Lynne Perry Christofferson – Meridian Magazine: Recent Episodes

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://christoffersonmusic.com/

It never fails. Each time an activity or fireside is announced in my Relief Society class, I can count on a familiar voice from the back of the room to ask loudly, “Will there be refreshments?” This elicits smiles and chuckles every time. My 34-year-old friend Summer has some special needs, and while she is very high functioning in many ways, she has retained the delightful straightforwardness of a child. Some of the other sisters in Relief Society—myself included—probably want to ask the same question but don’t dare. We’re all grateful to Summer for asking it for us because, really, who doesn’t want refreshments?

I have found myself thinking of Summer’s question in terms of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we’re trying to keep God’s commandments, trying to be temple worthy, and trying to do all that we’re asked by modern prophets, it may seem that the Lord requires a great deal from the members of His church. We might ask the same question Summer did. With all our striving and effort, will there be refreshments? A sweet reward for our efforts? The answer is a definite “yes.”

While I’m all for refreshments in the form of food and drink, engaging in God’s work through obedience, faith, and service brings another type of refreshment entirely. Our efforts to build the kingdom of God on earth can be reviving, strengthening, and invigorating to our spirits, giving us fresh mental energy. There is also great comfort and peace available for those who strive to follow Christ. This is far sweeter than consuming cookies and punch at the end of a meeting.

Sweet is the Work

Elder Steven D. Shumway recently spoke of the blessings of participating in the church: “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… When we consecrate our meager but best effort, God magnifies it. When we sacrifice for Jesus Christ, He sanctifies us. This is the transformative power of God’s grace. As we serve, we grow in grace… When we serve to magnify Christ and not ourselves, our service becomes joyful. When others leave our class, meeting, ministering visit, or activity remembering Christ more than they remember us, the work is energizing.” (1) That sounds like true refreshment.

Forty years ago, I served in the Washington D.C. mission. Though I tried to work hard and be obedient, I often felt that my reserved, introverted personality kept me from being an effective missionary. Fast forward nearly a decade: I was married, with several children, when I received an unexpected visit from a sister I had taught on my mission. What a pleasure it was to hear from her. A year or so after her baptism, she served a full-time mission herself. Though her life was not without struggles, her love of the Savior was apparent as we conversed. I hugged her goodbye when it was time for her to leave, then stepped back into my house and sat on the fireplace hearth for several minutes, replaying our conversation in my mind. I can still feel the warmth and sweetness of the Spirit that flowed over me as I experienced a “missionary payday,” grateful that the Lord had used me, in spite of my weakness, to bring the restored gospel to this wonderful young woman.

How Sweet Are Thy Words

I recall hearing Sister Susan W. Tanner share the following, many years ago: “To study holy books is regarded by Orthodox Jews as a sweet blessing and a great privilege. In fact, in some Jewish traditions, when the child was to start his education in the Torah, a taste of honey was given to the student so that he would associate the study of the holy books with sweetness. This was intended to reinforce what it says in Psalms: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).(2)

I can relate to that sentiment. While I was a freshman at BYU, I began to feel the pull to serve as a full-time missionary. For my second semester I signed up for a Mission Prep class, a New Testament class, and a Teachings of the Living Prophets class, as well as a few general ed courses. This meant that much of my reading and study for school was straight out of the scriptures and the writings of modern prophets. Though I’d always enjoyed seminary, I had never done much more than the required reading. Now, for the first time in my life, I was absolutely immersed in the word of God.

About a month into the semester, after studying, pondering, and praying about the scriptures for hours each day, I was feeling something stirring inside of me. I already had a testimony of the gospel–a nice healthy bush–but I felt like the boy Jack, who planted a few tiny beans and was rewarded with a beanstalk of surprising proportions.

One memorable afternoon, all alone in my apartment after studying and praying, it was just like Alma promised, that if we plant the word of God in our hearts “…it will begin to swell within [you]…and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves…it beginneth to be delicious to me… And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience… by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof… which is sweet above all that is sweet…” (Alma 32:28, 42, emphasis added.) The reward for my consistent efforts to study and ponder the word of God was sweet indeed.

Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings

The blessings of the Savior’s infinite Atonement allow true followers of Christ to find sweet peace even during their hardest journeys and their deepest pains.

One Sunday many years ago, our family sat around the dinner table enjoying a meal. I asked, “What did you learn at church today?” Various answers were given by our children, then my husband—a member of the stake presidency at that time—spoke quietly, and with great emotion. He had participated in a membership council earlier that day, the culmination of years of repentance and change after serious sin and excommunication. Brad gave no details, except to say what a joy it was to witness the peace and relief of someone who had humbly done everything required in the repentance process, and who finally had full membership blessings restored. My husband testified with tears in his eyes, “I saw the Atonement of Jesus Christ in action today.” What could be sweeter?

On Easter Sunday last month, my niece posted a beautiful witness of the Savior. Nikki’s testimony was tested and strengthened in recent years when her long awaited baby girl died after complications during childbirth. I share these words with Nikki’s permission:

“I remember thinking how will I ever survive this? How will I go on? There is no earthly reason that I should have survived. I was very seriously ready to follow Quinn out of this world. My hope in Jesus Christ pulled me through and lifted me. I trust Him that through Him, we will see and be with Quinn, and others who have passed on, again. I trust Him, I only have hope in Him. I can smile again because of Him. Life is beautiful because of Him. He lives to wipe away my tears. He lives to calm my troubled heart. He lives and grants me daily breath. He lives, my Savior, still the same. He lives! All glory to His name.”

That Nikki can testify so powerfully, so hopefully, of Jesus Christ after experiencing debilitating grief and many unanswered questions, is an especially strong witness to me. “I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives.”

‘Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love

The Atonement of Jesus Christ brings a profound joy that is described in the scriptures as “sweet,” especially when we return to God through repentance. Elder Craig C. Christensen shared the following: “Consider the experience of Alma in the Book of Mormon. He was “racked with eternal torment,” and his soul was “harrowed up” because of his sins. But once he turned to the Savior for mercy, he “could remember [his] pains no more… And oh, what joy,” he declared, “and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, … there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” (3)

Elder David A. Bednar taught,

For most of us, rebaptism isn’t necessary. Each Sunday, at the sacrament table, we are offered the ultimate refreshment: The Bread of Life and The Living Water that is Jesus Christ.

’Tis sweet to sing the matchless love
Of Him who left his home above
And came to earth—oh, wondrous plan— To suffer, bleed, and die for man!

Oh, blessed hour! communion sweet! When children, friends, and teachers meet And, in remembrance of his grace,
Unite in sweetest songs of praise. (5)

According to the Lord, there can even be refreshment in death: “…those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them.” (D&C 42:46) If ever we feel weighed down in the work of serving, of repenting, of forgiving, of enduring, perhaps the following hymn text can be a reminder to us of where true refreshment is to be found:

Why should this anxious load
press down your weary mind?
Haste to your Heavenly Father’s throne and sweet refreshment find. (6)

Notes:

1. Elder Steven D. Shumway, “Participate to Prepare for Christ’s Return,” April 2025 generalconference.
2. Sister Susan W. Tanner, “Scriptures—More Precious Than Gold and Sweeter Than Honey,” BYUdevotional, Sept. 11, 2005.
3. Elder David A. Bednar, “Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” April 2016 general conference.
4. George Manwaring, ‘Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love,” Hymns, The Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints, 177.
5. Philip Doddridge, “How Gentle God’s Commands,” Hymns, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 125.

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My first true taste of Easter didn’t happen in the spring as you would expect. No, it occurred in December, decades ago, the day after my mother gave birth to her fifth child two months early. In the front room of our family’s rented bungalow, my young father gathered me and my three brothers around him and quietly told us the story of a baby boy–our little brother–who was born too early and lived for only nine hours.

As a five-year-old, my understanding of the situation was limited but two things stand out clearly in my memory: first, I sensed an unusual tenderness in my father as he spoke to us. Second, as he talked of the plan of salvation and eternal families–promising that our baby Richard was in Heaven and we would someday see him again–I felt the truth of his words deeply and believed them. With the help of the Holy Spirit, my father’s testimony created an essential layer of my spiritual foundation.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was experiencing my first true taste of Easter–the real-life application of the comforting doctrine of Jesus Christ’s victory over death. There were no Easter baskets that day, no colorful eggs or candy or pastel dresses. But it didn’t matter. Those popular holiday traditions wouldn’t sustain me in the future when I lost my grandparents or when other loved ones passed away. But the witness of the Holy Ghost confirming the truth of my father’s words would.

Fast forward nearly fifty years, as I stood with my mother and brothers beside Dad’s casket on the day of his funeral. I felt such peace and the absolute assurance that my father lived on and I would see him again. On that long-ago day in an Indiana bungalow, my father was unaware that he was paving the way for a smooth transition when he passed away. How grateful I am for that first real taste of Easter, of the promise of immortality made possible by Jesus Christ.

“Death is conquered; man is free.
Christ has won the victory.” (1)

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-Great-The-Goodness-Of-Our-God-4.mp3O How Great the Goodness of Our God

Music and lyrics by Lynne Perry Christofferson

Vocalists:
Tammy Simister Robinson, Carlie Riding, Caleb Jardine, Lucas Robinson

Free sheet music download at: www.christoffersonmusic.com

Even in our darkest hour
when shame within us burns,
when we are afraid
for mistakes we’ve made,
every sinner has a place to turn.
Though our mortal fight with sin
cannot be won alone,
when the flesh is weak
we can humbly seek
grace from One with power to atone.

(chorus)

O how great the goodness of our God,
the wisdom which conceived
the beauty of His plan.
O how great the goodness of our God,
the mercy which has sent
a Savior unto man.

As we face the painful truth
that death will come to all,
stricken in our grief,
we can seek relief
through the One who overcame the Fall.
Though we ache when those we love
have sighed their final breath,
through our living Lord
victory is assured,
granting all deliverance from death.

(chorus)

O how great the goodness of our God,
the wisdom which conceived
the beauty of His plan.
O how great the goodness of our God,
the mercy which has sent
a Savior unto man.

Overcoming death,
conquering our sin,
O how great our debt to Him!

(chorus)

O how great the goodness of our God,
the wisdom which conceived
the beauty of His plan.
O how great the goodness of our God,
the mercy which has sent
a Savior unto man.
How great the goodness of our God.

Notes:

1. Cecil Frances Alexander, He is Risen! Hymns, p. 199.

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/

When visitors come to the first-grade classroom where my daughter Rebecca teaches, she often allows her students to ask their guests a few questions. Some of the most frequently asked questions are: What’s your favorite animal? What’s your favorite color? What’s your third favorite color? Sometimes, a student will ask, “What’s your favorite superpower?” A recent visit to this classroom made me consider that last question. What superpower do I wish I had?

Wikipedia tells me that superpowers are: “… a set of capabilities and traits exhibited by characters in fiction that are considered beyond the limits of normal beings… In popular culture, [superpowers are] often associated with unusual abilities such as flight, super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, etc.” (1)

As amazing as it would feel to be able to fly, the superpower I most covet is one that can actually be developed by humans in this life, thanks to the Savior. It is the superpower of purity. I came to think of purity as a superpower after a brief but impactful encounter years ago:

After a death in my husband’s family, Brad and I attended his uncle’s viewing to pay our respects. Later, as we walked down the hallway to exit the church, Brad spotted a business acquaintance and struck up a quiet conversation with him. I glanced at the man’s wife who stood a few feet away, and instantly recognized her: Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, the Primary General President at that time.

I had admired this good woman for years, though we had never met. Tamping down my shyness, I introduced myself to Sister Wixom and thanked her for the positive influence she’d had on me through addresses given in General Conference and articles published in Church magazines. She graciously chatted with me for a few minutes. I don’t actually recall a word she said because I was so struck by her glowing countenance and the feeling of purity that radiated from her.

What is Purity?

It is essential to differentiate between purity and perfection. As one who has struggled with toxic perfectionism (see my previous article HERE), I want to be clear about what I’m referring to when I speak of purity as a superpower.

I’m not speaking about perfection. “In the scriptures, perfect means “complete, whole, and fully developed; totally righteous.” (2) None of us will attain perfection in this life, yet as we sincerely, consistently repent, and pursue holiness, we can become pure.

I’m not referring only to sexual purity, though chastity is essential if we desire the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Personal purity also involves turning away from violence, vulgarity, and contention–or any thoughts and behaviors that offend the Spirit.

As stated in the Wiki definition above, superpowers “… are considered beyond the limits of normal beings…” True personal purity allows us to draw on the powers of heaven, and the strength promised to covenant keepers. The power flows from God, who is willing to share it with any of His children who earnestly seek to qualify for that blessing through repentance and patterning their lives after the Savior.

Why Does Purity Matter?

A line from my patriarchal blessing teaches the “why” of purity: “Keep thyself free from the stains of the world, and thereby worthy to receive the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost will be thy constant companion …” Purity of mind and body is key to maintaining spiritual sensitivity. Years ago, I wrote the following on this subject:

“One of the greatest dangers we face in these high-tech latter-days is the threat of becoming desensitized to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. Once this occurs, it is just a matter of time before we begin easing into evil. Speaking to a group of Nephites, the prophet Jacob described some of the women this way: their “feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate… which thing is pleasing unto God” (Jacob 2:7) Though words like tender and delicate might describe something fragile, we must not equate them with weakness. Jacob was referring to pure minds and fine-tuned spirits—the kind that operate on the same frequency as the Holy Ghost—that enabled these Nephite women to discern His promptings. Make no mistake; any woman in possession of these qualities has access to tremendous spiritual power.” (3)

Sounds like a superpower to me.

How Do We Become Pure?

“A person who has committed sin — [which is all of us] — can become pure through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and receiving the ordinances of the gospel.” (4)

President Russell M. Nelson has preached the importance of daily repentance: “The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power. Personal purity can make us powerful tools in the hands of God.” (5)

What a gift! Though we may strive each day to follow the Savior, we still fall short of perfection–but every single day we have the privilege of approaching our Heavenly Father in humility and asking for His forgiveness.

Speaking to a group of university students, Emeritus general authority John H. Groberg taught, “How do we become more pure? We follow the Savior more closely. We trust and obey Him more fully. We start wherever we are and become a little more obedient. This obedience brings a little more purity into our lives, which gives us a little more power to become a little more obedient. The more obedient we are the more pure we become. The more pure we become, the more power from heaven we receive, and on and on …” (6)

There is a temple connection to developing purity as a superpower: Keeping covenants brings purity and power. How could it be otherwise? If we are striving to obey God’s commandments, to sacrifice what He asks of us, to embrace the doctrine of Jesus Christ through faith, repentance, baptism/the Sacrament, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, to keep our minds and bodies chaste, and to consecrate ourselves to God’s work, we are becoming pure.

The Superpower of Purity Blesses Others

The “superpower” of purity not only blesses those who possess it, but also allows them to positively impact the people within their sphere of influence. I experienced this with Sister Wixom, as described earlier, and also during another encounter with a powerfully pure woman:

I once attended an event which was held for past and present general presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary auxiliaries of the Church, as well as the members of their general advisory councils. I was not one of those women, but was participating only as the pianist for a special musical number.

During the luncheon, I was seated by a sister who recognized that I felt a bit out of place in this group of strong, female leaders. She made a sincere effort to include me in the conversation at our table. I learned that she was a member of the Relief Society general advisory council. I was greatly impressed with her kindness, and the purity that glowed in her countenance. I felt the unmistakable warmth of the Spirit during our encounter, which lingered as I drove home that day.

I was not surprised when this good woman, Sister Susan H. Porter, was sustained as the Primary General President. How fitting that someone so pure would be called to watch over the children of the Church. My conversations with both Sister Porter and Sister Wixom had a lasting influence on me, strengthening my desire to grow in purity.

In recent years, the third verse of a familiar hymn has become my daily prayer:

More purity give me,
More strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains,
More longing for home.
More fit for the kingdom,
More used would I be,
More blessed and holy—
More, Savior, like thee. (7)

The Lord has declared, “… I am able to make you holy …” (D&C 60:7) Perfection may be a long way off, but as we access the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the superpower of purity is within reach of us mere mortals. May we wholeheartedly pursue purity, tapping into the divine source of strength and inspiration. “… that we may be purified, even as He is pure.” (Moroni 7:48)

Notes:

1. Wikipedia: Superpower (ability). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpower_(ability)
2. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2014/03/to-the-point/the-scriptures-tell-us-to-be-perfect-how-can-i-do-that?lang=eng
3. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Sisters, Arise!, Covenant Communications, pgs. 52-53.
4. Pure, purity: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/pure-purity?lang=eng#title1
5. President Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better, April 2019 General Conference.
6. John H. Groberg, The Power of Purity, March 15, 2011, BYUHawaii, https://speeches.byuh.edu/devotional/the-power-of-purity
7. Philip Paul Bliss, More Holiness Give Me, Hymns, p. 131, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/.

There were twenty-six of them: thoughtfully chosen New Year’s resolutions, painstakingly typed on pristine white paper, then meticulously proofread. I taped this impressive list inside the cupboard next to my bed, so I could review it daily. By the end of the year, after having kept each resolution perfectly, I would be a spiritual giant, in remarkable physical condition, the sweetest wife, the most patient mother, and the world’s most dependable visiting teacher. And of course, every nook and cranny of my house would be completely de-junked and organized.

Several days later, with tears on my cheeks, I ripped the list from the cupboard door and tore it into shreds. Why? Because I hadn’t met all twenty-six goals every day since I posted them. Despite similar experiences in previous years, I’d managed to convince myself that this year would be different—if I just worded my goals more precisely, if I just studied them faithfully every day, if I just pushed harder, if I just willed myself to be better. Looking back, I’m troubled to recall how much pressure I put on myself, and how demoralizing it was each time I failed to live up to impossible expectations.

Perfection or Perfectionism

Many years later, after gradually recognizing my toxic perfectionism for what it was, I wrote, “If I added up all of the hours from my past which were consumed by fear, guilt, and worry over my lack of perfection, I have no doubt the sum would equal years—years of my life wasted due to a faulty understanding of the Atonement, including the misconception that Heavenly Father demanded perfection of me immediately. On countless occasions I stressed over the fact that my life could end at any time and I would die without having repented of every speck of sin and certainly without having attained a perfect state.” (1)

I appreciate the following insights of religious educator Allen D. Rau: “… it is… vital to shed light on how a perfectionist paradigm distorts the doctrine of perfection. When doctrine is misunderstood, spiritual and emotional problems can follow… Perfectionism corrupts the doctrine of perfection and creates unnecessary burdens in the lives of those who seek perfection through a perfectionist paradigm.

“The problem with perfectionism is not striving for godliness; it is striving for godliness without “relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save” (2 Nephi 31:20). Put simply, perfectionism is not what the Lord was asking for when he commanded us to be perfect.” (2)

Perfectionism takes Jesus out of the equation. My most effective tool in fighting toxic perfectionism, is studying earnestly about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I highly recommend reading “The Infinite Atonement” by Tad R. Callister. (3) Reading Elder Callister’s scripture-centered writings on the Savior’s Atonement had a liberating effect on me. As I increased in understanding of what Jesus Christ has done and what He offers, the more clearly I saw that even my grandest mortal efforts could never save me. What a relief it was to have the burden of my salvation lifted from my feeble shoulders.

Trajectory

I have come to appreciate a simple visual aid I saw in a long-ago Sunday school lesson. First, the instructor drew an arrow horizontally from left to right across the chalkboard. Next, he drew a second arrow that began at the same spot as the first but pointed just a few degrees higher. Though the two lines started at the same point, by the time the second arrow reached the other side of the chalkboard, it was several inches higher than the original line. The instructor emphasized that if those two lines kept going indefinitely, they would continue to grow further and further apart.

“Even a slight adjustment in our spiritual trajectory can lead to profound transformation over time.”

This was a lightbulb moment for me. Two simple lines illustrated how raising our spiritual trajectory by even a small amount can eventually yield significant—even Celestial—results. In my earlier years of perfectionism, I had been aiming my arrow straight up. I wanted immediate perfection, but that’s not how the plan of salvation works. Now, when thoughts of attaining perfection overwhelm me, I focus on the word progression instead.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ altered the trajectory of every woman and man who will ever live on the earth. Even those who choose not to accept Him as their Savior benefit from His victory over death, which gifted all humankind the resurrection from the dead. Through His Atonement, Jesus also offers eternal life to all who are willing to choose a spiritual trajectory that leads back to His holy presence.

Inching Toward God

As Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote: “Paced progress not only is acceptable to the Lord but also is recommended by Him… Just as divine disclosure usually occurs line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, so likewise we will achieve our spiritual progress gradually.” (4)

On a camping trip decades ago, my husband and I took our children hiking. There were towering pines and aspen trees in that beautiful mountain forest, but what captured my attention that day was actually the smallest creature we encountered: a tiny green inchworm, no longer than the tip of my finger. I’m not certain how we even spotted the worm as it made its way up a tree branch. We were fascinated by its movements.

True growth happens gradually—one small step at a time.”

Because inchworms have tiny legs at the front and back of their bodies, but not the middle section, they move by extending their front end, then pulling their rear end forward. As they draw their hind legs up, their body forms a loop. (5) It seems like a terribly inefficient way to travel, but the little worm my family observed persisted until its slow, steady “inching” carried it the length of the long branch.

More times than I can count through the years, the image of a pale green inchworm has come to my mind as I’ve battled a tendency toward perfectionism. Picturing the steady progress of that little creature has been a clear reminder that God plays the long game. He values the line upon line approach.

Elder David A. Bednar has taught the importance of small and simple things: “… if you and I are focused and frequent in receiving consistent drops of spiritual nourishment, then gospel roots can sink deep into our soul, can become firmly established and grounded, and can produce extraordinary and delicious fruit.” (6)

This is why the basic “Sunday school answers” such as praying, pondering, and studying the scriptures are so impactful when done thoughtfully and consistently: they sustain a healthy spiritual trajectory.

I’ve written previously about a pattern observed in nature which symbolizes inching toward God: “Each December, we northern-hemisphere-dwellers experience the shortest day of the year, when the sun takes its lowest path across the sky. But the very next day, a quiet phenomenon occurs while most of us aren’t paying attention: gradually, in tiny increments, the days begin to lengthen. By the spring equinox, our sunsets will be noticeably later, and toward the end of June it will seem that the sun is content to hang in the sky indefinitely.

“As mortals dealing daily with the effects of the Fall… we grapple hourly with our weaknesses and suffer the shame that comes with sinning. But no matter how far gone we think we are, change will begin as we reach out to the Savior for help and grace. Because our initial attempts to improve are so incremental, we will likely not even notice a change at first. But one day, awareness will begin to dawn: the light is changing, increasing. This is the beautiful process of perfection. Change and improvement come slowly, but they will come.” (7)

A stifling burden is lifted from our spirits when we abandon toxic perfectionism and embrace the truth that change and improvement will occur as we trust in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and develop a healthy spiritual trajectory by inching toward God.

Notes:

1. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Sisters, Arise! 103, Covenant Communications.
2. Allan D. Rau, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect”: Beyond the Perfectionist Paradigm,” Religious Educator 12, no. 3 (2011): 37-57.
3. Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, Deseret Book Co.
4. Neal A. Maxwell, Men and Women of Christ, p. 23, Deseret Book Co.
5. https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+an+inchworm https://www.perplexity.ai/search/how-does-an-inchworm-move
6. David A. Bednar, “By Small and Simple Things Are Great Things Brought to Pass,” address given Friday, April 29, 2011 at the BYU Women’s Conference. Page 5 of transcript.
7. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Sisters, Arise! 109, Covenant Communications.

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/.

I wasn’t even sure how to spell the word “metatarsal” correctly, but I still managed to break one. Fifth metatarsal, left foot. All it took was one wrong step. When the urgent care doctor pointed out my fracture on the x-ray, it looked so small that I figured I’d be in an orthopedic boot for a few weeks and that would be that. But no. I was referred to an orthopedist who determined that I needed a hard cast for six weeks. Non-weight bearing.

The phrase “non-weight bearing” is a game changer, when it refers to your foot. And the doctor was serious about it. As the technician applied my bright green cast, she angled my injured foot slightly downward, so that even if I were tempted to put my weight on it, it was literally impossible for me to do so.

As the realities of life with a non-weight bearing injury set in, I began to feel sorry for myself. Ordinary tasks such as making the bed, getting in and out of the shower, and going down two or three stairs to leave my house were now complicated and time-consuming. I took several spectacular falls in my home as I adjusted to my crutches and knee scooter.

However, due to the injury, I had much more downtime than usual, with many quiet hours for pondering. After initially having a rather poor attitude about my circumstances, over the long summer I began to recognize several important lessons from my broken bone—some of them practical, some spiritual. Here are a few:

There are always reasons to be grateful

1. My cast was waterproof.
2. Grocery delivery service is a thing!
3. My husband ordered a knee scooter for me which was far easier to use than crutches.
4. The basket on my scooter allowed me to transport items from room to room.
5. I received many visits, texts, meals, and other acts of service from family and friends–and even the smallest shows of kindness lifted my spirits.
6. My lower back, which is often tight and sore, didn’t hurt all summer because I wasn’t doing the usual lifting and twisting that aggravates it.
7. After being cooped up much of the time, one of the bright spots of each week was riding my knee scooter home from church. Thanks to the slight slope of the parking lot, it only took me a push or two to build up some serious speed, sailing along with my dress billowing behind me. (My husband claims that I looked like the Wicked Witch of the West riding her broomstick!)
8. Although I was temporarily unable to fulfill my duties as a temple ordinance worker, family members made time to pick me up, load my scooter in their car, drop me off close to the temple doors, unload my scooter, and attend an endowment session with me once each week until I could go on my own again. This was a particularly sweet blessing.

I have gained a new appreciation for friends who are dealing with life circumstances far more serious than a broken bone. Many of them have testified to me through both word and actions that in spite of the difficulties they face, they are genuinely grateful that their trials have brought them fresh perspective about what really matters and have drawn them into a much closer relationship with the Lord. Some people have recognized in hindsight, that their most difficult experiences actually put them in position for unexpected future blessings. Developing feelings of gratitude during serious trials rarely happens overnight but may occur gradually as time passes and hearts are softened.

Our wounds may affect other areas of our life

An expected complication from my broken left foot, was the damage caused to my right knee as my right leg often bore my full body weight and was required to push the scooter. As weeks passed, the knee became stiff and inflamed, later requiring a cortisone injection. This injury actually took longer to heal than the broken bone.

Personal trials of chronic illness, financial crisis, death of a loved one, faith crisis, or betrayals may also have unexpected side effects. The stresses of difficult situations may bleed into our family relationships, affect our ability to work, to focus on even small tasks, or fulfill a church calling. They can trigger or exacerbate anxiety or depression.

Healing cannot be rushed

Six weeks after my injury, my cast was removed, and new x-rays were taken which revealed that the fracture wasn’t fully healed–not even close. When the doctor had me put weight on my foot, it felt as painful as the day I broke it. I was given an orthopedic shoe and told to stay off the foot for a few more weeks. I was seriously discouraged, having expected to start walking again. It is difficult to exercise patience when healing comes slowly.

