That begs the question: Why pray at all if God’s going to do what’s best, anyway?

Letting God choose isn’t the same as not praying — you don’t get the same results. When you don’t pray at all, you don’t invite God into the process. You do all the research, make all the plans, make all the decisions, and then carry them out alone. You also accept the full responsibility for the results, which may affect others, and may include unintended consequences. Eventually, we have to answer to God for the choices we make. Wouldn’t it be better to run them by Him to begin with?

When faced with a problem that doesn’t involve a decision, such as a serious illness, we can also choose to let nature take its course if we want to, or we can ask God to step in and do what’s best. We have agency, we can choose whether or not to seek and receive help.

Praying allows us to do several things. First, when you have to make a choice, you often consult with an expert. For instance, if you’re having trouble getting your toddler to nap, you go to your favorite message board, the experienced mom next door, or your most dependable parenting book. This might be enough when an experiment or two won’t really hurt anything, but often, the choices we need to make are much larger than that. They can change our entire lives, or the lives of others. In those cases, there is only one possible source of advice.

Sometimes a decision may not seem critical, but in the long run, the choice you make can have unexpected consequences or rewards. For instance, when my husband wanted to move here, closer to his job, I balked. I liked it where I was and didn’t want to go. Finally, I took it to God and was told very clearly to go. Now that I’m here, I know why. I’ve had opportunities here that I’ve needed and couldn’t have gotten if I’d stayed put. There was no possible way to foresee those opportunities, however, on my own. I could have stayed, and maybe nothing awful would have happened, but later on, when a need arose, I wouldn’t be ready for it because I’d lack some skills I needed.

Sometimes our requests involve the agency of others, and God can only plant ideas in their hearts, but can’t take away their agency. It is still worth praying over, because we do want those ideas planted if they’re what’s best and we’ll know we did the best we could, even if praying was all we could do when the problem concerned the choices of others.

Another purpose in prayer is to give us regular feedback on our choices. We need to learn how to make wise choices for our lives. Sometimes the results of our choices are obvious, but often they aren’t. When we make decisions about parenting, for instance, the results may not be known for decades. Parenting fads change often and by the time we find out what would have been best, it’s too late. When we regularly go to God for help with our daily choices, we can watch for patterns in His answers, and after a while, our ability to make decisions He approves of improves.

When we put things into God’s hands, we avoid the randomness of the natural world. We have a feeling of peace and security because we know the best choices are being made, even if we can’t possibly understand why God made the choice He did.

We have agency, the right to choose. God won’t force us to turn our problems over to Him. We can choose to do everything ourselves, hoping for the best and trusting our own wisdom, which is limited and usually self-centered, or we can opt to turn our problems and needs over to God and let Him show us the path. The results of either choice —going it alone or turning it over to God — will be very different in most cases, but the choice is yours.

This article was originally published in February 2009. Minor updates and changes have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Brigham Young taught:

The second prophet of the restored Church, Brigham Young

This people believe in revelation. This people did believe and do believe that the Lord has spoken from the heavens. They did believe and do believe that God has sent angels to proclaim the everlasting Gospel, according to the testimony of John [see Revelation 14:6–7] (DBY, 38).

 

We often hear it said that the living oracles must be in the Church, in order that the Kingdom of God may be established and prosper on the earth. I will give another version of this sentiment. I say that the living oracles of God, or the Spirit of revelation must be in each and every individual, to know the plan of salvation and keep in the path that leads them to the presence of God (DBY, 38).

 

The Lord is not everywhere in person; but he has his agents speaking and acting for him. His angels, his messengers, his apostles and servants are appointed and authorized to act in his name. And his servants are authorized to counsel and dictate in the greatest and what might be deemed the most trifling matters, to instruct, direct and guide his Saints (DBY, 41).

 

No man can gain influence in this Kingdom, and maintain himself in it, magnify his calling without the power of God being with him. Persons must so live that they can enjoy the light of the Holy Spirit, or they will have no confidence in themselves, in their religion, or in their God, and will sooner or later turn from the faith (DBY, 33).

 

It was asked me by a gentleman how I guided the people by revelation. I teach them to live so that the Spirit of revelation may make plain to them their duty day by day that they are able to guide themselves. To get this revelation it is necessary that the people live so that their spirits are as pure and clean as a piece of blank paper that lies on the desk before the [writer], ready to receive any mark the writer may make upon it (DBY, 41).

