I love a good science experiment! Show me erupting “lava” or “mysteriously” disappearing compounds and I laugh with delight. The results are generally fast and predictable.

So I found it fascinating that our prophet asked us to experiment on his word and find the results of his gratitude challenge for ourselves.

My sister Destinee is a bona fide scientist. She supervises a lab looking for results every day.

So I perked up as she shared her observations — raw and undiluted — of President Nelson’s gratitude challenge.

Destinee White: A Scientist Experiments with the Gratitude Challenge

A little over a week ago our prophet, President Nelson, issued an invitation to express gratitude to the Lord publicly (on social media platforms) in an effort to flood it with goodness and gratitude (that he hoped would fill the world). The reason – to act as a prescription or medication against the many ills that plague the world, namely, COVID19, hate, civil unrest, racism, violence, dishonesty, and lack of civility.

To me these seemed to echo the warnings found in 2 Timothy of what might be found in our time:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

President Russell M. Nelson’s Gratitude Challenge

President Nelson said

I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription. Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.

He goes on to discuss the heartbreak and sadness he has felt and follows it immediately with ways we can all be grateful. He specifically invites us to identify for what, for whom and why we are grateful. Then he urges us to take those public expressions to our private prayers with God.

Initial Reactions to President Nelson’s Gratitude Challenge

I was personally moved by these invitations – feeling the need within myself to express my gratitude more often. As something of a scientist at heart, I was also interested to observe how this gratitude challenge worked in my own life as well as those around me.

The first thing I noticed was blatant opposition from non-members, once members, and members alike. Blasting the prophet for believing that such a simple act could cure the ills that plague us today. Expressing disbelief that such actions are helpful (and actually that this act was in fact causing more harm than good).

Somehow these comments affected me and overshadowed my initial feelings of wanting to follow the prophet’s counsel. I felt guilty for sharing anything that I was truly grateful for especially if it was causing harm to others. I started the challenge, but I was just going through the motions.

The Real Promise of Gratitude

As I began to read the thoughts of so many, I began to observe something else: President Nelson’s comment was absolutely true – Gratitude does not spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, or pain. And he never promised that it would.

I saw countless examples of people who shared gratitude for events that were outside of their control — things that brought them learning, understanding, compassion, and a closeness to God even through the pain they were feeling. I saw people sharing avenues for healing and hope that they may not have shared in this same way.

For example, one woman who has dealt with learning how to love her husband intentionally even when he had lost his faith in God shared a group of support for any who may be passing through a similar situation. So many people commented on her post expressing gratitude to her for sharing this way to gain support.

Others shared how they were able to make it through trials with the help of the Savior, repentance, or finding new ways of coping. Others honestly admitted the pain and sadness they currently feel, while also gracefully acknowledging blessings they have received.

The Scientist Experiments

I began to ponder more seriously the things I am personally grateful for and to put more of an effort in identifying those things — to really feel the gratitude before posting about it. During the week, I had an especially hard night, involving darkness and feeling lost and alone.After feeling the darkness cloud around me, I had a spark of thought that reminded me of something that President Nelson said in his invitation,

At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace.

In that moment, I sought peace in my heart and in my darkened mind. But it was very difficult to turn my head to thoughts of gratitude. I know that I am weak-minded in many ways and I was being attacked in my weakness. With that reminder of the prophet’s words, I had the catalyst I needed (if I would so choose) to help me through the darkness.

Somehow I mustered enough strength to think of something I was grateful for. It might seem strange, but in my scientific/observant mind, I examined myself in that moment: did anything happen? Was anything different? If so, what? Why did it happen?

Elder Rasband said in his April 2020 conference talk “Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God”

…each of us has received gifts that we could not provide for ourselves, gifts from our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son…Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice, generosity, and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful. Reflecting on Their gifts can and should transform us.

In that moment, there was a change in me, even if only slightly at first. I could not deny that what I was grateful for truly had value to me. And what I chose in that moment to be grateful for led my eyes to look to Christ as He was the one who was giving that gift to me. I felt loved by Him and that was the moment that the spark turned into a bigger flame in my head and heart.

I testify that gratitude doesn’t necessarily remove the hard things from our lives, but it does help to soothe our feelings and provide greater perspective.

A Call to Turn to the Savior

This gratitude challenge from a prophet of God was a call to turn to our Savior and Redeemer. He knows that by turning to Him, we can be eternally blessed. Elder Rasband also explained:

Our Heavenly Father wants us to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness, not for Their own gratification but for the influence such remembrance has on us. By considering Their kindness, our perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, we become more humble, prayerful, and steadfast.

He goes on to discuss many blessings and characteristics we can receive by regularly remembering the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, which is another form of gratitude.

By acknowledging that every good thing comes from Jesus Christ, we will communicate our faith more effectively to others. We will have courage when confronted with seemingly impossible tasks and circumstances. We will strengthen our resolve to keep the covenants we have made to follow the Savior. We will be filled with the love of God, want to help those in need without being judgmental, love our children and raise them in righteousness, retain a remission of our sins, and always rejoice. These are the remarkable fruits of remembering God’s goodness and mercy.

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

I am truly grateful for so many blessings in my life. I am grateful for my family and the miracles I have seen throughout my life because of the faith and example of my parents, siblings, and extended family. I am grateful for the gospel which brings peace and hope even in dark times.

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father, who invites us to do things that will turn our hearts to Him. I am grateful He sent His Son to be an example for us, to enable our success, who suffered for us with the added intention of knowing our suffering perfectly so He would know perfectly how to succor us.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

When I spoke during last October’s general conference, I designated 2020 as a bicentennial period commemorating 200 years since God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in a vision. That singular event in human history initiated the Restoration of the Lord’s gospel—an unfolding Restoration that continues today.

 

God loves all of His children and has a vision for each of us. Just as He listened to Joseph’s prayer in 1820, He listens to you and yearns to speak with you through the Spirit. We invite you to be a major part of sharing the message of the ongoing restoration of the Savior’s gospel. We will share more about this soon, but you can start today by acting on the invitations I extended to you at last general conference to immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration.

