Hello there! Sorry for the long absence. Moving from one area to another is always an adjustment! But I'm settled now and I'm ready for a new post. The talk I chose for this week is "The key to Spiritual Protection" by President Boyd K. Packer. President Packer begins his talk with a question all parents have wondered at one time or another: "Is there a safe place to raise children?" The answer is yes and the place is "a gospel-centered home." Paul prophesied that our days would be perilous times and listed a series of characteristics men would have (from covetous to blasphemers, from incontinent to traitors and so on). Moroni, the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon, also warned of the "awful situation" in which the world would be in the last days. Not only did these prophets warn us, but they both also provided a remedy, a key to spiritual protection: the Holy Scriptures. Of the scriptures President Packer says: "They teach us where to go and what to do. They offer hope and knowledge." President Packer also stresses the importance of teaching little children using the scriptures:
"Children taught an understanding of the scriptures early in life will come to know the path they should walk and will be more inclined to remain on that path. Those who stray will have the ability to return and, with help, can find their way back."
One of the big issues I have found people encounter as they approach the scriptures for the first time is understanding the language. The standard works (other name for the scriptures) are not written in modern English and this might put many off that try to make sense of all those fancy words. Here is President Packer's promise: "If the language of the scriptures at first seems strange to you, keep reading. Soon you will come to recognize the beauty and power found on those pages." A life lived following following the course prescribed in the scriptures should be our goal:
"Continue forward until the time when the Lord’s blessings will come to you and the Holy Ghost will be revealed as a moving force in your life."
If that's not the kind of life we are living at the moment, there is a way back:
"Jesus Christ has prescribed a very clear method for us to repent and find healing in our lives. The cure for most mistakes can be found by seeking forgiveness through personal prayer. However, there are certain spiritual illnesses, particularly those dealing with violations of the moral law, which absolutely require the assistance and treatment of a qualified spiritual physician."
I love this truth: it doesn't matter how big or small our sins are, Jesus Christ can lift that weight off our shoulders:
"The gospel teaches us to be happy, to have faith rather than fear, to find hope and overcome despair, to leave darkness and turn toward the light of the everlasting gospel."
We might not be able to end wars or conflicts that rage all throughout the world, but listen to this inspired promise from a servant of the Lord:
"Peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the scriptures and unlocks the promises of protection and redemption that are taught therein."
I hope we will all read our scriptures more and more often! Here's the link to all of them. Enjoy!
There's nothing too hawaiian around me at the moment (just a lot of rain actually!) but I felt optimistic.
My blog is not going unnoticed among friends and friends' friends and it's weird to think that several people other than me will be reading this in about an hour or so. Thank you.
First of all, do we all know what the Atonement is? Let's turn to Preach My Gospel:
"As used in the scriptures, to atone is to suffer the penalty for an act of sin, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinners and allowing them to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross. He was the only one capable of making a perfect Atonement for all mankind. He suffered the penalty for our sins in Gethsemane and died on the cross. He took upon Himself the pains, sicknesses, temptations, afflictions, and infirmities of us all."
Gethsemane and the cross are mentioned twice and that's where Jesus Christ performed this greatest act of love and grace. Of the two powers of the Atonement (the saving power and the enabling power), in his latest talk Elder Scott focuses on the enabling power; in his own words: "the personal strength we can receive through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." The entire talk is an insightful commentary of the famous Book of Mormon story of the Lamanites who converted to the Lord, buried their weapons of war forever and never unburied them -- not even to defend their brethren came to brutally slay them. The Lord later provided help through their young sons, who weren't under the same covenant with God. The first interesting point -- something I've learned as I studied this talk -- is that "one of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins."Why couldn't those fathers go to the battle to defend their families? Why was it alright for their sons to go instead? It's the same principle by which it is not wise for ex alcoholics to walk into a pub lest they fall back into old, bad habits! The Lord knew the weaknesses of those men and in His wisdom He didn't allow them to be exposed to wars and weapons again. Thus we learn two important Gospel principles and truths:
"Breaking a covenant with the Lord is never justified."
"Satan will try to use our memory of any previous guilt to lure us back into his influence. We must be ever vigilant to avoid his enticements. Such was the case of the faithful Ammonite fathers. Even after their years of faithful living, it was imperative for them to protect themselves spiritually from any attraction to the memory of past sins."
Elder Scott draws a very interesting parallel between those Ammonites' and Captain Moroni's preparations for war:
"In between the many battles, Captain Moroni directed fortification of the weakest cities. “He caused that they should build a breastwork of timbers upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of the ditch against the breastwork of timbers … until they had encircled the city … with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to an exceeding height.” Captain Moroni understood the importance of fortifying the weak areas to create strength.
