in Nauvoo) has been purchased by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Application Ideas

Make a plan of how you personally will follow the Prophet’s instruction to ‘repeatedly study the messages’ of the April 2024 General Conference throughout the coming months.
Accept the prophet’s challenge to ponder what the Lord’s promise to manifest himself to his people in mercy in His house means to you personally. Write your feelings and any impressions you have in your journal or study journal.
Read and ponder D&C 109.
Make an effort to visit a temple this week, even if it’s only the temple grounds. If you don’t live near a temple, you might consider a virtual tour of the Kirtland Temple, the Orem, Utah temple or the Saratoga Springs Temple.
Pray for an increased understanding and love of the temple.

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Jesus Christ is the Treasure
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Taking for granted or undervaluing what is nearby is “looking beyond the mark”
Jesus Christ is our mark; we have to take care not to look beyond him.
The blessings of the sacrament are a treasure that is available to us each time we attend sacrament meeting.
When we take the temple for granted, we ‘miss the mark’ by undervaluing the opportunity to draw closer to the Savior.

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, Sacrament, Sabbath, Temple attendance

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Commandments, the Covenant Path

Scriptures

Jacob 4:14, 2 Nephi 31:19, Moroni 7:27–28, 2 Nephi 25:26, Alma 33:22, Doctrine and Covenants 76:52, 3 Nephi 18:12–13, Mosiah 2:36, Alma 5:14, 2 Kings 5:9–14, I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Other Sources

Eric H. Cline, “King Tut’s Tomb,” in Archaeology: An Introduction to the World’s Greatest Sites (2016), 60–66.
Howard Carter and A. C. Mace, The Tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen: Discovered by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Howard Carter, vol. 1 [1923], 124–28, 132).
Zahi Hawass, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs (2005);
Nicholas Reeves, The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (1990), 80–83
Nicholas Reeves and Richard H. Wilkinson, The Complete Valley of the Kings: Tombs and Treasures of Egypt’s Greatest Pharaohs (1996), 81–82.

Related talks:

David A. Bednar, “Teach to Build Faith in Jesus Christ”
Choices for Eternity
Focus on the Temple

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I bear my solemn and sure witness that God, the Eternal Father, is our Heavenly Father and that He lives; Jesus is the Christ; He is our kind, wise heavenly Friend; and this is His restored Church.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

During Jesus’s mortal ministry, many looked beyond the mark, beyond Him. They looked past the Savior of the world. Instead of recognizing His role in fulfilling Heavenly Father’s plan, they condemned and crucified Him. They looked and waited for someone else to bring them salvation.
We too can be prone to look beyond the mark. We need to guard against this tendency lest we miss Jesus Christ in our lives and fail to recognize the many blessings He offers us. We need Him.
He is our mark.
If we incorrectly imagine that there is a need for something beyond what He offers, we deny or diminish the scope and power He can have in our lives.
Jesus Christ is our treasure.
In the years since my baptism, I have learned that sins are cleansed by the power of Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice as we make and keep the baptismal covenant. Then, through the gift of repentance, we can remain clean.
Only with a robust spiritual foundation can we handle the metaphorical rain, wind, and floods that confront us in our lives.
When we have the Holy Ghost with us, we will be inspired and guided to make and keep other covenants, such as those we make in temples. Doing so deepens our relationship with God.
When we trust God’s prophet on the earth today and act on his counsel, we will find happiness, and we too can be healed. We need to look no further.
The multiple covenants on the covenant path are not just sequential but additive and even synergistic. They facilitate a closer and stronger connection with God. Such a connection allows us to be transformed to the point that His image is in our countenances and our hearts have been mightily and permanently changed (see Alma 5:14). (footnote 15)

Lists

Ways Jesus Christ is our “mark”:

He has claimed the rights of mercy and extends that mercy to us.
He is the ultimate “source [to whom we should] look for a remission of [our] sins.”
He is our Advocate with the Father
He champions what the Father has wanted all along: for us to return to Him as inheritors in His kingdom.

There are many ways to focus on Him intentionally:

Daily repentance
Keeping our baptismal covenant
Partaking of the sacrament
Attending the temple regularly
Trust and follow the prophet
Act on the prophet’s counsel

We can strengthen our spiritual foundation:

Through repentance.
By conscientiously preparing for the sacrament.
Worthily partaking of the sacrament.

Our spiritual foundation is weakened:

When we voluntarily skip sacrament meeting.
When we don’t focus on the Savior during the sacrament.

Invitations/Challenges

Our commitment to attend [the temple] should be at least as strong when the temple is nearby as when it is distant.
I encourage you to remember and always focus on Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and Redeemer, the “mark” to whom we should look, and our greatest treasure.
Treasure the opportunity to repent, the privilege of partaking of the sacrament, the blessing of making and keeping temple covenants, the delight of worshiping in the temple, and the joy of having a living prophet.

Warnings

Paradoxically, as temples become more accessible, it may be easier for us to become more casual about temple attendance.
Nor need we seek counsel from exotic sources, prizing the novelty of the source and thinking such counsel will be more enlightened than that which we can receive from a humble prophet of God.
The sacrament was, however, not instituted as a specific means of securing a remission of our sins (see James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith, 12th ed. [1924], 175). A person cannot willfully sin on Saturday evening and expect that all he or she needs to do is eat a piece of bread and drink a cup of water on Sunday and magically be cleansed. But the sanctifying effect of the Holy Ghost can cleanse all who repent with a sincere heart and with real intent. (footnote 12)

Blessings/Promises

Through the gift of repentance, we can remain clean.
The sacrament brings a powerful virtuous cycle into our lives, enabling us to retain a remission of our sins.
The Holy Ghost will be our constant companion if we approach the sacrament the way a new convert approaches baptism and confirmation, with a broken heart and contrite spirit and a determination to live up to that baptismal covenant. The Holy Ghost blesses us with His sanctifying power so that we can always retain a remission of our sins, week in and week out.
When we trust God’s prophet on the earth today and act on his counsel, we will find happiness, and we too can be healed. We need to look no further.
As you come to Him, you will be rewarded with strength to face life’s challenges, courage to do what is right, and the ability to fulfill your mission in mortality.
I pray that you will be blessed, prospered, and preserved.

Stories:

The story of Egyptologist Howard Carter who searched for the tomb of King Tutankhamun, funded by the Earl of Carnarvon. They excavated the Valley of the Kings for 5 years without finding anything; Carter realized the only place they hadn’t looked was under the base camp. They began excavating there and within a few days found the steps leading to the tomb, which, after some excavation, yielded the most famous archaeological find of the 20th century. They had overlooked what was literally ‘under their feet.’
When Elder Renlund was eight years old, after his baptism, he was crossing a street with his father. Not paying attention, he stepped out from the curb just as a big truck came by. His father pulled him to safety. He thought at the time that it would have been a good time to be killed, as he was clean from sin from his baptism.
The story of Naaman in the Old Testament. Elisha told him to dip in the nearby river seven times to cure his leprosy. That wasn’t what he expected a miracle to look like, but when he yielded and did as Elisha had instructed, he was healed.

Application Ideas

Consider evaluating your schedule and prioritizing regular temple attendance.
Make a pattern in your life to ponder the Savior and your baptismal covenant each week before partaking of the sacrament.
Think of ways that you can focus on the Savior during the sacrament. This article might give you some ideas to try. You may want to record in your journal your impressions of the different ideas you try, so that you can repeat those that work best for you.
As you celebrate Easter and approach General Conference, prayerfully seek inspiration about how you personally can come closer to Jesus Christ. Write down any guidance you receive.
Find ways to incorporate repentance into your daily life.

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Our Constant Companion
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Main Points

President Eyring offers a brief letter to his posterity in hopes it will help them when he is no longer with them. This talk is meant to share with them (and us) what he has personally come to know in hopes it will help them in difficult days ahead.
We can be taught by the Spirit line upon line
When a task from the Lord seems greater than our capacity and experience, we can take courage that the Spirit will guide us.
The constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is not easy to achieve.
The Lord sends the Holy Ghost when we turn to Him in faith.
When we are willing to serve the Lord, the Holy Ghost can and will guide us.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost, Repentance, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, Sacrament, Service

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Godhead, God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost

Scriptures

Helaman 11:23, 1 Nephi 3:7, 1 Nephi 4:5–6, Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, John 15:26, Doctrine and Covenants 121:45–46

Related talks:

Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives
Lessons from Liberty Jail
We Can Do Better and Be Better

Other sources cited:

At times I have difficulty feeling the Spirit because I feel numb. Does this mean I am doing something wrong and have lost the Spirit?

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Of all the things of which the Holy Ghost testifies, the most precious for us is that Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of God.
- As a witness of Jesus Christ, I know that He lives and He leads His Church.
Description of His Teachings.
- The Savior promised, “When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”
- Jesus Christ did pray to the Father to send the Holy Ghost to guide, comfort, and testify of truth to us.
Description of His Atonement.
- I try to remember the Savior’s sacrifice and His love for me. Then, when I pray to Heavenly Father to give thanks, I feel love and assurance that my prayers are heard and that I will receive whatever is best for me and those I love. It strengthens my testimony.
Description of His relationship with us.
- I testify that the Lord has kept His promise. The Holy Ghost is being sent to the faithful covenant members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

the Lord speaks to us personally through the Holy Ghost.
We can be taught by and learn from the Spirit line upon line, receiving what we need, and then when we are ready, we will receive more.
Nephi’s experience with the Holy Ghost on that errand has given me courage many times when I have embarked on tasks I knew were assignments from the Lord but which seemed far beyond my past experience and beyond what I saw as my capacity.
We each think and say and do things in our daily lives that can offend the Spirit. When that happens, as it will, we may feel disapproval from the Lord. And we may be tempted to feel we are alone. It is important to remember the sure promise we receive each week as we repent and partake of the sacrament: “That they may always have his Spirit to be with them.”
When I feel distant from the Lord, when answers to my prayers seem delayed, I have learned … to review my life for opportunities to repent.
Our motives need to be driven by the pure love of Christ.
I bear my witness that God the Father lives. He loves you. He hears your every prayer.
I pray that we may have that blessing and the companionship of the Holy Spirit this day and every day of our lives.
I love you.

Lists

The Holy Ghost’s role is to:

Enable us to survive spiritually
Guide us
Direct us
Comfort us
Influence us constantly
Testify of truth

I bear my witness:

God the Father lives.
God the Father loves you.
God the Father hears your every prayer.
Jesus Christ did pray to the Father to send the Holy Ghost.
The Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith.
The prophet Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God.
Heavenly messengers restored priesthood keys.
President Russell M. Nelson is the prophet of God for all the earth.
Jesus Christ lives.
Jesus Christ leads His church.

We can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as we:

Remember the Savior
Love the Savior
Repent
Ask for the Savior’s love to be in our hearts

Invitations/Challenges

“Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power.” (Nelson)
I pray with all my heart that your confidence will grow.

Equations

Daily repentance →purity→power

Warnings

We each think and say and do things in our daily lives that can offend the Spirit. When that happens, as it will, we may feel disapproval from the Lord. And we may be tempted to feel we are alone. It is important to remember the sure promise we receive each week as we repent and partake of the sacrament: “That they may always have his Spirit to be with them.”
If you want to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you must want it for the right reasons. Your purposes must be the Lord’s purposes. If your motives are too selfish, you will find it difficult to receive and sense the promptings of the Spirit.

Blessings/Promises

As we pray and then heed the Spirit’s promptings, we gain greater insights and blessings to guide us through the increasingly difficult days ahead.
We can be taught by and learn from the Spirit line upon line, receiving what we need, and then when we are ready, we will receive more.
If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today, you may take it as a sweet evidence that the Atonement is working in your life.
If you find yourself having difficulty in feeling the Holy Ghost, you might ponder whether there is anything for which you might repent and receive forgiveness.
You can pray with faith to know what to do to be cleansed and thus more nearly qualify for that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Now, your experiences will be unique, and the Spirit will guide in the way best suited to your faith and capacity to receive revelation for you and for those you love and serve.
You and I have the opportunity to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion and to have those truths confirmed as we remember and love the Savior, repent, and ask for His love to be in our hearts.

Stories:

Invited us to think about and pray about the story of the sons of Helaman, Nephi and Lehi, and those laboring with them. They faced opposition, served in a wicked place and dealt with deceptions. But they were “taught and guided by a series of experiences with the Holy Ghost.”
Reminded us of Nephi’s experience in being “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things” he was supposed to do.
The story of a young woman who had moved far from home; her mother and her home teachers had felt concern on her behalf. The home teachers felt inspired that she was about to make choices that would lead to sadness and misery, so they went to see her. Under the influence of the Spirit, they pleaded with her to repent and choose the Lord’s path for her.

Application Ideas

Study the story of the sons of Helaman (Helaman 5 & 11 especially). Take notes in your journal or scriptures. Write down any impressions you have, and then follow President Eyring’s invitation to pray about this story.
After your study and prayer, make a goal of how you can apply this story to your life.
In the last three paragraphs of his talk, President Eyring testifies of many of the fundamental truths of the gospel. Then he says, “You and I have the opportunity to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion and to have those truths confirmed as we remember and love the Savior, repent, and ask for His love to be in our hearts.” If those truths have been confirmed to you, consider writing those experiences in your journal. If any of those truths have not yet been confirmed to you, consider following President Eyring’s suggestion to love the Savior, repent, and ask for the Savior’s love to be in your heart.
Whenever you feel alone, think of the words of the sacrament prayer: ‘that they may always have His spirit to be with them.’
Reframe how you think about repentance. For the next week, try to notice the things you say and do that may offend the spirit, and ask for forgiveness. Write about your experience in your journal.

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How to Find Peaceby Autumn Dickson

There is a verse in the bible that is probably one of the most quoted and appreciated verses of all time. Christ shared it the night of the Passover amidst instituting the sacrament, teaching and prophesying, and washing the feet of His disciples. He spoke peace to His disciples just a little bit before He went to the garden and suffered.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Think of the context in which this saying was given to the disciples. Christ knew what was coming. He knew that the coming night would not be peaceful, nor the hours that followed it (at least not in the usual sense of the word). He knew that “peace” as defined by the world would very soon be snatched away from His disciples. But still, He promised to leave them with peace.

What kind of peace was He trying to give them? What does it look like and how do we receive it in our darkest moments?

To have faith

The kind of peace offered by our Savior is not a quiet morning. It is not perfect children or tons of money to do what we need and want. It is not a promise of health. It certainly wasn’t what He was offering His disciples in the moment He made the promise, and it’s not what He’s offering us either. A huge point of coming to earth was turmoil and opposition so offering an escape from that would diminish the ability of the Plan of Salvation to exalt us.

So how does He give peace?

Receiving peace requires faith in Him. Such a simple sentence, but I believe there’s a whole lot to unpack there. For Easter, we’re talking about the peace that comes with faith. But we’re going to have to talk a lot about faith to understand the kind of faith we need in order to receive peace.

We often talk about how faith is an action word, and it absolutely is. Faith in God drives us to keep the commandments which oftentimes leads us away from circumstances that may bring more turmoil, and that’s awesome. In the same breath, not all turmoil comes from choices we’ve made, and sometimes we’re also going to be making mistakes So what does faith look like in the circumstances that are beyond our control or in the situations where the mistake has been made?

Let’s first look at how the experiences of the disciples might have changed if they had felt faith.

The disciples during the time of crucifixion

Let it be known that this is not a critique of the disciples and how they responded with the events around Christ being taken and killed. For some reason, the Holy Ghost was not operating in the same way during Christ’s mortal ministry (see Bible Dictionary, “Holy Ghost”), and we know how the Holy Ghost plays a key role in many of these kinds of circumstances. This is not a critique, it’s a way to observe the past (since hindsight is 2020) and know how to apply it to our current and future circumstances.

So the disciples are sitting with Christ at the Passover dinner. He teaches many things that were likely hard to be understood without the Holy Ghost. He tells them to not let their hearts become troubled. He has told them more than once that He is going to die, but then again, Christ also spoke about being born again. How literal are we talking here?

Christ is taken, tortured, and crucified. As they lay Him in the tomb, what are they thinking? They lovingly care for His body, but are they also a little angry? Are they in shock? Do they feel abandoned? Are they frustrated that He took them away from their lives and then left them to fend for themselves? The disciples are left to mourn their beloved leader, and they are also left to mourn the hopes and dreams they had placed upon Him. They are left to fear the future, and fear they do. Christ rises again, and it takes a while, but eventually they all come to see and believe and feel peace.

Now imagine if they had been able to have faith in Christ’s words.

Jesus is taken, tortured, and crucified. As they watch this come to pass, they are agonized over watching it, but they know what this is for. Even if they don’t fully grasp the fact that Christ needs to experience this suffering to complete the atonement, they know that He promised it would all work out. They lovingly take care of His body. There are still tears and disbelief, but the source is an overwhelming awe at what He sacrificed for them. There are whispers of gratitude instead of whispers of, “Why?” They are still saying, “I can’t believe this happened,” but it’s only because they can’t believe that He suffered in that manner for them; it’s only because they can’t believe they are truly free from Satan’s grasp.

And then there is a waiting period of three days. They know He’s coming back; He promised He would. No matter what they do, their minds are always drawn back to pondering what happened. And they wait.

With faith, they experienced the same events, but the events felt completely different. There were still tears, still agony. There was a lot of waiting, but the waiting had anticipation over fear.

When Christ teaches Thomas that, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed,” He’s not talking about raining down arbitrary blessings upon those who choose to believe in something they can’t see. He’s talking about the fact that Thomas could have saved himself a whole lot of pain if he had been able to find faith. He would have been blessed to pass over all of the agony of the past few days by knowing that it was all part of the plan and Christ would return.

So this is all fine and dandy when you feel faith. Forcing faith doesn’t bring peace; it’s when you feel faith. So how do we “feel” faith so that we can find peace?

Faith is an action word

Faith is an action word. It is an action word in the sense that we prepare for tomorrow by keeping the commandments today, but it’s also an action word in the sense that we are in control of our own thoughts.

Alma 34:31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

I have been struck by this verse a number of times because of the line, “immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.” Immediately. If we can soften our hearts and repent, we will immediately experience the great plan of redemption.

What does it mean to experience the great plan of redemption? It can mean a lot of things, but the one I want to focus on today is the aspect of peace. Experiencing the great plan of redemption means experiencing the kind of peace that Christ promised.

So if we can repent and soften our hearts, we will experience the peace associated with the great plan of redemption. Let’s talk about repentance and softening our hearts separately.

Of course we will experience peace when we repent. Repentance is so much more than saying sorry for breaking a commandment. In my mind, repentance is any step towards becoming like Christ. This means we change into people who are calm, steady, joyful, and authentic. It means allowing ourselves to be healed; Christ didn’t need healing in the same manner, but if we want to be like Him, we need it. So yeah, repentance is going to bring peace.

But repenting and living the commandments won’t bring peace unless it’s combined with that soft heart, and having a soft heart is a conscious choice that we have to make.

Don’t harden your heart any longer. Don’t disbelieve that He adores you. Don’t disbelieve that He will make everything up to you. When something comes in and breaks your peace, actively fight it with a mantra that He loves you and will take care of absolutely everything. Note that I said, “mantra.” Maybe the idea that He loves you is not yet a knowledge, but if you want to find that knowledge, you might have to start with a mantra. When Satan comes in, you repeat to yourself how Christ loves you and will take care of it. Eventually that mantra will give way to hope, then faith, then growth of faith, then knowledge. And then bam, you feel peace. It simply comes.

I can personally testify of this. I lived the gospel my whole life with small glimpses of salvation and redemption and peace. But when my heart finally softened and believed, I started experiencing the feeling of salvation immediately and consistently. I started experiencing peace immediately and consistently.

I still have my moments. I still know what it is to feel hopeless, discouraged, weary, explosive. But I have been finding my way back to that peace more quickly or through thicker darkness.

The eternities after this earth life will not be perfect in the sense that the world thinks of as “perfect.” God still experiences sorrow. He still has to watch difficult things and make difficult decisions. But that is precisely why Christ offers a different kind of peace. If He offered us peace as defined by the world, we would find ourselves unprepared for the next life. We need the kind of peace He offers in order to find a peace that lasts an eternity.

I’m grateful for a Savior who sacrificed, and I’m grateful for this time of year to ponder His sacrifice. I know that He loves us endlessly and has the power to support us endlessly. When you find that knowledge and experience it again and again and again, you will find the peace you’re looking for.

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

The Prodigal and the Road That Leads Home
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

The parable of the man and his two sons is (like all of the Savior’s parables) a parable for our time – it is about you and me, today.
It takes courage to repent and follow the path that leads back home to our Father; but Christ will help us on that path.
We can accept and help and love those who have wandered from the path.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Repentance

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Commandments, the Plan of Salvation, the Covenant Path

Scriptures

Luke 15, Luke 19:10, Luke 15:11, Deuteronomy 21:17, Luke 15:13, Luke 15:14, Luke 15:16, Deuteronomy 14:8, Alma 32:13–14, Luke 15:17, Luke 15:20, Luke 15:18–19, 21, Luke 15:22–24, Luke 15:29, Luke 15:31–32, Alma 34:31, Matthew 20:1–16, 2 Nephi 31:19–20, 1 Peter 1:8, Psalm 28:7

Related talks:

The Tugs and Pulls of the World
The Laborers in the Vineyard

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- It is my prayer that each one of us may hear, in this profound parable, the Father’s voice calling us to enter the road that leads home—that we may have the courage to repent, receive forgiveness, and follow the path that leads back to our compassionate and merciful God. Of this I bear witness and leave you my blessing in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer…came to earth “to save that which was lost.”
Description of His Atonement.
- “It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s [atoning sacrifice] shines.”
- I bear witness that the moment you decide to return and walk in the way of our Savior and Redeemer, His power will enter your life and transform it.
Description of His relationship with us.
- The Master Healer stands at the road that leads home, welcoming you.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

…Had there been social media in that time, surely (the prodigal son) would have filled pages with animated photos of laughing friends: #Livingmybestlife! #Neverhappier! #Shouldhavedonethislongago!
But the party did not last—it rarely does.
He had been so sure that giving in to his worldly desires would make him happy, that moral laws were obstacles to that happiness. Now he knew better. And oh, what a price he had to pay for that knowledge!
the road that leads home
“Dear son, all that I have is yours! This is not about comparing rewards or celebrations. This is about healing. This is the moment we have been hoping for all these years. Your brother was dead and is alive again! He was lost but now he is found!”
Our Heavenly Father will run to us, His heart overflowing with love and compassion. He will embrace us; place a robe around our shoulders, a ring on our finger, and sandals on our feet; and proclaim, “Today we celebrate! For my child, who once was dead, has come back to life!” Heaven will rejoice at our return.
Though choices may have taken you far away from the Savior and His Church, the Master Healer stands at the road that leads home, welcoming you.
No matter what may have happened in your life, I echo and proclaim the words of my beloved friend and fellow Apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s [atoning sacrifice] shines.”
Your return will not diminish the blessings of others. For the Father’s bounty is infinite, and what is given to one does not in the slightest diminish the birthright of others.
No, our path will not be free from grief, sorrow, or sadness. But we came this far “by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.” And together we will “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all [people].” Together we will “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” for Jesus Christ is our strength!
Jesus Christ is our strength!

Lists

Ways we are like the Prodigal Son:

Who among us has not departed from the path of holiness, foolishly thinking we could find more happiness going our own self-centered way?
Who among us has not felt humbled, brokenhearted, and desperate for forgiveness and mercy?

Things we wonder when we consider taking “the road that leaves home”:

Is it even possible to go back?
Will I be labeled forever?
Will I be rejected and avoided by my former friends?
Is it better to just stay ‘lost’?
How will God react if I try to return?

This parable teaches how our Heavenly Father reacts when we return to Him:

Our Heavenly Father will run to us.
His heart will overflow with love and compassion for us.
He will embrace us.
He will clothe us: place a robe around our shoulders, a ring on our finger, and sandals on our feet.
He will proclaim, “Today we celebrate! For my child, who once was dead, has come back to life!”
Heaven will rejoice at our return.
Angels in heaven will rejoice. And so will we, your family in Christ. After all, we know what it’s like to be a prodigal. We all rely daily on the same atoning power of Christ. We know this path, and we will walk with you.

How we can progress on the covenant path:

Remember that the path will not be free from grief, sorrow or sadness
Keep in mind how far we have come “by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”
Help each other.
Press forward together with a perfect brightness of hope, a love of God and love of all people.
Rejoice together, for Jesus Christ is our strength!

Stories:

It has been called by some the greatest short story ever told. Since it has been translated into thousands of languages across the world, it is quite possible that during the past two millennia, the sun has not set without the story being referenced somewhere in the world – the story of the man with two sons.

Invitations/Challenges

We as members of the Church of Jesus Christ seek to follow His example and embrace you (who are returning to the Savior and His Church) as our brothers and sisters, as our friends. We rejoice and celebrate with you.

Warnings

Beneficiaries of “prodigality” celebrate, applaud and champion (poor) choices.
But the hunger, loneliness, and remorse simply wouldn’t go away—until “he came to himself.”

Blessings/Promises

I bear witness that the moment you decide to return and walk in the way of our Savior and Redeemer, His power will enter your life and transform it.
Angels in heaven will rejoice. And so will we, your family in Christ. After all, we know what it’s like to be a prodigal. We all rely daily on the same atoning power of Christ. We know this path, and we will walk with you.

Application Ideas

Consider if any “worldly desires” are appealing to you. How can you alter or replace those desires with others which will lead you to Christ rather than away from Him?
If you have strayed in any degree from the road that leads home, decide to change your course.
Think of anyone that you know who is trying to return to the Savior and the Church and could use your help. Pray for guidance as to how you can support and help them.
Remind yourself every day this week that the Savior loves you and stands ready to welcome YOU on the road that leads home.

The post Consider Conference: The Prodigal and the Road That Leads Home appeared first on FAIR.

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A Strait Pathby Autumn Dickson

The end of 2 Nephi is fantastic. As I read it, I pictured Nephi summarizing everything towards the end of his life. He had kept a record and taught many lessons and told stories from his life, but in 2 Nephi 31, Nephi wanted to make sure that the lessons were explicitly laid out.

There is one specific lesson I want to cover.

2 Nephi 31:9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.

Maybe I’m a little slow on the pickup, but it wasn’t until later in life that I recognized the word “strait” as being different from the word “straiGHt.” Though both imply “narrowness,” they are not the same thing. “Strait” was the word that Nephi chose and Joseph translated, and it was a very purposeful word. Let’s explore it.

In the dictionary, “strait” has a couple of definitions. It doesn’t mean a line with no curves or bends. It means, “difficult, limited in resources, closely fitted.” It might not sound pleasant, but these words are actually so cool.

So, “difficult.” The path towards ultimate salvation (as well as the path where we can experience a form of salvation along the way) is hard; that was kind of the whole point. Though it sounds awful, our path towards exaltation included finding ourselves in really difficult circumstances that bring us down. That doesn’t sound very loving or doting of our Heavenly Father, but if we can keep our focus on Him, then it’s actually the most rewarding by far. Strait also means “limited in resources;” this one fascinated me. There will not be many places where we can find comfort outside of the Savior. Luckily, He is actually quite vast in terms of resources.

I could spend a post on each of those definitions, but the one I want to really explore is “closely fitted.” It completely changed the meaning of this verse in my mind when compared to the word “straiGHt.” StraiGHt means no turns or bends. Strait can turn and bend as much as necessary; it’s just closely fitted to the individual. The Lord has extremely individualized paths for each of us. Christ is the only One who walked a “straiGHt” path; the paths we take as imperfect people are much more accurately defined as strait.

There are many ways in which our paths can be described as strait. Obviously, the Lord takes us through specific trials, life experiences, and personalized messages from the Holy Ghost. But there is one other way that I’ve learned that I don’t believe is often talked about.

Strait and sin

So if we were to look at the word “straiGHt” as our example of a sinless path towards God, then it’ll be easier to observe our own paths.

Do we “need” sin in order to get back to our Heavenly Father? Obviously not. Seems like a very silly question, but the silly question helps me highlight the actual truth. We don’t need sin in order to get back to our Heavenly Father, but we do need the lessons that often accompany sin. Sometimes we really do need to learn the hard way in order to change into what God would have us become. God doesn’t want us to sin, but He did send us here to grow and learn. He sent us to taste the bitter so we could comprehend the sweet.

My personal strait path has included plenty of opportunities to fail. One of the first ones that come to mind is this blog to be honest. When Heavenly Father first started prompting me to start this journey of blogging and Youtube videos and podcasting, one of my main worries was my vanity. In college, I wanted to be a musician which takes a fair amount of promoting yourself. Which is awesome for other people. Not so awesome for me. I was painfully aware of rejection and perceived rejection everywhere. I craved validation from other people. I became self-centered in a lot of ways. I wanted to be on a pedestal. When it all came crashing down around me, it felt like one of the biggest blessings of my life (or at least it did later on). I was taken out of that dark place and away from putting myself out there. I became a much happier person, and I shunned temptation because I never wanted to feel that way about myself again.

So when Heavenly Father came knocking on my door, asking me to put myself out there again, I told Him I wasn’t interested. I told Him that I was trying to avoid my obvious weakness of vanity and pride and caring too much about what other people think about me. I know what happens at the end of that road (at least what happens for me). It wasn’t a place I wanted to go to.

As I talked with Heavenly Father about these concerns, He told me that He was giving me an opportunity to practice sharing my light while letting go of that vanity. I told Him that if I failed, that would be on Him haha.

And I have failed many many many many many times. There have been plenty of times where I have cared far too much about whether people like what I put out there. There have been plenty of times where I have felt sharp embarrassment over mistakes I’ve made or when I’m not particularly articulate. There have been plenty of times when I’ve gotten too excited about when I have done a good job. I still have all of these problems, but they have gotten significantly better. It doesn’t affect me as much as it used to.

But I’m so grateful that Heavenly Father wasn’t worried about keeping my path perfectly straiGHt. He was wise enough to take me on a strait path that would allow me to practice being like Him even if it meant some curves, bends, failings, and even sin. He knew that it was the only path that would help me become what He needed me to become. It was specifically tailored to me.

This is not me encouraging you to go seek paths of temptation and sin in order to learn a lesson. That would be dumb; excuse the word, but I used it because it’s accurate. So if I’m not encouraging you to go out and seek opportunities to sin, why am I bringing it up?

Why teach this?

Because it took a weight off my chest. I don’t look back in agony at past mistakes, and I don’t look forward in fear about making more mistakes (since…you know…it’s inevitable). I was never meant to be perfect during mortal life. Heavenly Father has specific lessons that we, as individuals, need to learn. Sometimes it means putting us in situations where we’re going to fail, fail often, and fail hard (hello mortality in general).

He sent us here to make mistakes so that we could become what He meant for us to become, and He sent His Son to pay for it. That was always the plan.

I don’t seek sin, but I’m also no longer afraid of failing. I get to move forward in my life, exerting my energy toward becoming like Him without carrying around the weight of my mistakes. I have a powerful Savior who paid for my sins. Rather than worrying about the fact that He didn’t deserve to take on all that pain, I trust Him and I have a testimony that He was the One who led me on this strait path. He brought me here to fail, He paid for my sins, He comforts me and has the ability to comfort those I’ve wounded, and all I’m left with is a powerful lesson.

As parents, family members, leaders, and friends

I also share this message because it makes us powerful disciples.

Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in a desperate desire to keep our loved ones from making mistakes, to keep them on the straiGHT path so that they never have to experience consequences, that we end up doing more damage. We were never meant to walk a straiGHt path, and neither were those we love. Of course we would like to spare our loved ones pain, but that goal is ultimately short-sighted.

There was a talk given by Sister Tamara W. Runia in the October 2023 General Conference. Please listen to it. God led me to it right at this specific time of writing this post because she expressed what I was hoping to express.

I went through a rough patch my senior year in high school when I wasn’t making great choices. I remember seeing my mom crying, and I wondered if I’d disappointed her. At the time, I worried that her tears meant she’d lost hope for me, and if she didn’t feel hope for me, maybe there wasn’t a way back.

But my dad was more practiced at zooming out and taking the long view. He’d learned from experience that worry feels a lot like love, but it’s not the same. He used the eye of faith to see that everything would work out, and his hopeful approach changed me.

If we can tap into the doctrine that Christ always meant for us to walk a strait path, not a straiGHt path, we will become much more powerful in our ability to help those we love. If we can focus on developing their relationship with the Savior, helping them rely on Him, helping them learn from Him, helping them take powerful lessons from their mistakes, we will exponentially increase their progress in comparison to a desperate attempt to avoid pitfalls, curves, and bends. Our loved ones will no longer feel like it’s their responsibility to be perfect; rather, they will feel and know that mortal life was about progress and that a relationship with the Savior will give them everything they need to achieve that.

I’m grateful for a Savior who paid the price for me to have this experience. I’m grateful that He has taught me about His sacrifice. I’m grateful that He didn’t have impossible expectations for me, and I’m grateful that He has never lost sight of who I can become.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Nephi 31–33 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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On this episode, Brian Hales joins us to discuss the history and significance of the crowning ordinance of the temple.

Brian C. Hales is the author or co-author of several books dealing with Joseph Smith and plural marriage, and runs the website JosephSmithsPolygamy.org. He is also the author of several articles dealing with the origin of the Book of Mormon.

The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 6: Temple Sealings with Brian Hales appeared first on FAIR.

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Nephi’s prophecies of the Book of Mormon; “the doctrine of Christ”(2 Nephi 28–33)by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best. This week’s lesson includes information that goes with the Come, Follow Me reading schedule for the next two weeks. The previous post covers the first two chapters of this week’s reading.)

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Michael B. Parker, “Nephi’s Later Reflections on the Tree of Life Vision,” Insights: A Window on the Ancient World 22, no. 5 (2002): 2–3. In this—my one and only published scholarly article!—I compare Nephi’s language in 2 Nephi 31:20 with his description of the tree of life in 1 Nephi 8:30. In his final testimony, Nephi appears to have purposely alluded to his father’s earlier vision.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Nephi 28–33 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

Be Peaceable Followers of Christ
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Trials and death are things all of us face in mortality.
We are blessed with agency
Peaceable followers of Christ remember that mortality is like the second act in a three act play. They follow and obey even in trials.
Moroni quotes his father, who in speaking to his congregation, calls them the “peaceable followers of Christ.” Those troubled times in Nephite history resemble our own times. Navigating such difficult times can be done with joy by being the peaceable followers of Christ.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, Prayer, Prophets, The Atonement, Faith in Christ, Obedience, the Family can be Eternal, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ordinances and Covenants, Commandments

Scriptures

Moroni 7:3, John 16:33, Mosiah 18:8–9, 2 Nephi 32:7, Abraham 3 (Chapter heading), Abraham 3:24–25, Alma 12:24, 2 Nephi 28:7–9, Acts 17:21, Doctrine and Covenants 123:12, Moroni 7:3, Doctrine and Covenants 6:34, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36–37, Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 5:9, Moroni 7:3–4, Doctrine and Covenants 122:7–9, Alma 7:11-12, Matthew 11:28;verses 29–30, Doctrine and Covenants 137:10, Doctrine and Covenants 137:7, Mosiah 2:41, Doctrine and Covenants 1:14, Doctrine and Covenants 1:12, Doctrine and Covenants 136, Doctrine and Covenants 136:28, Doctrine and Covenants 136:29

Related talks:

The Songs They Could Not Sing
Overcome the World and Find Rest
“The Peaceable Followers of Christ”
Peacemakers Needed

Other Sources Cited:

President Russell M Nelson introduces preach my gospel …
Video: 3 Apostles talk about the impact of ‘Preach My Gospel’
Chapter 3: Lesson 2—Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation
The Great Plan of Happiness
‘These Things Shall Give Thee Experience’
Come, Ye Disconsolate

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- …We have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer.
- As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify that “peaceable followers of Christ” will find personal peace in this life and a glorious heavenly reunion. I bear a sure witness of the Savior’s divinity and the reality of His Atonement. He is our Savior and Redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
- “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
- “… Be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”
- “If the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
- “The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
- “… Fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”
- “give heed to the words of the prophets.”
- “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come.”
Description of His Atonement.
- We are blessed to know of Jesus Christ and His role in the plan.
- As peaceable followers of Christ, we strive to live His commandments. It has never been easy for His followers. Nor was it easy for the Savior to faithfully fulfill His mortal mission.
- “In His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ took upon Himself our pains, afflictions, and infirmities. Because of this, He knows ‘according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities’. He invites, ‘Come unto me,’ and as we do, He gives us rest, hope, strength, perspective, and healing.” (Preach My Gospel)
- “As we rely on Jesus Christ and His Atonement, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” (Preach My Gospel)

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Those who believe in, humbly worship, and testify of Jesus Christ have always experienced trials, tribulation, and adversities.
Bad things happen to good people on this mortal journey.
Now all of us are here in the second estate of our journey of progression toward a kingdom of glory as part of God’s great plan of salvation and exaltation. We are blessed with agency and subject to the trials of mortality. This is the time allotted for us to prepare to meet God.
We choose the role of “a peacemaker, now and always.”
Our heavenly destiny is not altered when we suffer adversity.
Trials are a part of mortality and occur in everyone’s life throughout the world. This includes major conflicts between countries.
We can joyfully be peaceable followers of Christ.
Our Father’s plan of happiness for His children includes not only a premortal and mortal life but also a potential for eternal life, including a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost.
Many do not appreciate that under His loving and comprehensive plan, those who appear to be disadvantaged, through no fault of their own, are not ultimately impacted.
Almost all of us have experienced physical and spiritual storms in our lives, some devastating.
A loving Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the head of His restored Church, have provided us scriptures and prophets to prepare us, warn us about dangers, and give us guidance to prepare and protect us.
The Lord provides His people a chance to prepare for the challenges they will face.
Lives full of praise, music, and thanksgiving are uniquely blessed. Being joyful and relying on heavenly help through prayer is a powerful way to be peaceable followers of Christ. Striving always to be of good cheer helps avoid being cast down in spirit.

Lists

The scriptures warn us of some of the ways people are led astray:

They succumb to an “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” approach
Follow in line with like-minded people advocating for the next “new thing”
Listen to the philosophies of men
They know not where to find the truth

The Plan of Salvation:

Includes a premortal life
Includes a mortal life
Includes the potential for eternal life
Includes the potential for a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost
Includes the potential of having all wrongs righted
Will allow us to see with perfect clarity
Will allow us to have faultless perspective and understanding

Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ have given us scriptures & prophets to:

prepare us for physical & spiritual storms in our lives
Warn us about dangers
Give us guidance to prepare
Prepare and protect us

Some of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s directions:

Require immediate action
Provide protection for many years in the future

Stories/Parables

The Plan of Salvation is like a three-act play. Those who have no knowledge of the Father’s plan don’t understand what happened in the first act (the premortal life) and the purposes established there; nor do they understand the clarification and resolution that come in the third act. Many do not appreciate that under His loving and comprehensive plan, those who appear to be disadvantaged, through no fault of their own, are not ultimately impacted.
One of the most important scriptures for those who are righteous, regardless of their situation in life, is part of King Benjamin’s address to his people. He promises that those who faithfully keep the commandments are blessed in all things in this life and “are received into heaven … [and] dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”
Story of the revelation given to Brigham Young on Jan 14, 1847 at Winter Quarters. The revelation gave practical counsel on preparing for the exodus; taking care of the poor, the widows and fatherless and families of the Mormon Battalion; advice on living righteously; and then encouraging them to praise the Lord with singing, music, dancing and prayer; and if sorrowful, to call on the Lord that their souls may be joyful.

Invitations/Challenges

We are warm, engaged members of the communities where we live. We love, share, and invite all of God’s children to follow Christ’s teachings. We follow the counsel of our beloved prophet, President Nelson: we choose the role of “a peacemaker, now and always.”

Equations

Peaceable followers of Christ who (a) are righteous + (b) follow the Savior + (c) keep His commandments = will be blessed
the ultimate answer = “Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.”

Blessings/Promises

For those of us in the Church striving to be peaceable followers of Christ, a brighter day awaits us as we focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
All wrongs will be righted, and we will see with perfect clarity and faultless perspective and understanding.
As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I testify that “peaceable followers of Christ” will find personal peace in this life and a glorious heavenly reunion.

Apologetics:

We do not know all the answers; however, we do know important principles that allow us to face trials, tribulation, and adversities with faith and confidence in a bright future that awaits each of us.

Application Ideas

How can I better love all of God’s children? How can I invite them to follow Christ’s teachings?
Ask yourself: which gospel principles allow us to face trials, tribulations and adversities with faith and confidence? Consider listing them in your journal, scriptures or study journal. Make a plan to study those principles and pray about them.
Make a goal to be a peaceable follower of Jesus Christ.
How can I praise the Lord with singing, music, dancing and the prayer of thanksgiving?
How can I show others the joy I have in being a follower of Jesus Christ?

The post Consider Conference: Be Peaceable Followers of Christ appeared first on FAIR.

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Mixing Doubt with Angerby Autumn Dickson

One of the topics given as a suggestion in the Come Follow Me manual for this week is to study Satan’s tactics. This has actually already been a topic on my mind for a while. There is one tactic in particular that I’ve come to recognize over the past few months, and so I feel like the Lord has prepared me to learn about this before He even gave me the verse. Here it is.

2 Nephi 28:20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

As I have read this verse in the past, I always pictured two specific ways of Satan raging in the hearts of men. One, I always pictured Satan tempting people to get angry with each other, and two, I pictured him tempting people to hate the church. Both are totally valid examples. However, as I read it this time, I was reminded of this observation that the Lord has been helping me ponder lately.

Namely, I’ve been pondering the observation that Satan likes to mix our doubts with anger. Doubts happen. Even Joseph Smith taught that in order to reach salvation, we have to be able to “contemplate the darkest abyss.” Faith is non-existent without its opposite: doubt. We can’t have faith in something unless there is reason to doubt it, and I believe Satan has a major victory when he can mix our doubts with anger and frustration.

The toxic combination of anger and doubt

One of my children is going through a bit of a phase recently. There have been quite a few stressors in our family life with frequent moves, a new baby, and dad going out of town frequently for work. She also recently started school every day, and all of this has thrown her a bit of a curve ball. She is a daughter after my own heart and loves routine and so all of this upheaval is an obstacle for her. There have been a couple of days in a row where she has absolutely lost her mind at me, screaming, crying, throwing, hitting, slamming doors, all of it.

There have been two sentiments that she has expressed to me in her anger. Namely, she has expressed that she believes I hate her or that I’m not treating her like she’s part of the family.

It’s extremely easy for me to see that my disciplining her has everything to do with how much I love her and how badly I want her to be part of a functional and healthy family, but to her, these are very real feelings. She doesn’t always understand my decisions, she doesn’t always see my perspective, and so she draws a conclusion that I must not love her.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to explain my love and reasoning to her when she’s angry. I’ve tried. When she’s throwing a fit and I’m trying to hold her and explain to her why I’m choosing to make certain decisions in her life, sometimes she simply can’t hear me above the big feelings.

Later on, after she’s had time to calm down, the conversation goes far more smoothly. She is able to see the big picture, to see that I have a responsibility to teach her even if consequences make her sad sometimes.

This is not a perfect similitude of the principle I’m trying to teach, but it can teach the principle that we can apply to broader circumstances. Let me give a better example.

I love the gospel, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had my personal struggles with different aspects related to the church. It’s especially difficult when those struggles are highlighted on social media or by a friend who has left the church. There have been times when I have felt very dark inside. I know there is a temptation to believe that the only way to escape that darkness is to leave, to stand up against a perceived (and possibly very real) injustice. I know the temptation to get angry and demand better in comparison to sitting in the darkness and allowing yourself to feel hurt, invalidated, and unimportant.

Interestingly enough, Satan is on both ends of that spectrum. He is the one in the dark, whispering that you’re nothing. Heavenly Father would never have you sit in the darkness believing that you’re lesser, and as soon as He starts to build you and help you believe that you matter, Satan is right there. Satan is whispering that you should be angry and demand better, that you should have never been made to feel the darkness in the first place.

Whether or not we should have been constantly protected from darkness is a conversation for another day. For now, let’s consider why Satan would like us to feel angry when we have doubts or don’t understand. Let’s consider what can happen when we’re able to let go of the anger.

Letting go of the anger and frustration

It’s easy to say that we should let go of the anger that accompanies doubt. It’s much harder to actually accomplish the task, especially when those doubts make you wonder if you’re insignificant, lesser, or weary. It’s harder when those doubts can easily lead to feelings that something is wrong.

If there is anything I wish for anyone to get out of my blog posts, YouTube videos, or podcasts, it is this truth: any gospel problem can be solved when we have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I would even go as far to say that any problem at all can be solved. We don’t have to force or contort or squash anything about ourselves or how we’re feeling. We simply need to approach Christ with an understanding of who He is.

Imagine how powerful it would be if my daughter could come to me and calmly ask why I made certain decisions in regards to her life. Let it be known that I don’t have expectations for this; she’s really young and that takes a lifetime of practice. But imagine for a moment, that she was able to. How would that change how she feels about herself? How would that change how she sees the circumstances around her?

Like I said, she’s young. Some of the principles I use to make decisions are beyond her ability to understand, and so there has to be a level of trust. But if I prove myself to be a loving mother and if I reassure her of her importance, it becomes much easier to feel okay even if she doesn’t fully understand.

If I can approach my Heavenly Father with faith that I’m important to Him, the doubts are resolved or become insignificant to me.

Maybe that sounds like voodoo. Maybe it sounds like I’m trying to placate people by telling them to “just have faith.” But it’s a reality, at least for me. More than once I have approached Him and told Him that I don’t understand something, that it feels wrong. As I approach Him, replacing my anger with faith that He loves me and is perfect and capable, I find that the doubts are bearable, miniscule even. Trust finds me. I don’t have to ignore doubts or push them down; they dissipate in the comforting knowledge that He really can fix everything and help me come out on top of it all, powerful and glorious and everything He meant for me to become.

It takes a relationship

The power to overcome these doubts does not often happen overnight. My daughter can come to me and be reassured of my love because she experiences it consistently. However, if a stranger did something that felt vastly unfair, it probably wouldn’t mean much if that stranger insisted they wanted what was best for her.

The same goes for trusting the Savior. Think of how often you have little testimony moments. If you were to apply that to a normal relationship, how much would you trust the other person? How much satisfaction and joy would you find in that relationship? The answer is probably not much. If I saw a random stranger do a couple of good things, that would probably give me a good opinion of them, but without a relationship, that good opinion of them would do very little to bless me.

If we want to be truly changed by the atonement of Jesus Christ, if we truly want to experience the blessings of the gospel, to experience salvation now, we need more than a testimony of Him. If we want to feel power over Satan and doubt, if we want to feel secure in this world, a testimony is insufficient. We need a relationship with Him. It is only in a relationship with Him that we gain enough exposure to Him that we start to trust in the promises that make life bearable, worth it, and wonderful. It is only in a relationship with Him that the doubt feels insignificant, laughable even. A relationship with a perfectly loving and powerful Being melts the anger that Satan tries to infuse in our lives. Satan is no competition when we have that relationship. Why do you think we’re encouraged to read The Book of Mormon every day? I believe it’s because it’s giving us a taste of that relationship even if we don’t fully recognize it.

It can be hard work to know your Father in Heaven. Spiritual effort is as difficult as physical effort, maybe even more so. There are no markers. It takes focus in a world that diminishes our ability to concentrate. It builds slowly over time in a world that can deliver gratification quickly.

But it’s worth it. My life has never been so happy and peaceful as it has been since I’ve come to know and experience His power regularly enough that I trust Him and what He says. Invest in that relationship. Above all else in relation to the gospel, invest in that relationship. Help your children develop that relationship so that when the storms come, they will feel that storms are either insignificant or contribute to their ability to be awesome.

I testify of perfectly loving Parents and a Savior. I testify that They have the ability to do all that They have promised to do. I testify that we can’t see the full picture, and I testify that when we do, we will laugh at ourselves for ever having been worried. That is not meant to diminish how difficult it may feel now; it is meant to give comfort. Someday, everything will make sense. I know it because I know my Savior.

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By David W. Smith

On March 5, 2024, Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints jointly announced that, after years of discussion, Community of Christ had sold to the Church of Jesus Christ the iconic Kirtland Temple, several historic sites in Nauvoo, and many historical documents and artifacts.

This announcement was met with joy by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Latter-day Saints) and with sorrow by many members of Community of Christ. As Latter-day Saints celebrate receiving ownership of these important historical assets, we can also “mourn with those that mourn” (Mosiah 18:9) in Community of Christ who are devastated at having to part with these cherished pieces of history.

History of the Assets

After years of toil and devoted effort, in 1836 the Church of the Latter-day Saints (as it was then called) completed the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith—the president of the Church—dedicated the building on March 27, 1836. Contemporary and reminiscent accounts by the Saints attest to a marvelous outpouring of the Holy Spirit during this dedicatory period, when there were miracles and visits by heavenly messengers.

Sadly, over the next year and a half, tensions between various groups of members escalated. Joseph Smith and those willing to follow him left Kirtland and moved to Missouri. From there they moved to Illinois in 1839 and established a city called Nauvoo. As Saints gathered from throughout North America and Britain, the city quickly became one of the largest cities in the state of Illinois.

Due to religious and political difficulties, mobs were formed in 1844 to harass the Saints, eventually leading to the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. After his death, a majority of the Saints followed Brigham Young, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, past the western boundaries of the United States. They settled near the Great Salt Lake in what eventually became the state of Utah and continued The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A small group of Saints, including Emma Smith (Joseph Smith’s wife) and her children, remained in Nauvoo and the surrounding area. They received possession of many important buildings connected to Joseph Smith and cared for those buildings. They also retained important historical documents, including papers used by Joseph Smith in preparing his inspired revision of the Holy Bible. Eventually they established a church that was later named the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS). Through gifts and legal proceedings, this church eventually acquired title to several historic properties and assets in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, including the Kirtland Temple.

The RLDS church cared for these properties and assets carefully for over 150 years. When they changed their name to Community of Christ, they continued to care for these important pieces of their past. They made iconic places such as the Kirtland Temple and buildings in Nauvoo available for public tours and worked diligently to maintain these important pieces of history. They graciously shared access to important historical documents.

The Kirtland Temple was a foundational historic asset to Community of Christ, evidence to them of God’s spirit working in the lives of people on earth. It was a testament to their place as a “prophetic people” called to bring the shalom of Christ to all people on earth. And the properties in Nauvoo were ancestral homes of their church founders and leaders. From these buildings, RLDS church president Joseph Smith III, the son of the martyred Joseph Smith, began the process of building up that church from the scattered Saints in Illinois and the Midwest.

These properties are also important to Latter-day Saints. The Kirtland Temple was the place where Jesus Christ appeared and where ancient prophets came to give authority to Joseph Smith to build up God’s kingdom on earth. Nauvoo is an essential part of the Latter-day Saint story. In this place the Relief Society was established, the largest women’s organization in the world. Also in this place, sacred rituals called temple ordinances were given for the first time.

Both Community of Christ members and Latter-day Saints cherish Kirtland and Nauvoo and the important place these properties have in their shared history.

Financial Difficulties

Community of Christ has been facing financial difficulties for decades. Beginning the mid-1980s, expenses exceeded income, a trend that has mostly continued to today. Through various initiatives and efforts, Community of Christ has been able to maintain a majority of its personnel and programs, though occasionally having to make major reductions.

In a December 2019 financial update, Community of Christ noted that “contributions to Mission Tithes have been declining for more than 25 years” and that “the decline is based on the loss of contributors.” Causing further difficulties, “almost 80 percent of Worldwide Mission Tithes are given by those [age] 60 and older.”

The trend of losing contributors and donations was accelerated by COVID-19. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of worldwide mission tithe contributors younger than age 50 dropped by half. Also in 2023, 48 percent of worldwide mission tithe contributions came from members aged 75 and older.

Let those numbers sink in a bit. This means that almost half of worldwide mission tithes are coming from people who will likely die in the next 5 to 10 years. And the very large demographic group of people younger than 50 are not replacing them. In fact, that group has stopped contributing in droves. To lose half of contributing people younger than 50 in four years is staggering.

In 2020, Community of Christ was able to prepare a budget to sustain current programs and ministries through 2023 (later extended to 2024). But funding in 2025 and beyond was in peril. In their financial report to the church in December 2023, Community of Christ Presiding Bishopric warned:

We’re facing the possibility of significant budget reductions. These reductions would include staff reductions and would significantly impact our capacity to provide current services and ministries to the church at International Headquarters and throughout the field. Reductions in the last decade have resulted in inadequate staffing levels to support current and future needs. We are beyond the ability to trim back expenses. Entire groups of support services and ministries would have to be eliminated.

In an effort to compensate for decreased contributions, Community of Christ has been selling significant property and historical assets for over a decade. It sold large tracts of land in Missouri in 2012, the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon in 2017, and more land in Missouri in 2022. These sales allowed Community of Christ to convert real estate and historical assets into market investments that could be added to a financial endowment that would provide regular income to the annual budget.

Despite these efforts, the gap between income and expenses continued to rise. In December 2023, Community of Christ Presiding Bishopric noted that they were:

Exploring and implementing new sources of income to build endowments and sustain our global mission. This will include an evaluation of how to best utilize all our assets to support our vision and mission. . . . The Presiding Bishopric along with church leaders have been working on strategies related to alternate income such as those listed above for multiple years. There are numerous possibilities still being explored and some that are currently in progress. We are reasonably confident that resources will become available in 2024 to help offset the expected loss in income due to decreasing Worldwide Mission Tithes.

They also noted:

In the future we will continue to evaluate the best use of all physical assets to support mission. In some cases, this evaluation will lead to the conversion of physical assets (such as buildings and property) to liquid assets so those funds can be used for new mission opportunities locally and globally into the future.

Both Community of Christ members and Latter-day Saints would learn shortly what those assets and resources would be.

A Heartbreaking Decision

Faced with this difficult financial situation, Community of Christ leaders began discussions in June 2021 with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the possible sale of historic assets. Even considering selling such historic assets as the Kirtland Temple was devastating, as described by multiple leaders in Community of Christ:

Stephen Veazey, president of Community of Christ: “I agonized over the impact that selling these historic sites would have on members and friends who deeply valued the church’s ownership. On occasion I wept tears of concern for the disappointment and grief some would experience.”
Stassi Cramm, member of the First Presidency: “Initially, when we explored possibilities, I was convinced there had to be a way to fortify the church financially without resorting to this sale. The idea of selling these cherished physical assets seemed unimaginable.”
Ron Harmon, presiding bishop: “The decision to sell historic assets was not an easy one. It was decision filled with emotion.”
Lachlan Mackay, Apostle and descendant of Joseph Smith: “[I] spent 15 years living literally in the shadow of the Kirtland Temple . . . [and] have lived on the Joseph Smith historic site [in Nauvoo] for 18 years. These places have been my home for almost my entire adult life. . . . The Nauvoo House, Homestead, and Mansion House are my ancestral homes. For me, the decision to part with these places has been devastating emotionally. There was a time when I thought it might break me.”

Community of Christ leaders looked for various options to increase funding, but no other options became available that could cover the significant budget gap that was looming. Carla Long, member of Community of Christ Presiding Bishopric, explained:

Although leaders across the church have been discerning and responding to changing ministry contexts, change takes time. Also, some cultural trends impacting church participation are beyond our control. These factors led to the sale of Historic assets as the only remaining assets that could sufficiently fund endowments and in part generate the needed income over time to change our trajectory in some parts of the world.

Despite the pain at losing ownership of cherished historic assets, Community of Christ leaders are confident that selling these assets will position their church to continue its mission for years to come:

Stephen Veazey: “I felt rising hope for the future that the proceeds would make possible.”
Stassi Cramm: “Leaders came to understand that letting go of these physical assets—as painful as it was—would generate financial resources to invest in our current and future mission. . . . As we discerned about the future, it became increasingly clear that parting with these precious sites and items was the best way to embrace the opportunities to serve God through serving others. The realization dawned that we were choosing people over property and paper. This became a guiding principle that bolstered us when the prospect of proceeding with the sale felt unbearable. Even as we mourned the loss, the potential opportunities of the future fueled our hope. Completing this sale emerged as a crucial step in strengthening our response to wherever the Spirit leads us.”
Scott Murphy, member of First Presidency: “I found solace in seeing this decision as an investment in our future, providing capacity to grow our response to Christ’s mission of seeking justice, pursuing peace, and creating sacred communities that reflect God’s vision of shalom for the world.”
Lachlan Mackay: “If I inherited anything from Joseph Smith III, it’s his pragmatism, and intellectually the path forward is clear. I care deeply about our past, but I care even more about our future. The post-pandemic world has changed. The needs have never been greater, and we no longer have the resources, human or financial, to care for these places the way they deserve to be cared for. . . . The proceeds from the sale, at some level, are an extraordinarily generous gift from [the Smith family] that will sustain us as we move into the future. I think they would feel good about that. Amid my grief, so do I.”

A Time of Rejoicing

In the joint statement announcing the change, Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stated, “We are deeply honored to assume the stewardship of these sacred places, documents and artifacts.” Latter-day Saints are grateful and excited for the opportunity to care for these treasured pieces of the past.

Latter-day Saints also recognize the great efforts made by generations past in Community of Christ to preserve and maintain these assets. “They have taken that calling [of stewardship] seriously and, even when it was costly to do so, they did their best to maintain those properties,” notes historian Benjamin Park. However, as Community of Christ Apostle Lachlan Mackay noted above, the Community of Christ no longer has the resources to care for these facilities in a way to preserve them into the future. By transferring ownership to the Church of Jesus Christ, Community of Christ ensures that these assets will be sustained for generations to come.

Through generous funding for historical efforts, the history department of the Church of Jesus Christ will be able to preserve these properties and assets in pristine condition and make them available to all who are interested, free of charge.

At this time of both heartbreak and rejoicing, Community of Christ members can find hope that this sale will enable their church to “have greater capacity to pursue our mission priorities around the world,” as noted by Stephen Veazey. They can find peace and joy through Jesus Christ, who will “comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion” (Isaiah 61:2–3, NIV). And both Community of Christ members and Latter-day Saints can find joy knowing that these cherished pieces of our shared past will be well-preserved for generations to come.

David W. Smith has volunteered with FAIR since August 2019. He has had an article published in BYU Studies, and he presented at the Joseph Smith Papers Conference in 2019. He has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in public administration, both from Brigham Young University.

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session

Love is Spoken Here
Elder Gerrit W. Gong Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Elder Gong explores the expression of love through warmth and reverence, sacrifice and service, and covenant belonging.
Service allows us to both give love and feel the love of the Savior.
We can choose to show and feel the Savior’s love

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, The Atonement, The Lord’s Covenant People, Faith in Christ, Work and Personal Responsibility, Service

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Agency

Scriptures

2 Nephi 2:8, Mosiah 4:24, 1 John 4:18, Moroni 8:16, Matthew 16:25–26, Matthew 10:39–40, Mark 8:35–36, Luke 9:24–25, Luke 17:33, John 12:25

Sources:

“Love Is Spoken Here,” Children’s Songbook
Ethnologue
Frames Of Mind: The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences
Converted: True Conversion Stories from 15 Religions

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Jesus Christ offers a better way—relationships founded on divine covenant, stronger than the cords of death. Covenant belonging with God and each other can heal and sanctify our most cherished relationships. In truth, He knows us better and loves us more than we know or love ourselves. In truth, when we covenant all we are, we can become more than we are. God’s power and wisdom can bless us with every good gift, in His time and way.
- When we meet the Lord, I imagine Him saying, with words of instruction and promise, “My love is spoken here.”
Description of His Teachings.
- “Perfect love casteth out fear.”
- “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man [or woman] profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Description of His Atonement.
- We speak reverently of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, personal and real, not only of atonement in the abstract.
- Let us always speak with warm and reverent gratitude for God’s work and glory and the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice.
- Faith, service, and sacrifice draw us beyond ourselves closer to our Savior. The more compassionate, faithful, and selfless our service and sacrifice are in Him, the more we may begin to fathom Jesus Christ’s atoning compassion and grace for us.
Description of His relationship with us.
- When we let Him, Jesus Christ helps us speak His love here.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Sometimes we need to know love spoken here is heard and appreciated here.
As we recognize Jesus Christ at the heart of temple covenants, we refer less to “going to the temple” and more to “coming to Jesus Christ in the house of the Lord.”
Each covenant whispers, “Love is spoken here.”
We speak reverently of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, personal and real, not only of atonement in the abstract.
We use reverent prayer language when we address Heavenly Father and warm respect when we speak with each other.
The words we use can draw us closer to or distance us from other Christians and friends.
Sometimes we speak of missionary work, temple work, humanitarian and welfare work in ways that may cause others to think we believe we work on our own. Let us always speak with warm and reverent gratitude for God’s work and glory and the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice.
Calls to serve the Lord and each other in His Church give opportunity to increase in compassion, capacity, and humility. As we are set apart, we can receive the Lord’s inspiration to lift and strengthen others and ourselves.
Of course, the changing circumstances and seasons of our lives may affect our ability to serve, but hopefully never our desire. With King Benjamin, we say, “If I had I would give” and offer all we can.
As we worship, serve, enjoy, and learn His love together, we anchor each other in His gospel.
We nurture connection and fight isolation as we regularly minister with our hearts in each other’s homes and neighborhoods.
Sociality and service often go together.
Faith, service, and sacrifice draw us beyond ourselves closer to our Savior. The more compassionate, faithful, and selfless our service and sacrifice are in Him, the more we may begin to fathom Jesus Christ’s atoning compassion and grace for us.

Lists

We speak love in many languages:

The human family speaks 7,168 living languages
In the Church we speak 575 documented primary languages

We communicate intent, inflection and emotion:

Through art
Through music
Through dance
Through logical symbols
Through interpersonal expression (relating to relationships or communication between people.)
Through intrapersonal expression (something that occurs within a person’s mind or self.)

Three languages of gospel love:

The language of warmth and reverence
The language of service and sacrifice
The language of covenant belonging

Children recognize the different ways their parents show love:

“My parents work hard to feed our family.”
“My parents read stories and tuck me into bed at night.”
“My parents keep me safe.”
“My parents help me with my Children and Youth goals.”
“Even though she is very tired after working all day, my mother comes outside to play with me.”
“Even though my mother and I sometimes disagree, I trust my mother.”

We can express our sacramental covenant commitment to Jesus Christ and each other through:

Church callings
Fellowship
Sociality
service

To anchor each other in the gospel of Christ:

We worship together
We serve each other
We serve together
We enjoy one another
We learn His love together

Callings to serve in the Lord’s Church give opportunity:

To increase in compassion
To increase in capacity
To increase in humility

Stake and ward leaders, as you call and release brothers and sisters:

Do so with dignity
Do so with inspiration
Help each feel appreciated
Help each feel they can be successful
Counsel with sister leaders
Listen to sister leaders

Ward activities:

Should be inspired
Should be well-planned
Help everyone feel valued
Help everyone feel included
Help everyone feel invited & needed
Bridge ages and backgrounds
Can cost little or nothing
Invite neighbors and friends

Stories told

Elder Gong told of a locket he gave Sister Gong, inscribed with Morse code for I,I,U. In Mandarin, “ai” means love. So the message was “I, ai (爱), U.”
The story of the new member, when criticized for how short her skirts were, who said: “My heart is converted; please be patient as my skirts catch up.”
When the Gong’s were married, Elder David B. Haight counseled them to: “Always hold a calling in the Church. Especially when life is busy, you need to feel the Lord’s love for those you serve and for you as you serve.”
A stake president observed that service is a privilege that often includes sacrifice; but when we do, we find fewer faults and greater peace.
AI learning to translate idioms correctly: learns better by repetition of examples than by understanding rules of grammar.

Invitations/Challenges

Please, let us be understanding and kind as we learn new languages of love together.
Accept callings to serve in the Church.
Cultivate a desire and willingness to serve in the Church.
May we remember, as President J. Reuben Clark taught, in the Lord’s Church we serve where called, “which place one neither seeks nor declines.”
For some time I have felt that, in many places in the Church, a few more ward activities, of course planned and implemented with gospel purpose, could knit us together with even greater belonging and unity.
Our own direct, repeated experiences may be our best spiritual way to learn the gospel languages of warmth and reverence, service and sacrifice, and covenant belonging.
Where and how does Jesus Christ speak to you in love?
Where and how do you hear His love spoken here?
May we each learn to speak and hear His love here, in our hearts and homes, and in our gospel callings, activities, ministering, and service.

Blessings/Promises

As we are set apart, we can receive the Lord’s inspiration to lift and strengthen others and ourselves.
I promise that love is spoken here, there, and everywhere as we answer yes to Church leaders to serve the Lord in His Church by His Spirit and our covenants.
The Lord’s restored Church can be an incubator for a Zion community.
Ward social and service activities can build new and enduring gospel bonds.
Jesus Christ offers a better way—relationships founded on divine covenant, stronger than the cords of death. Covenant belonging with God and each other can heal and sanctify our most cherished relationships. In truth, He knows us better and loves us more than we know or love ourselves. In truth, when we covenant all we are, we can become more than we are. God’s power and wisdom can bless us with every good gift, in His time and way.

Application Ideas

Ponder Elder Gong’s question: “Where and how does Jesus Christ speak to you in love?” Write your thoughts in your scriptures or journal.
Ponder Elder Gong’s question: “Where and how do you hear His love spoken here?” Consider sharing your insights with your family or friends.
Ask the Lord to inspire you in your calling and help you know specific ways you can lift and strengthen others.
Think of three ways you could increase your desire to serve in the church, especially in any callings you have at this time. Map out a plan to implement those three ways over the next month.

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Keeping the Law of Mosesby Autumn Dickson

I have been waiting for the verses I want to talk about today. I have held them in my mind for a couple years, waiting for the opportunity to write this post. And as I have written it, I have found myself truly humbled as I realized this message extended beyond what I previously thought and hit me directly where I needed it.

Before I delve into these verses, I want to call to your attention the character and circumstances of Nephi. Nephi was a friend of Christ. Nephi knew Christ on a personal level that most of us will only realize on the other side. Such is the man who taught the following doctrine:

2 Nephi 25:24-25

24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

25 For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

Throughout this chapter, Nephi taught that we believe in Christ; he knew that salvation came through Jesus Christ. He knew that belief in Christ is what releases us from the power of Satan, faith that Christ can truly free us from sin and make us everything we hope to be. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we find the peace and freedom and happiness we seek because we know of His power and ability to take care of everything.

But Nephi’s teaching didn’t stop there; Nephi also taught his people to keep the Law of Moses.

When I think about the character and circumstances of Nephi, I would wager that Nephi didn’t actually “need” the Law of Moses. In order to have a fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ, he didn’t need all of those laws and ordinances and constant rituals to keep him in line with his eyes on Christ. I believe that Nephi would have thrived in his relationship with Christ in our day, in a time when we are much more principle-based in our learning and worship.

And yet, Nephi still taught his people to keep the Law of Moses. In fact, Nephi didn’t just teach the Law of Moses, Nephi kept the Law of Moses. Despite the fact that he didn’t need it in order to remain close to Christ, Nephi probably kept the Law of Moses better than just about anyone in his day.

The Law of Moses in our Day

In our church, we have a personal line of revelation and a priesthood line of revelation. There are a million reasons for this, but one of the reasons is this: the Lord needs to guide us individually because we are all different and have different needs, but He also guides the church as a whole.

At the time of the Law of Moses, all of the extra rules and rituals were necessary. If you were to compare the Israelites to a person, they likely would have been a toddler. They needed very clear boundaries and teaching because they had just spent years and years and years in brutal captivity. Even beyond the fact that they had forgotten the Lord, their moral compass was questionable at best. Who can blame them? Think about where they had been in Egypt; growing up as a slave would have made it very difficult to form proper attachments and character. The more I think about the Israelites in the Old Testament, the less I see a vengeful God who was constantly frustrated with His people and the more I see a loving and wise God who knew what His people truly needed.

As time has moved on, the Israelites (as a whole church) have grown. Just as my older kids have outgrown their baby gates and training wheels, the Israelites outgrew the Law of Moses. It was fulfilled and no longer needed, and the church became more principle-based as Christ came in, fulfilled the Law of Moses, and left them with a higher law.

We again live in a time where the church is growing towards principle-based learning; just observe the changes in the For Strength of Youth. And yet, as much as we’ve grown as a whole church, there is a reason that some of our more “Law of Moses” rules stand. Things like coffee, dating standards, and garments are all examples of rules that fall more in line with the Law of Moses in comparison to a principle-based type of worship and learning. There is a difference between, “Keep your body healthy,” and, “Don’t drink alcohol.” There is a difference between, “Keep Christ in your thoughts,” and attending weekly sacrament meetings where we are given a very specific time period to think of Christ. There is a difference between principle-based learning and worship and Law-of-Moses-rules-and-rituals type of learning and worship.

Our need for the “Law of Moses”

As I said before, Nephi likely didn’t “need” the Law of Moses in order to remain close to Christ. When it comes to the modern day rituals and rules that are similar to the Law of Moses, there have definitely been days where I didn’t feel like I needed them. I think about the gospel a lot, and I feel close to my Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. Trying to create a post about the scriptures every week has forced me to think about the gospel and my covenants often. It puts me in a position where I need the Lord, and so I am constantly turned towards Him over and over and over.

And yet, as I was typing out this post, my similarity to the Israelites smacked me in the face. As I scoffed and face-palmed through the Old Testament, wondering on how on earth the Israelites could be missing the symbolism of the rituals they had been given, I realized that I am just as guilty. As I judged the Israelites for going through the motions of the rituals and completely missing the change of heart that was supposed to accompany it, I didn’t realize just how relatable they are.

As one example, I put on my garments every day. And yet, like the Israelites in their action-minus-the-heart worshiping, I find that I am thinking of how inconvenient they are more often than I think about the covenants and blessings they represent. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I were to think about what my garments truly represent, I would forget all about their inconveniences. In truth, if I could glimpse what my garments represent, I would likely be floored at the opportunity I’ve been given to wear them. Like Naaman who washed and was healed in the dirty Jordan River, I wonder if I will get to the other side, and whisper, “I didn’t know. I didn’t know what a blessing I was given.”

It is only in writing this post that I’ve realized how much I still need our little modern-day “Law of Moses” rituals because I obviously haven’t fully realized what a gift I’ve been given.

Christ definitely didn’t need it

As I mentioned previously, Nephi taught and lived the Law of Moses despite the fact that he had a very close relationship with Christ. And yet, as I picture Nephi going through the details of the Law of Moses, I picture him in a posture of humility. I don’t imagine that he stomped around, murmuring about the fact that he has to wash something or sacrifice something since he just spoke to Christ personally. No. I picture Nephi performing the Law of Moses rituals in deep awe because he knew the Savior personally. He knew what the Savior did for him. Those rituals meant everything to him.

To take that a step further, there was no single individual who ever lived on the earth that needed the Law of Moses less than Jesus Christ did. And yet, there was no single individual who ever lived on the earth who more perfectly lived the Law of Moses than Jesus Christ did. And just like the comfort and awe it inspired in Nephi, I actually believe the Law of Moses helped Christ too. It taught Him about Himself; it brought comfort and understanding as He realized what He would be required to do.

In our day, it’s not about whether we “need” the “Law of Moses” rules and rituals like temple attendance, the sacrament, and garments. Need is relative. Maybe there are some of us who don’t “need” it (though I’ve realized I’m not one of those people). But there is always room for more blessings and growth and awe and thundering humility when we view these Law of Moses-ish things as they truly are. Maybe it’s not about need; maybe it’s about the opportunity to find more faith in Jesus Christ.

No; garments aren’t perfect. Perhaps sacrificing to go to the temple can feel like a burden. Perhaps taking the sacrament every single week doesn’t feel necessary. But if you feel this way (and I say this with utter humility because I have been guilty of feeling a “burden”), consider the idea that perhaps you’re looking at it all wrong.

A sheep could NEVER truly symbolize Christ. And yet, if the Israelites had been able to grasp what the sheep represented, it wouldn’t have mattered that the sheep feel pitifully short. If the Israelites could have really seen that sheep symbolically, if they could have looked past what it would cost them to sacrifice it, their lives would have changed because they would have felt changed.

I suppose my overarching plea is this: if you have found yourself frustrated, flip the frustration on its head. Check your reverence as you participate in modern-day Law of Moses equivalents. Check where your focus is as you engage. Are you thinking of Christ? Are you thinking of what He sacrificed for you?

If we utilize the rituals and rules in the way they were meant to be utilized, the burden dissipates and we are left with awe and wonder. And, like Nephi, we will come to know our Savior on a deeply personal level. In fact, it is likely through our deep appreciation of these rituals and rules that we will find ourselves prepared to know our Savior on a personal level.

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Nephi’s quotations & commentary on the prophecies of Isaiah(2 Nephi 11–27)by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best. This week’s lesson includes information that goes with the Come, Follow Me reading schedule for the next three weeks.)

Class Notes

Handout

Additional Reading

Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. A side-by-side comparison of the King James and Book of Mormon texts of Isaiah.

