I hadn’t read this particular book, but I was familiar with Sister Dew and always loved her frank way of speaking and writing. As my friend explained, Sister Dew talked about the concept of submitting our wills to the Lord’s.

The perfect example of submitting is Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew that it was His Father’s plan for Him to be our Savior and atone for our sins. Yet it was not something that He particularly wanted to experience. We don’t know what was going through our Savior’s head at that time, but we do know that He asked the Father in humble prayer if this cup might pass from Him, if there was any way He could avoid what He was about to experience. Then He added, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Christ trusted in the will of the Father and submitted to it completely. There are times when we are called upon to do the same. We aren’t asked to atone for the sins of the world, but there are times when we are asked to sacrifice things we would like to have or do in order to do other things that the Lord asks of us. There are times when we have our own plans, but the Lord asks us to do something else that may not fit in with them or that even make sense to our mortal minds.

I am not familiar enough with the book by Sister Dew to know if I am quoting Sister Dew or my friend, but that’s where the concept of “…or something better” comes in. When we trust in the Lord, we realize that His plans for us are so much greater and grander than anything we could come up with on our own. And we can even reach the point where we can gladly submit to them.

So when we have a need we’re praying for, we might pray that we receive what we think we need, “…or something better.”

Joseph Forgiving His Brothers, by Ted Henniger

Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt, told the truth and kept his virtue and was cast into prison as a result. Perhaps he prayed for release. Yet the Lord had “something better” in mind for him. In prison he was able to interpret dreams and gain the trust of the Pharaoh, and eventually save Egypt and his own family from a terrible famine. As he told his family, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5) Perhaps it was difficult for Joseph to reach the point where he believed this, but as he looked back on his life, he could see the hand of the Lord in the things that had come to pass.

Sometimes we may pray to get a particular job, or a particular date, or any number of other opportunities, only to realize later that this would have been all wrong for us. Again, the Lord in His infinite wisdom knows the big picture and can guide us toward “something better” even when we’re sure we have things all figured out.

My friend is now facing what I hope we can see as “something better” for her. She has been in and out of the hospital and so far the prognosis has not been encouraging. Saying “it must be the Lord’s will” can seem cold and hollow to someone whose life has just been ripped apart, but at the same time I know that our loving Heavenly Father is and always has been mindful of her. And things that seem tragic here in this mortal life will make a lot more sense in the next life when we, too, can see the big picture and how the Lord’s plans for us have unfolded.

This post was originally published in November 2007. Minor changes and updates have been made.

Katie P

Whatever we feel we need to work on in our lives, here are some ideas for setting and achieving those goals.

1. Pray for Help

Our Father in Heaven knows us and loves us perfectly, and He can show us those things that we need to work on most. The Lord tells us in the Book of Mormon:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:27)

It’s not always fun or even easy to see our own weaknesses, but we can trust in the Lord’s judgment and in His promptings as we strive to improve.

2. Write Goals Down

This accomplishes a couple of things. For one, it helps us clarify what our goals are, at least enough to put them into written language. And the acts of writing them down and reviewing them regularly help us make and keep commitments to achieve these goals. President M. Russell Ballard, a modern-day apostle and the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said:

I would suggest that if you want to have success in the goal setting process, you learn to write your goals down. I would even put them in a very prominent place—on your mirror or on the refrigerator door. Keep your goals in front of you, in writing. Then, with the desire to reach your written goals, you will be more willing to pay the price that successful goal-oriented people must pay. (M. Russell Ballard, “Do Things That Make a Difference,” Ensign, Jun 1983, 68)

3. Commit to Your Goals and Pay the Price to Make Them Happen

Excuses may help us feel justified in not taking action when it comes to our goal, but they do nothing for bringing us to where we want to be in our lives. Benjamin N. Woodson says:

For my part, I have concluded that the quality which sets one man apart from another—the factor which lifts one man to every achievement to which he reasonably aspires while the other is caught in the slough of mediocrity for all the years of his life—is not talent, nor formal education, nor luck, nor intellectual brilliance, but is rather the successful man’s greater capacity for self-discipline (quoted in M. Russell Ballard, “Do Things That Make a Difference,” Ensign, Jun 1983, 68).

With these guidelines in mind, here’s wishing all of us a successful new year!

This post was originally published in December 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Katie P

“My 1999 car shows the wear and tear of 105,000 miles. But it is still dependable. My apartment is modest, but quiet and relaxing. My clothes are well suited to my work, which is primarily outdoors. My minimal computer needs can be met at the library.

 

In spite of what I don’t have, I don’t feel poor. Why? I’ve enjoyed exceptionally good health for 53 years. It’s not just that I’ve been illness-free, it’s that I feel vigorous and spirited…I also cherish the gift of creativity. When I write a beautiful line of poetry, or fabricate a joke that tickles someone, I feel rich inside” (“A Life Full of Riches,” Newsweek, December 24, 2007, p. 19).