 

No earthly argument, no earthly reasoning can open the minds of intelligent beings and show them heavenly things; that can only be done by the Spirit of revelation [see 1 Corinthians 2:9–14] (DBY, 37)(“Chapter 6: The Communication between God and Man,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 41).

Indeed, we not only have the right to answers for our prayers, but we have the right to be inspired, guided and protected by our Father in Heaven.

Elder Richard G. Scott, a former apostle, spoke in length about getting the most of any personal revelation that is received in a CES (Church Educational System) Symposium in 1998. Without going into any great length, and breaking it down to a simple statement, he said that if we write down any personal revelation we receive and then ask if there is more, more will come. His talk detailed this process in detail as well as offering the caution to be humble and teachable.

Taking this advice to heart, I have received the most precious and personal revelation pertaining to my family and myself that I never would have imagined. You must understand that our Father in Heaven waits to hear from each of us. Much as you would call your mother or father now to catch up, re-establish, and strengthen your love and familial connection, our Heavenly Father wishes for you to do the same.

My friends, remember who you are, for you are children of God, beloved of our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. Who you are matters to Heavenly Father. Your happiness or sorrow matter to Jesus Christ. Your life, every minute of every day, is lovingly watched over, rejoiced over, grieved over, and wept over as decisions are made and consequences are met, be they positive or negative.

The first place to start would be to shake off your preconceptions and prejudices, and with a humble and loving heart, kneel and ask: Is Jesus Christ the Messiah? Did He redeem the world? Is He the Son of God? Are you my Heavenly Father? Do you love me? Do you believe in me? Will you help me?

I assure you, the answers will come. Maybe not immediately, maybe a day, week, month, year, or even decades later, but the answer will come and you will clearly remember your question when it does. When you finish praying and listening, write all your thoughts down and then place them in a quiet and safe place where you can turn back to them often.

Your Father in Heaven did not send you to mortality without the means to “call home.” Prayer is that very sacred manner by which we may “call home.” I urge you to do it and do it often. You may be completely surprised by the changes which will take place in your life.

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

Candace

I am seeing free will (with a high level of frustration and intense, unrelenting determination) in action. The emotional display of fireworks ranges in intensity with different personalities, but the desire to progress is universal.

Our children learn new things every day: how to put on their shoes, ride a bike, do a math problem, spell a word, date, drive a car. Every day, the driving force of free will gives them the motivation to keep moving forward. Struggle goes with the territory of new experiences.

Most people I know are comfortable with their own free will. They love the ability to make choices and learn from their decisions. For most parents, free will is like fire. It is both thrilling and scary. It is thrilling because we know our children need free will to grow. Freedom to choose is exhilarating and empowering. Without free will, we would still be spoon feeding them at 9, tying their shoes at 17, and carpooling for the remainder of our days. With free will comes learning and progression. If the fire of free will is contained and directed, it can be a rocket of progression.

This unbelievable gift is described by the ninth prophet called in these modern times, David O. McKay:

“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. … Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the spirit of man. It is a divine gift. … Whether born in abject poverty or shackled at birth by inherited riches, everyone has this most precious of all life’s endowments—the gift of free agency; man’s inherited and inalienable right” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, “Chapter 22: Agency and Responsibility,” 205).

Democratic countries are founded on this inalienable right. Slavery was abolished because of this right. Many have died to retain the right to remain free.

Free will, also called “agency,” is powerful — and this is why parents also find free will a bit scary. Children combine free will with inexperience and immaturity. That same fire, unrestrained, can burn out of control and create severe damage.

My husband was in charge of a large youth group who spent time in the summer reenacting a pioneer trek. He watched as some teenage boys grabbed hard reeds and were hitting each other on the back for fun to see if they could make welts appear. The leaders were discussing this not-so-smart behavior and one leader commented, “In our family, we call this green brain. A youngster’s brain is green when displayed on a brain scan. As they grow, the color changes. Their brain is fully developed by their 20s and the scan shows a totally different color.” She looked over at the boys. “Definite green brain,” she said.

With choice comes a balancing tagalong: responsibility.

