One of the most stunning visuals in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was the scene of the ents attacking the stronghold of Isengard. Seeing this army of living oak, rowan, and beech trees chucking rocks at the tower and smashing the orcs was a hoot.

Of course this scene reminds us of Macbeth where the soldiers camouflage themselves and attack Dunsinane Castle. As they approach the stronghold, it looks as if Birnam Forest itself is alive and menacing. In his fantasy Tolkien seems to say, “Instead of humans disguising themselves as trees and attacking the castle, why not have real trees instead?”

There is a not-so-subtle environmental message here. Tolkien was clear on this matter:

"I am a hobbit myself, except for my size, of course. I love gardens, trees and farmland without machines on it. I like to smoke a pipe and eat home-style cooking; I go to bed late and get up late. I don’t travel much." (Letters, 288.)

EARTH AND MAN

This raises a question, “What should our relationship be with the earth?” On one hand, the Industrial Age has brought unprecedented prosperity, and has raised the standard of living beyond what our great-grandparents could have possibly imagined. Think of the increase of longevity, the decrease in infant mortality, and such commonplace things as the microwave oven, cell phones, or the large things, such as MRIs, pharmaceuticals, and space shuttles.

After all, who of us has not benefited from a handy GPS or an ATM? And if you are reading this right now, you are giving tacit consent to the Internet, microchips, and computer algorithms.

On the other hand, we have serious environmental questions. For example, radiation therapy produces radioactive waste. This waste demands care in handling, storage and disposal. If you rush to the hospital in a Life Flight helicopter, then you should also know that choppers are notorious gas-guzzlers. There has been a lot of talk about carbon footprints. And before any building project is done, there must be an environmental impact study.

So industry has wrought untold benefits, but at a cost. Do we pollute the planet, and thereby undermine our own prosperity? But reverting back to nomadic hunter-gatherers also has a cost—a human cost. What happens to the standard of living and such things as dentistry, infant mortality, and the higher things of civilization, such as culture and scientific progress?

There is a reason why cavemen had such a short life expectancy, and never built things like the Mars Rover or the Hoover Dam. For example, they knew that mold was bad, and you could eat it in certain cheeses but other times it was unhealthy. However, they never realized that mold could become penicillin. And given a choice between brie or antibiotics, I’d choose the second.

So there are benefits and costs to both sides of the question. We should rephrase the question to be “How do we manage both industry and ecology?”

I appreciate Joseph Smith’s insights to this dilemma. As the first prophet of the Mormon Church, he had specific teachings relating to industry and ecology.

ATONEMENT

To begin, Joseph Smith was a religious leader and a witness of Christ. Everything he did or said resolves itself back to Christ. In summing up Mormonism, he said:

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." (“Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 45–56)

There is no mystery about Mormonism, just the majesty of Christ's Atonement. The point of the Atonement is to save people in this life and in the next life. It undergirds all environmental questions.

ENVIRONMENT

Joseph Smith received a revelation from God that described creation as a gift to humanity:

“Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;”

“Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;”

“Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;”

“Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.”

“And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.”

“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.”

“Behold, this is according to the law and the prophets; wherefore, trouble me no more concerning this matter.” (D&C 59:16-22)

This is a rather detailed statement about the interrelationship between humanity and ecology. The Lord says that nature is a gift and that “all things which come of the earth … are made for the benefit and the use of man.” To paraphrase the Savior, the environment was made for man; man was not made for the environment.

Thus there is hierarchy in the biosphere. We use the environment and natural resources to further the mission of the church. We preserve temporal life in order to preserve spiritual life. We also use the creature comforts and labor-saving devices to spread the message of Christ. Try hand-copying a Bible, and you see my point. The time saved by printing a Bible can be used in other areas.

The revelation, however, has this proviso: the blessings of nature must be “be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.” The Lord reminds us that we do not have a free-for-all. We do not approach environmental management like a pie-eating contest. This is the “not by excess” clause.

The word “extortion” here means “plunder” or "greediness" (cf. Matthew 23:25). Hugh W. Nibley observed that “the literal meaning of the word ‘is to squeeze the last drop out of a thing.’” (Approaching Zion, 193). We are not to wring nature dry. This reminds us of the commandment about not harvesting the corners of a field to allow the poor, like Ruth, to glean the field (Leviticus 19:9).

Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth president of the Mormon Church said this:

“As I walk about my little cluster of trees, my feet on the fruitful earth, there wanders through my mind the words of the seventh chapter of Revelation (verses 2­3) interpreted by Joseph Smith in section 77 of the Doctrine and Covenants: "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried . . . saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." Even without reference to the theological meanings of this declaration, I like the injunction: ‘Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees.’

“I look up to the stars and sense in some small degree the majesty and wonder and magnitude of the universe, the awesome greatness of its Creator and Governor, and the implications of my own place as a child of God." (A Wonderful Summer)

To sum up, we should not feel guilty about industrialization, so long as it is done with common-sense, wisdom, and care for the environment.

INDUSTRIALIZATION

Born in 1805, and living in the 1830s and 1840s, Joseph Smith in general approved of the Industrial Age.

In a letter to his wife Emma, Joseph Smith talked about his first trip to New York City. Joseph Smith was overawed by what he saw:

“This day I have been walking through the most splendid part of the City of New York. The buildings are truly great and wonderful to the astonishing of every beholder.”

“And the language of my heart is like this: Can the great God of all the Earth maker of all things magnificent and splendid be displeased with man for all these great inventions sought out by them? My answer is no, it can not be, seeing these works are calculated to make men comfortable wise and happy.” (Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 277ff. Standardized)

Again, Joseph Smith reaffirms that progress is good because it benefits humanity. In fact, Joseph Smith used many of the spin-offs of industrialization to accomplish his work, the foremost being the printing press.

Imagine what would happen if we did not have the printing press. The scriptures would be a rare commodity. Consequently, we would not know the mind of God. Obedience and righteousness would be haphazard. This would hinder God's work.

In the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ like the Bible, there was a group of people who did not have written scriptures. Over time, they lost their spiritual inheritance:

“They had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator.” (Omni 1:17)

So one of the blessing of the Industrial Age was that it facilitated the information explosion. An essential part of that was the publication of the scriptures. As Isaiah prophesied:

“For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)

Later on, other aspects of technology and progress were used to further the Lord’s work: plains, trains, automobiles, telegraphs, telephones, telefax, and Internet. We are all better believers and more righteous because of the Industrial Age.

CONCLUSION

Gordon B. Hinckley once observed:

“There is no music like the music of industry.” (“Nauvoo Symposium Held at Brigham Young University,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 109–11)

Joseph Smith taught that we need to have both industry and ecology, each of which are assets to the Atonement of Christ. So Joseph Smith would disagree with Tolkien’s position. The key is wise stewardship, since both sides have valid points.

Then again, Tolkien was more of a folksy old man in the sunset of life than a Luddite. Think of all the technology used to publish his books and to make the films.

In 1996 President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth called prophet in these modern times, sat down with reporter, Mike Wallace in an unprecedented interview. They discussed a variety of topics, but in particular, Mr. Wallace asked about the state of the nation.

Mike Wallace: “Since World War II, we seem to be splintering; we seem to be becoming more selfish, more self-absorbed, less community minded. Families don’t seem to mean so much, and morality has gone to hell [his expression] in a handbasket. Why?”

Gordon B. Hinckley: “The basic failure is in our homes. Parents haven’t measured up to their responsibilities. It is evident. A nation will rise no higher than the strength of its homes. If you want to reform a nation, you begin with families, with parents who teach their children principles and values that are positive and affirmative and will lead them to worthwhile endeavors. That is the basic failure that has taken place in America. And we are making a tremendous effort to bring about greater solidarity in families. Parents have no greater responsibility in this world than the bringing up of their children in the right way, and they will have no greater satisfaction as the years pass than to see those children grow in integrity and honesty and make something of their lives. …” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “This Thing Was Not Done in a Corner,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 48)

President Hinckley addressed a critical problem we face in America, and really across the world, today. Society is falling apart. Now, at this time, President Hinckley didn't go into much more detail, but in a previous talk to the general membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormons, he gave specific instructions on how to turn society around within a generation or two.