Many factors affect healing time, whether the wound is physical or emotional. In my case, the expected six to eight weeks for healing turned into five months. This was partially because my fracture occurred near the end of the metatarsal, an area that gets limited blood flow, thus increasing the time needed for healing. Also, according to my orthopedist, bones often take longer to heal in women of, ahem, “a certain age.”

Speaking spiritually and emotionally, some wounds, some losses, are so profound that it is unrealistic and insensitive to expect those who are reeling from shock and grief to simply pick up where they left off, just because a certain amount of time has passed. Although healing may gradually come, the landscape of their lives may be forever changed.

When a friend’s adult son lost his long battle with depression, the family was understandably devastated. Two years after he died by suicide, Andrea became very emotional when the topic of her son came up while conversing with a friend. “Shouldn’t you be over this by now?” the friend asked. That question was like a knife to this grieving mother’s heart. Over this*? Andrea later told me that would be like having one of your limbs cut off and then walking away like nothing happened–as if that loss wouldn’t permanently affect your life.

When healing comes slowly, we can trust the Great Healer

Two months after my injury, the pain in my foot and knee when I attempted to take a few steps was so severe that it was difficult to imagine ever being able to walk normally again, let alone run. My friend Steve, sensing my discouragement one day, looked me in the eye and said with fervor, “I promise, this too shall pass.” In spite of my doubts, months later I was relieved to discover that he was right.

Occasionally, miraculous healings occur through great faith and priesthood blessings, but the healing of most physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds is a process. Yet, that we can be healed at all, whether soon or late, is a miracle in itself.

In the words of Elder Neil L. Andersen, “We each understand that difficulties are part of life, but when they come to us personally, they can take our breath away.

“… the Healer of our souls, in His time and His way, will heal all your wounds. No injustice, no persecution, no trial, no sadness, no heartache, no suffering, no wound—however deep, however wide, however painful—will be excluded from the comfort, peace, and lasting hope of Him whose open arms and whose wounded hands will welcome us back into His presence.” (1)

I’m grateful for Elder Andersen’s reminder that Jesus Christ was wounded too. When healing comes slowly, we can be certain that in Him we have a friend who perfectly empathizes with our pains, our trials. As we turn to the Savior, we can be know that, however long it may take, “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

*name changed

Notes:1. Elder Neil L. Andersen, Wounded, 2018 general conference.

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I was highly entertained in my early teens whenever my friend shared her brother’s latest escapades as a sleepwalker. Apparently, it was not uncommon for Barry to wander the house at night in a semi-conscious state, with no recollection of his adventures once he woke up.

The story I recall most vividly was the night Barry climbed out of bed and actually left his home. He made his way through the dark, halfway down the street, and then pounded fiercely on a neighbor’s front door–frightening the homeowners. Imagine their surprise when they hesitantly peeked out the door and found a pajama clad kid sobbing and confused. Fortunately, this couple recognized Barry and returned him to his parents.

It’s difficult to imagine that a person could be so oblivious to their surroundings that they wouldn’t realize they were out of bed and wandering in the night. But that’s pretty much what I did for two decades under different circumstances: I was sleepwalking through the temple. This is a confession of sorts, even a cautionary tale. I share what I’m not proud of, hoping that my experience will serve as a wakeup call to others, so no one will wait as long as I did to wake up and experience what God has to offer in His holy house.

My first recollection of seeing a temple was at age seven, when my family moved from Indiana (when there was no temple east of the Mississippi River) to Logan, Utah. I sensed my parents’ happiness at having a temple nearby. I had very positive feelings about that beautiful building. Years later, my mother wrote the song “I Love to See the Temple,” (1) so you know I was raised to view temples fondly.

Having just passed the 40th anniversary of receiving my endowment, I’ve spent time pondering my temple experience and how it is completely different now than in my early years of attending. I can clearly divide the two halves of my temple life into categories: “sleepwalking” and “seeking.”

Sleepwalking

The first twenty years of my temple attendance I would characterize as pleasant. The House of the Lord was always clean and peaceful, and after I married, I loved sitting with my husband in the Celestial Room during our monthly temple date. Though I wondered about the significance of the tokens and signs and covenants, and occasionally said a little prayer out of curiosity, “What does that mean?”, I never put serious effort into increasing my understanding of temple ordinances.

I have examined those years, trying to understand why I didn’t try harder to grasp what was right in front of me as I attended the temple. Admittedly, I was in the busy stage of bearing and raising five children, and some days it was all I could do to meet their basic needs. I was seriously sleep deprived for many of those years, which surely contributed to my sleepwalking through the temple. I read the occasional article in the Ensign about the temple and heard Relief Society lessons on the subject—but none of them spurred me to action.

What interrupted my sleepwalking? There were several factors. First, once all five of my children were in school all day, I suddenly had more time on my hands. Second, I had an embarrassing experience at the temple recommend desk that served as a wakeup call. I have written about that in an earlier article found here:

They Don’t Take Visa at the Temple

The most motivating wakeup call occurred when I heard a speaker in Sacrament meeting quote a letter by the First Presidency: “Where time and circumstances permit, members are encouraged to replace some leisure activities with temple service.” (2) I can honestly claim that actively responding to this invitation from prophets, seers, and revelators changed my life in significant ways.

Seeking

I determined to attend the temple weekly instead of monthly. It did not happen overnight, but as I persisted in my effort to be in God’s house more frequently, I gradually learned to look forward to my Friday morning endowment sessions while my children were in school. I had never attended the temple alone before, and it seemed strange at first. But I learned to appreciate time to pray and ponder in the Celestial Room without worrying about anyone else’s schedule.

I learned that attending the temple more frequently does not automatically increase our understanding of the ordinances. We are required to seek diligently. And so, my seeking phase began in earnest. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

On more than one occasion, Sister Julie B. Beck urged the women of the Church to “…go to the temple and pay attention.” (3) So, I did. After decades of being oblivious to much of what occurred in the House of the Lord, I began to be much more prayerful about temple attendance, to ask serious questions and search for the answers. Though I’m still waiting for many of those answers to be revealed, occasionally a tiny insight here and there gives me enough new knowledge to motivate me to continue seeking.

Once my youngest child graduated from high school, I became an ordinance worker. Serving in that capacity has gradually enlarged my understanding of the initiatory and endowment in surprising ways. One of the great benefits of working in the temple is the opportunity to occasionally hear counsel and teachings from the members of the temple presidency and matrons during worker preparation meetings.

Years ago, one presidency member referred to the veil ceremony as “the highlight of the endowment.” I recall thinking, Really? To me, going to the veil simply signaled that the endowment was ending, something to rush through so I could get to the Celestial Room. Though I had vaguely wondered about the tokens and the veil itself, I’d never put forth the necessary effort to uncover their significance. I never dreamed that my time at the veil could become a beautiful, holy encounter.

The workers were encouraged to pay focused attention to each token. What does it look like? What words are used to describe it? What does it teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ? I took the challenge to search for meaning in the veil ceremony. Though my progress was very gradual, I eventually became aware that after two years of praying, pondering and intensely focusing on the words, signs, and tokens, my experience at the veil had completely changed. I was seeing the Savior in this sacred experience. Recent changes to the endowment have clarified in important ways exactly what is happening at the veil.

Here’s another example of how seeking opened my eyes in the temple:

Years ago, I had gradually grown aware that although I was enjoying the time I spent in the House of the Lord as a patron and worker, it had been far too long since my understanding of the endowment had actually increased. I felt strong spiritual “nudges” to supplement my time inside the temple with increased personal study and pondering outside of the temple.

The first elements of temple worship I chose to examine more closely were the symbols incorporated into the architecture and décor. In his book “Endowed with Power,” C. Robert Line states that “… there is a simple, basic architectural design that can be seen in and on… most of our temples. The symbol is that of a circle framed by a square.”

The circle represents heaven, and the square represents earth, or the four corners of the earth. “Simply put,” Lion continues, the temple, like the circle and square, is a place where heaven and earth come together in one.” I was vaguely aware that I’d seen this symbol before on temples, though I could not have said where. While working in the temple, just days after studying about the symbol, I stood quietly in an

endowment room as the session ended and the last few patrons finished. Glancing at the altar in front of me, I was startled to recognize the symbol of the circle within the square–forty-six of them, to be exact–lightly etched around the altar.

Scanning the rest of the room, I discovered more of the same symbol–some fairly obvious to anyone looking for them, and some quite subtle. In the endowment room that afternoon I counted over one hundred “circle within a square” symbols, and since then I’ve discovered even more.

For twenty-five years I had attended this temple but had never given a thought to those symbols. My eyes had passed over them hundreds–perhaps thousands–of times without actually registering what they were or knowing what they represented. Now I see them everywhere.

Now that I recognize this symbol, I’m able to focus on its meaning. Every circle framed by a square is a quiet reminder of Jesus Christ, whose Atonement makes the intersection of heaven and earth a reality. If I had not made the spiritual effort to study about the temple in addition to serving inside, I may never have understood what was right in front of me. This discovery caused me to wonder what else I was missing and has spurred me on to further temple study.

Follow the Prophet to the Temple

My transition from sleepwalking to seeking in the House of the Lord began when I acted on the invitation of the First Presidency to replace some leisure activities with temple service. Twenty years later, our current prophet is continually calling us to the temple and making clear what blessings may follow when we make God’s holy house a priority. Here are just a few of President Russell M. Nelson’s words:

“My dear brothers and sisters, here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping 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!” (4)

“Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples.” (5)

“If you don’t yet love to attend the temple, go more often—not less. let the Lord, through His Spirit, teach and inspire you there. I promise you that over time, the temple will become a place of safety, solace, and revelation.” (6)

Our prophet is calling to us to the temple in the strongest possible terms: “I plead with you…”, “I urge you…”

If you recognize yourself in my experience of sleepwalking through the temple, I pray you will take to heart the words of a living prophet. I testify from personal experience that precious blessings await you. Come to the temple of the Lord. “Awake and arouse your faculties” to what is waiting there for earnest seekers.

Recommended reading:

They Don’t Take Visa at the Temple

What if You Don’t Love the Temple

The Garment of the Holy Priesthood, by President Jeffrey R. Holland

Notes:

1. Janice Kapp Perry, I Love to See the Temple, Children’s Songbook, 1989, p.95.
2. Letter from The First Presidency, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, March 11, 2003.
3. Julie B. Beck, Choose Ye This Day to Serve the Lord, an address given April 29, 2010 at the BYU Women’s Conference.
4. President Russell M. Nelson, Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys, April 2024 general conference, emphasis added.
5. President Russell M. Nelson, Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints, October 2018 general conference, emphasis added.
6. President Russell M. Nelson, The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, October 2021 general conference, emphasis added.

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It was just days before Thanksgiving when I received the kind of phone call nobody wants: Mom has had a stroke. We’re at the ER. A hundred thoughts coursed through my mind as I scrambled for my purse and jacket and ran out the door. The gas tank warning light flashed on my dashboard as I drove toward the freeway. Impatiently, I pulled into the nearest filling station, my hand shaking as I tried to insert my credit card at the pump.

Finally arriving at the hospital, I found my three brothers. One of them stood at the head of Mom’s bed, silently weeping, and I knew things were serious. Mom couldn’t speak; her right side was completely paralyzed. It seemed that we might lose her, just sixteen months after Dad passed away.

The doctors and nurses stabilized her condition, and tests were run to determine the extent of the damage caused by the stroke. Once Mom was moved to a private room, my brothers and I took turns staying with her. Later that evening, I scooted a reclining chair near her bed and settled in for the night. My mind was swirling. It was clear by that point that Mom’s life was not at risk. However, there were new concerns: What would her life look like going forward? Could she regain her speech? Would she ever walk again?

On Sunday morning, two stressful days after the stroke, a service missionary couple tapped on the door of the hospital room, asking if they could provide the Sacrament for us. Mom nodded a firm yes, and the ordinance was reverently administered.

As we partook of the bread and water, I saw tears in my mother’s hazel eyes, and heard her slow exhale of breath as she released some of the tension of the previous few days. Together, we experienced a moment of deep thanksgiving. We felt gratitude for our Savior, and the sacred assurance that we were not alone despite the uncertain future.

Though she would still be in the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, Mom insisted we press forward with our previous plan to celebrate the holiday at her home. I stood in her kitchen that Thursday morning, surveying the tables which had been pushed together to accommodate a crowd. I confess to a few moments of melancholy, standing there in my parents’ home where decades of family memories had been made, knowing neither of them would be physically present that day.

Yet, as family members trickled in, chatting and laughing and bearing food offerings for the feast, I found great comfort in our holiday traditions. Many years earlier, Mom had requested that our family sing the hymn “Prayer of Thanksgiving”1 before we prayed over the meal. That simple tradition continues to the present day.

As we sat together for the feast, heaping our plates with turkey and stuffing and rolls, I was filled with the impression that as part of my parents’ posterity, we were “links in a living chain,”2 and my parents would live on in their children and grandchildren through the traditions of service, music, and gospel priorities they had passed down. I felt a moment of deep Thanksgiving that not even death could rob me of my mother and father, because Jesus Christ “gained the victory over the grave.” (Mormon 7:5)

As I write this, I’m recalling the words of a dear friend whose elderly father was killed in a sudden, traumatic accident. A day after the tragedy, Melanie wrote:

“The man I loved and admired most in the world died early yesterday morning in a fiery explosion. Until a few hours ago it didn’t seem real. Now I’m feeling the loss completely. He was genuine and kind. Whenever I went home… and my eyes met his, I felt peace and security and safety. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us. We are okay.”

I was so moved that my friend could write those last three words under the circumstances: “We are okay.” How is it possible to be okay when we lose someone dear to us? When painful and unexpected events change the course of our lives and interrupt our plans? Yet, with Jesus Christ as central focus of the Plan of Salvation, somehow it is possible. His glorious Atonement makes it so. I felt that truth powerfully as I attended the funeral of Melanie’s good father and heard strong declarations of faith from the family.

Elder David A. Bednar taught this comforting doctrine, “… There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, ‘No one understands. No one knows.’ No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life.”3

On Thanksgiving Day of 2019, I could not foresee that my family would still be blessed with Mom’s presence five years later, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving 2024. No one can predict what lies ahead. But gratefully, we can look to Jesus Christ, trusting that whatever our future holds, ultimately we will be okay. Surely, that truth deserves a moment of deep Thanksgiving.

Notes:

1. Text:, The Netherlands, ca. 1626; trans. by Theodore Baker, Music:Anon., The Netherlands, ca. 1625; arr. by Edward Kremser. Prayer of Thanksgiving, Hymns, 1985.
2. Steven Kapp Perry, The Way of Things, from Polly: A One Woman Musical.
3. David A. Bednar, Strength Beyond Our Own, New Era, March 2015.

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Cover image via Gospel Media Library.

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Officer Lockhart was frustrated. As an experienced law enforcement officer, he was accustomed to a fair amount of action on the job. However, an unfortunate sports injury had sidelined him with several broken bones in his foot, and he wore a heavy plaster walking cast from his toes to his knee. He was temporarily relegated to a desk job.

One day, while working at the police station, a call came in requesting that help be sent for a serious domestic dispute which was in progress. Though Officer Lockhart was aware he wasn’t the ideal candidate to handle the situation, he also knew he could make it to the scene at least ten minutes sooner than the nearest field officer, so he hobbled out of the station to his vehicle.

It was evident upon arrival that the dispute was still in full swing, since the policeman could hear yelling and cursing through the windows. Just as he began limping up the sidewalk, the front door of the house flew open, and out charged an angry, red-faced man who continued to shout until the sight of the police officer stopped him in his tracks. He paused briefly, taking in Officer Lockhart’s heavy cast. All the bluster went out of the man as he began to shake with laughter, asking, “Were you the best they had to send?”

My friend, now Brother Lockhart, shared this story with me months ago, and it has been lurking in the back of my mind ever since. Why? Because I sometimes feel inadequate in my current church calling–like an imposter as I try to fulfill my responsibilities, wondering if some ward members might be wondering, “Were you the best they had to fill this calling? Surely there are other people who are better qualified.” Have you ever experienced those feelings of inadequacy?

When We Feel Inadequate in Our Callings

When I was called to teach the gospel doctrine class in my thirties, I literally trembled in my boots each time I stood before a large group of adults, attempting to present a coherent lesson about the scriptures. Though I loved God’s word, I was certainly no scriptorian. I wondered each week why I received that calling when we had Brother Meyers, an outstanding, experienced CES instructor living in the ward. He practically had the standard works memorized. But looking back, though the class members had to endure the growing pains of an inexperienced teacher, I see how my efforts to prepare for those lessons expanded my testimony of the scriptures significantly. (And who knows? Maybe I was called in order for the class to learn patience.)

Elder Henry B. Eyring once spoke to those who accept callings, “There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate. Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone. (1)

In an address at LDS Business College, Elder Kevin R. Duncan encouraged students to “ignore the demons of inadequacy” and “listen instead to the angels of hope and to the source of all hope, that being Jesus Christ…” He continued, “The scriptures are… full of true accounts of people who felt underqualified, but when things seemed most difficult, they trusted God.” (2)

My friend Heidi exemplified this trust when she received a calling under unusual circumstances. Though she felt overwhelmed, her faith in the Lord made her equal to the task. She writes, “My family moved into a new ward in the middle of the COVID pandemic at the end of July and I was called as the Relief Society president just three months later. I hadn’t even finished unpacking! Since we were only able to attend church every other week, while social distancing and wearing masks, I had only met a handful of people. Truly a handful. So, when the call was extended I was completely overwhelmed, wondering how I could possibly lead this group of women that I did not know and had never even met! It was a daunting task, to say the least.

“But I never hesitated to accept the call because the Lord had prepared me in the few months prior. I knew a call was coming. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was but felt that it could possibly be Relief Society president, but that I would do whatever I was asked to do. I had been raised in a family where my parents served in all callings, big and small, and I was taught that we always accept any calling from the Lord.

“It was helpful that when my Bishop extended the call to me, he emphasized how clear it was for him that I was to be the next Relief Society president–that he knew it was a direct call from the Lord. That made it easier to say yes. How could I possibly say “no” to the Lord, when He has given me everything? I also knew that even though I have a difficult time being pushed out of my comfort zone, and this would push me far out of that zone, I would grow and learn and stretch in ways I needed to. And I did. I will always be grateful that I had the courage to accept the opportunity to serve in this capacity in His kingdom and become more like my Savior.”

When We Think Others Are Inadequate in Their Callings

The flipside of feeling inadequate ourselves is becoming critical of others who are struggling to fulfill their own callings and assignments. This attitude blesses no one. It is spiritually harmful to harbor negative feelings toward others. Few things restrain the Holy Spirit faster than criticism, even when it isn’t spoken aloud. Instead of being critical of the nervous Sunday school teacher or the flustered Sacrament meeting speaker, what if we prayed for them? What if we humbly asked the Spirit to teach us through their words?

As we serve in the church we often find our weaknesses revealed, and we benefit greatly from the support of other members. For example: I failed spectacularly as a 24-year-old Young Women’s camp director, discovering the difference between enjoying camp as an attendee and actually having the leadership skills to pull off a major week-long event for a group of teenage girls. I also learned a valuable lesson from the marvelous Young Women’s president who recognized that I was floundering, and offered generous assistance without criticizing me or taking over my job.

We Need Every Member in Spite of Our Weaknesses

I am fascinated by Paul’s description of the need for every church member:

“For the body is not one member, but many… If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? … But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you…” (1 Cor. 12:14,17-18,20-21)

Whether we feel more like the hand or the head or even the big toe, we are all necessary to the body of Christ. “For all have not every gift given unto them, for there are many gifts…” (D&C 46:11) My introverted personality sometimes felt like a liability when I served as a Young Women’s advisor years ago. Though I truly enjoyed having gospel discussions with the older girls on Sundays, I spent a ridiculous amount of time each week trying to think of valid excuses to avoid going to the activities on Tuesday nights. Heaven forbid I should actually have to participate in a game–in public! Thankfully, there were other advisors and presidency members with more extroverted personalities who loved engaging with the girls in those activities.

Whether we’re an extrovert or introvert, a recent convert or long-time member of the church; whether we have a solid testimony or fledgling faith, mental or physical health challenges, or learning disabilities, we are needed in the church. In spite of—or perhaps because of—our many differences, we are all precious and important members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Though we may struggle with feelings of inadequacy, we all have something to contribute to His work. As we turn to the Lord humbly in our weakness, He will make weak things strong. (Ether 12:27)

You Did Not Put Yourself There

Elder Paul Whippy felt completely inadequate when he received a call to be an Area Seventy. But he was blessed as he attended leadership training in connection with the April 2021 general conference. He later said it was in that meeting, “… I finally received the spiritual witness I had been seeking since my call. I will never forget that moment.”

He continued, “Elder Neil L. Andersen explained how he felt when he was called to The Quorum of The Twelve Apostles. He said when he first sat in the seat that Elder Ulisses Soares now occupies, he looked up the row at the other eleven apostles and the First Presidency, and feelings of personal inadequacy overwhelmed him…

“Elder Andersen said he struggled with this issue for a while and then it came: He heard the voice of the Lord say, “Neil, you did not put yourself there. I did, because I love you, and I know you can change, and I know you can help with my work.” When Elder Andersen shared that sacred experience, it became sacred to me also. It was the confirmation that I needed.”

Elder Whippy concluded, “I know that Heavenly Father and His Son did not call me because of anything I had done to qualify for this role, but it was because They love me. They know I can change, and They know I can help Them in Their glorious work…” (2)

May we persevere in the work of the Lord despite our inadequacies, relying on the strength of “… Him who has never been clumsy or inadequate but who loves all of us who are.” (3)

Notes:

1. Elder Henry B. Eyring, “Rise to Your Call,” Oct. 2002 general conference, emphasis added.
2. Elder Kevin R. Duncan, “Ignore Demons of Inadequacy by Relying on Christ,”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/ignore-demons-of-inadequacy-by-relying-on-christ-seventy-tells-ldsbc-students?lang=eng

1. Elder Paul Whippy, “Receiving Confirmation of My Call to Serve,” Liahona, Sept. 2023, emphasis added.
2. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” 2017 general conference.

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I opened the front door to a surprising sight: a large platter, heaped high with freshly baked cookies. There was no special occasion. My friend Kristie was just sharing her homemade treats because that was part of her generous nature. What I didn’t know at that moment was that the most important part of the gift would only be revealed when my family finished the cookies and we could see a quote in blue letters stretching across the empty porcelain platter:

“Do small things with great love.”–Mother Teresa

After I washed the platter and tried to return it to Kristie, she refused to take it back, encouraging me to share it with someone else as she had done. A small thing done with great love.

My recent scripture study included the words of Alma the younger. “… by small and simple things are great things brought to pass …” (Alma 37:6) While there may be many instances where this wisdom applies, I have been impressed with many small acts of kindness I have either received or heard about. I once read the book Random Acts of Kindness, a collection of true stories showing how people have served others, including strangers. This book opened my eyes to simple ways I could be a blessing to someone. Here I share a handful of brief examples from friends and family where someone’s kindness, however small, made a positive difference for another person. Perhaps they will inspire you to “… do small things with great love …”

Janice

As Janice approaches her eighty-sixth birthday, she continues to find ways to serve others. A large family in her ward was blessed with a baby girl with Downs Syndrome. When Janice asked a few weeks after the birth how she could be of help to the family, the mother responded without hesitation that she’d be grateful if someone could tend the baby occasionally so the parents could take their other children on some little adventures, since all the family’s focus had been on the baby’s special needs. Though Janice was unable to do many of the physical tasks she once did, she could still sit and hold little Audrey. She loved looking into the baby’s sparkling eyes and feeling her sweetness, and Audrey’s parents were able to have quality time with their older children.

Rob and Tasha

Several years ago, my husband was hospitalized for nine days with complications from Covid-19. Brad had developed pneumonia and was in the ICU on high flow oxygen. After a couple of frightening days where the outcome was very uncertain, I received a phone call from one of Brad’s good friends, Rob. He was concerned about how I was doing during this stressful time and asked if I had received a priesthood blessing. I had not. He offered to either give me a blessing or make arrangements for someone else to come and give me one if I wanted. I was grateful to be remembered in this way.

When I requested that he give me a blessing, Rob arranged to come over with his wife Tasha that evening. After the beautiful, hopeful blessing was pronounced, Rob and Tasha sat and listened patiently as I spilled out all my fears and worries for my husband. The combination of receiving a priesthood blessing and the kind attention of friends left me with the assurance that the Lord was aware of our situation and I could be at peace.

Michelle (names changed)

At their mother’s funeral service, four siblings were listed on the program as speakers. They spoke in order from oldest to youngest. The youngest sister, Kathy, who was terrified of being up in front of people, visibly trembled and struggled to speak through her tears–yet she wanted so much to honor her mother. After a minute or two of watching her baby sister struggle, the oldest sibling, Michelle, walked up to the podium and stood next to her sister. In quiet support, she placed her hand on Kathy’s back. Michelle never said a word, but stood there for ten minutes, giving her dear sibling the strength to pay tribute to their mother.

Emily

When my two-year-old grandson Micah was hospitalized with breathing issues, he was treated for a virus and released after three days. Unfortunately, a few days later, he contracted pneumonia on top of another virus and was admitted to the hospital again. It was a scary time for his parents as Micah struggled to breathe. For nearly a week it seemed that no treatment was effective.

My daughter Sarah stayed at the hospital with him almost around the clock, and though she tried to be strong for Micah, she was emotionally worn out with worries for her little boy who looked so tiny and lifeless in the big hospital bed. He was too weak to respond to the music therapist that stopped by, or even to the therapy dog who came to visit.

Each time Micah received Albuterol treatments, he would cry and scream, and Sarah had to pin him down so the nurse could administer his medicine. This was emotionally draining for everyone. I wanted to be with them at the hospital but was needed to tend Micah’s older brothers so their dad could work. After many days with little improvement in Micah’s health, Sarah was at the end of her rope.

The one bright spot in this dark time was Emily, the pharmacist on Micah’s medical team. Emily lived in the same ward where Sarah grew up, and it helped Sarah to see a familiar face each day as the medical team met in Micah’s room to discuss his condition and treatment. Emily often stayed after the team left, to talk to Sarah. On the day Sarah hit her lowest point, Emily recognized her exhaustion and stayed to listen to all of her frustrations and fears, giving her a much-needed hug of encouragement. Though I was able to talk to Sarah by phone, it was a huge relief for her to have the physical presence of such a compassionate friend supporting her at the hospital.

Carmen

In 2002, my parents began serving a fulltime mission in Chile. My father had previously learned to speak several languages, so he was able to pick up Spanish rather quickly. My mother, on the other hand, had zero experience with foreign languages until her time in the MTC. Though she studied diligently, learning to speak Spanish at age sixty-three was a tremendous struggle.