As his essay continues, one conclusion he reaches is that the only thing he really misses in his lack of material goods is the connection with the rest of society that either has or craves them. But, he says, “I’m happy to live without [a high-end TV]. In fact, not being focused on material goods feels quite natural to me.”

When the rich young ruler came Jesus asking what he needed to do to gain eternal life, the Savior named some of the great commandments: Thou shalt not kill, nor commit adultery, nor steal, nor bear false witness. The young man must have seemed to accept all this, for the Savior went on: Thou shalt honor thy parents. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The young man said he’d been doing all of these things from his youth. What was left for him to do? Jesus said unto him: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).

Jesus Christ and the rich young ruler.

And here the young man did an interesting thing: Matthew records that he “went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:22). This young man, wealthy in worldly goods, was willing to do all that the Savior asked of him — as long as He didn’t ask too much. He was willing to live a generally moral life, but he was not willing to part with his material wealth. (We can guess that he didn’t even own a high-end TV.)

Where does that leave him today? We can be pretty sure that he must have passed away approximately 2000 years ago. He sought happiness from his material possessions, but those cannot help him now.

As the Lord told the prophet Joseph Smith, as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich” (D&C 6:7).

I like the example of Karl Green, the Newsweek essayist, who listed many things in his life that make him rich — not in the ways of the world, but in ways that really matter.

This article was originally published in December 2007. Minor changes have been made for timeliness and clarity.

Katie P

Raised by the daughter of Pharaoh, he likely could have claimed the throne of Egypt if he had desired it. Instead, he identified with his own people, the house of Israel. And when the time was right and the Lord’s prophet was prepared (whether this prophet realized he was prepared or not), Moses was called to deliver the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt.

First, the Lord tells Moses that He does know of the trials that Israel is experiencing:

“I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 3:7-8)

Sometimes it is easy for us to think that we suffer our trials alone. But as the Lord tells us here, He is mindful of us and does know of our sorrows, and He is prepared to deliver us. But notice here what His solution is:

“Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10)

The Lord was going to deliver Israel, but His plan was not to come down and talk to Pharaoh Himself. Instead, His plan was to work through His prophet. Throughout the ages, we have seen this pattern repeated.

President Spencer W. Kimball, the twelfth prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said: “God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” This is the Lord’s pattern of doing things. Among the other things this accomplishes, it requires us to stretch and grow so that we may meet the needs of others around us. Sometimes this may seem like a burden, but it is truly a great opportunity for us as we rise to meet the challenge.

And suddenly Moses felt the weight of this responsibility given to him:

“Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11)

Just like many of us do when we are given new responsibilities, Moses felt dreadfully inadequate. He sincerely wondered how he could even do this great thing the Lord had asked him to do. Perhaps he wondered if someone else could do it better than he could.

Sometimes we think of our prophets as something like superheroes who never worry about anything, come by their abilities naturally, and always know exactly what to do. But the story of Moses shows us that this is not the case. Moses was terribly concerned about his abilities to carry out this assignment. The Lord’s next words to him must have been a comfort to him:

“Certainly I will be with thee.” (Exodus 3:12)

The Lord went on to teach Moses some miracles that he could perform to testify to the people of Israel that his call came from God. And he again reassured him that He would be with him:

“I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:12).

We have to remember that this is the Lord’s work that we’re doing. He wants this work to succeed, and He wants us to succeed at it. So we don’t need to be afraid in the face of our own inadequacies as we are doing the work of the Lord, because He will be there to help us. Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon tells us:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

Our weaknesses can be made strengths as we turn them over to the Lord and as we truly seek to do His work.

This post was originally published in November 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Katie P

Latter-day Saints sustain the First Presidency and Twelve Apostles as “prophets, seers, and revelators.” We also believe that other general leaders such as those in the Quorums of the Seventy and the General Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary presidencies have been called of God to their positions—and that one way the Lord speaks to us is through our Church leaders.

Many inspirational talks have been given at general conferences over the years. General conference archives are available online at www.lds.org and may be perused by anyone.

Conference lasts for two days, a Saturday and a Sunday. It is usually held on the first Saturday and Sunday of the months of April and October. Two general sessions are held each day, one running from 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m. MST both days, and another running from 2:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. MST both days. There is also a session for priesthood holders on that Saturday evening in April, and one for women on that Saturday in October.