Four simple things, which I believe bear repeating:

Let parents and children (1) teach and learn goodness together, (2) work together, (3) read good books together, and (4) pray together." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Four Simple Things to Help Our Families and Our Nations,” Liahona, Jun 1996, 3)

For too long God has been pushed out of American families, society and government. And yet, Patrick Henry, one of America's fiercest patriots in our battle for freedom from Great Britain, said:

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” (Patrick Henry as quoted by Robert W. Pelton, America: A Christian Nation? Here Are The Facts, 2008)

George Washington said,

"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." He also said, ""Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

A prophet of God has told us that if we pray as a family, along with the other three things, we can turn society around. So Mr. Wallace, there is the full and complete answer to your question.

Prayer is one of the most beautiful gifts our Father in Heaven has given us. Through this medium we are allowed to petition the God of the Universe at any time, day or night, 365 days a year. He is never too tired, frustrated or busy to listen to us pour out all the confusion, pain, frustration, even the joy, love and happiness our mortal hearts can hold. If we ask, He will guide us, protect us (unless it's our time to go or we have something to learn) and inspire us. I thank Him, most profusely, for this beautiful gift.

A family that kneels in sincere and heartfelt prayer, morning and night, will be a family more cemented together with eternal bonds. Oh yes, trouble will creep in, but prayer is a protection unlike most.

So this nation, crumbling at the seams, turn to God and remember He who gave you life awaits your call.

When was the last time you witnessed a miracle? In a world full of so much sorrow and evil, it sometimes overwhelms the good. The Lord’s hand is still visible if we look. I have seen Him working in the lives of many that I love. I have seen His miracles.

The other day I ran across an interesting quote from Walt Whitman.

“To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,

Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.”

(Walt Whitman, Miracles)

It’s a beautiful quote that gave me a moment’s pause. I try to look for the Lord’s influence in my life; I seek out His guidance, direction, and comfort. Maybe that’s not enough. In reality God’s goodness and blessings touch everything around me. I think I sometimes take that for granted. I have seen many miracles, but I think I’ve missed many of the quiet everyday miracles that surround me.

Moses 6:63— And behold, all things have their alikeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

The earth is His; it was created by His hand and still resonates His love for us. As a disciple of Christ I have declared myself to be His. When I allow myself to be molded and guided by that same hand, I too, bare witness of His goodness. The world, and my life, is full of everyday miracles.

Did I notice the blanket of freshly fallen snow that covered winter’s gray, or was I too busy wishing for spring? Or how about the time I went grocery shopping, got everything that I needed, and managed to stay within budget, too?

Think about:
A friend stopping by or sending you a note without knowing how badly you needed to be loved that day.

The birds that delight your two-year-old when they come to the feeder.

The song that touches your heart and lifts your spirit.

All things testify of Him.

These are everyday miracles that if we aren’t looking for them, may be missed entirely. If we put ourselves more in tune to the Spirit of God, it opens our eyes. We become more aware of the blessings that are abounding in our lives. No matter how dark a day may seem, there is always light if we will seek it out. Or, we can choose to turn our backs in favor of the darkness created by dwelling on our trials, fears, pains, and other negative aspects of this world. If we look to that light, and pay attention to the everyday ways God touches our lives, He takes those patches of darkness that find their way into our hearts and lightens them. He is better able to bear our burdens when we are acknowledging all the tiny ways He is all ready doing so.

1. Earth, with her ten thousand flow’rs,
Air, with all its beams and show’rs,
Heaven’s infinite expanse,
Sea’s resplendent countenance—
All around and all above
Bear this record: God is love.

2. Sounds among the vales and hills,
In the woods and by the rills,
Of the breeze and of the bird,
By the gentle murmur stirred—
Sacred songs, beneath, above,
Have one chorus: God is love.

3. All the hopes that sweetly start
From the fountain of the heart,
All the bliss that ever comes
To our earthly human homes,
All the voices from above
Sweetly whisper: God is love.