As President Brigham Young, the second prophet of the restored Church, said on one occasion:

“If Brother Brigham should take a wrong track and be shut out of the kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame but Brother Brigham. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell, that can be blamed. This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint. Salvation is an individual operation. … When salvation is sent to me, I can reject or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and submission to its great Author throughout my life, and to those whom he shall appoint to instruct me; in rejecting it, I follow the dictates of my own will in preference to the will of my Creator” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, “Chapter 40: Salvation through Jesus Christ,” 294).

Our children are free to choose, but have the responsibility of owning the consequences. It is important that they know choice is not the end destination, but the vehicle that moves us forward.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks noted:

“Few concepts have more potential to mislead us than the idea that choice, or agency, is an ultimate goal. In mortality, choice is a method, not a goal” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Weightier Matters,” Ensign, January 2001).

Our challenge as parents is to allow our children to use the vehicle of choice, point them in the right direction of obedience to commandments of God, and let the fire of free will propel them to success and safety.

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

Jenny A

King Benjamin preaching to his people

And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

 

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.

 

(Mosiah 4:2-3)

I find it very comforting that upon the people’s recognition of their carnal and fallen state, the Holy Ghost, identified as the Spirit of the Lord, immediately responded to them. Now, the interesting thing is that they instantly received a remission of their sins. It’s certainly an example of Godly mercy if I’ve ever seen one!

In applying that to our lives, we see the beauty of Godly mercy anywhere we choose to seek it, so long as it is not in a carnal and fallen place of existence. (Meaning if you’re looking for God, don’t go to unholy places to find Him.)

Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ have exercised all Their efforts to the end of bringing us all home.

Jesus Christ said to the ancient prophet, Moses:

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

Whatever Jesus Christ’s goal is, it is also Heavenly Father’s goal, for Jesus Christ does nothing that the Father would not do. Thus, it is safe to assume that anytime we turn to Heavenly Father, we have someone who will always listen and respond. Of course, the level of that response is often contingent upon our worthiness.

If we are prone to drinking, drugs, promiscuity, and the like of equally destructive behaviors, we are not showing God that we are desirous to receive His mercy. Because we qualify for God’s mercy when we sincerely repent, His mercy takes effect if we have made the decision to turn from that lifestyle and seek after Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. Then He stands ready and waiting to assist in every possible way. All you have to do is really try.

This is how Godly mercy works. There is no way we can achieve perfection during mortality. Only Jesus Christ, the literal Son of God, accomplished that task. But the mercy comes into play when we do all that we possibly can to reach Him once again.

Remember when the Savior taught His apostles and disciples to pray?

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

Give us this day our daily bread.

 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

He then goes on to say:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

 

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)

And this I add to my daily prayers, for the mercy of God does exist simply in the proof we have from the scriptures, which He has given us as a moral and ethical compass. All you have to do is turn from the world, with its bright, shiny things, and reach toward that heavenly light which is Jesus Christ. Then Godly mercy will come into play in your life and you’ll wonder what you ever saw in the world’s offerings.

This post was originally published in March 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Candace

My friends, those are complete and utter lies. Satan is the master deceiver and you must not believe him. His only goal is to destroy and bind you completely so that you will never think to turn back from the darkness. Your Heavenly Father pleads with you to turn back to Him and let Him help you on that path to repentance. Our Savior Jesus Christ willingly paid the price of your mistakes — and because He did so, there is always a path back to Them.

There are two great examples in scriptural history of heinous crimes being committed and the complete transformation of body and spirit which occurred.

Saul of Tarsus

A dramatic change came to Saul when he was on his way to Damascus. Saul had been “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). As he was on his way to Damascus, a light from heaven shone about him.

“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 9:4–5).

Perhaps Saul’s heart had been softened when the mob cast Stephen out of the city and stoned him and laid their clothes at Saul’s feet. But there was no doubt on the road to Damascus when he heard the voice of the Lord, which said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6).

Paul truly endured to the end.

Saul was blind when he arose and had to be taken to Damascus, where his sight was restored to him and he was baptized. He immediately began to preach. “Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20). Saul, who later became known as Paul, experienced through repentance a change that was total, absolute, complete, and unwavering until his death.