Two book-length treatments of the Isaiah material in the Book of Mormon I recommend:

1. Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch, eds., Isaiah in the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1998).
2. Donald W. Parry, Harmonizing Isaiah: Combining Ancient Sources (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2001).
Since 1981, the Church’s footnote for 2 Nephi 12:16 has indicated a connection between the text of the Book of Mormon and the Greek Septuagint. BYU professors Dana M. Pike and David Rolph Seely examine different interpretive possibilities in “‘Upon all the Ships of the Sea, and Upon All the Ships of Tarshish’: Revisiting 2 Nephi 12:16 and Isaiah 2:16,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14, no. 2 (2005): 12–25.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Evening Session

Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Elder Ulisses Soares Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

Prejudiced thoughts and actions have no place in the community of Saints
The diversity created by God among his children provides opportunities to value and be blessed by each other in ways we can only find as we begin to see each other without prejudice.
Overcoming prejudice will help us see each other more clearly as sons and daughters of God with divine attributes and potential; as we see others more clearly, we’ll also see ourselves more clearly.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Heavenly Family, Jesus Christ, Charity, Service

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, Family

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 76:24, Genesis 1:26–27, Mosiah 7:27, Ether 3:14–17, Moses 2:26–28, Moses 6:9–10, 2 Nephi 26:33, Acts 17:26, Doctrine and Covenants 93:33–35, Ephesians 4:6, Mosiah 18:21, 4 Nephi 1:16–18, Ephesians 4:2–3, Acts 10:38, 2 Nephi 26:33, John 4:4, John 4:7, John 4:9, John 4:25, John 4:29, John 4:6–30, 2 Nephi 26:14–30, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Mosiah 16:5, Alma 42:7–24, 1 Samuel 16:7, 4 Nephi 1:17, 4 Nephi 1:17, Acts 17:26

Sources

1. Church Policies and Guidelines
Punta del Este Declaration on Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere
President Nelson Shares Social Post about Racism and Calls for Respect for Human Dignity
How you know when a new day has dawned in 2020
Natural Man
Abraham Lincoln, [March 4, 1865] (Second Inaugural Address; endorsed by Lincoln, April 10, 1865)
Children of Christ
Martin Luther King and the Challenges of a New Age

Related talks:

Let God Prevail
Hope in Christ
We Are All Children of God

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- God lives. Jesus is the Savior of the world. President Nelson is the prophet of God in our day. I bear witness of these truths in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- Jesus asked for assistance from a Samaritan woman, even though the “Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.” He helped her understand that he was the Messiah she was waiting for. “Is not this the Christ?”
Description of His relationship with us.
- During His earthly ministry, Jesus so perfectly exemplified this principle as He “went about doing good”14 unto all people, inviting them to come unto Him and partake of His goodness regardless of their origin, social class, or cultural characteristics. He ministered, healed, and was always attentive to everyone’s needs, especially those who at the time were considered different, belittled, or excluded. He denied none but treated them with equity and love, for He saw them as His brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

I pray that the Spirit of the Lord continues with us as we rejoice together as true brothers and sisters in Christ.
As a global and ever-growing Church, following this invitation from our prophet (to abandon prejudice) is a vital prerequisite for building the Savior’s kingdom in every nation of the world.
In reality, human dignity presupposes respect for our differences.
(Quoting President Nelson) “The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent! … It behooves each of us to do whatever we can in our spheres of influence to preserve the dignity and respect every son and daughter of God deserves.”
building bridges of understanding rather than creating walls of prejudice and segregation among us.
The light of a new day shines brighter in our lives when we see and treat our fellow beings with respect and dignity and as true brothers and sisters in Christ.
I have deep compassion for those who have been mistreated, belittled, or persecuted by unfeeling and thoughtless people, because, in the course of my life, I have seen firsthand the pain good people suffer from being judged or dismissed because they happened to speak, look, or live differently.
I also feel genuine sorrow in my heart for those whose minds remain darkened, whose vision is limited, and whose hearts remain hardened by the belief in the inferiority of those who are different from them. Their limited view of others actually obstructs their ability to see who they are as children of God.
This conduct (prejudice) is improper for those who are striving to become His true disciples. In fact, my dear brothers and sisters, there is no place for prejudiced thoughts or actions in the community of Saints.
We are all fellow travelers as God’s children, equal in our imperfect state and in our ability to grow.
United in purpose, we see one another with new eyes, and in our oneness, we celebrate our differences as divine children of God.
We move forward as God’s children and as brothers and sisters in Christ, without losing our divine connection, which makes us a unique people and a beloved community.
See one another with new eyes

Lists

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches:

We are all spirit sons and daughters of heavenly parents
We are truly loved by our heavenly parents
We lived as a family in God’s presence before birth
We are all created in the image and likeness of God
We are all equal before Him
We all have divine nature
We all have divine heritage
We all have divine potential

The world is polarized by strong:

Racial divisions
Political divisions
Socioeconomic divisions

Divisions:

Influence how people think about others
Influence how people act toward others

Prejudice looks like:

characterizing the way other cultures think, act, and speak as inferior
characterizing the way other races think, act, and speak as inferior
characterizing the way other ethnicities think, act, and speak as inferior
making use of preconceived, mistaken, and often sarcastic ideas
attitudes of contempt
attitudes of indifference
attitudes of disrespect
attitudes of prejudice

Prejudiced attitudes have their roots in:

Pride
Arrogance
Envy
Jealousy
Carnal characteristics
Are totally contrary to Christlike attributes

We can eliminate prejudiced behavior by:

Looking at others as Christ sees them
Remembering our common divine identity and kinship
Recognizing that we all have common dreams, hopes, sorrows and pains

Stories:

The tale of the wise rabbi, who said that the way to know that night was over and the day had begun was when you could look at the face of a woman or a man and say, “She is my sister; he is my brother.”
Told of attending the open house for the Brasília Brazil Temple, and telling the vice president of Brazil about the white clothing all wear in the temple, and how it symbolizes our eternal identity and that we are all alike unto God.
Compared us to the Iguaçú Falls: like this system of waterfalls, we share the same spiritual origin and substance. Though we “flow” through different cultures, ethnicities and nationalities, we don’t lose our divine connection.

Invitations/Challenges

As disciples of Christ, we are invited to increase our faith in our spiritual brother- and sisterhood
As disciples of Christ, we are invited to increase our love for our spiritual brother- and sisterhood
As disciples of Christ, we are invited to genuinely knit our hearts together in unity and love, regardless of our differences.
As disciples of Christ, we are invited to promote respect for the dignity of all the sons and daughters of God.
We are invited to walk together, peaceably, with our hearts filled with love toward God and all men—or, as Abraham Lincoln noted, “with malice toward none; with charity for all.”

Warnings

In order to build bridges of understanding, we’ll need to make individual and collective efforts to act with lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering toward one another.

Blessings/Promises

My dear brothers and sisters, may we align our hearts and minds with the knowledge and testimony that we are all equal before God, that we are all fully endowed with the same eternal potential and inheritance. May we enjoy more the spiritual kinship that exists between us and value the different attributes and varied gifts we all have. If we do so, I promise you that we will flow in our own way, as does the water of the Iguaçú Falls, without losing our divine connection that identifies us as a peculiar people, “the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.”
I testify to you that as we continue to flow this way during our mortal life, a new day will begin with a new light that will brighten our lives and illuminate wonderful opportunities to value more, and be more fully blessed by, the diversity created by God among His children.
We will surely become instruments in His hands to promote respect and dignity among all His sons and daughters.
I can assure you that the light of a new day shines brighter in our lives when we see and treat our fellow beings with respect and dignity and as true brothers and sisters in Christ.

Application Ideas

Pray for an ability to see any of your own attitudes and behaviors that might need to change in order for you to have your heart filled with love for all of God’s children.
Ponder the list “prejudice looks like.” Identify any areas where you could improve.
Elder Soares says that prejudiced attitudes are “totally contrary to Christlike attributes”. Consider participating in this Attribute Activity. Based on your responses, choose one or two attributes that you would like to strengthen in yourself.
Answer this question: “How can I, in my thoughts and actions, show respect and love for those who are different from me?”
Identify a culture, ethnicity or race that you are not familiar with. Set aside some time this week to become better acquainted with them. Pray for guidance and meekness.

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The Context of Eternityby Autumn Dickson

One of the topics that gets covered this week is the Millennium. Life in the Millennium is going to be a little bit different than we are experiencing now. Nephi quotes the following verse about what life will be like:

2 Nephi 12:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This verse teaches us that war will cease. People won’t be fighting anymore. They will take their weapons that have been used to destroy, and they will be turned into tools that build and cultivate instead. This has often brought me an immense amount of comfort.

Interestingly enough, I actually found a warning when I read it this time.

The warning

When I read about this verse of weapons being turned into tools, I actually thought of The Book of Mormon war heroes, Captain Moroni being one example. Captain Moroni was good at war, really good at it. He spent a good portion of his life preparing for war and fighting in wars. However, the following verse teaches us something essential about Captain Moroni.

Alma 48:11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;

Captain Moroni didn’t enjoy war despite his talent with it; Captain Moroni enjoyed freedom and helping his people enjoy freedom. Why is this so important?

It’s important because when Captain Moroni arrives at the Celestial Kingdom (or if the Millennium were to have occurred in his time), he will have righteous desires that allow him to experience happiness in eternity. If he enjoyed war specifically, he would have found himself feeling rather useless and empty because a desire for war cannot be fulfilling in eternity. Maybe he could enjoy some competitive strategy board games, but that kind of joy is only going to last so long.

Captain Moroni had become the kind of man who could feel fulfilled throughout all of eternity. He lived according to his circumstances here on earth, but he changed himself according to the laws of eternity. He aligned himself with the nature that exists there rather than with the realities of mortal life that only exist for so long.

So here’s the warning. When there is no use left for our swords, will we be happy with our pruning hooks? When our “weapons” become obsolete in the Millennium or in the eternities beyond this mortal life, will we be left empty?

Understanding the nature of our swords

Maybe we are not professional soldiers in our day and age, but there are plenty of mortal desires that will not be compatible with eternal life. There will be plenty of desires that become obsolete.

What are your desires? What makes you happy? What fuels your choices? What makes your work feel worth it? The interesting thing about mortal desires (in comparison to eternal desires) is that mortal desires really can make us happy on earth; the doctrine that is essential to understand is that mortal desires expire.

I have concocted a practical process that can help us examine our desires to check ourselves; there are really only two steps.

Step 1: Make a list of things that fulfill us here in mortality

The first step in the process is to make an honest list of our desires. It is important to be as honest as possible because eventually we’re going to be faced with the truth, and it’s far more unpleasant to meet that truth on the other side. This process is also more effective when we can be kind with ourselves. Every single one of us holds desires that are not compatible with eternity. We don’t have to hate ourselves for it, and hating ourselves just makes it more difficult to be honest and progress. Heavenly Father gave us the opportunity to change ourselves so that we could learn to be strong like Him, and Christ paid for that opportunity. We have nothing to fear.

So what are your desires? It’s easy to write all of the “right” answers, but let’s look at some more leading questions. What occupies large portions of our thoughts? What is our first thought when we wake up and what do we think about before falling asleep? Where do we spend a majority of our free time? What sacrifices are we making and to what end? For example, are we sacrificing so we can provide for our family or are we sacrificing our family in the name of providing? That’s an intensely circumstantial question that may differ day to day, but it’s essential to go to the root of these desires so that we can truly examine how we’re going to feel in eternity.

Looking back over our list of desires, we can also ask questions like, “What makes me happy about this particular desire?” For example, we could write, “Making money,” but there are so many facets of money. Do we like having the freedom that often accompanies money or do we like the prestige of money? Those desires play out differently in eternity so we have to be specific.

Step 2: Place those desires in the context of eternity.

The next step is to take a look at each desire and place it into the reality of eternity.

This step is harder to ask general questions about so instead, I’m going to take one pretty common mortal desire and show what it’s like to observe it in eternity. In that way, we can apply this process to our own personal list of desires. Let’s talk about money again because it’s practical and easy to observe.

There is nothing wrong with making money, working for money, and enjoying money. Let me reiterate that Captain Moroni didn’t like war, but he understood the realities of mortal life. Money is essential, and money can provide a measure of security and happiness. Let’s not pretend that it’s not true.

But. We keep ourselves safe and happy when we keep money in perspective by recognizing the nature of eternity. What are some realities about eternity that correlate with money?

First, if we make it to the Celestial Kingdom, all that the Father has will be ours (that also means it will be everybody else’s too). And if we end up anywhere else, we’re going to still have our temporal needs filled. Our feelings about money should reflect this. Are we going to end up on the other side and wonder, “Well now what do I do?”

Second, there is no prestige over our brothers and sisters in the Celestial Kingdom. If you enjoy all the mortal prestige that stems from money, then understand that the prestige cistern will dry up quickly. You will feel empty.

Third, what did we sacrifice for it? Everyone will have to sacrifice some measure of family time to provide for family needs, but are we spending sufficient time with our families so that we are the kind of people that find deep fulfillment within our families? Because a good majority of the happiness that is available in eternity will be found in family. This is an extremely internal question. It’s not even really about how much time you’re spending; it’s about your desires once again. Some people work three jobs because they have to, but they wish they could come home to their families more. Some people just stay at work because they want money.

Placing all of our desires in the context of eternity can help us align our desires with everlasting realities. In this way, we can make sure we are capable of finding happiness in the eternities.

The key is to change

These questions and lists can seem practical, but people vary widely even within their individual circumstances on a day to day basis. You will likely find that your desires are eternally compatible one day and mortally compatible the next. The key is to nurture your eternal desires. We can enjoy our mortal situations without being left bereft in eternity, but we have to open our eyes to the true nature of things and align ourselves with the truth. As you open your eyes to the true value of things, it becomes easier to invest in the things that matter most.

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by Lyndie Jackson

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

Isaiah foresaw a time when good would be called evil and evil would be called good (Isaiah 5:20). We live in the time he saw—a time when noisy opinions conflict with what we know to be true. Most of us know someone who currently struggles or has struggled with these conflicting ideas, and as disciples of Jesus Christ, we can help them.

President Dallin H. Oaks said, “We must stand fast against the values and practices that draw us away from the Lord’s teachings and our covenants, privileges, and obligations. We can do this with love.”

CONTINUED HERE

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Jacob’s teachings about the Messiah & the gathering of Israel(2 Nephi 6–10)by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class.)

Class Notes

Additional Reading

Taylor Halverson, “‘O How Great the Goodness of Our God’: 2 Nephi 6–10,” Interpreter Foundation, 5 July 2013.
John S. Thompson argues that Jacob₂’s sermon was given in connection with the Nephite observance of the Feast of the Tabernacles: “Isaiah 50–51, the Israelite Autumn Festivals, and the Covenant Speech of Jacob in 2 Nephi 6–10,” in Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, ed. Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1998), 123–50.
Jacob₂ personified physical and spiritual death by calling them an “awful monster.” (2 Nephi 9:10, 19, 26) Book of Mormon Central examined Jacob₂’s words and other uses of monsters in the scriptures in “KnoWhy #34: Why Does Jacob Choose a ‘Monster’ as a Symbol for Death and Hell?”

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

How Great Will be Your Joy
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

The gathering of Israel is what President Russell M. Nelson calls “the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.”
Missionary work is about the Law of the Harvest; that those who sow and those who reap may rejoice together.
Many, many more Senior Missionaries are desperately needed.
Serving as a Senior Missionary will bring you great blessings.

Gospel Principles taught

The Lord’s Covenant People, Gathering Israel, Missionary Work,

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 18:10, 3 Nephi 10:18, Doctrine and Covenants 78:18, Doctrine and Covenants 4:3, John 4:36, Doctrine and Covenants 64:29, Alma 5:14, Jude 1:22, Mosiah 4:20, Doctrine and Covenants 18:15, Matthew 13:38–39, Isaiah 55:12, Doctrine and Covenants 123:12, Doctrine and Covenants 18:15, Jude 1:2

Related talks:

Hope of Israel
The Divine Call of a Missionary
Senior Missionary Moments
Senior Missionaries and the Gospel

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Senior missionaries change the very landscape with their testimony of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Description of His Teachings.
- “The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”
- “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”
Description of His relationship with us.
- The Gathering of Israel is evidence of God’s love for us
- The Lord needs you
- We are blessed as we go about the Lord’s business

Inspiring Words & Phrases

The gathering is the ultimate recognition that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”
Today I am speaking to the many seasoned seniors in the Church who could serve as missionaries. The Lord needs you.
President Russell M. Nelson has encouraged couples to “get on their knees and ask Heavenly Father if the time is right for them to serve a mission.” Of all the qualifications, he said, “a desire to serve may be the most important.”
There are so many ways senior missionaries can do what no one else can. You are a remarkable force for good, seasoned in the Church, and poised to encourage and rescue God’s children.
Mission fields around the world are pleading for your help.
President Nelson has said of our senior missionaries, “They are young in spirit, wise, and willing to work.”
I have called many couples to serve and watched as the Light of Christ has filled their countenances.
You may be on unfamiliar ground; however, the power of the Spirit will make you feel right at home.
Follow the prophet’s counsel and pray to know what the Lord would have you do.
A mission might be the greatest chapter in a couple’s life. A good title might be “My Lord Will Have Need of Me.”

Lists

We are gathering God’s children:

So they will have the blessings of the covenant
So they will have the promises of the riches of eternity

There are many places Senior missionaries can serve:

Another corner of the world, away from home
A service mission at home
Support others who are serving

A smorgasbord of possibilities to serve:

mission offices
Temples
strengthen young missionaries
bolster small branches
work in FamilySearch centers
work at historic sites
teach institute
provide humanitarian service
work with young adults
help in employment centers
Help on Church farms

On their return, senior missionaries describe:

growing closer to the Lord and closer to one another
feeling the Spirit of the Lord pour down upon them
knowing they are making a difference
a testimony of the joy they found in missionary work

Personal Experiences

In 2015 as a newly called member of the 12, Elder Rasband was helping make missionary assignments. There were requests for 300 Senior Missionary couples, but only 10 new Senior couples to assign.
Elder Rasband’s parents served a mission as a senior couple, and found and taught the Guzman’s, who were baptized and remain active.

Invitations/Challenges

Follow the prophet’s counsel and pray to know what the Lord would have you do.
Senior missionaries change the very landscape with their testimony of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to serve as a missionary in the gathering of Israel and perhaps even serve again.
I now invite you to take your know-how, coupled with your time-honored testimonies, and go on a mission.

Other resources

seniormissionary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Blessings/Promises

The Lord has said in latter-day scripture, “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”
I also promise that as you serve, you will feel the love of the Lord in your life, you will know Him, He will know you, and “how great shall be your joy.”
Your dedicated service to Jesus Christ will inspire and bless your family, your grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “Peace, and love [will] be multiplied”30 in their lives for years to come. I promise. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Equations

IF (we want to gather Israel) THEN (we need more missionaries)

Application Ideas

If serving a mission at this point in your life is an option, pray and fast to know if this would be a good choice for you.
Consider how you might help to gather Israel right here, right now.
Identify senior missionaries you are acquainted with; send them a note of encouragement and love.
Pray for the missions to have the senior missionary support they need to move the work forward.

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Reproach and Revilings of Menby Autumn Dickson

There are many things to fear in this world. Our own prophecies of the state of the world before the Second Coming are not for the faint of heart. Jacob knew this, and he chose to teach his people that they were of the house of Israel and would not be forsaken by the Lord. Those who trust in the Lord feel reason to rejoice. Jacob was pleading with them to trust their God so that they could feel this.

There is one very specific fear that Jacob addressed to his people, namely the fear of being hated by others, the fear of being reviled by them.

2 Nephi 8:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

Jacob was quoting Isaiah, and surely Isaiah wrote these words for our day. We believe in a fair amount of doctrine that is revolting to others. Hopefully we hold to these doctrines with courage as well as kindness; after all, Isaiah was speaking to those who “know righteousness” and part of being righteous is recognizing the divinity in everyone around us. Hopefully we are met with the same respect, but this is not always the case. It is highly likely that we will come across someone hostile to our beliefs, no matter how much kindness we throw their way.

However, this verse hit different this week. I believe it hit me differently this week because I realized how deeply and personally Jacob must have felt this. Jacob, as much as anyone, knew what it was like to be reviled by someone for your beliefs. Did the import of this verse hit him as he read it to his people who had been driven away from family who wanted to hurt them? Did he exchange a knowing look with Nephi as he taught this? Did he think of all those times the good people in his family were reviled by their own brothers?

Jacob and Nephi never reconciled with their brothers in this life. They died estranged from them.

How long did it take these brothers to heal from those familial rifts? We see all the best of Jacob and Nephi in The Book of Mormon, but I’m pretty convinced they had some trauma to work through. I have personally seen estrangement in my own extended family, and it’s ugly. I can only imagine how much uglier it gets when that estrangement is a result of one side trying to kill the other. Today, I want to talk about reviling on a traumatic level – on the level experienced by Nephi and Jacob. And even though I will be talking about reviling in a manner that is extreme, abusive, and traumatic, there are principles here that are applicable to everyone, no matter what level of reviling you have experienced.

Naturally achieving the peace of the gospel

I am a huge believer in the sentiment that we do not have to force our feelings in the gospel. When we are met with reviling and resentment, we don’t have to be afraid. But we also don’t have to fake our bravery or peace. We don’t have to try to force ourselves to forgive and feel okay when we find ourselves in broken relationships that refuse to heal on one end. We believe in forgiving, but trying to force forgiveness is counterproductive.

So if we shouldn’t try to force faith and forgiveness, how do we naturally reach those feelings? How do we get to the point where the faith and forgiveness pours out of us rather than us trying desperately to dam up the hurt and be polite anyway? How do we get to the point where we look at our enemies and find that we can’t help but love them anyway? I’m not talking about being polite and taking the high road and patting yourself on the back for being righteous and loving. I’m talking about truly loving those who revile us, where we want to defend them and miss them and we anxiously await the time that we can welcome them back?

Since we’re talking about reviling on a traumatic and abusive level, I want to make sure we understand that there are times in this life where boundaries need to be set and kept for a lifetime. Nephi and Jacob were commanded to flee and make those boundaries. However, we can arrive at a feeling of love for those who have hurt us even if we can’t ever trust them in our mortal lives again. Love does not mean enabling, but finding love within ourselves is important if we want to feel peace. I have also found that when we fill ourselves with real love, the fear of being reviled simultaneously dissipates.

The trauma reaction scale

I’m reiterating this because I think it’s important: When Christ asks us to forgive someone who has reviled us, He is not asking us to try and beat our hurt into submission. He is not asking us to allow someone to hurt us over and over. He is not asking us to “take the high road” and scorn others for being the “unloving ones.” When Christ asks us to forgive those that revile us, He is asking us to free ourselves.

It is critical to understand that this is a process.

It will take time to achieve this true forgiveness, and in my personal opinion, it will take plenty of anger and reasoning and pleading and wading and trying to heal before we make it there.

I want to talk a bit about trauma because trauma can be a natural result of being reviled severely by others. I know that not every experience we have with being reviled will be traumatic, but you can scale the principles I’m hoping to teach. I am not an expert on trauma, but I do love learning about it. Understanding the nature of trauma and being able to overcome our body’s biological processes of protecting us will help us achieve forgiveness and freedom from fear in regards to our enemies..

Our bodies have biological processes built in to keep us safe. When trauma occurs in the brain, our bodies skip over our thinking processes and immediately jump to fight or flight. Our brains do this without our consent. That is why the actions of traumatized people can be irrational; those actions often occur without the rational portions of their brains. When we are continuously introduced to trauma over and over and over again, and when we are not able to fight or flee, our brain goes into the next portion of survival mode – dissociation. When someone is stuck in a traumatizing situation with no chance for escape, their bodies will naturally escape within themselves. Their brains take them somewhere else. On the outside, this looks peaceful and accepting and even Christlike. But it’s not. It is survival mode. Here it is in a flow diagram:

Trauma (i.e. abused or severely reviled like Nephi) → Fight or Flight → Dissociation

So quick recap. Let’s say a person is tied to a ship by their brothers. They can’t flee or fight it off. Under normal circumstances, the person (even a person of faith) can find themselves dissociating in order to survive mentally. They detach from the physical circumstances and hide within their own brain. Let’s look at it in a modern circumstance.

Let’s say a person is being mentally abused by a family member. They do not feel the ability to fight or flight and so instead, they dissociate. They withdraw into themselves. THIS IS NOT FORGIVENESS. This is a reaction of trauma. It is quiet. It does not argue back. It looks more Christlike, but it does not feel heavenly. In fact, on the trauma reaction scale, it is worse than fighting back or fleeing the situation. I have seen dissociation praised as Christlike behavior, and I have seen people who are healing look very un-Christlike as they work back down the trauma reaction scale towards normalcy which requires working back through fighting or fleeing. There is anger. There are family members or friends who get cut off. It can look ugly.

But. When that anger and hurt and trauma gets truly worked through, there is a heavenly feeling on the other side. There is a moment on the other side when you become free from all of those trauma reactions and live your life happily despite the revilings of another. It ceases to affect you. You are healed. You feel forgiveness. You let go, and you find freedom. You’re no longer afraid of the revilings of man.

That is why Christ asks us to forgive, not so we can be pious or enable someone to hurt us further. He asks us to forgive because real forgiveness is real freedom from the revilings of others.

I once posted a status or something about forgiveness; I can’t quite remember the details to be honest. However, I had a friend reach out to me in anger. She was really upset that I had preached forgiveness. She had been brutally traumatized by an ex-spouse, and she was angry that I would suggest any kind of forgiveness despite the fact that it wasn’t specifically pointed towards her. She mockingly and angrily asked me if I would have her forgive him.

At that point in my life, I was too naive to understand what she had gone through and to truly understand what forgiveness meant. I can’t remember how I responded, but my reaction now would be, “I want you to heal so thoroughly that he no longer affects you, that you release yourself and him and feel peace and love.” Because that really is what I want for her.

If you go back and read Nephi’s Lament (2 Nephi 4), you will find that he had to work through this as well. One of my favorite lines in that entire chapter is, “Why am I angry because of mine enemy?” I love it because it makes Nephi human and relatable and real. He did get angry with his brothers. He did have to work through everything they did to him. Jacob had to work through watching it all happen as a young boy, and they were able to come out on the other side and preach the feeling of freedom from the reviling of others.

Perfect love casts out fear

Reading Nephi’s Lament can also give a glimpse in how we travel back towards forgiveness and healing and freedom. To put it in very short terms, we get to know our Savior on a personal level. I testify that this is true. I testify that the Savior’s love can be so all-consuming that it heals all the broken fragments left by others. He is real. He loves us. He is powerful. His love is powerful.

I testify that perfect love casts out fear. I testify that as we come to trust and be filled with His love, as we work through all the anger and trauma and finally heal, it will cast out the fear that is embedded in our lives. We will let go of the knee-jerk reactions that come with being reviled. We won’t have to force ourselves to feel more faithful, to “fear not the reproach of men,” it will naturally come.

I talked about this verse in the context of true trauma, but I also testify that this occurs on a much smaller scale. When we have that personal tie to the Savior, any reviling or reproach on any level will bounce off of us. We won’t have to fight off the discomfort and fear. It simply won’t reach us because of the security that we have found in Christ.

Approach Christ; you will find the negative feelings start to dissipate on their own. I know this is true.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Promptings of the Spirit
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

All gifts, whether spiritual or temporal in nature, require a lifetime of hard work, study and practice to refine.
We can take actions that will increase our opportunity and ability to feel and recognize the Spirit.

Gospel Principles taught

The Holy Ghost, The Lord’s Covenant People, The Gift of the Holy Ghost, Gifts of the Spirit, Developing Talents

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Godhead, Covenants

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–25, Doctrine and Covenants 46:8–9, 26, Doctrine and Covenants 87:8, Matthew 18:20, Helaman 5:30

Related talks:

Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives
The Candle of the Lord
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall

Sources Cited:

Chapter 4: Seek and Rely on the Spirit

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I add my testimony to you, gifted Latter-day Saints, of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who bears testimony of Them. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- The Savior said it this way: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

The Spirit cannot be restrained from attending a gathering of holy people.
If you hope to feel the Spirit, be with people with whom the Spirit can easily dwell.
Choose to be with people and go to places where righteousness is found. Find your strength in numbers. Find good friends. Be good friends. Support one another wherever you are. Stand with holy people.
The Comforter always shares His voice when we testify with our voice.
The Lord invites us to earnestly seek the best gifts, even spiritual gifts.
A gift alone does not a master make.
Even those gifts received and unwrapped are often accompanied by the dreaded language “some assembly required.”
Exercising spiritual gifts requires spiritual exercise.
As we listen and act on spiritual promptings, the Holy Ghost magnifies our abilities and capacities to far exceed what we can do on our own. These precious spiritual gifts will help us in every aspect of our lives.
The constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is one of the greatest spiritual gifts Latter-day Saints enjoy. How important is this gift? President Russell M. Nelson answered this question categorically when he stated that “in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
Promptings of the Spirit are very personal and come in different ways.
If you hope to feel the Spirit, be in a place where the Spirit can easily dwell.
Our temples and homes are the most sacred of these dedicated spaces.
Be patient and trust that you will receive what you need when the time is right.

Lists

How to invite and recognize the promptings of the Spirit:

Stand in Holy Places
Stand with Holy People
Testify of Holy Truths
Listen to the Holy Spirit

Gifts of the Spirit bestowed on covenant-keeping members of the Church:

the gift of a testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior
the gift of the Holy Ghost
the gift of faith to heal
the gift of faith to be healed
the gift of discernment
the gift of receiving miracles
the gift of wisdom
the gift of knowledge

The Lord gives spiritual gifts:

To bless us
For us to use to bless others

Spiritual work required to have the guidance of the Holy Ghost in your life:

fervent prayer
consistent scripture study
keeping your covenants
keeping God’s commandments
worthily partaking of the sacrament each week

The fruits of exercising spiritual gifts are:

promptings from the Spirit that help us face our daily needs
promptings from the Spirit that show us what to do
promptings from the Spirit that show us what to say
blessings of peace
Blessings of comfort

Places where the Spirit can easily dwell:

The temple
Our home
Meetinghouses
Seminary & Institute
Church History sites
Visitor’s centers

Invitations/Challenges

Choose to be with people and go places where righteousness is found.
Find your strength in numbers
Find good friends
Be good friends
Support one another
Stand with holy people
Find a quiet place, a holy space where you can seek to receive direction from the Spirit.
You can cultivate an attitude and an environment that invite the Spirit, and you can prepare yourself, but you cannot dictate how or when inspiration comes.
Often the Lord wants us to use our God-given intelligence and act in ways that are consistent with our best understanding.
(An invitation for all youth) Tomorrow, this week, this year, always, pause as you look at yourself in the mirror. Think to yourself, or say aloud if you like, “Wow, look at me! I am awesome! I am a child of God! He knows me! He loves me! I am gifted—gifted with the Holy Ghost as my constant companion!”

Warnings

(The Spirit) caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all.” (quoting Boyd K. Packer)
The noise, clamor, and contention prevalent in the world may overpower still, quiet impressions of the Holy Spirit.
Impressions from the Spirit will align with the scriptures and the teachings of the living prophets.
Be certain that the feelings you receive are consistent with your assignment.
Spiritual matters cannot be forced.

Blessings/Promises

As you seek and take opportunities to share your testimony with others, you will create moments to recognize the Spirit for yourself.

Personal Stories Told:

An experience in the Tokyo Japan Temple celestial room during the open house, when a prominent government official commented, “Even the air that I breathe in this room feels different.”
An experience of a popular sports arena filled with youth commemorating the life of Joseph Smith, where the Spirit was present.
Bearing simple testimony to a taxi driver in New York City.

Equations:

A gift ≠ a master
Listen to spiritual promptings + Act on spiritual promptings = the Holy Ghost magnifies our abilities and capacities
IF we testify THEN the Spirit will testify

Application Ideas

Make a list in your journal of holy places in your life. Find a way to spend more time in those places.
Identify the ‘holy people’ in your life. Think about ways you might become more like them.
Think about what makes a good friend. How can you find good friends? How can you be a good friend?
Write out “Wow, look at me! I am awesome! I am a child of God! He knows me! He loves me! I am gifted—gifted with the Holy Ghost as my constant companion!” and put it on your mirror. Read it every day.

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Nephi’s Psalmby Autumn Dickson

Nephi’s psalm is a classic, and there are a great many things we can learn from it. Rather than focusing on any specific phrases or words, I want to look at the message as a whole. I believe there is something we can learn as we follow Nephi through his transitions.

All throughout the chapters we have read thus far, Nephi has given us examples of his righteousness. He turned to the Lord for his own testimony, faithfully followed his father out of his home, valiantly encouraged his brothers to let the Lord help them accomplish the impossible, and then frankly forgave them after being beaten with a rod. We appreciate these examples; we learn a lot about revelation, turning to the Lord, and following in faith. If we can read these examples with the right heart, we will learn many of the mysteries of the kingdom. However, oddly enough, there is also something very strengthening and reassuring about hearing someone be vulnerable and open about their flaws. It builds connections between people that are much harder to cross over otherwise.

During his psalm, I feel like I catch a glimpse into Nephi’s heart, and it’s one of my favorite Nephi moments. In this awful moment of sorrow after his father died, he bears his soul a bit. He writes down his feelings exactly as they’re coming along and being processed, and it’s a beautiful process to watch. It’s a process that we can mimic. And interestingly enough, when we mimic this vulnerable process out loud at appropriate times, we can often strengthen our relationships with others and strengthen them in general.

Following Nephi’s process

I want to break up Nephi’s psalm into four parts. I will share a verse from each of the four parts that summarizes his train of thought.

2 Nephi 4:17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

So Nephi is experiencing what many of us have felt before. We’re frustrated with our own lack of progress. We’re frustrated that we continually hurt others with our weaknesses. Nephi then transitions into, “I’m a weak man, but I know the Mighty One I have trusted.”

2 Nephi 4:20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

After praising the Lord for all that He has done on Nephi’s behalf, Nephi is then like, “If He has blessed me so much, why am I so worried about my afflictions? Why do I let Satan come in and destroy my peace?”

2 Nephi 4:26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

Nephi then transitions one last time to more of a plea. He asks the Lord to keep him spiritually safe essentially. He recognizes the reality of his mortal weaknesses and asks the Lord to essentially not let him get lost.

2 Nephi 4:33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

Each of these transitions is important and has something to teach us about where to transition emotionally when we’re struggling. Honestly, I wonder if Nephi has actually given us the secret to his relentless optimism – namely consciously processing the yucky stuff with God. Let’s look closer.

Nephi speaks of feeling wretched; all of us know what it is to feel worthless and incapable and discouraged. Do we make the same transitions that Nephi makes? Do we stop to remember the doctrine surrounding our mortal lives and the power of Christ’s atonement? Do we stop to remember all of the encouragement that He has already given us? Nephi did; he looked back and remembered how he has been supported before.

After that original, “I trust the Lord,” it almost appears as if Nephi dips back down into despair again. He asks why do I get angry or yield to sin? It feels like Nephi might be getting discouraged again. Maybe he did. I have interpreted it that way many times, but there is also an alternate interpretation. When I read it this time, I saw an encouraged Nephi. I heard him saying something along the lines of, “Oh my gosh. How did I forget all the ways the Lord has taken care of everything? How did I forget that He always makes it okay in the end? I don’t have to be anxious or discouraged or angry. That’s just Satan trying to distract me from God.” When I read it this time, I didn’t see Nephi falling back into discouragement. I saw him standing up taller, recognizing Satan, and casting him off. And then of course, it ends with Nephi’s plea with the Lord to protect him.

We can follow Nephi’s transitions very easily. We can imitate them and find his same optimism. In the face of death, homelessness, and familial issues, we can literally choose to be like Nephi. It starts with acknowledging your discouragement very openly. It then proceeds with a conscious choice to trust the Lord again; this is much easier when we take the time to recall other times this trusting process has worked, and eventually our eyes are opened to the reality of the situation. We know that we have nothing to truly fear. We find ourselves asking, “Wait a minute; I have God. Why am I worried?”

Stepping away from worry

Worry is an interesting concept because of its close association to love. An oft-occurring reaction that follows love can be worry, and so I believe that sometimes we translate worry into a good thing, and we encourage it. If we’re worried about someone, it is “evidence” of our love. If we’re worried about our salvation, it means that we’re humble and don’t assume that we’re worthy. If we’re worried about accomplishing everything, then the Lord knows that we were anxiously engaged (the irony…). While I agree that worry can have appropriate bounds and doesn’t have to devolve into a dire problem in and of itself, I also believe that sometimes worry becomes this compulsion of righteousness. We feel like we’re supposed to worry because it makes us feel like we care.

Once again, I do not feel like we have to be ashamed of worry. There are appropriate times for worry because it can also help us act. However, Nephi is a fantastic example of the fact that we don’t need worry in order to be righteous or loving or engaged. He is also a fantastic example of how to overcome feelings like worry.

We consciously choose to trust, and one of the feelings that come along with trusting is rejoicing. It is casting off Satan and not giving him a place in our hearts to destroy our peace of mind.

Another reason I love the psalm

There is another reason I love Nephi’s psalm, and it connects to these transitions that we’ve been talking about.

I believe that Nephi’s immense examples of faith can make him feel different than us. Sometimes we can place him on a pedestal and because of this, we simply view it as unrealistic for most people and therefore are discouraged from trying. We commend him for his examples, we’re impressed by them, but we don’t always follow that faith because we turn Nephi into an “other.”

Nephi’s vulnerability in the beginning allows us to relate to him and then realize that we can follow him into that same faith. It’s a fairly simple transition to go from discouragement to faith; it’s a simple choice. Sometimes Satan can make us subconsciously feel like we don’t deserve to step into that faith and optimism, but the Lord literally commands us to trust Him. He wants us to experience the peace, faith, and miracles that Nephi did. He wants us to make the same kind of difference in the world that Nephi did, but it takes that simple choice of trust.

I’m grateful Nephi chose to be vulnerable. I’m grateful that he chose to record his feelings after the passing of his father so we could catch a glimpse of how Nephi is the way that he is. There is a small extension to this message that I mentioned in the beginning. There are appropriate times to be vulnerable. There are times when vulnerability and acknowledgement of weakness will take us much farther in our ability to reach others in comparison to advice or life lessons. Sometimes, simply realizing that you’re not the only one who gets discouraged does more to bolster you than any plea to be faithful. And when you choose to combine this vulnerability with an absence of shame, it gives others the permission to follow suit.

I’m grateful for a Savior that I can trust. I’m grateful for all of the powerful examples of faith given to us by Nephi, and I’m just as grateful for his example of mortal weakness. None of us are alone in our less-than-charitable thoughts, moments of despair, or times of anger. We are especially not alone when we consider the fact that the Savior is always ready to draw near. We can trust that outreached hand, cling to it, and find gratitude and joy in it.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Nephi 3–5 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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by Maddie Christensen

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

In a world full of natural disasters, instability, wars, and conflicts, many people wonder why terrible things continue to happen. It feels like we are constantly being bombarded with bad news, heartache, and grief. Through our time here on Earth, we will go through various trials and tribulations that can be hard to understand. So, why do bad things happen to people who are trying to do good? There are three main reasons:

To help us learn.
To help us come closer to Jesus Christ through His Atonement.
To help us have empathy for those around us.

CONTINUED HERE

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by Vickey Taylor

(This was originally presented at the 2009 FAIR Conference. It’s being reprinted here to go along with this week’s Come, Follow Me lesson.)

The Book of Mormon begins in a manner that I love. Nephi—a child who never misplaced his faith in God and in Christ—summarizes that he was well educated [because he had “goodly parents”—parents whose net worth allowed him the privilege to study], that his life & the life of his family were wrought with affliction, and that his days, nevertheless, were highly favored of the Lord.

It is interesting to think of how the account would have come out if Lehi had written it, if one of Nephi’s older brothers had written it (wouldn’t that have been interesting!) or if Sariah, Nephi’s mother, had given us the account. As a mother myself, I have a unique ‘take’ of the things that happen in my family; different in perspective, I am sure, from the account you would get from one of my children.

I feel certain that Sariah must have had a dilemma, leaving her home behind and traveling into the wilderness with her husband and children, some of whom were out of control and wreaking havoc for the rest of them. Murmuring a bit, she came to understand the Lord’s purposes. It surely must have helped her, as a mother, to deal with the children whose faith was very much misplaced.

For any of us who have had our hearts broken and our ideals shattered by our children’s choices to temporarily toss the teachings of truth aside, Sariah and Lehi’s family is a prototype.

Parents of wayward children commonly agonize over questions like “What did I do wrong?” or “How have I failed?” The most common first reactions are guilt, anger, depression, hurt, or the impression that our teachings have been for naught. The feelings of failure may become a wall in the path of our own progression.

In reality, our children’s rebellious choices may offer us the opportunity to learn more about our personal relationship with Christ, and gain a sweeter understanding of the Savior’s role in our lives than we might have imagined.

How do we remain “whole” when we feel as though we are broken apart? How do we obtain needed healing when it seems as though there is no energy within us to mend? How do we cling to hope when we feel hopeless?

This heavy, heart-rending issue is too much for us as followers of Christ, unless we allow Him to carry us and our burdens. The first and most central assistance to be gained is from the Savior, whose shoulders are broad, strong, and whole enough to tend to us and our children.

Our first choice would be to have children who are so well taught and conditioned to righteousness that they would be like the little girl who went shopping with her mother at a large department store. Following closely as her mom shopped, she grew tired and sat down on the floor. Watching people around them, the little girl failed to notice her mother move on, and her mother was not aware that the little girl didn’t follow her. Soon the little girl realized that her mother was nowhere in sight and she began to cry.

A clerk came to her rescue and learned that this little girl had lost her mommy. She took her by the hand and walked up and down the aisles, but Mommy was nowhere to be found. Following an idea that popped in her head, the clerk asked the little one if she thought her mommy would recognize her voice, and the little girl nodded her head.

Over at the service counter, the little girl stood on a chair so that she could reach the microphone for the PA system. The clerk urged her to speak into the microphone so that her mother would hear her voice, and come get her. The sweet little one held that microphone close to her mouth and, with tears running down her cheeks and a sob in her voice, she said:

“I would like to bear my testimony; I know this Church is true.”

Oh, that it was this easy to rescue our children when they are temporarily lost! When the situation is heavier, and the task is filled with bitter anguish, it is important that we not lose our own way, nor break under the load of hurt and pain.

There is a better way—a way that Sariah and Lehi surely followed.

Many times, we have heard the scriptural examples of righteous parents with wayward children. Interesting, isn’t it that the examples of Lehi, Alma, even Adam and Eve – so many righteous people whose children wandered—don’t seem to compensate for our own inferior feelings when we are faced with similar conditions?

The change within us comes when we stop comparing ourselves- even to those whose own children’s wanderings are captured in the scriptures—and begin changing ourselves. With this change in ourselves, we can find more peace – a peace that is not dependent upon our children “behaving”, but upon our greater hope in the Atonement and in the Eternal Plan.

President Boyd K. Packer once taught, “The measure of our success as parents will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that is now not possible.

It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should. It is my conviction that those wicked influences one day will be overruled…..” [Ensign, May 1992, p. 68].

I think it is important to note that President Packer spoke these words more than seventeen years ago. How much has changed for the worse, in our moral climate, since 1992?

The Lord loves each child. His plan is eternal. His purposes are sure.

While our children may temporarily lose their faith, it is important that we maintain certain habits and a certain order so that our faith remains unshaken. We may, in fact, see the hand of God working in our lives and deepening our conviction of truth as we walk our mortal walk.

I offer a few reminders to keep us pointing in the direction of Christ, to making personally positive, life-affirming choices, and to remaining faithful to our own covenants.

Keep Sanity In Our Own LifeDealing with the mental and emotional pain that comes with chaos surrounding our children’s choices, we may be prone to keep ourselves in the middle of the storm. It is depleting. It does not help them or us.

Finding ways to take care of ourselves will diminish the murmuring and keep us more serene. If we remember that each of us answers individually to the Lord, maybe it will give us license to concentrate on our own journey, and act in an advisory capacity to our children—who will have their own interview with the Lord. He loves them more than we do. His Atonement was offered for them as well as us. His judgment is sure, while ours is spotty and without a full view.

So, let’s be kind to ourselves. Normalcy as it was once known may be a thing of the past, but when dealing with the chaos of children’s choices that often rob us of everything from sleep to money, we must seek the comfort of our places of peace when and how we can. Taking time to read good books, to exercise, to do little things that we enjoy can help us remember that we are in charge of our own life, and of our own relationship with God and Christ. Toss away the self-scorn. Refuse to be drawn into daily drama that accompanies the angry or defiant family member, and actively seek for peace.

I am not sure how Sariah accomplished this. Maybe it was because she also had a Nephi. If we lack a Nephi, perhaps there is a Jacob coming in the second or third generation. Time is not nearly as important to God as it is to us, because He knows the timing of all things.

Keep Focus On Our Spiritual Growth and UnderstandingWhen the rains are coming down and the floods are coming up, it is important to keep our own spiritual reserves from becoming depleted. I realize that this is easier said than done. When we come to terms with the fact that we are not in charge, we can control nothing our family member does, but we can control our own actions and reactions, a new sense of reliance upon the Lord blossoms within us. We remember the counsel given us in 2 Nephi 2:27, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”

Brothers and sisters, the devil has a heyday when we allow ourselves to be pulled down into misery by our reactions to our children’s wrongful decisions.

2 Nephi 2:28 offers us the way to keep our spirits higher and our spiritual growth intact: “And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit.”

The blessings of our covenants will continue for us in the needed ways. The strength of keeping the commandments will buoy us. To be able to “lose face, without losing heart” will grant us a measure of discipleship that may serve us well now and in times to come. [Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “If Thou Endure It Well” BYU Fireside, December 4, 1984.]

To have loving concern and sadness for our wayward children is expected and normal. Misery is optional. I believe Sariah would agree.

Keep Feeding the GoodThere is a story of an old Cherokee man who told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought for a moment and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

While it is human nature to feel anger, regret, self-pity, resentment or any of the issues attached to the “first wolf” inside each of us, it is the second one we must focus on feeding. During time of crisis, to nourish the Good will bring us a greater capacity to deal with earthly problems. When the difficulties we see before us become overwhelming, it is necessary that we “Walk by faith, not by sight” [2 Cor. 5:7] and become “alive in Christ because of our faith” [2 Ne. 25:25].

At times of despair over our children’s spiritual well-being, we are better served by sharpening our own spiritual tools and working on our own testimonies in order to better help our defiant family members.

Keep a Sense of Humor and an Optimistic ViewTough on occasion? Absolutely. But to work at cultivating a sweet sense of humor can carry us through tumultuous times.

I enjoy the story of a nine-year-old boy with an attitude, who announced to his parents at breakfast one morning, “I am running away from home tomorrow. Who is going to drive me?”

If a “merry heart doeth good like a medicine” [Proverbs 17:22], taking a humorous and optimistic approach to some of the issues that come from our children-with-attitude will offer us a dose of helpful medication. For the more severe and heart-rending issues we are called to deal with, it is difficult to find merriment. On our mortal journey, there are some steep climbs and difficult descents where there seems to be only darkness.

I like to reflect on the beautiful talk given by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin at General Conference, October 2006. He speaks of the dark and stormy Friday on which our Savior was crucified. On Sunday, Christ arose from the dead and brought hope to all. Elder Wirthlin reminds us that “No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.” As we look faithfully forward for better days, we may find more quiet joy in the small things that continue to serve us, as we serve the Lord. To keep a merry heart will bless us with more peace during times of turmoil.

Keep Our Job Separate from the Lord’sBrother Larry Barkdull told of a mother who wrote to him from Idaho about how alone and overwhelmed she felt. She was carrying the heavy burden of her child’s redemption on her shoulders. This is a weight that none of us can carry! Only the Savior can carry this kind of crushing burden. He encouraged her to remember her covenant with the Lord, and the partnership involved. That covenant guarantees us that He will walk with us and lighten our burdens if we will give them over to Him.

Our part is different from our Savior’s part. We become overwhelmed when we spin our wheels in a helpless plan to rescue and save our wayward child. That, brothers and sisters, is our Savior’s job. Our job is to remember him and keep our faith and hope intact. Our job is to humble ourselves before him and follow his loving counsel. Oh, the lightening of our load when we accept this truth! Our dilemma grows when we blur the lines of job description.

Keep Our Sights on the Plan of RedemptionWhen in the fiery furnace of dealing with errant children, we have the opportunity to grow our belief in Jesus Christ as the Deliverer and Redeemer. Rather than focus on our real or perceived failings as a parent, we may choose to concentrate on the divine role of the Savior.

He completed his part in the Eternal Plan. What can we do to complete our part of the plan? What blessings are in store for us as we yield to the Savior and pray for continued guidance? What promises might the Lord have in store for each of us?

The prophet Joseph Smith said, “Our Heavenly Father is more liberal in his views, and boundless in his mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive.” [Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1976), 257, 240-41.]

God’s work is the work of redemption. We recall the scripture in Moses 1:39, “This is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Because the Lords’ work is to redeem souls, He will do his work. He will continue until your son or daughter, until my son or daughter, cries out with humble heart, “O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.” (Alma 36:18.)

It is The Plan. It will not fail. He will not fail us, brothers and sisters.

Keep PrayingPresident Gordon B. Hinckley gave us the rule of thumb when dealing with careless children: “I hope you don’t lose patience with them; I hope you go on praying for them, and I don’t hesitate to promise that if you do, the Lord will touch their hearts and bring them back to you with love and respect and appreciation.” [Church News, Sept 2, 1995, Regional Conference in Great Britain].

Prayer works wonders. Prayer opens the portals of heaven. Prayer is balm for our sore hurts. Prayer, when it is in truth “the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed” [Hymnbook , number 145], is answered. Perhaps in a distant day, and in a different way than we imagine, but prayers are answered.

At one point in our history, a telephone seemed an unneeded and unvalued device. In its infancy, a Western Union internal memo stated, “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.”

Can you imagine? We now need land lines, cell phones, texting—all sorts of devices in order to feel current and secure and in communication.

Over the course of our lives, as we pour out our hearts to our Father in prayer, the value of this type of communication becomes more evident. As with a telephone, we have to pick up the receiver and speak into our end of it. Then we must listen in order to receive the answers we are seeking. Despite our shortcomings, this means of communication always works. Like Sariah and Lehi surely did, we have to keep praying.

Our Father is not only concerned with our wandering children, but with us as well. He will never leave us alone and our prayers will not go unanswered. We just need to keep on utilizing this tool of communication, even when it seems hard to do so.

Despite the advice and comfort we receive from good family members, church leaders, and friends who have trodden a similar path, there is nothing to bring us so much comfort, consolation, and cure as Prayer.

Keep on BelievingA testimony of truth allows us the freedom to lean on the Savior. The scriptures give us understanding of the ways of the Lord. We can gain hope from what we learn. The study of Alma the younger is a premier example of the redemption of a wayward soul. He is spoken of as “a very wicked and an idolatrous man” [Mosiah 27:8] who, along with the sons of Mosiah, was the “very vilest of sinners” [Mosiah 28:4].

We can imagine that his parents never ceased praying for him. Though the scriptures do not name the prophet Alma’s wife, I think we may safely assume that both parents remained true to their covenants and trusted in the Lord. In due time Alma the younger repented of his sins and became a mighty man of God. We can imagine the joy that replaced the sorrow within a mother and a father who never lost faith in the Lord.

Any among our members who have children living in a wicked, vile way may take comfort from this example. If not today, this year, or in this life, our continued faithfulness will pay eternal dividends.

There is consolation in this counsel given by President Joseph Fielding Smith,

“Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang.” [Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 volumes. 1954-56, 2:90-91.]

Even during the most vile and turbulent of times, when we are buffeted by Satan, feeling overwhelmed and under-prepared, the Savior will lead us. Our faith will increase based upon our determination to follow Him at any cost. Our hope is anchored to Christ and we are able to keep on believing.

ConclusionWe each have the chance to do as Lehi, Sariah, and their righteous children did:

“Wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life.” 2 Ne 31:20.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that “after you and I have passed breaking points without breaking, our virtues take the form of endurance” [“If Thou Endure It Well,” BYU Fireside, December 4, 1984.]

Endurance—a vibrant stamina—allows us to feast on the words of Christ and more deeply appreciate the promised blessings for those who will endure.

Back to Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s comforting words from October 2006 General Conference, “Each of us will have our own Fridays- those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again…. But Sunday will come.”

A final recounting of counsel I would like to share with you today comes from Elder Orson F. Whitney:

“You parents of the willful and the wayward! Don’t give them up. Don’t cast them off. They are not utterly lost. …. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. … They will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God…” [Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report (April 1929): 110]

Enduring faithfully, though our days may – like Nephi’s – be wrought with affliction, allows each one of us to continue steadfastly during our Fridays of testing, and look faithfully and hopefully forward to our Sunday, whether in this life or the life to come.

We may face many a dilemma in our parenting and grand parenting, brothers and sisters. There is only one way to find peace and to grow in a heavenly direction- that is to keep ourselves focused on Christ and his good word. He knows of our hurts, and of our sorrows. He loves us. He wants to succor our hurts. He knows how to do his job if we will allow him to do so.

It is my hope that we may find the peace we desire—even joy- during our times of dealing with our wayward children. It is my testimony that we can increase in our own faith until that promised day when the Savior gathers them safely within His fold.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

Vickey is a songwriter/producer, vocalist, and professional speaker, and has performed and/or taught in numerous venues. Her compositions include the theme songs for the Special Olympics program (state by state selection), the Make A Wish Foundation, the Especially For Youth program of the Church, and the Families In Focus program. She is a Billboard award-winning songwriter, with hundreds of songs to her credit.

Vicky has enjoyed participation in the Church Education System’s youth and family programs for two decades, having taught for Know Your Religion, Campus Education Week at BYU-Provo, BYU-Hawaii, and BYU-Idaho, Especially for Youth, Best of Especially for Youth, BYU Conferences and Workshops, and women’s conferences. She works with FAIR’s Rising Generation youth group and writes a weekly column, “Can Do Youth,” for Meridian Magazine.

Vickey joined the Church as a teenager, growing up in Virginia. She holds a masters degree in interpersonal communications and currently resides in the Salt Lake Valley. She is married to Dean Taylor. They have eight children and two grandchildren.

The post The Sariah Dilemma: Finding Increased Faith When Our Children Misplace Their Own appeared first on FAIR.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Tithing: Opening the Windows of Heaven
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

The Lord promises to “open the windows of heaven” to bless us when we are honest in our tithes.
The tithes do not belong to the leaders of the church.
When I pay tithes, they no longer belong to me; those funds are then consecrated to the Lord.
The authorities of the church are answerable to the Lord for the use of tithes.
Focus on the phrase “an honest tithe”
The added abundance of the Lord conveyed through your generous tithes has strengthened the reserves of the Church, providing opportunities to advance the Lord’s work beyond anything we have yet experienced.

Gospel Principles taught

Jesus Christ, Agency, Prophets, The Lord’s Covenant People, Faith in Christ, Sacrifice, Tithes & Offerings, Missionary Work, Obedience, Temple Work & Family History

Gospel Doctrine taught

Commandments, Agency, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Malachi 3:7, Malachi 3:10, Malachi 3:11, Matthew 22:21, Acts 5:38–39, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 3 Nephi 24, 3 Nephi 24:10, Doctrine and Covenants 119:3–4, Doctrine and Covenants 1:30, Doctrine and Covenants 78:14, Doctrine and Covenants 120:1, Moses 7:18

Related talks:

“Like a Watered Garden,” by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, 2001
“Tithing,” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, 1994
“Rise to a Larger Vision of the Work,” Gordon B. Hinkley, 1990
“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Russell M. Nelson, 2022

Works Cited:

Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 657: “The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed. If we are paying tithing to get rich, we are doing it for the wrong reason. … The blessing to the giver … may not be always in the form of financial or material benefit”
The Church of Jesus Christ Is Helping Alleviate Global Malnutrition
How the Church of Jesus Christ and UNICEF Are Keeping Mothers and Children Healthy and Safe
General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 34.3.1, Gospel Library: “Tithing is the donation of one-tenth of one’s income to God’s Church (see Doctrine and Covenants 119:3–4; interest is understood to mean income). All members who have income should pay tithing”
The 2022 Report on How the Church of Jesus Christ Cared for Those in Need
Temple List
General Handbook, 34.3.1. 34. Finances and Audits

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- This is my witness. Jesus is the Christ. This is His holy work. He will come again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- Jesus said to give “unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
- The resurrected Savior asked the Nephites to write into their record His promises found in Malachi.
- In our day, the Lord reconfirmed the divine law of tithing, declaring: “This shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And [they] shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever.”
- The Lord clearly directed how tithing should be disbursed, saying, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,”12 meaning bring the tithes into His restored kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- He directed that the use of these sacred tithes would be prayerfully considered by a council of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, “and by mine own voice unto them, saith the Lord.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- “Prove me now herewith”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

All that we have and all that we are comes from God. As disciples of Christ, we willingly share with those around us.
With all the Lord gives to us, He has asked us to return to Him and His kingdom on earth 10 percent of our increase.
Trust in the Lord’s timing; the blessings always come.
We sorrow with those who struggle to have the necessities of life.
The only permanent solution to the poverty of this world is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The world speaks of tithing in terms of our money, but the sacred law of tithing is principally a matter of our faith. Being honest in our tithes is one way we show our willingness to put the Lord first in our lives, above our own cares and interest.
These sacred funds do not belong to the leaders of the Church. They belong to the Lord. His servants are painstakingly aware of the sacred nature of their stewardship.
The spiritual power of the divine law of tithing is not measured by the amount of money contributed…The power comes from placing our trust in the Lord.
Both the prosperous and the poor are commanded by the Lord to contribute 10 percent of their income.
(Quoting Charlotte Hlimi, a 12-year old he interviewed for a patriarchal blessing while serving in France) “My mother has taught me that there are temporal blessings and spiritual blessings that come from paying our tithing. My mother taught me that if we always pay our tithing, we will want for nothing. And President Andersen, we want for nothing.”
(Quoting Charlotte, now 45) “My testimony of tithing was very real at the time, and it is even stronger now. I am deeply grateful for this commandment. As I live it I continue to be abundantly blessed.”
You and I are part of God’s important work upon the earth.
I testify to the words of President Russell M. Nelson: “In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns … He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.”

Lists

The windows of heaven open in many ways:

Temporal
Spiritual
Subtle, sometimes easy to overlook

From the generous tithes and offerings you have consecrated to the Lord:

Last year more than a billion US dollars were used to bless those in need
Missionaries are able to serve regardless of their family financial situation
The blessings of the temple are being brought across the world (177 in operation, 59 under construction or renovation, and 79 more in planning stages)
Thousands of chapels in 195 countries and territories house more than 30,000 congregations
5 institutions of higher education, serving more than 145,000 students, are sponsored
Seminaries and Institutes teach 110,000 classes each week

Personal stories about being blessed by paying an honest tithe:

The story of the Parra family in Venezuela: during a time of political unrest, they gave away their food to people in need. After a night of looting, only their bakery was intact. Their oldest son, Rogelio, attributed this blessing to his parents’ determination to always pay their tithes.
The story of Charlotte Hlimi. When Elder Eyring was a mission president in France, he interviewed her for her patriarchal blessing. When he asked if she paid her tithes, she said yes. She asserted that because they paid their tithes, their family of 10 “wanted for nothing.”
Elder Eyring’s mother in law insisted on writing out a tithing check by herself for an insignificant amount, days before she passed away from cancer. “I want to do it myself. I want to be right before the Lord.”

Equations

As we are honest in our tithes=He will bless us
177 + 59 + 79 = 315 (Temples!)

Invitations/Challenges

Willingly share
Be honest in our tithes
Trust in the Lord’s timing
Sorrow with those who struggle to have the necessities of life
Give fast offerings

Warnings

(Recounting an experience with Elder Eyring in 1998) Elder Eyring cautioned the Saints about comparing what they had with others and wanting more. I will always remember his promise that as they paid an honest tithe, their desire for more material possessions would diminish.
There will be those who cheer us forward and those who do not.

Blessings/Promises

He has promised us that as we are honest in our tithes, He will “open … the windows of heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
He has promised us that He will protect us from evil.
I promise you that as you trust in the Lord, the blessings of heaven will follow.
All is known by the Lord, and in time, we will see His sacred purposes fulfilled.
As you pay an honest tithe, your desire for more material possessions will diminish.
There will be those who cheer us forward and those who do not.
You and I are part of God’s important work upon the earth. It will not come to naught but will continue to move across the world, preparing the way for the Savior’s return.

Apologetics

There will be those who cheer us forward and those who do not.

Application Ideas

Why do you think Elder Eyring used the phrase “honest tithe” instead of “full tithe”? Consider writing your thoughts in your scriptures or journal.
Start where you are and commit to paying an “honest tithe” from now on.
Make it a habit when paying tithes to consecrate that money to the Lord: let go of the desire to control those funds anymore.
Practice noticing the ways you are blessed, spiritually and temporally. A daily or weekly gratitude journal may help with this.
Think of other ways you can help prepare the way for the Savior’s return.
Find other ways to consecrate your time and talents to the Lord through those around you.

The post Consider Conference: Tithing: Opening the Windows of Heaven appeared first on FAIR.

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Choosing Liberty and Eternal Lifeby Autumn Dickson

In the chapters for this week, we find Lehi’s family in the promised land and Lehi is dying. He knows he is dying and decides to share some last messages with his family. He pleads with Laman and Lemuel to get it together, blesses his grandchildren to be protected from bad influences, encourages the others to do what’s right, and prophesies of future events. He also shares essential doctrines.

One of these doctrines is a huge focus in the Come Follow Me manual this week as well as the huge focus for my post.

2 Nephi 2:27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

I have taught about grace and works and the atonement of Jesus Christ many times. And yet, I feel like Lehi has taught about these topics in a way that illuminates my understanding further. Not to mention, he did it in a single sentence.

They are free to choose liberty and eternal life through the great Mediator of all men.

This is a fantastic way to teach grace and the role of works in the Plan of Salvation.

A multiple choice test

I want you to imagine for a second that choosing the Celestial kingdom was occurring on a multiple choice test. There is only one question. This is how I imagine it would look like:

What do you want?
1. Liberty and eternal life
2. Captivity and death

It sounds simple to the point of silliness, but I want you to think about it in this manner. Without Jesus Christ, the test would look like this.

What do you want?
1. Captivity and death

And that is why salvation is a gift. No matter how often we would have chosen to do what’s right, no matter how much we would have changed, no matter how much we would have gotten glimpses of what eternity is supposed to be like in moments with our family and friends, it would have been out of reach. Without the Savior, Heavenly Father could not have given us eternal life without spurning justice and ceasing to be God and newsflash…that would mean there was no heaven to be had. The price had to be paid, and Christ was the only one who could pay it. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, the option for eternal life was now available to us. The option was unlocked for us. It was a gift to us.

That is why we, as Latter-day Saints, believe in grace. That is why we believe salvation was given to us freely. We didn’t pay for that option to show up. Christ gave the option of salvation to us; He didn’t have to give it and He dearly wants to give it.

And yet, it is still a choice.

The “works” portion

This week, I sat down and watched “Prince of Egypt” with my kids. Phenomenal movie. Please watch it. I feel the Spirit every time.

Anyway, as I’ve been pondering this specific principle this week (i.e. Christ providing the option for us to choose eternal life), the “Prince of Egypt” movie hit me differently. There is a part where the Egyptians come chasing after the Israelites, and the Israelites are trapped at the sea. Moses, as a type of Christ, parts the water thereby providing a way for escape for the Israelites. The option for liberty appeared because of the power of Christ.

And yet, the Israelites still needed to choose to take the option. Christ didn’t transport them onto the other side of the sea; He merely made liberty available. Can you imagine the silliness of the Israelites cheering on the shore, ecstatic that the waves had parted and then just sitting there? Can you imagine them praising the Lord for parting the sea and then choosing to camp on the shore until they were slaughtered by the Egyptians or brought back into captivity?

Christ provided the option, but He won’t force us to move forward. He won’t force us to live an eternal life (which, by the way, starts today if we want). He can’t force us to live in a manner that allows for us to feel the peace and happiness He offers.

Some may argue that belief is all that is required, but I believe that eternal life isn’t bestowed. It’s something you grow into. And yet, Latter-day Saints still believe it’s a free gift because Christ paid the price for that option to become available to us..

Walking through the sea

I simplified our choice of liberty and eternal life earlier with my test question, but I did that in order to highlight grace and the principle of Christ providing an option that was not there beforehand. It’s easy to circle “Liberty and eternal life” on a test, but choosing it in real life is a little more involved than that.

I’ve talked often about growing into an eternal life, about progressing to become like our Heavenly Father rather than believing that heaven is something that simply descends upon us. Integrity, charity, and humility aren’t just arbitrary traits that Heavenly Father chose because He thought it would make us better worshippers. In actuality, these are traits that make us feel the happiness and peace that He feels. They are traits that make us feel happy with ourselves and enable us to have heavenly relationships. I could talk a lot about the importance of pushing ourselves to grow into eternal life. I could wax long about the blessings of feeling these qualities within yourself, but I believe there is another part of choosing liberty and eternal life that is equally important to our peace and happiness and ability to grow into eternal life.

Eternal life is not just about becoming like our Heavenly Parents; it’s about being with Him and our Heavenly Mother again. We may not fully comprehend the import of that concept, but there was a time when we loved and felt loved by Them. If we could taste of that mutual love again, we would understand why living with Them would equate to an eternal life.

Consciously choosing to live a life like our Eternal Parents enables us to feel happiness and begin our eternal lives now. Consciously choosing eternal life today also means inviting our loving Parents and Savior into our lives and developing a relationship with Them now. This can be accomplished through a little phrase found in the same verse we read earlier, namely, “…through the great Mediator of all men.” To be a Mediator means to reconcile two parties. The Savior provides the opportunity for us to be reconciled and united with our Heavenly Parents. But just like with any other part of eternal life, He simply provided the opportunity. We are the ones who have to walk through the sea.

There are many things that can keep us from feeling that relationship with our Heavenly Parents. We are very aware that conscious rebellion and laziness can keep us from feeling this precious relationship, but there are also more subtle tactics from Satan that keep us from Them. A belief that we are unworthy, holding onto guilt longer than is needful, and perfectionism are all subtle tactics BUT THEY ARE STILL FROM SATAN. For some reason, it may feel oddly righteous to believe we are too unworthy to approach our Heavenly Father, but nothing could be farther from our Heavenly Father’s desires. He misses us. He feels cheated when we keep ourselves from Him.

Satan would do anything to keep you from believing that you have Parents who are perfectly supportive, perfectly coaching, perfectly pushing us to become as They are because Satan knows the absolute power of that belief.

Satan knows that if we learn how much our Heavenly Parents love us, we will find the happiness and peace that is available in eternity. And if we find that happiness and peace and love, we will find the motivation and power necessary to become like them. Following the gospel will no longer feel punishing; it will be freeing and powerful, and we will crave it.

Christ provided the opportunity for us to develop that relationship by paying the price that kept us from Them. However, it will never be enough to camp on the shore. We will constantly be plagued by fears of the enemy and there will not be any growth. If we camp on that shore and keep ourselves from Them, we will likely be taken over by the adversary just like the Israelites would have been if they hadn’t walked through the Red Sea.

We have to throw off Satan. We have to choose to mentally shun him and send him away. We have to walk through the sea, not only by living the commandments, but by actively choosing to trust in Their love for us.

Trusting Their love is an act of faith; we may not see it ahead of time. Maybe you don’t feel Their love for you yet. We may have to act before we can feel it. However, if we choose to act as though they love us, if we choose to change our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves according to the love we’ve been taught about, that act of faith will start to grow and grow and grow until it fills us and we know it is true.

That is what it means to choose liberty and eternal life, and it is all made possible by a loving Savior.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Nephi 1–2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Morning Session

Kingdoms of Glory
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency

Main Points

Our church is different from other Christian churches because we have the fullness of the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
The kingdom of glory we desire to inherit is manifested through our choices.
The observation of eternal law, ordinances and covenants lead to the development of godly attributes. Godly attributes are necessary to realize divine potential.
Eternal marriage will ultimately be available to all the faithful.
We get to choose which kingdom we want to inherit.
We qualify for eternal life through a process of conversion.

Gospel Principles taught

Our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, Agency, the Atonement, Obedience, the Family Can be Eternal, Eternal Marriage, Temple Work, Millennium, Final Judgement, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Restoration, Prophets and Revelation, Ordinances and Covenants, Marriage and Family, Commandments, Three Degrees of Glory, the Plan of Salvation, Exaltation/Godhood, Agency, the Covenant Path

Scriptures

Doctrine and Covenants 88:36, Doctrine and Covenants 88:23, Doctrine and Covenants 88:22, Doctrine and Covenants 76:89, Doctrine and Covenants 76:82, 103, Doctrine and Covenants 76:79, Doctrine and Covenants 76:77, Doctrine and Covenants 76:75, Doctrine and Covenants 76:62, Doctrine and Covenants 76:56, 58, Doctrine and Covenants 76:43, Doctrine and Covenants 29:11, Doctrine and Covenants 138:57–59, Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–20, Doctrine and Covenants 131:1, 1 Corinthians 11:11, 1 Corinthians 15:40, 1 Corinthians 15:40, 1 Corinthians 15:40, 1 Corinthians 15:40, 1 Corinthians 15:41, JST, 1 Corinthians 15:40, JST, 1 Corinthians 15:40, Ephesians 4:13, Hebrews 12:2, John 14:2, John 15:4–7, 10, Alma 34:32, Moroni 6:4, Abide, The Family Proclamation

Related talks:

The Challenge to Become

“Come, Follow Me”

Works Cited:

Russell M. Nelson, Heart of the Matter (2023)

Chapter 46: Redeeming Our Dead through Temple Service

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- My dear brothers and sisters, I testify of the truth of these things. I testify of our Lord Jesus Christ, “the author and finisher of our faith,” whose Atonement, under the plan of our Father in Heaven, makes it all possible, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” Christ taught that there isn’t just a heaven for the righteous and eternal suffering in hell for everyone else.
- the Lord’s teachings and commandments were given that we may all attain “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Description of His Atonement.
- Christ “glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands”
- Because of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, when we fall short in this life, we can repent and rejoin the covenant path that leads to what our Heavenly Father desires for us.
- Through Christ’s sacrifice, the dead who repent will be redeemed and are heirs of salvation.
Description of His relationship with us.
- (At) the Final Judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ… 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.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

It is not even enough to be convinced of the gospel; we must act so that we are converted by it. In contrast to other preaching, which teaches us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.
We must act.
We qualify for eternal life through a process of conversion.
Our Heavenly Father loves all His children so much that He wants us all to live in a kingdom of glory forever. Moreover, He wants us to live with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, eternally.
“…All the children of God… will ultimately inherit one of three kingdoms of glory, even the least of which ‘surpasses all understanding.’”
Exaltation in the celestial kingdom—is the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The purpose of this restored Church is to prepare God’s children for salvation in the celestial glory and, more particularly, for exaltation in its highest degree.
The mortal family relationship [is] where the most important part of our eternal development can occur.
The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is based on the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become.
The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.
We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow.

Lists

Unique doctrines and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Heavenly Father loves all His children so much that He has prepared a way for all to live in a kingdom of glory forever
The revealed commandments and covenants that offer all the children of God the sacred privilege of qualifying for the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom.
We know from modern revelation that “all kingdoms have a law given” and that the kingdom of glory we receive in the Final Judgment is determined by the laws we choose to follow in our mortal journey.
We teach that “gender is an essential characteristic” because eternal marriage is between a man and a woman
The process of measuring up to the stature of the fullness of Christ requires more than knowledge
Missionary work, repentance and redemption continue in the Spirit world.
The Millennium will be a time to perform ordinances for those who didn’t receive them in mortality.

The Plan of Salvation:

Gives us the teachings and opportunity to make choices that assure us of the destiny and life we choose
Provides “many mansions”: three kingdoms of glory
Is God’s plan of happiness for His children
Begins with our life as spirits before we were born
Reveals the purpose and conditions of our chosen journey in mortality
Reveals our desired destination after our mortal journey
Enables all of God’s children to inherit a kingdom of glory where they will be comfortable
Is founded on eternal truth
Requires that exaltation can be attained only through faithfulness to the covenants of an eternal marriage between a man and a woman in the holy temple
Prepares kingdoms of glory that are suited to the laws individuals choose and can comfortably keep
Is a plan that completely honors your agency

Truths we know about the premortal spirit world, mortality and the next life:

Salvation is an individual matter
Exaltation is a family matter
We have a loving Heavenly Father
He will give us every blessing & advantage our desires and choices allow
Heavenly Father won’t force anyone into a sealing relationship against their own will

The Celestial Kingdom:

Is likened to the glory of the sun
Contains three levels; the highest level is “exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom”
The inhabitants of this kingdom:
- Receive the fullness of God the Father
- Are gods
- Are faithful to the covenant of eternal marriage
- Have chosen to keep the law of a celestial kingdom
Is the focus of the commandments and ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Terrestrial Kingdom:

Is likened to the glory of the moon
Is comparable to the popular concept of heaven
The inhabitants of this kingdom:
- Receive the presence of the Son, Jesus Christ
- Were honorable in mortality
- Were blinded by the craftiness of men in mortality
- Were not valiant in the testimony of Jesus

The Telestial Kingdom:

Is likened to the glory of the stars
Is where the wicked abide, after they have suffered for their sins
The inhabitants of this kingdom:
- Have rejected the Savior
- Have observed no divine limits on their behavior

Equations

Obedience to eternal laws, ordinances and covenants = development of godly attributes
The development of specific godly attributes = realization of divine potential
Divine potential = exaltation in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom
Conversion = a profound change of nature

Invitations/Challenges

The proclamation on the family clarifies the requirements that prepare us to live with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Blessings/Promises

Eternal marriage will ultimately be available to all the faithful.
The mortal family relationship [is] where the most important part of our eternal development can occur.

Apologetics:

The 1995 proclamation on the family is not a changeable statement of policy but is founded on irrevocable doctrine.
There is much we do not know about the three major periods in the plan of salvation and their relationship to one another: (1) the premortal spirit world, (2) mortality, and (3) the next life.
We also know that He (Heavenly Father) will force no one into a sealing relationship against his or her will. The blessings of a sealed relationship are assured for all who keep their covenants but never by forcing a sealed relationship on another person who is unworthy or unwilling.

Application Ideas

Find new ways to bond with members of your family to make sure Exaltation becomes (or stays) a family matter.
At the end of every week, reflect on and journal things you’ve done to continue your conversion process, and list new things you can do in the next week to continuously improve.
List the ways you’ve used the Atonement in your life and look for patterns that help you strengthen your understanding of and appreciation for our Savior’s mercy.
Spend time in the temple or working on preparing family names for temple work. Consider how this time will bless both you and them in the eternities.

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The Second Spindleby Autumn Dickson

I learned something this week about the Liahona that kinda blew my mind. I want to share what I learned, and then let’s take some principles from it.