Soon after arriving in Chile, my father was called to serve in a district presidency and often had to attend meetings, which left Mom alone in their apartment. She studied Spanish on her own for hours a day but saw little progress. She was frustrated, lonely, and struggling with depression over her situation.

One day, a ward member named Carmen approached her. She had noticed my mother’s struggles and offered a solution: Carmen would help Mom with her Spanish and Mom could help Carmen learn to speak English. They met together twice a week while my father was in other meetings. This arrangement became a blessing to both women as they improved their language skills and, more importantly, formed a beautiful friendship–one that continues today in spite of distance. Carmen was an earthly angel, befriending my mother during an extremely rough time.

Sarah

Janelle was going out of town for a few days. As the mother of two young children, and pregnant with twins, she needed a getaway with friends. She dropped off her son and daughter at her sister-in-law’s house and left her minivan there as well so Aunt Sarah would have the kids’ car seats if needed. Janelle was happy to leave her car behind because the interior smelled bad and the scent exacerbated her pregnancy nausea.

Sarah recognized an opportunity to serve. Leaving her nephew and niece in her husband’s care, she drove the minivan to a carwash where the exterior of the car was cleaned, then she removed all of the trash from the interior, vacuumed it thoroughly, and wiped down every window and surface. To top off the job, she purchased car fresheners to help improve the scent. You can imagine how grateful Janelle was for Sarah’s thoughtfulness, and what a mental lift it was to come home to a sparkling, fresh vehicle.

Suzy

My friend Heather shared this story: “Seven years ago, my son Duncan experienced a medical condition that was potentially fatal. We spent two weeks in Primary Children’s hospital trying to find answers and watching our little seven-year-old go through all kinds of traumatic procedures, blood transfusions, and plasma treatments. I have never been so worried and exhausted in my life. I was emotionally depleted.

I received so many loving texts and phone calls, but I sadly didn’t have the energy to respond to most of them. I was grateful for the sweet people who brought fun toys and Duncan’s favorite foods. It was such a wonderful change of pace from hospital food and watching movies. But the most helpful thing for me was the night my sister Suzy showed up. She laid on one side of Duncan’s bed while I laid on the other. And we didn’t talk about the medical condition or how tired I was or what was hard about it. We just talked about regular life and silly, happy memories.

For a minute I got to escape the four walls of that claustrophobic hospital room and remember the good things, and laugh and realize that life was more than that heart-wrenching heavy moment. I honestly don’t remember Suzy bringing me soup or a card or treat, she just brought herself. That’s exactly what I needed.”

Anonymous

The past twelve months had been extremely stressful for my friend Tonya and her family. Acting as a caregiver for her parents while her mother’s dementia worsened was exhausting. When her mother finally passed away, relief warred with grief in Tonya’s heart. But the grieving process was interrupted as she was notified that the specialized care center where her adult daughter lived was closing down and she and her husband scrambled to find a new care center that could provide a safe environment and serious help for someone with severe mental disabilities.

When I texted Tonya a few months ago to check on her, I received this reply:

“I’m just now headed home from an unexpected colonoscopy. We’re stopping at In-n-Out for a burger on the way home as I haven’t eaten in three days! The new care center my daughter moved to in January was just closed by the state on May ninth, so we’ve been thrown into chaos again with even fewer good choices this time. We do not have a path forward yet and my heart is broken.”

As I sat staring at her text and praying that she and her husband would be led to the right situation for their daughter, I received another text from Tonya:

“Well, we just had our order paid for by the car in front of us at the burger place, Arizona license plates. Angels do exist in human form.” This little act of kindness from a stranger meant the world to Tonya that stressful day.

Do small things with great love.

It’s a positive mental exercise to remember times when others have served you or shown kindness even in the smallest and simplest of ways. It is a blessing to write them down to refer to in difficult times, or to share with your family. The next time you’re awake in the middle of the night, perhaps you can think of someone you know who could use a little kindness and create a plan to make it happen. “… by small and simple things are great things brought to pass …” (Alma 37:6)

The post Do Small Things with Great Love first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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Tender pork roast. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Sweet corn from the garden. I eagerly anticipated the leftovers from Sunday dinner as I filled my plate with Monday’s lunch. Sliding the food into the microwave oven and pressing START, I continued listening to a Come Follow Me podcast on my Bluetooth speaker. But the voices began to cut out until they disappeared altogether. I checked the speaker to see if it needed to recharge, but no, the power light was still on.

The microwave timer dinged and instantly my podcast resumed. As I retrieved my food, it occurred to me that the microwaves must have messed with the Bluetooth speaker. A quick Google search revealed that microwaves and Bluetooth devices interfere with each other because they both use ultra-high frequency radio waves.

While savoring my pork roast and potatoes, I pondered this idea. What voices do we allow into our heads? Do any of them interfere with the voice of God as found in the scriptures? With the voice of the prophet? Do we listen to voices that obscure the whispers of the still, small voice?

VOICES

Never has the world been so filled with voices as today. Never has it been so convenient for anyone who has an opinion to express it to a large audience. The internet is a digital megaphone for anyone who wishes to be heard. If ever there was a time we could relate to young Joseph Smith’s dilemma, it is now. He wrote that there was “…no small stir and division among the people, some crying, “Lo here! and others, “Lo, there!” … In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right… and how shall I know it?” (JS History 1:5,10)

President Russell M. Nelson gave this warning: “The voices and pressures of the world are engaging and numerous. But too many voices are deceptive, seductive, and can pull us off the covenant path…If most of the information you get comes from social or other media, your ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit will be diminished. If you are not also seeking the Lord through daily prayer and gospel study, you leave yourself vulnerable to philosophies that may be intriguing but are not true.” (1)

Some of the most seductive voices on social media come from Latter-day Saints who appear to be active members of the Church. They may be articulate and offer clever opinions, they may be completely sincere, but some of what they offer may not be in complete harmony with scripture, or the teachings of living prophets and apostles. The differences may be subtle, but dangerous.

“O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not… But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” (2 Nephi 9:28-9)

SOURCES

When we choose to listen to social media voices, we might ask ourselves: Is what we’re hearing doctrine or opinion? We must be wary of sources that contradict or undermine the teachings of the scriptures, living prophets, or established church doctrine. This includes unofficial websites, blogs, podcasts, other social media accounts, and publications that may not accurately represent Latter-day Saint beliefs.

We learn much from Joseph Smith’s example. After serious efforts to sort through the religious opinions of his day, he recognized that he could not find satisfying answers on his own. So, in faith, he turned to the scriptures, which led him to the ultimate authority on truth: God. He used pure sources of information. Proven voices.

In recent years, the term “influencer” has come into vogue. AI tells me that an influencer is someone who has the ability to affect the decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience. They use their credibility and popularity to endorse products, promote brands, or advocate for certain causes.

Some people become influencers due to their fame as entertainers or professional athletes, and freely promote their opinions, even on spiritual topics. But just because they’re famous or popular doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right. “Trust no man be your teacher or minister save He be a man of God.” (Mosiah 23:14)

The Book of Mormon is full of spiritual influencers; some righteous, some dangerous. Nephi, Alma, Ammon, and Captain Moroni fearlessly raised their voices to persuade people to believe in Jesus Christ. Other influencers, such as Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor, used their voices to spread intriguing but false opinions. The anti-Christ Nehor was one of the biggest influencers of his day. People were still following the “order of Nehors” many years after he first spouted his comfortable doctrine that “all mankind should be saved at the last day.” (Alma 1:4)

It is prudent to ask ourselves who our primary influencers are, and if the influencers we’re listening to are trying to build the kingdom of God, or if they’re trying to build their own kingdom, and promote their own agendas instead of the doctrine of Christ. The Savior taught, “Hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold, I am the light you should hold up.” (3 Nephi 18:24, emphasis added)

Samuel the Lamanite’s question is very appropriate for our day: “… how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? (Helaman 13:29)

CHOICES

Last year, my daughter and I set off for a Spring Break adventure in Kanab, Utah. We enjoyed the first few hours of our drive south on I-15, singing along to Becca’s playlist. About halfway through our journey, my phone rang. It was a family friend we hadn’t spoken to in years, and we chatted with him for twenty minutes or so, catching each other up on news of our families.

The call finally ended, and Becca and I spent the several minutes discussing our upcoming red rock adventure. Suddenly, I realized that I’d been so engrossed in conversations with my daughter and our friend that I hadn’t been paying attention to where we were on I-15, so I started looking for signs and mile markers to give me a clue as to our current location. By the time I figured out where we were, I was chagrined to find that we’d passed the obscure turnoff I should have taken nearly thirty-five miles earlier.

I pulled off at the nearest exit so we could plan our next move. As I studied our map, I was relieved to see that we wouldn’t have to backtrack thirty-five miles. We were just a mile or so from a road that cut across to the east and joined up with the little highway that would lead us south to our destination. Putting the car in gear, I pulled back onto the street. I had driven just a few miles on our new route when my phone rang again. This time, it was my husband who was calling to check on us.

I sheepishly admitted that I had missed our turnoff but had found an alternate route and we were back on track. When Brad realized which road were taking, he immediately cautioned us to turn around and backtrack to the original turnoff that I had missed. I questioned his advice. Backtracking would increase our drive time by a full hour, and it would soon be getting dark.

My daughter and I had chosen a new route based on our map, but Brad knew from personal experience what the map didn’t show: our alternate road would climb nearly 3000 feet, taking us to an altitude of 8400 feet, where there would still be snow the first week of April. The roads were winding and unimproved in some spots and we would be traveling the second half of it in the dark. Brad strongly encouraged us to turn around.

I had a choice to make. I did not want to follow my husband’s advice since it would add significant time to our journey. But decades of marriage had taught me to trust Brad’s judgment, his proven voice. I admit that I sighed heavily as I slowed the car and turned it around, but as night fell while Becca and I traversed the safer highway, I felt the Spirit confirm that following my husband’s counsel was the right choice.

Some voices tell us what we don’t want to hear, yet following their counsel may ensure our safety. Just as my husband had more information than my map showed, God sees the bigger picture. He sees what is not always apparent to us–the snow, the winding roads, the darkness that is about to engulf us, spiritually speaking. Faith is listening to His voice, even when we don’t see what He sees, because He has proven that He can be trusted.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
(Isaiah 55:8-9)

If we take time to examine the words of our prophets over the past few decades, we can recognize their inspired teachings and warnings. We can see that they prepare us for difficulties ahead—for world conditions and evils we could not have predicted on our own. We have seen and continue to see the fulfillment of their prophecies. The same applies to scriptural prophecies and warnings.

Our attitude about living prophets and apostles is so crucial that it is part of the temple recommend interview. (2) In the temple endowment, the Lord makes it clear that He sends messengers who will lead us back into His presence if we give strict heed to their voices. Do we understand who those messengers are?

Voices, sources, and choices. Who are we listening to? It is a question worth pondering today. I leave you with a hymn text, written for our time:

“When great swells of urgent voices
cry, “Lo here!” and cry, “Lo there!”
when the vast array of choices
leads to genuine despair,
Let no contest of opinions
sway me from the path of Christ.
Let me look to purest sources,
searching daily in the light.” (3)

Notes:

1. President Russell M. Nelson, Make Time for the Lord, 2021 General Conference, emphasis added.
2. “Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?” (Temple recommend question #4.)

Lynne Perry Christofferson, When I Question, When I Wonder, hymn, 2019. FREE sheet music download at: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/_files/ugd/e7467c_75f689ba714e47c5ba9e8b86625d709f.pdf

The post Voices, Sources, and Choices: Who Are We Listening To? first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/

The meetinghouse was dark and empty as my mission companion and I headed down the hallway. But what was that noise? Music, voices singing. It was faint at first, but grew as we neared the chapel. We didn’t recognize the beautiful song, so we stepped quietly through the open chapel door and saw a small group of people in the choir seats, holding green songbooks. The choir director interrupted the singing briefly to correct a few notes, then instructed the choir to start again at the beginning of the piece:

“Our Savior’s love
Shines like the sun with perfect light,
As from above
It breaks through clouds of strife.
Lighting our way,
It leads us back into His sight,
Where we may stay
To share eternal life.” (1)

My companion and I stood transfixed as the lovely music washed over us, realizing that the green books the choir sang from must be the new Church hymnals we had heard about. Over the next weeks and months, it was a pleasure to discover many new hymns published among old favorites:

Because I Have Been Given MuchWhere Can I Turn for Peace?As Now We Take the SacramentEach Life That Touches Ours for GoodLord, I Would Follow TheeAs Sisters in ZionI Believe in Christ

We also rejoiced to find some familiar pieces which had not previously been included in the Latter-day Saint hymnbook, such as:

How Great Thou ArtFor the Beauty of the EarthBe Still, My SoulAngels We Have Heard on High

As a musician, searching that new green hymnal for the first time was like discovering a chest full of treasure. Now, nearly forty years later, we have that privilege again as the Church has published online the first batch of hymns and songs from the new hymnbook, Hymns–For Home and Church, with many more to come. The first of these hymns that my congregation sang together was Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, a familiar and much-loved piece. To hear those profound words in a Sacrament meeting setting was so powerful that I could not sing past the lump in my throat:

“Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it;
Seal it for Thy courts above.” (2)

Many years ago, I heard a piece of music entitled Sing Me to Heaven. (3) That phrase perfectly describes the feeling I experience when singing or listening to inspirational and sacred songs. They transport me to a higher spiritual plane, bring out my better nature, and draw me closer to God. Including spiritual music in my daily worship increases my desire to continually “sing the song of redeeming love.” (Alma 5:26)

My children are singers, and they have been fortunate to marry singers, so we have a strong choir when we’re all together. After our Sunday dinner this past week, I sat at the piano while most of the adults in the family gathered around, pulled out their phones, and began requesting new songs from the church website. I printed copies to play at the piano, and we spent a joyful hour sight-reading through eight of the pieces before people had to take their children home to bed.

I was caught off guard by the effect this music session had on me. As we finished singing When the Savior Comes Again, (4) I glanced up at my family and found that I was not the only person with tears in my eyes. What a wonderful, hopeful song for my grandchildren to learn, to teach them to prepare for and look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

My mother, who is a musician, has taught me that people with the gift of songwriting have a responsibility to translate human emotions into meaningful words and melodies, through which people can express their deepest longings and feelings. I experienced the effects of this as my family and I sang It is Well with My Soul. Though I’ve been familiar with the song for decades, I had never known the third verse. As we sang through the hymn, the repentant sinner in me felt these words to my core:

“My sin–oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!–
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.” (5)

—
Throughout the decades of my life, I have sung many hymns as a prayer:

“I need thee, oh I need thee,
every hour I need thee.” (6)
__

“I need thy presence
every passing hour.
What but thy grace
can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like thyself,
my guide and stay can be?
Thru cloud and sunshine,
Lord, abide with me!” (7)

—

“More holiness give me,
More strivings within,
More patience in suff’ring,
More sorrow for sin…” (8)

With the publishing of more hymns and spiritual songs, we will have a greater collection of exquisite phrases to give voice to our innermost desires as we pray. And as we learn new sacrament songs, we may receive fresh perspectives on the life-changing nature of that weekly ordinance.

Music is an essential part of our worship services. Hymns and other sacred music enhance worship by inviting the Spirit, unifying congregations, and facilitating spiritual experiences. These songs help us express our faith and devotion to God.

Hymn texts testify of Jesus Christ, teach principles of His gospel, and express gratitude and praise. Interestingly, spiritual songs can be highly therapeutic. Singing or reading the words can help us connect with God and find peace and comfort in times of trial. Sacred music is also a powerful teaching tool, helping us to internalize and remember spiritual truths.

As my family concluded our singing time last Sunday, I received a strong impression that the songs from the new hymnbook will be an important means of strengthening Latter-day Saints, as long-prophesied turbulence increases in the world leading up to the Second Coming of the Savior.

What powerful changes might happen in our lives and homes and minds if we replaced a significant portion of our screen and social media time with listening to or singing hymns and spiritual songs? As we daily worship Jesus Christ, may our use of inspirational music help sing us closer to heaven.

Notes:

1. Our Savior’s Love, Hymns, #113, text: Edward L. Hart, music: Crawford Gates, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah.
2. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Hymns–For Home and Church #1001, text: Robert Robinson, music: American folk tune.
3. Sing Me to Heaven, text and music: Jane Griner Gawthrop and Daniel Gawthrop, Dunstan House.
4. When the Savior Comes Again, Hymns–For Home and Church #1002, text and music: Lane Johnson.
5. It is Well with My Soul, Hymns–For Home and Church #1003, text: Horatio G. Spafford, music: Philip P. Bliss.
6. I Need Thee Every Hour, Hymns, #98, text: Annie S. Hawks, music: Robert Lowry, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah.
7. Abide with Me! Hymns, #166, text: Henry F. Lyte, music: William H. Monk, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah.
8. More Holiness Give Me, Hymns #130, text and music: Philip Paul Bliss, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The post Sing Me to Heaven: Discovering our New Hymns and Songs first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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It was windy and dark, and she was pretty sure there were cobwebs in her hair as she shivered beneath the giant pine trees. Clutching her long, black robe tightly around her, she crouched to avoid discovery while the headlights of a large SUV crept closer to her hiding place. Closer… any moment… suddenly she sprang out of the trees with a mighty “RAAAAWR!” Screams echoed from the open windows of the vehicle.

Is it a scene from a horror movie? Actually, it’s a silly scenario I act out every Sunday night after our family dinner and activities are finished and our children and grandbuddies say their goodbyes. What began on a whim has turned into a tradition of sorts, as my oldest daughter’s family inches their car down the long tree-lined driveway on the north side of our property, waiting for grandma to scare them. They never know which pine tree I’ll be hiding under. Often, one of my grandsons reminds me as he hugs me goodbye, “Grandma, remember to rawr!”

Family traditions are customs, routines, activities, or beliefs transmitted from generation to generation which reflect the values and interests of a specific family. These traditions play a significant role in families by promoting unity, strengthening bonds, and reinforcing spiritual values. Traditions often revolve around regular family gatherings, such as weekly family nights, and daily prayer and scripture study, or special celebrations, like baptisms, Christmas, and Easter. In some families, participation in temple and family history work, or missionary service become traditions.

While some family traditions are elaborate and require serious planning, especially those surrounding holidays, other traditions are unplanned and seemingly insignificant, yet they linger in the memories of children and grandchildren after decades have passed. Who knows–maybe my “rawring” will become one of those? My Grandpa Kapp always carried jellybeans in his pocket as a treat for children, and my own kids recall their Grandpa Dick having his pockets filled with Tootsie Rolls for his grandkids. Margaret Kitterman calls these “…micro traditions or little connections points…” (1)

Just last week as I finished Sunday dinner preparations, I noticed my six-year-old grandson Daniel opening the drawer below the microwave. I wondered why he was looking in that particular drawer which only contained hot pads, sandwich bags, and aluminum foil. As Daniel searched carefully behind those items, I suddenly realized what he was searching for: the golden birthday fork. After locating the desired object, he placed it on the counter and smiled up at me.

We were celebrating his mother’s birthday that night and Daniel wanted to be certain I didn’t forget one of our “micro-traditions.” Long ago, my husband and I received four place settings of golden utensils for our wedding. Somewhere in our decades of marriage, as I was serving birthday cake to the family, I decided to put one of the golden forks on the plate I handed to the birthday child, while everyone else used the everyday silverware. I didn’t plan for it to become a tradition, but somehow it did, and now the next generation is ensuring that it continues.

There are so many possibilities for connecting with our family. Here are a few examples:

1. When my father came home each day after grad school classes and work, my brothers and I would attack him at the door. One would climb on his back, one was scooped up into his arms, and two of us would sit on his feet, each clinging to a leg while Dad stalked around our little apartment as we giggled. I still remember how it felt to rise up each time he lifted a foot.
2. At least fifteen years ago, my husband decided to fix chicken noodle soup–with delicious homemade noodles–while listening to the Saturday morning session of general conference. The soup was such a hit that our family has insisted that Brad make it every conference weekend since, with volunteers chopping carrots, onion, and celery. It wouldn’t feel like conference without it.
3. For years my son-in-law Tyler’s family baked cinnamon rolls on conference weekend. Now that the children are all married and living in three different states, each household still makes cinnamon rolls, then they text pictures of their creations to each other to help stay connected.
4. When my brothers and I were teenagers, any time we had a band or choir performance, or were in a play, our parents took the family to an ice cream parlor afterward to celebrate our performance.
5. My husband and I met on a blind date the day after Christmas. For thirty-seven years we have gone out to dinner on December twenty-sixth to celebrate that life-changing event. It’s one of our favorite traditions.
6. Once a month I sit in a restaurant with three men. I love looking into their eyes: one set blue, one set brown, and one set hazel green. These are my brothers, and sibling lunch has been a tradition for probably seventeen or eighteen years. We don’t recall who suggested it, but as we became busy with work and the demands of young families, we were losing touch and decided to go to lunch monthly to reconnect as adults. It’s rare for grown siblings to all live in the same valley and we cherish this time together.

One of the most important family traditions occurs when we teach our children to work. While they might not always love it in the moment, their lives are better for it, and when enough time has passed, they might even look back fondly on some of those times.

Corn was a big deal at our house. For my husband, tasting the first garden corn of the season was nearly a religious experience. His usually impeccable manners were checked at the door on those occasions, and after slathering the golden ears with an obscene amount of butter, the most anticipated moment of his summer arrived. The family stared in rapt attention as their father chomped his way recklessly through multiple ears of corn, butter literally dripping from his chin. Then the kids watched in horrified fascination as their dad made his way over to me, their giggling mother, and planted a big, fat, buttery kiss right on my lips!

Of course, no one was excited to harvest the corn. There were always plenty of sighs, and a few of our five children conveniently disappeared when it was time to shuck the ears, because who knew when an earwig would wriggle out of the husks? But somehow, we always got into a rhythm. Might have had something to do with the Diamond Rio album we blasted through the kitchen on “corn day.”

There was the picking, the shucking, and the washing of the pearly ears to remove stray corn silk. There was the three-minute boil and the icy water bath to cool the corn down. Once the kernels were sliced off the cob, they were bagged in three cup portions–the perfect amount for Sunday dinner. Finally, each bag was labeled and frozen.

It was carefully choreographed chaos as seven humans and fourteen elbows bumped and wove around each other and the U-shaped kitchen counter, ever cognizant of boiling water and sharp knives. If you timed it right, you could steal a handful of freshly blanched corn without losing a finger, and those golden kernels were as sweet as any dessert.

As the years passed our nest gradually emptied–as nests usually do. It seemed that every autumn there was another son or daughter missing as we preserved the corn; one less voice to harmonize with the family. More than once a lump rose in my throat as I stripped silk off the yellow ears, longing to have the whole gang under one roof again.

My husband and I are officially empty nesters now, and the corn rows in the garden have been drastically reduced. Last September, as two of us worked the tasks once covered by seven people, we preserved a small but respectable batch of corn. Though I missed our children, this time I could almost hear them as we sang along with Diamond Rio. I could almost feel their young ghosts with us in the kitchen–space made sacred by the memories created there.

How I treasure those times when the line between work and play blurred a bit, and we sang and licked yellow kernels off our fingers. Though we didn’t realize it during all those hours of picking and shucking, we were preserving so much more than corn. (2)

Perhaps one of the healthiest family traditions we could implement is having everyone put their phones away for a specified period of time. We could actually look each other in the eyes and converse and listen without distraction. Family time is precious, and we never know how long we’ll have together

I recently discovered someone who embraced family traditions, as I attended the funeral of a stranger. Gary Frandsen, the brother of my friend, passed away just seven weeks after receiving a serious medical diagnosis. On the day of his funeral, the chapel and cultural hall overflowed with hundreds of people who had come to pay their respects to a wonderful man who died too young.

How do I know he was wonderful? Though I had never met him, I watched pieces of his life play out on a large screen at the front of the chapel while waiting for the service to begin–photos of many happy adventures with his family: hiking, boating, spending time at his cabin, dirt biking, playing games with his grandchildren, and other special family moments. Those pictures from Gary’s life were photographic evidence that what mattered to him were his family and his God.

The funeral congregation laughed as one of Gary’s sons claimed that when The Family: A Proclamation to the World was first published by the Church, the main concept his father took from the document was “wholesome recreational activities!” (3) He managed to mix his love of God with family adventures. It was evident as Gary’s four grown sons spoke of their father that he showed them that a life centered in Jesus Christ and His gospel is a joyful life.

As recorded in Gary’s obituary, “He considered it an honor to meet each new grand baby, and would do so in a white shirt and tie.” Just days before his passing, Gary started a new tradition by making sure his testimony was written down for his posterity. I have no doubt that his children and their children will read his words often in the coming years:

“I have a testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ is absolutely true and that as you stay true to its teachings it will bring you a lifetime of joy and happiness. Being faced in a world with so many struggles and mixed messages, you can simplify it by remembering the scripture 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Are you following the path of peace or the simple path of the gospel plan? And if you are confused, remember that is not part of His plan. Confusion is what the Adversary wants to create in your life. The gospel is the plan of peace.”

I am inspired by the example of this good man who turned games and outdoor activities into joyful connecting points with his family, and, by leaving his written testimony, will stay connected to them spiritually long after his passing.

Gary had the same idea as Nephi, who wrote beautifully of the best family tradition of all:

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Ne. 25:26)

Notes:

1. Margaret Kitterman, Micro Traditions, Not by Chance Yearbook, 2023, Rooftop Publishing.
2. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Preserving More Than Corn, Not by Chance Yearbook, 2021, Rooftop Publishing.
3. THE FAMILY: A Proclamation to the World.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

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Interested in FREE sheet music downloads of sacred and inspirational music? You’ll find them on Lynne Perry Christofferson’s music website: https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/

One of my great regrets is not something I did, but something I left undone. Decades ago, I received a phone call from my dear friend Justine* letting me know that she had given birth to her first child: a full-term baby girl–stillborn. I couldn’t begin to imagine the shock, grief, and loss Justine and her husband were experiencing.

Several times that week I sat down and attempted to write a note to express my sympathy, but each time I tore up what I had written because my words were weak, and I feared they would only make my friends feel worse. In the end, I sent nothing. Years later, in a conversation with Justine, I confessed to her what I had done–or not done. Her reply still rings in my mind, “I wish you had sent that note.” She told me that many people were uncomfortable with the situation surrounding her baby’s passing and avoided her rather than expressing sympathy, because they didn’t know what to say. However poorly my note might have been written, it would at least have sent a message that I cared.

It’s not our responsibility to solve other people’s problems, but as followers of Jesus Christ we are asked to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light… to mourn with those who mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort…” (Mosiah 18:8-9) Most of us are willing to do this, but sometimes we struggle to know what is truly helpful when others are facing difficult situations. I have asked several friends and family members for their insights on this subject: “When you want to help but you don’t know how.”