Saul, who stoned Christians, became Paul the Apostle, a man who dedicated his life to God once he’d seen the error of his ways. Without question, I’m certain that once he realized the magnitude of what he’d done, he suffered a great harrowing of his soul as he sought forgiveness for the murders he’d taken part in. Yet his repentance was complete, and forgiveness was granted and redemption found. It could not have been an easy path, but the point is that at the end, our Savior stood waiting to welcome Paul into His arms.

Repentance seems like such a scary thing, when in reality it requires not only forsaking sinful behaviors and action, but loving yourself enough to accept the forgiveness your Savior is offering you. Your Father in Heaven loves you, as does Jesus Christ, far more than you could ever imagine or understand. Yes, Their hearts are saddened when sins are committed, for each sin committed draws you a little further from Them and little closer to the one who would have you drowning in an endless pool of misery — but They are joyful when you repent because it brings you one step closer to Them.

With that, we will move on to our second example of complete, life-changing repentance.

Alma the Younger

Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.

 

And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.

 

And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king—

 

And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

 

And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

 

Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

 

And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

 

And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.

 

Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off.

 

And now it came to pass that these were the last words which the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed. (Mosiah 27:8-17)

Now that’s a wakeup call! For two days and two nights Alma lay in a state of stupor, unable to speak or move. He was suffering the tortures of the damned as everything he had done played over and over in his mind. Satan did his best to make sure Alma stayed forever in a state of abject misery. But while this was happening, his father, along with the high priests of the Church, were fasting and praying.

At his darkest moment, Alma remembered his father’s teachings and cried out to Jesus Christ for rescue from this hell. He was freed from Satan’s grasp, regained his strength and ability to speak, and arose a new man. One of the greatest missionaries in the history of the world, Alma the Younger eventually proclaimed:

O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

 

Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. (Alma 29:1-2)

So as you see, my friends, there is great hope. The Savior will respond to all who cry unto Him. You have only to recognize that you are worthy of forgiveness and then you must forgive yourself. You must shake off those behaviors, turning to the Savior for strength if you cannot accomplish that.

What I would have you remember, above all else, is that there is hope. You must never believe the lies being told to you or the ones running through your head. You made a mistake; now it is time to rectify it and receive that great peace of mind and heart through the repentance that our Savior made possible.

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

Candace

When I hear this, my mind often turns to a scripture found in the Book of Mormon:

And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. (2 Nephi 32:8 in the Book of Mormon)

God knows the truth of everything, and while man might lead you astray, God never will. For this reason, Satan is very afraid of having people pray about truth. Once they receive truth from God, their faith can become so strong he finds it difficult, if not impossible, to reach them. So it’s in his best interests to discourage us from praying—but it’s certainly not in our own best interests. If we’re unwilling to pray about truth, we are forced to trust mere men.

Throughout the Bible, God instructs us to pray. Never does He say to avoid prayer for fear you won’t recognize the answer. The scriptures regularly assure us that if we have faith and learn to know the Father, we will recognize God’s voice.

Have you ever met someone briefly and then, when you met them again, didn’t recognize them? They weren’t recognizable to you because you didn’t know them well. Have you ever developed a close friendship with someone, gotten to know their heart, and then been separated for many years? When you encounter them again, you remember them, even though you haven’t seen them in years. The difference is in how well you know them.

This is how it is in our relationship with God. When we build a relationship with Him as we study the scriptures, ponder in our hearts, and spend time talking to God, His voice becomes more familiar to us. In time, we know Him so well there is no doubt who is speaking to us.

God has given us the ability to recognize His voice through the Light of Christ. When we pray, sincerely seeking truth for all the right reasons and committed to doing whatever God tells us, the Light of Christ will whisper in our hearts that it’s true. Satan can’t bring true peace, so when we feel peace, joy, or contentment, we know the answer is from God.

God wants you to ask Him what is true and He’s prepared to give you an answer you will recognize as His. I know this because I know God can do anything at all, including this, and I’ve tried it.

This article was originally published in July 2008. 

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

 

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.)

