I recall a particular day where, when evening came, I was pretty exhausted. I began to write a quick synopsis of the day in my journal, and as I did, I seemed to reduce my activities to a list: early morning study, caring for my girls, about 21 phone calls, six loads of wash, several meals prepared, grocery shopping with Talia, service, reading scriptures, and retiring. While I loved being a mother and inherently knew the value of motherhood (particularly being with and directing my children), I didn’t have a way to measure the increase, the effect of the day and see its impact in the grand ledger of life. Having love in my heart didn’t seem to make its way onto the list.

As the girls and I cuddled in the bed for scripture time together, I opened the Book of Mormon to Alma 26 and began to read to them. Kira and Talia each repeated the lines of the text, or their favorite words, as they typically did then. As always with repetition, I had extra time to consider the meaning of the verses we read aloud:

1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?

 

2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?

 

3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God. And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

 

4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.

 

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle and did reap with your might, yea, all they day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

 

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea; neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them, yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them;

 

7 But behold they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest and they are his and he will raise them up at the last day.

 

8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever. (Alma 26:1-8)

As I listened to Ammon, I noticed that he suggested what I already knew to be true: that the greatest blessing we can receive lies in being “made instruments in the hands of God” to bring others to Christ (vs 3). In reading those words, I felt the Lord trying to tell me something. He seemed to be saying that what I was attempting to do that very day in purifying my heart so that my children would be able to see the Savior more clearly through me was part and parcel of “this great work” of bringing others to Christ (vs 3). Not only did He let me know He was aware of my efforts, He indicated that through them I was involved (though in a different arena and with fewer numbers) in the same great work as Ammon. The Lord felt a need to remind me of what I already knew: that the work and efforts of all mothers are noticed and that they never could really be reduced to a list.

And then, as I read on, I was struck again by the Lord’s words in verse 5: “Behold, the field was ripe, and ye did thrust in the sickle and reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor.” It was as if this were His rendition of my day (in contrast with my own). It felt as though He had watched me all day in my own invisible realm and stood before me now to give His account of it. His loving words pierced the unspoken feelings tugging at my heart. The field was ripe, I acknowledged silently as my thoughts turned immediately to my children’s tender, prepared hearts—ripe for learning as I was ripe that day in wanting to teach them. And I didn’t need a particular parenting skill or blanket formula for interacting with them, nor did I mistake their behavioral slips for mine.

I read on: “[Y]e did thrust in the sickle and did reap with your might” (vs 5). It seemed that I had underestimated the offering of serving with a heart desiring to do right. The Lord saw my efforts as “thrusting” and “reaping” with my might. I was amazed as I read the next phrase in that verse, particularly by Ammon’s exclamation: “[A]nd behold the number of your sheaves!” This was a clear indication to me that God’s accounting is different than mine and that there were quantity and quality fruits born in a simple way that day. And again, what He said to me, He seems to be saying to all mothers who serve in love within the walls of their own homes.

I continued to ponder these verses, and I began to see my day differently. As I discovered that a sheaf is a bundle of grain wrapped together and that each stalk contains about forty grains each, I knew there was no small sum gathered. Where was it tucked away? Suddenly, the experiences with my daughters seemed to divide themselves up into little packages or bundles, as if they themselves were the wrapped sheaves of grain: Talia’s cutting short her early-morning tantrum and hugging me, her tender expressions throughout the day, her change in demeanor in the middle of a demanding moment while brushing her teeth, the profound feelings of warmth in our home…. Then I unwrapped another fruit-bearing sheaf marked by discovering Kira’s real need for help in knowing what to do when provoked by her sister. Perhaps that sheaf alone, if “garnered” by the Lord, would accelerate her progress in learning to love like the Savior and forbear under injury (vs 5).