Tonya has experienced anxiety and depression; the death of a loved one; a child with serious disability; miscarriage; serious medical mishaps; secondary infertility; becoming a caregiver. When I asked what was most helpful to her in those difficult times, she responded without hesitation:

ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE!

“ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE! Don’t do nothing. Even if it is a squeeze of the arm and a knowing look in passing at church or in the neighborhood. Sometimes the very best uplift I’ve received is a wordless touch. I just need to know that people are aware of my pain. So often we don’t know what to say. When there are no good words, a simple “You are in my heart” usually suffices.”

She continues, “Ask the suffering individual about their situation and listen without providing platitudes, such as saying you “know how they feel” or “you must be so strong” or telling a story about someone else you know who’s been through something similar. We tend to have a hard time just sitting with someone’s pain. We want to “fix” it and have them feel better immediately. Even in the most difficult circumstances people want to express their emotions.”

Sometimes we’re sorry that all we can do is pray. But should not discount the power of a heartfelt, pleading prayer said in faith for people we care about. My friend Lori has asked me on several occasions, “How can I be praying for you?” I’ve appreciated her question, and after sharing specific ways she could pray for me, I have actually felt the prayers of this dear friend on my behalf.

Roxanne shared how she felt supported during some rough times as a parent. “I was struggling with one of my teenagers, actually picturing him in prison one day if he didn’t change direction. Looking back, I recognize I was over-exaggerating the severity of his issues, but the future disastrous outcomes loomed large and real to me. My sister would let me talk, but never “went there” with me. She just kept insisting that he was a good kid and asked if I truly thought he would do those bad things. I had to admit that I couldn’t imagine it, and she restated with authority that he never would. Her belief in him helped boost my belief in him. For many more years I relied on her statement of fact that “He’s a good kid, Roxanne” when my anxieties would threaten to take me down.”

Susan recalls, “When my dad died, it was nice to have people tell me stories about him or things he said about me. I learned things about my dad I hadn’t known and appreciated people telling me experiences they had with him. It would be especially nice to have those stories in written format so they can be read again later. Also, if possible, reaching out a month or so later to those who are grieving and asking how they are doing is a thoughtful way to show you are still thinking of them and their loss.”

Cooking wasn’t her strength. Still, she found a meaningful way to serve.

Janice relates, “Early on the morning after my husband passed away, I stepped out onto my front porch and was surprised to find Margaret, a friend in her 70’s, kneeling in the yard, carefully weeding among the shrubs and flower beds. Margaret was aware that many people had delivered gifts of food during the last days of Doug’s life, but cooking wasn’t her strength. Still, she found a meaningful way to serve. She spent hours that day beautifying the yard, and I was grateful to have everything look nice during that week before Doug’s funeral, when many visitors stopped by. A month later, Margaret returned and again performed the same service, knowing that my sorrow didn’t end with the funeral, and I was still recovering from my loss.”

Tonya understands this truth as well. “Sometimes the hardest times come months or years after the difficult situation has occurred. We are often numb for a period of time after trauma, due to our brain’s need to protect itself from a reality we’re not quite ready for. Once we have time to process months down the road, the need for recognition and validation actually increases. I remember distinctly years ago when my neighbor Audrey lost her husband in an accident. The immediate outpouring of support was tremendous. But I knew the darkest times would come when everybody else went back to the rhythm of their lives, while Audrey’s world had changed forever.

“Each month for a year, on the date of her husband’s death, I found a small way to let Audrey know I was thinking of her–that I still recognized her grief. Several years later, after she had moved out of the neighborhood and was engaged to be remarried, she reached out to let me know how much my support through that first year had meant. It was nothing big, but it WAS! And that acknowledgement was what she needed most.”

In the middle of cancer treatments, Liz points out that grandiose gestures are not required in order to help. “…just reach out in any way you are comfortable. When you have a challenge that you are dealing with the most important thing to feel from others is love and support. This has happened to me in a variety of ways. The most notable was just a listening ear to recount my struggle. The traditional meals and service are lovely and mean a lot–but by far the most touching and spiritually healing service has been small amounts of time to feel heard and loved. Validating the challenge is so soothing and lets you feel a touch of heaven.

Many people make assumptions like, “Oh they don’t need help,” or “I don’t want to bother them.” But even a note or a hug is healing.

“Many people make assumptions like, “Oh they don’t need help,” or “I don’t want to bother them.” But even a note or a hug is healing. I’ve made those assumptions before and have later had someone say, “Why didn’t you stop by?” or “I would’ve loved to have heard from you.” The truth is, it takes a very small, sincere effort to show love and it means the world while you’re enduring a struggle.”

Roxanne writes, “I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30 with three little boys to care for. I had an aunt who I respected greatly who encouraged me to look into all of the treatment options. She recommended books and sent articles that opened my eyes to some of the ways I could be empowered to take charge of my own recovery and health. My mom helped me pull a trash can over to my pantry and start filling it with the junk that cancer feeds on. Then she took me to the grocery store and helped me restock my kitchen with healthy, life-giving foods. I had the motivation, but none of the confidence or know-how at that point. I really needed my mother and aunt to help me focus on caring for myself so that I could care for my family. There wasn’t time to feel sorry for myself. I had a lot to learn and two angel family members to help me learn it.”

Candy shares a personal story. “Many years ago, I was a young mother with a small child, going through an unwanted divorce. I found myself and my little son suddenly alone and so sad. Thank goodness I had a good job and was able to take care of the two of us. I was able to pay all my bills but was on a very tight budget with nothing left over for any extras.

“One Saturday morning as I was cleaning house, my doorbell rang and there was my sister-in-law with three bags of groceries. Opening each bag was like Christmas, I was so excited and grateful for those supplies that I needed plus a few extra treats. This expression of love is something I have never forgotten, and my heart is still so tender each time I think about it. What a thoughtful thing my sister-in-law did to surprise me.”

Last fall, after the passing of a treasured friend, Janice was struggling with grief. In spite of her sure testimony of the resurrection, this loss greatly affected her daily life, and depression was setting in. A large envelope arrived in the mail a week later with an unusual homemade gift to lift her spirits. Her grandson Jason and his wife Marisa had sent “paper hugs” cut out of butcher paper on which they had traced their heads, shoulders, and arms long enough to reach around her in a paper embrace. They even included one from their toddler. On each paper was a brief note of love. Though Jason and Marisa lived out of state, they creatively found a way to give Janice comfort during her low moments. Their thoughtful gift brought genuine smiles to her face for the first time in weeks. And yes, she actually did wrap those paper arms around her neck!

Becky, who has endured thirteen years of chronic illness, writes, “I think it’s all a matter of prayer. Pray every day to be able to help someone, and pray that He can send someone to help you. Then pay attention.” It touches me deeply that Becky, who has suffered so much, still prays to be able to help someone else.

I’ve shared the following story before, but it bears repeating: “I learned an important lesson about acting in love from my husband Brad many years ago. Early one June morning a phone call jarred us out of a deep sleep. It was the kind of call every bishop dreads. There had been an accident, and a 26-year-old man from our congregation was on life support. I heard some of the details as my husband took the call, and he filled me in on the rest after hanging up the phone. Then I watched as Brad rubbed his sleepy eyes and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He sat there for a long moment, sighed deeply, then stood and started making phone calls. Soon he was on his way to the hospital to meet with the young wife whose world had just been turned upside down.

I asked my husband how he knew what to do in that kind of situation. He said, “I don’t. But I’ve learned that you have to show up.

“Later that evening I asked my husband how he knew what to do in that kind of situation. He said, “I don’t. But I’ve learned that you have to show up.” He went on to say that if you sit around wondering what to do, you’ll never figure it out, but if you act in some way–such as going to the person need–the Lord can direct you from there. In this particular situation there wasn’t much anyone could do except surround the soon-to-be-widowed young woman, so she knew she was not alone. Brad spoke of his counselor who went with him to the hospital, the Relief Society president, the Elders Quorum president, and other friends from the ward who arrived in those early hours to give support. They likely wondered exactly what to say or do, but by showing up to embrace a grieving woman they were acting in love.” (1)

Susan shares, “Sometimes we have no idea what to say, so we say nothing. I believe actions matter when words are hard to come by. I am a very private person when it comes to my struggles with depression, anxiety, my daughter’s mental health struggles, and my divorce. Many times, people don’t know what I am going through because I don’t share, or I share only with very close friends. At the time of my divorce, one thing that stood out to me was when my neighbor Erin brought me flowers, just because. This is something I will never forget. I was a very broken person at that time and that simple gesture made me feel as though I mattered. Flowers, a loaf of bread, a note, etc. can make all the difference when we have no idea what to say.

“I have had episodes of depression and anxiety throughout my life. Talking to others who struggle with the same thing has been extremely helpful to me. If a person doesn’t know what it is like to deal with depression or anxiety, it’s helpful to acknowledge that. Again, flowers, notes, and other thoughtful gestures are always a good way to let someone know you care about them, especially when they may not feel like being social or going out. My husband makes me dinner sometimes when I am depressed, as even thinking about what to cook can feel overwhelming at times. His acts of service have helped me tremendously.

“Having a daughter with severe ADHD and OCD has been exhausting and isolating. I appreciate it when her leaders tell me they are praying for her and when they reach out to her, even if she doesn’t respond or go to an activity. Also, something that is very helpful to me is when people understand ADHD and OCD either through experience or through taking the time to learn about it and what it involves. We joke about having ADHD and OCD, but the actual diagnosis can be very debilitating and challenging to live with. I believe asking about it and learning more about it helps that person not feel so alone and gives needed support.

“There were some things that I experienced when I was going through a divorce that were not helpful. A friend told me there were people gossiping about me, and that was very isolating. I only kept going to church because of my deep faith in God. Also, when I’ve brought up some of the mental health challenges of the young women or others, I have heard comments like “they just need to put their big girl pants on,” from people who do not understand mental health challenges. I have prayed to understand how to include girls and others who have a hard time even coming to church, talking in church, or feeling like they are enough due to mental health issues. I think getting them to come is not as important as helping them to feel loved. If we can make them feel loved and accepted, then we are teaching them the gospel.”

Cami relates a tender personal story. “We did an invitro procedure several years ago to try to grow our family. On a Sunday morning when my husband was the bishop, I took a pregnancy test before going to church. I hadn’t seen my husband all morning, of course, because he was busy with meetings.

“I went to church knowing that the test was negative. I thought I had a hold on my emotions, but I had a hard time at church. Right after Sacrament meeting, I was supposed to go do the music for Primary, but my emotions got the better of me and I just sat in the pew with my head down, trying to figure out how to control my emotions. My hormones were all whacked out because we had just done invitro, so on top of the negative pregnancy test, I was a mess.

My friend didn’t have any clue what was going on, and I didn’t explain to her. She just sat with me and let me cry–and that meant the world to me.

“I should not have tried to go to church that day. My husband wasn’t aware of what was happening. I was not on his radar at all that morning because of his duties as bishop. But a friend of mine saw me, and she came and sat next to me and put her arm around me. She didn’t ask any questions at all. My friend didn’t have any clue what was going on, and I didn’t explain to her. She just sat with me and let me cry–and that meant the world to me. I think about that all the time. I will never forget how she just sat there with me in my despair.

“Maybe there aren’t any words that you can say when someone is hurting, and maybe there’s nothing that you can do, but you can just be there with them.”

We can always look to Jesus Christ, the ultimate example of showing up for people in their lowest times, their deepest sorrows. He made himself available to others. He came when they called. And He wept with them. As we carefully study the life of the Savior, and prayerfully ask our Heavenly Father for specific inspiration when those around us are suffering, we can more effectively serve and bless His children.

*names changed

Notes:

1. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Daring to Act in Love, Meridian Magazine, https://latterdaysaintmag.com/daring-to-act-in-love/#google_vignette

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I never had a sister growing up. Not by blood. Though I was blessed with four brothers, I was definitely in the minority in my family. I had plenty of good female friends when I was young, but it wasn’t until I served as a missionary that I first tasted true sisterhood. As I studied and taught with, fasted and prayed with, sacrificed and served with my female mission companions, I developed a new kind of bond and caught the vision of what women can accomplish together when they are on the Lord’s errand.

In the decades since my mission, I have served in a wide variety of callings, but I am most drawn to the Relief Society. I feel a special connection to my church sisters who have blessed me with their humor, instructive gospel conversations, meaningful support in times of need, and examples of strength and grace while they have experienced significant loss and trials.

In the midst of one of my deepest sorrows, I sought comfort in the temple, and found it with the female ordinance workers. As my temple sisters placed their hands upon my head during the initiatory ordinance, I felt absolutely ministered to and enveloped by love. Such a sweet and sacred experience.

The prophets and apostles of our day have called upon the sisters of the church to rise up and be active participants in the Lord’s work during these turbulent times:

“There is a great need for women who can receive inspiration to guide them personally in their teaching and in their leadership responsibilities.

We need women with the gift of discernment who can view the trends in the world and detect those that, however popular, are shallow or dangerous. We need women who can discern those positions that may not be popular… but are right.” (1)

“… we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world. We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly.” (2)

As gospel sisters, actively keep the covenants we have made at baptism and in the temple, God blesses us with the spiritual gifts we need to do His work–even when our callings and assignments take us out of our comfort zones.

The story of Queen Esther demonstrates how one woman of great faith can have tremendous influence for good. When many covenant keeping women unite in faith, using their unique spiritual gifts to bless others, great things can be accomplished in families, congregations, and communities. Who knows how far those ripples of righteousness will extend out into the world? As Sheri L. Dew stated so powerfully, “If we could unleash the full influence of covenant-keeping women, the kingdom of God would change overnight.” (3)

When we understand our divine nature, and wholehearted follow Jesus Christ, there is no limit to the good we can accomplish. We sisters are uniquely united by our doctrine of a Heavenly Mother, and by the glorious truth that we can actually become like Her, through the great plan of happiness and the Savior’s Atonement.

Here I offer three songs in celebration of sacred sisterhood, and as a reminder of what the women of the Church have been called to do. Click on the mp3 to listen to a recording, then click on the other links to print out the free sheet music.

SISTERS, ARISE!

Words and Music by Lynne Perry Christofferson
Vocalist: Tammy Simister Robinson

Free sheet music download:

https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/_files/ugd/e7467c_f856b64dd647488191ab4891b9f26289.pdf

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sisters_Arise_VOCAL.mp3In an earlier time,
in a long-forgotten place,
as the daughters of God’s light
we were filled with truth
and reserved for latter-days
when we would need to shine.
Sisters, arise! Purify your lives,
reflecting what you believe.
Sisters, arise! So others recognize
that the gospel offers them peace.

In this present day,
in a dark and troubled world
with the constant call of night,
oh, how great the need
for the keepers of the flame
to hold their lamps up high.
Sisters, arise! Purify your lives,
reflecting what you believe.
Sisters, arise! So others recognize
that the gospel offers them peace.

We turn away from worldliness
as witnesses for Christ,
manifesting outwardly
the light we feel inside.

Sisters, arise! Purify your lives,
reflecting what you believe.
Sisters, arise! So others recognize
that the gospel offers them peace.

With virtuous minds,
and hope in our eyes,
oh, my Sisters,
sisters, arise!

COME SISTERS NOW, OF EVERY NATION

Words and music by Lynne Perry Christofferson
Vocalist: Tammy Simister Robinson

Free sheet music download:

https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/_files/ugd/e7467c_be401aa9ceef4ab88c57f2959860b5ec.pdf

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/COME-SISTERS-NOW-OF-EVERY-NATION1.mp3Come sisters now, of every nation,
certain of your worth,
embrace the beauty of your station
and your role on earth.
Accept the truth of Heavenly Parents,
feel Their love’s caress,
and emanate Their light
as you arise in holiness.

Come sisters now, extend your hand
to those who ache with grief,
the hungry and oppressed among you,
offering relief.
Come minister as earthly angels,
softening despair,
consoling those in need of comfort,
giving tender care.

Come sisters now, unite your voices
in a worthy cause.
With charity and confidence
defend God’s holy laws–
employing true civility,
not arrogant, but bold.
Protectors of the weak among us,
whether young or old.

Come sisters now, declare your faith,
and witness from this hour
that righteousness increases strength,
and purity is power.
Come lay aside all worldliness,
the chains that hold you fast.
Experience the glory
of God’s liberty at last.

Nearly four decades ago, my mother, Janice Kapp Perry, was asked by the church music committee to write the musical setting for a text by pioneer Emily Woodmansee, who was a member of the Willie Handcart company. I love the fact that this song was written by two sisters who lived in very different times but have both used their spiritual gifts and influence for good. Years ago, I arranged this familiar hymn–As Sisters in Zion–for one of Mom’s albums:

AS SISTERS IN ZION

Text: Emily Woodmansee
Music: Janice Kapp Perry
Arrangement: Lynne Perry Christofferson

From the album When I Feel His Love

Free sheet music download:
https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/_files/ugd/e7467c_57efa50742eb4d7ca3aff41ab2d03a54.pdf

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/04-As-Sisters-In-Zion.mp3As sisters in Zion,
we’ll all work together;
The blessings of God
on our labors we’ll seek.
We’ll build up his kingdom
with earnest endeavor;
We’ll comfort the weary
and strengthen the weak.

The errand of angels
is given to women;
And this is a gift that,
as sisters, we claim:
To do whatsoever
is gentle and human,
To cheer and to bless
in humanity’s name.

How vast is our purpose,
how broad is our mission,
If we but fulfill it
in spirit and deed.
Oh, naught but
the Spirit’s divinest tuition
can give us the wisdom
to truly succeed.

Notes:

1. Boyd K. Packer, “The Relief Society,” Ensign, Nov. 1978.
2. Russell M. Nelson, “A Plea to My Sisters, Ensign, Nov. 2015.

Sheri Dew, Awake, Arise, and Come Unto Christ, address given May 1, 2008, BYU Women’s Conference.

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According to a quick Google search, the time it takes to drive the 1,545 miles between Bloomington, Indiana and Provo, Utah is just over 23 hours. I beg to differ. I endured that road trip many times as a child and can testify that it’s more like 23 weeks. At least it felt that way. I clearly recall staring out the side window of the family car, almost numb with boredom, where the only thing in sight for hours at a stretch was row upon green row of mid-western cornfields.

When it was my turn to sit in the middle of the seat, so I was looking through the front windshield, I made a puzzling discovery. A hundred yards or so ahead of our car, there appeared to be a puddle across the highway, yet as we drew close to it the water seemed to magically disappear. For countless miles, as I continued staring out the windshield, this phenomenon repeated itself over and over. I was both fascinated and frustrated. Why couldn’t we ever reach that elusive water?

This was my first experience with a mirage. I have since learned that a mirage is an optical event which happens “when the ground is very hot, and the air is cool. The hot ground warms a layer of air just above [it]. When the light moves through the cold air and into the layer of hot air it is refracted (bent).” (1)This makes distant objects appear displaced or distorted and can create the impression of water where none actually exists.

Eventually, I learned about the opposite of a mirage: an oasis, a fertile area in a desert, surrounding a water source such as a spring or well. An oasis provides a unique, lush environment which supports plant and animal life, in stark contrast to the bleakness of the surrounding landscape. The concept of an oasis inevitably turns my thoughts to the living water of Jesus Christ.

“… whosever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life, and the great and spacious building described therein, illustrates the powerful contrast between an oasis and a mirage. Though the great and spacious building is a very real concept, it’s enticements, addictions, and the opinions and philosophies of its influencers–however pleasurable or plausible–cannot save us. According to President Russell M. Nelson, “The baseless notion that we should “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us” is one of the most absurd lies in the universe.

The crucial difference between an oasis and a mirage is that an oasis has the power to satisfy thirst–to sustain life–while a mirage promises what it cannot deliver, or what it cannot sustain long term. A mirage appears to be something it is not. An oasis is everything it appears to be.

There are endless mirages to distract us, but there is only one oasis: Jesus Christ. Elder Dale G. Renlund warns us against chasing a mirage instead of following the Savior: “…we… 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. We are counseled to rely “wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. (2 Nephi 31:19) 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.” (2)

Turning away from the oasis of Jesus Christ doesn’t usually happen in a minute. The shift can be so subtle that we’re rarely aware that we’re being seduced by a mirage. In my early forties I experienced the unwelcome effects of chasing a mirage. Years of blatant messages received through movies, magazines, and television gradually worked on me, persuading me that having a youthful face and a perfect body were necessary for true happiness. Unconsciously, I began to buy into this lie.

Not long after I first noticed evidence of aging on my face, I developed a strange ritual, repeated nightly for several weeks. No, it wasn’t a new beauty regimen–there was nothing beautiful about it. Once I slipped on pajamas, brushed teeth, and said my prayers, I would lie in bed obsessing over the fact that the crow’s feet around my eyes were sure to be joined any day by sagging jowls, thinning lips, triple chins, and a host of age spots and unsightly growths. Horrors! The picture these thoughts conjured in my mind was enough to make me panic.

I often drifted off to sleep while making a mental head-to-toe list of what I would change about my body. After a few weeks of this twisted thinking, I found myself restless and discontent. So what that I had a wonderful husband, five bright children, a nice home, great neighbors, and the fullness of the gospel? What did any of those blessings matter if I was eventually going to wrinkle like a prune? I actually started to consider taking drastic (read: plastic) measures to “fix” the outward signs of aging.

Looking back, I feel sick inside remembering that thought process. Have I continued to age? Yes. The past eighteen years have proven that aging is inevitable. But in large measure my thinking has changed.

Change began as I watched the broadcast of general conference in October 2005. Two talks stood out to me like neon lights because they directly addressed the issues I was wrestling with each night. Sister Susan W. Tanner spoke powerfully about the sanctity of the body, testifying “that the body is a gift to be treated with gratitude and respect.” (3) In Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s address, “To Young Women,” he said, “In terms of preoccupation with self and a fixation on the physical…it is spiritually destructive…And if adults are preoccupied with appearance–tucking and nipping and implanting and remodeling everything that can be remodeled–those pressures and anxieties will certainly seep through to children.” (4)

These talks made a deep impression as the Spirit bore witness that I was hearing truth: OASIS. My dissatisfaction had come when I began to entertain the lie that pursuing youth and beauty was worth any cost: MIRAGE. That conference weekend I put an end to my destructive nighttime ritual and felt immediate relief in doing so. I bear witness that “the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) (5)

I experienced what Elder Christopher Waddell expressed so well, “The adversary offers counterfeit solutions that may appear to provide answers but take us even further from the peace we seek. He offers a mirage that has the appearance of legitimacy and safety but ultimately, like the great and spacious building, will collapse, destroying all who seek peace within its walls.” (6)

According to Pres. Nelson, “As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest.

Now, you may be thinking this sounds more like hard spiritual work than rest. But here is the grand truth: while the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot! The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it!” (7)

On a recent evening at the temple, as I performed the initiatory ordinances for several young adult sisters, I thought of how many of their generation have left the church in recent years. I prayed silently for these women, that they would recognize the powerful blessings being pronounced upon them. One of the greatest of these is the power of discernment, to be able to see clearly. Keeping our temple covenants strengthens our ability to discern between an oasis and a mirage.

There’s an old gospel hymn that is dear to me. As I examine the crucial difference between an oasis and a mirage, I appreciate this beautiful invitation:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace (8)

When we fully turn ourselves toward the oasis of Jesus Christ–His example, His gospel, and His Atonement–we have access to everything we need. To look full in the wonderful face of the Savior is to fill our minds with truth, to emulate Him, to give Him a generous portion of our time, and to let His Holy Spirit be our primary influencer. Then the mirages of this world “will grow strangely dim,” losing their allure. “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” (2 chronicles 25:9)

Notes:

1. https://www.quora.com/Why-does-Mirage-occur-only-during-very-hot-conditions-on-the-road
2. Dale G. Renlund, “Jesus Christ is the Treasure,” Oct. 2023 General Conference.
3. Susan W. Tanner, “The Sanctity of the Body,” Oct. 2005 General Conference.
4. Jeffrey R. Holland, “To Young Women,” Oct. 2005 General Conference.
5. Lynne Perry Christofferson, based on an excerpt from the book “Sisters, Arise!”, Covenant Communications, 2016.
6. Christopher Waddell, “A Pattern for Peace,” April 2016 General Conference, emphasis added.
7. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Oct. 2022, General Conference.
8. Helen H. Lemmel, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” United Methodist Hymnal, #49, c. 1922.

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Have you ever stood outside early on a spring morning right at sunrise? When the golden rays of the sun sweep across a field of grass, the dew transforms into tiny drops of liquid light. The effect is magical. If I were an artist, I would paint an image of liquid light flowing from the pages of the Book of Mormon. Since I don’t have that ability, I once tried to capture a picture of those droplets in a song:

I daily drink of living water,
a flowing stream that fills my soul.
Oh, there is something in these words
beyond the wisdom of the ages,
for tiny drops of liquid light
come spilling from the pages. (1)

As we begin a new year of Come, Follow Me study, I have reflected on the “liquid light” I have received over past decades as I have searched the pages of the Book of Mormon. Sometimes that light resulted in deeper understanding of a gospel principle, and sometimes it motivated me to action.

After reading the Book of Mormon for decades, I came across Ether 12:27 again—counsel about the Lord showing us our weakness and helping to make us strong. I recognized that although I’d always thought it was an important scripture, I had never actually acted on it, never approached Heavenly Father in humility and asked Him to show me my weakness.

I finally acted on the light and truth before me, sincerely asking God to reveal my weakness. I confess that I was not prepared for what He showed me, but as I gradually humbled myself and accepted that He was telling me the truth, my life gradually began to change in significant ways. How grateful I am for the drops of liquid light that led me in a better direction. (2)

Several of my friends have shared with me how the liquid light of the Book of Mormon has blessed them. Here are their experiences:

Kelly’s story:

“A few years ago, after having been married for nearly 18 years, I had to make some very difficult decisions. With four children, ages 5 through 14, I had to be careful with my choices as they would affect my children’s lives and not just my own.

One particular evening a few months later, I was trying to study the Book of Mormon, desperately seeking comfort and guidance. My children were in bed for the night and I was, too. The all-consuming emotional pain and physical heartache were becoming too much to bear. Working full-time as a single mom, homework helper, handyman, chef, maid, therapist, nurse, yard worker, “CFO”, etc., was beginning to take its toll on me.

I sobbed as I reached for more tissues, trying futilely to see the words on the pages in front of me. I found it hard to breathe, let alone to make out what was being said. Finding it impossible to study, I decided to turn out the lights and try to make it through yet another sleepless night.

Scooting further under the covers, I continued to cry, holding my scriptures to my chest with both arms when suddenly I knew. I knew that HE knew where my heart was and that all I could offer that night was to hug my scriptures as I fell asleep. I felt power from the Book of Mormon. A warm, calming, deep peace encompassed me from the tip of my head down to my feet and I realized that I would never look at my scriptures the same way again.”

Leta’s story:

“When I turned eight years old, I was challenged to read the Book of Mormon every day, and I did so faithfully. I didn’t really understand most of what I was reading, but I just kept doing it, and I knew it was the right thing to do.