Everyone, male and female, can receive spiritual gifts. The scriptures list many of these gifts and it can be interesting, as we read, to highlight each gift mentioned. The gifts bless the holder of the gifts if he uses them wisely, but they can also be used to bless others. A person who has the gift of faith can use it to find the truth among conflicting and confusing choices. This gift can be used to help that person become a member of the Savior’s Church. It comes to her through the Spirit of Christ. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, her faith grows even more. She might then choose to use that gift to pray for others or to share her faith with those who were not given as strong a gift as she received.

We’re taught that it is appropriate to pray for certain gifts if we are prepared to use them wisely in the service of others rather than to glorify ourselves. A person who is invited to teach a class but lacks the gift to teach can begin to pray for it. In addition to praying, of course, she must do what she can to improve her teaching skills, but God will step in and honor righteous requests if they are part of His plan for us. A prayer to become the greatest teacher in the world is not likely to be honored because this is a prideful request, but a prayer to have the ability to teach the class one has agreed to teach will likely be honored.

The diversity of the human race is one of God’s best ideas! If we all had the same talents, gifts, and assignments, most things wouldn’t get done. The world needs writers, but it doesn’t need everyone to be a writer. It needs gardeners, but everyone doesn’t need a talent for gardening. Because each of us has different talents and passions, everything that needs doing gets done. If we each had all the talents possible in equal proportion, we might find ourselves spread too thin and most things wouldn’t get accomplished. We’d all be doing whatever was easiest or created the most wealth, given human nature.

In the same way, God divided up certain tasks and assigned them to specific genders. Only women were given the ability to give birth. This doesn’t mean God loves men less; it only means that doesn’t happen to be one of the tasks assigned to them. Only men hold the priesthood, but that does not say women aren’t worthy or capable of holding it. Priesthood is an office, not a gender, but assigning it to men keeps it focused, just as assigning childbirth only to women keeps that aspect of life focused.

Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are a great many tasks to be completed because we have a lay religion and very complex programs. Everyone is asked to take on his or her share of the work. Tasks are assigned in various ways that make the Church run more smoothly. Some are assigned by age: only an eleven, twelve, or thirteen-year-old old girl may serve as a youth leader in the Beehive Program. (Beehives are girls of that age in the Young Women’s program for teenagers.)

Other callings and responsibilities are assigned by gender. For example, only women can serve as Primary or Relief Society presidents. (These are, respectively, the organizations for children and women.) Some tasks are open to anyone who is an adult: anyone may teach the children or the literacy classes, even though only women can lead those programs. Some tasks are assigned by office: only a person who holds the office of a high priest can serve as a bishop (the leader of a congregation). It might appear that the rule is that only men can be bishops, but actually, the rule is that only high priests can be bishops. A good and worthy man who does not hold the office of high priest in the priesthood cannot be a bishop, no matter how qualified he is otherwise.

While it’s true that only men are to hold the priesthood (as we see from even a casual study of the Bible), this does not limit a woman from serving God anymore than not being able to be the Primary president limits a man’s ability to serve God. There are many ways to serve and God does not love the priesthood holders more than the Primary president—or the door greeter. We don’t get bonus points for serving in certain kinds of positions. God asks us to serve wherever He needs us, and, if we do this well, we are blessed for our attitude and willingness to serve, not for the specific task accomplished.

Men holding the priesthood receive no special blessings over the women. It isn’t about power, blessings, or God’s love. Rather, it is about our trust in God and His plan. If we have a testimony that the Savior is at the head of the Church and that He sees with a vision greater than our own, we won’t waste valuable hours of our mortality fretting over what gifts or offices we don’t have. Instead, we’ll work hard to develop those gifts and talents that God has asked us to take on.

As with every other aspect of the gospel, it really comes down to a testimony. How much do you trust God?

When I was first investigating the Church, the priesthood concerned me. As a teenager raised in the 1970s, I thought women’s liberation was what I was supposed to be living (even though I was known for my love of taking care of children). In other words, my nature was fairly traditional—if you leave out housework. The missionaries teaching me, when asked about priesthood during the first lesson, told me they’d be happy to discuss it with me but that I needed more background and training in prayer first.

They asked me to learn to pray and to continue to study, and then we’d discuss it. By the time I was able to understand the answers, I no longer needed to ask the question. I had learned to get my own answers through prayer and I had come to see how much God valued the woman’s place in His kingdom. I understood that being told I had to turn into a man was degrading to women and insulting to God, who created gender. It was no longer a problem for me. I had become proud of the person God created in me.