I imagined, then, the bundles of sheaves. As I envisioned the gathered sheaves, the words in Alma 26:3 came back to me in slightly different form: “Know, Karen, that ‘[thy time] was not wasted.’” In one way, it seemed that this little change of heart had occurred overnight, and in yet another way, that it had occurred slowly, without my even noticing it, over time. The Lord had seen the harvest; I had seen only the shells of the seeds I was sowing.

I thought more about the fruits of the harvest—they are also born into the seeds that develop within the growing grain. In that sense, the sheaves also represented the girls. As I pondered the Lord’s special promises in this same passage of scripture, to protect the sheaves from physical storm, it seemed that He was likewise promising to protect Kira and Talia against spiritual storms; from being “driven by fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth.”

I counted His promise as part of this bounteous reaping. The Lord, it seemed, was assuring me—and, likewise, all mothers—that as long as I would continue to wholly yield my heart to Him and to Kira and Talia, though imperfectly, my children would “not be beaten down by the storm at the last day nor be harrowed up by the whirlwinds” (vs 6). What greater promise can we reap from the Lord? I felt to rejoice as did Alma: “Blessed be the name of our God;…for he doth work righteousness forever” (vs 8).

The girls were hugging and squirming in their beds as I finished our reading and marked the corner of the page. I kissed them goodnight, turned out the lights and slowly began to close the Book of Mormon, but I couldn’t. Instead, I carried it gently downstairs, laid it on the kitchen table, still open to those savored passages in Alma.

This article was originally published in October 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Karen

Living out a great season of my life, thanks to Jesus Christ, and two wonderful daughters, a great life’s work. Loving this opportunity to share faith online…

I’m a single Mom, convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, second-gen Italian, from the East coast originally. Love the fine arts, dance, frozen yogurt, temples, scriptures, writing, jazz, helping others reach their potential, king salmon, ….and not in that order. God is good. I feel it deeply when people have a misconception of Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ, His Son, that lessens or cheapens Them and blinds one’s ability to feel His presence or to trust in an ultimately good eternal end to life’s circumstances.

Within every faithful group of practicing Saints, there are those who struggle with feelings and inclinations towards those of the same gender. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) recognize that these temptations are real, and that those so challenged by them are sons and daughters of God, like everyone else.

There are Mormons–just as there are Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews, and others–contending with these issues. One struggling with this issue in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a Mormon challenged by enticements towards those of the same gender. As long as they do not act upon those inclinations, they are free to progress in every way in the gospel and participate in every way in ordinance work.

In that sense, “” may be seen as those struggling with same-gender attraction who are willing to overcome it.

Clearly, however, those who persist in a lifestyle contrary to that which is ordained by God–without desiring help to overcome the tendencies some face in this direction–lose fellowship until they are willing to engage the struggle and turn to the Lord for deliverance. There are many, however, who opt for relief through the atoning power of the Savior and who are able to overcome those feelings and live fulfilling heterosexual lives.

It’s clear that homosexuality has been identified by many as an acceptable normal way to live. Gender is often declared a cultural construct. Many have gone so far as to have their child select their gender, and it is clear that media and films are creating images and sending messages to children and teens that adrogyny and trans-sexual behaviors are normal. Huge movements in national schools to advance these doctrines under the guise of “sexual education” classes, continue to perpetuate the homosexual agendas by those who advocate them as approved and mainstreamable lifestyles.

Mormons do not accept that stance. Homosexual, transgendered, and bi-sexual associations are not divine. They are not merely a matter of social preference, a matter of taste, a matter of entitlement. They are actually violations of the divine order. Gender is eternal. The doctrines of the Church are clear on these moral issues, as reflected in a First Presidency statement:

“The Lord’s law of moral conduct is abstinence outside of lawful marriage and fidelity within marriage. Sexual relations are proper only between husband and wife, appropriately expressed within the bonds of marriage. Any other sexual conduct, including fornication, adultery, and homosexual…behavior is sinful. Those who persist in such practices or influence others to do so are subject to Church discipline.”