 

You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. Or ponder important questions such as, “How would my life be different if my knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?” or “How have the events that followed the First Vision made a difference for me and my loved ones?”

 

Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Act on any of these invitations to prepare yourself for sharing the important messages of the ongoing Restoration. It is your personal preparation that will help April’s general conference become for you not only memorable but also unforgettable. The time to act is now. This is a hinge point in the history of the Church, and your part is vital.

What ways to share the Restoration have come to mind? What have you already done?

Here are some ideas that came to my mind or that I noticed my friends doing to heed President Nelson’s invitation.

1. Share the Story of the Restoration with a Friend Who Hasn’t Heard It Before

This is an obvious fulfillment of President Nelson’s invitation to share the Restoration. But it doesn’t have to be an hour-long discussion with refreshments.

Sharing the message could be as quick and easy as telling the cashier why I was buying treats for a classroom of kids when I was subbing seminary class two weeks ago. She was impressed that teenagers got up to study the Gospel. And maybe the story sparks some curiosity for the next time she meets a member of the Church.

2. Share a Message of the Restoration on Social Media

Sharing on social media doesn’t need to be wordy or complicated. However the Holy Ghost directs you to share is the perfect way to share.

The day President Nelson issued his invitation, I saw my friend Cindy had already acted by posting a link to a video about the Restoration with her own invitation. Simple and effective.

3. Invite Your Ministering Families to Experience the Restoration

As my friend Kehau Woolsey prepared a Book of Mormon scripture journal to use as she studies “Come, Follow Me” this year, she felt prompted to make some for her ministering families. She’d purchased composition books when they were on sale and printed off pictures and text for the cover.

She provided a Book of Mormon reading guide as well as a copy of the Book of Mormon and Come, Follow Me manual. She printed off President Nelson’s invitation and included that in her handwritten invitation. She created a beautiful and thoughtful gift to share as she ministers with love.

Kehau provided a jumping-off point for her sisters to remember the impact the Restoration has had on their lives and an invitation to strengthen their faith.

4. Invite Your Class Members at Church to Pray About the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon

My family had read the Book of Mormon several times when my primary teacher invited her class of 8-year-olds to follow Moroni’s admonition to pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon was true. I hadn’t ever actually knelt and asked Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon was true.

After church, I knelt on my bunk bed and determined I wouldn’t leave until I had an answer. I didn’t really know how the answer would come, but I knew it would.

“Dear Heavenly Father, My teacher said I needed to pray and ask if the Book of Mormon is true. Is it true?” I sat back and waited.

After several moments of waiting, I heard a voice say, “Yes. You already know it’s true, Delisa.” “OK, thanks!” I responded and jumped down to play.

I’ve experienced many answered prayers, but this one experience has influenced my life more than any other. Because of it, I knew the Lord would answer my prayer. I knew one way the Holy Ghost spoke to me. I knew I could ask questions, simple or complicated, and get answers.

When I’ve been struggling with faith or courage, the same voice comes to my mind — “You already know it’s true, Delisa” — and that answer brings great peace.

I’ve been steady in my faith in the Restoration because a primary teacher invited me to know about the truth of the Book of Mormon for myself.

Even if you’re not the official teacher, you can testify of the Restoration’s impact in your life and invite others to find out, too.

5. Hear the Missionaries Share the Story of the Restoration

They’d love to share the message of the Restoration in our homes to our family, friends, and those we minister to. You can also go with them as they share the message in your community. They’ll even visit your ministering families with you. Teaching with the missionaries is amazing!

6. Host a Book of Mormon Marathon for Kids and/or Family Members in Your Life

Looking for creative ways to get your teens into the Book of Mormon? My homeschooling mom friend, Roxanne Carlile, felt prompted to host a Book of Mormon Marathon at her house with kids in her homeschool coop. So last weekend, the teenagers met on Friday and Saturday and read the Book of Mormon together.

Roxanne prepped their reading schedule (and snacks) and planned for a 24-hour marathon, 12 hours on Friday and 12 hours on Saturday “to increase focus and avoid a co-ed sleepover.”

And they did it! How fun and unifying to read the whole Book of Mormon together! And how cool to know that you really can read the whole book in 24 hours! What a creative way to share the Restoration!

7. Share a Story of How You or a Family Member Were Impacted by the Restoration

The Restoration impacts our lives completely. Reading others’ stories of conversion can strengthen our own. Share your conversion story or a story of one of your ancestors’ conversion with others.

8. Give a picture of the First Vision to Children in your Family or a Primary Class

We are such visual people. Does your family have a favorite picture of the First Vision? Do you have a picture of the First Vision in your home?

One way to share the Restoration is to share the images of the Restoration. Give pictures to family members, friends, strangers, or even adopt a primary class and share with the children there.

9. Volunteer as a Church Service Missionary

Share the message of the ongoing Restoration as a church service missionary! There is a wide variety of service options to choose from with various weekly time commitments and durations of missionary service.

At 16, Elan Gandauli nearly died from cancer. After battling for several years, he is in remission now with a strong desire to serve the Lord. He’s representing the Lord and our stake as a church service missionary helping those who need assistance at the Bishop’s Storehouse. He serves there for several hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then serves in the temple on Saturdays.

Possible Church-service missions include:

Helping Members Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ

• Distribution Center retail stores
• Church headquarters hosting
• Meetinghouse maintenance, inspection, and repair
• Church media support
• Seminaries and institutes student recruitment and enrollment
• Technical support

Gathering Israel through Missionary Efforts

• Mission offices: administrative assistant, referral management, materials, office support
• Church media support

Caring for the Poor and Needy

• Addiction recovery
• Bishop’s storehouses
• Canneries
• Deseret Industries
• Employment resource centers
• Inner-city mission

Enabling the Salvation of the Dead

• Family history research
• Family history data specialist
• FamilySearch indexing
• FamilySearch support

Elan Gandauli, Church Service Missionary, with stake president Russell Watanabe

10. Prepare to Share

President Nelson suggested that more specifics would be asked of us in the coming weeks.