The practice of holding general conference began under Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the restored Church. At that time, the Church had only 26 members. Today there are over 16 million members worldwide. The Conference Center can hold over 20,000 people; however, because of high demand to view the proceedings there, tickets are needed for attendance. They are free and can be obtained through your local Church leadership.

via Newsroom | The Conference Center during a session of general conference

Many other Latter-day Saints view the proceedings live through television, radio, or Internet streams in their homes. Still others gather to their local church buildings to watch the sessions of conference via satellite. Those living in areas where this is not practical may watch the proceedings on a delayed basis. The talks are also available after conference online at www.lds.org, and are printed in the Ensign and the Liahona (official Church magazines) later on. This allows people to study the words of the Church leaders on an ongoing basis.

This post was originally published on October 12, 2007. Updates have been made to reflect current Church leadership, guidelines, and policies. 

Katie P

Jesus healed many of the ill, including lepers

Sure, the Savior told us that we shouldn’t do good things and then go around bragging about them in order to get recognition and gain power for ourselves that way (“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” (Matthew 6:2)), but shouldn’t acts of kindness carry more power with them than acts of unkindness?

Today I was returning a big stack of library books to the library. I’d purposely taken them to a book drop I could park by, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to carry all the books. (It did not occur to me until later that I could have carried my books in a bag.) When I got to the book drop, I realized that I was going to have to free up one of my hands somehow in order to pull down the door and put the books in. Just as I was wondering exactly how I would do this, a man stopped and opened the door on the book drop for me. He was very cheerful, and I thanked him, and I left feeling happier than I’d been when I started.

He could have pretended he didn’t see me. He could have told himself he was in a hurry and he couldn’t help me. He could have refused to help me because, after all, it was my own fault I’d carried so many books to the book drop with me. Any of these excuses would have allowed him to finish his own errands more quickly. I’m sure I’ve made similar excuses myself numerous times.

But he didn’t. It wasn’t a big thing that he did, and I probably even could have figured out a way to get my books in the book drop myself. But his kind deed left me feeling good. It left me in a mood to turn around and do something nice for someone else. Just think of the power that even one good deed can create if each recipient goes and helps someone else.

King Benjamin, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, gave a powerful speech on the importance of helping others. He said, in part:

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

 

17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

 

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

 

19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Mosiah 4:16-19)

Here King Benjamin is telling us that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must help others. That is what the Savior Himself would do. And even though sometimes people bring upon themselves their misery, it is not our place to determine whether someone needs help or not. For, in the end, we are all beggars. The Lord has given each of us everything that we have; we did not create it ourselves.

So then, just as we’ve been the recipients of so much goodness, particularly from our Father in Heaven, we need to reach out and help others—even just with small acts of kindness.

This post was originally published in 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Katie P

Latter-day Saints believe that God is real, that He created the world and all of us on it, and that he is literally our Heavenly Father. He has a glorified and perfected body (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Humans, His spirit children, were created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). This means that we were formed in His likeness. So, when we want to know what God looks like, we need only look at each other for the initial answer.

God’s body is glorified and perfected, unlike those mortal bodies we have here and now. We do believe in a literal resurrection, when we will one day all rise again with glorified and perfected bodies of our own. This is made possible through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

According to the first Article of Faith, as articulated by Joseph Smith, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” We believe in all three of these members of what we call the Godhead. We see these three members as unified in purpose, working together to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39, in the Pearl of Great Price). God is our Father, Christ is our Savior who atoned for our sins and works to bring God the Father’s purposes to pass.

Both of these beings have bodies, but the Holy Ghost does not. “Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). The Holy Ghost whispers truth to us in our hearts and minds, testifies of truth, and comforts us in times of need. While these three glorious beings are one in purpose, they are three distinct personages. God the Father and Jesus Christ each have their own distinct bodies. Joseph Smith bore witness of this in his First Vision:

When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other — This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:17; found in the Pearl of Great Price)

Joseph Smith’s First Vision

God is not a disinterested or uncaring being. Rather, He is our loving Father who does all things for our eternal good. He has provided a Savior to atone for our sins, and has given us scriptures, prophets, families, a wonderful world on which to live, and the gift of prayer through which we may always approach Him.

For more information on God and His plan for us, visit mormon.org.

Katie P

Think about it: Together with many other miracles that take place in the human body, blood gives us life. It feeds us, bringing needed nutrients and oxygen to each organ and limb. It comes to our aid in times of need, carrying cells that attack disease and other foreign invaders. And it bears our burdens, taking away the waste products from each cell and bringing them to other areas of the body to be properly disposed of.

In many ways our blood could be compared to Christ Himself. Through Him we live. He feeds our souls. He comes to our aid in our times of need, and strengthens us against sin. He bears our burdens when we bring them to Him. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “Mormons“) believe wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that only through His great Atonement may mankind be saved.

In the Old Testament, the priests in the house of Israel were instructed to perform animal sacrifices as a way of looking forward to Christ’s miraculous Atonement, in which His blood was shed and His life was sacrificed for our sins. In the New Testament, Christ instituted the ordinance of the sacrament. Some people would recognize this as Communion or the Lord’s Supper.