"These Ammonite fathers were much the same. They needed taller and wider fortifications between their faithful lives and the unrighteous behavior of their past. Their sons, who were blessed with righteous traditions, were not as vulnerable to the same temptations. They were able to defend their families faithfully without compromising their spiritual well-being."
Let's listen to Elder Scott's statement about rebellion and weakness:
This is so reassuring with me. What is best than a knowledge that God loves us and wants to help us get rid of our weaknesses? The best thing we can be doing in life is using this knowledge to improve ourselves. Believing, knowing that Christ suffered and died to enable us to become better and more like Him is humbling and it fills me with hope.
Sin is sin, and God"cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance"(D&C 1:31); but that's because He loves us and He wants us to become like Him. Elder Scott said that God can't tolerate sin "because He knows what it takes to become like Him". Weak things become strong when they're in the hands of the Lord: that's what happened to the 2,000 young and inexperienced sons of Helaman (although they were all injured to some degree, no one died in the conflicts) and that's what happens to us when we fully rely in Christ, are obedient, "go and do".
We talked about the fortifications Captain Moroni built to strengthen the weak places and turn them into strongholds, but what spiritual fortifications can we build for ourselves and how do we do that? Here's what Elder Scott suggests:
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Make covenants and receive ordinances for yourself. Then steadily and consistently work to provide ordinances in the temple for your own ancestors.
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Share the gospel with nonmember or less-active family members or friends. Sharing these truths can bring a renewed enthusiasm into your life.
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Serve faithfully in all Church callings, especially home teaching and visiting teaching assignments. Don't be just a 15-minutes-a-month home or visiting teacher. Rather, reach out to each individual member of the family. Get to know them personally. Be a real friend. Through acts of kindness, show them how very much you care for each of them.
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Most important, serve the members of your own family. Make the spiritual development of your spouse and children a very high priority. Be attentive to the things you can do to help each one. Give freely of your time and attention.
Four simple ways of serving our God and our fellowmen. The recipe is that simple. The Atonement is real and it is within anyone's reach -- anyone who's willing to put his or her faith in God and Jesus Christ and to show that faith. As we do so, we will grow spiritually stronger and wiser. We will become spiritually self-sufficient and we will have enough strength to share with others freely. Said Elder Scott: " As you lose your life in the service of Father in Heaven’s children, Satan’s temptations lose power in your life."
I have felt the reality of the Atonement in my life. And the joy that comes from sharing that reality with people? UNPAYABLE, UNMISSABLE and... UNless you try it you can't describe it :)
It's so good to be updating my blog this week. It's one of those routines that you come to love after a while. Plus, I've been receiving some positive feedback by some of my readers and that's so refreshing. Thank you!
I'm particularly excited because the topic of this week is missionary work! You knew it would happen, didn't you? Missionaries usually can't go so long without talking about missionary work!
Last General Conference Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Twelve titled his talk "Put your trust in the Lord". It's very much member-oriented. It's for both those members who love doing missionary work and for those who struggle a little. Both categories can all take courage from the exhortation contained in the title!
The idea of members sharing the gospel with others in natural, casual ways is not new. The Prophet Joseph Smith loved to talk about missionary work (hereare some quotes you can check out) and Elder Ballard reminds us of one of the shortest and plainest of his statements on the matter: "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."
Just to mention a few more among the most recent: more than 50 years ago President David O. McKay stated the most famous "Every member a missionary"; about 40 years ago President Spencer W. Kimball challenged us members to "lengthen our stride [and] enlarge a vision." And just a few months ago President Thomas S. Monson reiterated:"Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work." Speaking of the hastening of the Lord's work, in his last conference talk Elder Ballard made it clear that such hastening "in our day [...] can be done only when every member of the Church reaches out with love to share the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to work together in partnership with our 80,000 missionaries now serving." That is so so true! Missionaries are dying to work with members. We do our finding, we try to talk to everyone and bring the gospel to everyone; but members are the key. They have always been. Those wards and branches, stakes and districts that have experienced the most miraculous growths are those whose members have been actively engaged.
Some members hesitate to do missionary work, and Elder Ballard individuates the two major causes for this:
"The first one is fear. Many members do not even pray for opportunities to share the gospel, fearing that they might receive divine promptings to do something they think they are not capable of doing.
"The second reason is misunderstanding of what missionary work is."