(“God Is Love,” Hymns #87)

Instead of attending a regular institute class at the nearby college, I usually opt to attend the once a week class put on by our stake. However, not to long ago I went with a visiting friend to two institute classes at the college. Where both classes were wonderful, I felt to write about the second class. I had never attended a dating and courtship class before (it's a matter of principle) but my friend insisted. I must say I was wonderfully surprised for it was nothing as I expected.

The lesson that day was on a topic I found most intriguing. It was on The Traditions of Our Fathers. The class started with the question, "What traditions are you going to continue or start with your future family?"

Normally when I think of traditions, I think of holiday activities. Yet, as I listened to my fellow students answer, my eyes were opened and began to realize that traditions go far beyond that. Here are a few of the Traditions mentioned:

-The Tradition to have weekly Family Home Evening

-The Tradition of daily personal and Family Prayer

-The Tradition of daily personal and Family Scripture Study

-The Tradition of telling your spouse and Children that you Love Them

-The Tradition of Family Dinner

-The Tradition of going to the Temple

-The Tradition of Modesty in how you dress and how you dress your children

In the class discussion we were told how powerful good traditions can be in the lives of our future children. Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Quorum of the Seventy reaffirmed this when he said,

"Of traditions which are complementary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul admonished the Thessalonians, "Therefore, … stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught" (2 Thes. 2:15). In the Church, powerful traditions remind us of the strength and sacrifice of our ancestors and inspire our efforts. Among them are industry, frugality, and complete devotion to a righteous cause. Others are based on doctrine and standards which may seem peculiar to the world but are consistent with God's pattern. These include chaste behavior, modesty of dress, unpolluted language, Sabbath observance, adherence to the Word of Wisdom, and the payment of tithes… Uplifting traditions play a significant role in leading us toward the things of the Spirit. Those that promote love for Deity and unity in families and among people are especially important." Cultivate Righteous Traditions, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom

There are many blessings that come from establishing righteous traditions in our home. In the April 1990 General Conference, Elder Parry mentioned a few of them,

"If we will build righteous traditions in our families, the light of the gospel can grow ever brighter in the lives of our children from generation to generation. We can look forward to that glorious day when we will all be united together as eternal family units to reap the everlasting joy promised by our Eternal Father for His righteous children." April General Conference 1990, Family Traditions, Elder L. Tom Perry

Likewise if we fail to establish good traditions in our home, or establish bad traditions our families will be at the mercy of the world and all that such a thing brings with it. With that said I have many friends who were not raised in homes with good traditions. They have experienced the bad side of traditions and have had to fight to overcome them, and look for the examples of good traditions which God will bring into their life.

Sometimes God sends us into homes with good traditions, which we then are responsible for carrying them on. Other times God sends the example of good traditions into our lives that we may break the chain of bad traditions which we have been raised with and establish good traditions in our future home.

The time to decide what traditions you want to establish in your future home is now. That way, we can establish them from the start when it will be much easier to do so. Thus, we come back to that original question presented at the start of the class, "What traditions are you going to continue or start with your future family?"

Once we answer that question, then we can, and must, determine if we should begin the decided upon traditions right now or if we must write them down somewhere safe so that when it is the proper time and place we can implement them.

I am glad that I went to that Institute class with my friend. It gave me much to think about. I know that what was taught was true. It is vital that we as singles turn our thoughts and hearts to our future families and decide what traditions we will establish in our home that we may be good spouses and parents. That our families will be strong, and protected against the influences of the world, and stand the test of time

One important aspect of faith is that Heavenly Father knows everything. It seems obvious, but sometimes, in our day to day lives, we forget to act on this knowledge.
“But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accompish all this works among the children on men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.” (1 Nephi 9:6)

We look at life from a very limited perspective. We see what is happening right now, and we often see it from a perspective of what we think would be best for us. Heavenly Father is looking at the world from an eternal perspective. Our little bit of time here on earth is important to Him because He loves us dearly, but He also has to see things from the larger perspective. He, like any good parent, knows that sometimes what we think would be best for us would not be best at all, perhaps not for us, and perhaps not best for others who would be affected by our request were it granted.