Over the years, I’ve longed for certain gifts. Some I’ve been able to receive, such as an improved ability to teach, while others were not my calling, such as a desire to sing. Over the years, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve stopped wasting time fretting over what I don’t have and have begun to be thankful for what I do have. God gave me a most interesting gift box of traits, talents, and experiences. I would be ungrateful and unworthy of those gifts if I wasted my life whining that they weren’t good enough.

This article was originally published in October 2009. Minor changes have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

Albuquerque LDS Temple

So often my good plans of temple attendance were derailed or sidetracked. Why was it that months passed between trips to the temple? Often at the end of the year, I would look back and realize that I had only attended a handful of times. For a while, the nearest temple to me was in Dallas, Texas, a five-hour drive away. Then we received the wonderful announcement that we would have a temple in Oklahoma City in the year 2000. This cut our driving time to less than two hours, but unfortunately my temple attendance did not improve.

This really started to bother me as I listened to lessons at church and heard talks in general conference reiterating the importance of temples. It was obvious that temples are important to the Lord and I wanted them to be important to me.

I came across the following words spoken at the funeral of Joseph Smith Sr., father of the prophet Joseph Smith Jr.

“To dwell in the house of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple, was his daily delight; and in it he enjoyed many blessings, and spent many hours in sweet communion with his Heavenly Father. He has trod its sacred aisles, solitary and alone from mankind, long before the king of day has gilded the eastern horizon; and he has uttered his aspirations within its walls, when nature has been asleep. In its holy enclosures have the visions of heaven been opened to his mind, and his soul has feasted on the riches of eternity.” (History of the Church 4:194)

Why weren’t my visits to the temple a “delight” and why hasn’t my “soul feasted on the riches of eternity”? I decided to take my desires to my Heavenly Father. I knew He would answer my prayers, but as a wise man once said, “You can’t steer a parked car.” I knew I needed to get to work and “must study it out in [my] mind” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8). I needed to see what more I could learn about temples.

I decided to start learning about the temples of old. I read about the tabernacles that the Lord commanded the Israelites to build as they journeyed through the wilderness. I read about the temple of Solomon in all of its glory. The temple of Zerubbabel was next followed by the temple of Herod, which was visited by the Savior during His earthly ministry.

In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, near the beginning of its history, a prophet named Nephi built a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things” (2 Nephi 5:16). Then I read in Mosiah about the great speech King Benjamin made from the temple in the land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 2:1). Of course, who could forget the climax of the Book of Mormon where the resurrected Savior visited the people who were gathered at the temple in the land Bountiful (3 Nephi 11:1)?

Mount Timpanogos Temple

Moving my focus to the latter-days, I learned about the commandments of the Lord “to build a house to me” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:33) and the intense struggles the early members of the Church had to fulfill that commandment.

It was evident that temples were central to the people of God in all ages. It seemed to me that there had to be additional benefits of temple attendance for the living—more than I currently understood.

A large piece of the puzzle fit into place as I read the words of George Q. Cannon at the Logan Utah Temple cornerstone dedication:

“Every foundation stone that is laid for a Temple, and every Temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence” (Millennial Star, 12 Nov. 1877, p. 743).

President Gordon B. Hinckley obviously understood this principle. Looking back to the October 1997 General Conference when President Hinckley announced the plan to build smaller temples around the world, there were 50 temples in operation. By 2009, there were 146 temples announced, under construction, or operating across the world. What an amazing and miraculous accomplishment in 12 short years! Now, in 2019, there are 209 temples that fit that description.

I was beginning to understand. We live in a time that is becoming exponentially more evil. Heavenly Father knew this and instructed President Hinckley to build more temples. He almost tripled the number of temples, in fact! I realized this was to provide the power and protection for us spiritually as well as lessen the adversary’s effect and power on the earth.

As I continued my studies, I noticed three blessings of the temple that I had not noticed before: power, protection, and spiritual refinement.

John A. Widstoe taught that temple service not only strengthens us personally but affects the entire community. He said:

“Men grow mighty under the results of temple service; … the community increases in power; until the devil has less influence than he ever had before” (“Temple Worship,” The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, pp. 51).