In a Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Robert L. Bunker describes an engineering phenomenon that I was completely unaware of. He talks about a concept that was invented by man in the 1940’s known as fault tolerant systems. Essentially, you build a computer that does the same processing twice (or more sometimes). If the processing comes back the same, then the computer can continue on because it is “correct.” If the processing comes back different, then something failed and the computer can know about it. Thus, it is fault tolerant. The computer can detect if it’s having its own issues.

Maybe I’m way behind on figuring this out, but the Lord built a fault tolerant system in the Liahona. It didn’t even register in my mind that the Liahona had two spindles until I was an adult. Even then, I couldn’t figure out why it had two spindles until I googled it and found this article from Robert L. Bunker. This verse is not in this week’s reading, but it does give us insight into the Liahona which we’re studying this week.

Alma 37:40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

Spindles. Plural. Both were pointing. If the Liahona only had one spindle, how was Lehi’s family supposed to know whether it was “working?” They could have waned in their faith and diligence, but the one arrow was still going to be pointing somewhere. There was no way they could have known that it was pointing “wrong.” Maybe this is completely obvious to anyone with any kind of predilection for engineering, but this totally blew my mind.

First of all, the idea that Joseph Smith, with all three years of his formal schooling, could have come up with that would have been impressive to say the least. This kind of fault finding system wasn’t formally invented until the 1940’s, but Joseph kinda just threw it out there while interpreting The Book of Mormon in three months. If it hadn’t been in there, I’m sure I could have found the faith to just assume the Lord had a way of letting the family know, but I still think it’s super cool that it was included.

Anyway, I obviously do not claim to have figured this out on my own, as made apparent by surprise. However, I do want to try and take this a step further. It makes sense that the Lord would provide a way for the family to know if their Liahona was in working order; He was planning on using it as a tool to teach them about faith, diligence, and being led along. He didn’t just give it to them, and they were done. The Lord is purposeful and wanted them to practice living the gospel principles in a continuous manner.

Though the second arrow has very obvious implications for Lehi’s family, I believe there are spiritual implications for us. After all, The Book of Mormon was written for our day so that we could learn about the Lord’s dealings with His children. So what do we learn from this fault tolerant, second spindle?

The words of the prophets

One of the fail-safe systems the Lord has provided are dual pathways for revelation. Like much of the world, we believe that the Lord can speak to us directly. This pathway of revelation is critical to our exaltation. It requires us to stretch and reach and dig for ourselves. When we have to seek out personal revelation, we are able to gain that personal relationship with Christ which is ultimately what saves and exalts us. It also allows us to be guided in our personal lives so that the prophet doesn’t have to tell me whether studying elementary education in college is a good idea. Personal revelation is crucial.

The world is also a great example of what happens when you don’t have that second pathway; President Oaks has coined this pathway the “priesthood line.” The priesthood line is how we received the scriptures in the past, and it’s how we receive His guidance today. As a missionary, I remember coming across a group of Christians who had a table up on campus. They were of all different Christian faiths, working together to spread the word. It was admirable. We tried talking to them, but they quickly denounced us as non-Christians. When I pointed out that they weren’t completely similar in their own beliefs of Christ, they quickly responded that they were similar in all of the important things. I found this extremely fascinating since some of them believed that baptism was essential to salvation and some of them did not believe this. You would think that this particular aspect would be classified as “important” since it was determining credentials for salvation, but I digress. Even within the same denomination, you can wander from congregation to congregation and find different beliefs.

This second spindle, this priesthood line, helps us know what the doctrine is. Yes, we do have random quotes from random priesthood leaders that are questionable, but true, canonized doctrine is repeated again and again and again and again. It is not hidden; we know what we believe. These two lines of communication help with the concept of fault tolerance.

Personal revelation

Now the fail safe of a priesthood line can be very helpful in finding out the doctrine of the kingdom. The personal line is still necessary; there are some revelations that only come from the Lord, and we all still have to receive our witness. However, the priesthood line can take us pretty far in establishing the stage.

But what about the personal decisions for which there is no doctrine? There is no “right” answer for what people should choose as careers. There isn’t any kind of doctrine about where we should live or how many kids we should have or who we should marry. There are guiding principles, but guiding principles aren’t always enough. I can be righteous as an accountant or as a fashion designer, but is there a specific direction I need to take? Maybe there isn’t a specific direction, but if there is, I definitely want to know about it.

So what are the fail safes for personal decisions? The priesthood line and personal line can help us with doctrine, but is there a fault tolerant system for our personal decisions? How do we know we’re on the right path if there is a “right” path for us to take? There are plenty of times when there isn’t necessarily a “right” option and we’ll be fine either way, but I’ve also lived long enough and been guided often enough to know He has specific instructions sometimes. What is my second spindle?

I kinda have two answers for this.

First, the Lord helped me understand a simple way to practice receiving revelation. I practiced it with the FSY kids I taught last summer. At FSY, we were given this incredible opportunity where the Lord wanted to speak to us and guide us and teach us. Not to mention, they were all given a journal to carry around anyway. That week, I challenged the kids to write down everything that even barely registered as a potential prompting. I told them that if a thought popped into their heads, they should write it down. They didn’t necessarily need to question whether it was a prompting. They should simply write it down. Was everything they wrote down going to be revelation? No. Would writing everything down help them establish the pattern? Absolutely. If you want to understand whether the Lord is speaking to you, you need a second spindle with which to compare it. Writing down everything could help you start to puzzle out those feelings very consciously and start to recognize the pattern of the Lord’s voice in your own life.

Second answer.

I can’t tell you what your second spindle looks like; it may take time to determine that. However, I can testify of a second spindle. If we learn nothing else from this fault tolerant system of the Lord, learn this: the Lord is capable of helping you know so have faith. When you have a big decision to make and you’re worried out of your mind about whether you’re doing the right thing in your life or whether you’re doing the right thing for your family, set your worry aside and trust the Lord’s ability to speak to you in a way that you can understand. If you don’t feel His voice, don’t fret. If you are regularly turning to Him, He will make His will clear to you if there is a will. Perhaps He will simply close a door that you were planning on taking, or He will open a different one. Perhaps He will guide your desires without you even knowing it, or perhaps you will get a big “warning” feeling that only goes away when you turn around. No matter how He chooses to answer you in any given circumstance, have faith and rejoice that the Lord has a second spindle that works very well. You can trust it.

And if all else absolutely fails, I testify of a third spindle. It’s called the atonement of Jesus Christ, and it makes up for mistakes. It turns all bad into good for those who are trying their hardest to follow the Lord. When I was getting ready to marry Conner and I desperately wanted an answer, I finally gave up and said, “If everything goes wrong and we get divorced and things go totally crazy, the Lord can’t be mad at me because I couldn’t have possibly tried harder to follow Him.” I don’t recommend getting married that way, and I have also learned a lot about marriage since then, but the key is this: you cannot truly fail when you remain close to the Lord. In the end, He can turn everything into a triumph. That third spindle is not fault safe; it is fault proof. It does not fail when we turn it on.

I testify of a Savior who revealed The Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. I testify that He included the coolest, smallest details that can give us so much insight. I testify that He saw all ahead of time and created systems with which to protect us (but not at the expense of our growth), and I testify that He did that because He loves us.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Morning Session

The Sealing Power
D. Todd Christofferson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

The gathering of Israel is how the covenant promises given to Abraham are realized.
The gathering of Israel is the most important thing taking place on earth today.
The sealing power isn’t just confined to certain temple ordinances, but is necessary to make any ordinance valid and binding beyond death.
The very reason the earth was created was so families could be formed and sealed to each other.

Gospel Principles taught

The Lord’s Covenant People, Missionary Work, The Family Can be Eternal, Eternal Marriage, Temple Work & Family History, Gathering of Israel, Exaltation

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Atonement of Jesus Christ, The Restoration, Priesthood and Priesthood Keys, Ordinances and Covenants, Marriage and Family, Exaltation, The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Isaiah 49, 2 Nephi 10:8, 2 Nephi 10:7, Doctrine and Covenants 115:6, Abraham 2:11, Doctrine and Covenants 132:6, Doctrine and Covenants 110:11, Doctrine and Covenants 110:12, Doctrine and Covenants 84:34, Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16, Doctrine and Covenants 2:1, Doctrine and Covenants 128:9, Doctrine and Covenants 132:7, Doctrine and Covenants 128:18, Doctrine and Covenants 124:32, Doctrine and Covenants 128:15, Malachi 4:6, Doctrine and Covenants 2:3

Related talks:

Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018)
Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022
Russell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, May 1995
Henry B. Eyring, “Families under Covenant,” April 2012 general conference
M. Russell Ballard, “Hope in Christ,” Liahona, May 2021
David A. Bednar, “A Welding Link” (worldwide devotional for young adults, Sept. 10, 2017)

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has made immortality a verity and the possibility of exalted family relationships a reality.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.” (quoting President Nelson)
Description of His Atonement.
- We now carry the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of redemption through Him—to all parts and peoples of the earth and gather all who will into the gospel covenant.
- We have hope in Christ.
- I testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has made immortality a verity and the possibility of exalted family relationships a reality.
Description of His relationship with us.
- “When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ.” (quoting President Nelson)
- “In all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a dispensation of the priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power has always been given. Hence, whatsoever those men did in authority, in the name of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the great Jehovah.” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:9)
- “…Individual salvation and family exaltation (are) universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth… This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Highest and holiest
The latter-day gathering into the covenant crosses through the veil.
The gathering is for the purpose of bringing the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all who will receive them. It is how the covenant promises given to Abraham are realized.
We now carry the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of redemption through Him—to all parts and peoples of the earth and gather all who will into the gospel covenant.
The power to validate all priesthood ordinances and make them binding both on earth and in heaven—the sealing power—is crucial for gathering and preparing a covenant people on both sides of the veil.
Here we see the majesty and sacredness of the sealing power—it makes individual salvation and family exaltation universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth. No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.
The commitment to aid one another across the veil can be classified as a covenant promise, part of the new and everlasting covenant.
The highest and holiest manifestation of the sealing power is in the eternal union of a man and a woman in marriage and the linking of humankind through all their generations.
We recognize that in the imperfect present, this [eternal marriage & family] is not the reality or even a realistic possibility for some. But we have hope in Christ.
“Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter. No one can be exalted alone.” (quoting President Nelson)

Lists

The purpose of the gathering of Israel is:

To provide defense against the natural consequences of disobedience
To provide refuge from the natural consequences of disobedience
To bring the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all who will receive them
To fulfill the promises given to Abraham
The building and operation of temples so that
- God can reveal the ordinances of the temple
- God can reveal the glories of His kingdom
- God can teach people the way of salvation

In 1836 in the Kirtland Temple:

Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel (to Joseph)
Elias appeared and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham (that in us and our seed all the following generations would be blessed)
Elijah restored the authority and keys to make ordinances binding on earth and in heaven

If you have experienced unhappy/unhealthy family circumstances:

Remember that God’s pattern for families begins with you
Any healthy and happy connections are also important
You can strengthen your family
You may be able to restore some of the broken relationships
The work of family exaltation is accomplished one by one

Invitations/Challenges

If you have experienced heartache or violated trust, remember that God’s pattern for families begins with you.
Turn our hearts to our “fathers” and forge enduring links with them through the sealing power.

Warnings

Without the sealings that create eternal families and link generations here and hereafter, we would be left in eternity with neither roots nor branches—that is, neither ancestry nor posterity. It is this free-floating, disconnected state of individuals, on the one hand, or connections that defy the marriage and family relations God has appointed, on the other hand, that would frustrate the very purpose of the earth’s creation. Were that to become the norm, it would be tantamount to the earth being smitten with a curse or “utterly wasted” at the Lord’s coming.

Blessings/Promises

I promise that as you faithfully seek that privilege [being sealed as a family in the temple], in time or eternity it will surely be yours.
In the latter days, the Lord’s covenant people will be gathered in.

Apologetics:

No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.

Application Ideas

Consider each of the covenants and ordinances you’ve taken part in. Write in your journal how the sealing power affects those covenants and ordinances.
Create an account on FamilySearch if you don’t have one yet.
Find a way to engage in family history this week. There are some great ideas here.
Spend time in the temple this coming week.
Set a goal that will help you be a strong link in your family.

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Hell was Preparedby Autumn Dickson

When I was younger, I remember being a bit troubled by the judgment and justice of God towards those who choose to do what’s wrong. If He really loved us, I couldn’t imagine Him wanting to be separated from any of us for eternity. It didn’t make sense to my young mind.

As I’ve grown older and observed the world a bit more, it has come to make more sense. Though I know that I can’t make any final judgments of people and I know that I don’t fully understand the circumstances of others, I can still see enough of the world to understand that people choose their outcomes. And despite all efforts to help people make choices that lead to good outcomes, some people still want to choose things that don’t bring anything worthwhile into their lives.

Why would He send His children away from Himself?

I had an experience with a friend a few summers ago where she expressed some of the same sentiments that I had felt when I was growing up. She was a mother of two, a boy and a girl. She told me she didn’t understand how we could believe in a God who was willing to send some of His children to a place like hell. We all make mistakes, we’re all imperfect. She couldn’t possibly grasp the idea of sending one of her children to hell because they weren’t perfect.

I had this entire response built up in my mind, but luckily the Spirit caught my attention before I could give her that response. I simply asked her, “If your son assaulted your daughter and didn’t change and continued to belittle her, would you force her to spend eternity with him? That wouldn’t be heaven for her.” She didn’t have much of a response, but the Spirit will do that to you.

The Spirit did it to me too in that same moment; I had never looked at it in some real terms because I had never been forced to. I have never yet had to question how I would respond if one of my children was making destructive choices that severely influenced the happiness of my other children. It was at that moment that I understood Heavenly Father just a little bit better. As much as it would make my heart ache forever, I would hope to be wise enough to not sacrifice the happiness of all my other children. If that child changed and chose better, then I would rejoice and cry and throw my arms around them and welcome them home. But if they continued to choose what they wanted at the expense of others, they would have to leave my home.

An understanding of hell

The simple fact of the matter is, there are those who will continue to choose to harm others despite any attempt we might make to help them be happier. We see this so clearly with Laman and Lemuel! Once again, I can’t make any final judgments; I hope they finally figured it out, but they were given every advantage, but they did not want it. Their father taught them how to reach the Lord, but they would not inquire of Him. They saw an angel rebuke them, but that didn’t stop them from hurting Nephi again and again and again. Happiness and salvation were handed to them over and over and over, but they did not want it.

I don’t know why, but some people choose what they want to choose despite all evidence to the contrary. The Lord understood this, and He taught it to Nephi.

1 Nephi 15:33-35:

33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy.

35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken.

There is a place prepared for those who would continue to harm others and rob them of the heaven that our Father wants for them. Much of the world believes that this place is scary; we have a different theory.

One of the keys to understanding God is to understand hell. Hell is a word that can mean a couple of different things to us, but let’s discuss it in this context.

One version of hell includes a place called “outer darkness.” There is not much known about this place other than the idea that most of us aren’t even capable of going there. You have to know Christ perfectly and then reject Him. That’s one version, but it’s not super applicable so let’s move on.

Another concept of hell is associated with the three different kingdoms of glory. The concept of hell can expand to mean any place where we are not directly living with God (basically anything lower than the Celestial kingdom). Hell is like a lake of fire and brimstone, not a literal lake of fire and brimstone. The pain of being separated from Heavenly Father is the fire, the brimstone, the hell.

Interestingly enough, sometimes salvation is even expanded to represent anyone found in the three kingdoms. We know that even the lesser two kingdoms are more glorious than what we have on earth. They are beautiful places and Heavenly Father’s children who go there will receive resurrected bodies. In this sense, everyone in one of the three kingdoms of glory experiences salvation to an extent.

In a sense, the lesser kingdoms are places of heaven and hell, and that completely matches up with what I understand of a loving Father. Even as an imperfect parent, I can understand the logic behind this plan of Heavenly Father. I may not be able to have all of my children with me, but I still love them. I still want them to be as comfortable as I can make them for eternity so I will prepare a place for them. It will be a wonderful place, but unfortunately, because of their choices, they will still experience aspects of hell. There is nothing I can do about that except rob them of their ability to choose, and even then, they will still not experience happiness; they will still not feel the full extent of heaven because it will be forced upon them. So I leave them to experience hell to the extent they choose. They will be separated from a loving parent, their siblings, and they will be surrounded by others who make the same kind of choices. I would grieve knowing that some of my children are continuing to hurt each other and that they are separated from me, but I would find peace in the fact that I had done everything I could for them. Everything that could have possibly been done to help them was done.

I love the Plan of Salvation because it makes perfect sense to me. Nothing is arbitrary. I look at the plan, and I see the love of Heavenly Father. If no one had ever told me that God loved me, but they showed me this plan, I wouldn’t have to be told of His love. You can see it in the decisions He has made regarding His children.

I testify of a Heavenly Father who truly loves His children. I testify that He gave us children so that we could better comprehend His choices surrounding us. I testify that He did everything He possibly could to give them everything He has. He sacrificed His perfect Son, gave them the ability to choose happiness, and made up for all of the bad that would occur. I testify of the Savior’s atonement that can make up for all the wrong that happens to us. I testify that what will truly matter at Judgment Day is whether we will be a harmful influence in the Celestial Kingdom because the Savior paid for the mistakes we would make while figuring it all out.

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What does it mean to be worthy?by Autumn Dickson

As I was reading through Lehi’s vision this week, I was struck by a verse that I have thought about plenty before. For context, we see large groups of people moving towards the fruit of the tree which represents the love of God. There are lots of things occurring, but here’s just one:

1 Nephi 8:25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

As we continue on reading, we learn that there was a great and spacious building representing the pride of the world, and it was filled with people. Some of the people who came and partook of the love of God looked around, saw the building, and they became ashamed as they were moved by those who were in this building.

But I saw something new in that verse this time. I know that Nephi explains the reason that these people felt ashamed. However, the Spirit whispered another possible interpretation to me.

I have found that there are many of us in the church who partake regularly of the love of God. However, despite this regular partaking, we still feel ashamed of ourselves for past transgressions. I don’t think this is a completely abnormal feeling; in fact, I think it’s actually quite natural. When you find yourself partaking of something that pure, it can be hard to look back at your less-than-pure actions and intentions in comparison. It makes it doubly difficult if those less-than-pure actions and intentions still haunt you in the form of feelings and memories.

Though I believe that this can be a “natural” response, I don’t think it’s a feeling we should entertain. The Lord utilizes guilt to help us come back, but He does not utilize shame. Shame is an unhelpful feeling that draws us away from God in every instance. Whether we’re ashamed because we’re being mocked by others or if we’re ashamed because of our past sins, shame will never bring us closer to Him. It will only cause us to withdraw and hide. Shame comes from Satan.

I think that shame, at least in this particular context, stems from a misunderstanding about what it means to be worthy.

What does it mean to be worthy?

What does it mean to be worthy? We know the atonement paid for our sins, but we also know that the Lord still has expectations for us. We have learned our entire lives that there is a Judgment Day, and it will be determined whether we have been worthy.

The Lord has taught me about this a lot over the past few years. He has taught me about His atonement, and He has taught me about His perfect judgment.

My understanding of Judgment Day used to look something like this: I believed I would stand before the Lord and He would tally up all the good and bad I had done. The Lord paid for the bad, but it still had to be determined whether I had done enough. The “good” and the “bad” also included desires and thoughts rather than just actions. He would then place these things in the context of my life, the opportunities I was given as well as the weaknesses and struggles I received.

I have learned that Judgment Day (all of the mini judgments in between) are not really determined like this. Understanding the atonement and what it means is key to understanding what Judgment Day will look like. The atonement of Jesus Christ paid for all sin so that it would no longer count against us. The sin you committed yesterday, the one you will commit today, and the one you will commit tomorrow are gone. They were paid off. When you stand before the Lord on the other side, you’re not going to find any “tally marks” on the bad side because they’re not there anymore. Judgment Day isn’t about the sum total of your good and bad actions (thoughts and desires included).

Judgment Day really is about who you are. The Lord judges us by our hearts. When you stand before the Lord, He is going to determine something very simple: will you contribute to the feeling of the Celestial Kingdom? When people are around you, will they know that you mean well even if you’re not perfect yet? Do you contribute to a happy, spiritual home? Do you love Him and do you love others? Do you understand the importance of wielding power responsibly? Do you already experience the peace that comes with living with integrity?

This has completely changed how I approach the gospel. It has changed from perfectionism (minimizing bad and maximizing good) to simply attempting to utilize the commandments to get closer to Christ. I no longer hold onto my sins, but I allow the Savior to take them away because they’re not really there anymore. I actually get to experience the blessings that come with the gospel: redemption and closeness to Christ.

Perhaps this view of Judgment Day still has you feeling worried…you have flaws that will certainly take away from the heavenly feeling in the Celestial Kingdom. I’m obviously not a perfect judge, but let’s discuss those flaws too. Sometimes I yell at my kids (especially when I’m pregnant), and sometimes I still have a hard time forgiving and assuming the best of others. BUT. I have a desire that runs much, much deeper than those flaws. I want to be free of those flaws. I want to follow the Savior perfectly and willingly; it’s just difficult sometimes. When I get to the other side, and Satan can no longer tempt me and all secrets are out, I will be free of those flaws. The only time flaws are going to follow you to Judgment Day is if you are clinging to them all on your own. For example, if you need to forgive someone but you refuse to, then when you get to the other side you’re going to continue to hold onto that flaw regardless of the fact that Satan is no longer tempting you. If you have a deep and abiding desire to follow the Savior and love others (even if you’re not perfect yet), then you’re going to be just fine. Trust that the atonement took care of it so that you can start enjoying the blessings of the gospel now.

And let’s not forget this is all placed in the context of our lives as well. Not everyone has been taught or given the advantages that come with growing up in a healthy home. The Lord knows that. However, I teach this doctrine because there are a lot of people out there who do understand the importance of worthiness and are given advantages, and a lot of these people are worried about their personal worthiness. Make the switch from desperately trying to be good enough to simply trying to draw closer to Christ. Interestingly enough, it actually helps you develop the kind of character that belongs in the Celestial Kingdom. Following the gospel in this manner allows you to experience the blessings of the gospel rather than experiencing the negative side effects of perfectionism. It allows you to partake of the fruit of the tree and experience gladness and joy and relief without any of the shame.

All we have to do is remain at the tree

Satan uses shame because it logically makes sense. He knows that we know that we don’t deserve the atonement, and he uses that logic against us. Because it’s logical, we don’t really question it. But we need to! It’s dangerous and incomplete. Shame is uncomfortable enough that it would cause us to shy away from the Lord so we don’t have to feel that shame anymore.

But Satan is also just distracting us from the good feeling that is meant to come with partaking of the fruit. God put that tree there, not so He could stand around and make us feel bad for eating it. He wants us to take it so we can be close to Him. You don’t deserve it, you have hurt Him, you have caused Him pain, but don’t make it worse by retreating from Him. Don’t deprive Him of your company because whether it makes logical sense or not, He wants your company.

If you also want to consider logic, consider this: Christ experienced all of the bad feelings we experience so stop holding yourself hostage with sin that was already paid for. If you have repented and been deemed forgiven, then lift up your head and rejoice. Turn shame into a deep gratitude. If you really want to be a better person, if you really want the ability to become everything He wants you to become, then cling to His love and let it fill you until the shame isn’t there anymore. That is what will fill you with light. That is what people will notice when they see you. That will be the reason for the joy in your eyes: His love has changed you and turns all the bad in your life into goodness.

I know some of us are still haunted by past sins. Even if we’ve repented, you can’t always get rid of the memories, and Satan will use them against you for as long as he can. If you find yourself in this situation, take heart in two gospel principles:

1) If you continue on the road you’re on, staying near to the tree, then one day Satan will be bound and there will be no more temptation. You will be freed from those past aspects of your life – another reason to find ultimate gratitude!

2) Turn those “bad” things upside down. Christ’s atonement gives you the power to do that. Every time those memories pop up, rewrite the story with the Savior. Instead of saying to yourself, “There it is again, a memory of my past that will forever remind me I don’t deserve this,” say, “Here is an opportunity to become even better. Here is a thought that has been placed in my mind that I have the power to replace with something more powerful. Satan has presented me with a stepping stone to become stronger.” And if you falter and those memories linger longer than you would have liked, repeat the process anyway! Repentance is about becoming perfect, but the “becoming” process is going to take way longer than you think. In terms of this mortal life, it’s not about never failing again, it’s about being able to cast off Satan enough that you remain close to the tree, to His love. Remaining close to the tree is what is going to actually bring the perfection we so desire.

I testify of a Savior who never wanted us to carry shame. I testify that He utilizes guilt to the extent that it changes us because He loves us enough to push us. I also testified that He paid for sin so that it can’t hurt us anymore. We only hurt ourselves by depriving ourselves of His company on purpose – whether we do it by willingly rebelling or holding ourselves down under the weight of shame. We also hurt Him when we do that because I testify of a Savior who wants to be around you.

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2023 October General Conference, Saturday Morning Session
In the Path of Their Duty
David A. Bednar, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Main Points

The real strength of the church is those members who are quietly and consistently trying to live the gospel and do their part, even if they are not well-known. They are “no less serviceable” – just as useful – as those whose service is more conspicuous.
Elder Bednar summarizes his feelings for the church members who are on the covenant path by quoting Samuel the Lamanite – these members are “in the path of their duty.”
There are many ways to serve, and they are all valued.

Gospel Principles taught

Faith in Christ, Charity, Service, Obedience, Work and Personal responsibility

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Covenant Path

Scriptures

Alma 48:17, Alma 48:19, Moroni 10:32–33, Helaman 15:5–6, Mosiah 18:9, Helaman 7:17, Moroni 10:30, 32, 1 Nephi 8:28, Doctrine and Covenants 64:33, Doctrine and Covenants 109:24, 1 Nephi 10:3, 3 Nephi 5:25,, 3 Nephi 20:29, Psalm 30:5, Doctrine and Covenants 90:11,

Romans 10:17, Isaiah 40:31, Doctrine and Covenants 133:45, Mark 9:36–37, Omni 1:26, Helaman 3:35, Doctrine and Covenants 121:29,

Related talks

To Them of the Last Wagon- J. Reuben Clark, July 1997

No Less Serviceable – Howard W. Hunter, Sept 1990

Choose Ye This Day to Serve the Lord – Julie B. Beck, 2011

Missionary Work: Sharing What Is in Your Heart – Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2019

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- I joyfully witness that Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son live and Their promises are sure, in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Description of His Teachings.
- Consider the eternal impact of the service rendered by these devoted disciples—and the marvelous blessings promised to those who minister to children. “And [Jesus] took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- The phrase “in the path of their duty” describes righteous individuals who yearn to become yoked to the Savior through the authorized covenants and ordinances of His gospel—but may be prohibited from doing so by factors beyond their control. I promise your personal anguish will be relieved and your obedience and faithfulness to patiently submit your will to God will be rewarded in “the own due time of the Lord.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

“uncelebrated heroes”
I now express my love, admiration, and gratitude for the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all around the world.
uncelebrated heroes
“They of the last wagon pressed forward, worn and tired, footsore, sometimes almost disheartened, borne up by their faith that God loved them, that the restored gospel was true, and that the Lord led and directed the Brethren out in front.” (Elder Bednar quoting J. Reuben Clark)
“If you feel that much of what you do this year or in the years to come does not make you very famous, take heart. Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either. Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly.” (Elder Bednar quoting Howard W. Hunter)
Your strong faith in Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and your unpretentious, consecrated lives inspire me to be a better man and disciple.
I love you. I admire you. I thank you. And I commend you.
I have described only a few selected examples of covenant-keeping and devoted disciples of Jesus Christ like you who are pressing forward “in the path of [your] duty.” Millions of additional examples of Latter-day Saints who offer their “whole souls” unto God are found in Christ-centered homes and in Church units around the world.
Coming unto Christ by returning to the covenant path from sinful detours into “forbidden paths” is spiritually essential and righteously rigorous.

Lists

The phrase “in the path of their duty” describes members who:

Look for and sit next to people who are alone
Strive to comfort others without expectation of acknowledgment or praise
Support family members as they serve in callings
Are returning to Christ and their covenants
Desire to come to Christ and make covenants
Translate scriptures and conferences
Raise children or “wait patiently upon the Lord” when those blessings don’t come
Nursery leaders and Primary teachers
Children caring for elderly parents, parents caring for and protecting their children
Set up and take down chairs for activities
Invite others thru inspiration to come to church

By the power of the Holy Ghost you:

Love
Serve
Listen
Learn
Care
Console
Teach
Testify

Invitations/Challenges

You love and serve, listen and learn, care and console, and teach and testify by the power of the Holy Ghost. You fast and pray often, wax stronger and stronger in humility, and grow firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, “unto the filling [your] souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of [your] hearts, which sanctification cometh because of … yielding [your] hearts unto God.”

Blessings/Promises

“…individuals who yearn to become yoked to the Savior through the authorized covenants and ordinances of His gospel—but may be prohibited from doing so by factors beyond their control. I promise your personal anguish will be relieved and your obedience and faithfulness to patiently submit your will to God will be rewarded in ‘the own due time of the Lord.’”
They of the last wagon, all who are no less serviceable, and you who today are pressing forward in the path of your duty are the strength of the Savior’s restored Church.
As the Lord has promised, “all thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Application Ideas

Consider prayerfully asking God how you can become “stronger in humility.” Write down and act upon any ideas you receive.
Choose someone who is an “unsung hero” and send them a note of thanks.
Recognize the ways you are “in the path of (your) duty.” Appreciate what you do to serve!
Make a conscious effort to appreciate equally all the ways and degrees that those around you serve in the Church.
Invite the Holy Ghost to be with you to help you know how to “love and serve, listen and learn, care and console, and teach and testify.”

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2023 October General Conference, Sunday Afternoon Session
Think Celestial!
Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Main Points

“Thinking Celestial” means to view our choices and the circumstances of our lives with an eternal perspective.

Gospel Principles taught

Obedience, prayer, agency, Law of Chastity, Tithing, Faith, Temple Work

Gospel Doctrine taught

The Plan of Salvation, The Atonement of Jesus Christ

Scriptures

John 6:38; Alma 7:11; Alma 7:12; Doctrine and Covenants 19:18; 2 Nephi 9:40; 2 Nephi 28:7; Alma 34:32–35; 2 Nephi 9:39; Mosiah 4:30; Doctrine and Covenants 132:7; Moroni 7:41; 2 Nephi 2:6–8, 27; 2 Nephi 2:11; Doctrine and Covenants 122:7; Doctrine and Covenants 121:8; Isaiah 1:16–18; Doctrine and Covenants 58:42–43; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:2; 2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Nephi 32:5; Doctrine and Covenants 42:61

Related talk: Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- “The Lord is directing us to build these temples to help us think celestial. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored to bless all of God’s children. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Description of His Atonement.
- “The Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s Plan possible.”
- “Think of it! The Savior suffered ‘pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ so that He can comfort us, heal us, rescue us in times of need. Jesus Christ described His experience in Gethsemane and on Calvary: ‘Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore.’”
- “Put Jesus Christ first because your eternal life is dependent upon your faith in Him and in His Atonement.”
Description of His relationship with us.
- “Come unto Christ and receive His promise of complete forgiveness as you fully repent of your sins.”

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Heavenly Father’s Plan for us is fabulous
What we do in this life really matters
Mortality is a master class
Obedience paves the way for a joyful life for you today and a grand, eternal reward tomorrow.
When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial! As you recover from an accident or injury, as I am doing now, think celestial!
The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom.
think celestial and…envision an eternal reward rather than focus on the excruciating difficulties of the day.
Any addiction—be it gaming, gambling, debt, drugs, alcohol, anger, pornography, sex, or even food—offends God. Why? Because your obsession becomes your god.
Public opinion is not the arbiter of truth.

Lists

Your choices today will determine three things:

where you will live throughout all eternity,
the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and
those with whom you will live forever.

To build faith:

Pay tithing
Choose to live a virtuous life
Spend more time in the temple

In the temple:

you are shown how to progress toward a celestial life.
There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power.
There you are guided in solving the problems in your life, even your most perplexing problems.

Invitations/Challenges

I invite you to adopt the practice of “thinking celestial”! (Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded.)
Begin with the end in mind. This means making the celestial kingdom your eternal goal and then carefully considering where each of your decisions while here on earth will place you in the next world.
When you make choices, I invite you to take the long view—an eternal view.
Our prayers can be—and should be—living discussions with our Heavenly Father.
When you make decisions regarding morality, please think celestial.

Warnings

For those who have made covenants with God, immorality is one of the quickest ways to lose your testimony.
There is no end to the adversary’s deceptions. Please be prepared. Never take counsel from those who do not believe. Seek guidance from voices you can trust—from prophets, seers, and revelators and from the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, who “will show unto you all things what ye should do.” Please do the spiritual work to increase your capacity to receive personal revelation.
As you focus on thinking celestial, expect to encounter opposition.
Please do not let an obsession rob you of your freedom to follow God’s fabulous plan.

Blessings/Promises

As you think celestial, your heart will gradually change.
As you think celestial, you will view trials and opposition in a new light.
As you think celestial, your faith will increase.
Your service and worship in the temple will help you to think celestial.

Apologetics

When someone you love attacks truth, think celestial, and don’t question your testimony.

Application Ideas

Make an appointment to serve in the temple this week.
Make time to have a vocal prayer and try to have a “living discussion” with Heavenly Father.
Evaluate the importance of ‘public opinion’ in your life. What do you need to change?
Make peace with those you have contended or are contending with.
Start each day thinking of your end goals in mind and what you will do that day to make sure you’re on the path to reach them.

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by Zachary Wright

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we often run into people who criticize us for our beliefs. I served my mission in a place where the Church was often criticized by General Christians who wanted me to abandon my faith and accept what they believed to be “the true Jesus”. While they may seem confusing at first, it’s a common phenomenon for many Christians to believe that we, as members of the church, aren’t true Christians, and that we consequently, will be going to Hell. However, in my experience, I’ve found that many Christian antagonists of the church often bring a number of ideas that have questionable reality. This is what I want to focus on today.

In order to explore the dangers of some presuppositions those who oppose the Restoration often present, I wanted to focus this episode on Apologia Church in Arizona, specifically their pastors, Jeff Durbin and James White. They are a Denominational Baptist church, with a Reformed or Calvinist view of Salvation or Soteriology. Their pastors frequently level attacks against LDS Theology based on the presupposition we are not saved. Their claim is largely focused on three main areas of contention, which included:

We worship a God who is not the “God of the Bible”.
We believe in a “different” or “false” Jesus not depicted in the Biblical texts which can therefore not “save” as they define that term.
They believe we reject the “free grace” of God offered through Jesus as a result of our belief in “works” as a necessary evidence of our Covenant relationship with God.

From these ideas, they state that we as members of the church cannot be saved. They’ve produced many tracts and pamphlets explaining why they label us in this way. I will address a common one entitled: ‘The Gospel for Mormons’. As we discuss the issues, I will also share clips from a discussion a fellow Latter-day Saint had with members of the Apologia Church based in Utah to highlight some of the issues we face and the dangers of the presuppositions which form the foundation of their attacks. By using some of the skills we’ve learned throughout this series, we’re going to address the complaints found therein.

The pamphlet’s text will be in red. My references will be scattered throughout the response (as opposed to the end as they have been in previous articles), and I’ve added parentheticals in some instances to help clarify words that most people don’t know about, such as “soteriology” previously mentioned. If there are mistakes, they are the mistakes of men.

Let’s get into it.

THE GOSPEL FOR MORMONS

The Mormon church teaches a message that sounds so similar to Christianity, but it is fundamentally a different Gospel that cannot save.

Apologia Studios

It is a common misunderstanding, if an intentional misrepresentation, of those associated with Apologia to call the Church, “The Mormon Church”. Many who are hostile to the Church similarly refuse to call the church by its proper name.

(Kylie clip #1)

We are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which I will shorten to “The Church of Jesus Christ”. I don’t care as much about how people first hear our names (Jesus himself was known by many names) and the Church he founded was called “The Way” as in Acts and its members “Saints” as we do today. This pamphlet however, reiterates the same hostility as those who labeled the Saints at Antioch “Christians” or “Christ Worshippers” in derision. Interesting those who claim allegiance with Christ adopt the tactics of His opposition. The idea that these pastors refuse the basic requests of what the church wishes to be called already indicates a lack of respect

The “gospel” is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. It’s the fact that Jesus came, died for us, and then rose again so that all may return to His presence. The LDS scriptures support that fully and completely as well (See D&C 76:40-42, 3 Nephi 27:13-14, 3rd article of faith, etc). There is no “Contrary Gospel” taught in The Church of Jesus Christ today. Joseph Smith is said to have taught:

The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 121, link here).

When asked by those not of our Faith, this should be our response to “what is ‘The Gospel’?”

MORMONISM BEGAN WITH A LIE

The lie was that the Heavenly Father came to Joseph Smith and told him not to join any church because they had it all wrong. All their creeds were an abomination, and all denominations were corrupt. So Joseph told the world that God had told him that the Christian church had fallen away, and it needed to be restored.

This is an interesting claim which presupposes religious claims are subject to some objective criteria which would identify them as “true” and a person might “lie”. This claim could not be other than an opinion based on perspective. Unless those associated with Apologia have some way to affirmatively disprove Joseph’s claim made on The Joseph Smith History respecting his interactions with God, I’m not sure how this could be a “lie”? Additionally, the claim “all churches” that existed then were “wrong” is (objectively speaking) an opinion, not a misstatement of fact that could form the basis of a lie. Representing as “a lie” someone’s admitted religious beliefs cannot be other than a product of deceit lacking context.

Considering the substance of Joseph’s claim to a restoration as a way to overcome a rejection of Prophets as seen in Matthew 23, is an objective claim for example, just ask Apologia if they accept the possibility of living Prophets and additional scripture consistent with the claims of Jesus and Paul.

Other churches chose to reject the concept of divine messengers, a hallmark of the original church established by God. Our belief is that such practices, and others, needed to be restored. Are they claiming this wasn’t the case? If so, why? They never explain.

One might initially point to Hebrews 1:1-2, which many General Christians will use to show that God doesn’t call messengers anymore. However, this is a self-defeating idea…The Book of Hebrews was (allegedly) written by an apostle/prophet, and future books were written by apostles/prophets.

This is a lie because two thousand years before Joseph came along with this revelation, God said that he would build his church, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

This interpretation causes some problems for their position, not only logically because of their reliance on the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation (more on that in a moment), but also because what this tract is extrapolating is a translation variation that doesn’t match the true meaning of the Biblical Greek.

In the original Greek, this passage in Matthew 16:18 does not say “the gates of hell” as this argument claims, but rather “καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου” (pronounced Keh Pee-leh Ah-thoo) or “the gates of hades”. Most modern translations render this passage this way, and the fact that Pastor Durbin “reads Greek” and neglects to mention this important nuance is equally disconcerting. Hades was universally understood then as the place where spirits go after this life, making this phrase here a direct reference to physical death. Even Bible lexicons as old as Thayer’s refer to this place as the “the realm of the dead” (link here). If you don’t believe me, consider the following reference that links death with Hades from the Wisdom of Solomon (written about a century earlier):

12 For neither herb nor poultice cured them, but it was your word, O Lord, that heals all people.

13 For you have power over life and death; you lead mortals down to the gates of Hades and back again. (Wisdom of Solomon 16:12-13 NRSV, updated edition)

As we can see, even in ancient sources, there is a connection between “Hades” and “death”. We can even consult this elementary commentary on the verse;

[The Gates of Hades is] a familiar ancient expression for the realm of the dead (both in Greek literature, and in the Greek translation of the biblical gates of Sheol or death, e.g. Job 38:17, Isaiah 38:10); even martyrdom (vv. 21,24) cannot stop God’s plan (NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, pg 1659, online version can be bought here)

The NET Bible commentary also suggests that “Gates of Hades” be understood as the “power of death” (link here, best accessed on computer). Did physical death conquer the church? Did death defeat or conquer Jesus upon His own fate on the Cross? Theologically speaking, no, because thanks to Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected as He was. Already, this passage is being stripped from its context and exegetical meaning by the presented argument.

Let me turn the question back onto Apologia Church: What is (or which is) the church that the gates of Hades would not prevail against? What were its structure and teachings? Are these pastors claiming that the protestants (and especially those who are Calvinist or Reformed) adheres completely to those structures and teachings, including, but not limited to, Baptismal regeneration, Apostolic leadership, Salvation, Scriptural Interpretation, etc? Can these pastors demonstrate that Protestant theology (e.g. Sola Fide, Optional baptism, etc.) has existed as far back as Christ’s ministry? Who would they consider to be a “proto-Protestant” before the 15th or 16th centuries?

In Jude 3 we are told to earnestly contend for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints–already.

Where are they getting “already” from? I could be mistaken, but I don’t see that word in this verse.

(Kylie video #3)

As seen here, the usage of this passage is absurd in this context. Not only would their interpretation presume to close the canon with these verses in Jude, but another problem arises.

LDS scholar John Tvedtnes makes an excellent point that Abraham was taught the gospel (Gal 3:8), so is Jude correct in saying that the gospel was only delivered once and for all? If the Gospel is never to be revealed again, what use is there for the angel in Revelation 14:6-7 to come to deliver the gospel? Understanding the verse the way the pamphlet is using it provides conflicts and contradictions in the Bible. Is the idea that the Bible has contradictions a position Pastor White and Pastor Durbin are willing to concede?

The promise given to us in Daniel 7:13-14 is that the Messiah would come and that he would have a kingdom that would never be destroyed. Speaking of that promised Kingdom, Jesus said in Mark 1 that, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”

Let’s pretend that this interpretation regarding apostasy is what the author of the Book of Daniel meant for a minute. Seeing as Daniel 7:16-22 seems to indicate that this time of “spreading the gospel” occurs before “the judgment”, who is to say that the kingdom of God would be done “rolling forth” until that time? That alleged apostasy wouldn’t even really affect this interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy, seeing as all God would have to do is ensure that the gospel was done rolling forth by that time. With this in mind, where do these passages exclude a chance of apostasy?

Scripture tells us that the Messiah has been seated on his throne; he is King of kings and Lord of lords. He brought the kingdom already. Joseph was two thousand years behind.

Jesus brought it, the people rejected it, and Jesus restored it again the same way he did it all the other times in scriptural history: by calling a messenger. Seeing as God called messengers in both the Old and the New Testaments, why would God just stop doing that in our day? The burden of proof would be on those using this argument against the Church to demonstrate why this is no longer the case if they are using the Biblical texts.

(Kylie clip #4)

That’s why this really is about God and His gospel. We are told,
“Before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me.” (Isaiah 43:10)
“I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)

Putting aside for the moment the fact that historically the Jews believed in the existence of other Gods, let’s break down the wording for these verses.

The phrase “None else besides me” is a Hebrew figure of speech to mean “the best of them all”. The linked verses below are where the phrase is used in a boasting sense. Consider how Isaiah 47:8 used this phrase:

8 Therefore [Babylon] hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: (Emphasis added)

Or even Zephaniah 2:15, which states:

15 This is the rejoicing city [Nineveh] that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand. (Emphasis added)

Are these anthropomorphized cities claiming to be the only cities in existence? Not at all, rather these cities of Babylon or Nineveh are just claiming they’re the best or the most powerful. Therefore, this would entail that Isaiah’s claim about God is not that He was the only one, but rather that He was the most powerful.

To support this argument further, we can turn to other ancient documents. The Thanksgiving Scroll, numbered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, affirms this point, and offers clarification to the nature of the ancient Israelite belief (and accurately reflects the grammatical argument I’m making in this section):

See, you are the prince of the Gods and the king of the glorious ones, lord of every spirit ruler of every creature. Apart from you, nothing happens, and nothing is known without your will. There is no-one besides you, no-one matches your strength, nothing equals your glory, there is no price on your might. -1QHa XVIII 8-10 (Emphasis Added)

As we can read here, we have God being represented as being the greatest among all the Elohim, and yet being told that “There is no-one besides you”. Again, even if we were to reject these passages as being “non-biblical”, the grammatical argument still stands. With this information in mind, how do these verses demonstrate a belief that God is the only God in existence?

But Joseph Smith disagreed. He said “We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea, and will take away and do away the veil, so that you may see… you have got to learn how to be God’s yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you.” (Journal of Discourses, Volume 6 pgs. 3-4).

The historical best practice here is to go back to the original sources, that is, the original documents given by Willard Richards, William Clayton, Wilford Woodruff, and Thomas Bullock. None of them say verbatim what they claim was said (link here)

Let’s put aside the fact that the LDS belief system doesn’t condemn anyone from believing in eternal regression or not, and even a notable few general authorities have seemed to view the King Follett Discourse differently than what is implied from the contextually butchered passage cited above. This concern is still predicated on the idea that teaching the existence of multiple gods/elohim is wrong, when that, of course, still needs to be demonstrated.

HE IS NOT A CREATED BEING

This goes against everything God says who he is. In Deuteronomy 6 he tells us that He’s the only God and the only God that has ever been.

See previous, but to prove the point I made before about this strict monotheistic belief of the Israelites being anachronistic, consider this quote made by a study bible brought up by the Jewish Publication Society:

Many modern readers regard the Shema [Deut 6:4] as an assertion of monotheism, a view that is anachronistic. In the context of ancient Israelite religion, it served as a public proclamation of exclusive loyalty to YHWH as the sole Lord of Israel . . . the v. makes not a quantitative argument (about the number of deities) but a qualitative one, about the nature of the relationship between God and Israel. Almost certainly, the original force of the v., as the medieval Jewish exegetes [noted], was to demand that Israel show exclusive loyalty to our God, YHWH–but not thereby to deny the existence of other gods. In this way, it assumes the same perspective as the first commandment of the Decalogue, which, by prohibiting the worship of other gods, presupposes their existence. (The Jewish Study Bible [2d ed.; New York: Oxford University Press, 2014], 361, link here)

This makes sense. After all, didn’t God just finish saying that they shouldn’t put any other gods before him (Exodus 20:3), again implying that the Israelites believed in the existence of other gods? I challenge Pastor Durbin and White to refute the argument itself instead of dismissing it as “liberal scholarship”. Why would this interpretation of the OT here be incorrect?

Also, consider another refutation to this argument by Paula Frederiksen, in Bible Review 19:01 (February 2003):

In antiquity, all monotheists were polytheists….No ancient monotheist was a modern monotheist. Divinity expressed itself along a gradient, and the High God—be he pagan, Jewish or Christian—hardly stood alone. Lesser divinities filled in the gap, cosmic and metaphysical, between humans and God (link here)

These quotes should do for now, but there are plenty more.

The Bible teaches plainly that there is only one God and he eternally exists as three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Where does it plainly say He exists as one God in three persons? No text of the Bible states this

(Kylie clip #5)

When John 1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” it is speaking of Jesus.

Yes.

We are told that Jesus created everything in existence and without him, nothing has come in to being that came into being (John 1:3). Jesus is God who took on flesh, John 1:14 goes on to tell us that God took on flesh and He dwelt among us. The one and only true God, in the person of Jesus Christ, the creator of all things, came into his own creation and took on flesh. He is not a created being.

A common mistake in claiming Latter-day Saints believe in a “different Jesus” is this:

(Kylie clip #6)

The LDS church does not teach that Christ was a created being. God and all of God’s spirit children are eternal and have always existed (see D&C 93). Even the King Follett Sermon they cited earlier (from the version they cited earlier) affirms this fact when it says “I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it has a beginning? The intelligence of spirits [has] no beginning, neither will it have an end.” (link here) With this in mind, how does this aspect of LDS theology contradict John 1:3, and other creation passages regarding Jesus? After all, John 1:3 (in most translations) is rendered as God creating everything that was made. If we were not “made” then how does this passage contradict LDS theology?

It is true that God is our Father. He organized and formed our spirit bodies, and I would rightfully classify that as a type of creation. That being said, that tenet of our beliefs does not counteract the idea that our intelligences have always existed. In this manner, we both have been created, and have also always existed. They would need to unequivocally prove Creatio Ex-Nihilo (Creation from nothing) to counteract the LDS position on this.

He is not the spirit offspring of heavenly father and one of his goddess wives, which is what Mormonism teaches (see: Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:327ff).

Their source is interesting. Anyone can look at a photocopy of the source in question here. It does, in fact, refer to the concept that Jesus Christ is the literal son of Heavenly Father (it cites Brigham Young’s comments on the matter to support this). It does not, however, affirm any kind of polygamy in the heavens, nor does it imply that Jesus is the offspring of said polygamy.

Charles Harrell aptly points out that a notable few cautioned against inferences that involved any kind of sexual intimacy between God and Mary (See This Is My Doctrine, pg 182, link here), and the church publicly condemned Orson Pratt’s magazine The Seer when he tried to propagate the idea (among other things) that God had multiple wives (link here). More can be said about this, but with these sources in mind, does that sound like a resounding affirmation among the leaders (or even the church as a whole) regarding this doctrine?

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” -Colossians 1:16-17

Jesus created all things. He is not Lucifer’s brother—He is the creator of Lucifer.

Doesn’t this verse contradict the argument they were trying to make with Isaiah 43:10? As they state, if Satan was created by Jesus Christ, and if Paul is correct in calling him a θεός (pronounced “theos” the Greek term meaning “god”, and is the exact term used to describe Satan in 2 Cor 4:4. It’s how the term Elohim is rendered in the LXX), wouldn’t that contradict the argument they just made that God is the only true deity in existence that no other one exists?

And before anyone tells me that this isn’t what Paul meant, I’ll remind the reader that even older sources like Thayer’s Bible Lexicon states that “θεός is used of whatever can in any respect be likened to God, or resembles him in any way” (link here), and that the same Greek term using the same conjugation is used in reference to God a few verses later. “Elohim” is used in a similar way in the OT, and I’ve already discussed in part the ancient Israelite understanding that there are multiple upper-tier Elohim. The argument here is that Satan is a lesser god, one that isn’t ultimately sovereign, but a god nonetheless, which actually lines up closer to the original conception of Satan in the Hebrew Bible.

Consider how non-LDS scholar Cory Baugher puts it:

The sons of God (bene ’elohim) are divine, spiritual beings that rule on Yahweh’s behalf (Gen. 6:4; Deut. 32:8; Ps. 29:1; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). The Hebrew phrase “son(s) of x” means the son(s) is the same essence as x, so son(s)= x…These sons of God are a part of the divine council of Yahweh. They serve as His council, representatives, and host (army). (link here)

In other words, the members of the divine Council, were the same essence as God, and acted on his behalf. He then cites Job Chapter 1 to prove his point, saying that the figure “Satan” used to be a member of the Divine Council. I’ll use a translation that I think shows his point better, and will likely be more acceptable to the reader, and to Pastor White and Pastor Durbin.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. (Job 1:6 ESV)

After citing this scripture, this scholar continues:

The Hebrew word the satan [or “Satan”] means “adversary” and is always translated as “adversary” except in Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; and Zech. 3:1-2 with no real contextual or theological evidence for it. All other times the Hebrew word the satan appears it is translated as the noun “adversary” (Num. 22:22, 32; 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kgs. 5:4; 1 Kgs. 11:14, 23; 1 Chr. 21:1; Ps. 109:6) or the verb “accuser” (Ps. 38:20; Ps. 71:13; Ps. 109:4; Ps. 109:20; Ps. 109:29; Zech. 3:1).” (link here; Minor edits in brackets made for ease of reading)

This is a little technical, but this scholar is basically saying that Satan, or “the accuser” on God’s behalf, was initially understood in Hebrew thought as being a member of the “sons of God”, who were of the “same essence” as God. They were given authority by God to rule over nations, but ultimately were under God’s power. The ways that the concept of “satan” have developed over history are complicated, but the reader can analyze the cited article if they don’t believe me. When we take these ideas for what they were, any historical argument that Paul is only metaphorically referring to Satan as being “like a god, but not really one in essence”, would be based on assumptions in light of the previously cited sources I mentioned. And yet, this doesn’t contradict any claims the Bible makes about God’s superiority. Baugher continues:

Though the Bible clearly teaches that other gods do exist, it all makes it clear that Yahweh is absolutely sovereign over these gods as totally unique and incomparable. (ibid)

(Kyle clip #7)

Therefore, under the line of logic here in the pamphlet’s argument, either Pastor Durbin and Pastor White must accept that the Bible contradicts itself, or accept that this verse is saying something else. There’s more that can be said about this passage NOT being monotheistic, but this tangent is long enough already.

Going back to the “Jesus and Lucifer are brothers” thing, in case anyone wanted some other quotes to think about, let’s consider what some of these earlier Christians had to say when commenting on the Septuagint (The Greek translation of the Old Testament) rendering of what is now known as Psalm 110. Note whom they refer to as coming out of the womb after Jesus Christ:

The womb of the Lord – the hidden recess of Deity out of which He brought forth His Son. In the Psalm: Out of the womb, before Lucifer, have I borne Thee [the Son]. (Melito, Bishop of Sardis, link here)

Listen to the voice of the Father to the Son: ‘Before Lucifer I have begotten Thee.’ He who was begotten before Lucifer Himself illuminates all. A certain one was named Lucifer, who fell; for he was an angel and became a devil; and concerning him the Scripture said, “Lucifer, who did arise in the morning, fell.”And why was he Lucifer? Because, being enlightened, he gave forth light. But for what reason did he become dark! Because he abode not in the truth. (Augustine, Homilies and Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate III, Chapter 1, 15-18, 7, link here)

Therefore wilt thou give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. For in thee was born the prince begotten before Lucifer, whose birth from the Father is before all time. (Jerome, Epistle to Eustochium, Letter 108, 10, link here)

The tradition behind these texts is tricky, I understand that. However, these quotes clearly indicate that they believed that Jesus and Lucifer were begotten from the same womb. Would they deny that these early bishops, leaders, and apologists were Christians for believing that Lucifer was begotten of the Father after Jesus Christ was? How would their teachings differ from the LDS conceptualization of how Jesus and Lucifer were “brothers” so to speak?

This is important because the Mormon church teaches a message that sounds so similar to Christianity, but is fundamentally a gospel that cannot save. It teaches another Christ, and that is a Christ that cannot save you.

(Kyle clip #8)

With all due respect, according to their soteriology (i.e. the understanding of how to be saved), the only person ultimately responsible for the people who aren’t saved is God. Why? Because according to them, God created every aspect of us, including our desires and abilities, and controls and wills the occurrences leading up to everything that happened/happens to us. The burden of proof is on them to explain why God created people in such a way where they would almost have no choice but to disobey (or as John Calvin taught, be willed to disobey), and then punish the people for doing exactly what He designed and willed them to do.

Again, if I am, or anyone else is, misunderstanding their positions, I openly invite correction, but the natural conclusions that are drawn from Calvinism, Creation Ex-Nihilo, and an Unknowable God are rather disconcerting.

End Part #1

It’s a Christ that is not found in scripture, and Jesus says in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth, the life, and no man comes to the Father except through Him.

The Trinity is a concept that is foreign to biblical texts as well. For example, Greek terms like “Homoousios” (found in the Nicene creed meaning “one in substance”, which later creeds developed to mean “Consubstantial”) are not found describing God in the Bible (sources indicate that more of it came from influences of Greek philosophy, link here). You can’t find the concepts of these words either when it comes to describing God. This argument about something being absent from scripture may come across as hypocritical.

HOW CAN WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD

Jesus is the only way we can have peace with God,

Yes.

Mormonism teaches of a different Christ.

Different than what version of Christ? The Bible’s version? With all due respect, that’s the version I’ve been working off of so far. I’ve demonstrated that the verses they’ve cited don’t support their arguments when scrutinized on a historical and/or exegetical level. I don’t blame them, that’s a problem with the arguments they present and their interpretation of the Bible. I have nothing against them personally. Still, they have yet to demonstrate how our “Christ” stands contradictory to anything that the biblical texts teach about him.

It actually tells people that you can, through obedience to the laws and principles of the gospel, move your way through exaltation to become a god or goddess of your own planet, like the god of this earth did, and hardly anything could be further from the truth.

This argument grossly misrepresented LDS belief. I already talked about how we’re under no obligation to assume that God the Father was a human being like us. The LDS church has never taught that strict obedience earns our salvation. Instead, verses of the contextual LDS scripture teach:

I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. (Mosiah 2:21)

And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses. (Mosiah 13:28)

Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come. (Alma 25:16, emphasis added)

Ultimately, exaltation is given by God’s grace as we prove our loyalty to him. Do these LDS scriptures say that we earn our way to heaven? If not, why would they be included in our modern-day scriptures? Why wouldn’t modern prophets (or even Joseph Smith) just edit them out?

One may initially bring up Moroni 10:32 to claim that grace saves us only after we serve God with all our “heart, might, mind and strength”. However, one need only read the next verse to see that Moroni clarifies his point by saying:

And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. (Moroni 10:33)

Furthermore, regarding their assertion that we as LDS believe that we can become a “god or goddess of their own planet”, I assert that this is a gross oversimplification of our belief. Here is what I think can be clearly said about the matter.

We believe in the concept of Exaltation, wherein we will become like God (See D&C 76:58), even so, claims about us getting our own planet are not found in the scriptural canon
Many Latter-day Saints are partial to a belief in a “creative potential in the eternities” (link here)
Some leaders of the church have provided commentary as to what they believe that creative potential entails. For example, Spencer W. Kimball stated that “We educate ourselves in the secular field and in the spiritual field so that we may one day create worlds, people and govern them.” (link here, but it’s originally found in Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball).
With this in mind, church leaders have consistently leaned away from the idea that we “get planets” as some kind of reward for us and our posterity to live on (link here)

I think this is where people get confused about the church’s dialogue on this. This doctrine isn’t the equivalent of God patting us on the back, and giving us a lollipop at the end of a doctor’s visit. Such sentiments of creating worlds reflect the idea that we are participating in the activities that God does, and they would need to demonstrate how this is a theologically problematic doctrine.

The bible teaches that there is only one God eternal, and we will never be a God one day.

It’s worth mentioning that many of the early church fathers believed in a concept of deification. However, it’s worth noting that some differences exist between their concept of deification and ours (which chiefly had to do with how they viewed our relationship to God due to the convergence of Greek Philosophy with Christianity). These discrepancies pose no threat to LDS theology for a few reasons, mostly due to the relationship prophets have with scripture intertwined with the concept of modern revelation.

Why would it be a problem to believe in the LDS concept of deification in light of modern revelation? We don’t believe that we will replace God anymore than we believe that Jesus Christ replaces God the Father in our theology. They would need to demonstrate how this understanding of deification is incorrect (after, of course, proving Sola Scriptura due to its relationship to my argument about modern revelation).

So the important question is this: how can we know this God? It’s not about minor differences, musical style, color of carpet in church, or whether or not you drink coffee. It’s really a question of how we can be reconciled to God and have peace with Him?

How can we be reconciled to God? Through Jesus Christ. That is what the LDS scriptures and leaders universally teach.

The Bible says in Romans 3 that there is none righteous, no not one. There are none who seek after God, that there is no fear of God before our eyes. Paul goes on to say that we are justified by faith alone, apart from works of law. He says that the Law, and our inability to fulfill it, can only reveal our sin to us and shut our mouths before a Holy God.

I’m going to assume that they’re referring to the Law of Moses here, seeing as that is what Paul is referring to in his epistle to the Romans. See the above-stated Book of Mormon scriptures about how the Law doesn’t save us, rather it is “faith unto salvation”. It is clear that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are united at least in that regard.

The only question to reconcile at this point is what Paul meant here when he talked about faith. We’ve talked about faith previously, back when I talked about logical fallacies, but to recap it’s likely that being “saved by faith,” doesn’t mean “Salvation for a mere intellectual acceptance of Jesus”; rather it is a loyalty that saves us or a belief that leads to action (Note again that this is a linguistic and historical argument, not a theological one). This is affirmed by LDS and Non-LDS scholars alike (link here and here), but think about how this interpretation resembles the LDS position on faith and salvation. Would anyone who affirms the idea that “faith” mean “faithfulness or loyalty”, be labeled as “non-Christian”? Would these pastors, with equal ferocity, label their fellow Evangelical scholars as being “non-Christian”?

Since what Jesus says is true, and he said the wrath of God abides on us, how can we hope to have eternal life?

Through Jesus Christ.

THE ONE TRUE GOD IN THE FLESH

Our hope is in the gospel because of what he did.

Yes.

Jesus is the one true God in the flesh, Who went to the cross to take full punishment for his people. What they deserved, He took. He was buried, and he rose again. This was not so you could have His work in addition to your good works.

See my comments above on faith and loyalty. On top of that, James seems to indicate that good works/actions are an important aspect of faith.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?

If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?

So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:14-17 NRSV)

How should we understand these verses? Is there any conflict here between what I’ve demonstrated about the LDS concept of faith, and what is discussed in the Book of James?

The Bible says that our good works are nothing but filthy rags to God. Consider this: Galatians 5 tells us that we are severed from Christ if we seek to be justified by the Law.

“You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law;” (Galatians 5:4)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

As stated previously, the Book of Mormon teaches the same thing. The church just holds a deeper understanding of faith thanks to historical context and modern revelation.

Compare that to the Mormon Teaching:

“for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23)

We’ve talked about this verse already back in my Logical Fallacies video, but to recap, the phrase “after all you can do” likely means “in spite of all we do”, and one can read more about this claim in the link here. It’s basically the same way we use the phrase “after all I’ve done”, If I was to say “Can you forgive me…after all I’ve done?” I’m not asking for forgiveness because of what I’ve done, rather, I’m asking for forgiveness in spite of what I’ve done.

The beauty and freedom found in the gospel is this: Christ became a curse to His people. There is no work that you can do to help establish your own righteousness. Galatians 3 actually tells us that if you try to establish that righteousness for yourself, the Law will become a curse to you. But instead, Christ became a curse for God’s people by taking the punishment they deserved and giving them a righteousness that’s not their own.

The beauty of the restored Gospel is that Jesus saves us, and we can understand and strengthen our faithful relationship with Jesus Christ in a more profound way thanks to modern scripture, and divine revelation. We can have an assurance of our good standing with him. Jesus Christ is the way to return to the Father. On top of that, we continue to receive modern revelation from chosen messengers of God, who provide increased insight into what He wants for us today. While I understand their position, I fundamentally reject it, because to do otherwise would be to reject the truths that God has revealed today. The heavens are opened, and the Lord God Almighty speaks.

He lives, and He guides his people. I think I speak for most, if not all, of us when I say that we want all people to come and see it for themselves, and appreciate what we have to offer. If these pastors refuse to do so, I respect their decision but cordially ask that they cease their unwarranted assault on His true and living church.

Yours,
Zachary Wright
zwright@fairlatterdaysaints.org

Now, if anyone from Apologia church is hearing, reading, or watching this, I want to reinforce this idea right now that I’m trying to act in good faith here. I’m not deliberately trying to mislead, and I’m willing to engage with you on this. If you have any questions, I urge you to reach out to me so we can have further discussion. I am more than happy to edit my article, revise my position, and even delete these videos if you can unequivocally prove that my position is wrong. Even so, I think that the points I have presented here pose a serious problem for the conclusions you’re trying to reach, and I plead with you to not dismiss them.

As for everyone else, I want you to consider what principles I employed from previous videos to help me arrive at my conclusions. What questions did I ask? How did I evaluate my sources? What logical arguments did I present? What epistemic sources did I pull from to establish my points? What misinformation did I try to correct, and how did I try to correct it? If you look hard enough, you’ll be able to see my methodology, and you can decide for yourself whether you find my points to be convincing. As you do so, I hope you’re able to recognize how asking these questions pertains to critical thinking, and I hope that being able to use these skills can teach you to be the kinds of thinkers and believers God wants us all to be.

Zachary Wright was born in American Fork, UT. He served his mission speaking Spanish in North Carolina and the Dominican Republic. He currently attends BYU studying psychology, but loves writing, and studying LDS theology and history. His biggest desire is to help other people bring them closer to each other, and ultimately bring people closer to God.

The post By Study and By Faith – Episode 10: Response to “The Gospel for Mormons” appeared first on FAIR.

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"This Is My Doctrine": The Development of Mormon Theology

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Evangelical Questions: Priesthood of all Believersby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about priesthood of all believers. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

It is Thanksgiving week here in the US, so happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate. We got snow on the mountains here in Utah County, so there is plenty to be thankful for in these parts. I hope it’s a week of gratitude for you too, no matter where you live.

Okay, today we’re going to talk about one of the most misunderstood verses in the New Testament when it comes to conversation between Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints: The priesthood of all believers. We’ll start with 1 Peter 2:5:

You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Now, no Latter-day Saint that I know of would disagree with that verse or verses like it. There is no quibble as to if this is a good verse translated properly or not. The question becomes what does it mean by “priesthood”? And as with most things, digging down a little into history and language helps us clear up the confusion.

Let’s start with history. So, rewind all the way back to before the Protestant Reformation. In 1517 Martin Luther has had it with the corrupt practices of the Catholic church and nails his 95 thesis to the door of the Wittenburg Chapel. Luther had 95 complaints and social media hadn’t been invented yet, so nailing something to the door of the church was what he had available to him. A lot of that document has to do with the concept of purgatory and the paying of indulgences. Indulgences were purchased for money by living people in essence to shave off some of the time a dead person would have to serve in purgatory. Sometimes they’ve been wrongly thought of as purchasing a free pass to commit some sin, and there may have been some of that happening, but what Luther was really upset about was the idea that a living person could impact the experience of a dead person- without that person having to accept the work. Luther wasn’t even primarily mad at the idea that a living person could do some proxy work for dead people – he was mad that indulgences discouraged the purchaser from doing works of mercy in a way that would cause growth in their own soul. His logic was: How could people who were not pious give any assistance toward the piety of dead people? It would be as if we were baptizing people for the dead but there were no requirements on the righteous living of the person doing the work. Luther saw this issue really clearly. By the end of the 95 Thesis Luther makes it clear that he’s not trying to do away with proxy work altogether, he just wants to have it be done in such a way that requires righteousness from living people.

And what Luther was trying to do, he states this very clearly, is to begin a conversation among the religious scholars of the day. But by 1520 (just 3 years later) the whole thing spins a bit out of control for him as the conversation morphs into, “what is the role of the priest in forgiveness – are they actually the ones deciding if you get forgiven? Or are they the ones who pronounce forgiveness upon you but that forgiveness is granted from Christ, not the priest.” And that’s where we’ll pick up the thread.

So things are not going well for our boy Martin, at least in terms of debate among his academic peers. He wanted to be having this as an academic conversation, and he got some of that, but the people are starting to understand at least a bit of what he’s talking about when they see the implications for them. And Luther himself sees this to. In 1520 he puts out a document that has a very unfortunate name if you’re standing on this side of history. “The Christian Nobility of the German Nation.” But this is the document where he really lays out his growing ideas on the priesthood of all believers. And what he’s trying to do is react against the pre-Reformation idea that humans are divided into 2 categories – the secular and the sacred. So before this, if you lived in some little German town, there would be the regular people living their lives, mostly just trying to feed themselves and their families. These were the secular people. Even if they were followers of Christ, they were considered secular. The sacred people were the priests and those who had taken holy orders to live in monastic communities. And how it played out was that the secular people who believed in Christ didn’t have much access to materials that would help them learn the scripture or grow on their own – so they kind of gave up and let the sacred people take on that burden. It was sort of the attitude of, “I’m just a regular person, I don’t need to spend my day praying because those monks up in the monastery on the hill are spending their days doing that on my behalf.” And you can see where Luther gets upset at this – he’s not mad about the “proxy-ness” of it, he’s mad that the secular people side-step their own responsibility to grow and outsource most spiritual tasks to the priests, monks, and nuns. In the monasteries, the system was set up so that they prayed at fixed points throughout the day, including the middle of the night. And this system of prayer became more and more elaborate, requiring more and more time. The regular folks just trying to live their lives and feed their families couldn’t live under a schedule like that, so instead of modifying it for their own use in ways that were workable, they mostly just let the monks and nuns take care of the prayers for them. And Luther is upset at this because it leaves the regular people spiritually immature. And he wants to correct this situation, so he writes about it in “Nobility of the German Nation.”

And so one of Luther’s goals becomes the emptying of the monasteries. He wants everyone – secular people and sacred people – to know how to do the work of prayer and Christian living. The term “liturgy” has its origins here – liturgy means, “the work of the people.” And you can see how Luther is using this term in particular – he wants the regular people to do spiritual work too. But in order to do that, he has to help them break out of the system they have going that separates secular and sacred. So he spends a lot of time and energy teaching that the regular people also have a priesthood to which they belong, the priesthood of all believers, and there are responsibilities in that priesthood.

So far, Latter-day Saint friends, I don’t think there is much for you to disagree with. What Luther was doing is very reasonable in lots of ways. But let’s flip contexts out of Luther’s German world, and into our English-speaking world. And you’ll easily see how the problems develop.

Very often when translating from Biblical Greek to English we have more English words to choose from. But in some instances it works the other way around – Greek has more words for something while English only has 1. Probably the best example you’re familiar with is the various words for “love” in Greek describe important nuances between different forms of love. But in English, we use the same word for, “I love pizza” and “I love my child.” It’s the same situation with “priesthood.” We have 1 word, priesthood, while the New Testament has 2 words: One that means “sacred person” and the other that means “one with elderhood.”

So when Luther says, “you are the priesthood of all believers” he means, “You are not just secular people who have nothing to do with the spirituality of those monks and nuns….you too are sacred people, even just living your normal lives of taking care of your families.” He never intended to say that there aren’t 2 different kinds of priesthoods. The one we are talking about right now, the priesthood of all believers, is a universal priesthood that everyone who claims the name of Christ has – the priesthood that asks us to do the spiritual work for ourselves and those over whom we have responsibility such as children. The other form of the word meaning, “the one who has eldership,” is not canceled because of this universal priesthood responsibility that the average believer also has.

So, what about our Evangelical friends? What do they make of all of this? Well, as we’ve talked about here a number of times Evangelicals value 2 things above all else – independence and devotion to Christ. When I say “independence” what I mean is they do not want to be told what to believe by anyone who claims authority. To them, the very claim of authority is problematic. They want an absolute level playing field where no person has authority over any other. They want to do what is right in their own eyes – you get the appeal, I’m sure. But they also value devotion to Christ and the concern here is that they do not want anyone “standing between” them and Christ. Not monks and nuns up on a hill, not priests that help with confession and repentance, not even the body to which they are a church member. If they don’t like what is being taught they see no obligation to stay – they move on to another church. In practice what this means is that they each have to be their own Prophet. They don’t get – or want – guidance that comes with authority. They are the authorities.

They also see Christ as being not just the “great High Priest” but also the only current priest of any type. And to be honest, we’re not too far apart from each other on this one – we would also say that the priesthood belongs to God. It is his power on the Earth. But Evangelicals worry that any claim to priesthood is an attempt to take the power away from God and give it to man.

And this is part of the arc of development for them as people embedded into a particular time and place. The Evangelical movement grew up right alongside of the modern, hyper-modern, and post-modern era. The natural conclusion of this arc is that the concept of authority itself is invalid. Think of how people conceptualize books. It used to be that the author had a meaning in mind, she would write her thoughts, and people who wanted to understand what she’s on about would read the book. The author got the final say, as it were. But in the postmodern turn it is the reader who brings meaning to the book. The reader decides what it means, even if that meaning is wildly different from what the author intended. The reader gets the final word. There is an important philosophical concept that started back in the 1960’s that says, “the author is dead”….and by natural progression, the very concept of authority dies with him. Author-authority. We see this play out in our national debates – what is an authority anyway? Is a guy at home with an internet connection just as much of an authority as a guy with a PhD? Large parts of our current culture answer that question as: Yes. Authority has died. And this is the culture the Evangelical movement has grown up alongside. Any authority that comes with priesthood is bad, it’s nonexistent to them. Only the common authority anyone has over their own lives matters, the idea of, “you can say what you want as long as its true for you.” But, “history predicts the future” and these things are cyclical – at some point things change. If you look at last week’s Deseret News you will find an article titled: Want to fix education? Bring back authority.” (You also will find a piece in DN last week with my name on it – its a summary of the presentation I gave at the FAIR conference back in August if you’re curious.) But “Bring back authority” is essentially getting at this same thing – we’ve swung too far away from the idea that anyone, teacher/priest/researcher/anyone can have authority at all. And maybe these things correct themselves over time.

This got to be a long episode, but I hope it helps you think though why your Evangelical friends get so worked up about the “priesthood of all believers” concept.

Okay, we’ve got 5 episodes left. Next week we’re talking about the Holy Ghost and asking what does it mean when an Evangelical also experiences the Holy Ghost. I think you’ll be plenty fascinated with that one. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

Jennifer Roach earned a Master of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and a Master of Counseling from Argosy University. Before her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she was an ordained minister in the Anglican church. Her own experience of sexual abuse from a pastor during her teen years led her to care deeply about issues of abuse in faith communities.

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Evangelical Questions: Perfection?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about perfection. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

We are on Week 46. This year of Come Follow Me is rapidly coming to a close which means that talking about how Evangelicals view things in the Bible doesn’t really make sense next year because we’ll be doing Book of Mormon year. And I know several of you have wondered what will happen next year. Fear not. Things will change for next year, this particular podcast needs to pivot a bit, but I will still be around. FAIR is working on a show in addition to this one where there will be fewer episodes, but higher quality. I have been working with 2 of the best researchers FAIR has and we’re putting something together I think you’re going to like. So you will still get to see me – Congratulations and I’m sorry. I don’t know exactly what to say about that. But it will be good and I will have much more to share with you after Thanksgiving.

We have arrived at week 46 and we’re in James. 2 of the biggest verses in James that we could have talked about are James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God…” and James 2:14 and following talking about works. We’ve actually covered both of these topics pretty well in this series, so we’re going to back up a little and talk about James 1:2-4. This is in the ESV:

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

There is some history here that will help put Evangelicals in the right context. And, as we’ve seen before many times here, even when an Evangelical church presents itself as a “community church” with no denominational tie, there is usually a tie somewhere in the background – and that might be a formal denomination that just isn’t put front and center (Lifeway Research says that over 60% of the cosmetically named churches, things like Vision Church, are Southern Baptist churches that simply do not name the SBC anywhere on their website or materials and they present themselves as if they are no ties with a larger group at all.) Or it can just show up in the education of the pastoral staff – if they all went to Dallas Theological, then you know something about where they’re coming from.