One of my favorite stories for understanding this is the story of Abinadi, in the Book of Mormon, the book of Mosiah, chapter 11. Abinadi was a prophet, sent by God to preach to the Nephites. They had come under the rule of a wicked king named Noah, who taught them to live a wicked life. Abinadi called them to repentance, instructing them to abandon the teachings of their wicked king. Needless to say, King Noah was not pleased with Abinadi’s message and wanted him captured and arrested.

Two years later, Abinadi returned and again preached repentance. He prophesied the destruction of the people and the king’s death if they didn’t repent. He was arrested and taken before the king. After listening to Abinadi’s preaching for a while, he commanded his priests to kill Abinadi, claiming Abinadi was mad. However, when these armed and powerful soldiers surrounded Abinadi, he said,

“Mosiah 13:3 Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time.

4 But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me. And again, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged me that I am mad.

5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord.

6 And he spake with power and authority from God; and he continued his words, saying:

7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message. Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.

8 Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.

9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved.”

Mosiah went on to deliver the message God sent him to deliver. The king and most of his followers were unmoved, but one man, a priest named Alma, felt the spirit and knew what Abinadi was teaching was true. He pleaded with the king to spare the prophet’s life, but instead, the king also ordered Alma’s death. Alma flees.

Over the years, I’ve taught this story to many children. Children are upset that Alma leaves. They want him to stay and rescue Abinadi. Abinadi, having delivered his message and converted Alma, is put to death.The children, looking at the story only from the perspective of their love for Abinadi, are upset that Abinadi is allowed to die and that Alma did nothing to help.

They are unable, at that moment, to see the eternal perspective. Abinadi himself had said that once he delivered his message, he could die. His purpose was to convert Alma, which he did. Alma would most likely not have been able to defend the prophet against an army, and would have been killed himself.

From an eternal perspective, this would have been a disaster. Alma went on to convert many people. From his lineage would come those who were present when the Savior appeared to the Nephites. Both he and Abinadi fulfilled their purposes in God’s plan.

In our own lives, we must always be aware that we may not understand God’s choices for our lives because we see through a limited perspective, but God, who sees all of eternity and knows the end from the beginning, can make wiser choices. We may not always understand, but we can have faith.

The Book of Mormon begins with Nephi. When the story he shares of his life begins, he is the teenaged son of a wealthy man, probably living a life of privilege. His father is a prophet in Jerusalem in 600 B.C. There were many prophets at that time, all preaching the same message: Repent or Jerusalem will be destroyed. The people chose not to hear the message and Lehi, Nephi’s father, found his life in danger by those who didn’t want to believe they were sinners. God instructed Lehi to take his family, and only those items essential for survival, and flee into the wilderness, where, like the people of Moses, they would one day be led to a land of promise.

Nephi’s life changed dramatically that day. He went from living a life of privilege to living in tents in a new place each night, having few possessions and leaving behind his former life and friends. Most teenagers would have been angry and sullen over such a dramatic change of lifestyle. In fact, Nephi’s older brother, Laman and Lemuel, were angry and never got over that anger. They whined, complained, and rebelled. Nephi, however, had great faith. He trusted his father and he trusted God. He listened as his father taught the gospel and went to God in prayer.

Nephi’s life was never easy. His brothers resented Nephi’s faith, and frequently tried to murder him. After Lehi’s death, when the family was settled in a new land across the ocean, the persecution became so bad Nephi was forced to take his family and followers and leave, setting up a new home once again, in order to stay alive.

And yet, despite the trials of leaving a comfortable life, of leaving everything behind, of constant and dangerous persecution, of repeated attempts on his life, Nephi chose not to become bitter. He didn’t ask why God didn’t reward him for his faithfulness. Instead, in the first verse of the Book of Mormon, written some thirty years after he left Jerusalem, he wrote, “I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days…” (I Nephi 1:1)

He was highly favored in all his days, including the ones where people tried to kill him. Nephi could have chosen to feel picked on and abused, but instead he chose to focus not on the attempted murders, but instead on the rescues that came each time. He focused not on leaving behind his wealth, but on receiving a land of promise.

One of the many lessons we can learn from Nephi is that our attitude can be a tool to help us retain our faith. His brothers lost whatever testimony they had because they chose to focus on the losses, not the blessings. Nephi went on to become a prophet and a man of faith and happiness because he focused on the blessings.