Is sharing the Restoration difficult for you?

Prepare your heart to respond to the prophet’s directives by answering the questions or making a plan like President Nelson requested.

“You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. Or ponder important questions such as, “How would my life be different if my knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?” or “How have the events that followed the First Vision made a difference for me and my loved ones?”

 

Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Act on any of these invitations to prepare yourself for sharing the important messages of the ongoing Restoration.”

Share your answers to his/your questions in your journal or to a friend or in Family Home Evening or a Sunday School class or on social media.

Do you have questions about aspects of the Restoration? This is the perfect time to find the answers to your questions! The Lord will pour out His Spirit on us as we heed the direction of His prophet.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

My son plays the guitar, the piano and various other instruments. He has led a band, produced several CDs, and performed in various concerts. My daughters play the piano, sing, and spread harmony and accord. Many others carry tunes with fabulous voices and stunning beauty. Verse, melody, and song make hymns some of the most beautiful prayers and anthems to honor and praise our Father in Heaven and thank him for the gift of his Son.  

We sing thought-provoking hymns about the Lord Jesus Christ frequently at church meetings, which carry powerful messages that lift the heart and stir the soul. Sacrament hymns in particular remind us of the great blessings available to us made possible through Jesus Christ and his atonement with the Father in our behalf. Like a great orator can inspire and motivate us to be better, endure longer, and appreciate more, music and song can move and heal us in incredible ways.

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart;
yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.

In recent years, popular television programs have inspired melody and singing all over the nation: The Voice and American Idol are two different shows that demonstrate and promote the phenomenal vocal talents of the young and old alike. These gifts have been nurtured and developed until they bless literally millions of others. Allow me to share a related experience regarding the powerful influence of music that happened to me when I was a young man in high school.

There was an occasion that confined me in the hospital for two-and-a-half months. Needless to say that is a substantial time, especially for a 17-year-old boy. This was long before iPods and cell phones during the time that we listened to our music on cassette tapes. I happened to have a number of albums on cassette tapes and the empathetic nurses allowed me to play them quietly in my room. For me, the music was comforting and healing.

Though my choice of music was relatively mild and calm in comparison to what was available in those days, I soon found the melody and lyrics were inconsistent with therapeutic measures implemented to help me heal. That’s the grown-up explanation of what happened in the hospital. What I remember at the time was certain tapes fell into disuse and others were repeated much more frequently. Now, don’t get the wrong idea. I did not have radical music that blasted from the playing device.

On the contrary, in comparison to what was popular in that time frame, my music was definitely on the calm side. I hesitate to mention the artists, because each person has likes and dislikes and preferences. The point is the songs we choose often reflect more about us and our circumstances than we might first realize. But it’s no surprise that certain music promotes harmony, healing, and invites the Spirit into our lives. That’s what I found out even at that young age, which has remained true for many years. The song of the heart plays out in life in many ways every day of our lives.

The Tabernacle Choir is world renown and adored by many. The 360-member Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square make a glorious collaboration and perform regularly while delivering Music and the Spoken Word, which has been on the air for over eighty-seven years and 4,500 weekly broadcasts, making it the longest-running uninterrupted network broadcast in the world.

Its audience continues to grow as more people tune-in to its half hour of uplifting music and inspiring prose. Recently the tabernacle choir performed the Messiah with a virtual choir singing Handle’s Messiah. It continues to tour the world and sing in dozens of countries on every quarter of the world. A full-length movie premiered at the LDS film festival entitled Singing With Angels.

In the recent General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Robert D. Hales said “The greatest blessings of general conference come to us after the conference is over.” I have found that to be true in my life. Pondering the messages seems to answer my questions and lift my spirit. Approximately ten hour’s instruction was provided over many topics and by numerous speakers.

Certainly, the beautiful conference music inspired us as well. Did you know that like the talks that are captured online for our review, the General Conference music is also recorded and available for our benefit? We can again revel in the inspiration and beauty of the music sung by conference choirs. This little secret has become one of my favorite finds.

The Internet is a lot like the real world in which we live. It includes both good and bad. There is both wickedness and hope depending on which voice you are listening to. I have found a wealth of good online…perspectives and opinions and evidence of the gospel and ideas of great value. There are music, speeches, videos, and podcasts that lift and build and inspire. Some of these resources are sponsored by the Church. Many of these sites are initiated by other organizations, people, and movements. No one congregation or institution has a corner on the market of good. We can learn and be uplifted by many who promote their ideas, values, and insights.

Two years before the Prophet Joseph Smith died, he wrote the Articles of Faith in a letter to a newspaper editor, John Wentworth, who had asked for information about the Church. The Articles of Faith have inspired and directed us in the basic principles of our gospel. They enhance our understanding of certain doctrines and help us commit to living them. They invite further thought, and they are a good tool for explaining our beliefs to people unfamiliar with them.

The last and longest of these thirteen statements that summarize our fundamental beliefs is perhaps a favorite:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

The final line of Article of Faith 13 states that if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. I love that. We encourage, support, and pursue all things with these virtuous characteristics.

We don’t want to build towers of superiority to exclude others and promote exclusivity among all men. Like prophets now and in the past have extolled, we need not perpetuate the idea that all good comes from within the bounds of the Church. The evidence is ubiquitous.  One writer describes it this way:

However, we risk becoming as the Zoramites if we think that being a member of the “true church” makes us the “true people” and others the untrue. With a little reflection, it becomes obvious that one of the foundational teachings of the Church is that mere membership in it does not make one better than anyone else. – James L. Ferrell

What’s more, we all rub shoulders with people who are in tune with the most important aspects of life. Brother Ferrell also shares with his readers this beautiful concept and cautions us to avoid spiritual superiority. He acknowledges with gratitude the priesthood keys that enable the performance of all the necessary ordinances of salvation, which were restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Then he concludes with the following observation:

Baptism and all the other saving ordinances of the gospel are essential, and the members of the Church in these latter days have been chosen for—that is, charged with—the responsibility of taking those ordinances to the world. But to be chosen for responsibility is not at all to be designated as superior. We have been given an obligation, not a stamp of approval.”