Seven years later, when I was a sophomore in high school, I was receiving some severe verbal abuse from an older boy at school. This abuse began very abruptly. When he saw me in the halls he would swear at me and yell loudly which drew a ton of attention to me. It was very embarrassing. I wasn’t sure why he was so upset at me. I began to dread going to school.

One morning during that hard time, I was reading my scriptures before school and stumbled upon a verse that told me to pray for my enemies, bless them that curse me, and do good to them that despitefully use me and persecute me. I felt as though Heavenly Father was speaking to me directly.

I decided to pray for this boy–and not just once. The only way I could overcome the complete and utter anxiety I felt about going to school was to pray for him every time he came into my head, which was probably three hundred times that first day. I was completely consumed with him and trying to go down different hallways to avoid running into him. I prayed and prayed and prayed.

I knew that I hadn’t done anything intentionally to upset him and realized something must be a little off with him. I prayed that his personal life would be healed and whatever he was feeling would be softened and that his anger would go away. I prayed for his family and I prayed that he would feel loved and I prayed that he would be kind. Every day I continued to avoid going where I thought he might be and continued to pray and pray.

Then a miracle happened. Exactly two weeks after stumbling upon that scripture, this boy called me up out of the blue and simply said, “I’m sorry for the way I treated you.” That was the moment that the scriptures became real to me. I knew my prayers were heard, that there are actual answers to our prayers in the scriptures.

It took seven years of me reading every day before I had a personal experience with the Book of Mormon beyond just feeling peaceful. From that moment on I have become a witness to the fact that Heavenly Father speaks to us through the scriptures.”

Suzi’s story:

“I was introduced to the Book of Mormon forty-nine years ago in Okinawa where our family was living on military assignment. One day while walking to the house of my new friend, Connie, my three little girls and I met a woman working in her garden. We exchanged hellos. She then asked a most unusual question: Had my girls been baptized? After I said, “No,” she replied, “If the plane goes down on your way back to the States, your girls will go to Hell.”

I was stunned and didn’t know how to process what she had just said. Our conversation ended politely and the girls and I continued a few doors down to Connie’s house. She welcomed us, and when she asked, “How are you?” I said, “I don’t know.” My answer revealed my distress about the conversation with her neighbor, which I related to her.

Connie said, “Wait right here.” She disappeared and returned a minute later flipping the pages of a little blue book. She put the open book in my hands. “Read here: Moroni 8, verses 8 through 12.” As I read these verses, I felt comforted by the Lord’s comments about little children not needing baptism. The words felt true.

My conversion to my Savior and His gospel began from these fifteen minutes halfway around the world. A well-intentioned woman and a well-prepared Connie were part of answering my yearning for more meaning in life. With hindsight I could see the Lord’s design on my behalf. A few months later I was baptized.

Having grown up in Massachusetts, I had never heard of the Book of Mormon… Continued growth, direction, purpose, peace, and hope have all come from this experience.”

My story

For me, one of the greatest blessings of the Book of Mormon has come through the stories which demonstrate how God assists his servants who keep their covenants. A vivid example of the Lord providing help for a covenant keeper is the story Lehi, who–at the Lord’s command–“left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.”

What a marvelous example of living the law of obedience and the law of sacrifice. Then came a surprising gift to enable Lehi and his family to fulfill the difficult assignment given them:

“And it came to pass that as [Lehi] arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither [they] should go into the wilderness.” The pointers “did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which [they] did give unto them.” (1 Nephi 16:10, 28)

Certainly, this was an unexpected gift, physical evidence of godly power, provided to assist a covenant keeper in doing what the Lord had commanded. Through Book of Mormon stories, I have seen that when we show that keeping covenants is a priority, we may be surprised at the kind of help made available to us. We may receive callings or assignments that allow us to participate in building God’s kingdom in significant ways. We may gradually notice that we’ve been blessed with a gift of the spirit which we had not previously enjoyed–a gift bestowed in order to help us do heaven’s work.

God’s power may manifest itself through material assistance, unexpected opportunities, the help of loved ones on the other side of the veil, or a new talent which emerges, all of which allow us to gather Israel in different ways than we have done before. And when God asks hard things of us, “our faithfulness to our covenants allows us to expect the Lord’s assistance, even by miracles.” (3) This has been a life changing lesson for me.

Everyone who undertakes a serious, sincere study of the Book of Mormon will at some point experience the “tiny drops of liquid light” that come spilling from its pages. Comfort, hope, the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, power, and practical help for overcoming our problems–these are the rich gifts of the Book of Mormon. Come, and drink your fill of the Savior’s living water.

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/3-Living-Water.mp3LIVING WATER

Words and music by Lynne Perry Christofferson
(from the album Keeping Sheep)
Soloist: Katherine Nelson

Rising in the early morning,
contemplating this new day,
needing power beyond my own
to strengthen me and send me on my way.
Turning to the Holy Scriptures,
treasuring the words of Christ,
this is water which He spoke of,
springing up to everlasting life.

(Chorus)

I daily drink of living water,
a flowing stream that fills my soul.
Oh, there is something in these words
beyond the wisdom of the ages,
for tiny drops of liquid light
come spilling from the pages.
I daily drink of living water.

Every day I cross a desert,
bringing water in supply,
for the hazards of the journey
tend to drain and leave a spirit dry.
How I crave this living water,
balm for every earthly pain,
strength to bear up each new burden,
fountain to inspire and sustain.

(Chorus)

I daily drink of living water,
a flowing stream that fills my soul.
Oh, there is something in these words
beyond the wisdom of the ages,
for tiny drops of liquid light
come spilling from the pages.
I daily drink of living water.

An oasis of refreshment,
one on which I can rely.
Those who drink from other wells
will find that none can ever satisfy.
I daily drink of living water.

Notes:

1. The song can be found on my free music website:

https://www.christoffersonmusic.com/_files/ugd/e7467c_5cad962e1f34451b8c6aa270e7c3eb7b.pdf

1. Read the full story here: https://latterdaysaintmag.com/i-will-lay-the-gavel-down-subduing-the-pharisee-in-me/
2. Cory B. Jensen, Understanding Your Endowment, pg. 6, Cedar Fort, Inc., Springville, Utah, 2015, emphasis added.

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Overheard in the dressing room of a clothing store:

Voice #1 “Oh, that’s so cute on you!”
Voice #2 “Yeah, but my garments show.”
Voice #1 “That doesn’t matter, just pin them out of the way.”
Voice #2 “Okay!”

From the social media account of a Latter-day Saint fitness influencer:

Comment: “Why don’t you ever wear your garments when you work out?”
Influencer: “I just don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”

More and more frequently over the last several years I’m hearing about church members–many of them young adults–who have been endowed in the temple and still attend church but are choosing to wear their temple garments only when it’s convenient or not at all. I am troubled by the increasingly casual attitude toward “the garment of the Holy Priesthood,” and wonder if much of it stems from a lack of understanding about what this sacred garment represents.

If we’re listening to people who tell us that wearing the temple garment is not that big a deal, we are listening to the wrong people. Who is qualified to help us understand whether or not the garment of the Holy Priesthood is important? A social media influencer, a friend who encourages you to just pin your garments “out of the way,” or prophets, seers, and revelators?

According to (then) Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Wearing the temple garment has deep symbolic significance. It represents a continuing commitment. Just as the Savior exemplified the need to endure to the end, we wear the garment faithfully as part of the enduring armor of God. Thus we demonstrate our faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us. (1)

A COAT OF SKINS

Adam and Eve were given coats of skins to wear from the Garden of Eden into the world, but where did those skins come from? One or more animals were sacrificed to provide a covering for our first parents, just as Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice to “cover” our sins. Once we receive our endowment, we are privileged to wear the garment as we leave the temple–going into the same spiritually dreary world Adam and Eve experienced. It’s safe to say we need that shield and protection more than ever in these last days

Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman recently stated, “I [have] noticed people asking… Why do I wear the holy garment? Should I invest in a covenant relationship with the Lord? The answer to these good and important questions is simple: it depends on what degree of relationship you want to experience with Jesus Christ. Each of us will have to discover our own response to those deeply personal questions. (2)

I feel a deep desire to share my own response to the question, “Why do I wear the holy garment?” The answer may be summed up in two words: connection and protection.

CONNECTION

As a teenager, I assumed that the temple garment was all about modesty. It was many years before I began to understand that while wearing the garment helps us to preserve our modesty, the garment of the Holy Priesthood is a powerful, constant reminder of Jesus Christ and the sacred covenants we have made. It helps me feel connected to Him.

The recently updated (2023) initiatory and endowment ordinances spell out exactly what the garment symbolizes and what it reminds us of. I encourage anyone seeking to learn about the temple garment to participate in these ordinances and pay close attention to the words. You will strengthen your understanding of the significance of wearing the garment of the Holy Priesthood.

The best way I can convey how wearing the garment connects me to the Savior is by sharing a personal story:

Sometimes the simplest object can be infused with deep meaning.

My family was celebrating my mother’s 85th birthday at a restaurant when, out of habit, I glanced at the ring finger of her right hand and was surprised to see that it was bare.

“Mama, where’s your ring?” I asked quietly. She looked at me sadly before answering, “I don’t know. I woke up one morning and noticed it was missing. I’ve looked everywhere but haven’t found it. I didn’t want to tell you.”

I fought back tears of disappointment. Whenever I am with my mother, I look for the plain gold band on her finger. It’s nothing fancy, but it has a history. Mom refers to it as her CTR ring because of the two good women who wore it before her–my grandmother and great-grandmother–and she often reminds me that it will be mine someday.

Originally, the gold band was the wedding ring of my great-grandmother, Pearl. Every Sunday for years, Pearl gathered her children and grandchildren around her knee and earnestly shared faith promoting stories and spiritual experiences. Her testimony of the Savior was palpable.

Many years later, Pearl’s daughter, Ruth, lost her diamond wedding ring, and Pearl insisted that Ruth wear the gold band. Grandma Ruth was full of faith and music. Her days were filled with genealogical research and compassionate service. She was a tireless missionary.

After Ruth passed away my mother, Janice, inherited the ring. For thirty-two years that simple gold band has rested on her right hand. Mom’s faith and testimony have beamed brightly as she has consecrated her time and talents to the Lord’s work as a mother, a musician, and a missionary.

I was ecstatic when the ring was finally found–in the garbage disposal of all places! It must have slipped off Mom’s finger while she washed dishes. That was the good news. Sadly, the band had taken a few turns with the disposal’s blades and was in sorry shape. The gold was deeply gouged, and one side of the ring was sliced clear through. I drove Mom to a jeweler to see if it was possible to salvage the ring and restore it to a wearable condition. The jeweler said he’d certainly try, but it wouldn’t be perfect.

He was right. The repaired band isn’t perfect anymore, but it’s wearable. I was thrilled to see the band on my mother’s finger once again. That CTR ring is my tangible connection to three righteous women and their absolute devotion to Jesus Christ. Each time I see the golden band I am inspired to emulate the precious women it represents.

In a similar way, the temple garment reminds me that I have committed myself to a covenant relationship with the Savior; that I have made specific promises to live His laws and consecrate myself to His service. I daily wear the garment next to my skin to connect me with the object of my devotion: Jesus Christ.

PROCTECTION

In 2015, Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke of the Sabbath as a sign. His words can help us determine how to wear the temple garment properly. “I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” (3)

When we need to make a decision about when to wear the garment or whether to wear it at all, perhaps we can ask ourselves that same question: What sign do I want to give to God?

Sister Linda S. Reeves shared similar thoughts, “There are… great blessings and protecting promises associated with the proper wearing of our temple garment. I have come to feel that I am symbolically putting on royal robes given me by my Heavenly Father. I testify… that when we strive to wear the garment properly, our Father recognizes it as a great sign of our love and devotion to Him. It is a sign of the covenants we have made with Him, and He has promised, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”” (4)

This is no mystical underwear; the fabric itself has no magical properties. But, as we wear the temple garment properly, power and protection come from the keeping of our covenants. Therein lies the shield and protection.

I was encouraged by a recent conversation with my young friend, “Kaylie,” who just returned home after serving a mission. Her teenaged sister took her shopping to refresh her post-mission wardrobe. As they searched through racks of clothing, her sister pulled out several items that were not compatible with the temple garment for Kaylie to try on. Kaylie reminded her, “I don’t wear clothes like that because I wear garments now.” The younger sister asked, “But you don’t have to wear your garments all the time, do you?” This was the perfect opportunity for Kaylie to teach her sibling that, “Yes. I choose to wear them all the time.”

I love the beautiful words Elder Allen D. Haynie recently taught, “We find Jesus in the temple, in every aspect of it, and we find Him in the symbolism of the garment. In wearing the garment, we declare to God that we rejoice in having Jesus’s name placed upon us in His holy house, and we remember Him always.” (5)

Notes:

1. Elder Russell M. Nelson, Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings, April 2001 General Conference.
2. Emily Belle Freeman, Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ, Oct. 2023 General Conference.
3. Elder Russell M. Nelson, The Sabbath is a Delight, April 2015 General Conference.
4. Sister Linda S. Reeves, Worthy of Our Promised Blessings, Oct. 2015 General Conference, emphasis added.
5. Elder Allen D. Haynie, Meeting Jesus in the House of the Lord, 2023,

https://speeches.byu.edu/speakers/allen-d-haynie/

Recommended reading:

1. Elder David A. Bednar, Put on Thy Strength, O Zion, Oct. 2022 General Conference.

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Driving east through a crowded mall parking lot, my brother John noticed a car heading west in the next lane. Moments later, another vehicle swerved around a corner–way too fast–and broadsided the westbound car. John quickly pulled over and checked on the drivers of the other vehicles. Fortunately, neither person had been injured, though the woman who had been hit was understandably shaken and upset.

My brother remained at the scene for several minutes, assuring the woman that he had witnessed the accident and it was clear that the other driver was at fault. John informed the woman that he was meeting his siblings for lunch at a restaurant just across the parking lot and would be there for the next hour. “If you need a witness, please come find me.”

Twenty minutes later, as my brothers and I were enjoying our meal, the woman from the accident scene approached our table and asked John for his contact information in case she needed to provide an eyewitness for the police report. John shared his phone number, describing exactly what he had seen. As the woman left the restaurant, my brother Steve mentioned a car accident he’d been in years before and how relieved he was that there were two witnesses who were able to establish that the accident was not his fault.

As I finished lunch that day, John’s words stayed in my mind: “If you need a witness…” That phrase started me thinking of the many Latter-day Saints who are struggling with testimony issues, experiencing a crisis of faith. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote that “… we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses …” (Hebrews 12:1) For anyone questioning the gospel of Jesus Christ and His restored Church it’s important to know there are witnesses all around.

The Law of Witnesses

Elder Loren C. Dunn taught, “The law of witnesses has always been a part of the Lord’s work on earth. This law states that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Cor. 13:1) (1)

Having multiple credible individuals testify of the same event or truth adds strength and validity to the message being shared. Particularly with the foundational events of the restoration of the gospel, such as the First Vision and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, multiple witnesses are considered essential in establishing their authenticity.

It is not surprising that the people of Joseph Smith’s day had difficulty believing that He had seen a vision from heaven, and later received plates of gold. A fourteen-year-old farm boy claiming to see God? A young man directed to an ancient record engraved on golden plates? It must have been a tremendous relief to Joseph when three other men were shown the plates of gold from which the Book of Mormon was translated. They wrote and signed their witness that they had seen these things. No longer was Joseph alone in his testimony.

Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses, was twenty-two years older than Joseph Smith, and was a landowner and prosperous farmer. So certain was he of what he had witnessed that he mortgaged his farm to ensure payment of the printing costs of the Book of Mormon. His testimony gave credibility to Joseph’s claims.

If you need a witness to bolster a shaky testimony, you won’t find it by slogging through the swamp of anti-Latter-day Saint materials, podcasts, and blogs. But there are many credible witnesses available.

If You Need a Witness: Lean on the Testimony of Prophets and Apostles

One of the most testimony strengthening blessings I’ve received from the past two years of Come, Follow Me study has been reviewing the prophecies of prophets and apostles in the Old and New Testaments. In our day, we have the benefit of knowing that many of these prophecies have been fulfilled. This is a powerful witness that prophets and apostles are inspired of God and we can trust their words.

The current members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have consecrated their lives as fulltime servants of God and as special witnesses of Jesus Christ. In addition to the many talks they have given in General Conferences, they have recorded their testimonies for all to listen to and watch. Find them here:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/special-witnesses-of-christ?lang=eng

In the mid 2000’s, my husband and I learned a personal lesson about trusting living prophets. We had heard President Gordon B. Hinckley, in 1998, strongly counsel church members to get out of debt, so we began paying extra each month toward our home mortgage. A few years later, Brad received a large distribution of partnership income. Many of his friends and co-workers who had significant experience in finance and investments encouraged him to put the money in what appeared to be a low-risk investment opportunity.

During this time, many people were taking advantage of the lenient lending practices of financial institutions. Many banks were willing to loan more than the actual value of a home, so some of Brad’s associates were taking out second mortgages on their existing homes to get the cash to invest in other new home construction. They would buy a new home, then flip it for a large profit.

Though Brad was being encouraged to invest his distribution money in this way, he hesitated. He recalled President Hinckley’s strong counsel to get out of debt. As my husband and I discussed where we should put the money, it became clear that we needed to follow the prophet and pay off our home mortgage.

How grateful we were for prophet’s warning when the bottom fell out of the market in 2008, and many of Brad’s associates were left owing more than their new homes were worth, on top of the second mortgage on their first homes. The market flipped, the lenders stopped lending, and home values decreased significantly.

President Hinckley was not a financial planner, a banker, or a Wall Street genius. But as a prophet, seer, and revelator, he was able to forewarn church members of troubling times ahead. How grateful we were during a serious economic downturn that we were debt free. We learned firsthand that we could trust the counsel and witness of God’s appointed servants.

If You Need a Witness: Lean on the Testimony of the Holy Ghost

If you’re struggling to receive a witness of the restored gospel from the Holy Ghost, you must be honest with yourself about where you’re getting your information. Studying or listening to material that plants doubt in your mind by spouting criticism and opinions rather than solid doctrine will never yield a testimony. A true witness of the Spirit can only come as you study the gospel from pure sources: the scriptures, the prophets and apostles, and the holy temple. As you persist in your sincere search for truth, a witness will come through the power of the Holy Ghost.

“… and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:4-5)

During my childhood, the Church didn’t place nearly the emphasis on the Book of Mormon that it does today. My parents taught me stories from the scriptures, but I never read the entire Book of Mormon until my sophomore year of high school when it was the course of study for seminary. Fortunately, my excellent teacher brought the scriptures to life, and I enjoyed our daily reading assignments.

Partway through the school year, while we were studying the book of Helaman, something began to stir inside me as I read. I vividly recall one particular week when I would hop on the bus after school and all I could think about was getting home to read from the Book of Mormon. Once I arrived at my house, I didn’t make my usual stop in the kitchen for snacks. Instead, I headed straight for my bedroom and pulled out my scriptures. This happened for several days.

I clearly recall the spiritual energy that filled me as I eagerly pored over God’s word–the sweetness of the Holy Spirit witnessing to me that what I was reading was true. That witness of the Spirit made an indelible impression on my young heart. “What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:23)

If You Need a Witness: Lean on My Testimony

While watching my grandson’s soccer game recently, I noticed that my son-in-law (an astronomy enthusiast) stood up, put on a pair of specialized glasses, then looked southeast toward the sun. Jonathan knew that a solar eclipse was just beginning. After helping his two youngest boys look through the glasses, he passed them along so my husband and I could see what was happening in the sky. We saw a sliver of the moon’s shadow as it began to pass between the earth and the sun.

We continued to monitor the moon’s progress throughout the game, and my husband told me that the best place to view the full effects of this eclipse was a couple of hours south of us, where the angle was better.

All afternoon, I wondered about the eclipse. Though people have been observing and charting the stars for thousands of years, it still astonishes me that the occurrence of a solar eclipse and the best place to view its full effect can be predicted so accurately. But while I may not be able to explain how astronomers figured it all out, I know firsthand that there was an eclipse–I know what I saw.

It’s the same way with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I may not be able to explain it all, but I am a witness of Jesus and His church. I know what I’ve seen and felt and become through the Savior’s Atonement and through the ordinances and covenants of the holy temple–restored in the latter days–which draw me to Christ.

Though I have not seen His face, I have surely seen His hand in my life. I have experienced the joy and relief of having my sins and shame washed away through His atoning blood, and I continue to feel Him changing me inside as fast as I allow it to happen. I have also witnessed dramatic transformations in other people as they have turned aside from sin, addiction, and worldly philosophies, and embraced the restored gospel of Christ.

No, I don’t know everything, but I know enough. Because of what I have personally experienced I know that whatever questions I still have will be answered in due course. If you need a witness of Jesus, you can lean on me.

A Cloud of Witnesses

Religion professor Jared Halverson recently said, “I’ve told my students before that when you have questions, gather your cloud of witnesses...One of the reasons I want to spend so much time in scripture, one of the reasons I want to know every story and ponder every word is because that is what gives voice to the cloud of witnesses. If I don’t know what they said, then they can’t say anything to me…whereas, if I’ve come to know them and come to understand them then theirs can be a voice from the dust that I’m aching to hear.” (2)

So, if you need a witness, start by looking to the “cloud of witnesses” all around: prophets and apostles, the Holy Spirit, and ordinary people like me who have been changed by Jesus Christ and are happy to stand as witnesses for Him.

NOTES:

1. Witnesses, Elder Loren C. Dunn, Oct. 1995 General Conference.
2. Unshaken Saints (podcast), Jared Halverson, Hebrews. 7-13, min. 3:18:44.

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5-year-old Daniel, a budding meteorologist, was excited to show me his library book about storms.

Daniel: “Grandma, what’s your favorite kind of storm?”

Me (having never considered this question in my life): “Ummm…”

Daniel: “My favorite kind of storm is a hurricane!”

Daniel spent several minutes animatedly describing the layers of a hurricane to his uninformed grandmother: The calm center, called the eye; the eyewall where the rain and wind are most powerful; the outer rainbands that spin out from the center.

Daniel: “Grandma, have you ever been in a hurricane?”

Me: “Sort of.”

I explained that when I served in the Washington D.C. mission in 1985, Hurricane Gloria–a category 4 storm at one point–swept up the east coast of the United States. The missionaries living in the Chesapeake Bay area were moved further inland as a safety precaution, and all of the missionaries were asked to remain indoors on the day the hurricane passed along the mid-Atlantic states. Though we experienced heavier rain and wind than usual, we were never in danger.

Daniel: “Oh! You were in the outer rainband.”

This discussion of storms was still on my mind a few weeks later as I studied the apostle Paul’s words, “… there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.” (2 Cor. 12:7-8)

Storms

Storms and thorns–we all experience them to some degree, and we may even find ourselves in the outer rainband of someone else’s hurricane, because the struggles of those close to us affect us too. Satellites and other sophisticated technology allow meteorologists to predict storms and warn the public when something serious is headed their way, allowing people to board up their windows or head for higher, drier ground.

This is not usually the case with many of life’s most powerful storms. Consistent daily spiritual practices, coupled with following prophetic warnings, may help us endure a spiritual, emotional, or physical hurricane, yet the unexpected nature of life’s fiercest storms can pack a serious wallop.

In the last few months, I’ve heard several people quote the following words, though I cannot trace their source. “The storm isn’t the enemy; the storm is where you meet God.” This idea brings to mind words from the apostle Peter:

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Thorns

What constitutes a “thorn in the flesh?” There are countless answers to this question. It may be a personality characteristic we’re born with such as a hot temper or extreme shyness, or it may come in the form of a learning disability or physical impairment like blindness. Some chronic or mental illnesses may be considered thorns–uncomfortable, inconvenient, frustrating, or even frightening conditions that we live with long term, which may sometimes flare up into a full-blown storm. Just as a spikey thorn embedded in our foot hurts with each step we take, thorns in the flesh are our constant, irritating companions.

Elder Ray H. Wood made an excellent observation about Paul and his “thorn in the flesh,” which can apply to all of us: “The thorn was to serve as a reminder of his dependence upon the Lord. Thus, he correctly identifies the purpose of his affliction and the reason it was not removed. He is therefore not resentful nor offended by the Lord’s refusal to comply with his prayerful requests. As hard as it may be, he willingly submits. He recognizes that willing submission to whatever God imposes brings God’s grace to strengthen us and help us bear that which is imposed.” (1)

Tutoring

One of the most quoted scriptures in the restored Church of Jesus Christ was given in answer to Joseph Smith’s soulful pleas from Carthage Jail. “… know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” (D&C 122:7) In the middle of our worst trials, “experience” may seem too mild a word to describe the pain, turbulence, and fear that grip us. But hindsight clearly shows that God uses our storms to tutor us spiritually.

I once emerged from a particularly devastating personal storm feeling like Humpty Dumpty, who couldn’t be put back together again–at least not in the same form as before. My broken pieces could not be reassembled because those pieces had changed in size. My heart had enlarged, my ego was a bit smaller, my empathy was significantly deeper, and my tendency to judge others had been reduced. Thankfully, these broken fragments were in the uniquely capable hands of Jesus Christ, who reshaped me into something stronger than I was before.

Recalling a fierce life storm that upended his life with no warning, one man shared that this trial humbled him significantly. It drove him to his knees frequently in prayer and taught him to be more submissive to God’s will and timing. He also gained a new level of empathy for those who suffer from depression.

Eighteen months ago, my cousin Cami was diagnosed with breast cancer. I recently asked if she’d share some of the lessons she has learned through this life-altering storm. She wrote:

“God is real. He is there when you need him. He doesn’t smooth the road, but he helps you walk it.

Hard things are an opportunity to get to know him better.

Every day [after my diagnosis] felt like swimming through muddy uncertainty. I prayed like I had never prayed before. I talked to God all of the time.

The image that kept coming to my mind was of Christ walking ahead of me on a path I did not want to go down. He was turned slightly toward me, his hand reached out to me, inviting me to go with him. It was my choice.

I made the choice over and over to walk with him. Intentionally walking into the unknown. Deliberately taking his hand, the only sure thing in a world where everything was suddenly unsure: health, relationships, work finances, callings, time, etc.”

Mentoring

The spiritual tutoring we receive from enduring thorns and surviving storms has another beautiful side benefit: we grow into mentors for those who are experiencing similar storms and thorns. Our hearts become more compassionate and we more readily recognize when someone else is grappling with a personal hurricane.

A woman who married in her mid-teens and experienced years of domestic violence once shared, “While I would not have chosen to experience domestic abuse, I’m now in a position to empathize deeply with those who are victims, and to share resources to help with their situation.”

I recently saw advertised a special event for women with breast cancer where support, information, and resources could be found. Later, I discovered that it was actually my cousin Cami who organized the event. The soul-stretching tutoring she received through her cancer journey has qualified and inspired her to mentor others. Here she shares more of her experience:

“Chemo was super hard for me… When I was at the chemo center I would reach out to other patients and distract myself by getting to know them. They inspired me. They were fighting cancer and doing other hard things. I learned how to fight with Grace and strength from them.