After introducing the bread as symbolic of His body, He blessed the cup and gave it to His disciples, saying, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28) Christ shed His blood, His life, for the remission of our sins.

Latter-day Saints do not believe that the emblems of the sacrament become literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ. But taking the sacrament weekly helps us to remember Him and His great sacrifice for us. It allows us to renew our covenants, recommitting ourselves to keep His commandments and stand as His witness.

The apostle Paul wrote, “We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:14) John testified that “the blood of Jesus Christ … cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7)

The idea of something like blood being able to actually cleanse us may seem odd to our senses. But taken with the idea that blood brings life, we can understand that Christ gave His life for us, and it is through that atoning sacrifice that we can be made clean from our sins through the power of repentance.

King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon explained:

And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent…Salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17-18)

We are eternally indebted to our Savior for His Atonement – that through His blood, we can be made clean.

Katie P

According to the Ann Arbor News, the event began in part to help the community understand that Mormons are in fact Christians. It has become the Church’s “gift to the community” for 25 years.

However, this year will be the last. All of the work is done by volunteers, and the labor involved in setting it up and taking it down is intensive and there is no chairperson available beyond this year. So if you’re in the Ann Arbor area, you’ll want to stop by this year. More details on the event, as well as some photographs of a few of the displays, can be found at www.crecheexhibit.com.

I posted a blog covering a similar event not long ago. Again, if you’re able to attend these or a similar event held in your own community, I highly recommend it.

Kensington, Maryland: The 30th Annual Festival of Lights at the Washington, D.C. temple of the LDS Church officially began the evening of November 28. According to the Deseret Morning News, 450,000 lights will shine on the temple grounds through the holiday season. More than 250,000 visitors are expected to visit the display during December.

“These lights are our holiday gift to the nation’s capital,” said Ann Santini, director of international affairs for the Church.

Congressmen, ambassadors, and other guests were on hand for the official lighting. The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, was among those who made remarks. Parnohadiningrat, a Muslim, said that peace on earth is “not only possible but imperative,” as reported by the Deseret Morning News.

“I believe we can make peace on earth more than just a slogan,” he said.

Musical numbers were also presented by soprano Lisa Hopkins Seegmiller and the Mormon Choir of Washington, D.C. Other musicians and musical groups will perform throughout the holiday season.

Katie P

Asking missionaries of another faith for help in preparing to teach may seem odd, but when you think about it, it really does make sense. After all, Mormons have a very active and successful worldwide missionary program. So whether or not you agree with the specific religious beliefs, you’ve got to admit that the LDS Church probably does have some good insights into missionary work and sharing the gospel of Christ with others.

According to the North County Times, the Reverend Randy Leisey, pastor of United Church of the Valley, had become interested in the Mormon approach when he heard President Gordon B. Hinckley, then the prophet and president of the LDS Church, speaking in a local conference.

“He said ‘You 77 million baby boomers, don’t get a motor home. Go on mission,’” Leisey said to the North County Times. “I thought, ‘Wow, wouldn’t that change the world?’”

Leisey had been more interested in the LDS Church’s humanitarian efforts, since members of his congregation would be serving humanitarian missions themselves, helping to build houses in an impoverished country. But Larry Slusser, second counselor to the Temecula Stake (group of local congregations) president of the LDS Church, gave them a challenge in their meeting: “Is there any plan to teach them about Jesus Christ?”

Members of the United Church of the Valley were not completely comfortable with this idea, as they were afraid of appearing pushy and self-righteous. However, President Slusser gave them some ideas for sharing the message of Jesus Christ that would not be overbearing, such as bringing them videos to watch, holding devotionals before work, and staying in contact with the people after the projects were completed.

The important things, as LDS Church leaders will tell you, is to truly become their friends and to not be afraid to share your knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel when appropriate.

“The house is going to care for … one or two generations,” Slusser explained. “The faith affects many future generations. . . (Christianity) is life-changing, to give them peace of mind, direction … .”

“The task of missionary work used to be to make them like you,” Leisey commented. “But if you get intellectual about it, you realize how egocentric that is. Our denomination and many denominations started rethinking what mission is all about — building relationships.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has said: “Our opportunity and responsibility are to care, to share, to testify, to invite, and then to allow individuals to decide for themselves. . . At the very least, we have a rewarding relationship with someone from another faith, and we can continue to enjoy their friendship.” (M. Russell Ballard, “Creating a Gospel-Sharing Home,” Ensign, May 2006, 84-87)

And, in the meantime, we will have given someone we care about the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can change their lives. Having received the gift ourselves, we naturally want to share it with those we love.

Katie P