When I was just a boy, Elder LeGrand Richards seemed to speak to me. He addressed topics important to my thinking, and I admired his oratory and wisdom. More than 100 years ago, President Wilford Woodruff, then 91 years of age, delivered what may have been his last sermon from this pulpit. In the audience was 12-year-old LeGrand Richards. His father, George F. Richards (later ordained an Apostle), brought his boys to the Tabernacle to hear the Brethren. LeGrand never forgot that experience.

Elder Boyd K. Packer recounts “For more than 20 years, I was very close to Elder LeGrand Richards. When he was 96 years old, that message still lingered in his heart. He could not remember the words President Woodruff said, but he could never forget how he felt when they were said.”

We declare without equivocation that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the boy prophet Joseph Smith to usher in the restoration of this inspired work. From a small gathering of six saints who met to organize this church in 1830, the organization has grown into a worldwide church furthering the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men. In nearly every country on earth, their people enjoy and are blessed by the principles of the gospel.

The Church congregations fill meeting houses on every continent of the world. One-hundred-and-fifty operating temples enable our people to participate in the work on both sides of the veil for every generation of people on earth. Living prophets and apostles, missionaries, ordinances, revealed scripture, truth, and eternal principles bless the people of the world today like no other era of time on earth. Former President Gordon B Hinckley states:

As if (the First Vision) were not enough to certify to the personality and the reality of the Redeemer of mankind, there followed the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Here is something that a man could hold in his hands, could “heft,” as it were. He could read it. He could pray about it, for it contained a promise that the Holy Ghost would declare its truth if that witness were sought in prayer.

This remarkable book stands as a testimonial to the living reality of the Son of God. The Bible declares that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matt. 18:16). The Bible, the testament of the Old World, is one witness. The Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, is another witness.

I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I would think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click the picture.

When President Hinckley was interviewed by Mike Wallace on the 60 Minutes program, he was asked if he actually believed that. He replied, “Yes, sir. That’s the miracle of it.”  He continues:

Our whole strength rests on the validity of that vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud. If it did, then it is the most important and wonderful work under the heavens.

To these we say in a spirit of love, bring with you all that you have of good … and come and let us see if we may add to it.

God be thanked for His marvelous bestowal of
testimony, authority, and doctrine associated with
this, the restored Church of Jesus Christ.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

In the Book of Mormon we read about the importance of having opposition in all things, and the truthfulness of the man we call God is no exception. His truthfulness also has its opposite. As I dug through some Conference talks I noted that in just one talk by Elder Bernard P. Brockbank, he mentions no less than five times that there are only two options or forces in the universe from which we can choose. If we don’t choose the one then we have automatically chosen the other. There is no middle ground or alternative.

I think that one fact, that there is no other alternative available to us, is almost more than we can comprehend. Surely there is something in between the two choices. Here are a few of his comments from his conference talk. The references for all the talks are at the bottom of the article.

The Lord has commanded and warned man to obey and hearken unto his voice or to be subject to the power and dominion of the devil. …

It is very important to know that Satan has power to deceive men and to blind men and to lead men captive at his will, even as many as will not hearken unto the voice of the Lord. …

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.” (Moses 4:3–4.) …

Because of failure to hearken unto the voice of God, they were subject to the influence of the devil and were cast out.

Elder Delbert L. Stapley said this in Conference:

No man is free who is not master of himself. True freedom of agency exists with the observance of God’s laws. Keep in mind that good and evil can never be amalgamated into one. They are at opposite ends. They do not abide in harmony within a person. One tendency will prevail over the other, for as Jesus taught:

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt. 6:24.)

There is no middle road.

There is no third option. This is where the deceitfulness of Satan comes in. He would have us believe that we are free to choose something other than what our Father in Heaven or Christ would have us choose, and still be good and blessed for it. Elder Stapley also said:

All things good come from God. All things evil come from Satan. Brigham Young explained it this way:

“There are but two parties on the earth, one for God and the other for the world or the Evil One. No matter how many names the Christian or heathen world bear, or how many sects and creeds may exist, there are but two parties, one for heaven and God, and the other will go to some other kingdom than the celestial kingdom of God.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe, 1966 ed., Deseret Book Co., p. 70.)

The stark reality is that according to the prophets and the scriptures, if we are not strictly doing the will of God, we are following Satan.

Following Satan

I want to make myself as clear here as possible. Following Satan does not necessarily mean slaughtering goats on a satanic altar or murdering children. ANYTHING outside the good that comes from God is in Satan’s camp. We can be “good” people, but not keeping our covenants and still fall short of our goal.

If we are talking about just being a decent kind of a person who is kind and generous, but has faults, and even a vice or two, we are still in Satan’s grasp. Let me explain. Our goal is to return to our Father in Heaven. That means the highest level of the celestial kingdom. That requires covenants and obedience to those covenants for the duration of our mortal lives.

Anything falling short of what will qualify us for the celestial kingdom is still damnation. The only ones who will progress for eternity, increasing in glory, are those who are celestialized as couples and families. All others in any other kingdom will be blessed with great joy and gladness for eternity, but will remain single and alone, and stopped in their progression. They are damned. These are all those who are in the Terrestrial kingdom and all those in the Telestial kingdom.

Elder Brockbank made this observation, “Godliness in man goes undeveloped without the words of God and his program.” We cannot become godly without the covenants that come with “God and his program.” Any other situation results in the same ending, being cut off from the presence of the Father for eternity. Since that is the ultimate goal then we must assume that anything less than returning home is unacceptable.