Star Valley Wyoming Temple

President Boyd K. Packer explained why attendance can be so difficult at times when he said, “Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints, and to the entire Church” (The Holy Temple, p. 178).

Continuing to teach about power, protection, and spiritual refinement, President Packer stated:

“No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work and the genealogical research which supports it. No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness.

 

Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.

 

If we will accept the revelation concerning temple ordinance work, if we will enter into our covenants without reservation or apology, the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life” (The Holy Temple, p. 265).

“We are bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don’t want or need. More information is generated in a single day than we can absorb in a lifetime. To fully enjoy life, all of us must find our own breathing space and peace of mind. How can we do this? There is only one answer. We must rise above the evil that encroaches upon us. We must follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, “It is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places (Doctrine and Covenants 101:22)” (James E. Faust, “Standing in Holy Places,” April 2005).

I know I am “bombarded on all sides” and that I need a “shield and a protection.” I see the world around me and I know that we need to “lessen the power of Satan on the earth.” All that I hold dear depends on my ability to withstand the temptations of the world and endure to the end. I have often worried about how to best prepare my young children to succeed in this world. I know if they understand the power and protection the temple affords, they will be more apt to make temple worship a high priority.

I know a lifetime of study may not be enough to fully understand everything about the temple, but now I understand enough to help me realize how important it is. We have many tools to help us on our journey and the temple is a very powerful one.

Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple

Now as I prepare myself to attend the temple, I am filled with excitement. I eagerly mark our ward temple dates on my calendar. The temple has become a top priority for me and attendance has become regular. The old excuses and roadblocks melt away as my priorities shift and I can see Heavenly Father’s hand helping me accomplish my righteous desires. My time in the temple has become a “delight” and I am beginning to see the “riches of eternity.” I feel more help and guidance in all aspects of my life as I worthily and regularly attend the temple.

I know Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I know He loves me and wants me to succeed. I know the things I learn and the covenants I make in the temple will provide the power, protection, and spiritual refinement essential to “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23).

This article was originally published in February 2009. Minor changes have been made for timeliness and consistency.

Ben

Elder Dallin H Oaks

Many people don’t realize that the goal of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion, is meant to keep the U.S. government from forcing a state religion upon the people (as had been done in Europe, causing many to seek religious freedom in America). The Founding Fathers meant to give religion an honored, protected, and necessary place in American society. John Adams, the second president of the United States, said:

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (Charles Francis Adams,The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, 228–29; Books for Libraries Press, 1969).

In public discourse, the country’s leaders have begun to substitute the phrase, “freedom of worship” for “freedom of religion.” They are not the same. Freedom of worship is the right to meet at a church, synagogue, or mosque. This right to worship is a blessing, but keeps religion behind closed doors and in the private lives of believers. Freedom of religion protects not only the right to teach the tenets of religion to religious followers, but the right to express beliefs in the public square, to vote according to conscience, and to attribute moral choices to immutable laws created by God.

Things are turning inside out. More so than ever, morality is attributed less to God and more to personal choice. A pastor who cites the Bible to call homosexual activity a sin (as opposed to being homosexual, which is not a sin) offends those who feel it is their “sexual right” to engage in it. Such preachings makes people “uncomfortable,” and in their desire to justify what God has decreed sinful behavior, they want to quiet the pastor. By creating a civil right to justify their behavior, the pastor becomes the transgressor against them and traditional morality is turned on its head.

Morality is not situational and religious people have the right not only to worship, but to express their religious beliefs, to vote according to conscience, and to seek to uphold the Judeo-Christian moral basis of American society.

*Click here to read an interview with Dallin H. Oaks on the topic of religious freedom.

*Click here to read the full transcript of Elder Oaks’s address at Chapman University School of Law

This article was originally published in February 2011. Minor changes have been made.

Ben

Brigham Young, the second prophet of the restored Church

Brigham Young had an answer for this question. He’s said to have told people his greatest fear was that people in the Church would start to take what he said as the will of God and not take the time to go to God personally to receive confirmation of it.

Although the Saints are taught to honor their prophets and to follow them, it’s not a blind following. Only God can be completely trusted to always tell you the truth, and only God knows the truth of all things. Latter-day Saints are taught even before they join the Church to pray and ask God if the current prophet really is God’s prophet. Then, afterwards, at any time, they can return to God and ask about specific teachings the prophet has given.

