Charity Strife - "Is Kind"

For charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, and is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth, believeth all things, beareth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

"Is Kind"

I love this one. First, here is what I wrote in my MTC Journal:

To be kind I think is to have a deep love for other people and respect for the children of Heavenly Father. With that love and respect you are long suffering and no matter what people choose to do with their agency - you choose to do what Jesus would do, like in 1 Nephi 19:9 "And the world, because of their iniquity shall judge Him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge Him, and He suffereth it, and the smite Him and he suffereth it, yea they spit upon Him and He suffereth it - because of His loving kindness  and His long-suffering towards the children of men." That is the pure love of Christ again. "And He suffereth it." I need to "suffer it" and no matter what anyone does or says of thinks - I need to remember that I should do as Christ did with his loving kindness and "suffereth it" and love all the children of men because they deserve love no matter what. I love what the Lord says: "with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer." (3 Nephi 22:8). To truly have charity, I need to emulate the Savior. I want to have this everlasting kindness toward all who I come in contact with. if I do have this humble and bold kindness - I will show the Lord my love for Him be showing it to His children. All his children are His. Not just some - but ALL and even when the seem far from it - He still loves them and I should too because I want to emulate the Savior and by so doing be a true follower of Jesus Christ. It is very inconvenient, embarrassing, and at times not fun, but it is not for yourself or for the world like it says in Helaman 5:8 " that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven." That treasure is the everlasting kindness of the Savior when we are kind to His own.  

Wow. I was really good at run-on sentences and was not very good at spelling and grammar (I have actually corrected much of it when I typed it in here - but not everything) ha.

What I think now:

I think that kindness is the gift that never stops giving. It is a divine attribute. I love this list of attributes because it is basically like saying - here is how to become like a god. One cannot be godlike if they are not possessed with a deep kindness.

Kindness is never wasted. Kindness makes us happier. You will never regret being kind to someone, but you may regret being unkind, or just neglecting to be kind to someone. I believe that kindness is part of the embodiment of godliness. Here is why I think that. So many people pray for help or for something that they need. And God answers those prayers. He really does. The amazing thing is that most of the time, He answers prayers through His children. He works through people to answer the prayers that He has received. It is almost like He is the master networker. haha. But he only networks with those who are in tune with His Spirit and who are ready to listen to Him. God is kind through us - if we are listening to how we can be an answer to one of the prayers He has received from someone who really needs His help. I believe that is a part of kindness - being the answer to someone's prayer. Because God will most definitely use us to show His kindness to His children. We can become God's kindness - embodied. Kindness embodied. One step closer to becoming like He is. Becoming like a god. Godlike life. Life eternal.

This caused me to really think more deeply about eternal life. Feel free to read more here on my public blog.  I will actually include this concept in Live My Gospel. Super powerful.

Charity Strife - "Suffereth Long"

I am going to expound upon every phrase in the scripture I am memorizing. I actually did this once when I was in the MTC. So I will write down what I wrote then and embellish a bit.

For charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, and is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth, believeth all things, beareth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

"Suffereth Long"

From my MTC journal:

"What does it mean to suffer long? Not get angry at little things - to keep up when I can't visualize the fruits of the seeds I'm planting now. To love my companion no matter what he does - to lovingly lead - not by words, but by example, and but doing and by helping him with what he needs. Not complaining when the language doesn't come, or when I am tired, or if someone does something that I may not do, or when someone else uses their agency to chose against what my agency would choose. To choose the right way always. Always be obedient no matter how stupid you look. To make a difference, you have to be different. To pick up my wagon and head west, to push the train (Tall Tale), to plow forward, to pray when no answers come, to BE the Lord's wind, to love no matter what...come what may. To read when nothing comes. To pray when the Spirit isn't there, to work, work, work! And to let the Lord's will be done, by trusting that the answer is coming at exactly the right time which will be the very best in my life as well as the Lord's timing." 

Today, I would say that to suffer long doesn't necessarily mean that the Lord wants us to suffer and be miserable. It doesn't mean what is portrayed by the monks in Monte Python and the Holy Grail who beat themselves because they are trying to suffer. This is false doctrine. I believe that God only wants us to become. And some of that becoming will only come after some suffering. The point is not to suffer. The point is to become. God wants our heart. Like Elder Hafen said in his epic talk about the atonement:

"We can have eternal life if we really want it, but only if there is nothing else we want more."

I believe in becoming. And believing in our potential to become like our Savior. He definitely suffered long.

"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and the smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." (1 Nephi 19:9)

Gazing into Heaven

My favorite passage of scripture that is not versified, but is between the covers of the triple... is Oliver Cowdery's description of the experience he and Joseph Smith had with John the Baptist. I love it and it helps me so much to get my mind off the world and onto things eternal. You'll find it after Joseph Smith History and before the Articles of Faith. I guess it is just a footnote to verse 71 of JS-History.

I'll just highlight the parts that really hit me:

"But, dear brother, think, further think for a moment...I shall not attempt to paint to you the feelings of this heart, nor the majestic beauty and glory which surrounded us on this occasion; but you will believe me when I say, that earth, nor men, with the eloquence of time, cannot begin to clothe language in as interesting and sublime a manner as this holy personage. No; nor has this earth power to give the joy, to bestow the peace, or comprehend the wisdom which was contained in each sentence as they were delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught to naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of His love, yes one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eterenity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind."