A few times during treatment I searched for an event where breast cancer patients could meet together with each other and with experts and resources to learn tips for self-care. I couldn’t find one.

The idea came to create one. I didn’t have the time or energy for something like that. But the idea wouldn’t leave me. It kept coming.

There’s a special kind of trust that I felt when I was able to talk to other women that were going through treatment for triple negative breast cancer. They knew. They knew about the harsh chemo, the mastectomy, the fear of recurrence, the way life is turned upside down. Talking to them gave me strength because I knew I wasn’t alone. That connection is so valuable. A lifeline.

That connection needed a home, a nest, a safe place to be born. I thought I’d try to find a venue.

I tried and tried but couldn’t find one. Weird. I had felt so strongly about moving forward with an event. I thought of giving up. The idea kept coming very strong.

My thyroid decided to stop cooperating. No energy.

The idea was still there.

I had lots of conversations with God about it. I told him that I knew it was an event he wanted to have happen but that it would take time away from my family. Away from healing.

[Then a woman] at Intermountain Health responded to an email I had sent weeks earlier: “This is important. Let’s do it.”

Wow. Step by step I found the right people. I was led to them. They knew other people and resources that we needed. It grew. I wasn’t doing it alone. We did it.

Having this project while so many aspects of my life were out of my control, was a kind of therapy. I could create and contribute. I could make something beautiful for others when life was taking things away from me.

Mostly, I felt like this was all part of the path I was walking with Christ. It was something he would do. It was his way of living and healing, looking outward. Concerned for others. Choosing love over fear.”

It is possible to be in the fiercest part of the hurricane and to experience the calm eye simultaneously if we’re built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and solid in keeping our covenants. Then, we can turn our tutoring into mentoring others who are navigating their own fierce winds and rain. As we are buffeted by our trials, we may safely trust in the One who is well acquainted with both storms and thorns.

Notes:

1. Elder Ray H. Wood, Ensign, Feb. 2003, “Our Thorns in the Flesh,” emphasis added.

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She was knee-deep in the wreckage of her divorce. The stresses of single-parenting, financial woes, and loneliness were overwhelming. Dragging herself out of bed on a gloomy morning, she shuffled outside to push her garbage cans to the curb, then turned dejectedly back toward the garage. As she neared the home, a ray of sunlight washed over her, arresting her attention. She basked in the warmth of that unexpected light for several moments–left with the gentle assurance that God was still aware of her. It was such a tiny thing, yet it provided enough hope to keep going for a few more days. This small experience became part of her “personal spiritual archives,” a treasured memory to be recalled when she needed to fortify her faith in moments of struggle and weakness.

Elder Neil L. Andersen has spoken of spiritually defining memories:

“Along with the peaceful direction we receive from the Holy Ghost, from time to time, God powerfully and very personally assures each of us that He knows us and loves us and that He is blessing us specifically and openly. Then, in our moments of difficulty, the Savior brings these experiences back into our mind.” (1)

The following story is one of my treasured spiritual memories:

As a little girl growing up in Indiana, I experienced sweet feelings whenever my parents or Junior Sunday school teachers told stories from the scriptures, and whenever I heard or sang spiritual songs. I looked forward to going to church with my family and enjoyed looking through our illustrated children’s Bible at home. Though I couldn’t exactly define the feelings these activities produced, they were gentle and pleasant.

As a thirteen-year-old, I was privileged to attend a special gathering with hundreds of teenage girls, organized by my stake. We met at a large chapel on a Saturday morning, wearing our best dresses and using our best manners. For two hours we attended workshops presented by excellent speakers whose presentations focused on our divine spiritual origins and the concept that we were known and loved by a very personal God. By the time the gathering concluded I was filled to the brim with light and truth.

I took my time walking home that day, and the spiritual light I had been feeling stayed with me. Once I reached my bedroom, I exchanged my dress for jeans and a casual shirt, but I was not inclined to read, or play the piano, or engage in sports as I generally did on Saturday afternoons. Instead, I made my way out the front door and sat on the porch steps in the sunshine, not wanting anything to chase away the lovely feelings I was experiencing. I don’t remember how long I sat there, but I recall with perfect clarity the way holiness gently enveloped me, as tangible as the warm sunlight on my skin. I basked in the glow of a Divine Presence.

Forty-seven years have come and gone, yet when I close my eyes, I can still feel the spiritual power of those moments on the front porch of my girlhood home. In retrospect, I understand that I entered a new stage of spiritual growth that day as I became, not just a passive spectator of spiritual things, but an active seeker of God’s word, striving to always have His spirit with me.

I have relied on this cherished spiritual memory at times when I have needed to bolster my faith. It is a reminder that God is aware of me, that He has led me before, and He will lead me again.

I am grateful that Alma the younger recorded his life-altering spiritual experience. By making the effort to painstakingly engrave his story on plates of gold, he blessed his posterity and countless other people who have been inspired by his experience. I never tire of reading the account:

“Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell… So great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror… And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

As I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, 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, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!” (Alma 36:13-14,16-18, emphasis added)

Alma’s moment of illumination came when the Spirit brought to his remembrance the words of his father concerning Jesus Christ. This precipitated the crucial action of crying out to the Savior for mercy and receiving forgiveness. I feel certain that when Alma was imprisoned, starved, and abused for many days in Ammonihah, this was one of the spiritual memories he relied on to strengthen his faith and courage. If we feel that we are lacking in personal moments of illumination, reading the accounts others have shared in the scriptures and in family histories can shore up our faith until we have our own spiritual experiences to lean on.

A few years ago, my local congregation undertook a project to help unify our ward after all the social distancing caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Each ward member was invited to write down and submit an experience they felt comfortable sharing wherein they had felt the hand of God in their life.

After this project was first announced, I lay awake at night wondering which experience I could share. I enjoyed the spiritual exercise of sifting through my memories to find evidence of God’s hand in my life. Even after I wrote and turned in a story, I found that the act of recalling spiritual memories was a great blessing. Since that time, when I have difficulty sleeping, I often find peace by searching my “archives” for more moments when I felt God’s love, when pure intelligence flowed into my mind, or when the Spirit spoke peace to me in troubled times.

I was privileged to help gather and proofread the scores of stories that were turned in by ward members, and my own testimony increased as I read their accounts which were compiled and published as a beautiful book bursting with moments of testimony, miracles, and spiritual illumination. With permission, I share one of those stories, written by my friend Liz:

“I was raised in the windswept prairies of southeast Wyoming. It was a common occurrence to experience a late afternoon shower most days during the summer months. The clouds would gather, at first looking tame and billowy, then slowly darkening until they created the cleansing and much needed downpour to quench the dry clay soil.

One particular afternoon the clouds gathered, but it did not rain. As I was not much older than seven, I felt fortunate to be able to sprawl out on the cool grass and rest from the rigors of bike riding. As I gazed at the seemingly tangible clouds in that wide, wonderful Wyoming sky, I felt the most powerful sense of who I was. I was a body, I could feel that, but I was so much more than my physical self. I had an amazing sense of my spirit–even if my words or my young mind couldn’t grasp it. I experienced a sudden sense that I came from somewhere else and that my body was just a part of who I was.

Those spiritual stirrings on my front lawn were the beginning of my testimony and that experience continues to rest in my soul as a special gift. I knew of my divine worth at a young age. I often reflect on that chance to feel God’s love for me in a simple place on a simple day. Some people say that not much grows in southeast Wyoming, even with the consistent burst of an afternoon thunderstorm. But I began to grow my testimony on those Great Plains, and I will always be grateful that God found a young child and spoke in small ways to her heart and mind and anchored her soul in a special place.”

There may be times when it is nearly impossible for us to feel the Spirit even in small ways. People suffering from mental illness or who are going through chemotherapy treatments are sometimes unable to perceive the Spirit as they once did, due to the effects of heavy medications. One man shared that while antidepressants helped alleviate the worst of his crippling depression, they also hindered his ability to feel much of anything, including the Holy Spirit. He had to rely on his spiritual memories–times from earlier years when he had felt the whisperings of the Holy Ghost while praying, reading the scriptures, and singing sacred hymns.

Recently, a friend shared one of his spiritual memories with me and has allowed me to use it here: Brandon (name changed) was exhausted from years of debilitating mental health challenges. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder were a constant weight on his spirit.

“One night I was working at my computer, and I had this strange sense of alertness come over me. I wasn’t really sure what to do with it, but I knew that I needed to stop everything that I was doing and listen. As I listened, I got the impression that I needed to go take a shower, brush my teeth, pray with my wife, and then go to bed.”

Without disclosing the more sacred elements of his experience, Brandon recalled, “As soon as I got in bed and closed my eyes, God gave me a brief dream. It was essentially a promise made to me that I would be healed from all of my mental illness.” Though he wasn’t given a timetable for that healing–whether it would come in this life or the next–he was given the assurance that “Rest will come. Healing will come.” And he was left with a deep sense of gratitude.

Brandon continues, “Just to summarize, I had a prompting, I followed through on that prompting, because of that I had a dream where God gave me a promise, and that promise has gotten me through the trials of the last two years.”

Elder Anderson counsels, “Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. Share them with your family. Trust that they come to you from your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. Let them bring patience to your doubts and understanding to your difficulties. I promise you that as you willingly acknowledge and carefully treasure the spiritually defining events in your life, more and more will come to you.” (2)

Notes:

1. Elder Neil L. Andersen, Spiritually Defining Memories, April 2020 General Conference.
2. Ibid.

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NOTE: Explore Lynne’s new music website christoffersonmusic.com for FREE sheet music downloads of sacred/inspirational music for Latter-day Saint and other Christian use.

“Did you water the garden?” my husband asked on a recent Saturday afternoon.

“No,” I replied, surprised at the question. I had been busy all morning with inside chores.

Brad was clearly puzzled. “Well, someone watered the whole garden and weeded and even brought in a couple of zucchinis and set them on the counter.”

My husband normally did his summer gardening in the early hours of the day while it was cool, but he’d been away from home all morning helping out friends. He had dreaded working outside that afternoon in the scorching temperatures, but now it seemed he wouldn’t have to. The look on his face was priceless as the truth sunk in that someone had anonymously performed a huge act of service for him. Confusion …

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I’ve been experiencing a season of remembrance. It started when Perry family members gathered at my home on Mother’s Day. My sister-in-law Johanne showed up wearing what she wears every year on this occasion: colorful homemade necklaces–gifts created by her four children when they were young. Each time I see those necklaces adorning Johanne’s neck, I get a lump in my throat. This is a ritual of remembrance: a mother remembering her children who honored her with their simple gifts.

We have many rituals of remembrance–acts and traditions that honor people we love who have died or have blessed our lives in some way. From the solemn ceremony of a funeral service, to the quiet but intensely personal tradition of wearing necklaces, these rituals differ from person to person, from family to family, and by religion, culture, or country, but they all serve an important purpose.

Rituals help us acknowledge …

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My husband and I settled happily into our airplane seats, anticipating the warmth of a tropical vacation after a winter of record-breaking snow. Just as I began to relax, I blinked, and a rush of “floaters” washed across my right eye. You’ve likely experienced floaters–harmless, transparent strands that occasionally appear in our vision. We can control their movements by rotating our eyeballs, and they usually disappear as quickly as they come.

But this was different. For fifteen minutes, my field of vision was filled with inky black loops, dots, and swirls, as if someone had written in beautiful calligraphy across my eye. It was difficult to appreciate the beauty, however, while sensing that whatever was happening might signal a dangerous eye condition.

After arriving in Maui, a phone call to my optometrist’s office back home confirmed that I did not have the urgent symptoms of a detaching retina, but the …

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My brother, John, is a serious international traveler, and one of my favorite travel companions. I’ve been blessed to join him on a few of his many trips, as together we’ve explored San Francisco, Chile, Argentina, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Morocco. A current of excitement always flows through me when we start planning our next adventure.

A month ago, John and I sat together on the couch in our mother’s home office, discussing travel as we often do. I asked a question about a trip John took to Portugal a few years ago, and he pulled out his phone to show me some photos from his time in Lisbon. As he scrolled through the pictures, I was intrigued by a monument I had never seen before and asked to look more closely at the images.

Photo credit: John Derek Perry

O Padrão dos Descobrimentos–or Monument to the Discoveries–stands 170 feet tall. It has perched at the edge of the Tagus River estuary since 1960 and was created in commemoration of Portugal’s Age of Discoveries, when seafaring Europeans explored unknown regions of the earth between the 15th and 17th centuries. It was from this location that many explorers set sail.

Examining photos of the monument, I felt the same rush of excitement that always accompanies the start of an overseas adventure. Later, I researched the monument, looking closely at the detailed sculptures of more than thirty sea captains, pilots, writers, navigators, mathematicians, missionaries, and cartographers, imagining how they felt as they sailed toward uncharted waters. Were they afraid? What did they hope to discover?

Photo credit: John Derek Perry

My thoughts soon turned to another kind of journey: voyages of spiritual discovery–both intentional and unintentional. In the context of the plan of salvation, our entire mortal life may be considered a voyage of discovery, yet there are distinct voyages within the larger journey. Some, we choose to make, and others seem to be thrust upon us, but all of them have the potential to lead us closer to Jesus Christ.

Intentional voyages of discoveryI have long admired Nephi for actively seeking spiritual knowledge–even in his youth. When his father, Lehi, received a remarkable vision and shared it with his family, Nephi went on a quest: he wanted to see what his father had seen. He recorded: “… after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord …” ( 1 Ne.11:1, emphasis added) Nephi’s efforts were rewarded with his own vision–a marvelous voyage of spiritual discovery. He found out for himself that “… he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost…” (1 Ne.10:19) While few earnest seekers will be rewarded with a spectacular vision, spiritual discoveries can come in many ways.

President Russell M. Nelson is a stellar example of seeking voyages of spiritual discovery on a regular basis–even at nearly 99 years of age! In 2017, President Nelson spoke of consecrating a portion of his time each week for six weeks “… to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works… I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!” (1)

Our prophet’s discoveries have sometimes led to invitations for church members to make some of their own, such as searching the scriptures to find the blessings the Lord has promised to covenant Israel.

During my second semester at Brigham Young University, I felt promptings to prepare to serve a fulltime mission, so I enrolled in a mission prep class. That entire semester became a voyage of spiritual discovery, particularly when our class studied the laws of justice and mercy. Previously, the Atonement of Jesus Christ was a vague, perplexing concept to me, which seemed important but was hard to wrap my mind around. However, as I prayerfully studied the laws of justice and mercy–my first serious attempt to study by topic–I slowly began to glimpse the significance of the Atonement, why it was necessary, and how it was even possible.

It was just a beginning. My spiritual voyage had only taken me to the tip of the iceberg, but at least it got me to the iceberg, paving the way for decades of discoveries about Christ’s Atonement.

Unintentional voyages of discoverySome of the most spiritually significant journeys of discovery are not of our choosing. Frequently, the actions or struggles of others–a child, a parent, a spouse, a friend, even a stranger–send us on an unexpected journey. At other times, God allows us to experience our own serious trials. We may be blindsided. It may feel like we’ve been shoved onto a boat and pushed away from the shore before we even know what’s happening: the divorce we didn’t see coming, the mental illness that changes everything, a devastating loss, a testimony crisis, financial reverses, the hurtful choices of someone close to us. We reluctantly set sail without the chance to pack a suitcase or study a map.

Unintentional voyages do not automatically lead to spiritual discoveries or draw us closer to the Lord–we must consciously invite Him to make the journey with us. My friend, Stephanie, taught me a lesson about this recently when she shared her story of embarking on a host of unexpected voyages simultaneously:

“In [2021] my family and I had more surgeries and illnesses, some potentially fatal, than our last ten years put together. Add to that a fall-out with a beloved child, falls and stitches, EKGs and echocardiograms, family members leaving the church, my own faith being challenged, mental disorders, children and grandchildren moving in with us, a child going through a painful divorce, and the feeling that I might have to become my family’s primary breadwinner.

It was difficult not to be whisked away into a whirlwind of anxiety and worry. I finally asked the Lord, “What do I need to study?” The thought came to research “how to find peace in the midst of the storm.”

I looked up every scripture I could find that contained the word “peace.” I researched General Conference talks on peace, struggles, endurance, and finding strength in our trials. I cross-referenced scriptures that stood out to me, looked up the definition of words, and recorded my thoughts. Then I asked friends and family to think of individuals in the scriptures who were able to find peace, even while they experienced their own personal trials. What I found in the details of each story created a vivid picture in my mind of my Savior–how he supports, inspires, guides, empowers, and heals us. Then I recognized a pattern. Every time an individual exercised an abiding hope, God showed up to keep His promises.” (2)

This is just a tiny taste of what Stephanie experienced when she transformed a stressful/painful season of life into a voyage of spiritual discovery by diving deep into the word of God, with a specific purpose. In doing so, she gave her “unintentional voyage” an element of intentionality.

Spiritual discovery takes sincere, persistent effortWhether our current journey is intentional or unintentional, the process of spiritual discovery is essential for anyone who wants to grow in understanding of the Savior’s teachings and draw closer to Him. M. Catherine Thomas says it well, “… until we each experience spiritual realities for ourselves, there will be some distortion in our perception of things as they really are.”

Speaking on a podcast earlier this year, religion professor Steven C. Harper stated, “We live in a time where we are under the illusion that you can know something really deeply and powerfully by spending 15 minutes on an internet browser… That’s not the case. That’s not what it means to be responsible for our own learning: ‘I’ll google it myself’.” (3) Patrick Q. Mason concurs, “If we want answers to our questions, we have to put in the time. Research is hard work. If we have existential questions, we cannot be satisfied with blog-level answers… Give the issue the attention and care it deserves.” (4)

I once attended a gathering of temple ordinance workers where our temple president shared that many patrons make appointments to speak with him, desiring him to explain the various symbols involved in the endowment. The president told his workers, “First of all, I don’t know everything about all of the symbolism yet–I’m still learning. Secondly, if I were to share what I do know, it would deprive patrons of the opportunity to seek revelation and be taught by the Spirit.”

On many occasions, as I have struggled to discover the meaning of certain temple symbols and tokens, I’ve wished for a chart with two columns: “A” showing the symbol/token, and “B” explaining its exact interpretation. I can relate to the following observation of author Wendy Ulrich, “Church leaders tend not to explain much [about the temple symbols], leaving us the privilege of coming to our own conclusions. We are not always happy about this “privilege.” (5)

For a time, I actually gave up trying to understand temple symbolism. I still attended the temple and felt its blessings, but I didn’t make any spiritual discoveries. After evaluating my experience, I had to confess that I had never put serious, long-term effort into understanding parts of the endowment during my time outside of the temple. No wonder my understanding was small.

So, I made a fresh start–embarked on a new voyage of discovery–by engaging in focused, prayerful study outside of the temple, diving into many books from reliable sources, including the scriptures. The pace of my learning is still very slow, sometimes frustratingly so. But as I have persisted, the eyes of my understanding have occasionally been opened to tiny insights and faint impressions which are gradually enhancing my temple worship. I’m finally learning to be grateful for the painstaking “privilege” of seeking answers for myself. This particular voyage of spiritual discovery will need to continue throughout my life, but I am relishing the journey.

Intentional voyages can help us prepare for unintentional journeysJust yesterday, I had a moving conversation with a friend who has been on an unexpected 2½ year voyage with his sweet wife as she battles stage 4 cancer. This remarkable couple has chosen to keep a miracle journal during this ordeal, to document moments big and small when they have felt the hand of God in their journey. I was moved to tears as the husband–even knowing the hardest part of the voyage lies ahead–expressed his faith that God is in charge of this situation.

This man told his wife recently that he wouldn’t trade this experience, because of what they have learned from it–and in spite of all his wife has suffered, she agreed. They have discovered, as did the Jaredites while they sailed toward the promised land, that it’s possible to “have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.” (Ether 6:10)

Jaredite Barges by Robert T. Barrett (gospel art)

As I walked away from that conversation, I was struck by the fact that this good couple has weathered their perilous journey with uncommon faith because of previous decades of intentional spiritual discovery–building testimonies of Jesus Christ by actively studying and living His teachings. This has strengthened them to face their current voyage with admirable faith and courage. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

Where will your next voyage of spiritual discovery take you? Whatever your journey entails, may it lead you closer to the Savior.

Notes:

1. President Russell M. Nelson, Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives, April 2017 General Conference.
2. Stephanie Francom, Bound to Him, Rooftop Publishing, pp. 19-20. stephaniefrancom.com
3. Steven C. Harper, Follow Him Podcast, Part 1, Dec. 26-Jan. 2022, approx. min. 34:44.
4. Patrick Q. Mason, Planted, Deseret Book, pp. 86-87.
5. Wendy Ulrich, The Temple Experience, CFI, 21.

The post Voyages of Spiritual Discovery first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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Last year, a small group of women gathered in a home to watch the Saturday evening session of General Conference. As one of the Apostles walked to the podium to speak, a woman in the group muttered in an irritated voice, “If they mention the covenant path one more time…!” It seemed to her that the covenant path was all the leaders of the church talked about. She was frustrated, tired of the topic.

Can you relate to that sentiment? Have you heard the prophets and apostles repeatedly address the same topic and wished they would talk about something else? In recent years we have heard many of the following phrases over and over:

1. The covenant path
2. Spiritual momentum
3. Hear Him
4. Gather Israel
5. Make and keep sacred covenants
6. A higher, holier way
7. Let God prevail

I recall in my teens wondering why I was constantly being reminded that I was a daughter of God. It seemed that every Young Women’s lesson and each talk from the general Young Woman’s presidency addressed that subject until I found myself thinking, “Okay, okay! I’m a daughter of God–I get it!” But the truth is, I didn’t understand the full implications of being a daughter of God, or I wouldn’t have felt frustrated by the repetition from my leaders. It wasn’t until I sincerely pondered what was so important about that particular truth that my heart began to open to its real meaning, and I not only viewed myself in a different light, but everyone around me

When President Russell M. Nelson addressed the Young Adults of the Church in May 2022, I totally related to his message:

“My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God. You have sung this truth since you learned the words to “I Am a Child of God.” But is that eternal truth imprinted upon your heart? …I fear that you may have heard this truth so often that it sounds more like a slogan than divine truth. And yet, the way you think about who you really are affects almost every decision you will ever make.” (1)

Could our prophet’s words also apply to the covenant path? “The way you think about [the covenant path] affects almost every decision you will ever make.”

We might consider the following statement of President Henry B. Eyring if we feel irritated when our leaders repeatedly reference the covenant path: “When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention…” (2)

There may be several reasons that we become frustrated with hearing about the covenant path from our leaders frequently. It could be that our testimony of living prophets and apostles is shaky. We may be guilty of unrepented sins that prevent us from having the Spirit with us. But maybe it is as simple as the fact that the last place Satan wants us to be is on the covenant path. It should be no surprise that he plants doubts, frustration, and irritation in our minds to distract us from following Jesus Christ.

The Savior alluded to this when He taught the parable of the sower: “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.” (Matthew 13:24-25)

In the Americas, after the prophesied signs of Christ’s birth appeared, Satan worked his mischief again: “…there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe…” (3 Nephi 1:22)

I have always appreciated the response of young Nephi, when his father Lehi led his family into the wilderness, leaving everything behind because he claimed God had commanded it. It is unlikely that Nephi was any more thrilled than Laman and Lemuel to leave his friends, his comfortable life, and all that was familiar behind, but even as his older brothers murmured and struggled with the situation, Nephi took his questions to the Lord.

“And thus Laman and Lemuel…did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them … And it came to pass that I, Nephi…did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart… wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.” (1 Nephi 2:12,16, emphasis added)

If we’re frustrated or irritated by the words of our church leaders, it’s time to take our concerns to the Lord. Contention, irritation, and frustration are not of God. They are contrary to the peace, light, and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Nothing the prophets have taught about the covenant path is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. In fact, the covenant path begins with the doctrine of Christ: Faith in Him, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost.

Once we have prayed for the Lord to soften our hearts, we’re in better position to study and ponder about the meaning of the covenant path:

“What is the covenant path? It is the one path that leads to the celestial kingdom of God.” (3) The covenant path is the journey we take to draw closer to God and to receive all of the blessings He has promised. The purpose of the covenant path is to help us develop Christlike attributes, and to fulfill our divine potential.

My overall impression of the recently updated temple endowment film is that it clarifies what we covenant to do. All who have received their temple endowment have taken a critical step toward unleashing God’s power in their life. Truman G. Madsen wrote, “…no covenant is ever required of us that isn’t immediately followed by a divine blessing to further enable us to keep it. So, if we are baptized, we receive the promise of the Holy Ghost. If we partake of the sacrament, we are promised the Spirit will be with us… And in the house of the Lord, we likewise are promised an endowment of power, equivalent to the consecration of our own efforts in keeping our covenants.” (4)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson has taught, “In the covenant path we find a steady supply of gifts and help.” (5) When we show by our thoughts, words, and actions that keeping our covenants is a priority, we may be surprised at the kind of help made available to us. we may receive callings or assignments that allow us to participate in building God’s kingdom in significant ways. We may gradually notice that we’ve been blessed with a gift of the spirit which we had not previously enjoyed–a gift bestowed in order to help us do heaven’s work. God’s power may manifest itself through material assistance, unexpected opportunities, the help of loved ones on the other side of the veil, or a new talent which emerges, all of which allow us to gather Israel in different ways than we have done before. And when God asks hard things of us, “our faithfulness to our covenants allows us to expect the Lord’s assistance, even by miracles.” (6)

If these are the blessings of walking the covenant path, sign me up! I crave the power of God in my life to strengthen me to do His work. But the path is definitely an uphill climb. I appreciate Dr. Jennifer Platt’s realistic description: “Do you ever wonder about the covenant path? I love that visual [of a path] … Sometimes I hear people talking about it… and they describe an ordinance path. We want to delineate it, make it a checklist… I was baptized, I received the Holy Ghost, the priesthood, and the temple [endowment]. The reality of the covenant path is that it’s work… The covenant path is more about engagement. It’s about living the covenants. It’s more about practicing and becoming, than it is about a delineated process. And there’s a messiness in that, because it necessitates engagement with other people.” (7)

Elder Dale G. Renlund recently spoke of a fascinating phenomenon involving “… the most powerful river in the world, the Amazon River. Despite the river’s strength, twice a year something seemingly unnatural happens. When the sun, moon, and earth are aligned just so, a powerful tidal wave flows up the river, against the natural flow of the water. Waves up to [20 feet] high traveling as far as [30 miles] upstream have been documented. This phenomenon…is referred to locally as pororoca, or “great roar,” because of the loud noise it makes. We can correctly conclude that even the mighty Amazon must yield to heavenly powers.