So, the particular part of the Evangelical world a church comes from matters here. Churches that are informed by the Lutheran, Reformed or Calvinistic traditions are very unlikely to ever talk about the idea of becoming, “perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect.” It’s not a category for them, and their theology reveals why. Their position is sometimes called, “hyper-sovereignty” which is trying to get at the idea that God is so perfect, so complete, so good that it’s insulting to him for any human to have the audacity to say that they could be perfect as he is perfect. So, for them verses about perfection are part aspirational – they believe God is perfect and we should try for perfection even though we will never achieve it. But they’re also part of their system that says all humans are depraved and hated by God – only the power of Jesus Christ can heal the rift between us and God. So verses like this function as a sign to point out not only how good God is, but how bad we are. You know how Paul sometimes says that the law exists to point out our sin – these folks would likely say that these verses about perfection exist to point out how imperfect we actually are. In their way of thinking perfection is impossible, even thinking we could ever do it is hubris. Their interpretation is that God is so good he is perfect, and we are so bad that we could never obtain perfection. It doesn’t feel as grim in real time for them as it sounds to you. It sounds awful, I know, but they think of it more like: The stronger of a believer you are, the more willing you are to affirm God’s goodness and your own depravity. It’s a way for them to say that they are so committed to God that they’re willing to accept their own terribleness, and its a point of pride when they’re able to do so. All of this that I’ve just described is true for Evangelical churches that are influenced by Reformed theology, probably about 60% of current Evangelical churches. But there is another side.

It started in the 1700’s with John and Charles Wesley, the brothers who begin the Methodist Church. Just for timeline, John dies about 15 years before Joseph Smith is born. The Wesleys are part of the 1st Great Awakening, and Joseph Smith is part of the 2nd Great Awakening. And what the Wesleys do is pull from the group in early Christianity known as the Church Fathers who lived in the couple hundred years after Christ. And there is plenty in their writings about the idea of perfection. But, things get weird around the 4th Century and that thinking about perfection turns into a very deep asceticism and monasticism – so life either in a cloistered monastery or life lived in public society but living with deliberate poverty and frankly, near starvation. Now, Christian history had to go that way – the fall of Rome happens right around this time and the governmental structure that had been holding Europe together disappears. And we get the dark ages. By this time Christian monastic communities were already well established in such a way that they could continue to exist. So, its not an entirely bad thing, but the Wesleys look at that and think its awful – that Christian life is intended to be lived out publicly in a way that nonbelievers can see and understand. Not cloistered away or taking vows of extreme poverty. So the Wesleys want to rewind time and go back to what the early Chruch Fathers were talking about with perfectionism. Over time, Methodists have moved away from the idea quite a bit, but it gets picked up by a group of churches known as the Holiness Movement. The Free Methodist Church (different from their much larger sibling the United Methodists), The Church of the Nazarene, the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), The Salvation Army, and the Wesleyan Methodist Church (the smallest of the Methodist groups.) And an awful lot of current Evangelical churches are influenced by this arc in all kinds of ways. But it gets weird.

You can trace the influence of the Wesley brothers into modern Evangelicalism in about 100 different ways. But the idea that we might become like God is not one of them. Mostly what they do is take advantage of the wiggle room that exists in the Greek word used here for perfection. There is a legitimate nuance in that word that is something closer to “mature.” So you get translations like the NIV that say, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” The ESV still gives us, “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The ESV is considered a little bit more scholarly than the NIV, but the NIV has been around for decades longer and has had more influence on Evangelicals. So when they read a verse like this they hear, “be mature” and it doesn’t trigger the same response that, “be perfect” does. So some of them don’t even know, “perfect” is a possible translation here.

So what do we do with all of this?

Well, first, I can’t help myself…the mental health therapist in me needs to tell you that this conversation has nothing to do with perfectionism or the idea that today you must do all things perfectly in order to be loved or accepted by God or others. Part of the joy of having family and friends is that those are the people who can see your imperfections and love you anyway. So we’re not talking about some kind of scrupulosity or perfectionism. And to be fair, you do see a slightly lower incidence of these issues in an Evangelical population than you do in a Latter-day Saint population.

But as far as how to talk with Evangelicals about this, let me offer you my experience when I was an Evangelical. I didn’t know a lot about Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I had picked up some things along the way, not as any kind of serious study, just part of being alive in the 20th century in America. And I can say from that perspective that there is some overlap for people outside our church on the concepts of “perfection” and “worthiness.” Before I knew better, I would have heard the phrase, “a worthy Latter-day Saint” as “a perfect Latter-day Saint.” I knew that didn’t make sense, but I also knew the reputation of people in the church as being good people, excellent mothers, and excellent people to have around in a crisis. So, my first thought is that if a conversation about the concept of perfection came up, you might want to make sure your friend is able to differentiate between the two concepts.

Here is my second thought. There is a quote from President Nelson long before he was the president of the church. Back in 1995 he said, “We all need to remember: men are that they might have joy—not guilt trips!” And I love that because guilt is…kind of contagious. If you feel guilty about what you have and have not done, and you’re talking about the ideas of perfection, or even worthiness with an Evangelical friend, they will intuitively feel that guilt in you. The role of guilt in spiritual or personal development must be to point out something that has gone wrong – thus prompting us to make a change to address the issue. That’s the only reason you get the emotion of guilt. It doesn’t add to your holiness, it doesn’t add to the love you receive from God. It’s a big arrow pointing to a situation or event – not to make you feel worse about yourself, but for you to do some problem-solving around how to change. We humans don’t like to change, and sometimes barely know how to change, but that is the role of guilt – to point to where change needs to happen. In that sense its an empowering and problem-solving emotion. But what we do a lot of times is turn guilt to shame – instead of, “I did a bad thing” it becomes, “I am a bad thing.” That’s not growth or development, that’s self-pity. As much as you can, for your sake and the sake of those with whom you talk about gospel issues, let the feelings you have about your own lack of perfection be the things that makes you progress forward – not stay stuck on how awful you are for getting something wrong. So much overlap between this and mental health, forgive me for my soapbox.

Okay, next week is Priesthood of all Belivers. Come back and we’ll have some fun.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Isn’t Jesus the Only Melchizedek Priesthood Holder?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about part 2 of 3 on priesthood. There is so much to say on this and we’re going to get right to it. But I want to point out one thing…

Sometimes, at least in people I know, Latter-day Saints seem a little unsure of their overall Bible knowledge. And it’s true, there are some ins and outs of the Bible, especially the New Testament, that Evangelicals will tend to know better than our people. But the Book of Hebrews is not one of those places. The Book of Hebrews is the least read in the New Testament among Evangelicals. It’s not that they don’t think it’s scripture. They do. But it’s a dense book, and you have to know some things about the Old Testament, and even then it’s still considered kind of esoteric. But because of the mention of Melchizedek in Hebrews, more Latter-day Saints have spent significant time there. The parts of Hebrews they really do like are chapters 11 and 12. You probably see this too, but it feels more familiar in tone, pace, and voice. It feels like Paul writing. The first 10 chapters of Hebrews just feel different to them. And, to be fair, they are different. If this is Paul writing, these chapters are the only ones where he talks like that.

Okay, so let’s get to our jumping-off point. Hebrews 7:17:

You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

So what do Evangelicals do with this verse?

If we’re talking about percentages – how many Evangelicals engage with this concept – the answer is: its not a very high percentage. It’s just not on their radar. We say, “The Bible doesn’t lay flat,” meaning that some passages form a canon within a canon. Those are the go-to passages that all Evangelicals would know. And the verses in Hebrews about Melchizedek are not on that list. Latter-day Saints certainly have our own “canon within a canon” – the passages we pay more attention to, and those outside of it don’t get much air time.

So the most likely question an Evangelical would have here is simply, “Who is Melchizedek anyway?” Because we don’t have tons of details about the historic priest Melchizedek, the answer to that question is pretty short, so they think there isn’t much here and move on to the other parts of Hebrews that have more content they can do something with. They don’t really have a conceptualization of “priest” so it doesn’t really go anywhere with them. They do like the part in Hebrews that talks about Jesus’ ability to be our Great High Priest because he suffered in the same ways we suffer. And who wouldn’t? There is a lot of comfort in that idea and we are on very firm mutual ground here. Both Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals would feel good about that concept.

Among Evangelicals who are theologically educated, you might get conversation about how Melchizedek is actually “Jesus in disguise,” as one of the few places in the Old Testament where Jesus shows up. That was a really popular theory all throughout the 20th century, less so now.

I think the question that might most come up for them here is, “Why are you making all of this priesthood stuff more complicated than it needs to be?” And if you’ve been listening to this series at all you know that is pretty on-brand for them. The entire Evangelical project has been all about simplifying the Gospel, taking away the parts that make it hard for people to understand or participate – church services are very casual, “priests” are now “pastors,” Difficult to sing hymns are replaced by pop worship choruses. There is a way to take this question without disrespect intended, I think it could be a very sincere question: Why are you making this so complicated? Because in many ways Evangelicals are doing what the early Campebelite churches were doing – trying to get rid of everything that is not the absolute most essential part of the Gospel. The Campbelites considered that the “restoration of all things,” to them it meant just getting to the most important part and let everything else go. And you can hear echoes of that in the Evangelical question: Why are you making this so complicated? And to be honest, it’s a fair question. On the outside looking in, it can seem like a lot when you’re used to the “paring down” philosophy. However, Joseph Smith was not interested in a restoration that gets rid of everything. He wanted to add in everything, always be expanding, worlds without end. So Latter-day Saints look at this and think: Why wouldn’t you want EVERYTHING restored?

And what it comes down to on this one is the question of authority. What is needed in order to do God’s work? The go-to verse for Evangelicals is in 1 Peter, “the priesthood of all believers,” and they interpret this to mean that no special authority is needed to baptize or perform ordinances. They see the Bible as giving anyone who believes in Christ the proper authority. To them, the concept of authority means that someone else is going to stand between you and God and regulate what you must do. While we would see authority slightly differently – the power of the priesthood is God’s power and we all are invited to participate in it in various ways.

We see the priesthood as belonging to God, it is his power, and we humans are invited to participate. While they see the priesthood as belonging to humans who just want to get in the way and make it more difficult to understand God. And sometimes they’re not wrong. There really are, “evil priests who seek to destroy and oppress,” even if those people don’t always carry the title, “priest.”

And I gotta tell you….I sympathize with their opinion in some ways. No one wants evil priests, and it is very easy for someone who thinks they’re acting in the power of God to confuse that with their own desires for power. That goes bad in 100 different ways. But the saying, “misuse should not mean no use,” applies here. Just because evil priests exist, does not mean there is no good priesthood at all. And this is part of what Hebrews is getting at – Jesus is the only priest who never messes it up and misuses his power.

But you can see that what Evangelicals are really worried about here is something like: Who gives you the authority to make all these rules? And the accusation is: You’re just making stuff up to make it seem more complicated than it is. And in a weird way, they see THAT as being an “evil priest.” A person who is blocking access to God – in this case through “complications” – instead of doing what Jesus did which is to make access to God even possible.

They see things like baptism being required as an extra rule. They see all of the ordinances that way. The idea of a priesthood is just another example of this. But this is actually where we find some common ground. In the Evangelical way of thinking authority or leadership is bestowed on someone because they themselves feel a direct call from God to do whatever it is that God is calling them to do. No one chooses you or calls you, you have to do it yourself. And, depending on the corner of the Evangelical world you’re standing in, anyone can claim to be called to anything simply because they feel God wants them to do the thing. In the simplest terms possible, this is the main difference that they would be able to identify – they call themselves and qualify themselves, and we have a process for it that involves requirements and accountability. A young deacon in our church might not have given much thought as to whether he should become ordained or not – I hope he has, but these are young boys and that process probably happens a bit more automatically for some than for others. They get ordained as a deacon simply because they’re the right age to do so – but the further up he goes the more it will require the man himself to desire to take on the requirements and responsibilities of the priesthood. He has to want to do it too. That piece – the man’s desire to serve in this way, and his own understanding of his calling – that is something Evangelicals can relate to. They might never love the structure (though to be honest, for someone like me the structure in our church is a breath of fresh air) but they might also be surprised that a man taking on priesthood responsibilities is also doing it out of his own sense of desire to do so. I mean, have you met the men in our church? My impression is that yes, they can certainly submit to their spiritual leaders when necessary – but it’s not divorced from the man’s own desire to serve. And Evangelicals would recognize and respect that if it were pointed out to them.

Okay, next week we’re in the book of James, so a break from talking about priesthood – and then we do the “priesthood of all believers” which is the continuation of this. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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by Lyndie Jackson

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

Saturdays and Sundays are safeguarded days for most people. Between school, work and other activities, our weeks get hectic and weekends are reserved for relaxing with family and friends and accomplishing tasks that could not be finished during the week. But faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with members of other religions, carve out time during their weekends to attend church meetings.

Church attendance is important for many reasons, not the least of which are to worship God, to feel the Spirit, and to keep God’s commandment to honor the Sabbath day. There are many other reasons to attend church meetings, such as renewing our covenants with God, learning the gospel, and joining a community of believers. Our lives can be exceedingly blessed by going to church, even (and maybe especially) when it feels like a sacrifice.

CONTINUED HERE

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Some Old Testament scriptures tell about a latter-day “Davidic King,” “Davidic Servant,” or “Marred Servant.” The consensus of mainstream scholarship and teaching from leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that this refers to Jesus Christ, when He rules the earth after His Second Coming. But some claim the “Servant” will be a mortal man who may or may not be a regularly-ordained Church leader. Because of the name “David,” some speculate Apostle David Bednar will be the Servant, and the same was said decades ago about the prophet David O. McKay.

Many who are not Apostles or Church leaders have claimed to be the “Davidic Servant.” Recently it was reported a woman and her brother kidnapped her teenage son because they believed him to be the “Davidic Servant.” The belief in a “Davidic Servant” is controversial and has been associated with criminal and tragic outcomes. To an unstable individual who feels entitled to power or special spiritual gifts, the “Davidic Servant” belief can be used to justify immoral and unscriptural actions. To an ordinary member of the Church, belief in a coming “Davidic Servant” can cause frustration with actual Church leaders, a feeling of spiritual superiority to them, and an eventual loss of faith in the restored gospel altogether.

A Mortal Davidic Servant: Refuting the ArgumentsBelievers in a coming mortal “Davidic Servant” use several arguments to support their claim. Most are completely wrong.

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Evangelical Questions: The Husband of One Wifeby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about polygamy. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

We are on Week 43 of this 52-week project. I’ve teased you a little about what will happen next year. I’m still not ready to spill the beans, but we had a planning meeting for it yesterday and I’m really encouraged.

Our jumping-off point is 1 Timothy 3:2:

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…

Before we start, let me set some expectations. This is not an apologetic for polygamy. This is not to pretend there are not hard issues with polygamy. If you yourself, Latter-day Saint friend, are struggling over the history of polygamy there are so many resources to help you. Let me just briefly touch on 3 of them. 1) The work of Brian Hales on this topic is the the very best source for learning the history here. His site JosephSmithsPolygamy.org should be your first stop if you’re wanting to see the most in-depth display of original documents as it relates to Joseph’s polygamy specifically. Brian and his then-wife Laura Harris Hales (now passed) created the site. Laura was amazing and kind. I gave my first formal talk for FAIR in 2020 and Laura was the speaker right before me. We had never met but she just sort of told me, “You and I are going to be friends because you need to know the things I can tell you.” Maybe not that blunt, but in essence, that’s what it was. Laura’s talk that year was on Helen Mar Kimball’s later-in-life reflections on polygamy. Helen was sealed to Joseph when she was 14, which gets really complicated for us today. But Helen’s own words, written after a lifetime of living polygamy, are the essence of what it means to embrace faith in the midst of something really messy. And if I had not already been completely swept off my feet over this church, I would have become so right then and there. My very favorite genre of speaking or writing is from the standpoint of, “You can maintain faith even if things are messy, even if you have doubts, even if you have questions. Those things in no way disqualify you from having a strong faith.” So, resource 1 is: check out Brian’s site (Brian is very much alive and well – just this last week he released a paper on Joseph Smith’s education called, “Joseph Smith’s Education and Intellect as Described in Documentary Sources.” Our friends at the Interpreter Foundation have it up on their website. It’s 8,000 words and over 120 footnotes. Brian’s site and Laura’s talk on HMK at the 2020 FAIR conference. 2) Second resource you should know about is the 2023 talk at FAIR by Don Bradley. Don is a proper historian and did the deep research for Brian and Laura’s work. And he has continued on in that work. Don’s talk at FAIR a couple months ago brings new information into play that changes the timeline of Joseph’s polygamy – which snaps several previously problematic ideas into place. It is well worth your time. 3) Finally Brittany Chapman Nash’s book, “Let’s Talk About Polygamy.” Brittany worked in the church history department for a long time, she was on the YW General Advisotry Board. She makes the topic very accessible and this is a very easy read. I think it’s less than 150 pages, in plain language, and it’s a great resource if you are struggling here. Ok, those are 3 great resources if you’re struggling in general with the topic as a Latter-day Saint. But what we are going to do today is different. We, as always, are going to talk about this topic as it comes up for Evangelicals.

So, before I was interested in the church, I knew some rough details about polygamy – mostly from movies or tv shows. I couldn’t have sketched out an overview of why it started or when. I just knew it was a thing, and supposedly wasn’t a thing anymore. But even that small amount of knowledge is more than a good percentage of Evangelicals have. As evidenced by this reality….Since joining the church I’ve received a handful of messages from friends about various tv shows that go something like this: “Hey, I’m watching such-and-such tv show about your church. There’s a lot going on there – you okay?” And they mean that with the kindest of intentions, they really do. They just don’t realize they’re watching a show about the members of a different group who practice polygamy, not our church. And I would say most Evangelicals have an understanding that is somewhere between what I knew and the knowledge that my friends displayed in their messages. So when they think about polygamy you need to know that their imaginations are populated by what they see on television and not by actual historical realities.

But even if you can explain all of that to them, and I think many (most?) Latter-day Saints could, you still have a problem…They interpret this verse in 1 Timothy to mean that all expressions of polygamy are bad for all places and all times. They get real squeamish explaining the polygamy of almost every prophet in the Old Testament and will usually say something like, “Yeah, they might have done that, but God didn’t like it or allow it – they just did it.” You can point out that 30% of the countries in the world still allow it today. They just…it’s usually been a hard no for them. But even that is changing.

In 2003 Gallop does a survey and finds 7% of adult Americans thought polygamy was morally acceptable – by 2020, 20% of adult Americans said it’s morally acceptable. And 35% of adults who consider themselves politically liberal say it is morally acceptable. This is sort of the spot where I walked in. I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly liberal, but I lived in a very liberal West Coast city for 25 years and that exposes you to a wide variety of people and lifestyles where the automatic response of most people is, “love is love.” So when I was investigating the church, that’s the cultural soup I was living in, so when the issue of polygamy came up my response was something like: Love who you want to love, why should I care? When the conversation came up with 2 women friends that are members of the church I was surprised. So surprised. I asked how they thought about the history of polygamy or the issue in general and they kind of fell all over themselves trying to tell me how bad they thought it was. They wanted to put lots and lots of distance between today and the 1800’s. I was confused. My liberal culture had taught me: You don’t get to have an opinion on how other people structure their marriages. Now, I get what they were doing – I was an investigator and they were trying not to freak me out – and I see the goodness in that. But I was far less worried about the issue than they were. As time went on, and I learned more, there were parts of the topic that I struggled with harder than others – I struggled with Joseph’s polyandry and if you struggle with that one too you must watch Don’s talk that I referenced earlier. But my initial reaction to the topic of polygamy was kind of, “So?” And I really haven’t moved too far from that. I understand the problems, I understand that the theological framework that supported polygamy is still found in places in our church. I listened to 100 episodes of a popular podcast talking about polygamy. And perhaps I’m not the typical example here, but what I’ve observed is that people inside the church are more touchy about this topic than people outside of it. So, all of that to say, you might be surprised that this conversation could go an entirely different way than you imagine. You, Latter-day Saint, might have far more complicated feelings about this than someone outside of our faith. You’re allowed to have complicated feelings here, and there is plenty of help for that, but Evangelicals don’t necessarily walk in with the same baggage.

And here is the other direction I want to go. I think sometimes we Latter-day Saints look at Protestants widely, and Evangelicals specifically as being a people who don’t have to grapple with history as hard as we do in our church. Since we’re talking about polygamy we’ll use that as the example. There are 2 reasons for this.

1) Evangelicals are perfectly aware of polygamy in the Old Testament. But, that was a very, very long time ago. Meanwhile, in our church, there are people alive today whose grandparents practiced polygamy. So stories about polygamy (and all of its challenges) are not just random stories about stuff that happened 3,000 years ago. Evangelicals have the luxury of not thinking about this topic very much because 3,000 years is a long time. And, to be honest, in general, they’re fairly unaware of the events that have happened in the interim. For example, Martin Luther, the great reformer and father of Protestantism, said, “I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture. If a man wishes to marry more than one wife he should be asked whether he is satisfied in his conscience that he may do so in accordance with the word of God. In such a case the civil authority has nothing to do in the matter.” But even that was 500 years ago, so it just doesn’t feel as relevant for them.

2) Evangelicalism is very young as a faith community. Younger than ours. They really didn’t start gaining steam until post-WW2. And what was the cultural zeitgeist in post-WW2 America? Everything is modern and new. Everything is about the future. New is better than old. So they’ve culturally been able to tell their origin story that way. Think of the biggest Evangelical church in your town, I can almost guarantee you that their origin story is something like, “Well, Pastor So-and-So just wanted to study the Bible with some friends so they started a Bible study group in his living room. And pretty soon it grew into a church, and now here we are.” Well, that’s a pretty tidy history. But you understand that it’s an edited history. “Jesus did some stuff, died and rose again, then fast-forward 2000 years and we started this church.” And that’s the end of the history lesson. Because its culturally allowed (even expected) for the story to be told that way, they mostly just accept it, and no one asks harder questions based on history. They actually really do have it easier here than we do. But this is sort of the pay off on this topic and what I want you to hear….

Faith in messy. History is messy. People are messy. There was a time in our church’s history when a more sanitized version of history was being told – that happened for a lot of reasons, and it seems we’ve mostly moved past that mentality. And now we grapple with this stuff. And yes, some people leave over these issues. But have you met the people who know the depths of these issues and don’t leave? Don’t abandon their faith? People who can struggle through these issues, faith intact? If you’re watching this, I suspect there is at least some of that in you too. And you have no idea what a gift that is. A person who goes to a church whose origin story is Pastor Bill and his living-room Bible study, well they don’t develop the same skill in the same way. They don’t have to because the messier details are obscured from sight. My very favorite people in the world are people who model this for me – they want to know all the details of everything, and they still choose faith.

My point here is not even to prep you on how to talk about polygamy with outsiders. I don’t think that’s even a very interesting conversation, and a pretty large number of them won’t even care. But there’s a pretty easy pivot from that conversation to how one keeps faith alive while also acknowledging the messy. This is one of the gifts of our faith that you might not see, but in my opinion, helping other people build their faith by modeling how to wade through complex issues is one of the holiest things you can do in this world. I hope and aspire to be able to do that for other people, and I know you do too.

Okay, well, there you go. And seriously, if you are hurting or struggling over this issue please check out the resources I listed at the top of the show. Sometimes I’ve seen this cynical attitude from critics of the church that says, “Well, if you knew everything I knew, you’d leave too.” Which is just ridiculously untrue. And the folks in the sources I mentioned can really show you what its like to know all the details and still maintain faith.

Next week, “the priesthood of all believers” is up. That will be a great conversation. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: What Apostasy?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about The Great Apostasy. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Our jumping-off point is 2 Thes 2:1-4. This is in the English Standard Version:

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone unfamiliar with The Great Apostasy you are probably familiar with the look on their face that says something like, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” And I imagine that is rather confusing to you, Latter-day Saint friends. The signs of it seems so obvious to us it’s barely something that needs proving. You might as well ask someone to prove that air exists. But it’s different for Evangelicals. So, what are the issues?

Well, first, they don’t deny that apostasy with a lower-case “a” has happened many times in history. You can see it in the Bible and in every generation since. However, they will always couch it in terms of being individual apostasy, not collective. This forces the conversation into an awkward corner because the natural response might be something like, “Oh no, it wasn’t just one person, it was the whole thing.” And now you’ve got a problem. Because it wasn’t the whole thing. You’ve just conflated 2 different ideas about apostasy. Let me explain.

What does, “complete apostasy” mean? And what doesn’t it mean? Well, it can’t mean that there were no people who loved God, had the desire to serve him, and patterned their lives after Jesus Christ. We know from history that this is not true. So Evangelicals have a rough little piece of logic to work through here – and sometimes we make it harder on them by over-playing our hand. The Evangelical who knows even the basics of history can point out plenty of people who are examples of faithful believers throughout the ages. So, even being able to point out 1 counterexample seems to discredit the claim.

But the claim of The Great Apostasy is not that no one loved and followed God to the best of their ability. It’s that the priesthood power was taken from the Earth. Those are 2 very different things. The Great Apostasy is an institutional situation, not an individual one.

All that to say, when you’re in a conversation with an Evangelical about the apostasy try to stay out of the trap of “the apostasy means no one loved Jesus Christ at all during that time.”

Second issue. Evangelicals absolutely believe in a great apostasy. But, like many times, they’re not talking about the same thing we are. They would define the great apostasy as something that will happen at some future point in time. GK Beal, an Evangelical Biblical scholar says it this way, “The point Paul appears to be making is that the visible church community, within which true saints exist, will become so apostate that it will be dominantly filled with people who profess to be Christian but really are not. The church will continue to profess to be Christian but most in it will actually not be true believers.” Dr. B. J. Oropeza, an Evangelical at Azusa Pacific University has written 3 volumes, 800 pages, on apostasy. And every single one of those pages deals with the apostasy of the individual. Not the removal of priesthood power.

So, we’re on the same page that there is such a thing as a great apostasy. They just think it is a future event while we believe it is a past event. But this nuance brings up an interesting layer. Some of the pushback Evangelicals give on the concept of an apostasy (as we define it) is that God wouldn’t do that to us humans – why would he send Jesus and then let the whole thing fall apart? Well, interestingly enough they are perfectly okay with believing that is a possibility – a future possibility, but a possibility nevertheless. The only difference between their thinking on this and ours is that we think it happened quickly after the Apostles were gone, and they think it won’t happen for a long time to come.

In this 2 Thes passage, we also get Paul warning the reader to not let anyone deceive you. Which is a very good and helpful thing for him to be saying – but it also sets up the Evangelical way of thinking – that apostasy an individual matter. The person who becomes apostate has been tricked or fooled out of proper belief. And it is their responsibility alone to right their ship. Apostasy happens to individuals and must be fixed by individuals. The closest they can probably get to apostasy being the removal of priesthood power is looking at the Catholic church in the middle ages – if they know much about history they can probably point to that time period and say that the whole project seems to be off the rails. But Evangelicals and Catholics have an uneasy relationship. A very typical response here would be something like, “Well, those were Catholics.” The implied message is, “they aren’t real Christians like us.”

So what do you do with all of this? They see apostasy as an individual matter. And while we certainly can also see it in individuals, when we use the term The Great Apostacy, what we mean has to do with priesthood power, not individual behavior. And while they agree that a great apostasy is going to happen in the future, they don’t think its happened yet. Are we just at a stalemate? No, I don’t think so.

It gets tricky because they tend to see the concept of priesthood as a burden, not a gift. They think it is an unnecessary barrier between an individual and God. All they know are “false priests who oppress.” So one path you could go down is talking about how having the priesthood restored actually helps you get closer to God, not further away. I have experienced this in my own life, I’m sure you have too.

But another way to talk about this is to think about apostasy as they do. Accept their definition for a moment – that apostasy only has to do with the individual holding incorrect beliefs and has nothing to do with the lack of priesthood power. That it only happens to individuals and not all humans together. How does someone come to understand that they hold an incorrect belief? Your Evangelical friends hold incorrect beliefs – I did when I was an Evangelical. But, most good people who hold wrong beliefs really have no idea that they’re wrong. They’re not trying to be wrong, and they have nothing else to go on that might help them see that some things are off here. Some very simple questions about epistemology would come in handy here – how do they know what they know? How do they know they’re not wrong?

If you know and love Evangelicals you probably already know where this goes – they point to the Bible as the source of what they believe. And I trust them when they say that. But here is the thing….the Bible doesn’t lay flat. What does that mean? It means that some passages are given more emphasis and importance than others. And this is true in a way that makes people “blind” to certain passages. They can quote and believe the ones they like, and ignore lots of other verses that add more information. The solution here? You are not going to like it….You need to know your Bible better than you do. I know. I teach Gospel Doctrine and it’s only October and I can already hear the sighs of relief that people have about getting to do Book of Mormon year next year. -And I’m excited too – but as a people, we don’t know the Bible very well, so conversations with folks who are basing literally everything off the Bible are difficult because they can outwit you. I know you’re antsy to get to the BoM but I implore you, if you have a missionary heart toward Evangelicals at all please don’t run out of energy on the New Testament yet. We’ve still got 10 weeks left of the New Testament and one of the best things you might be able to do for the Evangelials you care about, is learn the Bible better.

Alright, that is that. Next week we get the wonderful phrase, “husband of one wife” and all the worries Evangelicals have about the history of polygamy in our faith. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Is this a Gnostic Church?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Gnosticism. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

We are just going to jump right in with this week’s verse Col 2:8-9:

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.

Okay, normally I don’t exegete passages for you, that’s not what we’re doing here, but I do feel like a little guidance is helpful here in order for you to understand where we’re going. Paul’s statement here in Col 2 is kind of weird if you don’t understand what’s happening in the background. He makes this statement that you shouldn’t be deceived by human philosophy and traditions. Okay. And then if you don’t know what he’s doing it seems as if he makes a strange left turn by adding in the reminder that Christ had a body. No one would blame you if you read that passage and wondered if the pages got stuck together or something. It’s odd on the face of it.

But what Paul is doing here is addressing Gnosticism. What is Gnosticism, why should you care, and what does it have to do with Evangelicals?

Gnosticism is a philosophy that covers many things, and we only have time to talk about 1 part of it. The Gnostics believed that it really only matters that you get the correct knowledge in your head. Thinking correctly and having knowledge is not just the most important thing, it’s everything – to the degree that the world which exists outside of the invisible things going on in your head just don’t matter. The only things that really matter are things you can think about – things you do with your actual physical body have nothing to do with it, they certainly don’t need to be regulated, and something that’s just pointless to worry about. If thinking in your head is everything….then the things that happen outside of your head are nothing. There was a very specific version of this in Paul’s day that he’s fighting against – and that idea was that Jesus either didn’t have a body, or maybe he only appeared to have a body. In this view, Jesus had obtained enough knowledge that he was able to be body-less because of his advanced knowledge. And someone with that much knowledge shouldn’t even be bothered with a body – it distracts from the really important thing, knowledge in your mind. So when Paul says, “Hey, don’t get distracted by this philosophy, Jesus actually had a body,” he is responding to this issue.

So, what does this have to do with our conversation about Evangelicals? As you know, Evangelicals reject the idea that anyone can choose to accept ordinances done on their behalf after the person has died because of their view that the afterlife is a binary between Heaven and Hell. But that’s only the first part of why they get confused about proxy ordinances. Gnosticism is the other reason why.

To Evangelicals having a body is not considered a gift, it’s not something they even think about all that much. They tend toward a kind of dualism that says belief is more important than behavior. What you think in your head is more important than what you actually do with your body. Now, to be fair, most people don’t study philosophy, and probably couldn’t tell you much about Gnosticism, but you can see the impact it has on their faith in the way they don’t value doing good works in the same way that we would in our church, or they don’t think baptism is important – it’s a nice thing, but accepting baptism is not really required for entrance into Heaven. They’re happily less restrictive on clothing, language, substances, and more because as long as you’re believing the correct things, it doesn’t really matter all that much if your physical body is allowed to do other things. So even though most of them won’t know the word “gnostic” they live in a system greatly influenced by it. The theologically trained folks know what it is – and they understand that Gnosticism is a bad thing. In that world, it is a legitimate and devastating blow to call someone out for being “too gnostic.” So it’s not like the leaders and theologically educated folks are embracing the idea that your body dosn’t even matter, but to preach about that doesn’t really go very far in that world. What you wear doesn’t matter, what you say or where you go doesn’t matter, what you do doesn’t matter – as long as you say the right things.

Okay, why should you care about any of this….It is a fair question for those outside our faith to ask why proxy work is how it has to be. If they can set aside the idea that there are no chances after death to believe (which is hard for them to set aside) they still get stuck on exactly why it requires a person who still has a physical body to get baptized, for example, on their behalf. Couldn’t God just accept their confession of faith after death? Why involve the people who are alive today and have bodies? This truly makes no sense to them. They might bring up the thief on the cross to whom Jesus spoke and said, “today you will be with me in paradise.” No baptism, no proxy work for that guy was required in what Jesus said. Though to be fair, Jesus was a bit busy at the moment when this conversation was taking place.

So, if you’re having a conversation about proxy work with an Evangelical this concept of Gnosticism is in the background, even if either one of you know it. So, what do you do?

Well, one interesting way to address this is to wonder with them: Why was it important that Jesus had a body through which he suffered greatly? Couldn’t God have just decided to forgive the sins of anyone who would come to the correct cognitive beliefs about their sin? They will probably tell you that God could have done that – but he didn’t. Why was it important to Paul that Jesus had a real body when he did his proxy work for us?

The other piece that comes up here is something I want to be really careful and kind with. There is a piece of Gnosticism – and especially the kind that is at the heart of modern-day evangelicalism – that says not only is knowledge important, but MY version of knowledge is the most important. For example, the key to salvation in the Evangelical world is that each person makes a “personal profession of faith in Christ.” And that is good. We believe that too – no one can decide about Christ for you, you have to decide for yourself. But from there, the Evangelical faces some different challenges. If MY personal salvation is based on MY own thinking – then everything can be. And there’s no one to tell me otherwise. If I don’t like what my pastor teaches, I go find a pastor who teaches what I like. When I get mad at him – or when he’s too old or not cool enough – I can go find another one. No one gets the final word but me. They’re not being self-centered or egotistical about this – its a theological expression for them and they feel the great responsibility of having to decide every single thing in their own head. There is no authority. No prophet. The first time I heard the phrase, “the authority of God was taken from the Earth,” I remember being confused because I had been so indoctrinated in the idea that God really wanted us to figure everything out on our own. In the Evangelical way of thinking that’s not seen God’s authority being taken – but that the very concept of authority doesn’t matter anymore. It’s postmodernism – the author is dead, and with him the concept of authority. You yourself have to be your own authority. Shoot, today in our Western culture we don’t even like the idea of saying that someone who has spent decades studying is an “authority” when I person can spend 5 min on Google and piece together a loud opinion. Evangelicals aren’t just up against this in our culture, they’re up against it as part of their faith system.

If you’re thinking ahead, you can already see how this same dilemma causes them to reject having a Prophet. They DO value prophets – they just value the ones who they can read and not see. The ones who lived so long ago they couldn’t possibly understand life today. Having a living prophet – another way to say that is to say we have a human Prophet who lives in a human body – feels much more dangerous to them than reading dead Prophets who are now disembodied.

That’s a lot of philosophy for today. So I’m not going to go on too much longer. But I hope this has helped you see how these differences play out. And really, if anything, I want you to recognize the goodness of the water you’re swimming in but probably don’t even realize.

Next week, I don’t remember what we’re doing, but in 2 weeks we’re talking about polygamy. So that’ll be fun. See you next time.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Do Works Work?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about works. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today, is Sunday evening, October 1. I hope you had a great conference weekend. I certainly did. And I’ve got a list of talks I need to go back and listen to again. You probably do too! I will not tell you how many Cinnamon Rolls I ate, but you can probably guess.

We are just going to jump right in with this week’s verse Eph 2:8-9:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

So, I remember grappling with this verse when I was an Evangelical, probably age 16 or 17. I grew up in a non-LDS church that tried to walk a fine line between Calvinism (God chooses whom he will save, and your choices don’t matter. Even if you want to be saved, you might not be) and Arminianism (People have free will to choose God or not therefore we should Evangelize around the world. And, for what they were trying to do, they did an okay job at it. “Spend your days like an Arminianist, but spend your nights like a Calvinist” – meaning, work hard to share the gospel but also go to sleep knowing God is going to do what God is going to do. But when we would come to verses like this I was rather confused because my church taught that in order to receive this grace what you were supposed to do was pray, “the sinner’s prayer” which means asking Jesus into your heart. And that was it. Pray the prayer, that’s all you have to do, and God’s grace does the rest. But, in my 16-year-old brain, I couldn’t quite work out why that sinner’s prayer was not considered a “work.” It’s something that the person does. If it was actually true that God’s grace is all that’s needed, then why do we even need to pray the prayer? Evangelicals do have answers for this, but none of them felt very satisfying for me. Eventually, I just moved on from the question.

And, this will not come as a surprise to listeners of this show, I was also taught that Latter-day Saints are trying to work their way to Heaven and if they made one small mess-up, their chances were ruined. Which is part of why I was so intrigued when I read the Book of Moses. If you haven’t heard me say it before, Moses was actually the first Latter-day Scripture I ever read. And there’s a lot contained in that little book – something I understand now way more than before – so when I talk about it I usually say something like, “I really didn’t even know what I was looking at yet.” And that’s true. I didn’t. But there is also this. Literally, by verse 4 I’m confronted with ideas about works. In vs. 4 God tells Moses that his work is vast – and that he is still not done working. He’s got more to say and more to create. Well, hmmm, this is not something that Evangelicals ever taught me. But by Moses 1:6 we see God telling Moses that he has a work to do as well, just as Jesus Christ had a work to do. Huh. If you had asked me even a few weeks earlier to guess what a verse like this would say I probably would have guessed something like God telling Moses: I have a bunch of work for you to do, and if you do it well enough you can earn your way back into my presence. But that’s not what happens in Moses 1. Even by Verse 4 we know that God is calling Moses, “son” – and presumably Moses hasn’t even done anything yet. He is assured of his sonship and then given work to do. I’m not even sure if I articulated any good questions about that at the time. So, right from the beginning, I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around this concept. And I think that most Evangelicals who are baptized into our church have to go through a version of the same puzzle. People who have been members of our faith for their whole lives often get really confused here as well. The questions Evangelicals ask here don’t really make any sense and we all talk right past each other. So, what I want to do today is try to fairly explain why Evangelicals are in the place they are on this, and hopefully some ideas on how to have a better conversation.

About 6 weeks ago the magazine Christianity Today (which has long been considered the Evangelical’s magazine) published an article called, “Mormons Expect More of the Next Generation. Why Don’t We?” And the whole point of that article is basically that Evangelical kids don’t fair as well because they’re given far lower expectations – counterintuitively to some, high expectations (coupled with high levels of support) are good for kids. CT actually publishes articles like this roughly every decade. The most recent one I could find before the article in August was back in 2013. What is fascinating though is that all these articles, every decade or so, praise the works of Latter-day Saint youth – they talk about the goodness of their service and how the missionary program helps in young adult development. They talk about the humanitarian work, and all other good things our church does. But they divorce it from our beliefs. The logic goes something like this…We Evangelicals believe the Latter-day Saints are doing really good works – those works end up being meaningless because they think they’re earning salvation with them – but at least some people are getting some benefit out of them. In these articles, you get statements along the lines of, “Mormon culture is founded on a worldview requiring works in order to gain eternal life.” And, “Trying to earn God’s favor through human effort is not going to help any teenager, whether Mormon or Protestant.” One more, “Christians have a unique core that motivates our service, a core that separates our religion from others, including Mormonism. That core is grace.”

Now, Latter-day Saints, I know you’re minds are full right now of verses from the Book of Mormon, or from modern Prophets, explaining that we do not believe our works save us. But no matter how much you talk about those verses, Evangelicals have not budged on this, as evidenced by the simple example of the decade-after-decade articles from Christianity Today that we are a works-based religion.

Remember when we did the “Different Jesus” episode? Evangelicals have a deep worry that getting Jesus wrong, even a little bit, means that no matter how strong your faith it won’t really matter because you don’t believe in the “correct” Jesus. And that comes into play here. It’s not so much that they don’t believe in doing good. They do, and they can cite the Bible verses which support this. The problem is that because, in their view, we don’t believe in the “correct” Jesus whatever good works we do have to stand on their own as just nice things people are doing. They can’t see our works as an expression of our faith in Christ because they can’t see that we have faith in Christ.

Now, it’s conference weekend, so heavily in my mind was the number of times that speakers mentioned Jesus Christ. I thought I’d keep a tally, but quickly lost my ability to keep up. The text of those talks is not available yet, so I went to last Conference, April 2023, to see how many times Jesus Christ was mentioned. There are over 500 times, and if you take out all the mentions of the name of the church (“Welcome to the annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) you still have well over 400 times. Elder Gary Stevenson, in that conference, talks about him the most, 25 mentions in a 14-min talk. He mentions Jesus Christ on average every 30 seconds. And in fact it’s rare to have a speaker not mention Jesus Christ multiple times. You and I all know this. But our Evangelical friends won’t accept those 400 times because to them it doesn’t matter how hard you believe or how big your faith is if it is invested in the wrong thing. And here, “the wrong thing” essentially means that we don’t accept the things written about Jesus by a committee 400 years after he was gone – the basic Trinitarian conceptualization. You don’t believe in the Trinity, the object of your belief is false, therefore your works are not a product of faith – they’re you trying to earn your way to Heaven.

The only way that I really see out of this corner is to speak more specifically about what you believe regarding Jesus Christ with your Evangelical friends. “I believe in Jesus Christ,” is met with, “But you believe in the wrong Jesus.” That’s an expected reflex. But something like, “I believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Savior of the world and no one can return to God except through him,” would certainly get you some agreement and understanding with them.

I’ll say one other thing about getting out of this corner. If you want to have credibility, you have to live up to what you’re saying. You actually have to be the kind of person who embodies the teachings of Jesus Christ. This is why I don’t personally participate in conversations about Christ with people I don’t know online. There is a spot for that – and if you are gifted in the area, God bless you – I think many of our missionaries are gifted this way as they knock on doors of strangers or start discussions with people they don’t know well at all. But I am not one of those people, at least in part because the biggest piece of credibility I have is the fact of who Christ has led me to be. You can’t really communicate that to someone you don’t know well. But occasionally an Evangelical friend will say something like: “I don’t believe a thing your church teaches you, but I can see that it’s working for you because you’re happier than I’ve ever seen you.” Said by a friend who has known me for more than 30 years. How you live your life and what makes you happy really actually matters. And my life is certainly not perfect, and neither am I, but my friend was right, I am happier than I’ve ever been, despite some real challenges. And if you’re like most Latter-day Saints I’ve met, you’re that way too. You conduct your life in a way that is what Jesus described as letting them, “see your good works and glorify your father who is in Heaven.” Who you are, and how you live your life – the good works that you do – actually gives you more traction with people who know you in getting them to want to listen to you about Jesus.

Okay, that’s about it for today. Next week we’re going to talk about something called Gnosticism which Paul fought hard against – and why proxy work is a perfect antidote to Gnosticism. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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by Craig Lindquist

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

A friend recently asked about my thoughts on making repentance less intimidating. My immediate answer was, “Well, perhaps we should get President Nelson to stop using the words ‘daily’ and ‘repentance’ in the same sentence!”1 We both had a chuckle, but while pondering his question, I recalled my first experience with repentance. It was both challenging and liberating.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH REPENTINGAs a young man I stole a tool from a local merchant. Later, I began to feel a desire to set my life right with the Lord. This required a visit to my bishop, who, despite my misgivings, was kind and loving. He taught me about the Lord’s love for me and His gratitude for my repentance. He also explained the necessity of making things right. I soon found myself in a checkout line of that same store explaining to the cashier that I wanted to pay for a tool I had stolen years before. Not knowing what to do, she called the manager over and the two of them talked it over with me. But not in private! I can still feel the stares of those waiting in line.

CONTINUED HERE

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Evangelical Questions: Another Gospelby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the phrase, “another gospel”. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

A couple of reminders for you. This last weekend FAIR hosted an online only conference called Defending the Book of Mormon. Those talks will be released on the FAIR Youtube channel in the upcoming weeks. Brent Schmidt’s talk about grace is still exploding in my head. And Stephen Smoot’s talk – not on the Book of Abraham where he is an expert – but on the difference between translation and revelation was also fantastic. And yes, you see me a bit in there too – I didn’t present anything, but got to introduce speakers and ask questions. Which, really meant I got to have all the fun of a conference without the pain of writing a paper to present. You also get to see Zach Wright and Sarah Allen doing the same thing. And…oh goodness….at one point we end up with more time than we’d planned for. A couple speakers were efficient with their time and we needed to fill some space. So you get to hear me interview Sarah – she’s the author of that 70-part response to the CES letter – and we had a great chat. Though I think it was something like, “Hey, you girls are interesting, and we’ve got some time to fill – can you just go talk and we’ll film you?” In other words, you can probably fast-forward through that section. But it was fun. Last bit of news….at FAIR we do have some fun projects cooking up for next year. Not ready to let details out yet, but lets just say that I will be busy. More to come later.

Okay, we’re going to talk about that phrase, “another gospel” and our jumping off point is Gal 1:8:

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!

And this verse comes up a lot for Evangelicals when thinking about what our church teaches. So I want to dive in here and try to understand why they say that – and then take a look at how Evangelicals actually define, “the gospel” and see how much agreement there actually is between the two groups.
What IS the gospel, according to Evangelicals?

So, “the gospel” literally means, “the good news” and no one is disputing that. Both Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints are on the same page here. But we do differ in some areas.

I think I could come up with a pretty good answer on my own, but I wanted to see what is currently being taught in their own words so I surveyed some of the most popular sites for Evangelicals and here is the criteria they’re talking about…

The gospel is…”Imputed righteousness. What do we receive because we are counted righteous in Christ? The answer is fellowship with Jesus. (This will) remove obstacles to the only lasting, all-satisfying source of joy: Jesus Christ.”

Latter-day Saint friends I suppose some of you are thinking, “Umm, what’s wrong with that?” We’ll unpack.

Let’s start with the first one which talks about “imputed righteousness.” And here is your can of worms. What is “imputed righteousness.” It is, “Imputed righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus credited to the Christian, enabling the Christian to be justified.” This is a term that comes from Martin Luther and was a corrective to some of the Catholic practices at the time including buying indulgences with money. An “indulgence” kind of sounds like it is a free-pass to do some elicit activity without getting in trouble, but what it really means is that the person’s “sentence” in purgatory will be reduced by a certain number of years. Luther was right to fight against this practice. He’s trying to say that people don’t need to spend money to get a softer sentence in purgatory – Jesus pays the price. And I know, in theory, when you put it that way, we don’t disagree. But the idea is part of a bigger package of ideas that include believing that God is angry at all of his children and will absolutely torture them for eternity unless during their lifetime they profess faith in Christ. Luther’s phrase here, imputed righteousness, solves one problem (indulgences) but opened up another – and 500 years later, Protestants are still grappling with what it means to accept salvation that they can’t earn. This doctrine is called Sola Fide, “By faith alone” Lately – meaning the last 120 years – its turned more into “Jesus did it all – so you don’t have to do anything.” But it hasn’t always been this way.

If we go back even further to Augustine – who isn’t always trying very hard to keep the apostasy at bay – but he gets it right here. He uses the term, “Infused righteousness” which for him means, “God bestows justifying righteousness upon the sinner in such a way that it becomes part of his or her person.” The implication here is that after one receives this righteousness it becomes part of them and they go on to strive to live a life of holiness. But you can see how Luther’s change – which made sense at the time when you compare it to the practices of the Catholic church – has been used to claim that Jesus’ righteousness does everything for us and we don’t have to do anything. Here it is expressed by one Evangelical pastor, “Your salvation is a free gift. You can not do anything to earn it. You can’t even ask for it because asking would be you doing part of the work. If God is going to save you, he’s going to save you. It has nothing to do with you. It is God’s work. You are the object of that work. But that’s all you are.” Augustine was closer to the truth on this one than Luther – and I’m not really a fan of Augustine. But he’s right here.

John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, tries to offer a correction here to the change Luther made by coining the term, “imparted righteousness” as a way to say that salvation is through Christ alone, but it must, “empower the process of sanctification,” which Wesley also called Christian perfection. By “perfection” here he means something similar to what we mean when we say that we will become “like God.” And it’s no wonder that Joseph Smith said that the Methodists are closer to truth than some other groups.

So, what is the gospel to Evangelicals? They would all affirm that its good news. That it comes through Christ alone. But they radically disagree on what comes next. Do we have to do anything after receiving salvation or not? The room is deeply divided on this. Why did I tell you all this?

Why do Evangelicals think we have “another gospel”?

I think you can see at this point that the versions of the gospel offered by Luther and Wesley (2 men who still influence Evangelicals to a great degree) are radically different, or at least have been taken in radically different directions. And yet, these 2 versions of the gospel do not trip the Evangelical worry about “a different gospel.” But they couldn’t be more different. They in fact opposite. The only thing they have in common is that Jesus Christ paid for salvation. In one version of the gospel you, the individual, are not required to do anything at all – and if you try you are insulting God by saying that Jesus is not enough. And in the other, Christ paves the way for salvation, but you, the individual, must change and grow in holiness as time goes on in order to reach perfection. It’s weird right. Totally different views. But Evangelicals will sometimes easily say that we Latter-day Saints have a “different gospel.” If you ask for specifics you’re more likely to get quotes from past leaders that are not part of the standard works and that are taken out of context. Or perhaps were not even recorded correctly in the first place – see the last FAIR conference and the talk by LaJean Carruth for an incredibly detailed account of how and why this is true.

Why else do they think this? Because, frankly, anti-mormon propaganda has been effective. That was true in Joseph Smith’s day. There is a book – if you don’t know about this book you should – written by 3 BYU professors and came out this year called, “Marrianne Meets the Mormons.” And it’s about the church in France in the first part of the 20th century. During this time there are less than 500 members of the church in all of France. Statistically, they’re not a significant group in that culture by any means. But, the amount of literature, art, and music that uses “Mormons” as the bad guys is huge. There’s 42 Million people in France at this time – 500 of them are members of the church – but anytime a movie or book needs a bad guy, he’s very likely to be a Mormon. It’s very similar to the same stereotyping that we see today – turn on any number of television shows from the last year and you already know this.

What now?

So, what do we do with this? Within the Evangelical community, you can have 2 radically different versions of what the gospel is and no one cares. But when you want to talk about the gospel how Latter-day Saints do, which includes a belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and agree with both Augustine and Wesley that sanctification matters after salvation – all of a sudden that’s just too different.

You have a number of options here. You can fight with them, though I dont recommend it. You can simply bear your testimony knowing that they can’t really refute what you believe, and that’s a good move. But on this chanel we’re really focused on how you talk about these things with the people you love – friends and family – and sometimes bearing your testimony can feel like you’re shutting down the conversation, not opening it up. At least when it’s with people you’re close to. Our leaders – Prophets, Apostles, your local leaders – have given us plenty of spiritual advice on how to manage these situations. I won’t repeat all of that you – you know it already and should listen to them. But I will offer you a piece of psychological advice.

People love to feel understood. I love it. You love it. One quote says, “Being heard feels so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” So try to hear them before you try to get them to hear you. What does the gospel mean to them? Does admitting that there are different versions of the gospel even among Protestants make them feel anxious? Why? What’s that about for them? And similar questions will help them teach you about what they need in order to have this conversation. Maybe that’s just therapist psychobable. But if you want them to understand why you see the gospel the way you do – you’re probably going to have to put in the work and understand why they’re resistant to it. If they’re throwing a bunch of complaints that sound like they got them off some website, they probably did. Try to help them identify what their actual concerns are. And listen to them to understand them. That is the most effective way to get them to listen to you, at least from a psychological perspective.

All right, next week we’re to do what is essentially part 2 of this week’s episode and talk about how Paul sees “works” in the book of Ephesians. See you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Why do you believe in Levels of Heaven?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the 3 kingdoms of Heaven. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Quick announcement for you first: This coming weekend, Friday Sept 22 – Saturday Sept 23 is an online only conference put on by FAIR and the focus is evidence for the Book of Mormon. I am not presenting at this conference but I do get to help out a bit with introductions and questions which I am thrilled to death over because it means I get to hang out with some very smart people all day long. The Friday evening presentation is none other than Richard Bushman. On Saturday there are a number of speakers including Stephen Smoot – he’s the most up-to-date scholar on issues surrounding the Book of Abraham; a presentation by my 2 favorite Spencers – Spencer Marsh and Spencer Kraus – which I think has been jokingly titled, “Revealing the One True Spencer” but in reality is about 2 Nephi 19:1, which is rather a puzzling verse. Several good talks on archeology challenges and ancient artifacts. I’ll be there live with the speakers, but the conference is online only and you can stream it on the FAIR YouTube channel.

Okay, we’re going to talk about the levels of Heaven. Our jumping-off verse is 2 Corinthians 12:2:

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.

And I’ve noticed that Latter-day Saints sometimes are confused about why Evangelicals don’t accept this idea, it’s in the Bible after all. I want to talk through how and why Evangelicals see this verse in 2 Corinthians the way they do, and then we’ll talk about some intersections with our faith and where you might go in conversation about this topic.

I don’t have research to point to that backs this up, but my sense is that if you asked most Evangelicals what Paul means by “the 3rd Heaven” they wouldn’t even understand the question. It’s considered an obscure verse that they generally don’t spend a lot of time on so the average Evangelical person might not even know it’s in scripture. But, for those who do, they have a very concrete (meaning physical) explanation for it – rather than a spiritual one. Which brings up a bigger question: Why do we – why does anyone – take some verses literally and some spiritually? Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints use both techniques, but at different times and for different reasons. The cynical explanation is that the other group, the group that is opposite of you, does this at their own convenience only to fit their doctrine in. But I think it’s more complex than that. Both Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals (as well as every other denominational group or religion out there) are heavily influenced by a set of interpretative rules called hermeneutics. The hermeneutic you use – here the choices are physical or spiritual, but there are lots of others – determines how you will interpret a passage. Let me make an analogy to help you understand.

In English, there is a proper order for adjectives in a sentence. An adjective is a descriptive word and if you string them together in the wrong order your sentence won’t sound right. However, if you ask almost any native English speaker to name that order, they can’t do it. I can’t do it. I had to look the order up for this talk to make sure I got it right – it’s a rule I follow, but don’t even know I’m following it. I just know it sounds right. The order is Quantity, Quality, Size, Age, Shape, Color Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin), and Purpose. A classic example of getting this order correct is the sentence, “I love that really big old green antique car.” If you’re a native speaker, this sounds right to your ears while, “I love that antique, green, old, big car,” just doesn’t sound right. You follow this rule without even knowing the rule exists. And hermeneutics are like this. Knowing when to read literally or physically and when to read spiritually is a rule that you follow without even knowing there is a rule. And Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints use different rules. So when they interpret something, it doesn’t sound quite right to our ears – and vice versa.

What are the Evangelical rules for the interpretation of a verse like this one in 2 Cor? They interpret this verse literally by saying that the first heaven refers to the atmospheric where the birds live (and yes, this is how it’s normally phrased.). The second heaven is the area of the stars and planets. The third heaven is the dwelling place of God and Heaven. But why?

So, I think the tendency here is for Latter-day Saints to claim that Evangelicals get it wrong because they don’t have the Spirit and therefore can’t interpret correctly. But that’s not a very satisfying answer and it probably breeds more us-them than is good for anyone. So let me offer a couple different ways to understand what’s happening here.

First, you remember from past episodes that the Evangelical movement is not even 100 years old, and it really came of age alongside the Baby Boomers. It is very much a post-WW2 American invention. The cultural mix at the time was encouraging everyone to move into the modern world with all its conveniences. And they didn’t want to be seen as old fuddy-duddies. If you’re close to my age, our family lines probably play out in a similar fashion. My mother was born in the first wave of the baby boom, but her parents were both born in the 19-teens, and all 4 of her grandparents were born in the 1800’s. The Evangelical movement rose up with these baby boomers whose parents and grandparents seemed to be from an entirely different era. So they wanted an entirely different version of church than what their parents and grandparents had which was now out of fashion for being too fundamentalist and strict. They found what they were looking for in the Evangelical movement. The Evangelicals were a reaction to the fundamentalists who came before them.

But like with all reactionary movements, the very thing they’re reacting against often gets smuggled right in any way, and in this case, we’re talking about the temptation to interpret in an overly literal way. They will say things like, “The Bible is the literal word of God.” At face value, what that sentence means is that God’s message to use is found in this book. But what that gets morphed into is something like: everything in the Bible should be taken literally. This leaves you in a weird place if you read in Luke that Jesus says he gathers us like baby chicks under his wings because the rule of “everything should be taken literally” falls apart unless you want to regard Christ as some kind of giant cosmic chicken. So what has happened with Evangelicals is that their interpretative rule is something like: in order to take scripture seriously you have to take it literally whenever possible – and when it is not possible you must find the spiritual meaning instead. In other words, if it can be literal – it should be taken literally. Evangelicals will get a little squirmy if you try to say this plainly. When they ask, “Do you take the Bible literally?” what they’re really asking is, “Do you think the Bible is actually true?” The word “literal” here is morphing in meaning – it’s okay, words do that within the context of a culture. But it leaves Evangelicals with this sense of the literal meaning has to come first.

So, when they look at our verse about the third Heaven in 2 Corinthians their first impulse is to look for a literal meaning. Remember, these rules are often as invisible to people as the English rules of which order adjectives go in – everyone follows the rule, even though most people don’t know it exists. And, Evangelicals have a second interpretation rule here that reinforces the first: If another verse in the Bible mentions the same thing, it should be used to enhance the meaning of the verse in question. So, Evangelicals interpret the 1st Heaven to be where the atmosphere and the birds are and they back that up with a verse like Deut 28:12, “The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season.” And they see this as a perfectly valid explanation. Paul mentions a 3rd Heaven, implying that there are 1st and 2nd Heavens. Can we interpret this literally? Yes, and we have scriptures that do so, a literal interpretation works and therefore should be used.

Latter-day Saints have our own history of why things have been interpreted the way they have. And we face the same reality that Evangelicals do – many of the rules we use for interpretation are rather invisible to us, we just know what sounds right. My experience has been – and I’m sure some of you have had different experiences and I’d love to read about them in the comments – but my experience has been that the hermeneutics Latter-day Saints most often use is something called an emendatory (amendatory) hermeneutic which just means that we have been given additional information or clarity on what the Bible is talking about through either the Book of Mormon or our modern Prophets. In general, we would look at a verse like this one about the 3rd Heaven and easily be able to quote all kinds of modern revelation that help us know what “the 3rd Heaven” actually means. The challenge for Latter-day Saints comes in 2 directions. Either we’re overly quick to jump to, “this part of the Bible is clearly not translated correctly and I don’t have to do any study or work to try and tease out some meaning.” Or, we over-relate a Biblical passage to modern revelation – sometimes making connections that the Prophet himself (whichever one speaking) did not make. Latter-day Saints can also go a little too heavy on literal interpretation just like Evangelicals can simply because we’re impacted by history here too – the early half of the 20th century was dominated by more literal/fundamentalist thinking in our church too.

Okay, so how do you talk about this concept with your Evangelical friends? I have 2 thoughts.

First, Jesus doens’t use the phrase “levels of Heaven” or “Kingdoms of Heaven” but he does talk about varying degrees of reward in Heaven and makes it clear that certain things we do here on Earth will bring more reward, and certain things less reward. For example: Matthew 5 Jesus says there is a great reward for those who are persecuted. Meaning that the people who did not have to face persecution will not be rewarded in that way. Jesus is offering a compensatory reward for suffering faithfully for his name. In the very next chapter Jesus talks about how some folks really want to draw attention to the fact that they’re giving to the poor – Jesus tells us that these people have their reward in full already and this behavior will not get them further reward in Heaven. Romans 2 Paul tells us God will give to every man based on his deeds. In 1 Cor 3 Paul teaches that our works will be judged – some will burn up, and some will endure – those who produce works that endure will be rewarded. All this to say, pointing out that these passages (and many others) describe different degrees of reward and that might open up the conversation really nicely.

My second thought on how to talk with Evangelicals about this: Read the CS Lewis book, “The Great Divorce.” It’s fiction and a rather easy read. The audio book is only about 3 hours. Lewis was not a member of our faith, and at times actually had some rather snarky things to say about our faith, but in The Great Divorce, he sees the same truth we’re talking about. Here is the basic plot: It’s set in the afterlife and people from the lower kingdoms (here represented by a large, noisy city) are given a chance to go on a bus ride to the higher kingdoms. In the book the higher kingdoms are thought of as being closer to God – the countryside is closer to God than the city – and the great mountain is where God lives but its rather steep and hard to get to. However, God reigns over all 3 kingdoms. You might think that when the people from the lower kingdom get a glimpse of the country side and its fresh air that they might awaken their desire to progress. But they don’t. They complain that the color of the grass is such a vivid green it hurts their eyes and feels “too real” when they put their feet on it. They complain that living in the countryside requires too much of them and they want to get back on the bus and go home where it’s comfortable. The point here is that the people who spent their lives preparing to live closer to God are the ones who are best able to adapt to the higher kingdoms. You can’t climb the great mountain without some training. But in the book, progression is possible if you want it. Most people don’t. Lewis never intended this as a pro-LDS book by any means – and yet he is getting at some of the very things we’re saying about 3 Heavens. I actually read this book long before I investigated the church and it was an important thing for me to have on board in my brain as I learned how to adjust to a different way of thinking about eternity.

I hope this episode helps you think through some ways of how to understand your Evangelical friends and how to talk with them about the beautiful doctrine we have about Heaven in a way that they can actually hear.

Next week we’re talking about the phrase, “another gospel” in Galatians. Looking forward to seeing you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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by Matthew C. Godfrey

One of the seminal events of Wilford Woodruff’s life was his participation in the Camp of Israel (later known as Zion’s Camp) expedition in 1834. Wilford was recruited to participate in the camp after he had been a member of the Church for only a few weeks. The camp was the first time he got to meet individuals such as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Heber C. Kimball, and it taught him several lessons. Wilford transmitted these lessons to the Saints throughout his life, and they are teachings that can benefit Church members today as well.

Zion’s Camp Overview

Zion’s Camp had its roots in the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County, Missouri, in the fall of 1833. In late October and early November, Jackson County citizens organized and violently attacked settlements of the Saints in the county. Ultimately, members were forced to flee into surrounding counties, the majority of them going to Clay County. In January 1834, the Missouri Saints sent Parley P. Pratt and Lyman Wight to Kirtland, Ohio, to inform Joseph Smith and other Church leaders of their plight.

At the February high council meeting where Pratt and Wight spoke, Joseph Smith declared his intent of “going to Zion to assist in redeeming it” and then “called for volunteers to go with him.”1 That same day, a February 1834 revelation (section 103 in today’s Doctrine and Covenants) instructed Joseph to recruit up to five hundred men to go to the aid of Church members who had been expelled from Jackson County. The group would settle on land purchased in the county and vicinity and provide protection against any “enemies” that sought to drive the Saints from the “goodly land.”2

To fulfill these instructions, Joseph Smith and a contingent of men from Kirtland, Ohio, departed in May 1834; another contingent was recruited in Pontiac, Michigan Territory, by Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight and joined the Kirtland group in June 1834 at the Allred settlement in Missouri. The camp totaled approximately 205 men and around twenty-five women and children. The march was at times grueling, with camp members walking as much as forty miles a day. Sometimes camp members did not have enough food or water, but for the most part, they had adequate provisions.

At other times, the expedition was threatened by individuals, most notably at Fishing River in Missouri where a storm prevented a mob from attacking the camp. At the end of June 1834, the camp was disbanded after a revelation stated that it was not yet time for Zion’s redemption (Section 105 in today’s Doctrine and Covenants). An outbreak of cholera hastened the camp’s dispersal and ended up killing thirteen participants and two other Church members.3 Joseph Smith led the expedition as the “Commander in Chief of the Armies of Israel.”4

Wilford Woodruff -1849Wilford Woodruff’s Experiences

When the Lord instructed Joseph Smith and other Church leaders to recruit individuals for Zion’s Camp, Wilford Woodruff had been a member of the Church for just a few weeks. Wilford was baptized near Richland, New York, where he was living, by Zera Pulsipher on December 31, 1833, at the age of twenty-six. About two months after Wilford’s baptism, Joseph Smith and Parley P. Pratt left Kirtland for the eastern United States to recruit men for the expedition. On March 19, 1834, they separated. Joseph Smith returned to Kirtland while Parley continued his efforts in New York.

One of the places Parley visited was Richfield. Here he met Wilford and Wilford’s brother Azmon. Parley told them about the proposed expedition to Missouri. According to Wilford, Parley said “it was the will of the Lord that the yong men & middle aged what could be spared should go up to Zion.”5 However, Azmon and Wilford had only recently purchased a farm in Richland, and they were concerned about leaving it just as spring was coming. Wilford expressed his concern to Parley, who responded that it was Wilford’s “duty to try to prepare [himself] and go up to Zion.”6 Wilford and Azmon were at a crossroads. Would they do what Parley said was God’s will or would they stay on their farm?

Wilford chose to go while Azmon chose to stay—and Wilford did not look back. “I used evry exertion,” he stated, “to settle my accounts arange my affairs and prepare myself to join my Brethren to go to Missourie.”7 He later remembered that after Parley had preached about the necessity of helping the Saints in Missouri, he knew that he had to go. “My feelings were such,” Wilford recalled, “that if all the gold in the world had been presented to me, I could not have been hired to stay at home.”8

Having made the decision to go, Wilford traveled with Harry Brown and Warren Ingalls to Kirtland, where they arrived on the night of April 25. “There,” Wilford declared, “for the first time I had a view of our beloved Brother Joseph Smith the Prophet & Seer which God hath raised up in these last days through whom the saints receieve Revelations from time to time.”9 Wilford’s opinion of Joseph only increased as he became better acquainted with him—something that happened easily since Wilford stayed with Joseph the week he was in Kirtland.

On May 1, 1834, Wilford left with the first company of the expedition, consisting of about twenty men and four baggage wagons, one of which was Wilford’s. They traveled to New Portage, Ohio, that first day, where they waited for the rest of the group to join them a few days later. Then the expedition set out across Ohio for Missouri.

While on the journey, Wilford experienced all of the hardships and good times of Zion’s Camp, including the long days of walking, the cholera outbreak, the uncovering of a skeleton in a burial mound that became known as Zelph, and the Fishing River storm.10 He considered his experiences as important to his spiritual growth and tried to educate the Saints about Zion’s Camp for the rest of his life.

One of the Church’s most diligent recordkeepers in the nineteenth century, Wilford provided several accounts of Zion’s Camp. One account came in his journal. This was not something he kept contemporaneously while he was on the expedition, but he wrote a summary of his experiences probably in late 1834 or early 1835, although he inserted some details later than that. This account provides some good details about the camp, especially about the cholera epidemic.11

Wilford Woodruff – 1881In 1882, Wilford composed a history of the expedition titled “The History and Travels of Zion’s Camp,” based on several sources, including the manuscript history of the Church and his own memory and writings. This 124-page manuscript, written from Joseph Smith’s perspective, contains a daily account of the expedition’s travels, as well as copies of pertinent correspondence.12 Wilford also occasionally related episodes from Zion’s Camp in his discourses to the Saints. A few of these appear in Journal of Discourses. Many of these recollections focused on how the expedition allowed Wilford to interact with Joseph Smith. These interactions convinced him that Joseph was a prophet of God.

Another account came in Leaves from My Journal, the third installment of George Q. Cannon’s “Faith Promoting Series.” Cannon published Leaves from My Journal in 1882. It was a condensed version of Wilford’s autobiographical writings from the 1850s and 1860s and contained examples of Wilford listening to the Spirit throughout his life, as well as his testimony of the Restored Gospel. This history contains several stories about Wilford’s experiences in Zion’s Camp, including details about his impressions of Joseph Smith.13

In all of these accounts, Wilford portrayed Zion’s Camp as one of the most important events in his life pertaining to his spiritual growth. He came to know that God was with the Saints just as he had been with the children of Israel in Old Testament times. He saw the Lord intervening on behalf of the camp. His experiences clearly solidified Wilford’s testimony of the Restored Gospel. “Had I not gone up with Zion’s Camp,” he once declared at a time when he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “I should not have been here today.”14

Lessons from Wilford’s Experiences with Zion’s Camp

Wilford learned many lessons from his time in Zion’s Camp. One of these is that the Saints in the latter days were not that different from the children of Israel in the Old Testament. In some of his accounts, Wilford compared Zion’s Camp to the children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. For example, after the expedition reached New Portage, Ohio, and set up camp, Wilford “went to the top of the hill and looked down upon the camp of Israel.” After praying on the hill, “I rejoiced and praised the Lord that I had lived to see some of the tents of Israel pitched, and a company gathered by the commandment of God to go up and help redeem Zion.”15

Wilford also equated the Fishing River storm to the Lord destroying the armies of Pharaoh in the Red Sea. “The Lord delivered Israel in the days of Moses by dividing the Red Sea, so they went over dry shod,” he explained. “The Lord delivered Zion’s Camp from their enemies on the 19th of June, 1834, by piling up the waters in Fishing River forty feet in one night, so our enemies could not cross. He also sent a great hail-storm which broke them up and sent them seeking for shelter.”16

In addition, Wilford believed that Zion’s Camp was similar to the journeys of Book of Mormon peoples, specifically the Jaredites. “Every night before retireing to rest,” he explained in his history of Zion’s Camp, “at the sound of the trumpet we bowed before the Lord, in the several tents; and presented our thank and offerings with prayer and supplications.” Each morning, he stated, “every man was again on his knees before the Lord, imploring his blessings for the day.” In this way, he declared, “our journey was like the ancient Jaredites pitching our tents by the way.”17

Wilford’s connection of the camp with ancient Israel and the Jaredites showed him that we are all the covenant children of God, who interacts with us in the same ways that he interacted with the children of Israel or Book of Mormon peoples. This gave Wilford—and can give us—the confidence that we are just as important in the Lord’s eyes as those people of scripture were. And the events of our lives can be as significant for those who follow as the accounts of God’s people in the scriptures are for us today.

Wilford also learned about the necessity of sacrifice in developing spirituality through his Zion’s Camp experiences. His willingness to leave his and his brother’s farm behind to do his duty to the Lord was one example of this sacrifice—and it had a great impact on Wilford’s life. It is interesting to think about why Wilford became one of the Church’s great leaders—even the prophet of God—while his brother Azmon struggled with his testimony for much of his life. There are certainly many reasons for this—matters of faith are complicated things—but Wilford’s willingness to sacrifice for the Gospel, expressed early in his Church membership, was one factor.18

While on the expedition, Wilford had other experiences that taught him the importance of sacrifice. One of these came after the cholera epidemic broke out among camp members. When the expedition arrived in Clay County, Missouri, Wilford and his group went to the residence of Church member John Burk. He had an extra room in his house that he said Wilford’s company could have if they would clean it. “Fearing some other company would get it first,” Wilford remembered, the group “left all other business and went to work, cleaning out the room, and immediately spread down our blankets, so as to hold a right to the room.” However, not long after, several men suffering from cholera “were brought in and laid upon our beds. None of us ever used those blankets again, for they were buried with the dead.” Wilford concluded, “We gained nothing but experience by being selfish, and we lost our bedding.”19

Wilford then explained the lesson that he learned from this, one that he believed was especially important to youth: “Whenever you are blessed with any good thing, be willing to share it with others. By cultivating these principles while you are young, you will lay a foundation to do much good through your lives, and you will be beloved and respected of the Lord and all good men.”20

Another key lesson Wilford learned from Zion’s Camp was how much God was interested in His life. There were several examples of divine intervention throughout the expedition, but none more pronounced than what happened to the group at Fishing River. While the expedition was camped there, a small contingent of men threatened that the Saints would “see hell enough before morning.” After the men left, “a small black cloud appeared in the northwest and it began to unroll itself like a scroll.” In just a few minutes, Wilford stated, “the whole heavens were covered with a pall as black as ink,” and a gigantic thunderstorm hit “with wind, rain, thunder, lightning and hail.” Observing the storm, Joseph Smith, according to Wilford, declared, “Boys, there is some meaning in this—God is in the storm.”

The rain and hail, together with a drastic rise in the river, prevented any mob from attacking the camp. “It was reported,” Wilford related, “that the Captain of the company” hoping to fight the expedition “said that it was a d—d strange thing that they could do nothing against the d—d Mormons but what there must be a d—d hail storm or some other d—d thing to hinder them from doing anything.” Yet, Wilford continued, the captain “did not feel disposed to acknowledge that God was fighting our battles.”21 To Wilford, that lesson was obvious—God was with the camp and helped it in its time of need. God’s interest in the camp—and in Wilford personally—was a great lesson that remained with Wilford for the rest of his life.

Wilford was also grateful that Zion’s Camp allowed him to interact with Joseph Smith and observe the Prophet closely. For a recently baptized member, this deepened his testimony of Joseph as a prophet. “I went up to Missouri in Zion’s Camp; I saw the Prophet every day, and I knew he was a Prophet of God,” he stated to a group of Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1862.22 On another occasion, he explained that Zion’s Camp provided him with “an experience that we never could have gained in any other way.” He continued, “We had the privilege of beholding the face of the prophet, and we had the privilege of traveling a thousand miles with him, and seeing the workings of the Spirit of God with him, and the revelations of Jesus Christ unto him and the fulfillment of those revelations.”23

Wilford concluded that Zion’s Camp showed him that in Joseph’s “public and private career he carried with him the Spirit of the Almighty.” Indeed, Joseph “manifested a greatness of soul which I had never seen in any other man.”24 We may not have the opportunity to interact with the Prophet every day like Wilford, but we can observe his teachings and see “the workings of the Spirit of God with him.” As we do so, our testimonies of the prophet can deepen just as Wilford’s did.