I love this. Anything in life can truly be struck into insignificance and blotted forever from the mind. Anything! But it must truly be a ray of glory from the upper world or a real word from the mouth of the Savior. When we come in contact with this ray of glory from the upper world, nothing else matters. When we hear the voice of God, nothing else really matters.

I'll end with the statement by Joseph Smith (who was qualified to say this):

"Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would be reading all that was ever written on the subject." (HC 6:50-51)

Modern Day Korihors and Almas

Today I saw an interesting interview on YouTube that happen recently (like last night). It has been causing me much inner reflection and has started a fire inside my bones for my beliefs. I love it when this happens. I'll explain why below.

Brandon Flowers was being featured on a Norwegian talk show. He appeared thinking that he would just be representing his band and talking about his music (a sort of announcement before a release of a new album on iTunes). But the show then announced that they had invited another guest: Richard Dawkins. I will not even link to him because I do not support him in any way, not even with link juice!

He is one of the world's leading (if you can say that) atheists. He is like a mix of Sigmund Freud, Charles Darwin and Korihor. He is an outright, ruthless, godless man. I had to study his hypotheses and theories for a class at BYU once. The assignment was an in-depth critique of his writings and it nearly made me sick. He has a completely different world view. He is an evolutionary biologist who believes that science has the answer and explanation to everything. He says that there is no room for God and that people who believe in God are simply ignorant to greater knowledge. That they haven't studied the topic thoroughly enough. I have to control myself or I will really go off on this.

Before I changed my major to to psychology, my major was in the sciences. I absolutely love science. It fascinates me. I love the intricacy of micro-nature and the enormity of macro-nature. If I had three lives, I would love to become a well-known scientist who DOES believe in God. That is one of my dreams along with going to the olympics and being a librarian. When I was studying the "hard-sciences" I often wondered why there were so many hard-science empiricists who forgot to believe in God or who had not included Him in their equations. So I started to make a list of those who had been hard-scientists with a firm belief in God (or in some sort of greater providential force). Here are just a few:

• John A. Widtsoe - Graduated from Harvard in the sciences with the highest honors and went on to become an apostle. Wrote an amazing book on his religious devotion even as a scientist called Evidences and Reconciliations.  
• James E. Talmage - Studied and received degrees and advanced degrees in the sciences at Johns Hopkins and became an apostle. Um, he also wrote Jesus the Christ. 
• Henry Eyring - An remarkable chemist whose work on transition state theory in chemical reactions (activation energy - which I think is fascinating) got him the National Medal of Science in 1966, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry and ten other prestigious prizes or medals. Other scientists did further work based on his research who went on to receive the Nobel Prize (there is a controversy around why he was not given the award). He is the father of Henry Bennion Eyring (member of the first presidency today). In addition to the hundreds of scientific publications he authored, he wrote some texts about his faith as a scientist. 
• Richard G. Scott - Nuclear physicist who was given the special assignment to the team of scientists who created the first nuclear powered submarine in history - the US Nautilus. Has served his whole life in the Church and is now one of the 12 apostles.
• Russell M. Nelson - Another of the 12 apostles of the Church who is a world-renown cardiovascular surgeon, whose work on the artificial heart is very notable. 

There are many, many more disciple-scholars (Neal A. Maxwell's term) who are bilingual in the things of science and the Spirit - or in Dallin H. Oaks' words "reason and revelation". 

Though I always hesitate to become a Mormon apologist, there is a part of me that wants to go up against people like Dawkins with intellectual arguments for the truth that include science. Though this may be more like when my companions would try to argue with Evangelicals and Jehovah's Witnesses in Spanish, using the Bible. No one got anything out of it other than frustration. haha. 

It is good for us to have a bit of opposition to our beliefs. It just makes us stronger. I'm writing a book right now for returned missionaries. Here is a teaser from the second chapter: When our beliefs are questioned, they either fail or they are strengthened. And more often they are strengthened because we recheck what we believe and we check it with God (or at least we should). Then we come back having our knowledge of the truth that we have strengthened. That is why returned missionaries often have such strong conviction of the truth. They are constantly opposed. Hugh Nibley puts it this way:

"Long experience has shown that the Latter-day Saints only become aware of the nature and genius of their modern scriptures when relentless and obstreperous criticism from the outside, forces them to take a closer look at what they have, with the usual result of putting those scriptures in a much stronger position than they were before."
 (Hugh Nibley. An Approach to the Book of Abraham, p. 40).

Brandon Flowers, and every other common and famous Mormon out there will likely be put on the spot sometime. It probably won't be up against someone like Richard Dawkins, but you will have a Korihor to face. And you will have to be ready. Will you be ready? I hope so. Let's remember the faith of scientists, and "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15)

I gave Brandon a standing ovation as I watched him on my phone while eating lunch. Way to be the Alma, and the rockstar, literally. I'll go download your songs now on iTunes.