Satan doesn’t have to plunge us into the blackest abyss of depravity if all that is required to keep us out of God’s presence is to get us to cling to any habit that would prevent us from going home. It could be the love of gaming, the use of any addictive substance, pornography, lying, pride, laziness, lack of belief, having a critical spirit, etc. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it has his desired outcome, that of preventing us from reaching our full potential as a child of God.

Elder Stapley used this quote from Brigham Young in his Conference talk:

How far does our agency extend? Brigham Young answered this question by saying: “There are limits to agency, and to all things and to all beings, and our agency must not infringe upon that law. A man must choose life or death. … the agency which is given to him is so bound up that he cannot exercise it in opposition to the law, without laying himself liable to be corrected and punished by the Almighty.

“It behooves us to be careful, and not forfeit that agency that is given to us. The difference between the righteous and the sinner, eternal life or death, happiness or misery, is this, to those who are exalted there are no bounds or limits to their privileges, their blessings have a continuation … they increase through all eternity; whereas, those who reject the offer, who despise the proffered mercies of the Lord, and prepare themselves to be banished from his presence, and to become companions of the devils, have their agency abridged immediately, and bounds and limits are put to their operations.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 63–64.)

The lies

Just as God always tells us the truth, meaning that what he tells is always meant to bless us and help us make good choices, so too Satan never tells us the truth in any form without its outcome intending to hurt us in some way.

Richard C. Edgley, former first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric gave a Conference talk wherein he listed just a few of the justifications (lies) Satan tells us to get us to choose poorly.

Justifications offered by Satan

• “Everybody is doing it.”

• “Nobody will know.”

• “It is not really hurting anyone.”

• “It won’t hurt just this once.”

• “So what?”

• “You can repent later and still go on a mission and be married in the temple.”

• “Christ atoned for your sins; He will forgive you.”

I had to think about his last entry. It is true that Christ atoned for each of us. It is true that He will forgive us. But the lie embedded in this sentiment when it comes from Satan is that we are free (without consequence) to continue to sin because we can always be forgiven later. The implied notion is that the sin won’t have any affect on us. This lie completely ignores the fact that almost every sin becomes an addiction, because sin creates habits, habits that hurt us.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton gave two great quotes from a Conference talk. The first one references D&C 10:25-26:

… we can’t hide behind the father of lies and say, “Satan made me do it.” All he does is tell us, “This is no harm,” and then he lets us catch ourselves in our own snare.

The second quote is about a common lie people would like to believe. They would like to mask everything in shades of gray that, if true, would make discerning the truth nearly impossible.

There are some who would have us believe there is no right or wrong—that everything is  relative. We must never allow ourselves to think proper conduct and decision making are found in a convenient path somewhere between right and wrong.

Encouragement

Lest you think I am totally gloom and doom, following are some words of encouragement from these same Brethren. If choosing good over evil was not possible, the Lord would have been truthful and told us. But it is possible, and here are some tips.

In referring to the temptation of Christ found in the New Testament, Elder Brockbank said:

Satan was rebuked and defeated by Jesus because Jesus knew and used the word of God—the commandments of God as recorded in his holy scriptures. Jesus hearkened unto the voice of the Lord.

Elder Brockbank also said:

Jesus counseled, “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.” (D&C 10:5.)

Elder Stapley reminds us that having to face the lies of Satan are an important part of our growth and spiritual maturity.

“And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet.” (D&C 29:39.)

He also reminds us that not every decision we make using our agency is a do or die proposition. We need to seek the good. That should be our focus. “What are we doing with our agency? Are we drawing close to God, or away from him?”

Finally, Brother Edgley offers these two bits of encouragement.

We may come from humble circumstances, have limited education, and may even have what we consider unimpressive worldly accomplishments. And because of Satan’s deceit, we may at times feel unimportant, insignificant, or incapable. But let us never forget—we are the ones chosen to hold the priesthood of God, we are His called, ordained representatives, and that makes us somebody. …

I testify that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10) and wickedness never will be happiness. I further testify that happiness and self-worth will come only from living the principles of Him who created the plan of happiness.

Final Thoughts

Satan has an entire arsenal of tools to trip us up and deceive us. But we have something bigger, better, and stronger. We have the Holy Ghost. We have a member of the Godhead as our constant companion. We have the blessings of the priesthood. With the Holy Ghost at our side we can recognize the lies as we hear them, and he can help us learn how to get out of the situations Satan would try to put us in to compromise our good intentions.

To read more of Kelly Merrill’s articles, click here.

The Lord has not left us defenseless, but we always need to remember that the choices we make from day to day will lead either to eternal life (life with God) or eternal death (life anywhere other than with God). Satan doesn’t have to get us to be truly wicked to have won the battle. All he needs to do is to prevent us from returning home.

By praying, fasting, and studying the word of God, from any source, we can gain strength, awareness, and wisdom that will protect us from the deceptions of the Adversary.

Here are the Conference talks referenced above in their entirety.

Elder Bernard P. Brockbank – Asst. To the Twelve- Hearken Unto the Voice of God

Elder Delbert L. Stapley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles- Using our Free Agency

Richard C. Edgley, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric- Satan’s Bag of Snipes

Elder Marvin J. Ashton- This is no Harm

Kelly P. Merrill

Kelly Merrill is semi retired and writes for https://gospelstudy.us. He lives with his wife in Idaho. His strength is being able to take difficult to understand subjects and break them down into understandable parts. He delights in writing about the gospel of Christ. Writing about the gospel is his personal missionary work to the members of the Church and to those of other faiths who are wanting to know more about Christ’s gospel and His Church.

gospelstudy.us

Is it just dirt?

In one sense, gossiping is the act of sharing information that is not your right to share. (Did you hear that …) It includes the sharing of information that may be good, as well as bad about someone. (I just heard that the new RS President is going to be …) If it is inappropriate that you are discussing it at all then it falls under the category of gossip. (I know that John has been struggling with his addiction …)

The problem with gossip is that we can slip into gossip mode so easily and quickly. We may even mean well in what we say. (Yes, I have noticed how long it takes for Bishop Todd to extend callings …) Elder L. Tom Perry once included this piece of advice in a list of things we should consider: “… never speak ill or gossip about your bishop or his family. Respect this great and important calling.”