Finally, Wilford’s experiences with Zion’s Camp—and his careful chronicling of them—teaches us the importance of keeping records. We can benefit spiritually from Wilford’s accounts of the expedition because he was willing to keep such records. It is sometimes difficult to find the time to write in a journal or compose a brief history of our lives, but doing so will bless the lives of those who follow. In 2007, President Henry B. Eyring counseled Church members to “find a way” to preserve experiences that demonstrated God’s love and His hand in our lives. These would then become cherished records to buoy us up when we “need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him.”25

Wilford found a way to record his experiences, and if we can also find a way, our experiences can have just as much of a spiritual impact on those who follow as Wilford’s have on us. We can be a blessing and strength to those that come after us as well.

Endnotes

Minutes, February 24, 1834, josephsmithpapers.org/minutes/1834-02-24.
Revelation, February 24, 1834 [D&C 103:20, 24–26], josephsmithpapers.org/revelation/1834-02-24.
Matthew C. Godfrey, “‘The Redemption of Zion Must Needs Come by Power’: Insights into the Camp of Israel Expedition, 1834,” BYU Studies Quarterly 53, no. 4 (2014): 126–127.
Minutes, February 24, 1834, josephsmithpapers.org/minutes/1834-02-24.
Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, April 11, 1834, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1834-04-11.
Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, April 11, 1834, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1834-04-11.
Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, April 11, 1834, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1834-04-11.
Wilford Woodruff, “Early Events of the Church, Etc.,” Journal of Discourses 7:98.
Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, April 25, 1834, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1834-04-25.
For more information about the expedition’s travels, see Matthew C. Godfrey, “The Camp of Israel’s March to Missouri,” in Zion’s Camp, 1834: March of Faith, ed. Matthew C. Godfrey (Sandy, UT: History of the Saints, 2018), 33–65, and Alexander L. Baugh, “The Camp of Israel in Clay County, Missouri,” in ibid., 67–101.
Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, p. 1, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal.
“History – The History of Zion’s Camp,” p. 1, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/the-history-of-zions-camp.
“Leaves From My Journal,” p. 1, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/leaves-from-my-journal.
Wilford Woodruff, “The Holy Ghost—Laboring in Faith—The Kingdom of God—Patriarchal Marriage,” Journal of Discourses 13:156.
“Leaves From My Journal,” p. 17, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/leaves-from-my-journal.
“Leaves From My Journal,” p. 18, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/leaves-from-my-journal.
“History – The History of Zion’s Camp,” p. 7, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/the-history-of-zions-camp.
Thomas G. Alexander explores this question—as well as Wilford’s experiences in Zion’s Camp—in his excellent article “Wilford Woodruff and Zion’s Camp: Baptism by Fire and the Spiritual Confirmation of a Future Prophet,” BYU Studies 39, no. 1 (2000): 130–146.
“Leaves From My Journal,” p. 18, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/leaves-from-my-journal.
“Leaves From My Journal,” p. 19, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/leaves-from-my-journal.
“History – The History of Zion’s Camp,” pp. 62–64, Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/the-history-of-zions-camp.
Wilford Woodruff, “Fulfilment of Prophecy—Power of the Gospel—Consistency of Its Principles,” Journal of Discourses 10:9.
Wilford Woodruff, “The Holy Ghost—Laboring in Faith—The Kingdom of God—Patriarchal Marriage,” Journal of Discourses 13:162.
Wilford Woodruff, “Early Events of the Church,” Journal of Discourses 7:98.
President Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Ensign, ChurchofJesusChrist.org/ensign.

Matthew C. Godfrey is a general editor of the Joseph Smith Papers and senior managing historian for outreach and engagement with the Church History Department. He holds a PhD in American and public history from Washington State University. He previously served as managing historian of the Joseph Smith Papers and was the lead historian on three volumes of the Documents series. He has authored or coedited several books and articles, including Religion, Politics, and Sugar: The Mormon Church, the Federal Government, and the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, 1907–1921 (2007); The Earth Shall Appear as the Garden of Eden: Essays in Mormon Environmental History (2018); Zion’s Camp 1834: March of Faith (2018); and Know Brother Joseph: New Perspectives on Joseph Smith’s Life and Character (2019). He serves as an Advisor to the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

The mission of the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thousands of transcribed pages are available at wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/documents, including Wilford’s journals, missionary records, dreams and visions, autobiographies, and histories.

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By Lyndie Jackson

The “Asking Big Questions” series is made in cooperation with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project.

While it is relatively easy to stay in contact and communicate with people across the globe, creating and maintaining deep personal relationships takes time and effort. Similarly, the Savior is always close to us, waiting for us with open arms, but it takes more than checking in now and then to develop a deep personal relationship with Him.

Why We Need a Personal Relationship with Christ

Wilford Woodruff urged, “I would here exhort all the Latter day Saints who hear me this day to study well the position you are in, and search your hearts and see if we are in the favour of the Lord our God, and then let us increase continually in faith, in hope, in righteousness, and in every virtuous principle . . . in order to prove us as the friends of God.”1

Speaking of being the friends of God, Elder James E. Faust (1920–2007) said, “Having such a relationship can unchain the divinity within us, and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God.”2

By drawing closer to Christ, we can unlock our divinity, reach our potential, and be strengthened to become as God is.

CONTINUED HERE

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Evangelical Questions: Baptism for the Dead (Part 2)by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about baptism for the dead. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Since we talk about Come Follow Me stuff on this channel I do want to make you aware of a new resource for next year. Dr. Grant Hardy has a new book, The Annotated Book of Mormon. And it is delicious. It’s much closer to a study Bible, but with the Book of Mormon, than I’ve seen before. It includes the entire text of the BoM but has Hardy’s notes embedded on the same page – at least in the physical book. There is a Kindle edition, but it makes the book much harder to use because you have to click about 4 times to actually see the footnotes and get back to your page. The notes are the whole point of this book. And you can just access those much easier in the physical form. I teach Gospel Doctrine in my ward and picked this up to help me prepare for next year. It’s very good.

One other resources you should know about that is coming up. FAIR is hosting an online-only conference specifically focused on just the Book of Mormon. Richard Bushman will be presenting along with many others. Details are available here.

Okay, We talked about baptism for the dead on a past episode in a more general way, but today we’ll get down to some specifics of why this one bothers Evangelicals so much. We’ll use 1 Cor 15:29-32 as our jumping-off point:

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

So, Evangelicals have an interesting dilemma with this verse about baptism for the dead. Evangelicals generally have a view of the Bible called inerrancy – this means that they see the Bible as being free from error. So, here they have a verse talking about baptism for the dead, they believe the Bible is without error, but they won’t accept the idea of baptism for the dead. But they have to figure out some way to explain this verse. I’m going to lay out the most popular arguments for you as best as I can.

One way they deal with this is to basically say, “Who knows?” One Evangelical leader says it this way, “The phrase ‘baptism for the dead’ is so obscure and perplexing, the meaning so uncertain, and the variety of interpretations so numerous that it seems wise to say it seems impossible to know what the phrase means.” And in one sense, that’s a fair answer – if you don’t know what something means you should say so.

A slightly more sophisticated explanation goes like this: The baptism Paul is using “dead” here in a metaphorical sense. He’s not talking about actual dead people, but rather those who are “dead in sin.” Baptism for the dead is then re-cast as just regular baptism. Another possible option that they put on the table is really a rather odd one, and you have to torture the sentence structure a bit to make it work. But this argument says that “baptism for the dead” actually means “baptism because of the dead.” The idea being that those who had already died had strong testimonies and they were still inspiring currently alive people to get baptized themselves. It doesn’t really work in the structure of the argument, but it’s one of the ways they talk about this. A slight variation on this is that Paul is talking about the martyrs who bravely faced death in the 1st century and were inspiring others to be faithful to Christ.

A slightly less tortured explanation says that the dead who were being baptized for had already decided to trust in Christ, they had just not been baptized yet. So after they die, their friends or family symbolically get baptized for them – but it’s more like a family member finishing a mountain hike on behalf of a loved one who died while trying to complete that hike. Everyone knows that this kind of “on behalf of” isn’t really the person finishing it – it’s just a comforting ritual for the people who are still alive.

The final argument that they use is something like: there is one mention of this practice one time in the Bible so its not enough to build a doctrine on. And they’re partly right, this passage is the only time it is mentioned in the Bible. But the Bible is not the only history we have access to.
1 Cor was written about 55 AD – fast forward to 393 AD (350 years later – longer than the United States has been a country) and it’s still being practiced. No new Bible texts are being written at this time, so we don’t have that, but we do have writings of all kinds from the churches in various locations. We’ll look at one of them: Egypt. We call the Christians there Coptic Christians. The word ‘Coptic’ is derived from the Greek word that means “Egyptian.”

It was Hugh Nibley who put much of this work together initially. He traces through the Coptic writings and shows dozens of Coptic writings talking about baptism for the dead. But eventually other Christians radically distance themselves from the practice. How did this all happen?

In the early Christian world there are lots of competing ideas in various places and their method for deciding who was correct happened through a series of formal councils. Some of these were considered major councils – where there would have been leaders representing all the different areas where faith was being practiced. But some of them were minor councils, and not everyone attended. One such council was called, “The fourth canon of the Synod of Hippo,” it was held in 393AD and in that council, they declared, “The Eucharist shall not be given to dead bodies, nor baptism conferred upon them.” The ruling was confirmed four years later in the sixth canon of the Third Council of Carthage. However, the Coptic Christians were not represented at either council, so they didn’t feel particularly bound to the decisions being made there. Nibly complies all kinds of references to baptism for the dead in their church. Eventually, the Coptic Church split away from the Roman Church in 451, just 50 or so years after this event. It’s not the only reason they split off, but it’s in the mix.

All this to say, Evangelicals use a wide variety of arguments to try to make that verse mean something other than what it means. However, if you asked most of them why they think baptism for the dead is wrong you will probably get something like: Baptism isn’t necessary, only faith is necessary. They tend to think that baptism – even of the living – is just a nice symbolic way of expressing that you belong to Christ. Kind of like finishing the hike where a deceased relative died is a nice symbolic way to help them finish their journey. Most of the time they’re not just rejecting baptism for the dead, they’re side-lining all baptism, even for the living. At best, it’s a nice thing, but it’s not required to be a Christian. At worst it’s an insult to Christ because it’s saying that something needs to be added to his work on the cross.

And I think a lot of Latter-day Saints get stuck here because it’s hard to understand why they see it they way they do. I want to suggest one way to talk about why baptism is so important to our faith just straight out of the Bible. We have a lot of great verses about baptism in our other scriptures – but those are scriptures Evangelicals wont accept, so they might not get you very far. But in the Bible we get this great conversation on baptism in 1 Peter 3. Peter makes the argument that baptism is like Noah’s ark. He says, “After being made alive, [that is Christ] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits [understood as people who have died]— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Peter then goes on to say, just a couple verses later in Chapter 4, “For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead.” It’s easy for the modern-reader to make hard lines between chapters, but Paul didn’t write in chapters – those were added later. Take Peter’s argument as a whole and we get something like: Christ wanted even the dead to be saved, baptism is how this happens, and for this reason the gospel is preached to the dead. You can’t separate faith and baptism as only belonging to the living here. Your Evangelical friends or family members might not immediately jump up and accept the idea after this, but it does move the conversation into a wider collection of verses in the New Testament – which is something that helps Evangelicals feel like you are taking scripture seriously.

Okay, that’s all I have for you today. Come back next week and we’ll talk some more.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – 1 Corinthians 14–16 appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: Men and Women by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the interdependence of women and men. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing […]

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by Zachary Wright Introduction In my life, I’ve found that everyone has a specific philosophy that they live by, whether they realize it or not. Nowhere is this more true than when it comes to the philosophical branch of epistemology. Epistemology, while sounding complicated and boring to some, is just the fancy way of saying […]

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Evangelical Questions: Do Evangelicals have “a testimony”? by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about testimonies. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that […]

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Acts 22–28 appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: If you believe the Bible, why do you also need the Book of Mormon? by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about scripture, what is it, how we read it, […]

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Evangelical Questions: Who is – and who is not – a Christian? by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about what being a Christian means. As you know we’re going through the […]

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The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Acts 1–5 appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: Baptism for the Dead by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about baptism for the dead. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common […]

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20–21 appeared first on FAIR.

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By Emma Hadfield “It is a startling idea to think we are worshiping a God that once was in the situation that we are in ourselves,” Brigham Young stated in June of 1851. In this sermon recorded by Wilford Woodruff, President Young continued, “[He] had to pass through a probation of pain, suffering and the […]

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Evangelical Questions: Views on Atonement by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Atonement Theories. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals […]

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The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Luke 22; John 18 appeared first on FAIR.

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On this episode, Nathan Richardson joins for a discussion about the temple Endowment and Initiatory ordinances. Nathan Richardson is a speech-language pathologist who has published research articles in academic journals. He is also a book designer and has worked for multiple publishing houses, including the BYU Religious Studies Center and BYU Studies, as well as […]

The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 4: The Endowment with Nathan Richardson appeared first on FAIR.

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by Zachary Wright

Have you ever wanted to problem-solve better? Not just the daily issues we deal with, but the massive world-changing problems we deal with constantly? What about wanting to be more effective in your study? Have you ever wanted to learn to differentiate between what’s true and what’s not? Maybe you’re not as ambitious, but you want to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ and learn more about Him and His gospel. All these skills, and more, apply at least some form of critical thinking skills, and I’m here to help you learn how to be a more effective critical thinker.

Throughout this series, we’ll explore some basic principles behind critical thinking and practice critical thinking about LDS theology and history, answering questions about them. We’ll discuss basic logic principles, learn to evaluate sources, and become informed about topics orbiting the restored gospel. Join us every other Sunday to learn how to become a better thinker, debater, and advocate for your beliefs. With the skills you learn in this series, you’ll be able to be more effective in every single field of your life and find ways to help other people in meaningful ways.

I invite you to join me as we learn together, starting our journey of learning “by study and by faith.”

Episode 1: What is Critical Thinking?

Introduction

When I began my research on Critical Thinking in preparation for this series, I came across an article that described “The Emerging Crisis in Critical Thinking”. Consider the following:

“Unfortunately, rather than creating a generation of “super-geniuses,” there are emerging reports that although modern students are quite adept at memorizing and regurgitating facts presented in class or in reading materials, the ability to reason, think critically, and problem-solve has actually been dramatically reduced in recent years.” (1)

I didn’t need an article to tell me that critical thinking is something that modern schools struggle to incorporate. I went to charter schools for most of my life, but while it seemed that my teachers seemed to pay lip service to the almighty “critical thinking skills,” I don’t recall them ever sitting down and explaining to the students “Critical thinking includes X, Y, and Z”. Why would they? It’s not in the syllabus.

It wasn’t until I was about 18 that I began picking up on what it actually meant. Critical thinking has far more to do with how you go about learning and solving problems, and far less to do with what you’re actually learning. You don’t need a college degree in American Religious History to think critically about Joseph Smith’s religious and cultural background, and you don’t need a degree in Biblical Greek to think critically about the New Testament texts. While such knowledge may be helpful, it is not essential to employ critical thinking skills. Latter-day Saints should know and care about these critical thinking skills to help others, solve problems, become good citizens, and “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3). So, what does it mean to think critically? Let’s explore that topic for a moment.

What is Critical Thinking?

If I had to boil down the concept of “critical thinking” to one concise statement, I’d probably summarize it as “Us making sure that we have good reasons for what we believe” (2). How is this done? Well, according to the University of Louisiana, the process of critical thinking includes an ability “to question; to acknowledge and test previously held assumptions; to recognize ambiguity; to examine, interpret, evaluate, reason, and reflect; to make informed judgments and decisions; and to clarify, articulate, and justify positions” (3). Fair enough; but consider this for a moment, as you were reading this list, did you stop and consider what each item of the list meant? Did you think about how this list may apply at home? School? Work? Church? Such practices are important aspects of critical thinking, but if you’re like me, you probably didn’t the first time around…and that’s okay. Critical thinking does NOT come naturally to people any more than running a marathon comes naturally to people. Like with any skill, it comes with deliberate practice, and experience…lots of it.

If I’ve succeeded today, you will be able to practice these critical thinking skills more effectively than you were able to before. This doesn’t mean that we’ll go over every aspect of this definition here, but we will be going over some of it. Specifically, we’ll talk about how to ask effective questions, look at events from different perspectives, and then discuss what it looks like to be a critical thinker in conjunction with the spirit.

Asking Effective Questions

An essential aspect of critical thinking is the ability to ask important questions. One pair of researchers noted that in relation to critical thinking, asking questions can: stimulate the brain, open communication/create an exchange, prompt discovery of what others know, encourage listening, provide the opportunity to acknowledge other ideas, and lead to the process of discovery (4). Consider the following:

“Not only do questions and critical thought have an appropriate place in the Church, but as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has pointed out, the Church would not exist without it. He explains that the doctrinally loaded and foundational experience of the First Vision came as the result of Joseph Smith’s critical thought toward existing churches and a desire to know which he should join. Knowing for ourselves if the church that was restored through Joseph Smith’s efforts is truly the “only true and living church” (D&C 1:30) can be done only by following his lead and “ask[ing] of God” (James 1:5). “Asking questions,” President Uchtdorf said, “isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a precursor of growth.” (5)

With both secular and religious voices united in the call for asking questions, it almost goes without saying that we should be willing to ask important questions when dealing with important subjects. Why should it be any different when dealing with theological and historical questions regarding the church?

So, what kind of questions should we be asking? Well, cursory internet searches may be helpful here (6), but it may be best to begin by focusing on the basic idea of critical thinking: How do we know what we know? This may include questions such as:

How does this source claim to be getting their information?
How reliable is that method of getting information?
Do other ways of getting information corroborate this source?
Is what the source claims being overly distorted by bias, positive or negative?
When was the source speaking/writing about the subject?

A case study of how a critical thinker may approach a subject with good questions may be helpful here. Consider how a critic of the church may assert that Joseph Smith manufactured a set of fake (not gold) metal plates, and presented those plates as the ancient record of the Book of Mormon. Is that possible? Sure, but a critical thinker would ask questions like:

Where did Joseph Smith learn to make such plates?
Who taught him to create metal plates?
Did anyone contemporary to his time mention his ability to make plates?
What materials did Joseph use? Where did he obtain these materials?
Where did he manufacture these plates?
When did he have time to make these plates?

I could continue, but this should suffice. Do you see how all of these are important questions to ask when dealing with historical issues in LDS history? Anyone making the claim that Joseph was fabricating the plates would need to answer these questions in order to make a more compelling case.

Note that asking these questions doesn’t counter their arguments; it gives the critic the opportunity to support their position. Questions, in this manner, are not to be confused with arguments (we’ll deal with logic and arguments another day). You can support your questions with other sources, but it’s important to recognize that this method of asking questions can be more impactful in the realms of apologetics and research than practically anything else. If a faithful believer can learn to ask pertinent questions about LDS history and theology, it will make the conversation go much more smoothly. However, in order to improve your questions, it’s important to understand how to look at things from different perspectives, which is what we’ll discuss now.

Looking at Problems from Different Perspectives

A worldview is described as “a set of values and assumptions about the world, through which we interpret our experiences” (7). In order to ask important, pertinent, and even faithful questions, it’s essential to understand what ideas your questions are based on. A worldview is also described as “a collection of attitudes, values, stories and expectations about the world around us, which inform our every thought and action” (8). In order to be an effective critical thinker, it’s important to be able to differentiate between, and look at, different perspectives or worldviews. In truth, we do something similar all the time, almost daily, most of the time without us ever realizing it just by going about our day. A faithful church-going man who wakes up and goes to work may be looking at things from a variety of perspectives: his perspective as a father, his role as a husband, his role as an employee, his role as a child of God, etc. All of these perspectives have different ways of manifesting themselves and have different questions and goals. Similar analyses may be applied to how we critically think about certain topics. Consider the following:

“Furthermore, since belief and belonging are intricately interconnected, these changes in identity will often be accompanied by cognitive forms of restructuring, which allow the coexistence of faith and of secular knowledge of religion. One such form may focus on the recognition of two distinct layers of explanations of reality: a faith-based one, with supernatural foundations, and a secular one, with a focus on human dynamics within the phenomenon of religion.” (9)

I appreciate this analysis because while it’s careful to maintain that the secular and spiritual are connected, it is keen on pointing out that there are two different viewpoints to look at events that both answer different questions and have different presuppositions. We’ll go over a couple of these viewpoints now.

The restored gospel perspective is one that we Latter-day Saints are most experienced in. This viewpoint is primarily focused on things like our relationship with our Heavenly Father, the morality of our choices, and how Jesus Christ established, re-established, and guides his church today. It looks at this world as being a step along an eternal path, one with divine potential, where God’s purpose is to bring about “the immortality and eternal life of man” (10). This perspective assumes that those who deal with it believe in God, believe Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind, believe that God has called prophets (like Joseph Smith) to teach us, and that those who make and keep covenants will return to the presence of God. (This is not a comprehensive view of this perspective, but it will suffice.)

As you can imagine though, other perspectives can be useful. Consider the Historical perspective, which is primarily focused on gathering data from various sources in order to synthesize an understanding of what occurred in the past (11). This perspective is focused on trying to figure out what occurred by studying what people before them wrote and thought about events. They are primarily concerned with finding out what people make what claims and interweaving each of the accounts into one coherent, plausible, and accurate narrative of events. This perspective presupposes that the events are able to be known by the people who record them, and they know there are gaps in the data that are irrecoverable as it stands right now. Even so, they are able to study documents as a means to the end of learning about events in the past with varying degrees of certainty.

Another perspective that Latter-day Saints encounter is the scientific worldview. Tracing its roots back to the Renaissance (and Greek Philosophy), it seeks to establish causality for everything that occurs in the world. Much can be said about the history and assumptions of empirical science, but suffice it to say that it is assumed that knowledge can be obtained through direct observation of the material world (12). In this perspective, scientists are concerned about how different things interact with each other, what causes different reactions, and what variables can be manipulated to bring about what result. Assumptions made by scientists vary, but it wouldn’t be untrue to state that they assume that everything is a long string of “cause-effect” reactions. This perspective, when taken to its extreme, may result in the acceptance of determinism (13).

The perspective of this very article and series is worth mentioning…I wrote this under the belief/assumption that God exists and that concepts such as morality and libertarian free will (14) are true. With those presuppositions in mind, I hope that I’ve been able to show that each of these perspectives is based at least somewhat in reality and may be useful in determining the truth, that is “knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;”. Practicing looking at things from different perspectives may be challenging, and it may push you out of your comfort zone, but it is infinitely worth it (15). However, every one of these perspectives can be warped, leading to conclusions that are unhealthy, harmful, and not conducive to the moral life we try to build. This doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with the worldview itself, any more than it would mean that a hammer has something wrong with it because it can’t mow the lawn. The purpose, assumptions, and answers each worldview provides are different, and I posit that each one should be used to answer questions in its respective domain.

Now, how does this relate to critical thinking? I mention this because a critical thinker is able to take information from multiple perspectives to find ways to solve problems and make decisions with data from a variety of worldviews. Ignoring one or more perspectives in favor of another is referred to as “bias”. For example, when discussing controversial topics such as the relationship between members of the LGBTQ+ community and the church, it’s important to understand what perspectives are at play and to avoid bias in any format. For example, LDS critical thinkers should be careful to not ignore what role genetics might play in homosexuality (16), and the critical thinking members of the LGBTQ+ community should be careful to remember the role that traditional families play in the afterlife (17). Allowing one perspective to cloud another will lead to contention, frustration, and a lack of intellectual and spiritual engagement with all parties involved.

To recap, a critical thinker needs to be aware of the inherent worldviews/perspectives of every source being analyzed. While not separating the perspectives or allowing bias to cause them to distort or ignore other worldviews, critical thinkers are able to collect, synthesize, and evaluate data from different sources. After all, we believe in anything that is “virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy” (18). Latter-day Saint critical thinkers will then be able to look at the problems and questions of others, and either ask questions about, or provide answers with, the differing worldviews/perspectives in question. In this way, I believe that being able to differentiate between the worldviews (and assumptions) of different people, will prove to be yet another essential aspect of LDS apologetics and research.

An Invitation to All

That was kind of long, I hope you’re still with me. In our discussion above, I’ve alluded already to the idea that I, the author, am carrying a few assumptions with me as I’m writing, namely I believe in God, agency, and moral law. The critical thinker will rightly be able to point out that no one can prove empirically that these things are real with a scientific perspective…and they would be right. There are limits to every worldview, but the careful reader will be able to realize that these very limitations are exactly why I’m writing this article in the first place. We can’t just use “one worldview” as the be-all-end-all standard by which we are to view the universe, any more than we can expect a plumber to be able to perform heart surgery. We need to be willing to look beyond mere bias, and thus, I have an invitation to every critical thinker out there, both church members and non-members alike.

For members, I invite you to study LDS church history and theology, employing critical thinking skills as you research. I invite you to listen to the spirit, and accept truth from all sources. I invite you to redouble your efforts to “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (19). Do things to increase your faith as you increase your knowledge of other domains. As you do so, I promise that both your spiritual and intellectual capacities will increase and that you will find greater happiness and confidence as a result. In other words, continue your efforts to seek learning by study and by faith (20), and share the blessings of such efforts with everyone that you know.

For those who are not members of the church, I assert that there is a spiritual domain and that it can be known through spiritual methods. These methods include meditation, prayer, and the study and application of the words of the prophets. Over time, upon acting on these spiritual exercises, I claim that you will begin to feel a rejuvenated sense of power and confidence and that you will feel the inert “good” that comes from each of these (21). I testify that this spiritual perspective will not contradict truth, but will help you embrace it wholeheartedly. I invite you, in this sense, to seek God, and to believe in his Son, Jesus Christ. I invite you to study the words of the prophets, both ancient and modern, and look for the spirit to testify to you of this higher plane. I invite you to Come and See, Come and Help, Come and Stay (22), and most importantly, I invite you to follow Jesus Christ’s admonition to follow him (23).

Hopefully, you’ll take the skills I’ve presented here about asking questions and examining things from different lenses to heart as you do this. I also hope that you don’t dismiss this invitation off-hand. I promise you that as you look over the collective history of God allegedly working with people, you will see His hand, and you will feel Him calling you. I further promise that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can help you find a relationship with God that you cannot find anywhere else. If you have questions throughout your spiritual endeavors, please contact us! We’d love to help however we can.

Conclusion

In conclusion, much more can be said about critical thinking, and those working on this series will spend most of their time finding ways to foster critical thinking, and demonstrating that these skills inevitably leave room for faith. The irony of writing a series on critical thinking is apparent though, seeing as I would hope that you would thoughtfully examine, and even challenge the ideas presented here when appropriate. Even so, I hope that I’ve been able to show the utility of asking good questions, understanding differing worldviews and perspectives, and inspire everyone to more deeply study LDS theology as a means to the end of building faith in Jesus Christ. While I make no claims of omniscience, I do think that these skills will bless lives in both spiritual and secular domains. I look forward to helping pave the road to a far better future as a result.

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-intuitive-parent/201703/the-emerging-crisis-in-critical-thinking
https://youtu.be/Cum3k-Wglfw
https://louisville.edu/ideastoaction/about/criticalthinking/what
Kowalski K. (2007). The value of asking questions. Journal of continuing education in nursing, 38(5), 200. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20070901-04
Anderson, Shayne. “Critical Thinking in Religious Education.” Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel 18, no. 3 (2017): 69-81. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re/vol18/iss3/6
https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/teaching-resources/classroom-practices/learning-contexts/discussions/questions-critical-thinking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHdIsT4eiEQ
Gray A. J. (2011). Worldviews. International psychiatry : bulletin of the Board of International Affairs of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 8(3), 58–60.
Mauro Properzi; Belonging (and Believing) as LDS Scholars of Religion. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 1 January 2009; 42 (3): 37–44. doi: https://doi.org/10.5406/dialjmormthou.42.3.0037
Moses 1:39
https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/what-is-a-historian
Hepburn, Brian and Hanne Andersen, “Scientific Method”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2021/entries/scientific-method/
https://www.google.com/search?q=determinism+definition&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS998US1000&oq=determinism&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i433i512j0i512l8.2690j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8; see also Churchland P. Neuroscience: reflections on the neural basis of morality. Edited by Walter Glannon. Defining Right and Wrong in Brain Science: Essential Readings in Neuroethics. New York: Dana Press; 2007
https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/mormonism-and-determinism/
Meredith, Adrianna (2020) “Plea to Professors: A Passionate Approach to Controversy in the Classroom,” Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology: Vol. 15 : Iss. 2 , Article 11. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/intuition/vol15/iss2/11
Mukherjee, S. (2017). The gene.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng
Articles of Faith 1:13
Moroni 10:32 (see also vs 33)
D&C 88:118
Alma 32
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/54uchtdorf?lang=eng
Matthew 4:19

Further Study:

“Real Vs. Rumor” by Keith Erekson from the 2021 FAIR Conference
“Worldview Apologetics: Revealing the Waters in Which We Swim” by Jeffrey Thayne
Socratic Questioning Series [Disk 1] [Part 1] (Specifically the first video, the other videos cover different portions that will be called on later in this series)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814022034
https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=googlescholar&id=GALE|A121765630&v=2.1⁢=r&sid=AONE&asid=358e44db (has great list of questions you can ask when evaluating sources)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/as-he-thinketh-in-his-heart-?lang=eng (In this talk, Elder Oaks discusses how the presuppositions that LDS have lead them to different conclusions about different topics)

The post By Study and Faith – Episode 1: What is Critical Thinking? appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: The Sacramentby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the sacrament. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Before I get into that let me remind you of the FAIR Conference. I will be speaking on Friday, August 4 at 10:30 Mountian time. I would be delighted to see you there in person, but you can also sign up to stream the event. It’s free to stream, but you do need to sign up at https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2023. I will be talking about issues of sexual abuse in church settings.

And, before we get started, I’ve been wanting to address a question that comes up a lot, but I haven’t been able to find the right spot to do it. Maybe I just need to do a Q/A video – hit me with questions in the comments if you’d like to see that, but for now, I want to briefly answer this one because I get it frequently. The question goes something like, “My grown child has left the church and joined an Evangelical church and I want to use all this information to talk with them, but they do not want to talk with me about this topic. My faith is such a huge part of who I am, so it seems like I’m being kicked out of their life. What should I do?” The short answer is: What you should do is respect their wishes. I know that’s not the answer you really want to hear, but it’s the only one that makes sense, and here’s why…No one likes being given boundaries by other people. I don’t like it, you don’t like it. It stings. That’s okay. But a boundary is someone telling you to, “stay in your lane.” The idea of “staying in your lane” directly implies the idea that you have a lane in which to stay. You’re not being kicked out of their life. I know it can feel that way. But try to focus on the relationship you do have with them and work with what you’re given. In this scenario, parent-child, it is a very long game, and it makes sense to do the work to figure this out. Perhaps it doesn’t make sense in other relationships, only you can decide that. But in this scenario, you might just have to dig deep into every bit of emotional maturity you can muster and preserve the relationship. All right, that was me slipping into mental-health education a bit, but I hope that was helpful for you. Moving on.

Today, we are talking about the Sacrament, which Evangelicals know better as communion or the Lord’s Supper or the Lord’s Table, and Catholics know better as the Eucharist or the Holy Mass. My favorite alternative name for it is a term that pops up a few times in history, “The Love Feast”. But they all are referring to roughly the same thing, though obviously with some very different understandings of it. Our text comes from Matthew 26:26:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Before about 5 years ago…Latter-day Saint friends, you can laugh at me for this all you want…I did not know that the main worship meeting of the week was called Sacrament Meeting. And I remember when I heard that phrase I thought, “How odd! I wonder what they think “sacrament” means?” Commence laughter, I’m not offended.

In my own defense, I will say that part of this is because I spent about 10 years in the Anglican world where the word “sacrament” can refer to several things: it can be the taking of communion, but things like baptism and marriage are also considered sacraments. I think the LDS word there is more specific, as we would call those ordinances, but we mean the same thing. Anglicans (and Catholics, and others) also have something they call “Sacramentals” which are considered, “sacred signs” (LDS friends, don’t run too far with that word here, they’re using ‘signs’ differently.) But Sacramentals are something like oil that has been blessed to use in healing, or making the sign of the cross, or holy water. These are things that get really misunderstood by outsiders, but they’re functioning very similarly to how some of the ordinances function for us. (There is an episode I want to do on water as symbol – how it’s used in our faith for baptism and in the initiatory, how it’s used as “holy water” in other places. But that’s some deep geek-level stuff and I think I will try to spare you from that. Maybe. We’ll see.)

I’ll start by describing the differences an Evangelical would see in our Sacrament meeting, and include the differences we would see in theirs. And then we’ll go a little deeper and examine on the theological level what is purported to be happening during the sacrament or communion, and we’ll even look at the Catholic side too simply because it’s helpful to illustrate some of the differences in theology.

Evangelical friends, if you were to attend a Latter-day Saint service on a Sunday morning you would probably be surprised to see that what we call “the sacrament” is pretty familiar to you, even if it’s not 100%. The elements are blessed and passed, which would feel very familiar to you. Latter-day Saints are taught to use this time in 2 ways. First, it is considered a renewal of the covenants we have made – I have an episode coming up on covenants so I’ll kick the discussion of what that actually means for us down the road. Some Evangelicals are very familiar with the idea of Covenant theology and none of this would be new to them, others have only the vaguest idea of what that could even mean. The second thing we are taught about this time is it is for focusing on Jesus Christ.

There are 3 things that stand out that are really different though.

1) Most of the time in an Evangelical Church no special priesthood is required to bless the Sacrament. In theory, anyone can do it. In our Latter-day Saint tradition, ordinances require someone who holds the priesthood. It’s hard for me to think of other times in which this would come up, but during the pandemic lockdown everyone was doing church at home, and if you did not have someone in your home who is a priest, then you are instructed to spend that time pondering the sacrifice of Christ but to refrain from taking the elements. That will sound very weird – and very Catholic – to Evangelical ears. But for Latter-day Saints, priesthood really matters, we’ve talked about that on this channel a couple of times already, and I have more planned on that as well.

2) Most Evangelicals use grape juice or real wine for communion. Latter-day Saints use water. In my lifetime more and more Evangelical churches have switched from using grape juice to using wine. It’s sort of considered a little bit edgier of a thing to do, and they like that. But Latter-day Saints have had their own journey through what to use as well. My initial guess at why water was used was something like: Latter-day Saints avoid alcohol, even socially, so maybe this is them just trying to stay really far away from something that looks like alcohol. But, I was surprised to learn later that the Word of Wisdom makes a provision for using wine during Sacrament. Doctrine and Covenant 89 gives us, “Inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.” Latter-day Saints use wine in the Sacrament well into the 19th century. In fact, in 1861 Brigham Young sent 309 Mormon families to settle in southern Utah, where they could produce, among other crops, wine for the sacrament. (That’s in Leonard Arrington’s book Great Basin Kingdom – which is very good and worth a read.) By 1906 the temperance movement is really starting to come into its own and by that point, the Word of Wisdom had been around for 70 years. The Saints had been given a generously slow onramp to living by the Word of Wisdom, so during that on-ramping time, alcohol and tobacco use was not unheard of among the Saints. But by 1902 the on-ramping time was coming to an end, and shortly after that, in 1906 the First Presidency and the 12 begin using water in their Sacrament meeting in the temple, and the rest of the church soon follows suit. So, yeah, we use water.

3) The third difference Evangelicals would notice is that it’s quiet while the elements are passed. Well, it’s not quiet. I’m in this fantastic ward with lots of young families with babies and toddlers. Just because of the area where I live is brand new, high-density housing, which tends to attract younger families just starting out after college. So, if you’re in a ward like mine, it is actually not remotely quiet during Sacrament. Delightfully so. But, what I mean by that is that there is no music playing. In an Evangelical Church, for the most part, during that time their band would be playing music, sometimes contemplative, but frequently loud worship-rock music.

That should give you a good overview of the practical differences in how we practice Sacrament, but let’s take a look at the theological differences.

In the Protestant/Catholic world, there are 3 ways to think about what is happening in communion. The first way is the Catholic version, and if you’ve never heard it before, or if you can think back to the first time you heard it, it sounds weird. But this is an extremely sacred doctrine to them, so we’re going to treat it respectfully. In Catholic theology, at the beginning of the service, the bread and wine are just common elements. There is nothing special about them, they were made in perfectly ordinary ways. They lay on the altar and look like the bread and wine that they are. At a specific point in the serve, often indicated by the ringing of a bell, the priest says the words of consecration, and the elements become the actual body and blood of Christ. They sill look and taste like bread and wine, but they are not. They are the body and blood of Christ. This idea is called transubstantiation and it is an expression of their desire to take the words of Christ literally when he says, “this is my body, broken for you, take and eat.” This practice has a lot of meaning for them and it deserves respect. But it is very different from the typical Evangelical view.

In the typical Evangelical view the communion bread and wine remain bread and wine and only become the body and blood of Christ symbolically. But there are 2 versions of this. These make up numbers 2 and 3 of out list of ways Protestants and Catholics think about the Sacrament. Some Evangelicals would say that the bread and wine are simply there as a memory jogger. Jesus asked us to remember his death, and he asked us to use bread and wine, so we do this and remember him. But there is nothing happening more than memory or recall. There is nothing efficacious in it. It’s not doing anything other than helping them remember. This is probably the more common view, or at least it has been historically, things are shifting here too. The other possible way Evangelicals `view the element is what gets called, “The Real Presence.” Which is sort of a halfway point between communion-as-memory-jogger and Eucharist-as-literal-flesh-and-blood. In this view, they see Christ’s presence in the elements, though the elements themselves remain bread and wine, but Christ indwells the elements in a special way that brings Christ’s presence to the one who eats it worthily.

For Latter-day Saints, none of those categories are even discussed much. Instead, we believe that what is happening in the Sacrament is the renewal of covenants. Before I was baptized into the church, I attended Sacrament Meeting for a long time, months, and I made a decision that I wanted to participate by receiving the bread and water. And as far as I know, no one had any problems with that, but I also understood the theology was clear: I had not yet made covenants, so there was nothing to renew. My participation in eating and drinking was something else – a desire to express my faith and hope that I could become part of that community. But that was my own personal meaning. The actual point of the Sacrament entirely has to do with covenant keeping.

There is so much more to talk about on this topic, I know that doesn’t seem possible, but it’s true. And this is a topic we will come back to again from a different angle a couple of months from now. Thank you for joining me all of this. I’ll be back next week and we’ll continue working our way through the New Testament.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: The Raptureby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the rapture. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Before I get into that let me update you on the FAIR conference. Some new details for you…I will be speaking on Friday, August 4 at 10:30 Mountain time. I would be delighted to see you there in person, but you can also sign up to stream the event. It’s free to stream, but you do need to sign up. Initially, my topic was going to be the history of the relationship between Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints (spoiler: Lots of ups and downs), and I still hope to give that talk someday, but instead, I’m speaking on an area that I have a huge personal and professional interest in: Sexual Abuse in a Church Context. My plan is to talk through the 5 most common questions that come up on this subject, especially for Latter-day Saints. Some examples are, “Does our church help abusers hide from the law?”….”Is there a higher-than-average number of abuse cases in our churches compared to similar groups?” I’m also working on a huge Q/A page of about 30 questions regarding abuse. I know this is not everyone’s favorite topic, but I have some really interesting original research to present as well as some historical context to add to the whole question.

Okay, moving on. This week’s topic, the rapture, comes up in Matthew 1:23 (JST):

Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect’s sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.

You will notice that the word, “rapture” is not in this verse, but it’s not in the Bible at all, it’s a word Evangelicals use to describe a concept they see in the Bible. And by “rapture” they mean an event at some future point in time where all believers in Christ will be, “taken up into the air” and then will begin a 7-year period called, “The Great Tribulation” which is a time of great sorrow, and after that time, Jesus will return. This is them leaving Earth to go to Heaven without dying. God pulls their physical bodies out of our atmosphere and into Heaven. You won’t find this taught directly in the Bible. You can look for it, it’s not in there – though certain people take verses and apply them to the concept, even though they’re vague and could describe lots of things. And this belief is huge for American Evangelicals. How did this happen? Let’s start with some historical context.

If you go back in time about 250 years and asked the Christians alive at that time what they think of the rapture, they would no idea what you’re talking about. The idea of the rapture is brand new in terms of history. It’s been around for about 200 years, which in historical terms is brand new. In the 1830’s a guy named John Darby was living in London and working as a pastor for the Plymouth Brethren (they would go on to call themselves the Exclusive Brethren, but you’ve probably more likely to have heard the term Plymouth Brethren.) Latter-day Saint friends I know the thing that catches your attention here is the date, “1830’s”. If you listened to LDS historians at all in your life you’ve probably heard someone talk about the extraordinary outpouring of spirituality happening in that decade around the world, and this is an example of that. Darby is an extraordinary man, he’s given a top-rate education for the day, he comes from a family with means, and he’s set up for success really well. He produces translations of the Bible into English, French, Dutch, and German that are still used today. He initially is ordained as a Catholic priest, but he soon quits in a political protest. Right around that time he is thrown off a horse and has a long convalescence where he begins to develop his signature theology: The Rapture.

Darby travels to America several times and somewhere in the 1880’s (there are conflicting dates) he is in Missouri and makes a connection with Cyrus Scofield. Latter-day Saints, this is during the era when John Taylor was president of the church, so the Saints moved on to Utah long ago, but I know Missouri catches your attention too. And there is a “Charles Scofield” in early Utah history during this era, he was a railroad builder. I did a cursory look to see if he is related to Cyrus Scofiled, but couldn’t find proof that he was. At any rate, Darby meets Scofield who essentially takes Darby’s work and popularizes it. Scofield is in the direct line of people who influence the up-and-coming Evangelical movement. So, American Evangelicals get Darby’s theology as filtered through Scofield. And Scofield publishes what becomes the first modern Study Bible. He publishes his notes and commentary about the text right next to the actual text of the Bible. A few versions of this had been done before, but Scofield makes it take off. I mention it here because it’s an interesting slight-of-hand, and it directly impacts how the rapture theology plays out.

What Scofield did when he places his notes and commentary next to the text of the Bible does not seem very revolutionary today. You can go on Amazon and find 30 or more study Bibles, some of them quite good. And a modern reader can easily understand that there is a difference in authority between the scripture text and the comments provided by the book’s authors. It’s not hard for us to intuitively see the difference. But in Scofiled’s day, people were not used to that. If it was contained inside a bound Bible, it WAS the Bible. They took Scofield’s interpretations far more seriously simply because he embedded them right next to the actual Bible text. So when Scofield is writing about the rapture in his notes, the Christians reading his Bible at that time are roughly putting his words equal with scripture. The average Bible reader in this era is not yet sophisticated enough to easily differentiate the two. At this time, around 1909, roughly 8% of the US population ever graduate from high school. The majority of people in that era can read, but they’re not going to be sophisticated enough to see the difference between Scofield’s words, and the words of the Bible. And his Bible was huge. It sold 2 million copies by the end of WW2. This is how Darby’s rapture theology got popular in America.

Fast-forward to the 1970s and a series of films is made that dramatizes this event. There are 4 movies in the series, they’re called the “Thief in the Night” movies. You can watch them on Youtube if you want. Another series is made in the 1990s that you might be more familiar with – they’re based on the Left Behind books, but the idea is the same, they’re a dramatized version of what would happen after the rapture.

I’ll tell you this story. A very dear friend in my first Ward texted me one day and asked, “What is the rapture?” I gave her a brief explanation and she said: My school-age daughter checked out a book from the library called, “Left Behind” because the cover looked cool, but she’s reading it now and we have no idea what they’re talking about. Evangelical friends, you may or may not know this, but Latter-day Saints have no idea what you’re talking about if you’re talking to them about the rapture. It’s not a thing for us. Incidentally, it’s not a thing for most Christians in the world. The idea is rejected by Anglicans, Orthodox, Catholics, and most branches of Protestants. But it’s got firm footing with Evangelicals and over the last 60 years many Evangelical leaders have made predictions of when this event would happen, only to have those dates come and go. The most memorable one to me was in 1988 when a book came out called, “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988,” and it gave a specific date for the rapture, which obviously didn’t happen. But some people read that book and sold their homes, thinking they would not need them anymore. Or they ran up huge debt thinking they wouldn’t need to pay it back because they’d be raptured. But there were some significant ones in the 70’s too. I remember being about 10 years old and given a giant button to wear at church that said, “You better get right – before you get left”….meaning you should get right with God before the rapture happens because then your chance will be over.

Now, I’m sure my skepticism of the rapture theology is coming through. I certainly don’t think it’s true, and I will admit my bias to you on that. But, I want to acknowledge that this is an important doctrine to Evangelicals. Yes, it sounds crazy to our Latter-day Saint ears, but some of our doctrine and historical events sound crazy to their ears too. So is there anything in this rapture idea where we can find a good inroad for conversation? I’m so glad you asked.

Which brings up another really interesting issue here. We’ll use the rapture issue to illustrate. So, the main verse that gets used for supporting the idea of the rapture is in 1 Thes 4. This is Paul writing to the church there because they’re worried. They believed that Jesus Christ would come back in their lifetimes. But, enough time has passed since Jesus’ resurrection and the time of this letter, that some members in their church have died. They’re feeling confused and worried because Jesus has not actually come back yet. So they’ve written to Paul to help sort them out with the question, “How can some of our friends have died if Jesus was supposed to come back before any of us died?” Paul, in his wordy kind of way, responds like this…

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

In context, you can see that Paul is helping them understand that their dead still matter and that Jesus has not abandoned them or forgotten the plan. He also has not turned his back on their own suffering. Paul is encouraging them to endure the suffering they have now, and the potential future suffering of the tribulation. The entire point of this letter is for Paul to tell them – in this beautiful figurative metaphor of being “caught up in the air” with their dead – is for Paul to reassure them that they will be reunited with their dead, and all of them – living and dead – are in the hands of Christ. People who believe in the rapture take the “in the air,” the Greek word here is just the word that means “the Heavens” or more literally, “The clouds of the Heavens” and make it literally mean the space of atmosphere above your head. They’re taking what it figurative and making it very, very literal.

There is an entire area of study called Hermeneutics that is concerned with this. Hermeneutics is the study of interpretation – or how do we get the correct meaning out of a text. One of the rules of hermeneutics says that is you take a figurative word, but apply a literal meaning to it, things are going to go weird. The best example of this is that Jesus gives us the metaphor that he is like a mother hen stretching her wings out to cover her chicks. This is a metaphor – but if we commit a hermeneutical error here, we take the metaphor as literal and start to believe Jesus is a giant cosmic chicken.

Now, Latter-day Saints, before you get too comfortable, we do this too. It’s not just Evangelicals. We take vague metaphors from scripture and turn them into concrete proof of something literal. One of the best examples of this is when we say there is proof for the Book of Mormon found in the Bible. There isn’t. Not that anyone else would accept anyway. Ezekiel 37 is a great example of this. We Latter-day Saints read in there about the sticks of Judah and Joseph and apply them to the Bible and the Book of Mormon. And it’s a lovely application of those verses. I can certainly look at those verses and interpret them that way with a lot of gladness. But it’s not actually what they say. It’s an application, but not a literal meaning. We have to bring outside knowledge/belief into that verse to pull out the meaning we’re getting. For your own use, for your own spiritual edification, that’s a great way to apply a metaphor to something it didn’t originally refer to. In the original chapter of Ezekiel, read in context, the 2 “sticks” are the Nothern and Southern kingdoms. That is the literal meaning of the text. It’s a little more complicated for us because we believe in ongoing revelation outside of the Bible, so we can apply the metaphor with some certainty to the Book of Mormon. This is the difference between exegesis (figuring out the actual meaning of a text by only looking at the text itself) and eisegesis (bringing your own ideas and sort of reading them into the text.) It’s totally correct to say, “we read about the 2 sticks and apply that idea to the Bible and the Book of Mormon”….but its going to far to say, “This verse in Ezekiel is literally about the Book of Mormon.” It might be a subtle difference, but we have to be able to hold both, “here is what the text is actually talking about” and “here is how we’re applying it.”

I say all of this – and we’ve gone way over on time this week – because this is how a lot of misunderstanding happens between Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals. Both groups tend to think that our application of a verse is identical to what the verse actually says, and it’s just not. The argument goes back and forth, “this is what it means”…“no, this is what it means”…when a more profitable path is something like: there is a difference between the meaning of a text, and the ways in which it can be reasonably applied, we have very different applications of some verses, let’s get curious about why.

Well, enough of that. Please join me next week where we’ll have more fun stuff to talk about.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Holy Weekby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Holy Week. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Before we get started though I want to remind you about the upcoming FAIR Conference, August 2-4 in Provo at the Experience Event Center. I will be there and would love to say Hi to you. I’ll be speaking one of the days, not sure which. You can register online at https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2023 and there are options for viewing online or in person. Let me tell you about one of the talks that will be happening. You may know who Keith Erekson is, but if you don’t he is the director of historical research for the church. He had a really good book come out a couple of years ago called, “Real vs. Rumor” where he gives really helpful instruction about how to think critically about when you hear a “historical” story. I love history – if you’ve listened to this podcast at all you know that I try to give you the history of why certain theologies or practices developed – but I am by no means trained as a historian. So I adore Keith’s work because he helps normal people like me think better. He really blends expertise in history with a desire to help regular people learn from history in a way that is helpful. I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear his talk. So, come to the FAIR conference and geek out with me.

Okay, onward with our work here. Today we’re talking about Palm Sunday and Holy Week. Yes, I know, it’s already past – you’re probably watching this in late May and Palm Sunday was many weeks ago. But I’m brining it up now because 1) It’s contained in our CFM readings this week and 2) It got talked about a lot at General Conference and I’ve heard a number of really interesting conversations and questions come up about it from lifetime Latter-day Saints. So, our text for this week is Matthew 21:8:

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

I think the talks in General Conference did a good job of talking about what Holy Week is and why it’s important. So I’m not going to repeat that information. If somehow you missed those talks go back to the recordings of the April 2023 General Conference and check them out. What I want to do here is talk about what Holy Week is like for Evangelicals, why they’re doing what they’re doing, so that you might have a better conversation with them. And honestly, this is a topic where we Latter-day Saints might have our own imaginations expanded by learning about what they’re doing. I don’t think a re-creation of the typical Evangelical practices of Holy Week should just be copied and used in our church – but Holy Week has been important to believers for 2,000 years and it might be time to figure out how to put some of that into our own context, in a way that fits our church culture, and leads Saints closer to Jesus Christ.

Okay, so you know what a Latter-day Saint Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday is normally like. Let me tell you what an Evangelical version of that is like. And with all things Evangelical there is a wide spectrum. But one familiar dynamic you will notice is that more people are interested in coming to church on Easter (and Christmas) so Evangelical churches try to capitalize on this as much as they can.

Version 1 – The “lowest church” version (you’ll remember we talked about what “low church” and “high church” are in a previous episode – “low church” here just basically means very little emphasis placed on ritual, ceremony, or formalness) of this that I can think of is the “Helicopter Egg Drop.” And this is exactly what it sounds like. For about $500 a church can hire out a helicopter for the hour, it goes up, drops anywhere from 3,000 to 20,000 plastic eggs filled with candy in a field – and the kids go crazy hunting for them. This is usually part of the Sunday morning worship, not a side-event on Saturday or something, and it’s a big deal for them. It does draw families out. The kids love it, so their parents love it, and the church hopes this will translate into families being interested in getting involved with them. And it frequently works – churches wouldn’t be doing it if it didn’t. And for some churches, this embodies their entire philosophy toward Holy Week and Easter itself – it’s essentially a “put on your best face and try to draw in new families” event. The churches are perfectly aware that dropping eggs out of a helicopter isn’t exactly the essence of how the Savior might want to be recognized on this day. They’re not confused about that, they’re just trying to make a really easy onramp so that the family who comes to church because they want to see a helicopter drop 20,000 eggs (and I’ll be honest – I kind of want to see that too) might be wooed so that eventually their interest in developing a relationship with Jesus grows. They’re playing a long game, and they do a few events like this a year, and it seems worth it.

I will say this though, there are churches that use this strategy full-time. Every single Sunday is about impressing people in hopes that they will want to become more involved eventually. I’ll give you an example that is both dazzling and horrifying (even many Evangelicals I know can see both sides of this one.) Years ago I worked as a full-time children’s pastor at a church in California. They were lovely people who had a passion for Jesus and wanted to know how to bring other families into their fold so that they could teach them about Jesus too. So I was working for this church and it had become obvious that the buildings they were used for children’s ministries were getting old and looking run down. Instead of just doing a refresh of carpet and paint, they decided – with very good motives – that they wanted to have buildings that looked closer to a children’s museum than a children’s Sunday School building. So, they sent me on a trip across the country to go visit a church that had done this very thing.

My purpose for this trip was to get a tour of the building and come to understand what aspects had been worth the investment, what had not, and what elements our church back in California could be inspired by. They start the tour by showing me the check-in desk for school-age children – this is a common feature for bigger churches – the children are brought to that point, checked into their class, and sometimes the parents are given a vibrating pager (like you get while waiting for a restaurant sometimes) and the kids are off to their classes. But in this church, after the check-in process was complete the worker would go to the wall behind the desk and open up 1 of 4 round hatches. When it was open it revealed a slide. The child would then be invited to slide from the main floor down to the floor where their classroom was. A monitor above the portal showed a video feed from the bottom where the parents could see their child greeted by a worker and taken to class. Then they took me to the infant/toddler area – instead of having some toys and blankets laid out on a floor for the nursery-age children they had constructed a room where 2 of the walls were floor-to-ceiling salt-water aquariums filled with exotic fishes. And it went on and on from there. And I’ll be honest, it was impressive. It was exactly children’s-museum-meets-Sunday-School. If I were an Evangelical parent looking for a place my child would be excited to go to on Sundays – this would be it. But much like the churches that use helicopters to drop thousands of eggs, churches that are doing this have to be crystal clear on why they’re doing it and work hard to get people to the actual goal – becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. And sometimes, this goal seems to take second place to “being impressive.” Because it’s really fun to be impressive. When I was an Evangelical I fell into that trap for a long time. And it’s not an easy one to see your way out of.

Version 2 – back to Holy Week – the next version of what Evangelical churches do for Holy Week is a step up in terms of what you might recognize as looking like a religious observation. The bare-bones version of this is…1) Palm Sunday. Congregations members are given palm branches when they arrive for the Service that Sunday. At some point during the service one of the leaders will talk the congregation through the meaning of the Palm Sunday story and the congregation will wave the palm branches in the air. (Many parents know how to teach their children to make little items with the palms after they’ve been waved – they can be made into woven crosses or even little dolls while the children sit in church.) This service is often accompanied by upbeat music and singing. In many scenarios that will be the extent of it. Most churches will allow the mood to stay upbeat until the end. A minority of churches will end the service talking about that while Jesus receives a warm welcome on this day, things would turn against him in the days to come. But most of them will let the mood remain festive. The next even of Holy Week for a church like this might be either a “Maundy Thursday” or “Good Friday” service. Maundy Thursday is traditionally a feet-washing service. And in the past perhaps everyone in the congregation would have the opportunity to have their feet washed, these days it is far more likely to be a symbolic event that maybe a handful of people experience on behalf of the rest of the congregation. The idea here is that Jesus washed the disciple’s feet and we are to remember that he humbled himself to be the servant of all. This is generally a service attended by adults and maybe older children, though I’ve never heard of younger children being prohibited. The same is true with Good Friday. This is a somber service where congregants remember the crucifixion. It’s often an emotional service with music, low lights, scripture readings, and not many bells and whistles. Sunday morning – Easter – can either be a ramped-up version of their normal service, or perhaps a Sunrise service. People are more likely to dress up – Evangelicals normally do not dress up for church – but there are lots of exceptions to that too. All of this is sort of a middle-of-the-road kind of approach to Holy Week.

Version 3 – this is a church that goes all out. They will do all the things just mentioned plus some additional things. The first difference that you would notice is that the palm branches used on Palm Sunday are collected from the congregation – so no little crosses or dolls are made from them. Seems weird at first, but the reason they do this is that those branches are laid out and dried, then later they are burned. The ashes will become the ashes used in next year’s Ash Wednesday service. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season leading up to Easter called Lent. Lent is the 40-day (minus Sundays) period leading up to Easter. The point of Lent is to get your heart ready to celebrate the resurrection. And they will often give up things like sugar to help them stay disciplined and focused during that time. On Ash Wednesday they go to church for a special service where the ashes (made from the Palms) are smeared on their forehead in the shape of a cross. After Palm Sunday they would certainly celebrate Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as well. But they add in a Saturday service that I think you will be fascinated by. It’s called Easter Vigil. It usually takes place on Saturday night. Sometimes this is a simple service, and sometimes it’s a grand production with actors and costumes, lights and music, but here is the point of it…..The service tells this history of humanity beginning in the Garden of Eden. It talks about how and why Adam and Eve left the garden and tells the history of God’s people down to Moses, and then from Moses to Jesus Christ. The point is for them to tell the history of the salvation of God’s people – leading to the resurrection or the doorway to eternity. The highlight of the service is at the end when the congregation is symbolically placed in Heaven celebrating God’s love. I imagine that every adult Latter-day Saint is making connections here to what we’re doing in our temple worship. Some of the same things are going on – we Latter-day Saints have a much more developed theology around what all of that means, and this is a similar practice to what many of you do on a regular basis. So it might be interesting to learn that at least some Evangelicals are doing this once a year – it doesn’t mean the same thing to them that it means to us. But some of the raw materials are there.

I don’t where our traditions around Holy Week will go in the future. We had some great talks and inspiration at General Conference this last time, and we’ll see what that might develop into. I think it’s exciting. Join us next time and we will continue on. See you then!

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 21–23; Mark 11; Luke 19–20; John 12 appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: Handling Difficult Textsby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about handling difficult scripture texts. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Before we get started though I want to let you know about a very cool event coming up. Every year FAIR hosts the most fantastic 3-day conference that you should think about attending. I will be there, I’d be happy to meet you. I’m speaking on one of the days, though I don’t think the schedule is finalized yet so I don’t know which day. One of the talks I really looking forward to hearing is from Dr. Jenet Erickson. Sister Erickson has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, Slate Magazine, and more. She’s a social science researcher and digs into all areas that affect family life. She will be bringing her expertise to talk about the new For the Strength of Youth. Even if you’re beyond the stage of life where you have young people in your home, Dr. Erickson is absolutely worth listening to as she applies wisdom from social science to theological concepts.

Our scripture this week comes from Matthew 19:9:

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

We’re not actually going to talk about divorce or adultery in this episode – I’m brave but not that brave. What we’re going to do instead is look at the different ways Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints handle the really difficult texts in the scriptures. And like most topics, this one is easier to understand with some historical background.

There has never been a time in history when people of faith have not had to grapple with difficult scriptures. Sometimes there are difficulties come because we don’t understand something about the context or language of a passage, but sometimes they come because the passage is just painful or hard. And all along people have had to figure out what to do with those.

One way of handling it was that sometimes the scribes who would hand-copy the manuscripts would change them intentionally to make the verse easier. Let’s talk about the New Testament as our example. There are lots of changes – or what we call “textual variants” – between various NT manuscripts. In an ideal world we would have original copies of what was actually written by the hand of Paul to compare the manuscripts to. But we don’t. There are no originals. There are only copies of copies. The Book of Mormon and the Bible actually have this in common – no originals to compare them to. Just lots of copies – And those copies vary in quality. There is a branch of study called “Textual Criticism” which isn’t about criticizing what the scriptures have to say, despite the misnomer. Textual criticism is the study of figuring out what the most likely original word was in a text. There are about 5,500 hand-written manuscripts of the New Testament that range in date from about 150 years after Christ to the year 1550 AD. At that point, the printing press was established enough that no one was interested in making hand-written copies anymore. Of those 5,500 manuscripts some are very tiny – about the size of a business card – and just contain 1 verse or a part of one verse. Around the year 350 AD we get the first complete Bible manuscript. It’s called the Codex Sinaitcus and you can go see it – it’s on display at the British Library in London. But before the Sinaitcus we have about a hundred or so fragments, and after it we still get lots of small fragments, but as the centuries go on, better care is taken of newly produced manuscripts, and they last longer, so the newer a manuscripts is, the more likely it is that we have more than just a fragment. Every manuscript is numbered, and some are named – like Codex Sinaitcus. They are also categorized into 5 groups. Category 1 manuscripts are considered the best, but not because they’re the most complete, because they’re the oldest. A Category 5 manuscript might be complete, but if it was created in 1500 it has had the opportunity to have a lot of textual variants.

And, so what? What do we do with this information in our conversation about how to handle difficult texts? If I was fancy, and I knew how to put graphics into these videos, I would show you a copy of Papyrus 28. Papyrus 28 is about 3×2 (considered medium-sized for its category) and is from John 6, the story of the loaves and fishes. It used to be housed at a University in Berkeley, but it was sold to a private collector about 10 years ago. There are 2 really interesting things about 28….1) In that small manuscript there are 5 variations or 5 unique differences between it and other similar manuscripts and 2) it looks like someone took an exacto-knife and cut out 1 word very deliberately. The word that is cut out means, “those who were sitting down.” Somewhere in the history of this papyrus someone probably decided they didn’t like that detail, or they thought it didn’t fit, so they just cut it out. And I suppose that’s one way to solve your issues with difficult texts – just cut the passage out. However, it’s not a very efficient or good way to deal with a difficult text.

Another example of how the scribes deal with difficult passages is to simplify them. Even though the scribes who copy these manuscripts lived across many centuries there are some patterns that appear in their work. One of those patterns is that scribes tended to add words to the text to explain or clarify what they were copying. They were trying to be helpful to the reader in doing this, but for modern purposes what they were doing is giving us a general rule to follow that says, “The shorter reading is probably closer to the original.” If you have 2 manuscripts, and one has extra explanatory words in it, that is probably the manuscript that has been altered. In a similar way, scribes also tended to try and “harmonize” the texts, sort of smooth them out, or make very difficult sayings less difficult. The rule here becomes, “The harder reading is probably closer to the original.” So here we see a slightly more sophisticated version of editing than just cutting the word out of the page – this is deliberate scribal changes because they thought they were doing the right thing.

Modern ways of dealing with difficult passages

So, fast-forward from all of that history to today. How are difficult passages handled today by Evangelicals? There’s 2 answers – the scholars and the people in the pews.

First, there are many very good Evangelical scholars who are offering their very best to help people know what to do with hard passages. The top of the heap, in my opinion, is Dr. Phyllis Trible. Her landmark book is called, “Texts of Terror” and in it she takes the 4 most disturbing passages from the Old Testament – the stories of Tamar, Hagar, the Daughter of Jephtha, and the unnamed woman whose husband is a priest of Isreal, and commits human sacrifice on her. All of these stories are extremely disturbing. And she goes through them one by one and helps the reader understand what is going on beyond all the violence and sadness that are at first so shocking. Her book is a very good example of showing what a very careful and close reading of the text can do as far as figuring out what in the world is happening. But that’s what scholars are doing, not what people in the pews are doing.

And most of the time what people in the pews are doing is…. avoiding the hard passages. In their minds at least, they tend to swap them out for broader 30,000 feet comments that are much easier to listen to. Something like, “Well, I don’t know what Jesus was really saying about divorce here, but I do know he said we’re not supposed to judge, so I’m just going to let God sort ‘em out.” It’s not that Evangelicals don’t have scholars putting out work on these texts, they do, they just prefer more practical answers that let people get on with life. One of the values in the Evangelical church really is an anti-intellectualism which comes across as just trying to get out of the scriptures what they need to live life, and move on. In 1994 an Evangelical scholar, who is also an excellent historian, wrote a book called, “The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind”….and it turns out that the scandal is that there isn’t much of one. Things have gotten somewhat better for them since, at least at the academic level. In 2004 Christianity Today said that Noll’s book did more to change the trajectory of Evangelicalism than any other that had been published in that decade. But the anti-intellectualism in the pews remains. Several authors and speakers in the Evangelical world have tried to address this, but none of them seem to get much traction.

So, how do Latter-day Saints manage difficult texts?

A good test case for this is Doctrine and Covenants 132. That is a difficult chapter that many people need a moment or two when trying to wrap their minds around it. So how do we see people handling it?

For many people, a path that makes sense can be seen in what Scripture Central is doing (they used to be called Book of Mormon Central.) They are not shying away from the passage or making any excuses about it, they’re trying to help listeners contextualize it in history. They’ve got 15 videos explaining it from various angles that take top-level scholarship and make it accessible to regular people. Some of those are bite-sized little videos, while others are 90 min long. But what all of them are trying to do is help the listener pull the lens back and understand the entire context of a passage.

If you go to the FAIR website – which stands for Faithful Answers Informed Responses – you will see similar work being done, but with a different focus. If you have a specific difficulty or question about a passage, chances are very good that one of the FAIR scholars has already written a lot to address that very question. And not just with scripture passages, but with issues from church history, and current events (they have a new page up on understanding what in the world is going on with the Daybell trial, for example.) And they also have very focused responses like Sarah Allen’s 69-part response to the CES Letter.

And how about Latter-day Saints in the pews?

This is just my experience, but it is my experience, and I’m going to tell you something hard. One of the things Latter-day Saints do when they come across a difficult passage in the Bible is immediately jump to, “Well, clearly this is not translated correctly.” And…it’s lazy. Not because it can never be true – we all share the belief that the Bible has mistranslations. It’s lazy when it’s the first solution you jump to when you come across a difficult passage. There is no list of, “these are the passages translated incorrectly,” though you know from the beginning of this video that the science of figuring out what the New Testament actually originally said is difficult. A better approach is that if you come across a passage you don’t know what to do with, don’t jump immediately to, “mistranslation.” Go to the FAIR website or the Scripture Central website and do some reading about that passage. Both are working hard to make scholarship accessible. If you want to geek out even more go to the BYU Studies page and look up some of the academic work on that passage. Go to the BYU Scripture Citation Index – you can search up the passage and see every time it has been referenced in a General Conference talk all the way back to 1830. My point is that the tools are there for you to use and if you do some of the work to learn how to study better you can get more out of your scripture study. This kind of work isn’t a replacement of the Spirit – without the Spirit you’re never even going to get off the ground – but without taking in some content from people who know more than you, the Spirit only has so much to work with.

On a more positive note, the other way I’ve seen Latter-day Saints manage really difficult passages is with the kind of faithfulness that says: I don’t understand what is happening – Doctrine and Covenants 132 is a great example here – but I’m willing to let it ride for a while and see if I can find a way to think about it that’s helpful. One of the greatest gifts in our church is the idea that ongoing revelation exists – you don’t have to have everything all figured out today. Eternity is long, and your intelligence will have forever to learn and grow.

I hope this was helpful to you. This issue of difficult scriptures has been with people of faith for as long as scriptures have existed and I hope out discussion has helped you think about how you handle difficult passages. Join me next time and we’ll take up a new topic.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18 appeared first on FAIR.

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On this episode, Rene Krywult joins us for a discussion about whether temple ordinances are sacred or secret.

René Alexander Krywult, a native of Vienna, Austria, Europe, has been a member of FAIR for over twenty years and has been instrumental in founding the German-speaking FAIR group. He is a software developer and project manager for a European financial institution. He is married to Gabriele Krywult, and they have four children and three grandchildren.

The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 3: Sacred or Secret? with Rene Krywult appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: Heavenly Motherby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Heavenly Mother. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Before we get started though I want to let you know about a very cool event coming up. Every year FAIR hosts the most fantastic 3-day party. When I say “party” what I mean is getting to listen to and interact with some of the smartest people in our church. They give a talk on what they’ve been working on – and frequently the FAIR conference is the first place their ideas are presented in public. That’s my kind of party. And maybe it’s yours too. This year the FAIR conference is on August 2-4 (Wed – Friday) at the Experience Event Center in Provo, Utah. You can buy tickets to attend in person, or online by going to https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2023. I will be there all 3 days and would so happy to meet you. I am presenting a talk on one of those days, I don’t know which on yet, but will let you know once the schedule is finalized. 2 of the talks I am very much looking forward to are…1) Michaelbrent Collings is an American horror novelist and he’ll be talking about, “Horror: the Genre of Goodness, Godliness, and Hope.” Horror is not my genre at all, but I am completely intrigued by what he will say. 2) Dr. Janiece Johnson – her specialty is religious history – will be speaking on the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I’ll try to highlight the talks every couple of weeks here – if you enjoy sitting around listening to me, you probably will enjoy sitting around listening to my friends too. Okay, back to our scriptures…

Our scripture this week comes from Luke 13:34:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Evangelical Views

So here we have God compared to a mother hen. The traditional Evangelical conversation around this verse goes something like this….Yes, God is compared to a female chicken, a hen, but this verse does not require us to believe God is female any more than it requires us to believe God is a Cosmic Chicken. Fair enough. No one is asserting that God is a giant chicken.

And for a long time, this was the boundary on thinking about God and gender. God is male, and images in the scripture that refer to God as female such as a hen, a woman looking for her lost coin, a woman in labor, a nursing mother, a mother bear, and a mother eagle….these were just poetic images and not to be taken too seriously. But the boundary has certainly changed in even the last 10 years. It used to be that if you wanted to talk about any kind of feminine identity for God you were being scandalous. Only the most liberal of the Evangelicals would be talking about this. But last year Eerdmans published 2 books on the topic. If you are not familiar with the Evangelical publishing world Eerdman’s is willing to push the boundaries, and that’s been true for a long time. They’re not Zondervan or Lifeway which are going to take a very traditional Evangelical line, and to my knowledge have not, and would not, publish something about a feminine identity for God. But Eerdman’s isn’t ignored by Evangelicals either. So it’s a big step forward that this is being talked about.

The traditional Evangelical view is not all that interesting to talk about. God is male. End of story. So I’m not going to spend much time there, but what I do want to talk to you about is the direction the Evangelical world is headed on this topic – even if all of them aren’t there yet. And that direction takes 2 flavors. In order to get at what those flavors are I’m going to summarize 2 different books – and the reception they’ve received. By the end of this section, you should have a good idea of where the line on this topic has moved to. After that, we’ll compare the Latter-day Saint view.

The first one is, “Women and the Gender of God” by Dr. Amy Peeler. She is a professor at Wheaton College, which they like to say is the, “Harvard of the Evangelical world.” It’s probably closer to the, “BYU of the Evangelical world.” That probably gives you the right feel for it. Peeler’s PhD is from Princeton and she’s very well-liked in the Evangelical world. The biggest point her book is trying to make is that while Jesus Christ was male, he was born of a woman. His flesh does not exist without her flesh. She’s modernizing an argument first made by Augustine when he said, “(Jesus) was born of a woman; don’t despair, men; Christ was happy to be a man. Don’t despair, women; Christ was happy to be born of a woman.” And her book has been very well received by Evangelicals. But as Latter-day Saints you might sort of tilt your head at that and think it’s awful long path to just connect 2 points. Why not just say we have a Heavenly Mother? Evangelicals can’t get there. You can see their longing to – Peeler is brilliant and she works hard in this book to help people make connections to the idea that God is not solely male. But it’s an incredible amount of effort to get to a far less radical point than Latter-day Saints make about Heavenly Mother. But Peeler’s book demonstrates the idea that the boundary on this topic has in fact moved, even if it hasn’t moved all that much.

In contrast, there is another book that shows pushing the line too far will still get you a slap on the hand in the Evangelical world. The book, “God Is” by Mallory Wyckoff is fascinating, but ultimately most Evangelicals appear to reject where she goes. To be fair, Wyckoff does not have the same kind of educational background as Peeler does. So the work is automatically going to be quite different, and that’s okay. I dont think that’s what gets her rejected. Here’s what she does in the book…She takes the idea that God is not merely male and expands on it using a kind of panentheism that says: because God resides in us, we are God. So if God resides in a woman, then God is a woman. And that line is just too far for Evangelicals. When you read some of the Evangelical criticisms of her book you see the logic of G.K. Chesterson (one of the patron saints of the Evangelical world) – he once said, while talking about this idea, that if a man leans too heavily on the idea that God is part of him – and not also something quite separate from him – then he ends up worshiping not God, but self.

You can see from these 2 examples that Evangelicals are very much grappling with ideas about God and gender….but you can also see that they’re in a muddle it’s hard to find a way out of.
I’ll point out one other Evangelical take on this issue. If you watched the “Certain Women” episode a couple weeks ago you heard me talk about what women in leadership or ordained ministry is like for Evangelicals. And an interesting little piece of theology pops up here for the Evangleicals who ordain women. In the past, the Evangelical positon on ordained women could be summed up in something CS Lewis said, which is something like: a woman can not be ordained because it would confuse people into thinking that she represents God, and God is not female. And one of the modern-day reasons why some Evangelicals ordain women is so that their members in their congregation can experience what it is like to see the feminine side of divinity. They can’t make the jump to, “there must be a Heavenly Mother,” but they can say something like: All humans are created in God’s image, therefore God must contian within himself both feminine and masculine. So when a woman is ordained so that the congregation can experience a feminine divine through her, they’re trying to get to the idea of a Heavenly Mother, without ever having to get there. Interestingly enough, in oru Latter-day Saint church we do not ordain women, and looking through this lens, it makes sense why we do not need to.

The take-away here is that your Evangelical friends and family might be more interested in this topic than you think.

If you want to know my first take on hearing about Heavenly Mother, I’ve told you my first experience a few weeks ago back in that “Certain Women” episode. And you might find that interesting.

Latter-day Saint view

So, this is tricky territory. Let’s just acknowledge that. My sense is that 30 years ago that very few people were talking openly about this doctrine, and for understandable reasons. And things have shifted for us too over the years.