Power in the Priesthood

I listened to Elder Bednar's talk from Priesthood this morning called The Powers of Heaven. He spoke of the difference between the power and the authority of the Priesthood. It made me think of my Dad. Though he is not perfect (no one is), he has always had such a deep reverence for the Priesthood.

One of my favorite memories of him is when I went on a church history tour with him right after I came home from the mission. One of the stops was the Susquehanna River. Near here, both the Aaronic and the Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored. I will never forget the moment where my dad stood with his feet barely touching the water on the banks as the tour watched and listened to him expound about the priesthood. He had memorized his Priesthood line of authority and he named every man in the ordination line from his father back to Jesus Christ Himself. I actually took a picture of him when he was doing this:

I don't have it memorized myself, but will post it in here later when I get a minute to dig it out of one of my journals. 

No matter how short my line is (I think there are only 12 or 13 sets of "laying on of hands" between me and Jesus Christ Himself ---- me....my dad....my grandpa....George Q. Cannon....Joseph Smith....Peter, James and John....Jesus Christ), if the power is not present, the priesthood is invalid. 

How to qualify for the Power of the Priesthood:

• Fear God - AKA have deep respect and reverence for sacred things because sacred things come from Him. 
• Sacrifice (brings for the power and blessings of heaven - fasting is the easiest example, it works every time)
• Put God first 
• Make obedience our quest, not our burden ("the moment obedience ceases to be a burden and becomes our quest, we are endowed with power" - ETB)
• Live worthy of the Spirit - make it a priority in your life
• Seek revelation daily (Helaman 11:23)
• Attend the temple frequently and seek further light and knowledge (every time we can be endowed with power from on high).
• Serve and love others - especially home teaching.  
• Strive to magnify whatever calling you are in (D&C 84:33)
• Pray with all the energy of heart (Moroni 7:48)
• Study the Gospel seriously ("There is a power that will begin to flow into your lives, the moment you begin a serious study of the book." - ETB)

I'm sure the list could go on and I probably skipped some things, but these are the first ones that came to my mind. I also believe these are universal principles - not just for power in the priesthood. And I believe that "power in the priesthood" is upon all who live in this way. Not just priesthood holders. Go to the temple.

As I have tried to be more consistent in the above, I have felt tangible power. Even in my room at night and all day as I go throughout the day. It is literal. It is real. It is true and I love it. God's power is real. Angels attend those who truly apply these principles.

The scroll marked II

I woke up this morning with the feeling that I really needed to read a few scrolls from The Greatest Salesman in the World. Such an inspirational book. Has nothing to do with sales and more to do with principles to live by to become your highest self. And once you have become your best, everyone will be attracted to the person you have become naturally.

Everyone of the ancient scrolls have a powerful principle to live by. The scroll marked II says

"I will greet this day with love in my heart"

It then goes on to expound upon the power of having love in your heart for every person and every thing surrounding you. It also talks about the power of having love for yourself.

Now that I finished "The Living Christ" I didn't want to lose momentum... So I prayed what would be the next scripture to commit to my memory. I was led to Moroni 7:45-48.

All about love. The truest and deepest love. The love of Christ. This scripture, like the other scriptures I have memorized with my dear friend Sarah (D&C 76:5-10, TLC) have powerful principles that are (in my opinion) keys to happiness in this life and to eternal life in the world beyond.

Memorized Scriptures Tag Cloud

I was just doing this as a background for the blog but I thought it was really cool.

So I decided that I would create a new tag cloud every time I memorize a new scripture and add the words of the new scripture to the cloud.

The Power of His word which is IN us - Alma 12

Today I continued my study in Alma 12.

V13 is one I have always been interested in because it talks about the word being IN us - or not in us. Which means to me that the word CAN actually be found IN us. I believe this is way important and that those in whom the word is found are endowed with power. A power that will never be experienced by those who do not have the word found IN them.

Supporting scriptures:
Alma 26:13 "because of the power of his word with is IN us"
Jeremiah 31:33-34 "I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and will be their God and they shall be my people"

Lay Hold Upon the Word of God

I just started this blog to have a place to post about my musings in the scriptures. I have a huge binder where I put this stuff too, but it will be neat to have another place to write a summary of what I learned. I won't publicize this blog. I don't care if anyone reads it. It's just another place for me to post. So if you are reading this, great. Feel free to comment and even reply and discuss any of the things you learned or insights you have on scriptures or the gospel that are discussed here. It is my attempt to continue laying hold upon the word of God.

I love this quote that I have in the front of my big Book of Mormon binder:

"Thus the Book of Mormon will be with us as long as the earth shall stand. We need all that time to explore it, for the book is like a vast mansion with gardens, towers, courtyards, and wings. There are rooms yet to be entered, with flaming fireplaces waiting to warm us. The rooms glimpsed so far contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored, but decor dating from Eden is evident. There are panels inlaid with incredible insights, particularly insights about the great question. Yet we as Church members sometimes behave like hurried tourists, scarcely venturing beyond the entry hall." (Neal A. Maxwell - Not My Will but Thine, p. 33). 

This is true. I will not write all my musings of the BOM here, but mostly just my "take homes" from what I learn. Small blips.