Gossip is more than just social “dirt” on someone. Gossiping embodies all the qualities of soul that are opposed to the spirit of charity, the spirit of love. Gossip only hurts. There is no such thing as gossiping that is meant to benefit and build up. All gossip embodies the spirit of degradation, judgment, and condemnation.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has asked this question: “Do you gossip, even when what you say may be true?” The answer is yes, you can gossip even when the information is true. What makes it gossip is the spirit with which the statement is made.

Gossiping is a form of judgment

When we make any statement that passes judgment on someone or their actions or attitudes, we have crossed the line from charity into gossip. Here is a famous quote from President Uchtdorf:

This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

 

Stop it!

Spreading ignorance

Gossip includes those pieces of information that tend to be sensational in some way. As part of my own personal bias I will refer to these stories and comments made over the pulpit as the stories from Mormon urban myths. These stories are often faith promoting rumors that cause the congregation or class to gasp at the wonder of the miracles performed in someone’s life. Problem is, the stories often are not true. The information was passed on in ignorance because someone wasn’t willing to search out the source of the story for themselves before passing it along to others. It was just too sensational to not use.

In passing along such bits of “doctrine” and sensationalism we do more damage in the long run than good to someone’s testimony.

President Harold B. Lee stated:

There are some as wolves among us. By that, I mean some who profess membership in this church who are not sparing the flock. And among our own membership, men are arising speaking perverse things. Now perverse means diverting from the right or correct, and being obstinate in the wrong, willfully, in order to draw the weak and unwary members of the Church away after them. …

 

I should like now to make reference to some of these. The first is the spread of rumor and gossip (we have mentioned this before) which, when once started, gains momentum as each telling becomes more fanciful, until unwittingly those who wish to dwell on the sensational repeat them in firesides, in classes, in Relief Society gatherings and priesthood quorum classes without first verifying the source before becoming a party to causing speculation and discussions that steal time away from the things that would be profitable and beneficial and enlightening to their souls.

Have you ever thought of that? By passing along bits of information or stories that you have not verified to be true, and that are actually beneficial for others to know, you do more harm to the testimony of others than you do good.

The judgment of gossip

Sometimes even when our friends are accused of wrongdoing or gossip is started about them, we disloyally accept and repeat what we hear without knowing all the facts. It is sad indeed that sometimes friendships are destroyed and enmity created on the basis of misinformation.

 

If there be one place in life where the attitude of the agnostic is acceptable, it is in this matter of judging. It is the courage to say, “I don’t know. I am waiting for further evidence. I must hear both sides of the question.”

 

Only by suspending judgment do we exhibit real charity. It is hard to understand why we are ready to condemn our neighbors and our friends on circumstantial evidence while we are all so determined to see that every criminal has a fair and open trial. Surely we can try to eliminate pride, passion, personal feeling, prejudice, and pettiness from our minds, and show charity to those around us.

 

Gossip is the worst form of judging. The tongue is the most dangerous, destructive, and deadly weapon available to man. A vicious tongue can ruin the reputation and even the future of the one attacked. Insidious attacks against one’s reputation, loathsome innuendoes, half-lies about an individual are as deadly as those insect parasites that kill the heart and life of a mighty oak. They are so stealthy and cowardly that one cannot guard against them. As someone has said, “It is easier to dodge an elephant than a microbe.”

The question is why

Gossip is damaging. It is judgmental. The purpose of gossiping is to gain attention, to hurt another, or look like we are more knowledgeable than we really are. Gossip also happens because we lack judgment. We repeat information that is not ours to repeat. We pass along information that is not verified or is said for any reason other than with the intent to build up and love another person.

What makes gossip so insidious is that most of us get trapped in gossiping without even realizing we are doing it. We are making an observation that, if we stopped to think about it, probably shouldn’t have been made because it wasn’t very charitable in nature. But we fool ourselves by telling ourselves that what we said, after all, was the truth.

We often make comments without giving the person about whom we are commenting the benefit of the doubt. We often don’t have all the facts, yet we are still making statements, almost as if they are the facts.

Elder N. Eldon Tanner related a story about Sister McKay. The principal in the story made a comment about a boy in her new class that was probably true up to that point. He may have felt he had the information on good authority. The story the principal knew may have been absolutely true. What made it gossip is that it tore down the reputation of the boy and hurt him socially and emotionally. It was the quick thinking of Sister McKay that prevented that damage from causing further harm.

There is a little story about Sister McKay, the wife of President David O. McKay, when she began teaching school. As the principal introduced her to the class, he pointed to a certain boy and said he was a troublemaker. She sensed the boy’s embarrassment and feared he would live up to his reputation, so she wrote a note and slipped it to him as she passed his desk. It said, “Earl, I think the principal was mistaken about your being a bad boy. I trust you, and know that you are going to help me make this room the best in the school.” Earl not only became a paragon of scholastic virtue but also one of the town’s most important people.

Elder Tanner goes on in his talk to say:

If we could accept and practice the second great commandment, “Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:39), and really learn to love our neighbors, there would be no vicious gossip or bearing false witness. In the Lord’s Prayer, we have these words: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” and then he says: “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.” (Matt. 6:12, 14–15.)

Gossiping is the spirit of fault finding, which is at epidemic proportions in our society today. It does us no good to try to justify our desire to find fault with something. All it does is awaken within us a spirit of judgment and condemnation that drives away the Spirit and slowly eats away at our spirituality. Finding fault with the Brethren, your Bishop, Stake President, the Relief Society President, your quorum leaders, your home or visiting teachers, or neighbors will only serve to drive away your personal happiness. Here is a message from Elder Marvin J. Ashton about the dangers of fault finding.