There is a resource that if you don’t know about, you should. The BYU Scripture Index – it’s an online site scriptures.byu.edu where you can search general conference talks all the way back to 1830, you can also search “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” as well as the “Journal of Discourses” (which can be a tricky reference to wade through – you have to know what you’re looking at in order to not take things wildly out of context) but it’s there and you can search it as well. And you can search for how often certain words or phrases have been used. Pro tip: you might have to do a little research on the historic phrasing of certain words. For example, if you search for “Heavenly Mother” you will only find references going back to the 1970’s, but that’s because before that she was much more likely to be referred to as, “Mother in Heaven.” This doesn’t signal some big theological change as much as it demonstrates how the English language changes over time.

So, anyway, if you use the BYU Index to research Heavenly Mother you find several talks from the last 20 years, a couple in the 1980s and 90s, a couple in the 1970’s, 1 in the 1940’s, and 1 in 1885.

But there have been more things said outside of Conference and the best round-up of those to my knowledge was presented at the BYU Studies symposium in 2011 called, “A Mother There” by David Paulsen and Martin Pulido. It’s a long paper, 28 pages, but it does a great job of tracing the teachings throughout history. We also see Heavenly Mother referenced in the Family Proclamation. And, most notably, Elder Renlund’s talk a couple years ago titled, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny.”

And, we have our own tension of what can – and can not – be said about her. In the Evangelical world that tension is mostly around, “what is true?” and ours certainly has that element to it but also adds in a layer of, “Even if it is true can it be said?” That layer of carefulness is hard for Evnagleicals to understand as they don’t really have an equivalent dynamic. They don’t have a category called, “sacred things that should be kept private.” Latter-day Saints clearly have that category and the only quibble comes in trying to decide everything that should be in that category.

I do want to take minute to talk about the Catholic perspective here. It’s not my area of research or specialty – for that I would refer you to frequent FAIR speaker Robert Boylan. But there is an interesting thing happening in Catholic theology that Latter-day Saints will find interesting.

You are probably at least vaguely familiar with the idea that Mary the Mother of Jesus has a special place in their theology. Exactly what her position is has changed over the centuries, but her importance has never gone away. Non-Catholics sometimes day that Catholics, “pray to Mary” and while that is sometimes true, it’s probably more accurate to say that they are speaking to Mary and asking her to pray on their behalf. Mary is also sometimes called The Queen of Heaven, or The Mother of God in their theology. The reason I point this out to you is that it revelas the same issue the Evangelicals are trying to grapple with: They long for a feminine divine, but can’t quite work it out theologically how to get there.

Well, we are out of time. We’ll probably pick this topic up another time or two before the year is out. I hope you enjoyed this. Come back next time and we’ll take up another topic.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Is It True? How do you know?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about truth – and how you learn it. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Our scripture this week comes from John 7:15-17. Jesus has gone up to the temple to teach and we get this:

The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (NIV)

So, the question is: Do we approach gospel learning differently? Both groups, Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals are highly interested in gospel learning. And yet, we do seem to go about it in very different ways. We’re going to start with the question on a really practical level – what do the 2 groups do when they’re trying to engage in gospel learning, and then we’re going to look at the experiential level that Jesus is talking about in this section of scripture.

Scripture Reading

First, let me make an outsider’s observation. I’m new enough to being a Latter-day Saint that I can still see some things as an outsider. Both groups, Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints fret a lot on this topic. We both worry that people sitting in the pews don’t know their scriptures well enough, that the youth are uninterested in gospel learning, that things were better in a previous generation where more people were interested in studying. Lifeway Research, the research arm of the Southern Baptists frequently puts out studies showing the state of how frequently their people engage with scripture, and much hand-wringing ensues. Pew Research, which is not denominationally based, also regularly puts out studies on how much scripture study various groups do.

My observation is that people in both groups – Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints – fear that their people are not doing this enough and that others are doing it better. I don’t have a study to cite here, but my sense is that many comments get made in Latter-day Saint Sunday School about how we need to do better studying scripture. There might even be worries that Evangelicals do this much more frequently than Latter-day Saints do. And it might surprise you to know that Evangelicals look at Latter-day Saints and think we’re doing better. So what does the research say?

In a 2017 study, Lifeway Research noted that 49% of Evangelicals read a little bit of scripture every day. That’s pretty good and it clearly shows that they’re interested in gospel learning. The same study – done in 2017, so prior to the introduction of Come Follow Me – says that 77% of Latter-day Saints read a little bit of scripture every day. Now, this is survey research, so we’re taking people’s word for it that this is actually what they’re doing – and it’s true that there could be some inflation here. But it’s also safe to assume that if there is inflation on the Latter-day Saint responses there is also inflation on the Evangelical responses. This isn’t a “we win” conversation (in other words, you don’t get to use this information to be a jerk and lord it over your Evangelical friends) but it does show one view into how we both approach gospel learning. But it is just one view, so here are some others.

What Kind of Information

Another way to look at this question is to consider what kind of information the 2 groups are taking in – in other words, what forms the basis of their gospel learning? If you’re a Latter-day Saint the main things are probably: talks in Sacrament Meeting; Lessons in Sunday School/EQ/RS or youth classes; Seminary and Institute classes; General Conference talks, family or private scripture reading, Come Follow Me reading and the various podcasts about them, resources like FAIR, books on gospel topics, and maybe a few other things.

And Evangelicals have a fairly similar list. They listen to sermons in church; they have Sunday School and classes for youth; they don’t really have an equivalent to Seminary and Institute in the same way we do – what they call seminary is an academic graduate school program that most “normal” people don’t ever attend. I was a weirdo and went to Evangelical seminary and got a Masters in Divinity, but most Evangelicals don’t access that kind of learning. While they don’t have something to compare to General Conference talks like we do (where the words said are coming from the centralized authority of the church) they do have a wide range of various conferences they attend. And they have books, podcasts, and organizations that try to supplement and increase people’s learning.

Lectionary reading vs. spontaneous reading

And while both groups do a lot of gospel learning through scripture reading, the recent Come Follow Me change adds an interesting contrast. I’ve only been a Latter-day Saint since the invention of CFM, but my understanding is that prior to that the Sunday School curriculum followed roughly the same pattern (a year for OT, a year for NT, a year for BoM, and a year for PoGP) but that family or individual reading was based on need or preference of the individual family or individual who is reading. And this is roughly the system Evangelicals live in. Their churches set the topics/scriptures for their classes and groups, but they decide for themselves what to engage in for private scripture reading. Some churches do a corporate push toward something like, “We’re all going to read through the Psalms this summer.” But those are special initiatives and not the regular pattern.

Interestingly enough, the invention of Come Follow Me actually places Latter-day Saints in alignment with most of the rest of the Christian world outside of Evangelicals. You might not realize this but CFM is a Lectionary. What’s a lectionary? A lectionary is a set list of which scriptures are to be read during which weeks. The most commonly used one around the world is called The Revised Common Lectionary and is used by millions of Christians around the world. It runs on a 3-year cycle, compared to our CFM which runs on a 4-year cycle. CFM is also different because it includes some commentary, ideas for discussion, ideas for family and the like, but in essence, it’s a lectionary. Most Evangelicals would turn their noses up a bit at the idea of following a lectionary because they are fiercely independent and want to decide for themselves even down to the question of, “Which scripture should I read today?” There are pros and cons to that attitude, but that would be a significant difference in how we approach gospel learning.

Preaching scripture

Another way that both groups engage in learning the gospel is through listening to talks or sermons. And Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints are roughly in the same category here. The biggest difference is that Evangelicals usually have 1 person, or perhaps a small team of people, who are delivering sermons week after week. While Latter-day Saints spread that responsibility around to everyone. And Latter-day Saints you already know the kinds of content you hear in Sacrament meeting talks, so let’s look at what Evangelicals are preaching about.

In 2019 the Pew Research Center analyzed 50,000 sermons that were posted online from over 6,000 churches (Evangelical, Catholic, Mainline, and Historically Black). They compiled the data to look for trends. The average length for an Evangelical sermon was 39 minutes, which is roughly comparable to the total number of minutes that Latter-day Saints spend in Sacrament Meeting listening to talks. We’re probably under that by a bit, but not much. The researchers wondered what the distinctive things each group was talking about, and found that the unique things (this doesn’t mean the most common things – this means the things they’re talking about that others are not) Evangelicals talked about were 1) Eternal Hell 2) Losing salvation 3) Trespassing or sin. It’s a bleak list and we might be tempted to look only at the bleakness of it but on the upside, it does show that Evangelicals are thinking hard about these topics. Evangelical speakers also made far more references to other books in the Bible. They might be preaching a passage from Luke but will take care to show how that passage relates to or references other places in the Bible. Latter-day Saints have their own version of this – we just tend to make connections to modern-day talks more than other sections of scripture. Another trend was that the bigger the Evangelical church, the less likely they were to mention anything at all about the Old Testament. We might have some underlying feelings in common here when it comes to knowing how to talk about the Old Testament.

There are a lot of other practical level ways to think about this question, but I want to switch over to thinking about how gospel learning happens on the experiential level.

Service and Life

Similar to Latter-day Saints, Evangelicals talk a lot about learning gospel principles through serving others, serving their families, and serving God in a general sense. This seems to be a major way both groups are living out Jesus’, “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”
Both groups also have a good understanding of the fact that the principles of Jesus have to make sense in real life, not just as philosophies. Latter-day Saints don’t love philosophical types of thinking much for our own reasons, and Evangelicals don’t love it because it’s not practical. They are very pragmatic and not usually inclined to care about something that works in theory, but can’t be tested in life. If you’re looking for points of connection, this is a big one where we end up at the same spot.

To make the next part of my point I need to compare Evangelicals to Catholics for a moment. If you think of the typical Catholic service (even if you’ve only seen it on tv) you probably picture priests in robes, the congregation doing a lot of standing, sitting, responding, and lots of ritual, liturgy, and lots of symbolism. This kind of worship is called “high church” and it’s main characteristic is that the service is trying to teach the people something through ritual, beauty, repetition, and experience. Evangelicals generally hate this stuff. It’s too theoretical and not practical enough. It’s not at all what you might expect to see in their services. An Evangelical service would be called “low church” for this reason. It’s not an insult (as if “high” means high value) it’s just a way of describing how much ritual or symbolism is used.

Here’s where it gets kind of interesting.

In this sense, a Latter-day Saint Sacrament Meeting is very similar to an Evangelical meeting. Things are pretty plain-spoken, there isn’t anything mysterious happening, very little ritual. I suppose the passing of Sacrament or communion trays is as close as we come, but outside of that everything is pretty grounded and there is not a lot of learning through experience going on. Latter-day Saint Sacrament Meetings, like Evangelical worship services, would easily be called “low church.”

Latter-day Saints also have access to all the beauty, mystery, ritual and symbolism that is offered in a high church service – we just access it in the Temple. Our temple worship is highly symbolic, full of ritual, very liturgical, full of meaningful words being repeated or used over and over, full of beauty, and very interested in teaching by experience. In this sense, we sort of have the best of both worlds – the down-to-earth practicality of a low-church service, with the experiential learning of high-church in our temple worship. It’s really a compelling combination and most other churches do not have access to both worlds – high and low church. Temple worship is nothing if not experiential.

The other bit of being experiential that comes out is in our theology around why Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden. In Evangelical theology it’s only a punishment. In our theology part of the reason why they have to leave is to go learn from their own experience. The Old Testament tells us many times, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and we put some emphasis on the fact that Adam and Eve had to learn what it was like to be separate from God (kicked out of the garden) so that they would know what to do to be close to him (stay true to the covenants they had made.) The fear of the Lord here is “not liking what it feels like to be out of God’s presence” so the beginning of wisdom is, “so we learn to do the things that keep us in his presence.”

Well, this was a lot – I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the similarities and differences here, and that maybe you picked up a way or two to have these conversations with your Evangelical loved ones. Join us next time and we’ll pick up another topic.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Church Disciplineby Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Church Discipline. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Our scripture this week comes from Matthew 18:6:

But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned.

I love Jesus’ powerful word here for people who harm others, especially the vulnerable, especially children. But today we’re going to broaden the scope just a bit and consider all the ways in which church discipline might be necessary. Specifically, I want to look at how this is handled in our church compared to how it gets handled in Evangelical circles. And I will say from the start that I know our Latter-day Saint church has not always gotten this right. And if you’re listening and you are involved in a situation where discipline didn’t happen in a way that you had hoped for, I want you to know that I see you and I know very well that this does not always go down perfectly, and I’m not going to pretend like it does. And at the same time, I want to talk about how the imperfect system we have is different than what Evangelicals do, and why it is that way.

So, if you’ve heard my name before watching any of these videos it is probably because I’ve talked a lot about sexual abuse cases in our church and Evangelical churches. And if you’ve watched the video on my conversion story you know that part of my lived experience is abuse in an Evangelical church and the aftermath of how they dealt with it. I’m aware that I’ve had a very particular experience, in a very particular time and place, and that influences how I think about these things. I think it’s okay to tell you my bias going in.

We’ll start with what church discipline looks like for Evangelicals. The answer, as with all things Evangelical is: It depends. If you remember back a few episodes we talked about how “Evangelical” is not a denomination. There is no central authority. There is no membership for churches. If a church wishes to be seen as Evangelical they may call themselves such – there is no one to police that term. It’s different in our church – if a new church wanted to call themselves The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in exactly the same way as we do, there would be pushback on that. But anyone can open a church in your town and call it something like Journey Church or Crosspoint or some such thing. So it’s almost impossible to fully answer the question of how Evangelicals handle church discipline as there are hundreds of different answers to that question. But we’ll look at some trends.

As you know, Evangelicals are Protestants and at the beginning of the protestant Reformation church discipline was considered part of the mark of the true church. The Catholic church at the time had gone off the rails, and the church leaders offered no discipline or correction. So the Reformers, named three “marks by which the true church is known”: the preaching of the pure doctrine of the gospel, the pure administration of the sacraments, and the exercise of church discipline to correct faults.” But it’s been a long time since that has been true. Christianity Today, which is The news magazine for Evangelicals says, “Today, church discipline is feared as the mark of a false church, bringing to mind images of witch trials, scarlet letters, public humiliations, and damning ex-communications.”

Lifeway Research is the research arm of the Southern Baptist Church and while not all Southern Baptists would consider themselves Evangelicals, many would and Lifeway is a good place to look for research. In 2018 they surveyed 1,000 Evangelical pastors across the US and found that almost 60% of them said that their church has never disciplined anyone for any reason. So, how do Evangelicals practice church discipline? Mostly they don’t. I don’t think this is them being lazy or not caring about standards, it’s them playing out their value that each individual hears from God alone and they are each their own prophet. We’ve talked in past episodes about how they really value an attitude of, “You can’t tell me what to do” or “I’m independent and don’t need rules or authority,” and this is one way you can see that attitude play out.

However, sometimes we do see them practice church discipline. The 40% who said that they do have some version of church discipline have not used it in the past 3 years. And there is a slight difference here between big churches and small churches. The smaller Evangelical churches, which grow fewer every year, are far more likely to have at least some version of discipline available to them. The larger churches and they are increasing every year, make it pretty easy for people to hide. If there are 5,000 people who attend your church on a Sunday morning it’s pretty easy to remain a stranger for a long time – and the folks who do that would have no one noticing anything in their life that might require discipline even if a process was in place.

And here is where we see a big difference – in a Latter-day Saint church anyone can ask for a meeting with the Bishop, and even if youd don’t have specific need to ask for one, you are invited at least once a year for a tithing meeting, and every couple of years for a recommend meeting. It just doesn’t work that way in the larger Evangelical churches, which most of them are. Once a church gets over about 500 members on a Sunday access to pastoral leadership starts to diminish. Around the 500 member level members are frequently no longer even allowed to request a meeting with their pastor, though he probably knows the names of many of the families and could recognize many people on sight. But once a church is over 1,000 people that is no longer true for obvious reasons. Some Evangelicals attend a church for a decade and never even meet the pastor.

There is an article from a group called The Gospel Coalition written about a decade ago (so they used the term Mormon) that compared Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints that says, “But compared to the Mormon experience, evangelical churches are a carnival ride of short services, low accountability, and rare church discipline. If you’re a faithful Mormon, you’re not living a 95 percent secular life like so many evangelicals.” So we’re starting to see how some of these differences play out.

Back to the Evangelical churches who do practice some form of church discipline. Some of them like the Evangelical Free Church actually do have a formal process for discipline, but it only applies to the clergy. Others have an informal process where a church leader will use a kind of persuasion/exclusion approach where they will try to persuade a person that what they’ve done is wrong (for example, an unmarried couple living together) but if that person disagrees or isn’t moved by the persuasion the only thing that happens is a “light exclusion” where they are now allowed to do any teaching in the church – meaning maybe they will be asked to step down from teaching the 6th grade Sunday School for example.

Cautionary Tale

There is a really well-documented example of how all of this plays out and you can hear it in a podcast put out by the Evangelical magazine, Christianity Today. It’s called “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” It’s 10 or so episodes long and it’s essentially a cautionary tale of how church discipline goes wrong. The podcast features a church called Mars Hill that was at one time the hottest thing in Seattle. My family and I were members of that church in the early days. My son, who is now a full-grown adult, was a toddler in the nursery when we were there. And Mars Hill was the place to be. It was the fastest-growing church in America and primarily made up of young Seattle hipsters in the early 2000’s. But what happened was the pastor who founded the church really went off the rails in a number of ways that require too much detail to go into here, but suffice it to say that the board of the church came to a decision that the pastor needed to be put under discipline for some of his actions. The church was drawing 15,000 people a week in multiple locations, in 4 states. And when the board wanted to discipline the pastor he initially agreed to submit to it, and then backed out. He decided he would rather quit his role as a pastor than be disciplined by the church. He resigned and moved his family to Arizona 8 years ago. And to this day, the Christian community in Seattle is impacted by this man’s refusal to face accountability for his actions. But, in the Evangelical world, all you have to do is move to a new church or a new city and you get a fresh start. So this pastor moved to Arizona where he formed a new church and is predicted to essentially repeat the process since apparently, he didn’t learn from the last time.

In a Latter-day Saint congregation, this could never happen. If a bishop or stake president went off the rails he can’t just move to a new city and become bishop again. At least not based on policy. Have the policies of the church been poorly enforced at times? Of course. But having some policies around stopping someone who refuses accountability is better than having no policies at all because the end result is there is never an expectation that behavior gets addressed. What this case illustrates is that Evangelicals have decentralized leadership and that Latter-day Saints have centralized leadership. If you don’t like your Evangelical leader or pastor, you just change churches. If a leader is trying to hold you accountable for your behavior, and you don’t like it, you change churches. That is harder to do in the Latter-day Saint world.

Example

I will tell you this next story with a little bit of trepidation. It involves people I care about, so I will disguise some of the details. You’ve probably never heard someone say before, “I have a testimony of church discipline councils”, so here ya go…

I had to take the Evangelical church where I grew up to court to hold them accountable for some things. I didn’t want to and tried for a very long time to find another way. But when the church refused to police itself, I employed the help of the secular courts to enforce some consequences for them. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad it’s over. It was very hard on me. The church said things in court papers like, “Any damage Jennifer took on due to this is her own fault.” I had to fight them, tooth and nail, to take accountability for their actions.

Contrast this to the experience of a friend. He was abused by a family member who is a long-time member of our church. My friend hadn’t spoken about this to anyone, but in his 30’s he decided to speak to his family about what had happened and found out that he was not the only victim. The cousins of that family banded together, believed the victims, and wanted to help make things right. The legal statute of limitations had long run out so they had no criminal or legal options, which was heartbreaking and frustrating to them. Their next move was to go to the bishop of the abuser. Within a very short amount of time, the man’s stake held a disciplinary council and he was disfellowshiped. If he would ever like to rejoin the church he would need approval from the First Presidency.

When I contrast that experience against my own – where the Evangelical church couldn’t admit what had happened and certainly wasn’t going to disfellowship anyone over it – I understood why church discipline matters in a way I never had before. The church’s actions took the feelings and experiences of the victims into consideration. I relayed the events to a friend who told me about an experience where the details are very different, but the experience of the victim was also prioritized. I know it doesn’t always happen this way in our church. I’ve heard many of your stories in recent years and I acknowledge them and how painful they are. But it does give me great comfort to know that our church at least strives to get this right, and frequently does. I will never meet the men who sat on the disciplinary council of my friend’s abuser. They live in a different state and I don’t even know their names, but their actions of discipline against an abuser knit something back together in my heart, even though it wasn’t my case.

I hope this conversation helps you see and understand some of the differences. Join us next week as we take up a new topic.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Have you ever felt that the gospel is a bunch of things to check off a list? Have you ever wondered what’s up with this “covenant path” that Church leaders talk so much about? If so, join us for this episode with BJ Spurlock as we explore covenants, ordinances, and how God teaches us through symbolism.

BJ Spurlock is a Sunday School teacher in Kentucky, blogs at thingsastheyreallyare.com, and has also written for FAIR and Public Square Magazine.

The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 2: Covenants and Ordinances with BJ Spurlock appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: “What Apostasy?”by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the Apostasy. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Our scripture this week comes from Matthew 16:18:

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

On the one hand, what a fantastic, reassuring scripture. And on the other hand, you can immediately see how there is a lot of debate about what this actually means. And I’ll be honest, Latter-day Saint friends, some of the ways we talk about the apostasy are adding to the confusion and I think as we go along you’ll be able to see what I’m talking about.

So, first off, I will tell you, when I was an Evangelical the apostasy and the accompanying restoration were the hardest concepts for me to understand. This is the spot in our conversation where it is easiest to see the phenomenon that if you ask a fish to describe water he can’t do it – he has no idea what it means to be without water, so he really has no idea what to compare water to. I took missionary lessons for 9 months and we talked about the apostasy many times, but it was hard for the missionaries to get much past, “the apostasy happened and that’s why we need a restoration.” And even when pressed they could only cite a couple of points in Church History where things were especially bad, usually having to do with the pre-Reformation Catholic Church. But from the Protestant point of view, the pre-Reformation Catholic Church is a blip in a 2,000+ year landscape where God has always been active on the Earth. Honestly, during those lessons, my thought to myself was, “Well, these are young kids who are high school graduates and haven’t studied much history so they are simply unaware of the vastness of Christian history.” But once I started to understand what they were actually saying – and it took me an embarrassingly long time for that to actually click – I started to see that this was a case where Latter-day Saints are using the same language to mean something slightly different. For me, at the end of the day, the nuances of how our church is using that language are better. It’s theologically fuller and more hopeful than the Protestant/Evangelical meanings. And I will also say that this is probably one place in which my formal theological education probably made it harder for me than it would for the average person simply because I was able to see all of the knowledge the missionaries couldn’t and had a hard time reconciling what they were saying with the truth of Christian history. So today I want to talk about the terms we use when talking about the apostasy and help you see how Evangelicals hear them so that maybe you can help someone else short-cut through the difficulties I had.

We’ve talked in many episodes of this series about how Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints use the same words differently sometimes and that fuels the confusion between us. You might not be aware but there is a niche dictionary called the Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Theology which gives us a definition that Evangelicals would agree on. Baker is the publisher and it’s a nice, thick 1,000-page dictionary. So we’re going to draw on that a bit.

First, let’s start with the word “apostasy.” Evangelicals don’t use this word a lot, but it’s probably in their vocabulary and according to Baker’s it would mean, “Defection from the faith, an act of unpardonable rebellion against God and his truth. The sin of apostasy results in the abandonment of Christian doctrine and conduct.” And this gets used in two ways.

First, and probably most common, is that apostasy is something an individual person does after making a covenant or decision to follow Christ. “He went off the rails into apostasy.” Basically, a person who used to believe the right things, but no longer does.

Second – and you’ll see that this is where the confusion comes in – this word can be applied to large groups of people. They see widespread apostasy as an eschatological sign – meaning a sign of the end times signaling the second return of Christ is near. So if the whole world goes into apostasy, the return of Christ is near. Here is how they get there. Just like us, Evangelicals can read the Old Testament and see that constant pride-cycle. The Israelites follow God for a while, then they start to prosper and fall away from God, then God allows bad things to happen to them and they get back in line. They see this as a prototype of what will happen before the second coming of Christ. They base this on 2 Thes 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the return of Jesus Christ) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” In that verse, they hear that an apostasy absolutely will happen, but only in the future, and only right before Christ comes again. So when we say, “the apostasy happened” it just doesn’t compute for them because if an apostasy happened, surely Christ would have come again.

Another term that causes some confusion here is “priesthood.” Now there is a lot to say about priesthood, and we’ve got several episodes coming up on that. When talking about the apostasy Latter-day Saints would say, this comes straight from the Church’s website, “(After Jesus Christ ascended back to Heaven)…The Apostles were killed, and priesthood authority—including the keys to direct and receive revelation for the Church—was taken from the earth. Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority, error crept into Church teachings.”

That word “priesthood” throws them here because they define it very differently than we do. Again, according to the Baker dictionary priesthood is defined in 4 ways. The priests we see in the Old and New Testaments; the priesthood of all believers; the post-resurrection ordained priesthood which is modernized into, “being a pastor”; the priesthood of Jesus. So when they hear us say, “the priesthood was lost from the face of the Earth” it doesn’t make sense because 1) Clearly that statement can’t be talking about the priests of the Old and New Testaments. 2) It can’t be talking about the priesthood of all believers because believers in Christ have existed on the Earth since his resurrection, which has never gone away. They’re not wrong about that. 3) It can’t mean that pastors don’t exist because clearly, they do. 4) And it can’t mean that Jesus is no longer our great high Priest. So even though they have 4 definitions of “priesthood” available to them, they can’t work out what we’re talking about when we say that the priesthood authority was taken from the Earth.

For Latter-day Saints, there are two additional meanings of priesthood that Evangelicals don’t easily see. Those are 1) Priesthood is the power and authority of God. It has always existed and will continue to exist without end. 2) In mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. Both of those are straight from the church’s website. It’s the power of God, given to humans in certain circumstances to do stuff.

Evangelicals get really nervous right here – and this might sound funny to your Latter-day Saint ears – but they hear that as a very Catholic concept. They have no conceptualization of the idea that certain actions like baptism would need to be done in certain ways, by certain people, according to God’s law. That is not a concept for them. Instead, they would say something like: We take the principle of baptism and contextualize it into our specific culture and there are no absolute rules about how that must be done. It’s sort of a “pragmatism wins” approach to theology. Evangelicals are very pragmatic, for better or for worse. The idea that a person might need to wait to be baptized because baptism requires someone who bears the priesthood is nonsense to them. They would have a kind of “hero cowboy” approach of: Well, I would jump right in and baptize that person who cares about your rules.

There’s a prototype here much earlier in American religion than the Evangelicals. You’ve certainly heard of the Methodist Church. They invented this attitude. Back in the 1700’s, pre-Revolutionary war, the Church of England whose members are called Anglicans was very well established in the colonies, but because all the senior leadership was still headquartered in England things moved very slowly for the Anglicans in America. When the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 the Anglican leaders in America were ready to start spreading out further and reach people who were living outside of the cities. Westward expansion wasn’t really in full swing yet, but it was starting and the Anglican leaders wanted to develop churches in outlying places. Their leaders in England made it hard for them – feelings were still pretty sensitive as the war had only been over for a few months. So 2 Anglican brothers, John and Charles Wesley become very frustrated and want pragmatic solutions for how the American churches could self-govern and make decisions about where and how to Evangelize. The Anglican leadership in England said no, so the Wesley brothers started the Methodist church primarily so that they could figure out how to reach people who lived outside of the established cities at that point. They needed and wanted practical solutions. It was sort of a, “Well, I don’t actually need your permission Leaders in England. Goodbye.” And Evangelicals inherited that attitude from them. It’s: you can’t tell me what to do; I don’t need your authority; I can innovate solutions without you getting in the way. It’s very, very American in that sense. And it is a high value for them to solve problems without bureaucracy. So when we say something like, “ordinances require proper authority” they hear “I want to put bureaucracy in your way.”

One final definition I want to touch on is kind of more of a cultural issue than a literal definition issue. From the same article on the church website talking about the apostasy we get, “Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority, error crept into Church teachings. Good people and much truth remained, but the gospel as established by Jesus Christ was lost. This period is called the Great Apostasy.” Now, how that sometimes gets taught by members in our church is something closer to, “Absolutely everything from God was removed from the Earth and no evidence of his presence could be found.” And this is maybe were we could be a little more careful with how we say things because that’s actually pretty insulting to the many people who have loved Christ and been faithful to God in the best way they could ever since Christ’s resurrection. In every era of history, we can find that people who love God are alive and well. It’s going to cause some real confusion for Evangelicals if you try to suggest that is not true. And it’s quite needless to suggest that every bit of God’s presence was removed – because that’s not even what our church is teaching, as evidenced by the quote I just read. But still, culturally, some members of the church are still saying it that way.

I hope you enjoyed this conversation about the apostasy and hopefully, you understand a bit more about why this gets muddled between Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints, and maybe some ideas about how to talk more clearly about these ideas because this is one area where our church really does have a lot of goodness to offer.

Join us next time and we’ll take up another topic. I hope to see you then.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: “Don’t Latter-day Saints worship a different Jesus?”by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Easter and Jesus. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

So, you are probably watching this video sometime in April or later. Dear people of the future, I hope the sun is shining and it’s warmed up because I’m recording this in February and the sky just dumped 1 foot of snow.

This week’s topic is a tiny bit different because of Easter. We jump forward in the readings from earlier in the Gospels to the events of Easter this week, we’ll go back and pick up the rest of the Gospels after this. So I don’t have a particular scripture that encompasses the question for this week, but it goes something like this…”Don’t Latter-day Saints worship a different Jesus?”

I’ve you’ve been following along you know that this is our 3rd episode on Christology and there are many aspects to this question. We’ve already talked about the question of, “Is Jesus God?”…and “If Jesus is ‘the son’ doesn’t that prove the Trinity?”…and the question of what worshiping or praying to Jesus looks like. So if you’re interested in those aspects see the earlier videos. And there will be more in Christology coming up, including the ever-popular, “How can you say Jesus and Satan are brothers?” But for today I want to focus on the basics of beliefs about Jesus as Evangelicals or Protestants express them in one of the most important Creeds in mainstream Christianity, the Nicen Creed.

First we need to talk a tiny bit about Creeds as a concept – meaning figuring out even what are they?

So one of my early questions when I was investigating the church was: Aren’t the Articles of Faith a creed? They certainly read like a creed. Afterall a creed is, “a brief authoritative formula of religious belief.” And the Articles of Faith are brief, they’re authoritative as evidenced by the fact that they are found in our standard works, and they spell out our religious beliefs. It’s confusing right?

But the way a creed functions is something else. A creed is not just A statement of belief for a faith group….It is THE statement of belief for that group. That is, it means, “here is what we believe and nothing can be taken away, modified or added.” For Latter-day Saints this doesn’t make any sense when you set it next to the idea of ongoing revelation. You can’t have both. Either you can nail your beliefs down at a single point in time and demand that no changes ever be made OR you can say you believe in ongoing revelation so here are our beliefs but when God reveals more, we will believe that too. So it’s not so much that we disagree with what is contained in a traditional creed – though there is some of that – it’s that we disagree with the entire concept of having a creed because that means saying official revelation is closed.
Having said that, let’s talk about the Nicene Creed. What is it? Who wrote it? Why is it important to traditional Christians? So, the Nicean Creed was put together in the year 325 AD. No one who is alive at that time had been alive during the time Christ or the Apostles were alive. More time has passed between the Resurrection and the writing of this creed than has passed since the United States has been a country.

So what happened was there was a guy named Arius who argued that, “if the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: and from this it is evident, that there was a time when the Son was not.” This is a heresy called Arianism.

As a side note….if you’ve been paying attention to these videos you remember in the very first week we started talking about this question of, “Was Jesus created?” Your Latter-day Saint ears probably heard that and thought, “Who in the world is even talking about this stuff?” Well, this is a very old heresy that has been talked about since the 300’s and Evangelicals have historically misunderstood Latter-day Saints as believing this. In theological conversations a really bad insult to throw around is that someone is an Arian, meaning they believe this heresy. And Evangelicals think we believe this – that Jesus has not always existed.

So back to the Nicene Creed. Constantine is Emperor at this time and he has made Christianity the state religion. And he’s a smart guy, he can read the tea leaves and see that Arius and his teaching are going to destabilize the entirety of Christianity, and thus the entirety of the Holy Roman Empire. So Constantine asks the leaders of the church to come together and hammer out what the church actually believes, and they do it in a city that was then called Nicea. It’s now called Iznik and it’s in Turkey. If you follow the news you know that some really bad earthquakes recently happened there. The earthquakes were in the southern part of the country, and Iznik is in the northern part, near Istanbul (which used to be Constantinople, named after Constantine.) So the leaders of the church meet in Nicea and want to lay down, once and for all, what the church beleives so that Arias gets knocked down. The creed was a collaborative effort, though there are three main authors called the Capadocian Fathers. They’re from Capadocia (which is also in Turkey, and on my bucket list of places I want to visit. Just google it, it’s gorgeous.) The Cap Fahters are two brothers and their good friend. In the background is also their sister. Her name was Macrana and they all called her The Teacher because she was said to understand theological concept more deeply than any of them and helped them make needed connections. There is a bakery in Seattle named after her. So the three Capadocian Fathers, with Macrena in the background, really are the ones who hammar out the creed.

So the question – the reason we’re going down this path at all – is to ask: What does the Nicean Creed say about Jesus? I’ll read you the section about Jesus…

“We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.”

The only place a Latter-day Saint would quibble here is in saying that Jesus is, “One being with the Father.” In English it sounds a little softer than it does in Greek. In English we can almost imagine stretching that phrase as far as it can go and landing on an understanding of the Godhead that is kind of close to what we believe. But in Greek, which is what the Creed was written in, it doesn’t stretch. The Greek word is Homoousious – meaning, “the same substance.” This is exact spot they take a left turn into Trinitarian thinking and end up having a hard time disambiguating God the Father and Jesus Christ.

I point all of this out because it’s a really interesting example of how Latter-day Saint has taken a creedal statement – that is a statement that is supposed to be set in stone – and applied ongoing revelation to it in a way that undoes the exact left turn that got taken in 325.

I think you’re able to see from here that there are a number of ways to approach the question from Evangelicals of, “Do you believe in the Jesus of the New Testament?” A plain answer would be something like: Yes, that’s exactly what we believe in, and we’ve corrected the error that was introduced 300 years later. But it gets difficult here because Evangelicals do a really normal and human thing at this point. You know, from standing in 2023 looking back over history the year 30 AD and 300 AD seem like pretty much the same thing. If I asked you to tell me 5 developments that had happened over those 300 years, most people couldn’t do it. 30 AD and 300 AD are pretty much the same thing to folks in 2023. So when your Evangelical friends have a hard time seeing the difference between what is taught about Jesus in the New Testament, and what is taught about Jesus in the Creeds, they’re not being difficult or obstinate. They’re just standing in 2023 and can’t squint hard enough to see the difference between the NT and Nicea.

I had a missionary ask me recently, “Do Evangelicals literally think that we believe in another boy named Jesus, who also had a mother named Mary, who grew up at the exact same time, and had the exact same things happen to him?” And no, that’s not what they’re saying when they ask if we believe in the same Jeus. What they mean is that their concept of Jesus has been shaped by the Creeds just as much as it has been shaped by scripture. We might say they have an extra-scriptural book called “the creeds” that they have been shaped by….while they would say that the Creeds are just a summary of what is already in the New Testament. They’re sort of color-blind to the difference between what is in the NT and what is in the Creeds.

So in the 1990’s when Gordon B Hinkley says that we don’t worship the traditional Christ, the Evangelicals lose their minds over it. Because they think the traditional Christ (that is the Christ portrayed in the Creeds) is identical to the Biblical Christ. They can’t tell the difference.

Our rejection of Creeds enables us to embrace a correction to an error that was made by really well-meaning people, long after Christ and the Apostles were gone. If that isn’t the best news ever I don’t know what is. We are not stuck with the burden of someone else’s mistake just because they thought we should be bound to it forever.

The reality is that we share a deep love of Jesus with our Evangelical friends. The vast majority of items we agree with them on, and where we don’t, it’s because we are open to God’s ongoing revelation.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this conversation and have a bit more understanding of why and how this rift happens, and maybe how to talk about it instead. Join us next time and we’ll get to work again.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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General Conference is coming up in 5 days! It will be held April 1-2, and will have morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with an evening session for everyone on Saturday. More information is available here.

In preparation, we are doing a daily countdown with posts from different people explaining how they feel about General Conference, how they prepare, tips for getting the most out of it, how to deal with associated social media posts, etc.

“Was that a revelation?” General Conference and Agents of the Divineby Steve Densley

Over time, I have come to look forward to General Conference more and more. It seems that now, more than ever, we need the wisdom and guidance that comes from those who have been set apart by God to instruct us.

Of course, I do not always hear what I want to hear. I am often challenged by the words of our leaders and can feel that I will need to stretch, sometimes with some pain, to accomplish what is expected. So I understand when I hear people wonder aloud, “Was that a revelation?” as if to say, “Do I really need to do that?” Or, “Is that really true?”

It would certainly clear things up to know that whenever one of God’s representatives speaks, the words are the very ones that God Himself would use if He were standing at the pulpit. Of course, if a church leader says something we don’t like, it would come as a relief to think that we can ignore it since it was just a mistake.

However, at times when we are troubled by the words of our leaders, we must take account of such scriptures that read: “Why is it that ye receive not the preaching of him whom God hath sent? If ye receive not this in your hearts, ye receive not [His servants]; and if ye receive not [His servants], ye receive not [Christ]” (JST, Matthew 3:34), and: “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38).

This latter verse has led many of us to expect that whenever a church leader speaks, it is as though God Himself is speaking. And yet, we have also been told that church leaders can make mistakes. The title page of the Book of Mormon itself warns us that “if there are faults they are the mistakes of men.” So how it is possible that a church leader can speak for God and yet be mistaken?

The answer to this problem may lie in what is known in the law as “agency theory.” This branch of the law relates to the extent to which we can expect a representative, called an “agent,” to speak on behalf of or bind the person who is being represented, called the “principal.” For example, if Elon Musk authorizes someone to act as his agent in selling a Tesla to me, if that agent and I agree to the terms of a sale, then Elon Musk will be bound by those terms. In that case, whether by Elon Musk’s voice or the voice of his agent, it is the same.

That does not mean that the agent will always say exactly what Elon Musk would say. In fact, the agent may actually make a mistake and say something wrong or sell the car at a lower price than Mr. Musk himself would have. But generally speaking, Elon Musk will be bound by the acts and words of his agent.

There are exceptions to this, of course. For example, if the agent were to purportedly sell me Elon Musk’s house when we both knew the agent only had authority to sell a Tesla vehicle, Elon Musk would not be bound to turn over the title to his home.

Similarly, we understand that if church leaders were to take action beyond their stewardship that action would not be binding on us. For example, if a counselor in the Sunday School Presidency were to announce a policy change for the Relief Society, he would be acting outside the scope of his stewardship and “agency.”

Putting the exceptions aside, we can take the actions of the leaders of the Church as binding upon the Church members and, while perhaps not exactly what God would do in their place, at least authorized by God through His delegated authority. On this point, Terryl and Fiona Givens related:

The story is told of a Church official who returned from installing a new stake presidency. “Dad, do you Brethren feel confident when you call a man as the stake president that he is the Lord’s man?” the official’s son asked upon his father’s return home. “No, not always,” he replied. “But once we call him, he becomes the Lord’s man.” The answer disconcerts initially. Is this not hubris, to expect God’s sanction for a decision made in error? Perhaps. It is also possible that the reply reveals the only understanding of delegation that is viable. (Terryl Givens & Fiona Givens, The Crucible of Doubt (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2014), 75-76, citing a personal conversation reported to authors by Robert L. Millet.)

Terryl and Fiona Givens further quote the Anglican churchman, Austin Farrer: “If Peter and his colleagues make law in applying the Lord’s precepts, . . . their law is the law of Christ’s Church, the best (if you will) that God’s Spirit can make with human instruments there and then, and, as such, to be obeyed as the will of God Himself. But to call Peter infallible in this connection is to misplace an epithet.” Ibid., 74-75, quoting Austin Farrer, “Infallibility and Historical Tradition,” in The Truth-Seeking Heart, ed. Ann Loades and Robert MacSwain (Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2006), 83-83.

Of course it is also true that when a church leader speaks by the inspiration of the Spirit, the words are scriptures unto us, of a certain variety. Joseph Fielding Smith taught that “a revelation that is to be given as these revelations are given in [the standard works], to the Church, will come through the presiding officer of the Church; yet, the word of the Lord, as spoken by other servants at the general conferences and stake conferences, or wherever they may be when they speak that which the Lord has put into their mouths, is just as much the word of the Lord as the writings and the words of other prophets in other dispensations” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:186. See also, D&C 68:4.)

It is important in this regard to recognize that while revelation can come through the visitation of an angel or by Christ Himself, God can also speak to Church leaders as He usually does to the rest of us, through the still small voice, and it is just as authoritative. In describing the way the leaders of the Church receive revelation, President Gordon B. Hinckley said that it is “[u]sually no voice of any kind, but just a perception in the mind. I liken it to Elijah’s experience. When he sought the Lord, there was a great wind, and the Lord was not in the wind. And there was an earthquake, and the Lord was not in the earthquake. And a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. But in a still, small voice. Now that’s the way it works.” (Lattin, Don, “Sunday Interview — Musings of the Main Mormon.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 1997, by Don Lattin.) We have further been told that “We can tell when the speakers are ‘moved upon by the Holy Ghost’ only when we, ourselves, are ‘moved upon by the Holy Ghost.’” (J. Reuben Clark Jr., “When Are Church Leaders’ Words Entitled to Claim of Scripture?” Church News, July 31, 1954, 9.)

However, even if a church leader is not speaking by inspiration of the Spirit, it is important to determine whether they are speaking within the scope of their calling. If so, a certain authority attaches to their words and actions even if they are not all inspired by God.

So it is exciting to me to hear the leaders of our Church speak in their official capacity at General Conference. While I am often moved spiritually by the words I hear, I am also simply grateful for the direction, guidance, and wisdom we can receive from those who have received the authority to lead God’s Church and to speak on His behalf.

Steve Densley, Jr. is the Executive Vice President of The Interpreter Foundation. He is a Utah attorney (J.D., Brigham Young University). He graduated with University Honors from BYU with a combined B.A./M.A. in public policy and political science. As an undergraduate, he was an assistant editor on the Pi Sigma Alpha Review. In law school, he was a member of the Law Review and the National Moot Court team. He has published articles in the Utah Bar Journal, the Journal of Law and Family Studies, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, and Meridian Magazine. He has been recognized in SuperLawyers Magazine as one of the Mountain States Rising Stars and has been listed numerous times in Utah Business Magazine as among the Utah Legal Elite. He was the Executive Vice President of FAIR from 2013-15, recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award, and was a producer of FAIR’s podcast when it twice won the People’s Choice Award for Best Podcast in the Religion & Spirituality category. He is also an award-winning photographer and a certified travel agent. He served a Hmong-speaking mission in the California Sacramento Mission. He and his wife Heather are the parents of four children and have one granddaughter.

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Evangelical Questions: “Paid Ministry?”by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful answers to New Testament questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about paid ministry. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today’s verse comes from Mark 6:7-9:

And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

And there is so much in that verse alone to talk about, but I want to focus on a question that comes up a lot between Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals: Is it right to pay clergy or isn’t it?

And I will give you a full disclaimer here. I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I’ve earned full-time income working in churches and had no problem with it – and now I’m a Latter-day Saint and I can see why paying clergy is problematic. And, I will also point out that it’s true that our church does in fact have paid clergy – our senior leaders work full-time and are paid for their work. So the answer here has to be nuanced. We can’t just say, “paying clergy is bad,” because we do in fact pay a small number of clergy. The right question is something closer to: Under what conditions should clergy be paid?

As always, let’s start with how Evangelicals think about this issue. And we’ll start with the practical reasons. How does an Evangelical even become a paid clergyperson? There are exceptions to this, but for the most part a person who wants to become ordained as an Evangelical minister must first do a 4-year undergraduate degree followed by a 4-year Master in Divinity (MDiv). There are some types of positions where a person can get away with a 2-year Masters in theology but the standard route is a MDiv. I know this route well – you will notice in my credentials that I earned one. It was a fantastic program, I loved every moment of it. But most MDiv’s come with a pretty hefty price tag, mine did too, so the people who take one are either very serious students of theology who are learning just for the love of learning, or they are hoping to work in a church setting for their employment – in part because they will need to pay off their student loan. So, right out of the gate, on a very practical level, you can see why Evangelicals are set up for a paid ministry situation. And while there are some outliers in either direction, the average salary for an American pastor is about $80,000 a year. Now, the tax situation makes this a little bit more livable for them because a pretty large chunk of that can be claimed as a housing allowance, which is not taxable income. So, there’s our second practical reason why they usually pay clergy – even the American tax system is set up with the expectation that ministers are paid. The third practical reason is that most of the time being a paid minister is a full-time job, meaning they don’t have the opportunity to earn income elsewhere, so they need to be paid.

Moving from the practical to the values of Evangelicals that cause paid clergy to make sense to them. First, Evangelicals, as their name suggests, puts a high value on sharing the message of Christ as they understand it. And while the 75-year history of Evangelicals has always included paid clergy, the idea really found substance in the example of a church in the Chicago area called Willow Creek. Willow Creek was the first of its kind because they made Sunday mornings, not a time for believers to gather and worship, but a time to showcase what a church had to offer for “seekers.” Willow Creek goes on to become the largest church in America for quite a long time and their influence was felt in every Evangelical church across the country. While a typical little church on the corner of some small town would normally have 1 paid minister working alongside several volunteers to present a Sunday morning worship service, Willow Creek employed hundreds of people full-time to produce television-quality services on Sunday mornings. No longer was it good enough for a volunteer to play the piano or guitar, they began employing professional musicians. And the rationale for all of this was that someone who was interested in their church but not yet a believing Christian needed a very specific kind of experience in order to feel comfortable. They coin the term, “seeker sensitive,” meaning that everything is looked at through the lens of the “unchurched” (another term they coined) person. Willow Creek believed that those seekers should be given the most professional presentation possible in order to get them more interested in Jesus. And soon, every other church in the country was trying to imitate them. So the average church on the corner went from one pastor and some volunteers to multiple pastors or other workers who would produce services for them. This fed an explosion in attendance at Evangelical churches during the 1980’s and 1990’s. The downside is that not every church could manage this kind of financial burden and many of them would combine their congregations to make employing these people more affordable.

The unintended result of this was that churches kept getting bigger simply because they were bigger. And any smaller church that was trying to buck the trend and keep Sunday mornings for worship by believers was just financially edged out. The whole experiment doesn’t go all that well for Willow Creek either, to be honest. There were some sexual scandals happening with their top leadership that were not dealt with very well, and they lost well over half their congregation over it. But, the reason I tell you all of this is to illustrate that the Evangelical value of producing services for “seekers” is part of what drove their need to pay people to do the work.

And to be fair to them, the value behind this – wanting to help seekers understand more about Christ – was not bad. It’s even admirable. But there were not enough checks and balances in the system to keep it on the rails as the decades go by.

Another value held by Evangelicals that influences them here is that the members of a congregation are seen as people who need to be fed and taken care of, and I mean that in the very best way possible. It’s not that they don’t think those people can do some of the work of the church, it’s that they want them to feel that the church cares about them, and therefore God cares about them. The church doesn’t want to put too much of a burden on even a willing volunteer because when that volunteer goes out of town for a week, the job won’t get done, and someone else in the church may end up feeling not cared for. Because of this the “most important” jobs are paid – paid work comes with different expectations than volunteer work. A volunteer and a paid worker both sometimes go out of town, but there is a different set of expectations for the paid worker than the volunteer in terms of how things will be taken care of in their absence. So when an Evangelical church hires someone to be the Pastor of Middle Schoolers (yes, that’s a thing) part of why they’re doing that is so the people in attendance have a reliable go-to source for that area of ministry. To put it bluntly, volunteers can flake out, it’s harder for employees to do so. Or at least there are more consequences when they do. These churches place a very high value on what could be called, “customer service” and they don’t want volunteers making that difficult.

Now, Latter-day Saints, the thing you will notice in that discussion is that they use the word, “volunteer” to describe these non-paid positions – and that volunteers are held at slightly lower standards, are seen as less reliable, and are not trusted with the really important jobs in the church. I think you get a sense now of why they’re doing that. But let’s contrast it with what we’re doing.

In our church you are not a volunteer – you are called, sustained, and set apart. Non-paid workers are not given then unimportant jobs, they’re given all the jobs. And we see these positions not as just being good for the church presenting a professional or slick image, but they are good for the person who holds them. Whether you work in the Nursery or are the Bishop that calling is a responsibility where you will help shoulder the weight of what the congregation needs. And we all do it together. And that is part of what shapes our spirituality. Church is not something we pay other people to produce for us, it is something we co-create.

The trade-off here is that Sister Jones might not be very good at giving Sacrament Meeting talks but we all have to listen to her once a year. And Brother Miller hasn’t been able to figure out how to get on Family Search, but he still does his best to learn when he gets the calling to be a Family History consultant. But it’s really, really good for Sister Jones to give a talk, even if she’s not very good at it, because it helps shape her ability to study and articulate her own faith. In an Evangelical church if you are not good at something, you will not be doing it for long, even if you volunteer. The value is on impressing seekers or outsiders. While our value is on shaping the spiritual life of Saints.

But we’re still left with a question I pointed out at the beginning of this video: If our system of calling people to positions of service and not paying them is so good and healthy, why do we pay our top leaders? And it’s a fair question. I don’t have a definitive answer, but let me tell you what I think.

Do you remember earlier in this video where I mentioned that “seeker sensitive” church Willow Creek sort of falls apart in the end? The obvious reason for that is that the man who created that church and led it for decades showed himself to have very poor moral character as evidenced by the sexual abuse he committed. But the less obvious reason is that he had no one above him. He had no accountability. He didn’t answer to anyone. There was no one to have the equivalent conversation that we have about renewing a temple recommend, for example. He had no accountability. And because Evangelicals don’t conceptualize “ministers” as “priesthood holders” he didn’t even have to see himself as accountable to God all that much. In our language he was a bishop without a Stake President to be accountable to. So in our church, you can see how everyone has someone above them they answer to, even the Prophet who answers to God. And when you’re a worldwide church it eventually requires a small number of people who are given a different calling than the rest of us – they are called to work full-time to keep this thing on the rails SO THAT the rest of us can enjoy the blessings that come with ordinary ward-life…callings and releasings and working together and all the goodness and soul-formation that comes with that comes with that. We actually need a structure that goes all the way up so that the vast majority of us can be sheltered in the orderliness of everyone being accountable to someone.

I hope you have enjoyed these thoughts on paid clergy. If you’ve got questions put them down in the comments and I try to get to them as I can, or you can hit me up at jroach@fairlatterdaysaints.org and I will see you in the next video.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5–6 appeared first on FAIR.

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Attending the temple for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. It can seem like a very unfamiliar experience for many, especially because we rarely hear details about what happens there. Understanding the doctrine and purpose underlying the temple will help you be ready and excited to enter the House of the Lord.

The purpose of this podcast is to do just that. We will cover topics such as the Endowment, temple sealings, covenants, ordinances, sacred temple clothing ,and common misconceptions about the temple.

Whether you are preparing for a mission, your own temple sealing, or just desire to receive your own endowment we hope that this podcast will deepen your understanding of the doctrine surrounding the temple.

In this episode, Jacob Crapo talks with Scott Woodward about how the temple and “Plan of Salvation” relate to each other. They discuss what the temple teaches about God’s plan for humanity and how the temple ordinances and covenants play a key role in that plan. Scott teaches religion classes at BYU-Idaho, is a managing director at Scripture Central, and host of the Church History Matters podcast.

Jacob Crapo was born and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He served his mission in Upstate New York and was an ordinance worker in the Las Vegas Temple. One of Jacob’s dreams is to help build a temple. He is an electrician by trade but his real passion is helping others access the powers of heaven.The post Cornerstone: A FAIR Temple Preparation Podcast – Episode 1: The Plan of Salvation with Scott Woodward appeared first on FAIR.

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by Jennifer Ann Mackley

Willing to Sacrifice

On August 7, 1839, a very ill Wilford Woodruff prepared to leave his pregnant wife, Phebe, and his one-year-old daughter, Sarah Emma, to serve a mission with other members of the Quorum of the Twelve in the British Isles. He wrote, “I make a sacrifice of my all for Christ’s sake to do his work. It is no small trial of faith.”

In November 1839, he was still recovering from his illness and preaching the gospel in New York while awaiting the departure of their ship to England. Over the course of three weeks, he recorded three dreams about his wife and child. On November 8, he wrote, “I saw Mrs. Woodruff in deep affliction in a dream at Montrose. I did not see Sarah Emma.” Three days later he noted, “I had a dream during the night and had an interview with Mrs. Woodruff, but did not see Sarah Emma.”

On November 28 he recorded the third dream, “I saw Mrs. Woodruff & notwithstanding we rejoiced much at having an interview with each other, yet our embraces were mixed with sorrow, for after conversing a while about her domestic affairs, I asked where Sarah Emma was (our only child). She says weeping, and kissing me, she is dead. … Is this dream true? Time must determine.”

Eight months later, July 14, 1840, Wilford Woodruff, recorded the occasion of Sarah Emma’s second birthday in his journal and added, “May the Lord preserve my wife and children from sickness and death until my return.” He then added, “O Lord, I commit them into thy hands; feed, clothe, and comfort them, and thine shall be the glory.”

Sarah Emma died on July 17, 1840 and a grief stricken Phebe wrote a letter to her husband the following day expressing her feelings: “Yesterday I was called to witness the departure of our little Sarah Emma from this world — yes she is gone — the relentless hand of death has snatched her from my embrace.” Phebe did not think she could bear losing her sweet child while also enduring Wilford’s absence, but shared her faith that “the Lord has taken her to himself for some wise purpose.” She then added “the Lord has stood by me in a wonderful manner.”

Her knowledge of the resurrection and eternal life sustained her, “I can see and feel that he has taken her home and will take better care of her than I possibly could for a little while until I shall go and meet her — Yes Willford we have one little angel in heaven.”

Wilford Woodruff did not receive Phebe’s letter for three months. It was accompanied by a poem written by Margaret Smoot. The closing stanza read:

“Yes, little Sarah, lovely one, sleep on sleep on, ‘till Christ shall come.

Then thou wilt rise shake off thy dust, And be numbered with the just.”

The Gospel Brings Life and Light

In addition to Sarah Emma, four of Wilford and Phebe Woodruff’s nine children died as infants, two sons within a month of each other in Winter Quarters. The heartbreak they faced, the loss they endured could have shattered their faith in a loving God. Instead they put their faith in God’s revealed truths. Wilford taught, “The resurrection of the dead presents itself before the enlightened mind of man, and he has a foundation for his spirit to rest upon. That is the position of the Latter-day Saints today. We do know for ourselves, we are not in the dark with regard to this matter; God has revealed it to us and we do understand the principle of the resurrection of the dead, and that the gospel brings life and immortality to light.”[1]

Wilford and Phebe Woodruff with Phebe’s father Ezra Carter and their daughters Phoebe and Susan in 1849Records of Divine Truth

After the loss of thirteen of his own children, and so many other children of the early pioneers, Wilford reminded them that, “Children are innocent before the Lord; as to their death and the cause thereof, that is in the hands of God, and we should not complain of the Lord or his dispensations any more than Job did. … There is this consolation connected with the matter—they are innocent, they are not in transgression. … They will come forth out of their graves in the morning of the resurrection, … clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life . . . This, to Latter-day Saints, who believe in the resurrection, should be a source of comfort and consolation. … we have to put our trust in the Lord in these afflictions, we have to lean upon his arm and to look to him for comfort and consolation. We do not mourn under these afflictions as those who have no hope; we do not mourn the loss of our children as though we were never going to see them again, because we know better. The Lord has taught us better, and so has the gospel.”[2]

He acknowledged that “through Adam all have died, that death through the fall must pass upon the whole human family . . . . It is a law that is unchangeable and irrevocable.” But he was grateful for his understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and testified that our Savior “died to redeem the world; . . . He was the first fruit of the resurrection.” He then testified, “Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all children who die before arriving at the years of accountability will inherit celestial glory. There is no infant or child that has died before arriving at the years of accountability, but what is redeemed, and is therefore entirely beyond the torments of hell. … I will defy any man to find in any of the records of divine truth any ordinance instituted for the salvation of little innocent children; it would be unnecessary on the face of it, and the only thing that can be found is where Jesus took the little ones in his arms and blessed them, which is and would be perfectly right to do according to the order of God. … They are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.”[3]

Wilford and Sarah Brown Woodruff with three of their children in 1868Enlightened by Inspiration

Wilford Woodruff’s mother died when he was only 15 months old. Five of his six half siblings died when they were young, and only one lived long enough to embrace the gospel and marry. He stated that “Without the gospel of Christ the separation by death is one of the most gloomy subjects it is possible to contemplate; but just as soon as we obtain the gospel and learn the principle of the resurrection the gloom, sorrow and suffering occasioned by death are, in a great measure, taken away. I have often thought that, to see a dead body, and to see that body laid in the grave and covered with earth, is one of the most gloomy things on earth; without the gospel it is like taking a leap in the dark. But as quick as we obtain the gospel, as soon as the spirit of man is enlightened by the inspiration of the Almighty, he can exclaim with one of old—’Oh grave, where is thy victory, Oh death, where is thy sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the gift of God is eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”[4]

He Lives by Simon DeweyWilford Woodruff didn’t think it necessary to mourn the death of any one who had been true and faithful to God and to their covenants. Because, he said, “There is an eternal reality—which the whole world will find out—in life. There is an eternal reality in death. There is an eternal reality in the resurrection, and in the future judgments, and in God’s dealing with all men in the future according to the deeds done in the body; and when a man or a woman who has entered into covenant with the Lord, who has received the Gospel and the ordinances thereof, and been true and faithful in his or her day and generation, has been called home into the spirit world, where is the man who comprehends these principles that can mourn for that brother or sister? . . . Such men and women have filled their mission here upon earth with honor, with labor, with love, until they have been called home.”[5]

In Every Death There is a Birth

He expressed his firm belief “that in every death there is a birth; the spirit leaves the body dead to us, and passes to the other side of the veil alive to that great and noble company that are also working for the accomplishment of the purposes of God, in the redemption and salvation of a fallen world.”[6]

Wilford Woodruff’s most powerful message about death was to the living. He repeated Matthew 24:48, “Be ye also ready” and asked the Saints “to labor in the cause of God, while we are permitted to tarry; living up to the light and knowledge that we have been blessed with.”[7] Echoing Alma’s admonition in Alma 34:32, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.” Wilford promised, “Put your trust in God and rely on His promises, living up to the light and knowledge you possess; and all will be well with you whether living or dying.”[8]

[1] Discourse given by Wilford Woodruff on June 27, 1875, at the funeral service of 6-year-old John and 4-year-old Willie, sons of William and Ann Wheeler.
[2] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, June 27, 1875.
[3] Discourse given by Wilford Woodruff, May 14, 1882.
[4] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, June 27, 1875 at the funeral service for John and Willie Wheeler.
[5] General Conference Address by President Wilford Woodruff, October 9, 1887.
[6] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, January 29, 1882, at the funeral service of Elizabeth H. Cannon.
[7] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, January 29, 1882, at the funeral service of Elizabeth H. Cannon.
[8] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, January 27, 1883.

Jennifer Ann Mackley is the Executive Director of the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. The mission of the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thousands of documents are available at wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/documents, including Wilford’s journals, missionary records, dreams and visions, autobiographies, and histories. The individuals, places, and topics contained in the documents are linked for searchability and all the contextual information is free and universally accessible.

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by Maddie Christensen and Kristy Wheelwright Taylor

Wilford Woodruff kept a journal from the time of his baptism at the close of 1833 until his death in 1898, saying, “I have ever been impressed . . . of the deep importance of keeping a journal and record of the dealings of God with his people.”1 His sixty-plus years of records comprise over 115,000 written pages (26,000 of which have been located), left to us as journals, letters, discourses, autobiographies, and personal papers. These records document a large part of the early Restoration of the gospel. Three years ago, Jennifer Mackley and Don Parry created the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation, whose mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. In celebration of these newly published documents, the Foundation hosted its first conference, Building Latter-day Faith. The conference was held at the Hinckley Center on the campus of Brigham Young University on Saturday, March 4, 2023, with over 350 people in attendance.

Journal excerpt from April 15, 1837In the three years since the Project’s beginning, we have published more than 10,000 pages on our open website, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org. These pages are indexed with tags for the people Wilford Woodruff encountered, the places he visited, and the topics he wrote about. Making these documents and these features available to all has introduced a valuable research tool for those who are interested in expanding their personal study, writing a talk for sacrament meeting, working on a lesson for church, or writing an academic paper for a religion class or journal. Publishing these records expands Wilford Woodruff’s reach to a broad range of searchers of the truth. The conference was aimed at these seekers of truth who want to be instructed, inspired, and motivated by Wilford Woodruff’s witness of the Restoration.

Laurel Thatcher-UlrichThe event began with lunch and an introduction from the Foundation’s Executive Director and Co-Founder, Jennifer Mackley, author of Wilford Woodruff’s Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine. After studying Wilford Woodruff for the last twenty-five years, Jennifer says, “He not only recorded the daily process of revelation and the Restoration, but the strength it took to find joy when enduring loneliness, separation, and heartache. His testimony of God’s love and forgiveness is timeless.” Following Jennifer’s remarks, we heard from our keynote speaker, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, known for the quote, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” In Laurel’s book A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women’s Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835–1870, she describes the strength and influence of Latter-day Saint women, relying heavily on Wilford Woodruff’s journals and letters as primary source material. She spoke to us on the depth of Wilford’s records and what we in the twenty-first century can take from them.

The afternoon session included presentations from the student winners of the Carol Sorenson Smith awards, Ellie Hancock and Hovan Lawton. Both are recent college graduates who have studied and researched Wilford Woodruff’s life. Ellie spoke on the topic of missionary faith in persecution. Before the conference, she commented, “I feel like this is a topic that’s not often talked about in Church history and I’m really excited to talk about it!” Hovan Lawton discussed the sacrifices of those called to serve. Hovan shares, “One thing that struck me about the mission acceptance letters was the variety in challenges and obstacles of those nineteenth-century missionaries.”

After the student presentations, we were privileged to hear from Josh Matson, a religious educator and decoding expert. He gave a presentation called “Decoding Wilford Woodruff’s Journals.” Dr. Matson shares, “Participating in a conference dedicated to the Papers of Wilford Woodruff is a dream come true for me. I have been fascinated with Woodruff’s Papers since I was an undergraduate at BYU and many of the resources to study his life were inaccessible at the time. Today these papers are becoming more accessible by the day and re-introducing them to the public through this conference is a magnificent opportunity and privilege to be a part of.”

Amy Harris, BYU history professor and Director of the Family History Program at BYU, then offered insights related to the world of British converts. Dr. Harris found inspiration in her extensive study of British families during the period young Elder Woodruff served in England, saying, “The most rewarding part about studying history and genealogy is the sense of the humanity of people in the past, that they’re real people making real choices in their time.”2

Steven C. WheelwrightSteven C. Wheelwright, former president of BYU–Hawaii and an advisor to the Foundation, was the final speaker. He discussed how Wilford Woodruff’s missionary service aided in preparing Wilford to become the future prophet. Dr. Wheelwright shares, “The more we get to know Wilford Woodruff as a husband, father, priesthood leader, all of the things that he was, the more we admire him, the more we think other people need to know this because they will get the blessings from knowing him and knowing how he lived his life.”

Steven C. HarperHistorian, BYU professor, volume editor of The Joseph Smith Papers, and Executive Editor of the Wilford Woodruff Papers, Steven C. Harper gave the conclusion of the conference and moderated a Q&A session with some of the speakers. Of Wilford Woodruff’s contribution to Church history, Steve has said, “Wilford Woodruff largely made the glasses through which we see the [Latter-day Saint] past.” The Wilford Woodruff Papers Project has been blessed by Dr. Harper’s insightful leadership, and we were richly fed by his participation at the conference.

In conjunction with the conference, the Foundation hosted an arts contest with submissions in visual art, literature, dance, digital art, and music from high school students, college students, and pre-professionals. All art pieces were on display at the conference and the winner received the Carol Sorensen Smith Award. In addition to student art, works by artists Kendra Burton3 and Vicki Walker4 were also showcased at the conference.

Watching by Vickie WalkerThe Foundation commissioned two artists to create pieces specifically for the conference. Julie Rogers contributed two works, “The Dawning of a Brighter Day” and “Language of Inspiration.” She shares, “I love to record the simple things people do each day and capture the emotion of the moment. I love to paint light as it dances around a subject, especially the human figure. It is my desire to not only paint the physical being, but the personality and sense of the soul.”5 To see more of Julie’s work, visit her website, julierogersart.com.

The Dawning of a Brighter Day by Julie RogersLanguage of Inspiration by Julie RogersThe second artist commissioned for the conference, Sam Day, created a piece inspired by Wilford’s baptism, sharing that his work is “a declaration of [his] faith.”6 The piece he created was called “I did not feel the cold,” and it depicts the historically accurate scene of Wilford being baptized in a frozen river. For more information on Sam Day, visit his website, samday.com. Some of the artwork was available for sale in an online auction, with all proceeds benefiting the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation.

I Did Not Feel the Cold by Sam DayWe were also blessed to have a few of Wilford Woodruff’s personal items on display from various collections, including the trunk discovered by Foundation advisor and Woodruff descendant, Stephen Woodruff Owen, which contained a treasure trove of Wilford Woodruff’s possessions.7 The Church History Library also allowed the Foundation to display items like Wilford Woodruff’s fly-fishing rod, his glasses, his revolver, a door plate, and many paintings of the Woodruff family. Additionally, many items were on display from the private collection of Brent Ashworth, including Wilford Woodruff’s saddle, a letter to his wife Phebe, and a silk cover.

Wilford Woodruff’s fly-fishing rodWilford Woodruff’s saddleBetween sessions of the conference, attendees had the opportunity to browse various booths of partners of the Foundation, including FAIR, the Church History Museum, the Church History Library, the Joseph Smith Papers, FamilySearch, Meridian Magazine, Book of Mormon Central, Mormonr, The Interpreter Foundation, and the Come, Follow Me Foundation. To learn more about partners associated with the Foundation, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/about/partners.

Wilford Woodruff shared that “as wickedness increases in the world, we should increase in righteousness, in faith, and in knowledge.” The research and scholarship presented at the conference through the speakers and displays gave us that opportunity.

All conference presentations will soon be available for all to read and learn from on this page: 2023.wilfordwoodruffpapers.org. To learn more about the Foundation, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.

1 “Autobiography 1857-1858 Draft 1,” p. 39, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/autobiography/draft-one.
2 Interview with Fiona Fitzsimons, “Interview: Professor Amy Harris of Brigham Young University,” irishfamilyhistorycentre.com/article/interview-professor-amy-harris-of-brigham-young-university/.
3 To learn more about Kendra Burton, visit her website at kendraburton.com.
4 To learn more about Vickie Walker, visit her website at vickiwalkerart.com.
5 To learn more about Julie, visit her website at julierogersart.com.
6 To learn more about Sam Day, visit his website at samday.com.
7 “Treasure Box,” filmed by James Dalrymple, featuring Stephen Woodruff Owen, Carolyn Woodruff Owen, and Wilford Woodruff, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/treasure-box.

Maddie is the Public Relations Manager for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. She is currently a student at Brigham Young University working towards a degree in Public Relations with a minor in Global Studies. She will graduate in December of 2023. She is originally from Missouri and enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Maddie has always loved learning about Church history and loves to read the words of Wilford Woodruff. She is passionate about sharing those words with everyone and is grateful to be part of such an incredible work.

Kristy Wheelwright Taylor is the Board Secretary for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. She has a master’s degree in Humanities from Brigham Young University. She spends much of her time in volunteer work, Church service, and writing for various websites and publications. Along with serving on the Board and working with the team and our donors, Kristy volunteers as a transcriptionist of the Wilford Woodruff Papers. She has loved getting to know Wilford Woodruff better through his writings and is always inspired and surprised by his dedication, tenacity, personality, hard work, and faith.

The post History Came to Life in First Ever Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation Conference appeared first on FAIR.

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Evangelical Questions: “Certain Women”by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Women and their role in the church. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today’s verse comes from Luke 8:1-3:

Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

So here we have Jesus and his disciples going around doing what they do – and we also have a group of women who are supporting them financially, and though the text doesn’t say it they were probably offering lots of other practical means of support as well. And so the question presents itself about the role of women in various churches. This is not an easy question answer on a number of fronts, but one of the most complicating factors is that “Evangelical Churches” are not 1 single entity. “Evangelical” is not a denomination or formal group. Evangelicals are a subset of Protestants whose tradition and way of thinking developed about 75 years ago – around the time when the Billy Graham crusades began. But they can be of any denomination – like Baptists or Methodists – or they can be of no denomination at all. So when we say, “What is the Evangelical stance on women?” there is no one single answer to that. There are some general trends and I’ll talk about those, but there are also lots of exceptions. Explaining our LDS understanding is complicated for other reasons. Unlike Evangelicals who have a decentralized structure, we have a very centralized structure so the official list of what women can and can’t do isn’t hard to identify – the difficult thing for us is that there are a lot of feelings around this. And I’ll talk about that a little today too.

The Evangelical View on Women

First, let’s gain some understanding on how Evangelicals view women and why they see it like they do. And the first thing I’ll say is that I’m not talking about the characteristics of Evangelical women. The reality is that they’re not all that much different than Latter-day Saint women in many ways. They love Jesus, they serve their families and community tirelessly, and they want good things for their children. But I’m going to talk about how they’re viewed in their churches, what they’re allowed to do, and why.

I want so badly to be able to explain this to you in a simple way by saying, “there are two groups, and here is what they think,” but the on-the-ground reality is very different than that. I’m going to tell you how I understand it, even though it’s a bit messier. And I know that even though this series is aimed at Latter-day Saints that we have some Evangelical friends who are listening along and I’d love to hear your experience on this issue in the comments – there really is a wide variety of how this plays out here.

So, according to the Pew Research Center roughly 10% of American churches (in all their varieties) will ordain women and allow them to take the top leadership position in a church. And about half of those are Evangelical churches. So a pretty small minority of churches will say that women can be the lead pastor in a congregation. Of the largest 100 Churches in America – churches that have between 10,000 and 40,000 members (a few outliers have up to 100,000 members) 3 have a woman in the senior role, and 4 others have had one in the past, but not now. So the number of churches that have women in top leadership positions is very small, and we’re going to set that group aside for moment. The only reason I really point them out is that sometimes I think Latter-day Saint women look at other churches with a sort of misunderstanding that they all have women who are allowed to do as much as they want, and that’s just not true.

Public Role of Women

Of all the remaining churches, which is the vast majority, there are limits on what women are allowed to do, but those limits vary from church to church. Latter-day Saint women might find it amusing to hear that is that many, many of those churches women are not allowed to speak (meaning teaching or preaching) in a public service. I say that’s amusing because we let 12 year-old-girls teach us on Sunday morning on a regular basis. So sometimes when I hear Latter-day Saint friends complain about women not having enough of a role I just chuckle to myself because right out of the gate girls and women in our church already have a greater role than in many places. Churches that have this practice – women not being allowed to teach a mixed group in public – are doing so because they are trying to obey their understanding of Paul in the New Testament when he says, “a woman should remain silent in the church.” They take that very literally – this doesn’t mean that all of them like it, but they get respect for trying to take scripture seriously.

In other churches women are allowed to speak or teach, but they are restricted from doing other things like bless and serve communion, or perhaps are restricted from being on a governing board or something similar. And here is where women in our church have a lot in common with Evangelical women as girls and women in our church do not do these things either. And it is probably fair to say that Evangelical women have mixed feelings about this just as Latter-day Saint women do. And they manage those feelings much like women in our church do.

In terms of public worship outside of speaking/teaching Evangelical and Latter-day Saint women are pretty similar. In both traditions women are frequently found leading worship – for us that looks like a song leader helping the congregation with hymns, and for them it might look like a praise-band on a stage. In both traditions women are often found doing things like teaching Sunday School, leading youth, planning events, coordinating various service efforts, and more. We sometimes joke that our church would not run without the Relief Society, well their churches wouldn’t run without the women who do the equivalent work.

Ordination

When it comes to ordination it’s an interesting view. Many Evangelical churches don’t even practice ordination, so it’s not an easy comparison to make. Of those who do, they think about it differently. Ordination is usually not about being able to lead priesthood ordinances. There are a few minor exceptions to this and those have to do with who is authorized to do something like perform a wedding. But for the most part ordination is a process through which the community recognizes that a certain person has a call to some kind of ministry and they become ordained as a way for the congregation to say that they will sustain this person in their call. In function this is what we do too. I know that there are women – some whom I like and respect a lot – that would feel really frustrated with that explanation because they feel using the word “ordained” is important. And I sympathize with that pain. But in function, the callings that women experience in our churches work the same way that ordination works in most other churches. It’s recognition that someone is going to be filling a role and the community pledges their support.

Interestingly enough, Evangelical women do not usually receive this formal kind of calling and declaration of support or sustaining. If the 3rd grade class needs a Sunday School teacher, a woman might volunteer, get a bit of training and some materials to use, and that is that. There is no calling and setting apart, no sustaining. While we don’t use “ordination” language for women in our church, the apples-to-apples comparison puts us in a situation that is often better than is recognized.

Heavenly Mother

Another difference to point out is that only the most liberal of Evangelical or Protestant churches would talk about having a Heavenly Mother. And to be fair, it’s not like we know a lot about how to do with her or even have a very developed theology around her – but we do have the concept of her. The only comparison that comes close for Evangelical women is that they can sometimes talk about God having feminine qualities – maybe a reference to the verse about Jesus being like a “mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings.” But it stops there. Before I joined our church I did not know that Latter-day Saints had a belief in a Heavenly Mother. The way I found out went like this…I wasn’t even studying with the missionaries yet, but I wanted to visit a LDS service and just see what it was like. It happened to be Father’s Day. We sang the hymn “Oh my Father,” and I was shocked to see the line about, “I have a Mother there.” But I think I told myself that it was only a song and didn’t think too much about it. But one of the speakers that day was a middle aged man whose children were teenagers. He talked about the work of being a father with all its rewards and challenges, and admitted that he could not have begun that journey in any way without his wife. And then he said something like: It’s just like our Heavenly Father…a Mother is required for someone to become a Father and aren’t we grateful to have a Heavenly Mother.” To say that I was shocked was an understatement. Only the most liberal of liberal churches would talk about God in that way. I was very confused. Later I messaged a friend to ask about it – the only sense I could make of it was that this idea must have belonged to that individual man and he was saying something provocative but it was based in his own belief and logic – it couldn’t possibly be a teaching of the Church.