Like the Amazon, we have a natural flow to our lives; we tend to do what comes naturally. Like the Amazon, with heavenly help we can do seemingly unnatural things. After all, it is not natural for us to be humble, meek, or willing to submit our wills to God. Yet only by doing so can we be transformed, return to live in the presence of God, and achieve our eternal destiny…

By connecting to God’s power, we become our own pororoca, able to go against the flow of the world… Ultimately, our destinies are changed because the covenant path leads to exaltation and eternal life.” (8)

If we find ourselves struggling with the counsel of our leaders, consider the powerful words of President Ezra Taft Benson: “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.” (9)

Notes:

1. President Russell M. Nelson, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, May 2022.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/worldwide-devotional-for-young-adults/2022/05/12nelson?lang=eng

1. Henry B. Eyring, Finding Safety in Counsel, General Conference, April 1997.
2. Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Why the Covenant Path, General Conference, April 2021.
3. Truman G. Madsen, The Temple, Where Heaven Meets Earth, p.18, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2008, emphasis added.
4. Elder D. Todd Christofferson, The Power of Covenants, General Conference, April 2009.
5. Cory B. Jensen, Understanding Your Endowment, p.6, Cedar Fort Inc., Springville, Utah, 2015, emphasis added.
6. Jennifer B. Platt, Follow Him podcast, episode 40.
7. Elder Dale G. Renlund, Accessing God’s Power through Covenants, General Conference, April 2023.
8. In Donald L. Staheli, “Obedience—Life’s Great Challenge,” General Conference, April 1998.

The post Are You Irritated By the Covenant Path? first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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I rarely get emotional at the grocery store, though it has been known to happen. On one occasion, while standing in the produce department, I experienced a heightened awareness of my surroundings–the vibrant colors and unique shapes of the fruits and vegetables: red peppers and pineapples, strawberries and asparagus spears–the sheer beauty at my fingertips. A lump rose in my throat, and I was filled with gratitude for a Heavenly Father who designed these foods to grow out of the earth and nourish the bodies of His children.

This sweet moment was no random occurrence. It came on the heels of a concerted effort to change my eating habits and live the guidelines in the Word of Wisdom more carefully. This effort was inspired by the need to reduce my high cholesterol, which was due partly to genetics, but mostly to poor eating choices. After recognizing that my heart’s health was at risk, I made a serious push to eliminate high cholesterol foods from my diet and draw heavily from the nutrition in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

My experience in the grocery store felt like a confirmation that I was on the right track, and my most recent bloodwork showed my cholesterol to be in the normal/healthy range for the first time in many years. I once asked my friend Susanna, who had recently run a marathon, how her body could handle that much exertion. She replied, “It’s amazing what your body can do when you give it the right fuel.” The same is true of our spirits.

The natural manThe temple endowment and the temple garment remind us that both our bodies and spirits need constant nourishment. The pull of the natural man is powerful. The natural man “… chooses to be influenced by the passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh rather than by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Such a person can comprehend physical things but not spiritual things.” (1) As King Benjamin taught, “… the natural man is an enemy to God…” (Mosiah 3:19)

But why is the natural man an enemy to God? Because he indulges in thoughts and behaviors that block the flow of the Holy Spirit just as surely as excess cholesterol blocks the proper flow of blood to the heart. The natural man goes places where the Spirit will not go, and requires little of us besides regular feedings of crude humor, profane language, movies and books filled with sex-driven dialogue, podcasts/influencers spouting the philosophies of men, violence, porn, and other addictive behaviors and substances. When we consume these things, we stunt our spiritual growth.

“… remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God…” (Mosiah 16:5)

A steady diet of lightAs children of God, “…we came from a heavenly place where light–spiritual light–was our natural habitat. Though a veil was drawn over our minds when we entered mortality, we seem to carry with us a deep hunger for light and truth. However, we don’t always recognize that hunger for what it is. With our spirits housed in bodies and subject to ‘the natural man’ (Mosiah 3:19), we attempt to fill our spiritual hunger by satisfying our physical cravings. It is a futile pursuit.” (2)

A healthy spirit requires constant nourishment, a steady diet of light:

“That which is of God is light,
and he that receiveth light,
and continueth in God,
receiveth more light;
and that light groweth brighter and brighter
until the perfect day…
I say it that you may know the truth,
that you may chase darkness
from among you.”

(D&C 50:24-25)

It’s possible to live an outwardly righteous life–attending church, praying in public, accepting a church calling, etc.–while privately indulging in carnal pleasures, catering to the natural man. But those conflicting actions will eventually catch up to us. It is exhausting to lead a double life. It is difficult to fake purity/piety when we are under Satan’s influence.

At some point, we must ask ourselves, “How good do I want to be?” Do we want to live so we “may always have [Christ’s] spirit to be with [us]”? (Moroni 4:3) The seemingly small decisions we make multiple times a day about what we look at, listen to, think, say, do, and take into our bodies, determine whether we feed our carnal natures or nourish our spirits. I was recently reminded of one of those decisions:

You can’t have bothLast week I heard someone sing a couple of lines from a song I hadn’t listened to in many years, and it all came rushing back to me. The original hit song was superbly written and arranged, powerfully sung by a rising star, and soon after its release it went platinum, having enormous crossover success on the music charts. As a songwriter, I appreciated the spot-on blending of music and words, and the clever lyrics that pulled the listener into the story.

For a week or two I could not get enough of that song. But eventually, I acknowledged a little niggle of guilt in the back of my mind. I didn’t like how I felt after listening to the CD. The song glorified taking revenge on an unfaithful partner in a rather violent manner, and appealed to the “natural woman” in me. On first hearing the lyrics, I mentally cheered for the person who wasn’t gonna stand for cheating, but I finally had to admit that the song chased the Spirit away.

I had a choice to make. I could listen to the song or I could have the Spirit with me, but not both. I was embarrassed at how reluctant I felt to part with the album, but I knew I would keep listening if I kept it around, so I got rid of it. What I didn’t expect was the flood of approval I felt from the Spirit afterward, confirming that I had made a wise decision.

Developing a taste for lightDetermining that I needed to change my eating habits to improve my physical health was easy. Implementing a healthier diet, not so much. I had a transition period learning to appreciate the subtle flavors of the healthier food I was eating, which contrasted greatly with the high fat/salt/sugar foods I had indulged in for so long, though after the first two weeks it became easier, and I slowly began to crave more nourishing foods.

The same is true when we attempt to overcome long-held carnal habits and addictions in favor of seeking God’s light and truth. It doesn’t generally happen overnight. Here are a few suggestions for developing a taste for light:

1. It is difficult to give up carnal pleasures if we have used them as an escape from pain. We may not want to give them up, even when we know deep down that they aren’t a true solution to our problems. A man who was addicted to drugs for many years once said that it wasn’t enough to pray for God to change him. The first step in his successful recovery was to pray to be willing to change, willing to give up the thing he had depended on for so long.
2. Start with baby steps. Turn on some inspirational music in the background, or a conference talk while you’re driving. This is a simple step and will invite the Spirit into your environment.
3. When you put on a fresh pair of temple garments each day, let them remind you of your covenants and the need to be nourished.
4. Few things subdue the impulses of the natural man more than temple and family history work. If you’re not currently worthy to be in the temple, try indexing, doing family history research, or working on a personal history. If this is difficult, try for just fifteen minutes each day.
5. I once heard a woman who had overcome a porn addiction say that she had to find activities to replace her addiction so she wouldn’t turn back to her old ways. She needed something worthwhile to fill her time and her mind. Just as I had to replace the unhealthy food in my fridge and pantry with healthy alternatives so it would be easy to prepare nutritious meals, anyone working to overcome addictions or other natural man behaviors/activities will benefit from identifying a new project to work on, getting a job, finding someone to serve on a regular basis, developing a new skill, or working to magnify a church calling.

Just as I gradually learned to appreciate the flavors of nutritious foods, when we persist in subduing the desires of the natural man, we eventually “… hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Then we can be “… filled with the Holy Ghost.” (3 Nephi 12:6) Spiritual light becomes delicious to us. “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6) I end with a song to fill you with light:

LIFT YOUR MIND HIGHER

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LiftYourMindHigher.mp3Music and lyrics by Lynne Perry Christofferson
Vocal: Rebecca Lopez

Are you weary of the world
and the messages it sends?
Are you troubled by the images
that entice, and yet offend?
If you sense that darkness
is dimming your sight
but you feel a craving for light

Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
till the pull of the world
has no power
to weigh you down anymore
Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
Think of all that will truly inspire
lift your mind higher

Are you tangled in a web
of ideas that lead to sin?
Are you lured by shallow promises
that intrigue and draw you in?
If you feel the world
closing in every day
but you long
to chase it away

Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
till the pull of the world
has no power
to weigh you down anymore
Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
Think of all that will truly inspire
lift your mind higher

Anything virtuous or lovely
anything worthy of your praise
earnestly seek for these things
all your days

Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
till the pull of the world
has no power
to weigh you down anymore
Lift your mind higher
let your thoughts soar
Think of all that will truly inspire
lift your mind higher

The post Constant Spiritual Nourishment: Developing a Taste For Light first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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It was late evening and fully dark when my two youngest daughters begged permission to check on the neighbor’s animals. Rebecca and Kate had been hired to care for our friends’ dog, cats, goats, and chickens while the family went out of town. Though my creature-loving girls had already fed and played with the animals more than once earlier in the day, they were eager to make sure everything was well with them for the night. I gave my permission, and the girls hurried down the street.

A few minutes later, Kate received an unwelcome surprise. As she entered the small chicken coop, flashlight in hand, she found herself face to face with a skunk. For a brief moment Kate froze in fear. Fortunately, she understood that nothing good comes from lingering in the presence of a skunk, so she scrambled out of the coop and far away from the nocturnal visitor.

I have thought many times since that night that being fearful is like encountering a skunk in the chicken coop. Nothing good comes from lingering on fearful thoughts.

Decades ago, when widespread use of the internet was a relatively new thing, the proliferation of pornography through the internet quickly led to an epidemic of porn addiction. Many words of warning were given by religious leaders, urging people to use extreme caution in what they were viewing and to cultivate virtuous thoughts.

I was very troubled by this latter-day plague, even fearful about what effect it might have on my family. One day, I received a strong impression from the Spirit that, “It is as important to replace fearful thoughts with faithful ones as it is to replace impure thoughts with virtuous ones.” This idea was startling to me, as I had never considered the spiritual danger of dwelling on fear.

We live in a tumultuous season. Simply scrolling through the news feed on our phones can be enough to raise our heart rate. In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord speaks of a time when “…all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.” (D&C 88:91) Often, we deal with general commotion: stresses in the workplace, news of natural disasters, political upheaval. At other times, the commotion is much closer to home: a serious medical diagnosis, damaged relationships, a faith crisis, financial disaster, or the throbbing ache of a loved one’s death.

Commotion is agitation, disruption, turmoil, disturbance, disorder, upheaval, confusion. How exhausting it is to live in a state of perpetual commotion. When our hearts are in commotion, where should we turn for peace and assurance? How do we overcome the fear and anxiety that come with the challenges of mortal probation?

It is helpful to remember that fear is not a principle of the gospel. But faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is. Our prophet has said, “We have been promised that “if [we] are prepared [we] shall not fear.” (D&C 38:30) This assurance has profound implications today. The Lord has declared that despite today’s unprecedented challenges, those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.” (1)

Sister Virginia Hinckley Pearce asks an important question: “Why is fear part of earth life? Perhaps our Heavenly Father’s greatest hope is that through our fears we may choose to turn to him. The uncertainties of earth life can help to remind each of us that we are dependent on him. But that reminder is not automatic. It involves our agency. We must choose to take our fears to him, choose to trust him, and choose to allow him to direct us. We must make these choices when what we feel most inclined to do is to rely more and more on our own frantic and often distorted thinking.” (2)

Many years ago, Elder Neil L. Andersen taught a similar principle: “Several years ago, a friend of mine had a young daughter die in a tragic accident. Hopes and dreams were shattered. My friend felt unbearable sorrow. He began to question what he had been taught and what he had taught as a missionary. The mother of my friend wrote me a letter and asked if I would give him a blessing. As I laid my hands upon his head, I felt to tell him something that I had not thought about in exactly the same way before. The impression that came to me was: Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. He would need to choose faith… My friend… chose the road of faith and obedience.” (3)

I have experienced the truth of Elder Andersen’s words that faith is a decision–we must act to choose it. Here is one personal example: “Have you [ever] received the kind of news that shakes your world and leaves you uncertain about the future? Many years ago, I found myself in that situation–reeling from the shock. Though I had experienced sorrows before, this time my heart was truly broken. The adversary knows me well enough to see that I am very vulnerable to fear, and I felt his dark influence working on me.

I spent the night battling fear and anxiety. The next morning, I found that I could barely function. At that moment of total despair, an important thought filled my mind, a phrase from a talk I had recently read: “… faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” (4) As I caught hold of that idea, it was as if a tender green shoot pushed through the crack in my broken heart–like a daffodil bulb bursting to life–giving me a glimmer of hope.

Determined to act on that feeling, I immediately went to my husband…and asked if he would give me a priesthood blessing specifically rebuking the fear and despair I had been feeling. He willingly pronounced the blessing, and from the moment he finished, the gloom began to lift until I felt real faith and hope in spite of the current situation.” (5)

For more than two years, my friend Lori has dealt with a life-threatening medical condition. As I visited with her recently, I asked how she combats the uncertainty and fears associated with her circumstances. She said it hasn’t been any one big thing that has helped, but many smaller ones. As you might expect, she has found comfort in the scriptures, general conference addresses, and the temple. Her husband has insisted that he and Lori keep a miracle journal, recording instances–large and small–where they have seen God’s hand in their journey. In fearful times, they can read through the journal to be reminded that the Lord is aware of them.

Lori also keeps a digital gratitude journal by taking a photo with her phone each day of something for which she is grateful. Music has been helpful in pushing back her fears. At night when she has difficulty sleeping, Lori listens to a carefully chosen playlist of songs that soothe and inspire her. She emphasized to me that faith is a decision and that she and her husband have deliberately chosen faith in this difficult time. Whenever Lori engages in one of the above actions, she is choosing faith again.

I appreciate the following counsel from Elder Richard G. Scott: “I suggest that you memorize scriptures that touch your heart and fill your soul with understanding. When scriptures are used as the Lord has caused them to be recorded, they have intrinsic power that is not communicated when paraphrased. Sometimes when there is a significant need in my life, I review mentally scriptures that have given me strength. There is great solace, direction, and power that flow from the scriptures, especially the words of the Lord.” (6)

Here are a few “faith over fear” scriptures I have relied on when my heart is in commotion:

“Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36)

“God has not given us the spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” (D&C 6:36)

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)

“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)

Occasionally, when I’m struggling to choose faith over fear, I turn to Hebrews 11 and 12:1-2 which I consider the “Faith Hall of Fame.” Here Paul lists person after person who exercised tremendous faith. I recommend studying these words when your heart is in commotion, including the JST footnote for verse 40.

During 2020, after months of pandemic related uncertainty and isolation, I felt the exhaustion of living with a constant undercurrent of fear and anxiety. So, I added another scripture to my “fear-fighting” repertoire as a reminder that God’s light can penetrate the commotion in our hearts even in the middle of our worst times:

“And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them… when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters… and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.” (Ether 6:7,10 emphasis added)

Let us turn aside from the ugliness of fear as swiftly as we would from a skunk in a chicken coop. When our hearts are in commotion, let us consciously choose faith over fear, pleading as the early apostles did, “Lord, increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5)

Notes:

1. President Russel M. Nelson, The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, Oct. 2021 General Conference.
2. Sister Virginia Hinckley Pearce, Fear, October 1992 General Conference.
3. Elder Neil L. Andersen, You Know Enough, October 2008 General Conference.
4. President Thomas S. Monson, Decisions Determine Destiny, speeches.byu.edu, Nov. 6, 2005.
5. Lynne Perry Christofferson, Blooming Hope: Planting in a Bleak Season, Meridian Magazine, May 15, 2019.
6. Elder Richard G. Scott, He Lives, Oct. 1999 General Conference.

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Cover image via Gospel Media Library.

Talk about awkward. I sat stiffly on the sofa by my visiting teaching companion, as the sister we had come to visit glared at us across her living room. Why she had agreed to this appointment, I could not imagine, since her body language clearly growled, “I don’t want you here.” In my new family ward, as a freshly married 24-year-old, this was my introduction to visiting teaching.

Thirty-five years later, visiting teaching has changed to ministering, yet my early experience still affects me as I struggle to make contact with the sisters I’m asked to minister to. Part of me believes that nobody wants me in their home, and I’m hesitant to text or visit. While I’m not exactly shy, I am definitely reserved in social situations, especially with strangers or people I barely know. It takes months–sometimes even years–for me to grow comfortable in ministering situations.

During the past two years as I’ve done ministering interviews as part of my Relief Society calling, I’m hearing more and more:

“Ministering isn’t a priority for me right now.”
“Ministering isn’t really on my radar.”
“The people I’m assigned to visit are much older/younger than I am–we have nothing in common.”
“I don’t really know how to minister.”
“I’m too busy.”
“I’d prefer to have a different calling.”

“I don’t like being assigned to serve or have someone assigned to serve me.”

I get it. I can’t fault those who respond this way because I’ve felt some of these concerns myself. In fact, the only thing that qualifies me to write on this topic is that I still struggle to minister.

So, what do we do if we don’t love ministering? How do we catch the vision of the ministering program? Alex, a young adult I know, taught me something about this. He got married in 2020, during the second big wave of Covid-19 shutdowns. After a few months of imposed isolation, Alex wanted to find a way to serve in his new ward, so he made an appointment with the bishop to ask how he could help. His bishop responded, “Have you considered ministering?”

Alex wasn’t even aware he had a ministering assignment. Fortunately, the bishop not only looked up the ministering information Alex needed, but took a few minutes to tell him about the people on his list and some specific needs they had. This was a helpful starting point for Alex. I’m grateful he shared this story with me. His bishop’s question, “Have you considered ministering?” is a reminder that ministering assignments are as important as any other church calling we receive.

Two decades ago, my husband served as bishop of our ward during a time of explosive growth in our neighborhood. The ward divided four times under his supervision. At one point the number of ward members crept toward eight hundred. The chapel was packed during Sacrament meeting, as were the overflow area and cultural hall. Even the foyers were so crowded with people that many of them chose to go home rather than stand for the entire meeting. My husband worried day and night that we were going to lose members permanently, and that the new people moving in weren’t being welcomed because they were lost in the crowd.

For the first time in my life, I began to catch the vision of the existing home teaching/visiting teaching programs. I had a front row seat to the overwhelming responsibilities of a bishop. No matter how many hours Brad put into his calling, there was no way he could personally visit each ward member on top of his fulltime employment and family commitments–there just wasn’t enough time in the day. But home/visiting teachers could watch over a few families or a few sisters at a time, welcoming them to the neighborhood and reporting back to ward leaders if there were any pressing concerns. Faithful ministering sisters and brothers are a tremendous support to the bishop.

Even imperfect ministering can be a blessing to others. Here are a few ideas to help us minister effectively:

1. Pray to be willing to minister. This is the best place to start if you’re feeling unenthusiastic or resentful about ministering, or your current life situation makes it inconvenient for you to minister.
2. Ask your Relief Society or Elders Quorum presidency members for pertinent information about the people you are assigned to minister to, so you know how best to approach them.
3. Introduce yourself, let people know you’re their ministering sister or brother. Share your contact information. Yes, it’s possible to look on LDS Tools and find out who our ministering sisters and brothers are, but not everyone knows where or how to look. And really, they shouldn’t have to. We should be the one to tell them.
4. Be open with those we minister to. If ministering is uncomfortable for you, it’s okay to let them know you struggle, but that you’d like to get acquainted and you’re willing to lend help when needed. Most people appreciate honesty.
5. Some folks are lonely and love regular, in-home visits. Some are so busy that they prefer to keep in touch through texts or chats at church. Ask those you’re assigned to minister to up front: How would you like to be ministered to? What do you want ministering to look like? Monthly visits, phone calls, texts, treats, rides to appointments–what would be most helpful?
6. Pray for those you’re called to minister to by name every day. Put their name on the temple prayer roll during difficult times.
7. Ask Heavenly Father for specific ways you can bless those within your ministering stewardship. He knows them well even if you don’t. When I have made the time and effort to be prayerful about my sisters, asking for specific inspiration to help them, I have been surprised at the ideas that have come to my mind–things I never would have thought of on my own.
8. Ask questions. Learn where they came from, show genuine interest in their family, educational background, health issues, spiritual struggles, etc. Be sure to keep any information they share confidential, unless they give permission for you to alert a Priesthood or Relief Society leader.
9. Acknowledge important events, including birthdays, graduations, or baptisms.
10. Become familiar enough with the routines of their lives that when hard times come to them, you notice. You can sense that something has changed, and act to help.
11. Recognize that ministering may look different depending on where you live, how far you live from those you minister to, how many people you’re assigned to watch over, and their unique challenges.
12. Some people will reject efforts to be officially ministered to and we must respect their wishes. We can prayerfully find natural ways to be their friend.

Earlier, I shared the story of Alex. As he discussed ministering with me, he also made this important point: “As a young adult I’ve never had good examples of being ministered to, so it’s hard to know how to minister to other people.” Perhaps Relief Society and Elders Quorum presidencies can make a serious effort to better inform new members, young adults, or anyone who is assigned to minister for the first time. When assignments are given, basic training can be included so ministering doesn’t feel like a big mystery.

I recommend studying the talks given by Sister Jean B. Bingham and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland which introduced the ministering program:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/ministering-as-the-savior-does?lang=eng

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/be-with-and-strengthen-them?lang=eng

I reluctantly share a personal experience wherein I did things the wrong way (back in the days of visiting teaching). Hopefully, the lesson I learned will inspire others to minister in a higher, holier way:

Many years ago, I had three sisters on my visiting teaching list and was rather hit and miss in my efforts to visit them monthly. But one month my companion and I actually got out early and completed our visits by the third week. I confess that I felt a bit self-righteous about that. A week later I noticed that the name of one of the sisters we visited kept coming to my mind. I was puzzled by this but didn’t think much of it. As the day progressed and Mandy’s name continued to pop up in my thoughts, I was a little frustrated. I recall thinking, “We already visited her this month, and everything was fine.” So, I did nothing.

Later in the week I discovered that I had missed a prompting from the Spirit. The day Mandy’s name kept coming to me was the anniversary of a very painful event for her and she stayed home from work and cried all day. I felt sick when I found out what had happened. Though I could not have made everything all better for Mandy, I could at least have called to let her know that the Spirit had impressed her name on my mind. Then she might have felt that Heavenly Father was watching over her–aware of her grief–and had sent someone to comfort her. It is one of the great regrets of my life that I ignored this spiritual prompting. This experience showed me clearly that God is aware of His children and wants to use us as instruments to bless each other.

I also learned that by doing away with the required monthly visit of visiting teaching, the ministering program teaches us that ministering is never done. It is ongoing, with no place to check off a visit or contact. We learn to serve, not because it’s required, but because we care.

Obviously, I’m not the poster child for celestial ministering, so why do I keep trying to minister in my imperfect way? Because through my inept but hopeful attempts to watch over my sisters, love for them has sprouted in my heart. And–selfishly–because after a visit with these good women, I always feel uplifted. As I have witnessed their courage during severe trials, and heard their testimonies, my own faith has been strengthened.

Just two weeks ago, I sat down to write five sympathy cards for family and friends who had recently lost loves ones. At one point I had to stop writing and get up and pace around the house while my tears flowed for these dear people who were hurting so much. In every neighborhood people are bearing significant burdens, sometimes openly, and sometimes very privately. God has called us to minister to His children. Let us persist in our stumbling efforts to minister, let us pray to catch the vision of ministering so we can do as Jesus did, growing in awareness of our neighbors, comforting those that stand in need of comfort. This is how we become like our Savior.

INVITATION:

I invite you to share in the comments section below what is working for you in your efforts to minister.

Helpful resources:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/handbooks-and-callings/ward-or-branch-callings/ministering?lang=eng

The post What If You Don’t Love Ministering? first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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My husband and I were enjoying dinner with friends at a favorite restaurant. During our conversation, Frieda mentioned that she and her husband Dave had met another couple while out of state and enjoyed getting acquainted with them. She told them that she and her husband owned a shooting range, and if this couple ever came to Utah, Frieda and Dave would love to take them there. The other woman paused, looked at Frieda oddly and said, “We didn’t know you were that kind of people.”

And just like that, Frieda and Dave were labeled by someone who barely knew them. Someone who apparently has issues with gun ownership. “That kind of people” sounds an awful lot like “us and them.” Like we’re drawing lines in the sand. Differences in lifestyle, culture, and political or religious opinion have always caused friction. But over the last few decades it seems we’ve gradually lost our ability to disagree without viewing the other party as unintelligent or dangerous.

Columnist Arthur C. Brooks calls this “… a culture of contempt,” saying that “social scientists define contempt as anger mixed with disgust. These two emotions form a toxic combination…” (1) It is apparent that contempt was an issue among the people of the Book of Mormon. Some of them “… began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.” (Alma 4:8) In a powerful sermon, the prophet Alma posed the followings questions: “… will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another? … is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?” (Alma 5:54,30)

“This scripture was addressed to members of the church of Christ whose behavior belied their professions of discipleship… Just as God will not be mocked, so will he not have his children mock one another. To mock is to humiliate, ridicule, insult, revile, make fun of, deride, sneer at, scorn, or hold in contempt.” (2)

President Russell M. Nelson recently stated, “If you identify yourself by your political affiliation, you will instantly be categorized as having certain beliefs–though I don’t know anyone who believes everything that their preferred political party presently embraces… Ageism, racism, nationalism, sexism, and a host of other “isms” are universally limiting… The adversary rejoices in labels because they divide us… Any abuse or prejudice toward another because of nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender, educational degrees, culture, or other significant identifiers is offensive to our Maker!” (3)

Even if we don’t openly act on unkind feelings toward someone we perceive as different from us, making a mockery of others–even in our minds–is spiritually unhealthy. When we look down on anyone, when we are condescending, patronizing, or “holier-than-thou,” we are essentially saying to them, “You are that kind of people.” We restrain the Holy Spirit from being with us fully when we harbor unkind feelings toward one another.

So, where do we begin in our quest to end attitudes and actions of contempt toward our sisters and brothers? President Nelson shares an excellent first step: “I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly tonight, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity… You are literally spirit children of God… I fear that you may have heard this truth so often that it sounds more like a slogan than divine truth…” (4)

As a natural result of developing a true testimony of our divine nature, we begin to recognize the worth of every human being.

Last year, I read a powerful story from a law enforcement officer who I’ll call Officer M. He has graciously allowed me to share his experience:

While on patrol one day, I responded to a medical call with another officer. The home, a rundown well-known drug house is frequently visited by law enforcement. We arrived to find a young female in full cardiac arrest–blue in color, eyes half open and glazed over, staring into space. Because EMS was still in route, I immediately began CPR. The scene was very chaotic as friends of the young patient were running around and crying. My fellow officer worked on trying to get everyone out of the way and began questioning the other individuals on the scene about the girl’s medical history and any possible drug use.