In the case of those hypothetical situations the Saints are always being asked about, a member who reads an article by a Church leader will generally follow this pattern:

Before reading or listening, they pray for the Spirit. This will often tell them what is true while they’re receiving the information. Once they receive the counsel, they place it in context of other teachings they’ve received. For instance, if the prophet said to store food away so you’ll have enough to eat if you lose your job, a member would say, “Oh, I’ve heard that many times before and already know it’s true.” He wouldn’t likely take time to pray about this, since it’s repeated often.

If it’s new counsel, he might compare it to see if it fits in with previous teachings. For instance, prophets often tell us to store wheat. If this were the first time we’d been told to store wheat, we might think to ourselves, “Well, that’s the first time wheat’s been mentioned, but we’ve often been told to store food in general, so I’ll just add that to it.” It fits into previously given counsel.

However, if a member heard entirely new counsel, and just couldn’t quite feel comfortable with it—maybe because it would require him to stop doing something he loved—he could then take it to God in prayer. Following the established pattern for prayer, he would study the problem in his mind, come to a decision (probably based on what he already knows about God and the gospel), and then come to a conclusion. He’d then kneel in prayer and ask God if he’s made the right choice.

Spencer W. Kimball, a past prophet, spoke on the subject of blind faith.

Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th president of the Church

“When men obey commands of a creator, it is not blind obedience….God’s every command is righteous, every directive purposeful, and all for the good of the governed. …

 

Is it blind obedience when one regards the sign “High Voltage-Keep Away” or is it the obedience of faith in the judgment of experts who know the hazard?

 

Is it blind obedience when the air traveler fastens his seat belt as that sign flashes or is it confidence in the experience and wisdom of those who know more of hazards and dangers?

 

Is it blind obedience when the little child gleefully jumps from the table into the strong arms of its smiling father, or is this implicit trust in a loving parent who feels sure of his catch and who loves the child better than life itself? …

 

Is it then blind obedience when we, with our limited vision, elementary knowledge, selfish desires, ulterior motives, and carnal urges, accept and follow the guidance and obey the commands of our loving Father who … created a world for us, loves us, and has planned a constructive program for us, wholly without ulterior motive, whose greatest joy and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life” of all his children? [See Moses 1:39.]

 

It is not blind obedience, even without total understanding, to follow a Father who has proved himself.” (”Chapter 13: Obedience Born of Faith in God,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, (2006),135-44

In the case of the hot stove, it’s likely a child touched a hot stove against the advice of a parent at some time in his childhood. Having done so, he learned first that stoves can be hot, and secondly, that parents can be trusted. Over time, as his parents continued to be right about physical danger, it’s likely he stopped feeling the need to touch every stove or try out every dangerous thing. Whereas, as a toddler, he might have heard a parent say the stove was hot, but he had to find out for himself. As an eight-year-old, if his parents told him it was too dangerous to go outside in the current weather conditions, he might obey without first testing, having learned his parents were usually right.

In the same way, Latter-day Saints learn to trust their prophets, and they learn to trust God. A new member is likely to pray about every individual doctrine, but a more seasoned member, having learned that when he prays, God always answers, “Yes, the prophet is right,” no longer needs to do this. He can spend his limited life doing more important things. He saves his confirmation prayers for those situations which leave him uncertain or which require greater sacrifice to carry out.

The current prophet of the Church, President Russell M. Nelson

Being able to turn to God is one way God protects his children from unscrupulous leadership. They need never take anyone’s word for any part of the gospel, but can always go directly to the source. The prophet delivers God’s message and guides the Church, but each member is individually responsible for confirming the truthfulness of what they’re being told.

Someone just learning about the Church through Latter-day Saint missionaries will be taught how to pray almost immediately. Then, after each lesson, he will be asked to pray about it privately to know for himself it’s true, rather than taking the word of the missionaries. This is a critical step in the member’s progression, because someone who does this is far less likely to fall away from the Church in the future. His testimony will be based on a firm foundation—God.

This article was originally published in March 2009. Minor changes have been made for consistency. 

Lead image via Church News. 

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.