The Two Trees

Before we are done here I want to make one recommendation. I know this is a tough topic for some women in our church. If nothing else I hope this comparison has helped you see that when you compare like-to-like, we actually have quite a bit to be very pleased with. And still, I think any of us can struggle from time to time. And I have a thought for something that might help.

On the FAIR website (and YouTube channel) there is a talk called The Two Trees by Dr. Valerie Hudson. Dr. Hudson is a member of our church and also a professor at Texas A&M in the Department of International Affairs, previously she taught at BYU. Her list of impressive credentials is longer than my arm. I say all of that to say that this woman is no dummy. She is incredibly impressive. And she gave a talk called The Two Trees that addresses this topic so well. It’s a long and dense talk. I won’t do justice to it with this summary but her main point is that both men and women are required in this work. Without a woman (Eve) the whole human project would have never got off the ground. And without another woman (Mary), Jesus Christ could not have come to save us. But men have their role too. Without the man Jesus Christ we would be stuck in our sin forever. And without a priesthood bearing man we have no ability to accomplish ordinances. It took women to usher us into this world, and it takes men to usher us into the next. If this is at all interesting to you please go listen to Sister Hudson’s talk. It was the single most helpful thing for me to get all of this settled in my head.

So there you have it. There are many similarities – and some important differences between Latter-day Saint women and Evangelical women. I hope this conversation encouraged your faith and sparks something in you to learn more.

Join us next week and we’ll tackle another topic from the New Testament.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Why Don’t You Pray to Jesus?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Prayer. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today’s verse comes from Luke 11:1-2:

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name….”

If you’ve ever visited an Evangelical church for a worship service you’ve probably noticed a lot of differences from how we conduct worship in our church. A couple videos back I talked about this at length and if you want a more thorough discussion on that take a look at the episode about honoring the Sabbath. And one of the things you may have noticed is that they address prayers directly to Jesus, while we do not.

…And here’s a bit of an aside…All of the issues I’m discussing are addressed in depth on the FAIR Latter-day Saints website. And many other issues this series won’t touch. Almost every video in the comment section (“Hi people who leave comments!! Love you!”) someone will ask about addressing some other aspect of the same topic, but sometimes it’s just far beyond the scale of what I’m trying to do here. But FAIR has a massive collection of articles and research that explores every nook and cranny of just about every issue you can think of. One of my hopes for this series is actually that something you hear makes you curious about the topic and you set out to learn more. And the FAIR website is just a treasure trove of information for you to dive into. Okay, back on topic…

So before we talk about why Latter-day Saints pray differently, we need to work to understand why Evangelicals are praying directly to Jesus and what it means to them to do so.

First we should say that Evangelicals also pray to the Father. And some also pray directly to the Holy Spirit. That’s not off limits to them and you will hear plenty of this in their services or private prayer. But they have special affinity for praying to Jesus that’s a bit hard for us Latter-day Saints to understand.

Evangelicals would start with the Bible and say that we have examples from the New Testament of people praying to Jesus and it seems to work out for them. There are 3 main examples of this plus one other, and we’ll quickly look at all of them.

The three examples are Stephen, Saul, and Ananias – their stories are found in Acts chapters 7-9. The other instance is in Revelation 22:20, the second to last verse of the Bible. There are some other examples that people quibble about, but these are the ones where there is agreement that these are prayers directed toward Jesus.

Stephen

So first let’s look at Stephen’s example and try to see how Evangelicals see it. In Acts 6 we see that Stephen is a man full of the Spirit and working to spread the Gospel. The ruling council called the Sanhedrian – they’re a ruling council for Jews during this era – if you remember Jews are under Roman occupation so the rule of Rome is still enforced, the Sanhedrian is a ruling body or court for religious matters the Roman government didn’t concern itself with. The members of the Sannhedrian are upset with Stephen, they conspire to make false charges against him and haul him into court. The charge is that he has spoken blasphemous words against Moses and against God. Stephen is asked if the charges are true and he gives a passionate speech explaining how Moses points directly to Jesus. The Sanhedrian is furious – they “gnashed their teeth at him” – and then they drag him outside the city limits and start stoning him. Stephen looks up to Heaven, sees Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in a vision, and prays, “Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit.”

Stephen’s prayer is very short and directed at Jesus, despite the fact that Heavenly Father is there too. Evangelicals take this to reinforce the idea that Jesus is the mediator between God and man. They’re not taking this passage to say, “You shouldn’t pray to Heavenly Father,” but they do take it to reinforce the idea that no longer did people need to consult a priest or make an animal sacrifice to approach God. Praying in Jesus’ name is now the key to communication with God. For them, “praying in Jesus’ name includes praying directly to him.” They see Stephen taking this option – even though God the Father was right there too.

Bruce R. McConkie addresses this in his Doctrinal New Testament Commentary by basically saying the prayer was consistent with what Stephen had just preached, and was being stoned for – calling Jesus God. Jesus, showing his approval for Stephen’s actions, reveals himself to Stephen as he is dying, and Stephen addresses him directly because that’s how he got in this spot in the first place.

Saul

We’ll look at the example of Saul, but Evangelicals basically make the same argument here. In Acts 9 Saul (who becomes Paul) is traveling around persecuting Christians for many of the same reasons the Sanhedrian was persecuting Stephen. He and his companions are walking on the road to Damascus. Saul sees a great light and hears a voice asking, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” Saul answers back directly to the voice, “Who are you?” and the voice tells him that it is Jesus speaking and then gives him some further directions. Paul’s “who are you” is a kind of prayer directed at Jesus. Evangelicals would say that this is an example of praying to Jesus when things worked out.

Is it? Technically, yes. Paul speaks to Jesus, speaking to the divine is prayer, so Paul prayed to Jesus. And it worked out for him.

But the experience does seem like an outlier. It’s not a normal occurrence to be traveling down the road, blinded by a light, and have Jesus speak directly. And I suppose if you have this experience, answering directly is the right thing to do. But these are not the normal circumstances of how most of us are going to pray our entire lives.

Ananias

The final example Evangelicals would cite is Ananias. He’s a disciple living in Damascus, where Saul is headed. Now, Saul had been blinded by his encounter with Jesus on the road and Ananias is who gets called on to restore Saul’s sight. Ananias has a vision of Jesus asking him to go to a certain house where Saul will be to restore his sight. Ananias’ first response is, “Yes, Lord.” And I think we Latter-day Saints would agree that if Jesus appears to you and aks you to do something, the correct response is, “Yes, Lord.”

But none of these examples – Stephen, Saul, or Ananias – are typical. They happen very soon after the resurrection of Jesus, they all happen within a short time of each other (Acts 7-9), they all involve Jesus appearing to someone, speaking to them, and the person speaks back. Evangelicals see this as a prototype of prayer, while we would probably see it as an understandable exception.

Revelation 22:20

And there is one other example that helps explain why Evangelicals see praying directly to Jesus as a good thing. Revelation 22 is the last chapter of the Bible. It’s not the last chapter that was written – that’s probably 2 Peter, though there’s plenty of debate – but it is the last chapter of how the New Testament is arranged, and this verse is one of the final verses we read, so it has some weight.

The verse goes like this, “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” And, ‘he who testifies to these things,’ is Jesus himself, and the phrase “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus,” is seen as a prayer in agreement that he does so.

And that phrase, “Come, Lord Jesus,” has a history. It is considered the second oldest formulation of prayer, second only to the Lord’s prayer. Part of how we know this is that Paul quotes it in 1 Cor. 16:22 – but he quotes the Aramaic version, Maranatha. The people living in Corinth are Greek speakers. So for Paul to assume they would know an Aramaic phrase suggests that it was a well known prayer. The phrase also appears in another book from that era called the Didache, which is kind of like an early “church handbook” and teaches about how the church should be run in practical terms. The phrase, “Come Lord Jesus” or Maranatha is suggested as a way to end a prayer, much like we would say, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” Early Christians could say, “Come, Lord Jesus. Amen,” and they meant the same thing. And the phrase, “Come, Lord Jesus,” goes on to have an important place in Christian worship for many centuries.

Evangelicals aren’t usually super interested in ancient church history though. And they don’t understand the history and development of how that phrase has been used. Remember the entire Evangelical movement is about 70 years old, so they don’t care much about history before that except to jump way back into time to the days of the New Testament. And when they see “Come, Lord Jesus” in the New Testament they take it to be a prayer toward Jesus. But they miss the fact that the phrase was being used as something much closer to, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” Their desire and motivation here is not bad. They want to get as closely connected to Jesus as they can, and that is admirable. But in doing so they miss the fact that Jesus himself asked us to pray in the name of the Father.

One of the weaknesses of the Evangelical movement is that because they hold a view of the Bible as inerrant, they take things in it more literally than context and history would allow. They take “Come, Lord Jesus” as a literal prayer, not a formation of praying in Jesus’ name. Their hearts are in the right place, but they get a bit lost in the weeds of obeying the Bible vs. obeying Jesus. I say that kindly, and I think they have very good motives for doing so, but the resulting practice has some issues.

Repetition in Prayer

The other issue I want to briefly introduce here is repetition in prayer. For the most part we would be on the same page as Evangelicals about scripted prayers. Like us they would say scripted prayers are to be avoided because it’s too easy to pray them without your heart in it. However, there is a sizable minority in the Evangelical world who experiment with scripted prayers, and they have an interesting motivation for doing so that I want to point out.

Now, usually scripted prayers are not new prayers. They are very old prayers that have been written down and repeated throughout the centuries. You’ve probably heard of The Book of Common Prayer which contains the Anglican prayers assigned to any given Sunday. Evangelicals who are interested in this kind of thing have a soft spot for Anglicans so that’s usually their go-to source. These prayers have been prayed by Christians for many centuries. And there is a decent sized minority in the Evangelical culture that longs for learning about ancient ways. They have an innate understanding that their so-called “happy clappy” churches are actually missing something. And they know the thing they’re missing is ancient. Using very old scripted prayers is one attempt they make to learn ancient practices. They know that something has been lost, and they long to have it restored. I’ll push my luck here and say: they long for a restoration. And what they long for in theory and vagueness, we have in specificity. Just something to think about as you talk with your Evangelical friends about these kinds of things.

I hope you will join us next time. I love getting your questions in email – you can find me at Jroach@fairlatterdaysaints.org And I will see you next time.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: No Authority Needed?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful answers to New Testament questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Authority. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today’s verse comes from Luke 9:1-2:

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Why Authority?

A common Evangelical question that would come up here is something like: Why are Latter-day Saints obsessed with authority? In our church authority comes straight from Jesus.” And it’s interesting because there are several spots in this week’s readings, and in the readings coming up, where Jesus’ authority is questioned. People want to know under what authority he is doing this or that. And in our church we talk a lot about authority…proper authority…priesthood authority…general authorities. Who has authority to do what is an important question to us. We would say its part of how Jesus Christ has ordered his church. Evangelicals see questions of authority differently. I want to explain how they see authority and what they mean by it, so that we might see a way our church’s point of view might be thoughtful or a blessing to them.

First, I need you to set aside, just for a minute, the worry about the Bible being corrupted and translated incorrectly. Yes, those are true, but if that is your whole focus in conversation about the Bible you’re going to be butting heads with Evangelicals and not seeing a way to understand them, or to let them see the beauty in our beliefs. So, yes, there are issues in the Bible’s translation and transmission process. We will just let that sit to the side for a moment. In this video I want you to think of the parts of the Bible that are inspired, that truly show God, that are translated correctly – all the best parts of the Bible.

And this topic gets a little heady – and we need to geek out a bit to get to the point – stay with me there is a pay off, I promise.

If you’ve been following along with these videos you are starting to see that because Evangelicals hold a certain set of values, they prioritize different concepts differently.

When Evangelicals use the word “authority” it’s usually in the context of, “the authority of scripture.” And they put a lot of effort and priority into demonstrating how and why the Bible is the source of authority. They have a sincere desire to live in a way that is resisting the pull of culture (to some degree) and place themselves under the authority of scripture. This value goes all the way back to the earliest Protestant roots. At least part of what the Reformation was about was the question: Who or what gets the final say? Is it the Pope? Who?

The Reformation

Prior to the Reformation (which was not a singular event, but a process over many years) authority was contained in the Catholic Church. Few people had access to a physical Bible, few could read, and frankly few had time to devote to study as their lives were primarily about doing what needed to be done to sustain life. Leisurely sitting and studying the scriptures is not easily compatible with agrarian life. So before the Reformation the Catholic Church holds all the authority. The scriptures mean what they say it means – very few people could open up their Bible and check their work. And it wasn’t just Martin Luther who saw some of the contradictions between what the text said, and what the Catholic Church taught that the text said. Plenty of priests saw this, some were even writing about it. But it took a Martin Luther to have the courage to take the argument public. And he does it in spectacular fashion – and with excellent timing. If he had been born even 100 years earlier his argument wouldn’t have mattered much because there was no way to get scripture into the hands of average folks since the printing press had not been invented. But Luther comes along and makes a good point at a time in history when there is technology to actually apply it. And all of this is a very good thing. However, what happened when the Bible itself was given ultimate authority, and the church took a back seat. Anyone with enough education to read could access the Bible – their level of understanding the context of what they were reading didn’t matter much because the Bible itself was the ultimate authority. As long as they read with as “plain” a reading as they could, the Bible could replace the authority of the priest. This is referred to as Sola Scriptura – meaning “Scripture alone” has the final say. Today’s Evangelicals very much follow in this tradition. The idea for them is that God is the ultimate authority, and he has given us a book, therefore that book has to have authority too.

Did God come to us as a Book? Or did he send a Son?

But here’s the problem. We don’t say, “God so loved the world that he sent us a book.” That feels pretty cold, a bit lonely, kind of disconnected. We say, “God so loved the world that he sent us his son.” Sending his son came with all kinds of messiness and pain and difficulty, but the experience Jesus had while on Earth was very human so that is to be expected. It just seems odd that God would go to this great, messy length to send us a Son, and then expect those who come after that Son to be given a book to represent him and whose authority to follow, and not an actual real-live human being who can act in his authority.

We believe, as the first 1500 years of Christianity believed, that the authority to act in Christ’s name is best located in a human being who can understand the messiness of life – not in a book. Further – without even talking about the problems with translation and transmission of the Bible – all written words have to be interpreted. You have to take the written word and understand what it means. This requires a human mind. There is no bypassing this where God just dumps words straight from his mouth into your head. (Michael Ash’s book, “Rethinking Revelation: The Human Element in Scripture” is 700 pages explaining why this is true if you’re interested.) God’s project of communicating to us has to involve humans. Evangelicals want to place it in an object, a book.

What is the Authority of the Bible?

And it’s easy to see how some problems develop right away when a book is the container for God’s authority on the Earth, instead of a human being who represents him. The biggest question seems to be, How can an ancient narrative text hold authority over modern people who do not understand the culture and context from which it came?

Here is what Evangelicals do, and it’s interesting, they simply open the scripture, read what it says, and apply it to themselves. The end. Or so they think. They understand themselves to be doing a “plain reading” of scripture, and that they have within themselves all that is needed for understanding – anyone who understands differently is at best dull-minded, and at worst outright evil. But most of the Bible is not a list of things to do and things to avoid, or even a list of things to be believed. It’s a story, a narrative. And even when it lists things to be believed or things to do, those are in the context of some story. But if you can’t understand the story, you have no way to understand the do’s and don’ts. It can kind of be a grab-bag approach – just reach into the text and pull out some meaning, doesn’t really matter if it was ever intended to apply or not.

A low view of Scripture

Evangelicals then think about the Bible as something that represents God – He has placed his authority into the Bible. When they say, “authority of the Bible” it’s a kind of short-hand for, “God has authority and he has vested it into the book we call the Bible. We can turn to the Bible to learn what we need to learn.” But we think of it sort of the other-way around. And it’s the same point that NT Wright makes in some of his writing. We would say that according to the Bible itself authority is vested in God – and God gets to decide what to do with it – and the narrative of the Bible shows us, over and over, that God vests it in his representatives. To say that God now vests the authority in a book takes a complete left-turn away from where the story of the Bible is leading you. It’s actually a very low view of scripture because what it’s saying is that: God’s plan within the pages of the Bible is to cooperate with humans to do his work, but we feel ambivalent about that, so we’re going to change the plan and let God place it all in a nice neat book, not a messy human race. By taking the authority away from where God was pointing it, we disrespect him and the very book he gave us.

So what about your Evangelical friends? They want – desperately want – to get things right about God. And having everything all neat and tidy inside a book seems like a good way to do that. So they remove authority from human leaders and place it in a book. They’re trying to keep things “pure” and not let the humans mess them up. That’s an understandable desire and goal. But it’s not God’s desire. God partners with us to create, to organize, and to lead. And to remove authority from the humans God partners with, and placing that authority in a book might feel safe, but it’s not because it’s not God’s plan.

In other words, Jesus gives authority to his apostles in this story. That’s what we read in Luke 9. Evangelicals are saying, “That’s scary because humans mess things up – remember the Reformation.” And they’re not wrong. But the answer isn’t to change God’s way of operating in the world, the answer is to try and get better at following the very pattern the Bible has laid out for us – listening to God’s representatives on the Earth. The Evangelicals desperately want to have a high view of scripture. But they undermine themselves because they’re pivoting away from scripture when they place the Bible as God’s partner instead of the humans God has decided to partner with. Think of it this way, the Bible is kind of like a 5-act play…Creation, the Fall, the story of Israel, Jesus, and then the book we call, “The Acts of the Apostles,” where the gospel is taken to the ends of the Earth. And that is the stage we’re still in. We don’t call it, “The Acts of the Book.” Books don’t commit acts. They’re objects. Everything in the Bible is intended to teach us how to carry on the story of the Bible, and that includes placing authority in humans, not books.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. Come back next week and we’ll look at some more.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: But I thought Jesus said we don’t have to follow the Sabbath anymore?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Sabbath. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Today’s verse comes from Mark 2:23-27:

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

A common Evangelical question that would come up here is: WHY does your church teach that we should obey the Sabbath when clearly Jesus says we don’t have to. First we’ll address what that looks like during Sunday worship and then what it looks like for the rest of the day on Sundays.

So, how do Evangelicals understand what “keeping the Sabbath” means? As we’ve talked about in another video the history of Evangelicalism really goes back about 70 or so years and it’s growth happens right along side the Baby Boom. And those initial churches that called themselves Evangelical were pretty much following the pattern churches had followed forever – Sundays were for worship, no working, no shopping, no extravagant entertainment, spend time with family, try to keep a reverent spirit about the day. But by the late 60’s that starts to change and it’s a Southern California church called Calvary Chapel they’re at the forefront of that change. They were hugely successful. They become the hub of the “Jesus Movement” of the 1970’s where churches and a tension starts to develop between the rules and expectations that churches, even Evangelical Churches had, and what the Jesus Movement/Hippies were looking for. But for most of the 1970’s this tension is located Southern California and isn’t an issue. Most Evangelical churches across the country would still have been thinking about something like the Sabbath Day in traditional ways. The members probably would have still been dressing up for church, men in ties and women in dresses. But by 1979 the younger leaders at Calvary Chapel wanted to take the church culture they had created there, and start churches with the same mind set around the country. And so during the 1980’s the Evangelical movement takes a radical turn toward a more casual worship style. It doesn’t happen all at once, but by the end of the 1980’s most Evangelical churches are encouraging people to come “dressed as you are” to church, and have also de-emphasized most rules on Sunday behavior. This is the history of how they got there, but why did they do it?

Ultimately Evangelicals place high priority on the pragmatic – does something work – and far less priority on the long term consequences. Beginning in the 1980’s and certainly into the 1990’s the kinds of Evangelical churches that were embracing a casual style of worship were growing. They were exciting places to be. Families with youth flocked to these churches because they had fun programs that kept the teenagers engaged. But by the 1990’s and into the 2000’s a pragmatic practice that had begun for a good reason (to accommodate the Jesus Movement culture) had turned into the normalized practice. By 2000 you would be hard pressed to find any Evangelical church where members and clergy alike were not dressing in casual clothes on Sunday morning. And when that shift happened along with it was the shift away from “rule keeping” around other Sunday practices like not working or shopping. Nobody really saw a point in emphasizing what was relevant because embracing what was casual was working for them from a pragmatic point of view. The casual style did draw in young families and lots of excitement. By the time this had spread to most Evangelical Churches there really wasn’t a way to put the Genie back in the bottle. The change happened and that was that.

Interestingly enough, about 15 or so years ago, a movement started within some corners of Evangelicalism to embrace more traditional practices, to have services that were quiet and not full of rock music. Many of the people who embraced that ultimately move out of the Evangelical world and become Anglicans, Lutherns, Catholics or Eastern Orthodox.

One thing I’ve noticed in our church is that it can sometimes be hard for Latter-day Saints to look at Evangelical services and not be a little jealous. They’ve got exciting music, lots of energy, worship bands, and more. And so sometimes I think that a conversation with an Evangelical friend would end with a Latter-day Saint saying something like, “Yeah, I kind of wish we were doing what you’re doing.” And I sympathize. Our hymns are old, organ music is not the most exciting, even when the hymn says it should be “sung vigorously” it’s usually not. But I’d like to make the case about why a more reverent style of worship sets the tone for a day where the Sabbath can be kept, and that keeping the Sabbath is a blessing, not a rule we chaff against.

When Evangelicals started to dismantle a more formal style of worship for the sake of the Jesus Movement they had the best of motives. But as it grew into a standard practice without the underlying motivation it also came with an unspoken message that said something like: We can follow Jesus without traditional constraints, and in fact, it is our obligation to do so. “We need to show people that church is not about following your grandmother’s rules for church, it’s for us fun, modern people too.” Do you hear the change there? It went from, “We want to change our worship style for the sake of the Jesus Movement people who seem to need an honest accommodation,” into “We make the change for ourselves because we’re not old and boring.” The goal moved from accommodating others to expressing one’s own coolness. And if the point of worship is about me and what makes me feel comfortable, it’s really hard to accept that anyone else, even God, should place any expectations on me. So the idea that God gets a say in how worship goes gets tossed aside. But none of them really looked far enough into the future to say, “If we start to throw out God’s expectations in one area, it becomes pretty easy to throw them out in other areas.” And a deep cynicism starts to develop of God’s right to have any say in our behaviors. If his opinion doesn’t matter on Sundays, soon it won’t matter on Friday night either.

Instead, what we are trying to do in our church is to say that God asks us to have an attitude of reverence when we worship him, especially on the Sabbath day. And that attitude should be carried throughout the day. And it’s true that the expression of reverence might look different in different cultures, but there is no culture where failing to express reverence in at least some way is obedience to that command. God is the object of our worship, His day is Sunday, we modify our behavior to worship him as he would like – not as we would like. And so while I see what the Evangelicals are trying to do, at least historically, I think that project ultimately failed. It became about what makes the members of that church feel good – and when they stop feeling good at that church, they can move to another one across town where they might feel good again.

But what about after church? How do Evangelicals think about keeping the afternoon/evening holy?

In our church there has been some change over time here as well. Some of the more strict practices of the past seem to have softened. If you were to peek in on a Latter-day Saint family during a Sunday afternoon and an Evangelical family during the same time, you might not see much difference. It’s subtle, but let me try to tease it out for you.

In the last 10 years or so there has been a flurry of books published in the Evangelical world on the topic of the Sabbath. I’ve read many of them, one of the classes I had in Divinity School was simply titled, “The Sabbath.” Those books have titles like, “Finding Renewal on the Sabbath”…”The Sabbath for Soul Rest”…and one simply titled, “Breathe.” The thesis of most of these books is that God wants you to feel good and mentally healthy, and taking time for yourself on the Sabbath is God’s plan for how to do that. Now, you know this, I’m a mental health therapist so I’m all about good self-care and doing things in your life that will bring about more mental health. This is not a bad pursuit and I’m certainly not making fun of them for it. You should be taking care of yourself and you do need breaks from your obligations and that is certainly part of what is going on in observing the Sabbath. But is that it? Is it just for me to feel better? You can hear in this the same logic that is used for an Evangelical Sunday worship service playing out here too. This is “you time” which is quite different then,“This is a day where we focus on worshiping God all day long, and in various ways, even when that requires quite a bit of effort from us.” The traditional understanding of keeping the sabbath day holy was that this is God’s day, and we use it for him. But for Evangelicals that has turned into “this is a day for you to rest and feel better.”

So, how do we explain our beliefs to an Evangelical friend without their eyes glossing over and them thinking, “that doesn’t sound like Sabbath day rest to me at all.” Well, let me tell you what it was like for me when I was investigating our church.

I noticed the external differences in worship right away, anyone would. But eventually I noticed the spirit of reverence behind the differences and found that very attractive. It’s impossible to be both reverent and cynical. Those two things repel each other. And, while this isn’t true for every Evangelical, my experience of it was that all that striving to be cool also came with a deep river of cynicism. When you form a church to suit your own preferences, you have to edge out at least some of God’s preferences, and things get confusing. It’s hard to tell which of God’s commandments even matter any more. Or what things about God are even true. Not everyone’s experience, but it was mine. So when I encountered a very typical, boring service at my local ward it didn’t take me long to see the lack of cynicism as very comforting. I came to enjoy being able to worship reverently with friends, but also to have a hilarious time with those same friends in other contexts. But when we’re together doing the things of God we act like God wants us to act. That’s the feeling of community and purpose. There are very few feelings that are better than that.

I hope you enjoyed this discussion on the Sabbath day. Join us again next week when we look at more Evangelical questions as they come up in our Come Follow Me text.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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By David W. Smith

In the October 2022 general conference, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf announced an updated version of the youth standards guidebook For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices. Elder Uchtdorf explained that the booklet “has been updated and refreshed to better cope with the challenges and temptations of our day.”

With the purpose of pointing youth to Christ, this new version is focused on “teach[ing] you eternal truths of His restored gospel” and “how to make righteous choices based on those eternal truths. . . . It focuses on values, principles, and doctrine instead of every specific behavior.” [1]

Have the Standards Been Relaxed?

Because the updated guidebook lacks many of the behavior-specific instructions of the previous version, some people feel that the new guidebook allows youth to do many things they were previously prohibited from doing. Or in other words, they feel the standards are “being relaxed” or “being weakened.”

For example, one young man approached his father and “said his friends told him that Elder Uchtdorf announced in conference that now tattoos are OK,” and so this young man wanted to get one. [2] This young man thought the standards had been relaxed because the guidebook no longer contained a specific prohibition against tattoos.

However, a lack of behavior-specific instructions does not mean the standards have been relaxed. In fact, the opposite is true: the standards have been enhanced. Young Men General President Steven J. Lund addressed the idea of relaxing standards and responded, “It’s never really been that way, has it? When we speak of a higher and holier way, that calls for us to be more vigilant about making sure that we’re complying to what Heavenly Father would have us do.” [3]

President Lund further explained:

We’re moving to a higher and holier way, where the guidance that we receive from the brethren, from the Church, from each other, is less prescriptive and more spiritually-based. We’re being asked to, you know, not look to somebody else to decide what our standard should be, but recognizing the weight of membership and the weight of holiness that belongs to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will by itself prescribe how we behave and how we are, how we dress and how we comport ourselves.

Sister Michelle D. Craig of the Young Women General Presidency affirmed this: “I think it’s important to know that it’s not a relaxing of standards . . . But now we hope that they’re very intentional about getting on their knees and praying to find out, ‘What does this look like in my life?’” [4]

Instead of having more relaxed standards, the new guidebook requires a more diligent form of discipleship.

Principles and Doctrines

Returning to the experience of the young man: his father invited him to listen to Elder Uchtdorf’s talk (the young man hadn’t watched that session of conference) and read the updated guidebook. After doing so, the son approached his father again:

I [the father] asked, ‘Did Elder Uchtdorf announce that tattoos are OK?’ He [the son] said, ‘No. In fact, he said, The Lord is not saying, “Do whatever you want.”’ I asked, ‘Does the guide say tattoos are OK?’ He said, ‘It says we are supposed to honor the sacredness of our bodies, even when that means being different from the world. It says that we must make wise decisions — especially when they can have lasting effects on our bodies. But, Dad, it doesn’t say we can’t.’

I responded: ‘It doesn’t say we can’t rob a bank either but that doesn’t make it a smart choice. What does your discipleship call on you to do? You know how I feel about it. Maybe it is time to ask how Heavenly Father feels about it?’

At this point the experience ends, and the son may or may not have decided to get a tattoo. But “the point is not what these particular youth decided. Rather, it is to emphasize how these parents used questions to guide the youth toward values, principles and doctrines. Most importantly, they asked their children to seek personal revelation.” And that is the model we should follow for ourselves and when helping others choose how to apply the standards.

President Russell M. Nelson exhorted: “Set a standard for the rest of the world. . . . Embrace being different. The booklet entitled ‘For the Strength of Youth’ should be your standard. It is the standard that the Lord expects all His youth to uphold.” [5]

Role of Parents and Other Adults

So what should parents and other adults do? They first provide counsel and wisdom to youth. The new guidebook encourages youth to “be wise and faithful, and seek counsel from your parents and leaders.” [6]

The guidebook also reminds youth that “having questions is not a sign of weakness or lack of faith. . . . Seek answers in the scriptures, in the words of God’s prophets, from your leaders and faithful parents, and from God Himself. If answers don’t come right away, trust that you will learn line upon line. Keep living by what you already know, and keep seeking for truth.” [7] So parents and others shouldn’t discourage questions or accuse youth of being faithless when asking honest questions. (Of course, there is a difference between faithful questions and faithless questions, or put another way, “the term question is not synonymous with the term doubt.”) [8]

Parents and others can also ask questions to youth to prompt spiritual seeking. The Young Women General Presidency reminded us that “our desire is to see them [the youth] turn to their Father in Heaven for answers and learn ways to strengthen their individual relationship with Him.” [9] As adults ask questions like “What do you already know about the topic or question?” and “How did Jesus Christ live the truth/principle?”, the youth will be inspired to find answers from divine sources.

The Young Women General Presidency also reminded us, “It is important during this process that we are not too quick to give our own responses to their questions.” In fact, the most important thing parents and leaders can do is not give the answers but rather help youth recognize when the Spirit is giving the answers. One young woman noted, “So what can leaders do? They can maybe help us learn what it’s like for you when you feel the Holy Ghost. Talk to us about that and tell us specific stories about it. . . . I think the whole point of ‘For Strength of Youth’ is to learn this lesson so we can make choices based on what the Holy Ghost is telling us.” [10]

One way parents and leaders can help youth recognize the Spirit is to ask “a few simple questions like, ‘What did you learn from that choice? Would you do anything different next time? Did it bring you closer to Jesus Christ or take you further away from Him?’” These types of questions “are essential in helping them continue to process what is happening for them. The Holy Ghost can help them see things ‘as they really are’ (Jacob 4:13) when they pause to take a moment and review what they are learning and experiencing.” [11]

Hope of Israel

So instead of providing long lists of things to do and things not to do, the updated guidebook teaches the doctrine of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and invites youth to seek revelation about how to act on that doctrine. The result will be a generation of members who have more experience than any previous generation in studying Christ’s restored doctrine and seeking revelation for their lives. And that will be sorely needed, as President Russell M. Nelson warned in his April 2018 general conference address on revelation: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” [12]

We see that this updated guidebook is focused on helping youth “take unto [them] the whole armour of God, that [they] may be able to withstand in the evil day” (Ephesians 6:13). The final piece of the armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). And so we arrive at the imagery in the beloved hymn “Hope of Israel”:

Hope of Israel, rise in might
With the sword of truth and right, . . .
Onward, onward, youth of Zion;
Thy reward the victor’s crown. [13]

Notes

[1] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Jesus Christ Is the Strength of Youth,” October 2022 general conference.

[2] Young Men and Young Women General Presidencies, “Young Men and Young Women general leaders: Changing how we talk with youth about standards,” The Church News, 26 October 2022.

[3] In Sarah Jane Weaver, “Episode 106: The Young Men general presidency on how the new ‘For the Strength of the Youth’ guide helps youth choose Christ,” The Church News, 18 October 2022.

[4] In Sydney Walker, “‘Parents, we need to be all in,’ Young Women general presidency says of new ‘For the Strength of Youth’ guide,” The Church News, 5 February 2023.

[5] Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel,” worldwide youth devotional, 3 June 2018; as cited in Walker, “Parents, we need to be all in.”

[6] “Your body is sacred,” For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.

[7] “Truth will make you free,” For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.

[8] “Answering Gospel Questions,” Gospel Topics in Gospel Library. See also Adam Kotter, “When Doubts and Questions Arise,” Ensign, March 2015.

[9] Young Women General Presidency and advisory council, “Young Women general presidency: Using the ‘For the Strength of Youth’ guide to increase discipleship,” The Church News, 10 February 2023.

[10] In Walker, “Parents, we need to be all in.”

[11] Young Women General Presidency, “Using the ‘For the Strength of Youth’ guide to increase discipleship.”

[12] Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” April 2018 general conference.

[13] “Hope of Israel,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985), no. 259.

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Evangelical Questions: What Must I Do To Be Saved?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about what it means to be saved. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand.

Well, if there ever was a topic where Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals get confused over language it’s this one…What is salvation? Our agenda for today is this: First we’ll talk about how Evangelicals understand salvation and why they think the way they do, next we’ll answer their questions hopefully in a way they can hear, and then we’ll talk about the unique contributions our faith makes to this part of the conversation.

What Does it Mean to be Saved?

In our church when we talk about life after death we have a conceptualization that pretty much everybody is “saved.” We get anxious about what exactly that will look like, and especially anxious over what the relationships will be there, but the actual question of salvation isn’t really all that interesting to us. But it is huge to Evangelicals and I want to help you understand why. First I’m going to talk about Evangelicals broadly, and then about the two subsets of Evangeliclas who view these issues slightly differently.

First, in general Evangelicals believe that after this life is over each person will face judgment where there really is only one question God asks, “What did you believe about my son, Jesus Christ?” Those who can answer that question by saying they believe Jesus is Lord receive a reward of eternal happiness in Heaven, and those who either can’t say that Jesus is Lord, or who have never heard of Jesus are condemned to eternal suffering in Hell. While historically Catholics have believed that there is some wiggle room with their conceptualization of Purgatory, Evangelicals believe it is a one-time judgment that can never be changed, even if the reason for the person’s lack of belief is that they lived in a time and place where no one had heard of Jesus.

And if you remember from an earlier video you know that Evangelicals as we know them today are really a post-WW2 invention. One of the original goals of the Evangelical movement was to take down all barriers that churches had put up for people coming to Christ. And as their name – Evangelical – implies they are very interested in sharing the message of salvation with everyone. But they had a problem which was churches who put up, in their opinion, too many barriers to faith. And by this they meant requiring people to be baptized. Now, many Evangelical churches still practice baptism, it has not gone away. Instead what has happened is that they’ve changed the process from, as the New Testament puts it, “Believe and be baptized” to “Believe, say the sinner’s prayer, and later show evidence that you have done these things already through your act of baptism.” Baptism itself is not efficacious, it’s the sinner’s prayer that actually does the heavy lifting, and the baptism is for show. So for them, to be saved means that you pray a prayer of repentance, inviting Jesus “into your heart,” and then you are saved. When judgment day arrives for you the issue will be already settled since you have made some declaration that Jesus is Lord and will be placed in Heaven. That’s what salvation is for them in a general sense.

Two subsets

I don’t want to get too far off track here but there are two important distinctions to talk about here. “Evangelical” is a broad term. It’s not a denomination. It’s a descriptor that applies to many different types of churches. You can be a Baptist, and be an Evangelical. You can be a non-denominational church and be an Evangelical. And there is another descriptor that it’s important to talk about here: Calvinist. Evangelicals come in 3 varieties: Calvinists, Non-Calvinists, and Blind-To-Theology. The Bling-to-Theology category simply means this: members at a specific church are not taught using theological terms or categories. This is your, “We just love talking about Jesus” kind of church. Now, the leadership of that church, and the denomination they belong to (if they belong to one) absolutely has a stance as Calvinist or Non-Calvinist, but the pew-sitting people in those churches couldn’t tell you who Calvin was or how he is influencing their lives if you paid them. Their leaders simply side-step the issue by using other language to talk about the same things. So, really, we only have 2 categories.

100 years ago it would be easy to spot a Cavlinist church because they were mostly called either “Presbyterian” or “Reformed.” That hasn’t been the case for a long time. The hipster church on the corner that is called something like, “Engage! Church” could be Calvinist, or they could be Non-Calvinist, you’d have to dig to find out. So what is a Calvinist anyway and why is it important?

John Calvin was born during the Renaissance in France. He’s educated at the University of Paris but right after his University studies he breaks away from the Catholic Church and becomes a Protestant (French Protestants are called Huguenots) but eventually he has to flee to Switzerland because there is a great deal of violence against Protestants in France during that era. Calvin was trained as a lawyer, but he becomes a theologian and you can see the lawyer in him when you read his theology. And Calvin’s biggest theological contribution is the idea that because God is so Supreme, so sufficient, so all-knowing, he already knows who will and won’t be saved (at this time in history that’s the “believe and be baptized” version of being saved, not the “pray the sinner’s prayer version.) And in fact, this knowledge in God is so certain it must only be because he chose who would be saved and who wouldn’t. And, even further, it is entirely possible for a person to want to be saved, but if God has decided they will not be saved, there is no hope for them. The opposite is true too – if God has decided you are to be saved, that will be “irresistible” to you in a way that requires no agency from you. Today, there are various versions of Calvinism, some softer than others, but the basic idea is the same: God chooses who will be saved and who won’t. A person can’t really know for sure that they’re saved until the judgment.

Calvinism still has a huge influence on Christianity today, especially in America. Roughly 60% of Evangelical churches believe some form of Calvinism, and this is part of what fuels the grace-vs-works debate. But it’s not a clear-cut distinction for which Evangelical church follows it and which ones don’t. The opposite position, Armeniniasm believes every person has the possibility of being saved and that the church should work hard to reach as many people as possible. But most churches have some mix in them. I grew up in an Evangelical church where we were jokingly told, “You should spend your waking hours as an Armeniest (meaning you should work hard to spread the gospel) but you sleep like a Calvinist (meaning you should leave it all in God’s hands and be content with whatever he decides.)”

You can see, in these two subsets there are two very different views on what it means to be saved. In one version God pre-decides it for a person, and no agency of theirs is required. In the other version the person has to use their will to decide to follow God, and that creates salvation for them. (I know this doesn’t make any sense, I didn’t make the rules, I’m just telling you.)

So, you can see, even within Evangelicalism there is disagreement about what it means regarding how to get saved. But they all agree on the fact that not being saved means eternity in Hell. How will that time be spent? Opinions vary from, “eternal conscious torment” to “obliteration,” and obliteration is about the best you can hope for. About 15 years ago there was a movement in the Evangelical world to reconsider what Hell is, who goes there, and how that time will be spent, and the “obliteration” option largely became more popular because of that movement. Which means that in their view, if we’re considering a person who has never heard of Jesus Christ, the very best thing we can hope happens after they die is that they simply no longer exist. The alternative is that they are consciously tormented forever.

Talking About Salvation

Normally in these videos I’ve tried to explain the Evangelical position in a way that hopefully makes you say, “yeah, I can see where they’re coming from even if I disagree.” But I gotta be honest, it’s really hard to do that here. The best I can do is to point out to you that their belief system (whether they’re Calvinists or not) is highly self-reinforcing. When I was an Evangelical I completely bought into this system because of the ways it’s self-reinforcing. There is the threat of eternal damnation hanging in the balance after all. But I’ll tell you how it started to crack for me.

I grew up in a family where my mom took us to church and my dad only attended if us kids were having some kind of special event (a special choir performance, etc.) I was taught as a girl that someone like my dad would go immediately to Hell if he died in his unbelief. They softened that for people like me by saying, “life is long and you have no idea when someone’s heart might turn to God.” But it turned out that my dad’s life was not long. He died in a car crash at 44 years old. I was 12, which doesn’t sound very old, but I was a weird kid and interested in theology straight out of the womb. So I had to figure out how to understand that my church said my father was going to be consciously tormented forever without letting it break my faith. And in my little 12-year-old mind I kept a secret thought, “I think my church is wrong about that.” It would take me decades to gain enough theological sophistication to think all the way through that, of course, but that’s where it started. And I can tell you exactly where I was standing when I had it (12th and M street, Modesto CA), because it shook my world. The fruition of that thought wouldn’t come for decades, but I don’t know that I would be here today without it.

I tell you all of that to say this: There are Evangelicals out there who question this system they’re in, even if it is very quietly. And frankly, our church’s conceptualization of the afterlife is far kinder, far more in line with the character of God. In this series we’re talking about the gifts our church has to offer to the larger Christian world, and this is certainly one of those areas. When you talk with Evangelicals about, “what it means to be saved” you will have to fight past a lot of anxiety about the threat of Hell, and worries about getting things wrong, and an entire self-reinforcing system. But you have something to offer here that your friends or family members might end up wanting.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Why is there so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon anyway?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Luke 4:15-17 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read… the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.”

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about something from the New Testament that is actually something from the Old Testament, and what it has to do with the Book of Mormon. We’re talking about Isaiah, and why so much of it is in the Book of Mormon. The reason this topic comes up in this week’s readings is because we see Jesus going to the synagogue and reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Luke 4:15-17 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read… the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.”

If you’ve had conversations with Evangelical friends and family before this topic has almost certainly come up: Why is there so much Isaiah in the Book of Mormon? So we’re going to talk about that in a couple ways. First, we’re going to try and understand what Evangelicals mean when they ask that question – it’s a bit different than what we mean when we ask it. Then we’ll look at some answers to their questions and finally look at the unique gift our faith brings to this part of the conversation.

What Are They Asking

You have certainly heard church members ask (complain? bemoan?) about why is there so much Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, but they mean it more in a way that says, “We already get this during Old Testament year, why do we have to spend weeks on it again?” It’s a complaint about repetition, or sometimes a complaint about not understanding the meaning, but that is not what an Evangelical is doing when they ask this question.

I’ll tell you my experience….The first time I read the Book of Mormon I did not know what it was about. I think I’ve mentioned before that I actually thought it was about the Utah period. So I went in not knowing the plot, and certainly not knowing that Isaish would be quoted so much. I was surprised and curious about what it was doing there and how it was functioning inside the larger text. That’s a conversation for another day because what a lot of people reading the Book of Mormon initially think is that this is plagiarism. “Oh look, he just straight copied that out of the Bible!” Now, that’s not what’s happening or how the Isaiah quotes are functioning inside the text, but it is what Evangelicals worry about. Why?

Because what they’re really asking with this question is something like, “Aren’t you just stealing scripture from the Bible to legitimize the Book of Mormon?” And that’s a fair question for them to be asking because it puts them in a dilemma that goes something like this…If I believe the book of Isaiah is scripture, and it’s here in the Book of Mormon then I have to concede that I believe at least parts of the Book of Mormon and I feel uncomfortable saying that because of my loyalty to the Bible.”

In order to understand a bit deeper we need to look at that word, “scripture.” For Latter-day Saints the word “scripture” is a pretty broad word. We refer not only to our 4 standard works as scripture, but we refer to our Patriarchal Blessings as “personal scripture,” we treat some documents that are not officially part of our 4 standards works as if they are scripture such as the Proclamation on the Family, and even further we sometimes treat the words we receive from our leaders during General Conference as scripture. For us, the word, “scripture” has a lot of wiggle room in it. But it is not that way for Evangelicals. In the Evangelical world only the Old and New Testaments are scripture. Some of them have a bit of fuzzy knowledge about the fact that there has been debate over certain books of the Bible which are sometimes included in the canon, and sometimes are not. But all of that is seen as just part of the historical process – today the lines of what is scripture and what isn’t are very clear for them. You can see why they get a little nervous when material from their very carefully defined canon is mixed into our open canon in service of a story that they don’t know, and don’t understand. We’ll leave out of the conversation the fact that the entire Old Testament (not just Isaiah) is included in their Christian Bible and sometimes the Jewish people (whose Bible it was first) have had some things to say about that. But that aside, you can see how this is a really a conversation about open vs. closed canon.

Why does an open canon bother them so much?

Many latter-day Saints have a hard time understanding why an open canon is so troublesome to Evangelicals. “If God has more to say, wouldn’t you want to hear it?” But when you get into conversation with Evangelicals something confusing starts to happen. Evangelicals DO want to hear more from God, they do believe God speaks today, they do believe he has both personal messages for them as well as larger messages for all who call themselves Christians. We very much have that in common with them. During my first read-through of the Book of Mormon I really had to grapple with this. I believed that God can and does speak today, but I felt a bit queasy about it being written down in a book. But when I started to formulate that into a sentence that went something like, “God can speak today, you just can’t write it down in a book,” I knew that wasn’t a solid place to stand. It was surprising for me, but what this question illuminates is the struggle Evangelicals have around authority.

A bit of history is in order here. Evangelicals are a subset of Protestants. Which means, as you will see, that they already have two strikes against the concept of authority. In 1517 Martin Luther nails his 95-Thesis to the church door and Protestant Reformation begins (that’s not a historically accurate version of how it began or why, but it is the popular version and good enough for our purposes here.) The Reformation results in churches that used to be under the authority of Rome, now becoming their own authority. And it was mostly based on country or region. The Dutch Reformation happened very differently than the English Reformation, for example and by the end the Dutch wanted to do things the way they wanted to do them, and the English wanted to do things the way they wanted to do them. Fast-forward about 500 more years and we have many churches doing as they see fit. Around the same time as the Baby Boom is happening there starts to be a feeling in American Christianity that the old ways should be moved on from, and that included religion. Starting in Southern California, and moving across the country churches began with the expressed purpose of not being fuddy-duddys about church but bringing in rock music, allowing for casual dress and a more relaxed service. This group, initially called Neo-Fundamentalists, become the Evangelicals. So, Evangelicals are not just Protestants (protest-tant) and the children of all that entails, they “protest” against their own tradition and advocate for a more relaxed and informal worship setting where no one is going to tell them how to dress or to cut their hair. In this sense they’re double-Protestants, and have a double-dose of suspicion of authority.

Their attitude of being suspicious of authority shows up in their theology too. You’ve certainly heard an Evangelical friend say something like, “We don’t need the priesthood, we have the priesthood of all believers” (this is an issue we will also get to in another video) and that is the ultimate anti-authority statement because they get to have it both ways by saying that authority is not needed, and even if it were we have it in ourselves.

But then a funny thing – a very human thing – happens and it’s a psychological principle that happens to everyone. Let’s take the topic of budgeting and responsible spending. Most people will look at those who spend their money more freely than they do and consider them foolish, maybe even reckless. But they will look at those who are stricter with their money than they themselves are and see them as too tight or too rigid. Somehow the human mind always sets itself as the exact, perfect midpoint. And this phenomenon happens here to Evangelicals – the very ones who we can call “double-Protestants” look at the open canon of Latter-day Saints and say, “No, that’s too far. Our fuddy-duddy grandparents didn’t go far enough, but you go too far. We are the correct midpoint.”

I don’t tell you that so that you can go and argue this reality with them, I tell it to you so that you can understand what is going on with them and why they think the way they do. It’s actually a very human and understandable process. Instead of arguing against it and trying to convince them of why we actually do have the proper authority to introduce new scriptures, or that having an open canon is a good thing, maybe go back to the very thing that prompted this entire discussion. What is Isaiah doing in the Book of Mormon? Or for that matter, consider the verse that inspired this conversation: Why is Jesus quoting from Isaiah?

Here is what Jesus read from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

When Jesus takes Isaiah out of its original context and applies it to his day, he does so in a very unique and unexpected way. The poor get good news, the prisoners get free, the blind get sight. To be totally fair, this is what the Evangelical movement was about when it began, or at least what it tried to be about – making room for all kinds of people in the church. The sections of Isaiah that are in the Book of Mormon are there to teach us about covenant keeping and that God keeps his side of the deal, and that even when we keep messing up there is always a path back to God. When your Evangelical friend asks you why there is so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon at least part of what they’re asking is: Do you really have the authority to add Isaiah to your book? But it’s the same pattern and purpose that they are longing for in their churches too – that there is room for everyone, that it doesn’t matter what has happened in your life, there is always a path back to God. They put a huge emphasis on the Gospel being for everyone, no matter what. And by including the sections of Isaiah that we do into the Book of Mormon, we are also saying that God has a path for us back to him, and that when we make covenants with God he will always help us keep them. In that sense, we want the same things….and if anything our unique contribution here is that the path back to God is not some ethereal path you have to figure out for yourself. It’s defined well and there is an entire church to support you on that path.

I hope you enjoyed this episode, join us again next week when we look at more questions about the New Testament.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Wait. You Don’t Believe in the Trinity?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Mark 1:10-11 “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. I’m Jennifer Roach and today we’re looking at a popular question you might get from your Evangelical friends or family members: Why don’t you believe in the Trinity? As you know we’re following the Come Follow Me readings in the New Testament this year and this week’s reading brings up the question in Mark 1:11 because we have Jesus being baptized, the voice of God calling down from Heaven, and the Spirit appearing in the form of a dove. So it’s understandable that our friends get confused on this issue. Here we are reading Mark 1, but denying the Trinity. What gives?

Understanding the Question

As always we are first going to try to understand where an Evangelical is coming from with this question. It comes up a lot, and it certainly is a big deal to them and I want to help you understand why so you can see where we have commonality, and where we can offer a unique gift to the rest of Christianity with our perspective.

So, why is the Trinity such a big deal? But the word “trinity” is not found in the Bible, nor are the Greek or Hebrew equivalents. Most Latter-day Saints have some knowledge that this idea came from the church councils that formed the creeds, and that’s a good start. But instead of looking at this history of how the Trinity developed, I want to look at the modern understanding of it by today’s Evangelicals. (We will talk about Creeds in a later episode, but that needs a full episode all to itself.) At the heart of it, their concerns are about getting the nature of God correct. That’s a commendable thing. On that note, we want the same thing that they do.

It’s a really important question and Evangelicals will often think of this in terms of the nature of God being a foundational piece that will throw everything else off if it is gotten wrong. I attended an Evangelical Divinity School for my Masters in Divinity and one our professors was found of saying, “Every conversation is about the nature of God – it just looks like it’s about finance or fashion or pizza from the outside.” And if you’re not a person who lives in your head, maybe that’s taking it too far, but there is some truth to it. So we give them respect for caring about who God is and what He’s like. And if you have Evangelical friends who are willing to talk with you about the nature of God, well you are very lucky – what better conversation is there to have?

Today’s Evangelical Belief in the Trinity

Ironically, Evangelicals often don’t understand this issue any better than Latter-day Saints do. In 2018 two Christian ministries – Ligonier Ministries which focuses on doctrinal competence and LifeWay Publishers which is the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention – did a survey of Evangelicals to assess their understanding of the Trinity. What they did was ask participants to affirm certain statements about the Trinity, but the trick was that each statement was an official heresy, not a true belief about the Trinity. On average they affirmed 3 out of 8 heretical statements, earning them a failing 62.5%.

Although to be completely fair, in the past many Evangelicals would have used a handful of popular analogies to describe the nature of the Trinity such as, “It’s like water, steam, ice – all three are made of the same stuff.” Or, “It’s like an actor who wears three different masks.” Evangelicals themselves have mostly debunked these and gotten away from their usage, which is a good thing. Each of those analogies really better represents a rejected heresy about the Trinity than the actual concept itself. You’ll certainly still hear these analogies, but far less than in decades past. However the thinking behind them persists, as evidenced by the previously mentioned survey.

And in more thoughtful corners of the Evangelical world they’ve made a move to talking about the mystery of the Trinity, and shying away from the specifics of it. Instead of hearing, “The Trinity is like a three-leaf clover,” you are far more likely to hear, “The Trinity is a great mystery where the members of the Trinity are in perfect communion with each other because they are made from the same substance as each other, and yet they have full independence to act as themselves without that ever disrupting the unity of the group.” And I’ll be honest, when I was an Evangelical the appeal to mystery worked for me because it appeals to the Trinity as a community of whose love overflows outward to humanity. And here’s where it gets really interesting for Latter-day Saints.

Jürgen Moltmann

You may have never heard of Jürgen Moltmann, and your Evangelical friends or family members probably have never heard of him either – but their pastors absolutely have, the academics who write thoughtful books for them have, and the professors who teach in Divinity Schools absolutely have. Why is Moltmann important?

Moltmann was born in 1926 in Hamburg, Germany. As of this writing he is still alive at 96 years old. You can guess by his birth year and home country that he has saw the horrors of World War 2 and the rise of authoritarianism. And it led him to think about the problems that happen in Christianity when we have a “hyper sovereign” view of God in the Trinity. That sentence alone has way too much to unpack for a video like this so let’s just leave it at saying he started to see the holes in the 3-in1-1-in-3 model of the Trinity. Moltmann develops an idea about the Trinity that he calls, “The Social Trinity,” which basically means he sees the Trinity as a cooperation or society of Divine persons, each separate from each other, but united to their core in purpose and will. Starting to sound familiar?

Before you get too excited, don’t go out and sit by your mailbox waiting for an invitation for Moltmann’s baptism into our church. Ultimately what Moltmann does with that idea of the Trinity is to demonstrate the dangers of forcing unity without free will under a supreme dictator. He was born in Germany in 1926 afterall. However, what Moltmann has done is introduce the idea of a Social Trinity that sounds very similar to our concept of the Godhead. They are not identical, and if we had more time I could show you the layers of difference, but for now it is interesting to note that the conversation around the Trinity is changing. No longer will you only hear, “The Trinity is like an egg made of a yoke, the white and the shell.” The influence of Moltmann has filtered into many corners of the Evangelical world and they are having better conversations about the Trinity because of him. And it’s not just him, the theologians who come after him (and are teaching today’s pastors) like Miroslav Volf, a Croatian theologian who writes about the intersection of theology and public policy. Volf is extremely influential on pastors who have been trained in the last 20 years. Will the average pew-sitting person know his name? Probably not. But their pastor does and has likely been influenced by his ideas about the Social Trinity.

So What?

I tell you all of this about Moltmann and Volf to say that things are changing in the Evangelical conversation about the Trinity. And while they themselves are still trying to reign in heresies about the Trinity, the conversation is also opening up. Your Evangelical friend or family member is very likely to at least be introduced to the idea of the Trinity as a community of Divine beings of love whose goodness flows outward to humanity. And that’s a conversation that would be very interesting to have.

Matter Matters

The most unique contribution that our faith makes to the conversation about the nature of God is that God the Father has a body. You may have heard that statement so many times in your life that it has no meaning to you and it’s hard for you to understand the implications of God being only a Spirit. Let me draw out some meaning for you.

In the traditional conception of God the Father he is seen as a spirit who has no body. Jesus gets a human body for a time while he lives on Earth, but that is God’s only experience of what it’s like to inhabit matter. And when God is only Spirit it is easy to only relate to him in our hearts and minds, not our bodies. This is the heresy of Gnosticism where it becomes really important to think the right things with your mind, but not very important to do the right things with your body. As long as you have correct beliefs, well you can do whatever you want with your body. The Spiritual matters, the physical doesn’t. Latter-day Saint beliefs turn that on its head in a profound way when we say that God the Father has a physical body. Other corners of Christianity hint at this in various ways by saying that God inhabits the Eucharist (either symbolically as Protestants say, or literally as Catholics say) or other symbols of faith. But Latter-day Saints are not saying God symbolically inhabits matter, we are saying that He is made of matter. So if God the Father is made of matter, then simply giving intellectual assent to concepts about faith can never be enough. Our beliefs matter, but our physical acts matter too. We’ll revisit this idea in a future video when we talk about the tension between works (things you do in the physical world) and grace (which exists in the spiritual or intellectual world alone).

In Conclusion

My sense is that historically conversations between Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals has been rough when it comes to talking about the nature of God. But never before has such a good foundation been laid in Evangelicalism itself to talk about the concept of the Godhead and how we see that working. You might be very surprised to find yourself on a similar page as an Evangelical friend on this topic, and even more surprised that our unique contribution of God the Father inhabiting physical matter is intriguing and helpful.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Why did Joseph Smith change the meaning to some verses in the Bible?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

This week we come to a very important verse in scripture. John 1:1 traditionally translated, “In the beginning was the word.” You’ll find it that way in almost every translation. It’s often the first verse beginning Greek students learn, “Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος” and straight away they are introduced to the complexities of translating. The text literally says, “In the beginning was the logos.” We look at that verse now, with the benefit of centuries of translation on our side and know “logos” means Jesus in some sense. Translators, theologians and scholars have been settled on this for a very long time. So it’s a fair question to ask, “Why did Joseph Smith step out of the established translation on this verse?” Now, your Evangelical friends or family members may not be able to point to this specific verse and see the differences, but if you’re in conversation with them about the New Testament the issue of Joseph’s variations in translation are going to come up eventually. Let’s look at how Joseph translated the same verse:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God. (JST)

There’s a lot going on here and we’re going to break it down into pieces. First we’ll talk about what your Evangelical friends think when they hear that different translation and why they hear it that way. And then we’ll talk about what Joseph is doing in this translation and how it opens up meaning even your Evangelical friends might appreciate.

First, what do Evangelicals hear when they hear that kind of translation?

There are many verses in the Bible that have translation variations and most Evangelicals are completely comfortable with this. They understand that the many different translations of the Bible are trying to do different things. For example, they understand that a translation like The Message (which isn’t actually a translation, it’s a paraphrase) is trying to do something radically different than a translation like the English Standard Version (ESV). The Message is attempting to put the Bible’s message into fresh contemporary language so that the modern reader can hear it and understand it in their own context. The language is meant to sound good on your ears. Meanwhile the ESV is trying to give as close to a word-for-word translation as possible even if it has to mean sacrificing the lyrical sound of a passage. So when they hear a different translation they’re not reacting to the fact that differences have been brought in. They’re used to that.

The thing that is bothersome for them is that they doubt Joseph’s abilities as a translator and they use his “wrong” translation of John 1:1 as proof that if he couldn’t even translate the Bible correctly, what chance did he have of translating the Golden Plates correctly?

The Golden Plates and the Bible

One of the things your Evangelical friend might be wondering about is how you can trust the Book of Mormon to be true when we have no access to the Golden Plates to check Joseph’s translation work? The interesting assumption behind that question is that we have originals of the Bible to check against. Many people (Evangelicals and others) have either seen pictures of old manuscripts, or perhaps they’ve seen one in person such as the Codex Sinaiticus which is on public display at the British Library in London. Because these manuscripts are very old many people assume they are the actual documents that the original writers literally wrote. Sinaiticus is considered the oldest complete manuscript – but even it is only dated back to the 4th-century. It’s not like we can do a direct comparison to the Biblical text either. The originals simply do not exist. Now, there is a science called “textual criticism” which identifies and tracks the variations in the text. This process is very good at identifying exactly where changes happened, which manuscripts got copied with which changes and more. But, it’s not 100% accurate, and has been wrong in the past. So we’re still in a situation where the translation of the Bible and the translation of the Book of Mormon are in pretty similar boats.

Still, Evangelicals feel nervous about a novel translation of John 1:1 (or any of Josephs’s other novel translations) because no other translations are in agreement with what he’s doing. They hear it as a subtle way to smuggle “incorrect meaning” into the scriptures. But is that what’s happening here?

What Does Joseph See in John 1:1?

So, if you remember, here is what Joseph is doing in the very first part of the verse, instead of, “In the beginning was the word,” or ““Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος,” we get, “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son.” Joseph is swapping out, “the word” for, “the gospel preached through the Son.” And the question becomes, what is he doing here and why?

What is “Logos”?

Most Latter-day Saints are not particularly interested in philosophy, and for understandable reasons. But in order to get at some important content here I want to glance in the direction of philosophy for just a moment because it is the best way to understand what this “logos” actually means.

Logos is a huge concept in Greek philosophy. It doesn’t have an exact translation in English. You have probably been taught, “it means Jesus” and that’s true insofar as the concept points to Jesus, but the word itself doesn’t mean, “Jesus.” The word means something close to, “the metaphysics that are universal law.” One Greek philosopher, Heraclitus said, “the world is animated and kept in order by fire, and this fire is the Logos.” In his example it is the thing that makes everything else work. Plato and Aristotle understood logos as something like, “the very principles of logic.” The Stoic philosophers said logos was the vitalizing force guiding the universe. Jumping forward many centuries we see the philosopher Hegel saying that logos is the “absolute concept” of the universe.

So we have the literal Greek text saying, “in the beginning was the logos and the logos was with God and the logos was God.” Our English translations almost universally translate “logos” as “word” and what they’re trying to do there is say something like, “In the beginning the ‘logic that makes all logic make sense” was with God…” Or, “In the beginning the, ‘story that ties together all the stories’ was with God.” Or even, “In the beginning the “thing that makes everything work” was with God.” But what we humans do is simplify things. We no longer hear, “in the beginning was the word” and understand it to mean all of these things, we just hear, “the word” and plug in, “Jesus.” Which isn’t untrue necessarily, but it certainly misses a lot of meaning.

So when Joseph translates, “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son,” he is not mistranslating, he is bringing in a layer of meaning that is largely lost to the modern reader. I read this as Joseph saying, “In the beginning God’s plan to animate this whole world was the Gospel, and it was Jesus who was going to carry that Gospel out.” Instead of Greek philosophy’s, “The universe is animated through fire.” We get, “The world is animated through the Gospel plan.” And now all of a sudden it has a whole new depth of meaning and the question of, “Why did Joseph change the Bible when no one else translates it that way?” has a far easier answer.

Insofar as it is Translated Correctly

You might be tempted to say that John 1:1 clearly is a spot of the Bible that has not been translated correctly, that Joseph got it right and everyone else got it wrong. This is tricky ground and I want to explain why.

Technically, “in the beginning was the word” is a correct translation in that it is a literal translation of the Greek sentence that is on the page. The translation is fine. What we see happening in Joseph’s translation is that he is opening up a new layer of meaning in an artistic way that is not identical to the literal translation. Your Evangelical friends might object to this by saying that it is taking too many liberties and that translation should be as close to a word-for-word translation as possible. However, at the same time, Evangelicals love The Message version of the Bible which renders John 1:1 like this, “The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God.” Now, that is not what is on the page in Greek. It is a translation which is bringing out some nuance that is not there in the traditional translation. An interesting thing for Evangelicals to grapple with is, “Why is it okay for The Message to bring out a layer of meaning, but it’s not okay for Joseph Smith to do so?”

Translations

This also brings up the issue of various Bible translations. Our leaders have said that we are to use the King James version in public worship, and for some very good reasons. But your Evangelical friends might think you crazy for going along with it because the language is sometimes hard to understand. On the other side, sometimes Latter-day Saints are skeptical of the variety of translations. Although today we’ve seen that John 1:1 gets translated the same way almost across the board, that isn’t true for many verses and there can be wildly different translations. Latter-day Saints can have the same worry about non-KJV translations that Evangelicals have about the Joseph Smith translation – that they’re bringing in corrupted meaning or have been mistranslated. Let me give you a brief run-down on other translations that might be helpful to you to add alongside your KJV translations.

As we’ve already alluded to in today there are a few different philosophies behind Bible translations, as well as a few different categories of source material. We’ll talk about source material first. Remember, we don’t have any originals of the Bible. We have manuscripts and fragments. Between the time of Christ and the invention of the printing press we have almost 6,000 manuscripts and fragments of the New Testament. Most of them are fragments, some fragments are as small as a business card, others are almost complete books, and no two are identical. So Bible translators have to make some choices about which manuscripts and fragments they are going to use as source material to translate from. You can read in the preface of each Bible about which manuscripts are their source material; different versions use different source material for different reasons. That’s an interesting thing to know, but unless you are an academic it’s not going to be super helpful to you. What is helpful is that translator’s philosophy, something they will also tell you about in the preface. There are 3 basic philosophies. 1)Word-for-word 2) Thought-for-thought 3) Paraphrase into modern language.

First, you should know that the word-for-word translations are not actually translating word-for-word. No such thing is possible. The Hebrew of the Old Testament lacks a grammatical structure that English speakers rely on. In English (and any other modern language) we can break down a sentence into its parts of speech and understand how each one functions. Hebrew doesn’t let you do that, the structure is just not there so the translators have to introduce it into the English version – if they didn’t the whole thing would be unintelligible to you. It’s true to a lesser degree for Greek as well. So what the word-for-word translators are doing is trying to get as close to that as possible – even when they have to sacrifice readability to do so. Translations that fall into this category include the English Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible and the Revised Standard Version.

In contrast the thought-for-thought translators are trying to take a thought from the source material and stay true to that thought as they bring it into English. They’re less concerned about staying as close to the words as possible and more concerned with actually getting the meaning across. These translations sound better to our ears and are generally more understandable, but they sacrifice staying close to the source material. Translations that fall in this category are the New International Version or the New American Bible, among others.

The final category of translation are Bibles that are not actually considered real translations because the source material was not the Greek and Hebrew from an ancient manuscript. Their source material is a Bible previously translated into English. They take the English sentence and make it sound modern or fresh. These are called paraphrases and while they’re not a great choice for serious study, they can be a good choice for devotional reading. The Message and The Living Bible, as well as others, fall in this category.

Conclusion

When the issue of translations comes up with your Evangelical friends or family it can feel overwhelming and you might feel hesitant to talk about it for fear of lack of knowledge. But as you can see in John 1:1, Joseph Smith was brining out meaning in the text the same way other Bible translators do today. And your friends outside of our church might even enjoy hearing about what Joseph was doing in that text.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Why are temples still needed?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Luke 2:22, 27

And when the days of her (Mary’s) purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him (baby Jesus) to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord…And he (Simeon) came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law.

Again we will be looking at a section of scripture in the Come Follow Me readings that corresponds to a common question Evangelicals have about our faith. Last time we talked about how an Evangelical’s value of showing loyalty to Christ makes them suspicious of some of our claims. This week we’re going to talk about the temple – why Evangelicals are skeptical of the need of a temple, why they think that way, and some of the ways you can have better conversations with them that lead to a natural but confident sharing of your testimony.

What Do Evangelicals Understand About Temples?

Many Evangelicals actually have a keen interest in learning about the temple as it is portrayed in the Old Testament. They understand much of the symbolism and value what God was trying to teach through those symbols. They also have a knowledge of how the temple functioned in the New Testament and what role it plays in the story of Jesus. You might find your Evangelical friends or family an interesting source of conversation about the temple as it is talked about in the Bible. Another area of commonality with them is that they believe the temple will be restored in Jerusalem at some future point which is related to the End Times. All of these are great jumping off places for a conversation about temples.

Where Temples Get Uncomfortable for Evangelicals

Despite our commonalities in talking about temples in the Bible, Evangelicals would start to get nervous when we talk about modern-day temples. Here is an example: when I was a girl I lived in California not far from the Oakland Temple. If you’ve ever seen the Oakland Temple you know it sits high up on a hill overlooking the entire Bay Area of San Francisco. It’s illuminated at night and very hard to miss. We were taught by our leaders that we should avert our eyes away from the temple and not even look at it – despite it being the brightest thing on the hill – because, “strange and evil things happen inside of those temples.” Clearly this was a misguided statement, but it represents the kind of fear Evangelicals have when it comes to our temples. But when you sit down to have a conversation with them about the temple it often boils down to one real question: Didn’t Jesus do away with the temple?

Did Jesus do away with temples?

I’m going to try to explain what most Evangelicals would say about why temples are no longer needed – and why they say it. If you remember back to our first video in this series, one of the dynamics at play here is that they are trying very hard to show proper loyalty and respect to Jesus Christ. Assuming they have some other motive is going to make a conversation like this harder, not easier. So, assuming their good motives we look at why talk about temples makes them so nervous.

First, you have to understand that Evangelicals prioritize the work and words of Jesus. Despite the numerous times in the Old Testament that the temple is talked about in ways that they can learn from, the ultimate temple story is when the temple veil rips in half during the crucifixion. Matthew 27:51, “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.” The temple veil referred to here is of course the veil that separates the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. In Old Testament days the Holy of Holies was only entered 1 time per year and only by a very special priest and there were very strict rules around this. Normal people certainly didn’t have access to the Holy of Holies at any point during their lives. Evangelicals interpret this verse as if it’s saying that the entire temple is unneeded. They would say something like, “If the veil is ripped, then there is no need to protect the Holy of Holies, anyone can have the special direct access to God that was allowed in that place.” While we would disagree with that interpretation there is something to admire in it. Evangelicals are trying to make it so that every person has as much access to God as they want, and all it takes is a turn of the heart to be in full communion with God. They would say that because of Jesus’ sacrifice we humans no longer need anyone to help us connect with God. And in theory, we wouldn’t disagree with that, right? We too believe that every human can choose to pray inside the quietness of their own mind and that God will listen.

The differences come when Evangelicals start to make practical applications of this theology. Because the temple veil was ripped in two, there is now no barrier between us and God. and therefore it is not necessary to go to a temple to feel God’s presence, we can access it anytime from anywhere through the Spirit. In their view temples are unneeded simply because no physical space can cause a person to have, or not have, the Spirit. Again, in theory we wouldn’t disagree, but they use this to say that therefore temples are not needed. They see us as putting up a barrier to people who want to be closer to God – when Jesus’ work on the cross took that barrier down. Their hearts are certainly in the right place.

Temple Worship in the New Testament

Even though there is a certain logic to this claim, and a good motive behind it, it doesn’t really pan out . If the New Testament ended immediately after Jesus’ resurrection, they might have a more convincing claim. However, we have a lot of information about what a life of faith looked like in the post-resurrection world. And that information includes temple worship. Let me show you what I mean.

In Acts 22 we get a fascinating story from the Apostle Paul. First he retells the details of his conversion (we converts love to do this!) and after he’s done he goes on to tell a less well-known story. He tells of visiting the temple in Jerusalem and says that while he was praying in the temple he was, as the King James version says, in a trance. What exactly does that mean? We don’t totally know but Paul tells us that God told him to leave Jerusalem because the people there were not going to receive what he had to say, and that he should go preach to the Gentiles.

For most Latter-day Saints there is nothing at all odd about a story where someone goes to the temple and God communicates to them. If you don’t have a story like that of your own, you certainly know someone who does. Saying, “It’s easier to hear God speak in the temple sometimes,” would not be a controversial statement for a Latter-day Saint to make. But that statement is hard for Evangelicals because they hear us talk about temples and think we’re trying to make it harder to hear God, not easier. At this point in the conversation your Evangelical friend or family member might ask, “Well, then why are there so many rules about who can go in the temple and who can’t? Don’t you want everyone to hear from God?” Yes, we do want everyone to hear from God, and we believe that living the kind of life that makes you temple worthy gives you the very best chance at hearing from him. And that having a physical place to go where it’s quiet and everyone is focused on God also gives you a better chance. It’s not that we want to keep people out per se, it’s that we want to help people construct lives where they regularly hear from God. The requirements for temple entry are an aid toward being able to hear from God, not a deterrent from it. Can God speak to a person anywhere? Of course. He spoke to Saul, before he became Paul, out on the side of the road. But that same Paul also recognized the value of going to the temple where he could pray and hear from God. It’s taken us to this point to make the connection, but the reality here is Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints all desperately want the same thing – a connection with the Divine. We have some disagreements on how to best facilitate such a connection, but the desire is the same. They’re worried that we’re trying to keep people away from God, but it’s an unfounded fear.

Selective Reading

One of the things you might be starting to notice, even here in Video #2, is that many of the questions that come up for Evangelicals about our faith are born out of focusing on a different set of Bible verses than we would focus on. Set aside the fact that we have additional scriptures that they don’t have, even if we’re just looking at the Biblical text you can see that we Latter-day Saints focus on different texts, and different details in the text. And for many of the issues we’ll cover in this series one doesn’t even have to look beyond the Biblical text to have a good conversation about our difference. How can this be? If Evangelicals are sincere seekers of God, how is it that we see things so differently, even when we’re just looking at the Bible? Yes, modern revelation is part of it. We have information they don’t have. But perhaps there is something else going on too. The Bible is a really big book, with a lot of details that are odd to our ears. And most people condense the stories down into memorable parts, they attach a spiritual lesson to it, and sort of put it in the “done” column. They stop thinking about what a passage could possibly mean because they think they have it figured out. It’s not just Evangelicals that do this – all humans do this when trying to understand large amounts of information, we have to develop a system of shorthand in order to manage it all. We all do some degree of selective reading. And it really can take an act of humility to take a text and look at it again with fresh eyes.

When I was an Evangelical I never would have picked up the detail about Paul having a vision/trance in the temple. It’s not that I disbelieved it, I just wouldn’t have noticed it because it didn’t fit into the other bits of knowledge I was already trying to build on. I had no real place to put that information because my preconceived idea was already that temples weren’t important. As members of the church sometimes I think we shy away from a very careful reading of the Bible, not out of laziness or disinterest, but because we already have a feast of scripture that is far more explicit about these things in our modern-day scriptures. Understandable enough. But after listening to all of this you can see how having a conversation with a friend who is not of our faith about the Bible actually can lead you to some parts of scripture that perhaps they overlooked – not in a fighting or contentious kind of way, but in a way that reads closely and might see how the pieces are put together differently. I hope that as you are going through the New Testament this year you are doing a close and careful reading of the text – not just assuming that you already know what it says, but with a mind open to the Spirit to see the important details. You might be surprised at how much they bolster your faith and your confidence in talking about your testimony.

Join us next week as we look at another question that comes up in the readings. If you have a specific question that you are hoping will get addressed please contact FAIR directly or email me at jroach@fairlatterdaysaints.org

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Evangelical Questions: Is Jesus God?by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Matthew 1:21

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Introduction

So, right off the bat we have an interesting point of conversation that could come up with your Evangelical friends: Who do you believe Jesus is?