We reach out in compassion to anyone so struggling and invite them to come back to us, and to the Lord. President Gordon B. Hinckley (late Mormon prophet) welcomes those with same-gender attraction into the fold and said:

Nevertheless, and I emphasize this, I wish to say that our opposition to attempts to legalize same-sex marriage should never be interpreted as justification for hatred, intolerance, or abuse of those who profess homosexual tendencies, either individually or as a group. As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as [homosexual]. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church. It is expected, however, that they follow the same God-given rules of conduct that apply to everyone else, whether single or married (“Why We Do Some of the Things We Do,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 54).

In a media interview with several leaders of the “Mormon Church” (The Church of Jesus Christ), Elders Oaks and Wickman respond to a number of frequently asked questions about how we view and assist those struggling with same gender attraction.

Public Issues: Same-Gender Attraction

Karen

Living out a great season of my life, thanks to Jesus Christ, and two wonderful daughters, a great life’s work. Loving this opportunity to share faith online…

I’m a single Mom, convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, second-gen Italian, from the East coast originally. Love the fine arts, dance, frozen yogurt, temples, scriptures, writing, jazz, helping others reach their potential, king salmon, ….and not in that order. God is good. I feel it deeply when people have a misconception of Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ, His Son, that lessens or cheapens Them and blinds one’s ability to feel His presence or to trust in an ultimately good eternal end to life’s circumstances.

In this community space, we’ll have discussions about the grandest uses of the Internet. We’ll talk about blogs and community forums, new ways of social networking; we’ll unfold some additional, exciting ways to share your faith and beliefs online and discuss how technology extends the prophetic voice. But that’s a preview of things to come.

Today, it’s all about the alternate uses of the Internet. With every positive use of technology, we well know, there comes opportunity for abuse. And so it is. Dallin H. Oaks, a living apostle of “The Quorum of the Twelve”—the Mormons’ modern-day equivalent of Christ’s original apostles–refers to the onslaught of pornography pervading the Internet as an “avalanche of evil.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Pornography” Ensign, April 2005, 87.)

Our living prophet today, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has told us about the spiritual consequences of pornography viewing. In his words, “the minds of youth become warped with false concepts. Continued exposure leads to addiction that is almost impossible to break. Men, so very many, find that cannot leave it alone. Their energies and their interests are consumed in pursuit of this raw and sleazy fare” — (Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Tragic Evil Among Us,” Ensign, November 2004, 61.) While we have great compassion for the user who truly desires change, and realize that ample provision has been made through the atonement for complete reconciliation of any offense of this nature, we have an aversion to the proliferation of pornography in any form.

I once spoke with a judge in a prominent city who said, “Pornography will overrule everything once one is addicted. It will even overrule the addict’s happiness” — (David E. Sorenson, “Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love,” Ensign, May 2003, 12.) And it will—unless there is direct and complete intervention. We can remember, in our efforts to help, that forgiveness does not require us to tolerate evil.

So What Is Pornography?

Pornography is anything that excites or arouses sexually. Some pornography is not yet considered illegal. The Supreme Court has declared that for pornography to be illegal, it must qualify as obscene in one of three ways:

1. “The average person” must think that the piece appeals to the “prurient interest.”
2. The work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law.
3. The work, taken as a whole, “lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.” (www.censorware.net).

There are specific laws that differ in regard to child pornography which will not be addressed in this blog.

How Can We Help Our Children?

The first step seems obvious but often eludes even some well-intended caretakers. It’s best to create an open and inviting environment in which children and parents can communicate openly about issues relating to pornography. Secondly, we can and should monitor Internet use. There are numerous filters that can be placed on computers to fend off some offensive materials. An online search can lead you to comparisons of various software products dedicated to protecting your family from harmful sites.