I could go on days reassuring, promising, assuring you all that you needn't fear anything and anyone when you're sharing the gospel, but the words of an apostle will do it better that mine could ever do:
If we are all engaged, the Lord will have so many hands through which He can accomplish His wonders, so many mouths through which He can speak to His elect, and so many more eyes to watch over His children, our brothers and sisters. And here is the challenge for our time and day, for the here and now: "We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior." Elder Ballard quotes from a letter a member sent him to report on his family's effort in sharing the gospel. I have one more testimony to add to that. After Conference I emailed some of my friends and I extended Elder Ballard's challenge to them. I was so happy to read this the following week: "I took your and Elder Ballard's challenge
to talk to people about the gospel, and the first time it happened
was the Monday after Conference! I was at work and one of the
physician's asked me if I'd had a good weekend. I of course said that I
had and he asked what I did. I very easily could have just brushed him
off and not gone into any detail about what we did, but I decided to
tell him that [my husband]and I watched General Conference, which I explained
happens in our Church every October and April where we have the
opportunity to watch and listen to the Prophet of our church and other
leaders speak to us and give us guidance on how to improve our lives and
help others as well. He looked at me kind of weird and said, "Do they
ask you for money?" I chuckled and told him no. He then went on to say
that he thought it was so cool that we have missionaries who give up
two years of their lives to help other people, and he said he thinks all
youth in the world should do that because the Mormon's turn out so
well. Needless to say, I was a little nervous to tell him about
Conference but knew that I'd be guided on what to say and I was. It
was a neat experience."
Self-explicative, huh? The persons my friend talked to hasn't become a member (yet!), he hasn't even agreed to meet with the missionaries (yet!), but who can say that my friend failed!
One of my friends on Facebook has been a member of the Church since last January. He loves the gospel, his testimony is very strong. His natural concern for his friends is amazing. He lets the missionaries teach in his home, he goes out with them, he talks with his friends about the gospel and he invites them to talk to the missionaries, to befriend them on Facebook and listen to the message of the restored gospel. Some accept, some don't, and some even ignore the invitation. Can we say that my friend fails when the latter two happen?
Of course we can't choose for others -- we can't force them to accept the invitation to meet with the missionaries, listen to and accept the gospel. Elder Ballard said:
"It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord’s errand. While the outcome is a result of the exercise of one’s agency, sharing the gospel is our responsibility."
From personal experience I can assure you of one thing: the more we share, the more we like to share. The more we share the gospel, the stronger our testimony grows. There are just so many reasons why we want to be involved in our Father's work!
Let us heed our prophet's counsel and Elder Ballard's exhortation. Let us all seek to find the one!
It's so good to be writing this week. The weather here in England has gotten cold and a bit wet, but oh well!
The talk I'll discuss today attracted me because of its title: "Lamentations of Jeremiah: beware of bondage". Isn't that the best title? It's also a pretty good talk, by Elder Quentin L. Cook, who was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 2007. Elder Cook gave these remarks during the Sunday Afternoon Session of the October 2013 General Conference.
"Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by Rembrandt
I had never read Lamentations(in the Old Testament) before reading this talk, so I was a lot curious to see why Elder Cook used this title and how he related his remarks to the book -- written by the prophet Jeremiah (and probably others) to lament the destruction of Jerusalem by the hand of the the Babylonians. The chapter heading to Psalm 137 in the LDS edition of the King James Version of the Bible reads: "While in captivity, the Jews wept by the rivers of Babylon—Because of sorrow, they could not bear to sing the songs of Zion." By turning away from the Lord, the Jews put themselves in bondage and were scattered. Elder Cook lists a few of the lessons we can learn from this tragic period in the history of Israel, to encourage us to "do everything within our power to avoid sin and rebellion that lead to bondage."
These are the four kinds of abuses of moral agency that Elder Cook describes "pernicious" and "destructive":
1) "Addictions that impair agency, contradict moral beliefs, and destroy good health cause bondage". This is all around us unfortunately. Drug addicts and alcoholics, people addicted to pornography or who enter into large debts place a heavy burden on society at large. The 2008 financial crisis, caused by people, financial institutions, and even governments that outspent money they did not have, still influences our lives today and has caused so much poverty and bondage.
2) "Addictions or predilections [that,] while not inherently evil, can use up our precious allotment of time which could otherwise be used to accomplish virtuous objectives." A bit of social media, a bit of sport or recreation have never killed anyone; Elder Cook, though, is warning us about the dangers of excessive use of these and others. The main danger being that of not spending enough time with our family because of those very activities. Elder Cook shares the interesting story of a colleague of his who struggled to balance career, marriage and children:
"She always felt like a juggler trying to keep three balls in the air at the same time. One ball was her law practice, one was her marriage, and one was her children. She had almost given up on time for herself. She was greatly concerned that one of the balls was always on the ground. I suggested we meet as a group and discuss our priorities. We determined that the primary reason we were working was to support our families. We agreed that making more money wasn't nearly as important as our families, but we recognized that serving our clients to the best of our abilities was essential. The discussion then moved to what we did at work that was not necessary and was inconsistent with leaving time for family. Was there pressure to spend time in the workplace that was not essential? We decided that our goal would be a family-friendly environment for both women and men."