This is a really important question in the Evangelical world and a lot hinges on this for them. They’re generally taught, “Get this answer wrong, and you get everything wrong.” And there is a lot to respect in their thinking here. If Jesus were just another good teacher, or just trying to help people understand the mortality of being kind to each other, then we miss a lot of what’s happening in this part of God’s plan.

And one of the things you’re going to see come up in this series over and over is that sometimes we use the same words to describe different things. Evangelicals are aware of this too and they’re nervous that they’re going to almost get tricked into believing something about Jesus that turns out not to be true. One of their greatest desires and values is to show loyalty and respect to Jesus Christ. So they might approach a conversation with you about Jesus nervously. And to be honest, that’s an admirable character trait – this is one of the ways they show their faithfulness to Christ. So in a conversation with an Evangelical friend about Christ they’re going to feel really protective of him. Also admirable.

Is Jesus a Child of God?

The thing that makes talking about Jesus with an Evangelical difficult is that they think they know what members of the church REALLY think about Jesus, and their defense mechanisms naturally kick in – they feel a lot of loyalty to Christ. Here’s some examples of things I was taught as an Evangelical, and things I used to actually think…

That Jesus is a literal Spirit Child of a Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.

If you’re a member of the church, that probably doesn’t sound very odd in your ears. “Of course Jesus is a Spirit Child of God – we all are!” Let me tell you how Evangelicals hear that:

“To say Jesus is a literal spirit child of God is to say that he is less than God, he was created at a point in time and therefore is not eternal. He can never be really considered God.”

Now, as members of the church that probably sounds odd to you and you might be asking, “Don’t Evangelicals say that Jesus is the Son of God?” Yes, they do. But they mean something different by it and when we say that he is a spirit child born of Heavenly Father they get uncomfortable because somehow that diminishes him. Remember, they’re not necessarily trying to fight against Truth, when they say that, they’re trying to be loyal to Jesus and they feel protective of his place. Its the “literal” child of God that makes them nervous. This is probably very confusing to you because in our church we belive EVERYONE is a literal spirit child of God, including Jesus. Let’s explore that…

Evangelicals do believe in being a child of God, but let me tell you what they mean by it….

To the evangelical God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit exist as a special species of beings called God (singular) and no one else will ever join that species. Angels and demons (to the degree that they believe in them) are a separate species. They have no information on how that species began or if any more beings can be added to it. They just know it is a different species from God, and from humans. Humans are a third species. New humans are created at the moment of their conception and at that moment God creates a new spirit to put into them. Even though humans must collaborate with God in the creation of babies, all humans are a species all unto themselves with a substance entirely different from what either God or angels are made from. A human has about as much chance to become an angel as a dog does to become a cat. And in their thinking, the idea that a human could transcend their species to become like God is impossible.

What Species is Jesus? What Species are you?

So when an Evangelical says, “I am a child of God” – and they do say that – what do they mean? HOW are they children of God if they are an entirely different species? Isn’t that like saying a kitten is a puppy? Here is what they mean:

I’ll quote the NIV for clarity…

Gal 4:4-5

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Now, what they’re saying that verse says – that we are some other species and God adopts us into his family as there would be no other way for us to be considered his family – is not true. If you read the entire context of that paragraph of scripture you see it is talking about an underage heir who must live under some restrictions – and then when the time comes that heir becomes the master and functions as such. This is not a paragraph about cross-species adoption. But they hear that word “adoption” and combine it with their preconceived idea that God is a different species than us, so that when they say, “I am a child of God” they mean, “I was not God’s child, but He has graciously adopted me into His family, even though I don’t deserve the title.”

So, back to our original question, “I thought you didn’t believe Jesus is God?” you can now see what they mean by that. They mean: Because you say Jesus was born as a spirit child of God He can’t be equal to God but is somehow adopted in like we humans are.”

The question has been overwhelmingly answered right on the Church’s website. We believe in the Jesus of the Bible, just like our EV friends and neighbors do. We believe Jesus is the only begotten son of God, born in the flesh and lived among us, He suffered, died, was burried, and rose again. This article from the Church details it much more specifically. What Latter-day Saints Believe About Jesus Christ (churchofjesuschrist.org)

Differences

However, let’s not collapse all our differences. There are things we believe about Jesus that are different from Evangelicals. Because their view of Jesus is shaped through the Creeds, and ours is not, we see some things differently.

You can confidently say, “Yes, we believe these same things about Jesus, but here are the areas where we slightly differ…” And from my perspective, as a former Evangelical, this is one of the best spots for inspired conversation. So what are the actual differences?

God Revealed

In our church we believe that God continues to reveal himself, even now in our day. This can make Evangeliclas a little nervous because they are used to being taught that matters about God have been settled, and they can find those settled answers in the Bible and in the Creeds. They believe they’ve captured the right answers and now have them corralled into a fenced yard and if they keep those answers in, and all other answers out, they will be safe. It’s an understandable desire. This is where I was when I was first learning about the church. The idea that God could reveal more information about himself felt like a trick and my loyalty reflex kicked in. But as I came to understand that the new information God had revealed about himself was good and helpful, I began to trust it more.

When Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visit Joseph Smith for the First Vision we see Joseph learning some things. It takes him a bit to put the pieces together, but once he does he comes to understand that Heavenly Father is material and all that implies – and what it implies is very good, more on that in another video.

The Evangelicals aren’t rejecting new information because they have particularly hard hearts or are not open to God. They reject this because they’re skeptical – they’ve been taught to be skeptical – out of loyalty. But when you can show a Evangelical friend that God revealed really means something good, they might get curious.

Jesus in the Book of Mormon

Before I read the Book of Mormon for the first time I really didn’t know what it was about. I knew the cultural references to it, and understood the basics of the story of Joseph and the gold plates. But I actually thought, as embarrassing as this is to admit, that it was about the early Utah period. So it will come as no surprise to you that I didn’t have any idea how much of Jesus was in the Book of Mormon. One of my earliest reactions was being surprised by how much knowledge they have. Part of me was skeptical that this was a heavily constructed history but I decided to judge the content of the book on its truths, leaving aside the questions about where it came from at first. When Jesus is mentioned in the Book of Mormon I decided that I would ask myself if what was being taught was true or not. And it didn’t take me very long to feel comfortable with the truths I found.

I say all of that to say this: When you’re talking with an Evangelical friend about our beliefs about Jesus don’t be too alarmed when they’re skeptical of how the Book of Mormon came to be. They don’t have to have a firm testimony of that before they can gain truth from it. And my experience with Evangelicals is that they welcome truth when they find it – as long as they can get over their skepticism. If you’re talking with your EV friend and they’re skeptical of how the Book of Mormon came to be, that’s okay. Talking about Jesus as revealed in the Book of Mormon might be a more faith-producing place to start anyway.

Conclusion

So, if the question is, “I thought you didn’t believe Jesus is God,” you can confidently assure your friend that yes, we believe Jesus is God and affirm what the New Testament teaches us about Him. You and your friend are on the same page there. And, as the Spirit leads, you might be able to tell them something good about the additional revelation we have received.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

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Christmas Message, Christmas Prophets, Christmas Joyby David W. Smith

Jerusalem, 600 BC

The year is approximately 600 BC. The place is Jerusalem. It has been about 20 years since a major religious reform has changed how people worshiped. The prophet Jeremiah has been warning the people of Jerusalem that they need to repent or else watch as their city is destroyed and they are taken into captivity. Many other prophets echo his message. Now, after preaching for over 20 years, he is in prison.

In this tumultuous time, a man sees an amazing vision. He sees a great person come down out of heaven, shining more brightly than the sun. He sees twelve others follow him, shining brighter than the stars. The great person comes to him, gives him a book, and asks him to read. He then goes out to share with the people of Jerusalem what he saw and heard. He joins the other prophets in warning the people of their coming doom. He adds a message of hope: because of what he saw and read, he knows that a Messiah will come and redeem the world.

The people of Jerusalem are so upset at this message that they try to kill him. But through the Lord’s mercies, he escapes into the wilderness with his family.[1]

Visions in the Wilderness

While in the wilderness, he shares more with his family about this great message of joy. He shares a vision he had about a tree with fruit that “was desirable to make one happy.” He ate this fruit and was filled “with exceedingly great joy” (1 Nephi 8:10, 12). After sharing this dream, he teaches more about the Messiah who will come. He says that in 600 years this Messiah will come among the Jews and be the Savior of the world. “He also spake concerning the prophets, how a great number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world. Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer” (1 Nephi 10:4). He teaches that this Messiah will be slain by the Jews and then will rise again.

One of this man’s sons wants to know more, so the son diligently seeks for revelation from God. The Lord blesses the son with a vision, guided by an angel. In this vision he sees the tree his father saw and the fruit his father ate. He also sees his old home, Jerusalem. He sees other cities, including Nazareth, a city north of Jerusalem. “In the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white. . . . And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father” (1 Nephi 11:13, 20–21).

At this point—as this young man is seeing this special child in the arms of his mother—the angel asks, “Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?” The young man responds, “Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. And [the angel] spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22–23).

The young man then sees this child become a man who goes about ministering and healing, with twelve others following him. The young man sees the man taken, judged, and slain for the sins of the world. After that, he sees people fighting against the twelve who were with the Messiah. He sees these people fall, and the angel warns: “Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (1 Nephi 11:34–36).

Glad Tidings of Great Joy

This young man and his family continued their journey in the wilderness. Eventually they came to the seashore, built a boat, and sailed across the sea to a new land. And the young man continued to teach the message of the Messiah using scripture and his own visions. He “did read unto [his people] that which was written by the prophet Isaiah” in order to “more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer.” He did this “that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off” (1 Nephi 19:23–24). One of Isaiah’s prophesies was of the joy to come through the publishing of this message: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation” (Isaiah 52:7).

Centuries after this young man, another prophet heard these good tidings from an angel and was told to share these tidings with the people. Said the angel:

Behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy. For the Lord . . . 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 . . . shall come down from heaven among the children of men . . . 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 his mother shall be called Mary. And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name. (Mosiah 3:3–9)

The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy. The night Jesus was born, there were shepherds “keeping watch over their flock over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them . . . 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 2:8–11).

This was the message of the prophets from the beginning. Starting with Adam and Eve, “Old Testament patriarchs, prophets, poets, and people looked forward to better days, filled with hope for renewal and deliverance by the Messiah. . . . Through it all, prophets reminded them that a Messiah, a Deliverer would come ‘to proclaim liberty to the captives’ (Isaiah 61:1).”[2] As Isaiah prophesied, this Messiah would “comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning” (Isaiah 61:2–3).

The Horn of Salvation

Others also prophesied of the Messiah. While speaking of Zion, the Psalmist prophesied, “Her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed” (Psalm 132:16–17). The birth of Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy. Zacharias, a priest in Jerusalem, announced just before the Savior’s birth: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:68–70; cf. 71–79). Simeon, a holy man in Jerusalem, saw the child Jesus and declared, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people” (Luke 2:30–31; cf. 25–33). Anna, a prophetess, came to where Simeon was and “gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38; cf. 36–38).

These prophecies and others let people know of redemption through the Messiah. This message was shared by prophets, and joy came to those who listened to their message. After one prophet testified of this message, someone who heard “had infused such joy into his soul” that he was overcome and became unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he stood and declared, “Blessed be the name of God . . . [for] behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name” (Alma 19:6, 12–13).

Another person was so wicked that an angel came to him to call him to repentance. After being overcome and being unconscious for days, he said, “I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me . . . And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold” (Alma 36:17–20). This person then went on to share these glad tidings.

The Testimony of Apostles

At this Christmas season, and as we conclude our study of the Old Testament for this year’s Come, Follow Me curriculum, let us reflect on the message of the Old Testament: that God will deliver His people through His Messiah, born of Mary, and that God “declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.” They received this message “that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that [all people] may have faith in Christ” and be saved (Moroni 7:23–34). The Christmas message (which is the glad tidings) came from Christmas prophets to help people have Christmas joy.

The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ.”[3] Paul taught that the Saints “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, [with] Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20), as Isaiah prophesied: “Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:6, quoting Isaiah 28:16).

Let us listen to the words of the prophets and receive the glad tidings of great joy. We will then be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).

Returning to our introductory story, the young man saw the Messiah’s birth and understood the joy that comes through the salvation He offers. The twelve apostles who were with the Messiah brought that message to the world. All who embrace their message embrace joy both now and after this life, having everlasting salvation, as proclaimed by God’s living Apostles:

“Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.”[4]

“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”[5]

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

[1] See 1 Nephi chapters 1 and 2.

[2] “December 19–25: Christmas: ‘We Have Waited for Him, and He Will Save Us,’” in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022.

[3] “Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith.

[4] “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

[5] “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” Gospel Library.

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Malachi and Turning the Hearts of the Children to Their Fathersby Craig Foster

While the Book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, it is certainly not the least in terms of the eternal teachings within the book. The name Malachi means “My Messenger” and the Malachi certainly fulfilled the purpose of his name in his prophetic calling as he discussed the end-time which is currently being fulfilled.[1]

Malachi is filled with passages regarding pure and righteous offerings, repentance, and preparing for the Second Coming. But by far, the most important teaching contained within this concluding Old Testament book is the fourth and final chapter in which the reader is warned, “the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.”[2] Root refers to our ancestry while branch refers to posterity.

In other words, as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained, without proper eternal links, “no family ties would exist in the eternities, and indeed the family of man would have been left in eternity with ‘neither root [ancestors] nor branch [descendants].’”[3] All would be destroyed, leaving those who have experienced mortality without not only ancestors and heritage, but also posterity and name. Holland continued, “Inasmuch as such a sealed, united, celestially saved family of God is the ultimate purpose of mortality, any failure here would have been a curse indeed, rendering the entire plan of salvation ‘utterly wasted.’”

But when the reader is left wondering if all is for naught, comes the most powerful and beautiful promise of Malachi. In the final two verses:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.[4]

When the Angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith, he quoted Malachi with a slight but significant variation:

Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.[5]

The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “Now, the word turn here should be translated bind, or seal.”[6] Thankfully, the sealing powers were restored on the 3rd day of April, 1836 by the visitation of the prophet Elijah to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. President Russell M. Nelson explained, “The earth was created, and this Church was restored so that families could be formed, sealed, and exalted eternally.”[7]

What is bound on earth can and will be bound in heaven when performed by priesthood power in temples of the Lord. In an epistle from Joseph Smith giving further directions on baptism for the dead, he stated, “It may seem to be a very bold doctrine that we talk of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in heaven.”[8] Relationships no doubt created in the premortal existence and continued in mortality will also continue in our post-mortal existence.

These eternal bonds are generational and multidimensional “for we without [our deceased loved ones] cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect.”[9] President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “What was the promise made to the fathers that was to be fulfilled in the latter days by the turning of the hearts of the children to their fathers? It was the promise of the Lord made through Enoch, Isaiah, and the prophets, to the nations of the earth, that the time should come when the dead should be redeemed.”[10]

As we seek after our dead and perform the necessary saving ordinances, we are blessed. As Elder Gerrit W. Gong explained, “Connecting with our ancestors can change our lives in surprising ways. From their trials and accomplishments, we gain faith and strength. From their love and sacrifices, we learn to forgive and move forward. Our children become resilient. We gain protection and power. Ties with ancestors increase family closeness, gratitude, miracles. Such ties can bring help from the other side of the veil.”[11]

Truly, as we turn our hearts to our ancestors by searching after our deceased ancestors and performing the saving ordinances in temples of the Lord, we will feel the Spirit of Elijah which is the Holy Ghost and His guiding us as we participate in family history and temple work. Everyday, millions, and soon billions, on both sides of the veil benefit from Elijah’s restoring the sealing powers as prophesized in the Book of Malachi.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

The author would like to thank Suzanne L. Foster and David S. Young.

[1] See “Malachi” at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-individuals-and-families-old-testament-2022/51?lang=eng.

[2] Malachi 4:1.

[3] Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997), 297–98.

[4] Malachi 4:5-6.

[5] Joseph Smith—History 1:38-39.

[6] Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007), 472.

[7] Russell M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage,” October General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/10/celestial-marriage?lang=eng.

[8] Doctrine and Covenants 128:9.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Bruce R. McConkie, comp., Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1954–56), 2:154.

[11] Gerrit W. Gong, “We Each Have a Story,” April 2022 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/04/26gong?lang=eng.

Craig L. Foster earned a MA and MLIS at Brigham Young University. He is also an accredited genealogist and worked as a research consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for over thirty years before retiring in December 2021. He has published multiple books and articles about different aspects of Mormon history, including co-editing the Persistence of Polygamy series with Newell G. Bringhurst and co-authored American Polygamy: A History of Fundamentalist Mormon Faith with Marianne T. Watson. Craig is also on the editorial board of the John Whitmer Historical Association Journal.

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*by Daniel Ortner*

There are many powerful prophecies of the events leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But as someone who comes from a Jewish background one prophecy stands out as particularly vivid and poignant, and that is that one day the people of Israel who did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Lord will come to recognize him.

Zechariah describes the moment when the Jewish people will look upon their crucified Lord:

“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)

In the Doctrine and Covenants 45 the Lord elaborated upon this vision and left no doubt of its fulfilment.

“And then shall the Jews look upon me and say: What are these wounds in thine hands and in thy feet?

Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them: These wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God.”

And then shall they weep because of their iniquities; then shall they lament because they persecuted their king.” (D&C 45:51-53).

My heart is filed with eager anticipation for this day when a people that has spent millennia longing for their Messiah will finally recognize him. In that day, I imagine him welcoming then to come and see and come and feel just as he invited the Nephites to do in 3 Nephi 11. I imagine the tears that will be shed both of sorrow and of happiness.

Although this prophesied day has been delayed for thousands of years, we have the sure testimony of the prophet Zechariah and the Lord himself that all these things will be fulfilled.

As one who received a witness of Jesus Christ as my Savior, I long for the day when by Jewish brothers and sisters will come to recognize Christ and receive him as their Lord and Savior. What a glorious day that will be.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

Daniel Ortner is a public interest lawyer who focuses on the First Amendment. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an undergraduate from a Jewish background.

The post Come, Follow Me Week 50 – Haggai; Zechariah 1–3; 7–14 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Amber Johnson

When I returned from my mission in late 2015, all eight of my siblings, as well as the strong majority of my friends and co-workers, were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over the past seven years, more than forty of my friends and family have left the Church – some very visibly, others more quietly, but nearly all without any intention to return.

During the recent events of Hurricane Ian, I was drawn to a photograph of four tall palm trees, standing upright near a house that had been ravaged by floodwater. This image was oddly comforting. I understood that feeling of loneliness after a relentless storm, but it was mixed with a sense of surprise – confused, as it were, at the grace which so fully He proffers;[1] that Grace which allows a tree to withstand a hurricane.

At first, I assumed their fortitude was mainly due to deep roots, which is the easy metaphor – but it’s wrong. The roots of a palm rarely extend below three feet. Nor could their endurance be ascribed to maturity: a palm takes twenty years to be considered fully grown, and between 2000 – 2017, the state of Florida endured 79 major tropical storms, roughly three per year.[2] The real question isn’t how a mature and healthy tree survives a hurricane; rather, we should be asking how any trees at all manage to reach maturity in an environment that is so obviously hostile.

As I began to do more research, I found a recent study by Mary L. Duryea & Eliana Kampf,[3] which evaluated the aftermath of tropical storms and asked, “What makes a tree more wind resistant?”

I’d like to share a few of their findings here and draw four parallels to maintaining a strong belief system despite adversarial winds.

1 – Protect your central belief system

So, let’s start with something simple: not all trees are equally resistant to wind damage. If a pine tree loses its ancillary branches, it dies; it can’t gather or store energy. But “palms grow differently than other trees because they have one central terminal bud. If that bud is not damaged, palms may lose all their fronds and still survive.”

Dureyea and Kampf reference an image of a palm tree pierced through its trunk with a steel beam. Despite an obviously traumatic experience with the debris of a tropical storm, the tree still stood, because the central bud had remained intact. And I think this is an important point to acknowledge: When our central terminal bud of belief is faith in Jesus Christ, we can withstand personal distress and drop our ancillary beliefs without being destroyed.

2 – Drop the ancillary beliefs that are causing spiritual instability in your life

Which leads to my second principle: Don’t use ancillary beliefs as a replacement for faith in Jesus Christ. A palm tree drops its boughs because it knows it can regrow them, and it knows that the important thing is to protect the terminal bud.

As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf says, “The gospel is so expansive that we could spend a lifetime of studying and scarcely scratch the surface. Imagine a target as tall and wide as the side of a barn that could represent the breadth of the gospel. We all have our favorite gospel hobbies – things that interest us, periods of history, church programs, doctrinal topics, or even single verses of scripture. And we might be tempted to mainly focus on these favorite topics of ours, but as large as the target of gospel teaching is, the bullseye […] is small. […] It is, love God and love others. Other things may be interesting to us; they may even be important. But they are not the center.”[4]

So, if you’re undergoing a stormy season in your spiritual life, consider temporarily dropping some of the ancillary beliefs that are causing instability. If your faith is being challenged by the actions of a leader whom you trusted, or if you can’t reconcile an obscure fragment of Church history with current practice and policies, perhaps set it aside for a time, and focus instead on building faith in Jesus Christ through obedience to His commandments.

3 – Don’t split your hierarchy of truth

My third suggestion: To increase your resistance to the winds and storms of the last days, don’t split your hierarchy of truth. Dureyea and Kampf found that trees with a split trunk, which diverged at the same point to form two equally strong arms, were highly susceptible to hurricanes. A tree with a split trunk might make it through several tropical storms, but when a hurricane came through, they were the first to go. And I think there’s a reason for that.

When God tells us we cannot love God and Mammon, I think He means it literally. He isn’t saying, “You shouldn’t love Mammon;” He’s saying, “You can’t.” It is agonizing to try to hold two opposing belief systems simultaneously, with equal depths of conviction. In many ways, belief in Christ is very congruent with widely held beliefs: religion doesn’t contradict science, or ethics and morals, or basic norms of community behavior. However, there are some aspects of modern thought which are indeed in conflict with the restored doctrine of Jesus Christ. It’s possible to coexist with these alternate value systems as long as we accept that they are fundamentally divergent. Yet when we can’t let go, when we try to balance two opposing ideas on the clear sharp edge of a single point, we’re in a dangerous and fragile position.

If you are aware that you are holding two mutually exclusive ideas in your mind, take the time to do the work and identify which you value more highly, and then, work with God to understand His position on these thorny issues better. He knows and empathizes with our confusion and pain over aspects of the gospel that can seem hard to reconcile. He has promised ‘a time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld,’[5] and I believe He means it literally. I trust that answers will certainly come in the hereafter, but I also have found that God bestows peace liberally in the here and now.

4 – Regrow after the storm

Finally, in order to remain steadfast and immovable, actively work to regrow your faith after a storm. Duryea and Kampf extensively detail specific actions that communities should take in order to protect their urban forests, before and after a tropical storm. It’s essential that we prioritize regrowth in our own lives as well.

The last days are after all still days – not the endless night before our Lord and Savior redeems us all. There’s still light – and I still have a responsibility to obtain that light, to put out new growth, to reach further and add to the truths that I already cherish. I’m still responsible to nourish my own faith until the day that Christ comes again, and we see him as he is. I have to assume that in three or six or twelve months another hurricane will blow in and cause more damage to my ancillary beliefs. But I do believe, I have to believe, that Jesus Christ will redeem us, will save us, will in fact wipe the tears from off our faces and bring us home to him.

I am convinced that there is hope and healing to be found. There is a way to balance every paradox and comfort every aching heart. There are answers and balance and an infinite number of ways to say yes in the Plan of Happiness. Regardless of your sexuality, political orientation, personal preferences, or past choices, there is a place for you in the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. He accepts you as you are today, and He extends a path for a stronger, braver, better tomorrow. His great gift, of change in this life and lasting change in the world to come, is within the grasp of each person who chooses to exercise faith in Jesus Christ. It is available to you. He is waiting to heal your soul and pour out peace.

———

Gabriel, C. H. (1985). I Stand All Amazed. In Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (p. 193).
Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, November 5). List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present). Wikipedia. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
Duryea, M. L.; Kampf, E. F. (2017). Wind and Trees: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes . The Urban Forest Hurricane Recovery Program, FOR 118, 1–17.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Teaching in the Savior’s Way with Elder Uchtdorf. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
Doctrine and Covenants 121:28.

Amber Edgecomb Johnson graduated in 2017 with a degree in Communications from Utah Valley University. She subsequently worked as a city librarian, teacher, and high school speech and debate coach. Amber currently resides in Utah County with her husband and three children.

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A Gourd, a Worm, and an East Wind: Discovering God’s Extensions of Love in the Book of Jonahby Matt Crawford

Jonah called Gath-hepher home—a town which was west of the present-day Sea of Galilee (see 2 Kings 14:25). When the Lord called Jonah on a mission from his comfortable home to the Assyrian city of Nineveh,[1] he did not hesitate to act. Jonah immediately “rose up to flee unto Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3).[2]

Jonah may have run away from the mission call to Nineveh because one of Israel’s enemies, the Assyrians, lived there. The Assyrians were known to regularly torture and kill their captives, and then gruesomely desecrate their bodies.[3] While we do not know if Jonah was afraid of physical pain, we do know that he hated Assyrians and was afraid that they would repent and receive God’s mercy if he fulfilled his mission (see Jonah 4:2).

Rejecting God’s call, Jonah “paid the fare” (Jonah 1:3) for passage on a ship to Tarshish. One commentator notes that Jonah probably paid a considerable sum of money because the journey to Tarshish could take up to one year—“evidently because of the need to restock provisions frequently at ports along the way, wait for favorable winds, and trade the cargo.”[4] At one point Jonah slept soundly below deck while the ship’s crew thrashed through a storm (see Jonah 1:5). The storm was so brutal that the sailors expected the ship to sink, unless they prayed to their gods and tossed trade goods overboard to lighten the load (see Jonah 1:5). When the shipmaster found Jonah asleep, the captain woke him up and asked him to pray to God (see Jonah 1:6). When prayer did not lessen the intensity of the storm, the crew cast lots.

Proverbs 16:33 declares that “the lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof [the outcome] is of the Lord” (see also Proverbs 18:18). Casting lots was a trusted source of divine intervention during Old Testament times because it allowed the Lord to guide who was chosen—He could order the pieces so that a certain person was picked. Pieces of rock or wood were placed in a container, and, either by rolling all the pieces out of the container or inviting each participant to take a piece out of the container, led to the Lord’s decision (see Joshua 21:4–8; Nehemiah 10:34; 1 Nephi 3:11). In more recent times we might liken lot casting to drawing straws—whoever draws the shortest is the chosen one.[5]

When the sailors aboard the ship cast lots, “the lot fell upon Jonah” (Jonah 1:7). Despite his efforts to run from God’s call, the Lord is not giving up on the reluctant prophet. God continues to reach out toward Jonah through a storm and the lot. Jolted, Jonah confessed to the sailors that the storm was because he ran from God. Surprised, the crew questioned: “Why hast thou done this?” (Jonah 1:9). The sailors asked what could be done to still the storm. Fully realizing that his poor decision to run from the Lord was now affecting others, Jonah came to the following conclusion: “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you” (Jonah 1:12). The sailors initially refused to comply with his wish. Instead, they “rowed hard to bring [the ship] to the land,” but in the end, “they could not” (Jonah 1:13). Thus, the men “took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging” (Jonah 1:15).

When Jonah hit the water, he recalled, “billows and . . . waves passed over me. The weeds were wrapped about mine head [and] I went down to the bottoms” of the sea (Jonah 2:5–6). Fearing that this was the end, Jonah’s “soul fainted” but then he “remembered the Lord” through prayer (Jonah 2:7). It appears that the prayer brought the great fish—potentially some type of whale—and it swallowed the prophet. The scriptures reveal that this was no ordinary experience: “The Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (Jonah 1:17; emphasis added). To prepare this great fish for Jonah, the Lord knew when the great fish needed to be born, He knew the great fish’s habits, He knew that the great fish had to be in the vicinity when the men threw Jonah overboard, and He needed a creature big enough to complete the job. Such preparation for one frightened missionary begs the question, If the Lord will prepare a great fish, a game of lots, a storm, or a mission call for a rebellious disciple, what will He do for each of us?

After Jonah is swallowed by the great fish he continued to pray: “Out of the belly of hell cried I” (Jonah 2:2). Like Jonah, we may at times be headed in the wrong direction, but change is possible. The book of Jonah is an extremely detailed case of the Lord’s multiple maneuverings to save a single soul. Jonah acknowledged his own “lying vanities,” his selfishness, and “vowed” to be more faithful to the Lord’s will (Jonah 2:8–9). After three days and nights “the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10).[6] Once free from the fish “the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh. . . . So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh” (Jonah 3:1–3).

The prophet promptly enters the city and prophecies that in forty days “Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). The inhabitants of the city, including the king, listened to Jonah’s teachings and began to repent. The people fasted, wore sackcloth as a demonstration to God that they were humbly pleading for forgiveness, and the king issued a decree which encouraged the entire populace to repent (see Jonah 3:5–9). The measures proved successful because “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way and repented; and God turned away the evil that he had said he would bring upon them” (JST Jonah 3:10).[7]

We expect Jonah to be doing back flips of joy, but the final chapter begins: “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry” (Jonah 4:1). What displeased him? How can he be angry? Jonah prayed while upset and explained his reason: “When I was yet in my country . . . I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness” (Jonah 4:2). In other words: “Lord, when I was at home I knew of Thy goodness and patience toward even the most despicable of people. That is why I headed toward Tarshish and not Nineveh. I did not want Thee to forgive and bless the inhabitants of Nineveh.” Jonah vehemently hated the Ninevites—they were not part of covenant Israel and what is more they were Israel’s sworn enemies. Jonah did not want them to change and be blessed, he wanted them to sin and suffer. Jonah then concluded his prayer by asking the Lord to “take . . . my life from me; . . . for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3).

After Jonah’s audacious reply, the Lord, once again, shows Jonah mercy and patience—mercy and patience the Lord just demonstrated toward those of Nineveh, but which Jonah spurned. The Lord utters the simple question, “Doest thou well to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4). There is no harsh rebuke, no flash of lightning which sizzles Jonah’s flesh, no thunder from heaven to scare Jonah into a feeling of gratitude, but a simple question which may, if the prophet allows, work on his heart.

After the Lord asks Jonah if his anger is justifiable, the prophet refuses to respond. Was Jonah stung by the question or pierced by the Lord’s keen insight? The question seemed to infuriate Jonah so much that he gives the Lord the silent treatment. Like a teenager mad at his parents, or a husband after a tiff with his wife, Jonah turns and walks away from the situation, refusing to respond.

Jonah exited the city proper and headed east (see Jonah 4:5). Then he probably scaled part of the hills located in that direction and waited and watched Nineveh.[8] Jonah seems unconvinced that the repentant state of the people of Nineveh is permanent. He is waiting, hoping, for the city to “be overthrown” after “forty days” as he originally prophesied (Jonah 3:4). While he waited, he built himself a booth or hut to provide shade—perhaps fashioned of overlaid sticks and branches, as was done for a feast required by the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 23:42; Nehemiah 8:14–15). The booth or hut evidently provided some shade, but it was probably hastily constructed from errant sticks from the vicinity. If so, Jonah’s comfort level and shade was minimal—sunshine would have streamed through the sticks. Whatever its construction, the booth was probably intended to be a physical, non-verbal sign that the Lord was wrong, and Jonah was right. Jonah’s thoughts may have ventured into this line of reasoning: If I wait here long enough the Lord will see Nineveh destroyed. Despite the almost worthless hut and Jonah’s constant moodiness the Lord provided a miracle.

While the booth provided a minimal amount of shade from the blazing sun, the “Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd” (Jonah 4:6). We do not know the specific type of plant[9] which grew overnight to such a mass that it shaded Jonah (see Jonah 4:10). Yet, as was the case with the call, the storm, the game of lots, and the great fish, this “gourd” was “prepared” for Jonah (Jonah 4:6). The Lord knew that Jonah would go up on the hill and pout, and so the seed of this plant was in the right place at the right time to provide physical comfort for the prophet. God really does know our moods and routines. Despite Jonah’s gladness for the shade—the only positive emotion Jonah shows in this book—the shadow would not last.

As was the case with the storm, the lot, the great fish, and the gourd, the Lord had “prepared” other things for Jonah (Jonah 4:7). A worm “smote the gourd that it withered” a day after its astonishing growth, and a “vehement east wind” probably knocked over the booth[10] and the “the sun [once again] beat upon [Jonah’s] head” (Jonah 4:7–8). While the “vehement east wind” seems to indicate the Lord’s displeasure with Jonah’s behavior,[11] God still does not give up on this angry, uncomfortable child. Ultimately, the quick growing leafy plant served as tangible evidence of the Lord’s mercy—His constant readiness to forgive Nineveh and Jonah—while the equally fast demise of the gourd and the blasts of hot air presented proofs that without God’s goodness ruin follows.

To underscore these eternal truths, the Lord pointed out the folly of Jonah’s anger toward the inhabitants of Nineveh by asking, “Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” The prophet retorted, “I do well to be angry” (Jonah 4:9). Patiently, the Lord connected the dots for Jonah: “Thou has had pity on the gourd…should not I spare Nineveh, that great city…?” (Jonah 4:10–11). In other words, “Your appreciation and love for the gourd is but a shadow of the care and love I have for you and the Assyrians of Nineveh.”

In short, every person is valuable to God. He simply will not give up or stop trying to save His children. From a city of Assyrians to a frustrated, bitter servant sitting next to a withered gourd, God cares for, watches over, and strives to bring everyone back home to heaven.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

[1] Nineveh was probably located in modern-day Iraq Pictoral Bible Dictionary, ed., Merrill C. Tenney (Nashville, Tennessee: The Soutwestern Company, 1976), s.v. “Nineveh.”

[2] It is likely that Tarshish was located in modern Spain and known for its successful trade industry (see Ezekiel 27:12); Pictoral Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Tarshish.”

[3] Erika Belibtreu, “Grisly Assyrian Record of Torture and Death,” Biblical Archaeology Review, 17 no. 1 (1991): 51–61, 75.

[4] Uriel Simon, The JPS Bible Commentary: Jonah (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1999), 6.

[5] For more information regarding casting lots see Joh. Lindblom Lund “Lot-Casting in the Old Testament,” Vestus Testamentum 12, facs. 2 (April 1962): 164–178.

[6] Where the great fish “vomited out” Jonah is a matter of debate. One tradition holds that the great fish deposited Jonah to a spot south of Jaffa—the port city where Jonah boarded the ship days earlier (see Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Atlas of the Crusades [New York: Facts on File, 1990], 43; see also John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commenatry [Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2005], 1011). Others suggest that the fish put Jonah in ancient Alexandretta—now İskenderun in modern-day Turkey (see The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, ed. George Arthur Buttrick, 5 vols. [Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon, 1962–1976] s.v. “Jonah, Book of,” 2:965). The ancient historian Josephus reported that Jonah was disgorged on the shore of the Euxine or Black Sea (see Josephus: Complete Works [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960], 208).

[7] One commentator notes that the Hebrew text implies that the Assyrians only ritually repented. That is, they repented the only way that they knew how: through sackcloth and fasting. “Ritual response and ethical tidying up are precisely what one would expect from pagan Assyrians—and from every indication, they are still just that, despite the fact that they have taken a step in the right direction.” John H. Walton, “The Object Lesson of Jonah 4:5–7 and the Purpose of the Book of Jonah,” Bulletin for Biblical Research 2 (1992): 53–54.

[8] See The Jewish Encyclopedia, ed., Ididore Singer, 12 vols. (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1901–1906), s.v. “Nineveh,” 12:311.

[9] The most likely was a type of giant castor bean or oil plant. Jules Janick and Harry S. Paris, “Jonah and the ‘Gourd,’ at Nineveh: Consequences of a Classic Mistranslation,” 349–357; paper presented at North Carolina State University’s Cucurbitaceae Conference September 17–21, 2006. See also Encyclopaedia Judaica, eds. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 2nd ed., 22 vols. (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007), s.v. “Castor-Oil Plant,” 4:516.

[10] See Jack M. Sasson, Jonah: A New Translation with Introduction, Commentary, and Interpretation, The Anchor Bible (New York: Doubleday, 1990), 304.

[11] Alonzo L. Gaskill, The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Essential Guide for Recognizing and Interpreting Symbols of the Gospel (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003), 153–154.

Matt Crawford is a husband, father, teacher, and writer. He resides with his family in Layton, Utah.

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(submitted by Dennis B. Horne)

Editorial Note: In the below article, President Smith defines the label “Mormonism” very much as President Russell M. Nelson has. These prophets are one in their views on this matter. President Smith also expounds in some detail on many facets of church practice and doctrine, including the future. Most of the material is as true and relevant today as it was a hundred and twenty years ago—there is great consistency in church teachings and practice. One effect of his message is to make one proud to be a faithful member of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. The original article is titled, The “Mormonism” of Today:

[Two and a half pages of explanatory material regarding plural marriage omitted.] Marriage is regarded by the Latter-day Saints as a sacrament. Under its higher ecclesiastical law it involves an everlasting covenant. That does not end with death. The marriage does not take place in the resurrection, but in time and in this world. It is of the nature of that marriage in the Garden of Eden between a man and a woman in whom then there was no death. It was a wedding of immortals. That which was lost through sin in the fall, was restored through obedience and the atonement of Christ in the regeneration, and the resurrection brings the parted pair together again as one, “no more twain but one flesh,” spiritual but tangible and eternal. That which is sealed on earth today by divinely revealed authority is sealed in heaven and remains in spite of death, immutable, and abides forever.

The family thus formed is the basis of an ever-increasing kingdom and dominion continuing in worlds without end.[1] Marriages are permitted for time only, as all persons are not fitted for the higher conditions and the pure and sacred obligations they impose. The secular law in all cases whether for time or eternity, is honored, and that requires a license and a ceremony to be recorded under the State statutes, which provide heavy penalties for their violation. Monogamic wedlock is thus established by law in Utah, and is really more rigidly observed than in any other part of the Union.

“Mormonism” inculcates chastity of life, self-restraint, temperance, abstinence from stimulants, order, peace, charity and fraternity. It teaches submission to law and promotes true patriotism. It recognizes the institutions of this country as established under Divine direction. It does not unite church and state. It supports each in its own sphere, but regards them as separate and distinct, and holds that neither should encroach upon the domain of the other. The “Mormon” Church does not dictate the politics of its members or direct citizens how they shall vote. The only restraint it claims to exercise as to political office is, that before any man who holds an ecclesiastical position which demands his entire services for the Church, becomes a candidate for a secular office which would take him from his Church duties, he shall obtain permission to do so from its presiding authorities. This is absolutely necessary to proper Church discipline, and is only reasonable and just. When that consent has been obtained, no man occupying a political office in this land is freer than he to perform his duty to his country, nor enjoys greater liberty as an American citizen. Notwithstanding all that is said and imagined as to the interference of the Church in political affairs, no citizen can truthfully assert that he has been deprived by the Church of his freedom, or that the Church has attempted to coerce or control conventions, elections, or legislatures.

“Mormonism” is a term coined by its adversaries. It cannot mean anything but that which was taught by Mormon. He was a prophet of God on this hemisphere about sixteen centuries ago. His doctrines can be learned from the book that bears his name. It was translated by Joseph Smith from metallic plates covered with ancient hieroglyphics and deposited by Mormon when his nation was about to perish, under the warlike race from which our present Indian tribes descended. Those doctrines are, simply, the gospel of Jesus Christ as he delivered it in person on this land, after His resurrection and ascension from Palestine. They are unmixed with the precepts of men. They are the principles of Salvation. They teach faith, hope and charity. They show the necessity of belief in God and obedience to His commands. They require repentance from sin, baptism by immersion in water by one having divine authority, for the remission of sins through Christ’s atonement, and they promise the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands and all the gifts of that Spirt enjoyed of old. They explain the true order of the Church organization and make plain the religion of the Redeemer.

The Book of Mormon gives the history of this continent back to a remote period. It describes the customs and doings of the early inhabitants of the land and traces their origin. It gives the places of cities, temples, fortifications and buildings, the ruins of many of which have been discovered since the book was published. It treats of the wars, troubles, divisions of tribes, their religion, rebellion, travels, triumphs and tribulations, and forms a study for the archaeologist and the antiquarian.

“Mormonism,” then, is the pure gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed anew in these latter times. Its advocates are not “Mormons” any more than they are Isaiahs or Ezekiels, Peters or Pauls, for they believe in the Old and the New Testaments as well as in the Book of Mormon. Their proper name is Latter-day Saints, in distinction from that of the former-day saints. They claim to have a mission to proclaim the “everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people,” and brought to earth by the angel predicted by John the Divine in the Apocalypse. They gather in places appointed of God and his elect, called from all quarters of the earth. They “seek first the kingdom of God;” that is, His spiritual kingdom set up on the earth for the last days and for the last time, in the “dispensation of the fulness of times,” in which all things in Christ are to be gathered in one. The elders of the Church go into the world for this purpose, without pay or support other than that which is voluntarily bestowed by their hearers. They travel “without purse or scrip.”[2] They are often despised and rejected. They are men of pure lives devoted to the welfare of humanity. They are constantly libeled and maligned. They bear their cross with patience.[3] Their reward comes from above. They invade no man’s family. They have no inducements to offer to converts except the blessings that come from obedience to the truth, and a witness from God to each soul that accepts the message of salvation. To these may be added the assurance of persecution and obloquy and in many instances mobocracy and violence.[4]

The “Mormons” or Latter-day Saints are baptized by one spirit into one body. They are striving to live together in love, and to observe the golden rule. They are organized into a compact ecclesiastical body, and are guided by apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, and all the ministerial authorities had in the primitive Christian Church. These are inspired by divine revelation for the work of the ministry and the perfecting of the saints, and to give counsel and advice to them in all things pertaining to their welfare. But everything in the Church has to be done by common consent. The people prosper under the system. They are advised to own the land on which they live and the homes that shelter them. The home is held sacred by the saints as the beginning of their heaven. They rear their families in the fear of God. The song of praise and the voice of prayer are heard in their habitations. They are becoming a power in the earth because of the virtues and the strength of the religion that is intensely spiritual and also eminently practical.

“Mormonism” is for the body as well as for the spirit. It is a religion for today. By right living now, its votaries are prepared for the future. By laying a firm foundation in their world, they expect to be able to build upon it in the world to come. No one need fear the spread of “Mormonism,” for that means the spread of righteousness and order and peace. It is light in the midst of the darkness of this world. It contains the solution of every religious problem that has vexed and divided Christendom for centuries. It holds for future development the settlement of the conflict between capital and labor. It bears divine authority sent down from heaven in the nineteenth century, and it will not be taken from earth again. It will prepare the way for the coming of the King of kings, whose right it is to reign, and until then its people and their leaders are required to remain “in subjection to the powers that be,” and to live honoring kings, presidents, magistrates and municipalities and to upholding wholesome law wherever they reside.

“Mormonism” will be opposed and fought against, but it will not be overcome. It is of God and not of man. It is vital in every part. It puts down sin and vice and regards lust with abhorrence. It brings its devotees not only to the “unity of the faith,” but to concert of purpose and of action. It leads them to individual communion with Deity, and at the same time to perform their duties to one another on the earth. It promotes industry, thrift, education, progress, the fine arts as well as the common labors of life, and seeks for the acquirement of everything that is useful and beautiful in this world, and the securing of all the highest glories and exaltations in the world to come. “Mormonism” is God’s truth manifested to man, and it will endure and conquer and abide forever.

https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/a8b335cc-080c-4c90-b72a-21d3add7f4ad/0/371

Note: This article was originally published on Truth Will Prevail.

[1] For further information about this concept, see: http://www.truthwillprevail.xyz/2022/04/getting-or-creating-planets.html

[2] This is no longer current practice, the Church having gradually moved away from that method of missionary service during the early part of the last century. Yet most missionaries still bear the expenses of their own missions today.

[3] For further explanation of this phrase, see Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s October 2022 General Conference address here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/41holland?lang=eng

[4] Regarding the persecution most members experience, see Pres. Nelson’s article here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/04/the-future-of-the-church-preparing-the-world-for-the-saviors-second-coming?lang=eng

Dennis B. Horne grew up in south Davis County and he served in the Independence Missouri mission. He attended BYU and Weber State Universities, earning a degree in Communications. After working in television broadcasting for a number of years he became a technical writer for the LDS Church Material Management Department. He became an independent researcher/author because of his love of church history and doctrine. This pursuit led him to write a biography of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, an edited publication of the diaries of Abraham H. Cannon, and biographies of President Lorenzo Snow and Orson F. Whitney. He also wrote about callings to serve in the church, the doctrine of giving healing blessings, and a compilation of the teachings of prophets and apostles about how to determine doctrinal authority. He has twice presented at the BYU Church History Symposium. His articles occasionally appear at Truth Will Prevail, Interpreter, and FAIR.

The post President Joseph F. Smith Explains What “Mormonism” Really Is appeared first on FAIR.

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Thank Goodness for Headwindsby Meagan Kohler

Available from the FAIR BookstoreDo you believe in God? How do you know?

In their new book, Into the Headwinds: Why Belief Has Always Been Hard―and Still Is (Eerdman’s Publishing), Terryl and Nathaniel Givens recount a story about a friend who was sincerely convinced the Second Coming would take place within twenty years. Yet, why was he actively contributing to a retirement fund that would not be accessible until some twenty years after he believed the world, as we know it, would end? The Givenses make a strong case for an unsettling possibility: many of us sincerely profess beliefs we don’t actually hold, and we can’t recognize the hollowness of those beliefs until they cost us something.

Drawing on the work of moral psychologists and economists, the Givenses argue that belief formation is often driven more by utility than accuracy; in other words, we unwittingly adopt beliefs because they satisfy certain needs rather than because they reflect an impartial review of available evidence. Some beliefs carry an immediate cost if we get them wrong, such as beliefs about which plants are safe to eat. Perhaps by design, there’s no such immediate urgency for some of the most important questions. In the authors’ words, “Delusional practical beliefs are expensive. But if you’re fundamentally mistaken in your belief about seeming abstractions like the nature of God or the reality of heaven or hell, no immediate real-world repercussions will reshape those beliefs.”

This makes it easy to accumulate a lot of merely instrumental beliefs about the nature of ultimate reality. We form these beliefs not to harmonize our subjective understanding with objective reality nor to develop the characteristics that prepare us to live in accordance with ultimate truth. Instead, we adopt these beliefs because they help us win arguments, connect us to a particular community, construct a flattering self-narrative, or ingratiate us with those we admire, to cite just a few examples. A sincere conviction that our beliefs are a function of the evidence rather than a function of our social and emotional needs is, perhaps, a necessary self-deception that our moral reasoning is especially well-adapted to provide.

Thus, the larger problem is not only that our beliefs serve certain ends rather than the evidence; it’s that we don’t know it and cannot correct it. The Givenses cite an example related by prominent Christian writer and pastor Timothy Keller, who was diagnosed in 2020 with terminal cancer:

Writing for the Atlantic, he described how even though he had preached about faith and death and just completed a book about the subject called On Death, he was “still caught unprepared.” “I found myself thinking, What? No! I can’t die,” he wrote … Hearing himself say these words, he realized the following: “This delusion had been the actual operating principle of my heart.”

Keller found himself unable to accept his own mortality because convictions about the afterlife had been more philosophical abstractions than concrete reality. Despite being a kind of expert on death and dying, his actual belief had been in a false sense of his own immortality.

According to the Givenses, the way to know what we really believe is to evaluate the costs we are willing to pay, as revealed by our choices, for those beliefs. “Asking a person to tithe … is the kind of choice that cuts through superficial professions to discover the beating heart behind belief” because “only through a lifetime of making searing choices among variously priced alternatives can we differentiate—even to ourselves—fictitious beliefs from real beliefs, values we think we embrace from values that are the real engine behind our actions and life commitments.” For belief to be something more than a product of our upbringing, our culture, or some other social or emotional necessity, it has to cost us something within those spheres.

The Givenses, therefore, assert that secularism is not the cause of waning Christian belief and values; rather, it is revealing to us the real-life costs we’re willing to pay for them. Because Christianity has been the default worldview in the west for some time, those beliefs and values carried relatively less risk—they were, in a sense, cheap. Secularism and other cultural shifts mean that our cultural momentum no longer favors Christian belief and the “high costs of belief select for true believers.”

Herein lies one of Into the Headwinds’ most valuable contributions: it draws our focus away from threats to Christian belief and towards the opportunities of swimming against the cultural current.

To be sure, seeing Christianity primarily as a worldview in active competition with those of various -isms leads believers to see their task as knowing the right answers. This creates apologists but not necessarily disciples. Christianity, however, is not merely a set of correct propositions because life is not merely a set of philosophical problems to be worked out. It’s a place to be refined and formed for eternity. That’s no small task, so perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that answers formed from a few moments’ reflection after a Sunday School lesson feel flimsy when the winds of persecution and personal tragedy reach hurricane force.

All believers will eventually find themselves holding convictions that have become costly to maintain in the face of cultural and personal headwinds, but there’s good news: this is when the real work of discipleship can begin. Especially in such testing times, in order to maintain those convictions, they have to be internalized, and that’s where we will find ourselves sincerely reaching for Heaven. This is where faith stops being a set of mental abstractions and becomes a living process that draws out our sincerity, humility, commitment, and courage. When belief requires behavior, God-like characteristics are formed.

The hopeful message of Into the Headwinds is that when belief becomes hard, it also becomes meaningful.

(Thanks to Public Square Magazine for allowing us to cross-post this article.)

Meagan Kohler is a Latter-day Saint wife, boy mom, writer, and occasional philosopher. She also writes on Substack at Mirabile Dictu.

The post Book Review: Into the Headwinds: Why Belief Has Always Been Hard―and Still Is appeared first on FAIR.

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Amos and Prophets*by Daniel Ortner*

Amos is considered one of the “minor” prophets. But Amos 3:7 is a verse that is one of the more frequently cited in General Conference. According to the BYU Scripture Citation Index, it has been cited around 109 times. That’s more than any single psalm in the book of Psalms (not more than the whole book of Psalms). More than whole books of the Old Testament such as Judges, Ruth, and Esther. More than a lot of well known verses in the New Testament or Book of Mormon. And even about as frequently as 1 Nephi 3:7. It is a pretty big deal. Ultimately the popularity of this verse says a lot about our devotion to following the Lord’s prophet and apostles.

The context of Amos can enrich our appreciation for the Lord’s guarantee that “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7). In the first verse of the book, we read that his prophecy was received “two years before the earthquake.” (Amos 1:1). Scholars believe that this quake took place in around 750 B.C. and measured around an 8.2 on the richter scale, which is more intense than the great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.

Amos’s words are filled with warnings of this massive destruction that the Lord would bring to Israel and to the neighboring nations, including allusions to quaking and shaking that seem eerily prophetic (Amos 9:1). Through his servant, God offers a desperate plea for repentance. But unfortunately we know that the people did not repent and that by the time these words were compiled into a book the warnings of Amos were fulfilled. God of course does not reveal every single tragedy or disaster to his prophets with this degree of specificity. Natural disasters, war, and disease occur without warning. And it isn’t clear whether Amos knew exactly what would happen and when it would occur. But if we listen to the words of our prophet and apostles, we will be prepared for the disasters that come our way and we will be able to stand firm.

Those principles apply with full force in our day. I absolutely adored a recent devotional at BYU-Hawaii by Sister Sheri Dew entitled “Prophets Can See Around Corners.” Her talk was a powerful declaration of how God speaks to his Prophets and Apostles to help warn us of danger.

Sister Dew pointed to countless examples of where prophetic inspiration was ultimately prophetic such as the effort to bring smartphones to missionaries which was executed just in time for the COVID-19 Pandemic or her decision to follow President Hinckley’s advice to get out of debt shortly before the 2008 financial crisis. The point isn’t that President Nelson or President Hinckley knew precisely about the COVID-19 pandemic or about the 2008 financial crisis anymore than that Amos necessarily knew the exact date and time of the earthquake that was coming. But God spoke through his servant and revealed what was around the corner. Those who followed their advice were blessed with protection and preparation. Those who didn’t were left unprepared and suffered the negative consequences.

As Sister Dew explained: “Prophets see things we cannot see because the Lord does ‘nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.’ This is why prophets make us smarter than any other leaders or influencers on earth. Prophets help us see dangers we cannot yet see and opportunities we can’t even imagine.”

Many of us have friends or family members who have expressed their concern that as Latter-day Saints we put too much trust in the prophet and apostles and that we are going to be led astray. But as Sister Dew explained, it is ultimately not President Nelson at the head of the Church but Jesus Christ who speaks through his servants the prophets and apostles:

Brothers and sisters, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, acting unitedly, will never send the Church in the wrong direction. And here is why: Because even THE prophet is not the head of this Church. Jesus Christ is, and He is perfect. Prophets take their instructions from Him who knows all, sees all, and understands all things. . . .

In this Church, we are never dependent solely upon mortal men, as inspired as they may be. When we follow the prophet, we are actually following and placing our trust in Jesus Christ. For He has promised that His words will all be fulfilled, ‘whether by [His] own voice or by the voice of [His] servants, it is the same.’

It is vital that each of us have an abiding testimony that we are being led by a living prophet and apostles. Our spiritual safety desperately depends on it.

Sister dew discussed several powerful principles that can help us gain confidence in the teachings of the prophets:

First, we can trust that prophets do not have their own personal agenda. Instead, “[t]heir agenda is the Lord’s. And yet, too often we listen to them last.”

Second, we can trust that prophets will teach divine truth even when it is unpopular:

Apostles are under divine mandate to teach truth, even when truth is unpopular. They are pressured to change the Lord’s doctrine to make it more palatable, but the doctrine doesn’t belong to them and is not theirs to change. They’re accused of being out of touch, but I know of no group who is more in touch with the realities and complexities of life.

I promise you that no leaders on earth are more honest with you than prophets are. And no leaders care more about you and your future.

Third, we can pay close attention to the powerful spirit that testifies to us when a prophet speaks:

The Holy Ghost is eager to bear witness of prophets, seers, and revelators and the priesthood keys they hold. It is the presence of the keys we feel so profoundly when a prophet enters the room. But you don’t have to be in the presence of a prophet to gain a spiritual witness of his divine mantle.

If you want to know if fifteen prophets walk the earth today, pray to know. Ask humbly and sincerely, and the Holy Ghost will bear witness to you. I promise you that.

Prophets, seers, and revelators are, very simply, one of God’s greatest gifts to His children.

Fourth, we can try to implement the principles that the Prophet teaches us. We can take it seriously and experience the positive dividends of following his counsel.

Fifth, we need not be surprised if prophets and apostles are unpopular or rejected: “When prophets refuse to embrace the disintegration of morals championed by a rabidly secular society, that does not mean prophets are wrong. Sustaining prophets in today’s world takes faith—but not faith in them, faith in Jesus Christ, who called them.”

We likewise must not “be deceived by activists who believe their passion for a cause gives them permission to censure prophets. Don’t turn your back on those who have all priesthood keys and who can help you see around corners.”

Finally, we must let prophetic teachings be our spiritual anchor. If we do so the promises are powerful and profound:

Your greatest spiritual safety will come by following the prophet. My dear friends, there may be times when you find yourself wrestling with teachings from prophets. But this isn’t rocket science. I can promise you two things: First, you will question your testimony all your life if you do two things: break your covenants and turn your back on prophets. But the reverse is also true: You will enjoy a growing testimony all of your life if you keep your covenants and follow the prophet. That is a promise.

I personally have a strong testimony that we are led by a living Prophet and that God reveals to President Nelson and other Apostles everything that is needed for our spiritual peace and safety in these latter-days. Nothing is being withheld that is needful for us to be able to stay faithful on the covenant path. I have tragically seen too many people I care about wander off that path by first beginning to question and turn their back on prophets and then eventually beginning to break their covenants. I hope that Amos’s prophetic promise and Sheri Dew’s inspired words will help us recommit to following the Lord’s anointed as they help to illuminate the way back to the Savior.

More Come, Follow Me resources here.

Daniel Ortner is a public interest lawyer who focuses on the First Amendment. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an undergraduate from a Jewish background.

The post Come, Follow Me Week 47 – Amos; Obadiah appeared first on FAIR.

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Why is Obedience Greater than Sacrifice? Meditations on Hosea 6:6 by Benjamin Pacini My children know that the rule on Sunday is that they can only watch “church videos.” They’ve gotten to know them so well that when I began playing one of my favorites, it was two seconds in before my son shouted from […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 44 – Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel (additional post) appeared first on FAIR.

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His Love for Us Is Constant by Anna Buis Despite our best efforts, we will inevitably fall short because we are human. This human experience teaches us that we need the Savior and His atoning sacrifice. His invitation to us is always to return to Him; His love for us is constant. Hosea 14:4 says, […]

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Keep the Commandments of God Regardless of the Consequences by Maddie Barzee “Keep on the covenant path” was President Russell M. Nelson’s first message to the Church after he was sustained as the prophet, and it has been his continued anthem ever since.1 In the short term, it may feel difficult to fully obey the […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 43 – Daniel 1–6 appeared first on FAIR.

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(submitted by Dennis B. Horne) Joseph F. Smith letter to Edith E. Smith, undated (but written later than 1901): My darling daughter Edith, You asked me if I had ever received a Revelation since I have been the President of the Church. For me to answer you specifically and in detail would require much time […]

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by Dennis B. Horne In late 1973, only two months before he passed away, President Harold B. Lee visited Rick’s College (now BYU-Idaho), where he attended a luncheon and then gave the college devotional address. As President of Rick’s at that time, Henry B. Eyring was present with President Lee and described the events in […]

The post President Harold B. Lee Testifies about Revelation in Book of Mormon Translation appeared first on FAIR.

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Are There Some Things That Can’t Be Cured? by Jennifer Roach, LMHC Jeremiah, true to his nickname of “The Weeping Prophet,” wants to talk to us about some hard things this week. And it’s a little uncomfortable. In my day-job as a mental health therapist I sit with people in pain every week. They’re tired […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 41 – Jeremiah 30–33; 36; Lamentations 1; 3 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Christopher D. Cunningham The motivational speaker Wayne Dwyer popularized a story about two babies in a mother’s womb. While chatting, one asked the other if they believed in life after birth. The second one said they did, and they were likely preparing for something greater later on. But the first didn’t agree, it seemed […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 40 – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 appeared first on FAIR.

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Isaiah and Approaching God on the Day of Atonement By Kerry Muhlestein This week is the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. It takes place from sundown on Tuesday, October 4th, until sundown on Wednesday, October 5th. It is the holiest celebration in all the festivals the Lord commanded Israel to observe. […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 39 – Isaiah 58-66 appeared first on FAIR.

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General Conference is now just 2 days away! It will be held October 1-2, and will have morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with an evening session for everyone on Saturday. More information is available here. In preparation, we are doing a daily countdown with posts from different people explaining how they […]

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Seven years ago, a FAIR conference presentation identified a harmful ideology among some members of the Church of Jesus Christ. It claims that God gives revelations, visits, and special priesthood ordinations to individuals outside of church leadership, and that faithful church members should follow and obey those individuals, and believe the truth of their purported […]

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General Conference is coming up in 4 days! It will be held October 1-2, and will have morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with an evening session for everyone on Saturday. More information is available here. In preparation, we are doing a daily countdown with posts from different people explaining how they […]

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Poetic Parallelism and seeing some missed meanings in Isaiah By Kerry Muhlestein For this week’s readings, there are two reasons we should understand Isaiah’s use of parallelism, especially its most complex form: the chiasmus. Therefore, in this week’s essay I will share an excerpt about parallelism from my commentary Learning to Love Isaiah, then highlight […]

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General Conference is coming up in 5 days! It will be held October 1-2, and will have morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday, along with an evening session for everyone on Saturday. More information is available here. In preparation, we are doing a daily countdown with posts from different people explaining how they […]

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Isaiah’s ability to speak to many time periods at once By Kerry Muhlestein I have found that one of the great keys to understanding Isaiah is to see how his writings apply to more than one time period. By that I mean that the same verse or set of verses are intended to be fulfilled […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 37 – Isaiah 13–14; 24–30; 35 appeared first on FAIR.

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A time to study Isaiah by Kerry Muhlestein It seems to me that this year, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have fervently embraced the Come Follow Me program, we have come to learn from and love the Old Testament more than ever before. I have high hopes we will […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 36 – Isaiah 1–12 appeared first on FAIR.

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The Hymns of the Temple Part 2 by Matthew L. Bowen Praise is a dominant word in the latter third of the Psalter. The imperative plural Hebrew verbal expression hallelujah (halĕlû-yāh), “praise ye the Lord,” marks the beginning and ending of many of these temple hymns. In ancient Judah, ascending into the temple to praise […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 34 – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Carl Trueman If there is one question that seems to drive so much of modern life it is that of happiness. What is it? How does one attain it? And perhaps more deeply, how does one know when one has attained it? And it is therefore perhaps fitting that the Psalter, the great hymn […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 32 – Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC 08/09/2022 Update: Late last night the AP released video of Bishop Herrod, in his own voice, saying that the helpline told him he was not allowed to call, his hands were tied. He then goes on to say that he passed this information along to the next bishop. This is […]

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Lessons Learned from the Book of Job by Louis Herrey ”No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted… All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 31 – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 appeared first on FAIR.

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by K.T. Martin The Book of Esther is one of the most politically intriguing books found within the Old Testament. The story includes a king who banishes his wife and marries a new woman who is secretly a Jew. The king has an advisor who has a hatred for the Jewish people and wants them […]

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by Shauna Horne [Courtesy of Wilford Woodruff Papers] Wilford Woodruff said, “Brethren and sisters, let us read the revelations of God for ourselves, and when we read them, let us believe them, and try to live in such a way that we may be ready for whatever dispensation the Lord may have in store for […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 28 – 2 Kings 17-25 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Matt Crawford The widow of Zarephath is one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. Perhaps the greatest reason that this story resonates with me is because the widow is an outsider. She is not a member of the house of Israel—a fact the Savior confirms (see Luke 4:24–30)—and she meets Elijah at […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 27 – 1 Kings 17–19 appeared first on FAIR.

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2 Samuel 11: A Presbyterian Reflection by Carl Trueman The events described in 2 Samuel 11 are pivotal to the reign of David. His adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, will have consequences far beyond the royal household and the rest of his reign will be marked by political turmoil driven […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 26 – 2 Samuel 5-7; 11-12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11 appeared first on FAIR.

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The Asked King and the Beloved King-to-be: Saul, David, and Ancient Israel’s Rejection of the Lord’s Kingship by Matthew L. Bowen The names of ancient Israel’s first two major[1] royal figures, Saul and David, have clear, distinctive meanings. Saul (šāʾûl) means ‘asked’ and David (dāwid or dāwîd) means ‘beloved.’ The Deuteronomistic editor and narrator[2] of […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 25 – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18 appeared first on FAIR.

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by BJ Spurlock When reading the scriptures, especially as one reads through the Old Testament, it is always helpful to ask the following questions: Where is Jesus Christ in the text? Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that Jesus Christ taught? Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that living Prophets […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 24 – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3 appeared first on FAIR.

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Seek the Lord Jesus Christ By Elder Kim B. Clark (An address given at the 2020 FAIR Conference) I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today. I am not only grateful to be with you, but I am grateful for all of you who seek to help people strengthen, or recover, or […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 appeared first on FAIR.

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Trying to Serve the Lord Without Offending the Devil By Nick Galieti (Originally published on February 11, 2015 as part of our “Rise Up” podcast for youth) When it comes to living our lives, we have a lot of choices placed before us. We have our choice of schools to attend after high school, or even […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 appeared first on FAIR.

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“Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord” by Dr. Jan J. Martin Deuteronomy. It is the last book of the Jewish “Torah.” The word Deuteronomy itself may be enough to intimidate all but the most determined and dedicated students of the scriptures. In Hebrew, “eleh ha-devarim,” means “these are the words.”[1] In ancient Greek, “Deuteronómion” means […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Deuteronomy 6-8; 15; 18; 29-30; 34 appeared first on FAIR.

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Rejecting the Living Prophets by Following Future Prophets by J. Max Wilson (Adapted from his post at Sixteen Small Stones) One of the key doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we have living prophets and apostles today who are authorized by God to receive revelations for the Church and […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 20 – Numbers 11-14; 20-24 appeared first on FAIR.

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“Have You Been Saved By Grace?” How Do We Respond? by Brad Wilcox (This is from a presentation given at the 2018 FAIR Conference) Grace, like many English words has multiple meanings. It can mean elegance and beauty. It can mean kindness and courtesy. It can be a title, ‘Your Grace.’ It can be a salutation, […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 19 – Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 16; 19 appeared first on FAIR.

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Exodus, The Law of Moses, Covenants, and the Temple by Ben Spackman (This originally appeared on Ben Spackman’s blog) Now that we’re getting into the desert Exodus narrative, we’re going to encounter what scholars call “legal sections” of scripture, that is, the details of the Law of Moses. I’m not interested in these so much […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 18 – Exodus 24; 31-34 appeared first on FAIR.

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Becoming Free by Amber Rothamer I’ve always treasured the account of Israel’s miraculous exodus out of bondage in Egypt and the recorded events and miracles that followed. It is a portion of ancient history that has always fascinated and humbled me. There are numerous parallels between this account and that of the one found in […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 17 – Exodus 18-20 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Scott Gordon This week, with Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Currently, 63% of Americans identify as Christian. This is down from 75% just 10 years ago. Those who are religiously unaffiliated, sometimes referred to as “nones,” has risen to almost 30% of the US population. This is […]

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“Even as Moses Did”: The Use of the Exodus Narrative in Mosiah 11-18 by Sara Riley (This is from a presentation given at the 2018 FAIR Conference) In this presentation I hope to answer the following questions: How is the Exodus narrative used in Mosiah, both structurally and thematically? And by that I mean, how […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 15 – Exodus 14–17 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Robert Hill Every six months, dating back to 1840, Latter-day Saints gather as a worldwide congregation to worship, sing and learn at the feet of leaders we consider living prophets. It’s a wonderful time full of the Spirit of God. But recently, I can’t help feeling I miss the way General Conference used to be. […]

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Recognizing and Remembering God’s Hand in Our Lives By K.T. Martin This week as we study Exodus 7-13, we get to read through an exciting part of the Old Testament where God shows forth his power to liberate and protect His people. A number of important gospel truths can be pulled from those pages that […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 14 – Exodus 7-13 appeared first on FAIR.

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The world is full of delightful people pursuing delightful accomplishments, and the gospel promotes love, hope, and unity. How blessed the day when we’ll be able to think only of lovely and praiseworthy things! Unfortunately, scripture’s plain warnings about sin and wickedness are still relevant, and we can’t just ignore them no matter how hard […]

The post The Motte, the Bailey, and the Gospel of Instagram appeared first on FAIR.

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A Burning Bush and a Pillar of Light: God Remembers His Children by Ugo A. Perego Many years ago, when I was a young student at Brigham Young University, I had the unique opportunity to register for and attend the Summer Semester at the BYU Jerusalem Center. To this day, it has been one of […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 13 – Exodus 1-6 appeared first on FAIR.

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“The Lord Was with Joseph”: A Scriptural Case Study in Why the Lord Allows Bad Things to Happen to Good People by Matthew L. Bowen Bad things happen to good people, of course. What’s more, sometimes terrible things happen to the best people even when they are striving with the utmost diligence to do what […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 11 – Genesis 37–41 appeared first on FAIR.

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Becoming Israel: Learning How to Prevail with God Through Covenants By Steve Densley The stories we find in Genesis 28-33 are rich with covenant imagery, from Isaac’s blessing that Jacob would receive the promises of the Abrahamic covenant in the first verses of chapter 28, to Jacob’s building of an altar in the last verse […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 10 – Genesis 28–33 appeared first on FAIR.

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Worldview Apologetics: Revealing the Waters in Which We Swim by Jeffrey Thayne (This is from a presentation given at the 2021 FAIR Conference) Introduction Let’s imagine two roommates, James and Greg, who both attend BYU. They live under the same roof, they are both practicing Latter-day Saints, and they both claim to believe in the […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 9 – Genesis 24–27 appeared first on FAIR.

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Polygamy as an Abrahamic Sacrifice by V.H. Cassler (From a presentation originally titled “A Reconciliation of Polygamy,” given at the 2011 FAIR Conference; edited here for clarity and length) Today we are going to talk about polygamy but probably in a different way than you have heard about it before. That is, we are going […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 8 – Genesis 18–23 appeared first on FAIR.

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The Abrahamic Covenant, Its Influence on Scriptures, and What that Has to Do with Us by Kerry Muhlestein, author of God Will Prevail: Ancient Covenants, Modern Blessings, and the Gathering of Israel The Abrahamic covenant is a central theme of the Old Testament, and really of all scripture. Every prophetic writer, whether in the Old […]

The post Come, Follow Me Thoughts to Keep in Mind – The Covenant appeared first on FAIR.

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This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. John Gee, Lessons on Doing Apologetics John Gee’s books are for sale in the FAIR bookstore. John Gee is […]

The post FAIR Conference Podcast #75 – John Gee, “Lessons on Doing Apologetics” appeared first on FAIR.

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Taught in All the Ways of God: Teaching as the Theme of Moses 6 by Matthew L. Bowen Moses 5 records that an angel taught Adam and Eve the meaning of the sacrifices God had commanded them to make upon their departure from Eden (see Moses 5:5-12). Adam and Eve, in turn, taught their sons […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 4 – Genesis 5; Moses 6 appeared first on FAIR.

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The Two Trees by V.H. Cassler (This is from a presentation given at the 2010 FAIR Conference) The Restored Gospel teaches me that the term “God” means an exalted woman and an exalted man married in the new and everlasting covenant (and we also get that from D&C 132). We are taught that there is […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 3 – Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5 appeared first on FAIR.

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This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Ben Spackman, Through a Glass, Less Darkly: The 20th Century History of Genesis and Evolution Ben Spackman is a […]

The post FAIR Conference Podcast #73 – Ben Spackman, “Through a Glass, Less Darkly: The 20th Century History of Genesis and Evolution” appeared first on FAIR.

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This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch all the presentations from the conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Dan Peterson, The Book of Mormon Witnesses: Sincerity and Reality The Witnesses film and books by Dan Peterson are […]

The post FAIR Conference Podcast #72 – Dan Peterson, “The Book of Mormon Witnesses: Sincerity and Reality” appeared first on FAIR.

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This biography of Dallin H. Oaks was written by Richard E. Turley, Jr., who has been associated with Oaks throughout most of his (Turley’s) professional life. Turley has served as the Director of the Church History Department (originally selected to work for the department by Oaks), Assistant Church Historian, and Director of Public Affairs. He […]

The post Book Review: “In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks” appeared first on FAIR.

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Heirs of the Celestial Kingdom of God by David W. Smith Many people today misunderstand the nature and blessings of God’s love. “God loves me just as I am, so I don’t need to change,” they might say, or “Because God loves me, He will accept me as I am into heaven.” To use a […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 49 – Doctrine and Covenants 137-138 appeared first on FAIR.

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By René Krywult This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson starts with the following words: The afternoon of June 27, 1844, found Joseph and Hyrum Smith in jail once again, accompanied by John Taylor and Willard Richards. They believed they were innocent of any crime, but they submitted to arrest, hoping to prevent violence against the Saints […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 48 – Doctrine and Covenants 135-136 appeared first on FAIR.

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Religious Freedom for All by Louis Herrey As I read Doctrine and Covenants 134 today I was reminded of a Swedish debate article I encountered back in 2012. It was written by Björn Ulvaeus, band member of the pop group Abba. On a personal note, I have greatly admired Ulvaeus’ talents throughout the years, especially […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 47 – Doctrine and Covenants 133-134 appeared first on FAIR.

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This podcast series features past FAIR Conference presentations. This presentation is from our 2021 conference held in August. If you would like to watch the presentations from our 2021 conference, you can still purchase the video streaming. Jeffrey Thayne, Worldview Apologetics: Revealing the Waters in Which We Swim A transcript is available here. Jeffrey’s book, […]

The post FAIR Conference Podcast #64 – Jeffrey Thayne, “Worldview Apologetics: Revealing the Waters in Which We Swim” appeared first on FAIR.

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By Cassandra Hedelius In 1840, John C. Bennett was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. His wife and children didn’t come with him to Nauvoo, and it’s not clear what his original motive was for posing as a bachelor instead of being truthful about his family status. His eventual motive was extremely […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 44 – Doctrine and Covenants 124 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Cassandra Hedelius I very much love “The Chosen,” the dramatization of the ministry of Jesus and his disciples that just finished its second season. It’s a beautiful portrayal of Jesus’ love, authority, humanity, and divinity. Recent events made a particular scene come to mind with even greater power and relevance. As Jesus and his […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 38 – Doctrine and Covenants 102–105 appeared first on FAIR.

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By René Krywult In September 1832 Joseph Smith received D&C 84, which talks about the oath and covenant of the Priesthood, about receiving the Son and the Father, and about the necessity of the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood in order to see God and live. Also, a command to build a temple was issued. […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 33 – Doctrine and Covenants 88 appeared first on FAIR.

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Priesthood Power by Wendy Ulrich Doctrine and Covenants Section 84 is designated by Joseph Smith as a revelation on priesthood. Although several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants discuss priesthood administration, offices, organization, and ordinances, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes priesthood, in its fullest sense, is the very power of God, […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 31 – Doctrine and Covenants 84 appeared first on FAIR.

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by Cassandra Hedelius By Joseph Smith’s time, much of Christendom was floundering with a badly truncated understanding of God’s judgment and humanity’s destination in the next life. Many believed, as many still do today, that all people will eternally fall on one side or the other of a single line: those who did good and […]

The post Come, Follow Me Week 28 – Doctrine and Covenants 76 appeared first on FAIR.

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The post Why Is Hugh Nibley More Important Now Than Ever? appeared first on FAIR.

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