As I was performing CPR, I noticed a large scar running down the girl’s chest. As I continued CPR, vaguely aware of the scene around me, I overheard the patient’s friend say that this young woman, with a pacemaker and a heart condition, had used heroin just the night before. My arms started to get tired and sweat was building up on my head. I felt myself start judging this young woman. Why, with her health conditions, would she continue to get high?

Soon, EMS arrived and took over life-saving measures. I began to assist in securing the scene as the situation appeared to be moving toward a death investigation. A detective was called, the medical examiner was put on notice, and we secured the scene to protect any evidence. EMS found a faint pulse and transported the patient to the hospital.

As part of scene security, I was posted at the front of the house to keep anyone unauthorized from entering. All the witnesses (friends of the patient) were sitting in the front yard filling out statements for the investigation. These friends–most with homemade tattoos, filthy clothes and piercings–were living in a home where animals used the bathroom on the floor. There was spoiled food, dirty dishes, and clothing everywhere. They weren’t strangers to law enforcement. I myself had arrested a few of them in the recent past. All of them were visibly shaken and very emotional.

Again, I felt myself judging. Why are they crying? This is what happens when you choose this lifestyle! They can’t be that surprised. One young man was taking the whole situation particularly hard. He struggled with writing his statement, and my response was more jaded than compassionate. “It’s not that hard. You just write what happened and write it legibly so we can read it.”

It was about this time that a car pulled up. A nicely dressed elderly man in a suit and tie stepped out of the vehicle. One of the witnesses, in his dirty clothing and smoking a cigarette, saw the newcomer and walked with arms outstretched toward this man. Without hesitation, the elderly gentleman opened his arms and gave the young man a hug. Through his tears, the witness said, “Thanks for coming, Bishop.”

I was in shock. What kind of bishop would show up to a drug house, with all these troubled young people? It was doubtful that any of these individuals were ever at church, yet the bishop was well known to them. He was surrounded by haggard and suffering young people. He hugged and counseled each one, comforting them, and calling many by name. The mood at the scene changed and suddenly there was a palpable feeling of hope. It was then that I realized that the kind of bishop that would show up at a drug house is the kind of bishop that represents Jesus Christ and serves all his children.

I started feeling guilty about my previous thoughts and the judgments I had made, but even the guilt was quickly replaced by a feeling of peace as I watched this servant of the Lord.

I love Officer M’s honesty. As he tells his story, it is clear that he was viewing the witnesses with contempt–labeling them as “that kind of people.” Yet, he recognized that he was making judgments and his heart softened as he watched a good man comfort a rough group of young adults as Jesus would. Letting go of contempt puts us in a position to serve others.

Can we be honest in our own stories, like Officer M? Can we ask ourselves if we view any individuals with contempt, or if we label groups we disagree with as “that kind of people?” Do we have an “us and them” mindset?

“God knew living together in harmony would sometimes feel like knitting a blanket with one broken needle and two skeins of steel wool.” (5) He also knows that it is emotionally and spiritually healthy for us to rub shoulders with people who differ from us in significant ways, to catch a glimpse of them as real human beings who are worthy of love and who are as sincere in their beliefs as we are in ours. This is how we discover that “God does not love [us] better or more than others.” (6)

Respecting others does not mean we must agree with their lifestyle or opinions. We are not required to be thrilled about their choices. But how can we study the teachings of Jesus Christ and honestly conclude that it is ever appropriate to view or treat other people with contempt?

“…love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully
use you and persecute you…”

(Matthew 5:44)

At some point in our lives, most of us will be on the receiving end of contempt or mockery for our beliefs, or even for choosing to “reach across the aisle” and befriend people with different values, or those who have been marginalized. Our response to such derision will reveal much about where we are on the road that leads to Jesus Christ.

“The behavior of the Savior on the cross represented the ultimate of restraint when he refrained from responding to mockery. There was no show of power by the marshalling of angels nor eloquence of words in his defense. Pride was consumed by charity. His quiet demeanor in suffering testified of his divine sonship.” (7)

Let us work diligently toward the day when there is no more “us and them.” Let us “… pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (Moroni 7:48) Ah, yes–true followers of Christ. May we all become that kind of people.

Notes:

1. Arthur Brooks, Love Your Enemies, pgs. 5 & 10, emphasis added.
2. Gary L. Bunker, Mocking Our Brother, April 1975 Ensign. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1975/04/mocking-our-brother?lang=eng
3. President Russell M. Nelson, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, May 2022. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/worldwide-devotional-for-young-adults/2022/05/12nelson?lang=eng
4. ibid, emphasis added.
5. Shannan Martin, Falling Free, p. 129.
6. Joseph Smith, Documentary History of the Church 2:196.
7. Gary L. Bunker, Mocking Our Brother, April 1975 Ensign. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1975/04/mocking-our-brother?lang=eng

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On a recent trip to Italy, my husband and I were privileged to explore the vibrant metropolis of Florence. The must-see piece of artwork in this city–which boasts an astonishing amount of art–is Michelangelo’s statue of the biblical David. As Brad and I entered La Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze where the sculpture is housed, we wore earbuds, listening to a podcast tour of the gallery. We were instructed to enter a certain doorway and informed that we would find David in a rotunda at the end of a hallway lined with other statues and paintings. The podcast encouraged us to make our way to David immediately since “you know you want to see the statue first,” and then go back to view the other artwork later. We followed that advice.

A sizeable crowd of tourists already surrounded Michelangelo’s seventeen-foot masterpiece, and we joined them, slowly circling the sculpture to …

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Cover image via the Gospel Media Library.

I did it again. I watched every session of general conference over the weekend, felt uplifted by the messages and music, and was inspired to improve. Then on Monday morning I felt totally overwhelmed by the long list of changes I need to make. In the past when this happened, I was tempted to just give up because it felt like too much. But not anymore. I’m learning to focus on a single spiritual quality that I need to develop, or a single weakness I need to overcome.

Inherent in the Savior’s invitation “Come, follow me,” is the expectation of effort. Jesus knew exactly what He was asking. The path of discipleship is demanding; it is rigorous. At times the task of becoming like Jesus Christ feels impossible. But nowhere in His teachings does the Savior demand that we change overnight. He understands …

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Renee was excitedly planning a full kitchen renovation. She wanted custom designed cabinets, and also needed contractors for floor, tile, solid surface, soffit removal, electrical work, and moving a wall and pantry. She later wrote, “At the beginning of our demolition and remodeling I was talking to our contractor, Gene, about things that needed to be done. As I proceeded to explain items, he said, “Ma’am, you know this isn’t our first rodeo?” I assured him that I knew that, but this was my only kitchen remodel. For the next six months this became a little joke between us, “It’s not my first rodeo!”

We had a few months of using the microwave and fridge in the garage and having our kitchen water shut off, but the kitchen was finally done in early August and things eventually went back to normal. In November, the Presidential election rolled around with serious …

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You gotta love those Saturday morning cleaning assignments at the church. You pray that more than two or three people will show up to wash windows and glass doors, scrub down the bathrooms, and vacuum yards and yards of carpet in your meetinghouse. Last month my husband and I were pleasantly surprised when an unusually large crew of ward members arrived at the building with smiling faces. It was a pleasure to serve under those conditions, and we finished our jobs in record time.

As I headed home afterward, thinking about service, I recalled a conversation with my stake president years earlier at the close of a temple recommend interview. President Lew expressed his appreciation for my husband, who was his counselor, “I love working with your husband. He truly has a servant’s heart.” I had to agree.

For three and a half decades I have watched Brad serve without …

The post A Servant’s Heart: We Feel it a Pleasure to Serve Thee first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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When a ward member asked me to teach his gospel doctrine class while he was out of town, I was relieved that the class met in the Relief Society room, not the huge cultural hall. I was much more comfortable teaching in a smaller setting. I put serious, prayerful effort into lesson preparations that week, selecting several meaningful pictures to share and printing key scriptures from the Bible to display on the chalkboard. Rarely had I felt so prepared to teach.

Sunday morning found me at the organ playing prelude music for Sacrament Meeting, my usual calling. As a bishopric member approached the microphone to conduct the meeting, I hurriedly changed the organ settings for the opening hymn. In my distraction with organ preparations, I nearly missed the announcement that our ward’s two gospel doctrine classes would be combined that day and would meet in the cultural hall. What?! That …

The post Weak, but Willing: The Worst Lesson I Ever Taught first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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I have sometimes imagined Adam, as he was leaving the garden of Eden, turning to Eve and asking, “What was all that about having to eat our bread by the sweat of our faces?” (Moses 4:25) No doubt they soon discovered the answer to that question. In order to survive physically in their fallen state, they had to put forth serious effort. It is no different with spiritual survival.

In her April 2020 general conference address, Sister Joy D. Jones shared a brief video interview with President Russell M. Nelson and a small group of children. One of the children asked the question,“Is it hard to be a prophet?” President Nelson responded, “Of course it’s hard. Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior is difficult…the Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.” (1)

When President Nelson tells us that “the …

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He may have led his flock near Mount Sinai a thousand times during his forty years as a shepherd, but this day was different. Moses noticed something he had not seen before:

“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law… and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God…And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush…” (Exodus 3:1-4, emphasis added)

Moses’ attention was caught by a burning bush and he followed a “nudge” to examine it more closely. After …

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I thought I was done writing about sheep–I mean, you can only draw so many parallels between the wooly creatures and spiritual things–but the events of Easter weekend have unexpectedly filled my head with all manner of “sheepish” thoughts. It began last Saturday morning while my husband was outside pruning fruit trees and heard serious moans from across the pasture. Knowing that our ewe was due to deliver, Brad informed me that “Bertha” was in labor.

Half an hour later as I was washing the breakfast dishes, I glanced out the window toward the pasture, wondering if we needed to check on the ewe, when I spotted my husband’s sweatshirt through the opening of the red sheep shed and realized that Brad was already inside. Hastily drying my hands, I rushed out the back door, eager to see how the labor was progressing. I opened the pasture gate and attempted …

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Four simple words have been running on a continuous loop in my head. During a recent temple shift, when a sister worker came to relieve me from my current assignment so I could rotate to my next position, she quietly said, “I’m here for you.” That tiny phrase echoed through me the rest of the day, prompting me to ponder three thoughts:

First, how the actions of other people have said to me, “I’m here for you.”

I recommend the mental exercise of recalling experiences when friends, family, and even strangers have acted in ways that communicated, “I’m here for you.” The following are just two of the personal examples that came to mind as I considered this subject:

1. It had been a rough three days. My heart was aching for a family member who was in a painful situation, and after a long weekend of tears and prayers I

…

The post “I’m Here For You”: How We Know It and How We Show It first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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A fascinating encounter with a stranger has lingered in my thoughts for many weeks. As I sat in a temple endowment room waiting for the session to begin, a woman seated herself next to me and quietly asked for a favor. “I have narcolepsy,” she explained. “Would you mind nudging me if I doze off?” Though I had heard of narcolepsy–a chronic sleep disorder–I was not prepared for what I witnessed over the next ninety minutes.

As the session proceeded, it was obvious that this young woman was making a serious effort to keep herself awake. She shifted carefully in her seat; she quietly moved one leg slightly up and down; she discreetly rubbed her arms. For about ten minutes these actions were effective, and my attention shifted back to the endowment film. Then, without warning, the woman’s head flopped forward so her chin nearly touched her chest. I was …

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The first week of April 2020, I received an SOS call from my son-in-law. Jonathan informed me that my daughter, who was pregnant with their third child, was extremely nauseated and had lost twenty pounds in three weeks. Sarah was too sick and frail to care for their one- and two-year-old sons, and Jonathan was trying to do his doctoral studies from home due to Covid-19 shutdowns but was struggling to finish his semester’s work while taking care of a sick wife and two toddlers. They hesitated to ask for help because of social distancing, but the situation was dire.

I immediately called my daughter-in-law who is a nurse and asked for her recommendations. She gave me the name of an anti-nausea medication and suggested that Sarah take small sips of vitamin water with B6 in it. I texted the name of the medication to Jonathan so he could request …

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There is a small phrase which I’m trying to eliminate from my vocabulary: I’m starving. Why? Because it’s not true, not even on the rare day that I have to wait an extra couple of hours between meals. Not even when I’m fasting. Observing refugees from African nations and the Middle East over the past several years–hearing their heart-breaking stories of fleeing their homelands and spending years in refugee camps–has completely altered my perception of hunger.

In the past weeks, two incidents have impressed upon my mind my responsibility to feed the hungry. The first one took place in my daughter’s home when I arrived to tend her three little boys. Her one-year-old son was just waking up from a nap, and as Sarah was leaving the house, I asked what she wanted me to feed her little one. She replied, “There are lots of things in the pantry that …

The post Fasting Before Feasting: A Simple Way to Feed the Hungry first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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I was wide awake in the middle of the night, my mind churning with heart-wrenching news and images from Afghanistan and Haiti. As I tried to replace those troubled thoughts with happier ones, my mind settled on my family—but instead of growing calmer I was stirred up with worries for my loved ones.

As my anxiety continued to rise, I remembered a conversation I’d had the previous morning with my friend Ilene, with whom I had not spoken for a year and a half. When asked how she had fared during the Covid-19 shutdowns, Ilene replied that as the stresses of isolation and uncertainty set in, she decided to start and end each day at the piano. In the morning she played through a cheerful hymn, such as There is Sunshine in My Soul Today, which set a positive tone. When evening came, she sat at the piano once …

The post Consider the Hymns: Hope and Healing Through Spiritual Songs first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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We all have opinions. Whether we prefer sushi over Indian cuisine, a sci-fi movie over romantic comedy, or soccer over basketball, most of us could wax eloquent about our taste in food or our viewing choices. But, while I might be frustrated that you want to go out for sushi when I’m craving Chicken Tikka Masala, our differing opinions on what tastes good aren’t likely to damage our friendship.

Opinions on more controversial topics, however, can be damaging when shared in a heated manner. We witnessed this during the 2020 election cycle in the United States and continue to see evidence of it during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly problematic on social media. When strongly held opinions marinate long enough in an atmosphere of frustration or misinformation, they may morph from opinion to explosion.

Have you witnessed one of these blowups? Occasionally, people who are basically good humans …

The post Beans and Broken Glass: Showing Christian Restraint on Social Media first appeared on Meridian Magazine.

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Some things are not what they appear to be at first glance. And sometimes a second or even a third glance is not enough to give us a complete picture of what is right before our eyes. Early in the 1990’s, my parents were given a framed stereograph, also known as a Magic Eye image. Basically, it’s two images combined, one hidden behind the other. If you stare at the first picture in just the right way, the second one appears as a black and white 3-D image. Here’s an example:

Image one: a pattern or collage

Image two: 3-D black and white

My parents hung their stereograph on a kitchen wall where family members took turns trying to discern the hidden image. Those who were quickly able to see it refrained from telling the rest of the family what they’d seen, in order to preserve the surprise. My husband …

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Have you ever been afraid to ask for help? Have you missed out on important information or opportunities because you didn’t dare speak up? I know I have. On my first day of Junior High, I was seated in class, proud to have earned a place in the advanced 7th grade math group. I had always loved working with numbers. Basic math came easily to me, and I often created long division problems at home to solve just for fun. However, when my new teacher stood up, chalk in hand, and began to explain a new mathematical concept, I felt like he was speaking a foreign language. As the minutes ticked by and I struggled to understand what he was saying, I glanced around the room expecting to see confusion on my classmates’ faces. But no. Apparently, I was the only one in the dark.

Why was I so …

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Some things are obvious. Like a cherry red corvette speeding down the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic; a swollen zit on the end of a teenager’s nose the night of prom; or a bagpipe playing right next to you. There are other things that should be obvious, yet we miss them anyway. I’m still embarrassed to recall one of those:

I was having a domestic goddess moment. For some people, that means successfully pulling off a fabulous dinner party or making the perfect soufflé. For me, it meant I was actually cooking on a Saturday night instead of ordering pizza. Earlier in the day, when I asked my husband what sounded good for dinner on a cold autumn evening, he answered enthusiastically, “Clam chowder!” So, while Brad dug up the necessary potatoes from the garden, I headed to the grocery store, filling my basket with ingredients and checking …

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I’m not a visual artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I once went through a phase for several months where I made daily attempts to draw human faces, using black and white photographs for reference. Though my pencil sketches were mediocre at best, I still think back on those artistic attempts fondly because I made a fascinating discovery: there is a magical moment in the process of drawing a face. It’s when you’re coloring in the pupils and irises and suddenly sense that someone is looking back at you. This moment often gave me chills.

I have wondered if the Lord feels a celestial version of those chills when He begins to see His countenance reflected in the faces of His children, and senses that we are allowing Him to make us over in His image. This deep change is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, as we repent, embrace the Lord’s commandments, and align our will with His. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see side by side photographs of Alma the younger, first as “a very wicked and… idolatrous man,” and then later, after his powerful repentance experience, when he was living a consecrated life? (Mosiah 27:8) It doesn’t seem possible that Alma could have experienced such a mighty change of heart without that change showing in his face. He posed this thought-provoking question: “Have ye received his image in your countenances?” (Alma 5:14)

This question brings to mind a personal experience: Just a month or so after my mission, I traveled out of state with my mother to assist her with some musical programs, and our hosts took us to a restaurant for dinner. Maybe it was because I’d returned so recently from my mission, but I was unusually sensitive to how noisy the crowd was, how loud the heavy rock music was, and how immodestly many of the people were dressed. I realize I was judging everything according to my own standards, but I was uncomfortable in that atmosphere.

As we waited for our food to arrive, I looked across the table at my mother, and for just a moment I felt like the Lord showed me her soul. It almost looked like her face was glowing, right in the middle of the crowd. I will never forget that experience, for the Lord revealed to me why He often uses my mother to do His work: it’s because her heart is so pure, and she has somehow managed to keep herself free from the stains of the world. It made a powerful impression as–in a bustling, noisy restaurant–I saw “the beauty of holiness” shining in my mother’s face. (Psalm 29:2) Interestingly, Mom had written a song a year or two earlier which included these words:

“We seek for light and learning
as followers of Christ
That all may see His goodness
reflected in our lives.
When we receive His fullness
and lose desire for sin
We radiate His perfect love,
a beauty from within.” (1)

Long ago, in a little journal, I recorded a poem by Sir Thomas Browne. The first stanza creates a wonderful picture in my mind:

“If thou could’st empty all thyself of self,
Like to a shell dishabited,
Then might He find thee on the ocean shelf
And say, ‘This is not dead,’
And fill thee with Himself instead.”

I love the thought of emptying “all [my]self of self,” of making room for light and truth and the Holy Spirit. It reminds me of King Benjamin’s counsel to “[put] off” the qualities of “the natural man” and replace them with the characteristics of Jesus Christ:

“For the natural man is an enemy to God…and will be forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)

I once spoke in a stake women’s conference about letting the Lord make over our lives, our spirits. After hearing my words, a woman encouraged me to write a song on that subject. Though I didn’t write anything at that time, the idea has been simmering on a back burner in my brain for years, and I recently felt like it was an ideal topic for a simple hymn, “Make Me Over in Thine Image.” I wrote it as a prayer, and included the deepest longings of my heart: “Wilt Thou strip away my vain ambition, and tame my foolish pride, till my heart is in a new condition, only love left inside…Till I stand in purity before Thee, my spirit clear and bright. Let my countenance reflect Thy glory, ever sharing Thy light.”

Free sheet music download:

Make-Me-Over-In-Thine-Image-SATBDownload Make Me Over in Thine Image
Music, text, and piano by Lynne Perry Christofferson
Vocals by: Tammy Simister Robinson, Tanya Barkdull
Caleb Jardine, and Mark Child

Make me over in Thine image,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Shape me to a finer finish,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Smooth away my rough and ragged edges
and polish me inside,
thus, erasing every inward blemish,
leaving nothing to hide.

Make me over in Thine image,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Shape me to a finer finish,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Wilt Thou strip away my vain ambition
and tame my foolish pride,
till my heart is in a new condition,
only love left inside.

Make me over in Thine image,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Shape me to a finer finish,
dearest Lord, dearest Lord.
Till I stand in purity before Thee,
my spirit clear and bright.
Let my countenance reflect Thy glory,
ever sharing Thy light.

Notes:

1. Janice Kapp Perry, His Image in Your Countenance, from the album The Light Within.

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In that giant movie theater in the sky, where I imagine I’ll be shown my entire life on the big screen someday, I hope to be in charge of the remote. There are certain moments I’ll want to pause, skip, or rewind. One experience I’ll want to replay was so obscure–so fleeting–that I nearly missed it, and didn’t even have the vocabulary to define it at the time it happened. Yet five decades later the memory still influences me.

In my ordinary elementary school class, was a slightly unusual girl. I couldn’t put my finger on what set her apart from the other kids. Carol Ann was smart, but awkward. She had no friends, and she avoided attention like the plague. One day in class she somehow drew attention in a negative way, and our usually gentle teacher spoke to her in a surprisingly sharp voice–reprimanding Carol Ann in front of the whole class. [Note: I am not faulting teachers for reprimanding students when it is warranted.]

I glanced at my quiet schoolmate, wondering how she would respond to the uncomfortable situation and was startled to see her raise her chin and deliberately turn away from the teacher–her body language sending an unmistakable “I don’t care” signal. I was seated at the exact angle to give me a clear view of her face when she turned, and for a split second I caught a startling glimpse of raw emotion. The look was gone as suddenly as it had appeared, but not the tears that shone in Carol Ann’s eyes.

The look on this young girl’s face triggered an epiphany in my heart, because I had seen that expression before in my mirror, and I sensed for the first time that other people experienced emotions as deep and important as mine. After that day in the classroom I made an effort to play with Carol Ann at recess and discovered that she was hungry for kindness.

It was years before I found the exact word to describe what I had witnessed: vulnerability. It was unguarded fear and mortification, and I sensed that Carol Ann was extremely fragile in that moment. This incident revealed to me that people have very tender feelings, even though we may attempt to hide them. In our most vulnerable moments, we are all hungry for kindness

I love this excerpt from the biblical description of a virtuous woman, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26) What a beautiful thing is the law of kindness. How many souls it nourishes and heals. Kindness is close kin with courtesy, patience, unselfishness, and understanding. It is love in action. Kind words are a balm to those who live in a contentious household. Kindness looks an awful lot like mercy, like Jesus Christ.

A situation in my own back yard tugs at my heart, reminding me that our actions toward others can have long term consequences: On a stretch of I-70 between Utah and Colorado, a tiny lamb found its way onto the road and was nearly hit by a semi-truck. A driver who witnessed the near miss stopped to check on the lamb, searching the area for any sign of a sheep herd but finding none. Fearing the lamb would not survive if left alone, the rescuer took the baby to an animal-loving family who bottle fed him and named him Lucky. He was as sweet and friendly as a puppy.

Once Lucky was weaned, he came to live in my pasture along with several large goats who, unfortunately, bullied the poor little guy. I was especially frustrated that any time Lucky attempted to enter the red shed for shelter the goats butted him back out. Even in the worst winter storms, the poor sheep was denied entrance–always left huddled against the outside of the shed, alone.

Eventually, the goats were removed from the pasture and replaced by several new sheep, all of whom were smaller than Lucky. Finally, I thought, Lucky will be able to enjoy the shelter of the shed when we have a windstorm or a big snowfall. But I was wrong. Even though Lucky was now the largest sheep in the pasture, he would not even try to go into the shed. One day when my oldest daughter was visiting, she actually crawled inside the shed and tried to coax Lucky to join her, without success. The smaller sheep have never tried to keep him out–in fact, they’d probably welcome his warmth on a cold night–but to this day, no matter how miserable the weather, Lucky will not enter that shed.

Many a winter morning I have looked out the back door to check on Lucky, dismayed to see him covered with several inches of snow. It is heartbreaking to observe. I don’t claim to read the mind of this sheep, but I don’t know how else to explain it: Lucky still recalls the goats who bullied him and denied him shelter. The memories are so painful to him–even after the goats were relocated–that rather than risking rejection, he won’t even attempt to go in the shed, choosing instead to endure severe weather conditions without cover.

Rejection happens to animals, and it happens to people, and when we experience unkindness, judgment, or rejection repeatedly, we eventually avoid the source of those feelings in order to prevent further pain. The stories of Carol Ann and Lucky illustrate the sensitivity and vulnerability of both humans and creatures. Hearts are fragile, easily broken by careless words and actions. Practicing the law of kindness spreads a healing balm over wounds caused by thoughtlessness or cruelty.

How I regret the times, particularly as a teenager, when I used subtle sarcasm as a weapon or put someone else down in a misguided attempt to build myself up. Even as a mother of young children, when I should have been the mature one, too often I vented my frustrations with an impatience and intensity that my family did not deserve. It grieves me to think that my unkindness may have wounded them.

Remembering of the goats who repeatedly pushed Lucky out of the shelter, I am led to ask myself, Do I show kindness by practicing inclusion? Or do I welcome certain people into my circle of friends, while knowingly leaving some on the outside? This is a common practice among teens, who tend to be cliquish, but as adults who have likely experienced some level of unkindness or rejection, we ought to be more cognizant of those who feel left out. Christian writer Shannan Martin speaks of hospitality–which is really another word for inclusion: “Hospitality. It sounds kind of fancy, but its meaning is simple, bare-bones, pure, and entirely holy–you are invited. There is room for you here, next to me.” (1)

In the past year my heart has hurt over the cruelty I have witnessed on social media. Opinions and information about pandemic restrictions, racial tensions, political elections, mask mandates, and vaccines have been shared by countless people. I applaud those who have chosen a path of civility and restraint, even when comments on their carefully worded posts have been ugly and insulting–and many of those verbal arrows have come from those who claim to follow Jesus Christ. The recent plea of Sister Sharon Eubank is very timely, “Let’s not judge each other or let our words bite.” (2)

Showing kindness is Christianity 101. The Lord’s commandment to love our neighbor–and even our enemy–has never been rescinded. If we desire to improve our little corner of the world, we can start by recognizing that everyone is hungry for kindness. Perhaps now is a good time to examine our ourselves, to ask God to help us honestly identify where we stand on the kindness spectrum.

I conclude with Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin’s simple counsel:

“When we are filled with kindness, we are not judgmental…

“But,” you ask, “what if people are rude?”

Love them.

“If they are obnoxious?”

Love them.

“But what if they offend? Surely I must do something then?”

Love them.

“Wayward?”

The answer is the same. Be kind. Love them…

Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only kind?” (3)

Notes:

1. Shannan Martin, “The Ministry of Ordinary Places,” p. 80-81.

2. Sister Sharon Eubank, “By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God,” October 2020 General Conference.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/31eubank?lang=eng

• Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Virtue of Kindness,” April 2005 General Conference.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2005/04/the-virtue-of-kindness?lang=eng

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