I am acquainted with a wife and mother who is chained securely at the present time to a life-style of murmuring and criticism. She is the first to point out faults in her husband or to repeat neighborhood gossip. How damaging is a habit that permits fault-finding, character assassination, and the sharing of malicious rumors! Gossip and caustic comments often create chains of contention. These chains may appear to be very small, but what misery and woe they can cause!

 

“O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe” (2 Ne. 1:13).

Final Thoughts

We will be judged by our actions, which are a result of our words and thoughts. Learning to control our tongues and thoughts is difficult. To control them means we must learn to monitor them and learn to weigh the merits of what we think and say before we let it loose in public.

When we make a comment about a situation we need to learn to make only those comments that will represent the love of God in us. Elder M. Russell Ballard made this comment:

In recent years there has been a rash of articles, books, and films written about women and girls who gossip and who are “mean.” Satan is always attempting to undermine the most precious element of a woman’s divine nature—the nature to nurture.

Nurturing words are words that heal, uplift and support. Nurturing words are the words of Christ. They are spoken only when needed, only when correct (not hearsay), and they are always meant to create more good than is currently in the conversation. Nurturing words help people feel like they are emotionally, socially, and physically safe. These are the kinds of things Christ would pass along in a conversation.

To read more of Kelly Merrill’s articles, click here.

How we learn to do that is not easy. But we can learn to speak like Christ. To start with, we may have to put a bridle on our tongue and refrain from chiming in on conversations with opinions until we have concluded that our comments are helpful and come from a place of love. If not then it would be better to remain silent.

The Spirit will teach us how to weed the spirit of gossip from our lives. We just need to make ourselves aware of its presence, and work to tame our tongues.

Kelly P. Merrill

Kelly Merrill is semi retired and writes for https://gospelstudy.us. He lives with his wife in Idaho. His strength is being able to take difficult to understand subjects and break them down into understandable parts. He delights in writing about the gospel of Christ. Writing about the gospel is his personal missionary work to the members of the Church and to those of other faiths who are wanting to know more about Christ’s gospel and His Church.

gospelstudy.us

And because of that, I feel that I might, just might, be able to understand to a small degree this situation.

THREAD ONE

Where do I begin?! There are so many angles this story is taking right now in the LDS social community that I could start just about anywhere. But the thread that is really tugging at my heart-strings is this one:

“Why should the children be punished because of the choices of their parents?!”

It’s true. Why should the children be “punished” for the sins of their fathers or mothers?

In fact, isn’t there some sort of mantra in our religions that firmly states that?

“We believe that man will be punished for their own sins,

and not for Adam’s transgressions.”

(The 2nd Article of Faith)

Alright, so how do we reconcile this Article of Faith with what the Church has recently stated as policy?

Here is how I see it.

Nowhere does the Church state that a blessing, baptism, or other ordinances are being revoked from children for good. In fact, over and over again in his interview regarding this policy change, Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s refers to a child’s majority. Majority, in terms of age, means the age of adulthood as recognized by the state. In America, that is defined as 18 years old. In Canada, that would be 21 years old.

When the child is able to make adult decisions on his or her own, then these children can make the decision to join the Church or not.

Nowhere in the Church does it say that if you are not baptized by the age of eight, than you cannot be a member, or participate in Church worship or practices. If such were the case, there would be no need for missionaries or temples. Missionary work and temple work is specifically designed to offer the gospel to those who might not have had a chance to hear it or accept it by the age of 8.

I believe that, recently, the culture of the Church is overtaking the reason for the Church. Giving your child a name and a blessing is designed to put the Child on the records of the Church. It is not about the pageantry and fashion show that usually accompanies such an event. Baptism at the age of eight should be a decision made by the child and not an opportunity to roll out professionally designed announcements and coordinated white outfits for photo-shoots. Receiving the priesthood at the age of 12 is a responsibility that a boy should understand, and not another badge of achievement.

And so forth, with all the other expectations that comes with being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Let me be perfectly and honestly clear and bold with you right at this moment. These are individual undertakings for our children and have nothing to do with parents. Our children should be able to make these decisions when they are ready to make them and not because it is culturally expected of them.

THEIR. OWN.

Just as we are not judged for Adam’s sins, our children have the right to choose for themselves right and wrong. As parents, our job is to teach them right from wrong, and then guide them. We should not be choosing for them.

In light of that, I made the decision to ask my oldest how he felt about baptism and if he wanted to take that step when he was 8. It scared me to give him that choice. It was in that moment when I made my own decision that I realized that he was not mine–that he was his own. It hit me very very hard that all I could do was present him with my own testimony and offer him guidance in making the decision. I decided right then and there that whatever his choice was, I would stand by it.

That did not stop me from getting on my knees and praying like mad for guidance and the companionship of the Spirit. By golly, I prayed my little heart out like nothing else in the world mattered.

In the end, I did receive guidance that was perfectly tailored to help that son make his choice. And he did choose baptism. And I felt so much peace inside because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had made his choice on his own.

PEER PRESSURE

The community I grew up in, as I have stated before, was predominantly LDS. As you can imagine, come the summer months, young men were lining up to go off on missions. (My time was well before the lowering of the missionary age for eligible young women, I should add). It was almost a competition to see how many people would come to the farewell and how many girls an elder could convince to write to him on his way out the door.

Having grown up with many of these kids, it was almost like clockwork to watch this all play out under the social and cultural pressure of their parents. In their youth, many young men were involved in things that as members of the Church, we preach abstinence from. But as the age of 19 soon approached, the fear of disappointing their parents and appearing as a social outcast reared it’s powerful head and the young men either shaped up, or hid it very well.

Well do I remember sending friends off on their missions, only to see them back at the movie theater a few weeks or months later.

I will admit, I am a little uncomfortable sharing this part of Church culture because it does sound a little judgmental. But the point that I am trying to make here is that sometimes culture plays too strong a role with the youth of the Church and the decisions that they make. Decisions that should be made individually and through study and prayer. And not because of peer pressure or fear of letting our parents down.