Rory Reid (a Mormon therapist), Richard Crookston, and Evan Christensen (systems experts), posit the following helps in checking your home computers for possible misuse:

1. Check your browser history. In Internet Explorer, press Control + H. If there is no history over time, then someone may be trying to cover their tracks.
2. Check the most recently visited websites by checking the cache. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools and again on Internet Options, then on Settings and View Files.
3. Check your media players for recent documents. Recently viewed videos clips normally appear on a list in the recently opened list.
4. Be aware that any of these files can be erased by someone who is skilled and motivated to hide them.
5. Do a search in Windows for *.jpg, *..mov, *.avi, and *.mpg files.
6. Check your registry by clicking on Start, then Run. In the dialog box, type “regedit” and click okay.
(Rory Reid, Richard Crookston, Evan Christensen, “Confronting Pornography on the Internet” in Confronting Pornography: A Guide to Prevention and Recovery for Individuals, Loved Ones, and Leaders. 2005, 124-136.)

These are only starting points. I realize many in our communities are already dealing with larger issues with someone they know who is afflicted or affected by this plague. For those afflicted with pornographic or sexual addiction, there is hope and help. There are support groups and internet-based help groups through which recovery is possible. For those whose behavior has crossed legal lines, there will be civil penalties but there is also a way back. We invite you to come out of hiding and to start towards the light.

How Can We Help Our Community?

As we have the resources, we can reach out and help the community. Elder M. Russell Ballard, a living apostle of Jesus Christ, has called us to action in these words: “The time has come when members of the Church need to speak out and join with the many other concerned people in opposition to the offensive, destructive, and mean-spirited media influence that is sweeping over the earth.”

White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Campaign

Morality in Media, Inc. is a national, non-profit organization working to stop obscenity and pornography constitutionally. Morality in Media, American Mothers, Inc, and The Burbridge Foundation, Inc. as well as other pro-family groups, are joining hands to engage in the nationwide White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Campaign, which runs from Sunday, October 28, through Sunday, November 4, 2007.

In an effort to call upon our government to aggressively enforce federal obscenity laws, Morality in Media has created a petition addressed to the U.S. Attorney General. In asserting the spiraling influence of obscenity in the devastation of families and marriages, and in betrayal of innocent children, the petition calls for greater vigilance, legal involvement, and public protection. An excerpt from the petition follows:

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that obscene material is “unprotected by the First Amendment” and that there are legitimate governmental interests at stake in stemming the tide of obscenity, “even assuming it is feasible to enforce effective safeguards against exposure to juveniles.” It is all too clear, however, that we have failed miserably in protecting children from pornography.

According to a study by the Crimes Against Children’s Resource Center, the percentage of Internet users ages 10-17 who were exposed to unwanted pornography in the previous year increased from 25% in 2000 to 34% in 2005. According to a 2004 survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 45% of teens have friends who regularly view pornography from the Internet ” (Morality in Media Petition).

If you’re interested in reading or circulating the petition, it is posted it on MIM’s website: www.moralityinmedia.org.

Additionally, if you’re interested in helping to raise standards in your own community but don’t know how, here are a few nuts and bolts suggestions:
o You can sign the MIM petition on-line or print and circulate.
o You can write thank-you notes to businesses that refuse to distribute pornography and patronize them.
o You can write polite but firm letters requesting that businesses do not distribute pornographic materials in stores or public places visited by your family.
o You can order and distribute white ribbons for WRAP Week.

Let’s work together as friends of every faith to keep souls free, protect our innocent children, and reclaim souls affected by the plague of pornography.

Karen

Living out a great season of my life, thanks to Jesus Christ, and two wonderful daughters, a great life’s work. Loving this opportunity to share faith online…

I’m a single Mom, convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, second-gen Italian, from the East coast originally. Love the fine arts, dance, frozen yogurt, temples, scriptures, writing, jazz, helping others reach their potential, king salmon, ….and not in that order. God is good. I feel it deeply when people have a misconception of Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ, His Son, that lessens or cheapens Them and blinds one’s ability to feel His presence or to trust in an ultimately good eternal end to life’s circumstances.