That is the opportunity that I feel is being offered to children of LGBT communities. No one is being turned away. No one is being told to choose a side. Every one of them is being given a chance to make the decisions for themselves at a time in life when society recognizes an individual as an adult–cultural and social pressures pushed aside.

Because let’s get real for a moment–how many members of your ward do you ignore that are converts? Do you even know when each person was baptized?

If that was the case, I guess I would be disowning my mother right about now.

THREAD TWO

And that brings me to the second argument that keeps sticking out to me like a sore thumb.

“My choices should not affect my children!”

Here is where I feel my life experience helps me to understand this situation.

When my birth father chose to leave his family and start again, his choice was not made because he did not like his children. I have been assured of that from multiple sources–counselors, books, television, magazines, and yes, my very own father.

However, just because his choice was not directly associated with me– YES, IT DOES AFFECT ME.

I have had to live with the consequences of his choice ever since he made his first step away from us.

He was punished for his own sins, but we also suffered consequences.

We had to live with the shame, the ridicule, and the knowledge that everyone in our small LDS community knew that our dad chose another family over his own. In fact, many people told my mother it was her fault. In the end, we moved away and started our life all over again. My mom went back to school and we went on welfare.

All because of a choice someone else made.

My mom didn’t make that choice. My brothers and I didn’t make that choice. It was thrust upon us.

That is life.

THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES

Everyone who makes a decision, whether it be good or bad, has to go through a rationalization process before deciding to make it. We tell ourselves all kinds of stories–true or false–that eventually lead to the final outcome. After the decision is made, you cannot take it back because it has already set in motion a series of events that quickly moves beyond your reach.

We can tell ourselves whatever we like, in order to feel justified, but it cannot take away the results of our choice.

Years later, my dad and I have mended our fences. Initially, as a child, the choice to include him in my life was made for me by someone else. And then I continued on with that choice because my husband said it was best for our children. After another period of time, I made the choice for me.

I made the choice because I realized that I was the only one responsible for my actions moving forward.

THREAD THREE

On to the last point that keeps rearing it’s boisterous head.

“What about those families that didn’t choose this for themselves?”

Alright, I get it. As a mother myself, and a child of divorce, I know just how harsh this policy amendment sounds. Mothers who have had their family first torn apart by divorce, and then have to deal with Same Sex step-parenting are in a completely different ball game.

Those mothers did not choose this, and probably wouldn’t have in a million years.

It does seem like this has been thrust upon them unfairly.

But I would like to drag up another example from my family that illustrates this point as well.

I love my step-family, and I am so grateful for them. However, they would not be my step-family if not for one rather unfortunate reason–their mother died of cancer many years ago.

Sickness is not something that is a choice. It is not something that someone can accidentally fall into. Just ask any family that has had a loved one die. They did not see it coming and it was not in their life plan. But it happened.

And it happens all the time.

It is unfair. And there are consequences that range from financial to emotional, and they all leave the survivors behind, devastated.

SCRIPTURE POWER

Last week, as I scrolled through my Facebook feed and discovered the news of the amended Church policy, I will admit to feeling a pit forming in my stomach. I wondered what on Earth and in Heaven was going on. I prayed about it that night and hit my pillow feeling ill.

When I woke up in the morning, I felt the same, but I also felt a prompting to read my scriptures, and more specifically–to turn to Jacob in the Book of Mormon and the read his words to the people of Nephi.

And as I read, I felt a peace and understanding come over me.

At a point in time that was not long after Lehi and his family arrived in their Promised Land, and shortly after Nephi himself had died, Jacob feels strongly the burden of speaking to his people as a voice from God. In chapter two in the book of Jacob, he gathers all his people together to share with them the words that their Father in Heaven wanted them to hear. Let me warn you, these words are not easy and Jacob himself says:

“It burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who have already been wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds…”

(Jacob 2:9)

This brings tears to my eyes as I read this in light of current affairs.

“Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the plainness of the word of God…”

(Jacob 2: 11)

Among other things, Jacob comes out boldly against the practice that has begun to creep into the lives of the Nephites. We read about husbands taking upon them concubines and practicing whoredoms that they justify because of the kings of old–David and Solomon.

Pretty much, anything that is not part of God’s traditional definition of marriage.

“Wherefore my brethren, hear me, and hearken unto the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;”

(Jacob 2: 27)

And here is what really got to me…

“For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women…

I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people…because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands…

And I will not suffer…that the cries of the fair daughters of this people…shall come up unto me against the men of my people…

For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse…”

(Jacob 2: 28-31)

Families are a big deal to Heavenly Father. He makes no bones about it right here in this chapter. These are words that Jacob shares specifically that Heavenly Father spoke to him and bade him share with his fellow members of the church. Read the words for yourself. Pray over them and decide if they are true.

In the end of this chapter, Jacob speaks directly to the idea that you can make your own choice, but you cannot choose your consequences. He tells the men of his congregation that they have committed even greater sin than the Lamanites because:

“Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidences of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you.”

(Jacob 2: 35)

I am letting that sink in.

IN THE END

This Church policy is not about limiting anyone’s actions in the Church. It is not about denying the gospel to anyone. It is about protecting families and removing any ambiguous doubts that people might have regarding the Church’s stance on marriage and family.

It is about allowing people to have their agency–all people. People who choose to have alternative lifestyles, and those whose lives are directly affected by that choice.

To read more articles by Jessica, click here.

The 2nd Article of Faith has it right. Man will be punished for his own sins, and not for (his father’s) transgressions. This is a verse about agency and the right to choose for ourselves what path we follow, whether it be God’s or one of our own making. However, we are not free from the consequences of that choice, nor can we choose who those consequences affect.

“And because of the strictness of the word of God…

many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.”

(Jacob 2: 35)

Jessica Clark

Jessica Clark is a wife, mom, writer, runner, knitter, and proud Canadian. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Anthropology, and has been a student of people and cultures ever since. Right now she is busy studying the behavior and cultures of the people of Texas.