Many of us could easily find themselves in the concerns expressed by this woman lawyer. Women and men. The gospel of Jesus Christ indeed offers the solution to this problem, by putting family first. Families are forever, and all the rest is an appendage. Our jobs, our recreational activities, even our activity and service in the Church should point us back to our families. When the work-hard-play-hard philosophy crowds out family time, it is self-defeating.
3) "Ideology or political beliefs that are inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ." Elder Cook refers to these as "the most universal subjugation in our day, as it has been throughout history". He notes that the Athenians to whom Paul preached in the 1st century AD rejected the gospel because it was too simple, and probably not new to them. It was too simple therefore they mocked him. "We will hear thee again of this matter" they said. To me it sounds very much like those in today's society mock stay-at-home moms. It's too easy some think. It's not worth it some others say. Is it really? I know a woman who decided not to pursue a career outside of the home and who's now the mother of 7 (s-e-v-e-n) beautiful children. I don't think that's easy. I do think it's worth it.
"Now, let me say unequivocally that I am thrilled with the educational and other opportunities that are available to women. I treasure the fact that the backbreaking work and domestic drudgery required of women has been reduced in much of the world because of modern conveniences and that women are making such magnificent contributions in every field of endeavor. But if we allow our culture to reduce the special relationship that children have with mothers and grandmothers and others who nurture them, we will come to regret it."
4) "Forces that violate sincerely held religious principles result in bondage". This fourth point refers to all those forces who force, for example, doctors to choose between practicing abortions or losing their job. In Elder Cook's words:
"The Church is a relatively small minority even when linked with people who are like-minded. It will be hard to change society at large, but we must work to improve the moral culture that surrounds us."
This doesn't mean that everyone should become a Mormon (although that would help, if they chose to!), but we still have a responsibility to make the environment in which we live better.
Elder Cook leaves us with a challenge: "Our challenge is to avoid bondage of any kind, help the Lord gather His elect, and sacrifice for the rising generation. We must always remember that we do not save ourselves. We are liberated by the love, grace, and atoning sacrifice of the Savior."
What are we going to do to rise to this challenge from a modern-day apostle?
It's true, sometimes the power women have goes unnoticed and this causes some unhappiness among our sisters. Elder Christofferson suggests that: "Perhaps, because it is pervasive, this contribution of women is often underappreciated". Pioneers stories are full of examples of faithful women who kept their faith and managed to go through unthinkable ordeals. Elder Christofferson relates the story of Anna Daines:
"Anna and her husband, Henry, and their four children were among the pioneers of the Church in New Jersey, in the United States. Beginning in the 1930s, when Henry was a doctoral student at Rutgers University, he and Anna worked tirelessly with school and civic organizations in Metuchen, where they lived, to overcome deeply rooted prejudice against Mormons and to make the community a better place for all parents to raise their children. Anna, for example, volunteered at the Metuchen YMCA and made herself indispensable. Within a year she was appointed president of the Mothers’ Auxiliary and then “was asked to run for one of the three women’s positions on the YMCA board of directors. She won without opposition, and so joined the very council that only a few years before had refused to let the Saints meet in their building."
Anna's faith overcame the thick barrier of prejudice against the Mormon community in this small village in New Jersey.
But the real moral stronghold of society is the home, where future leaders and future parents are raised and taught. And who's the moral head of the family?
"A woman’s moral influence is nowhere more powerfully felt or more beneficially employed than in the home. There is no better setting for rearing the rising generation than the traditional family, where a father and a mother work in harmony to provide for, teach, and nurture their children."
To avoid misinterpretations, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is aware that an increasing number of families is drifting away from the model of the "traditional family". Many members -- for many reasons -- are single parents. Church leaders have repeatedly saluted these single mothers and fathers for their efforts. Still, in Elder Christofferson's words, "where this ideal [ie. mother, father, and children] does not exist, people strive to duplicate its benefits as best they can in their particular circumstances". There is unparalleled power in the family; simply because that's God's way. I have a strong testimony of that. I was born and raised in a "traditional" family and I have seen the benefits of it. My father has always been my role model, my best example of a righteous man. When I look for a wife, I won't settle for anything below the high standards of morality and ethics lived by my mother. It's not even a matter of religion. My parents are not LDS. But, again, family is the Lord's way of organizing society and there is power in it.
My "traditional" family
Elder Christofferson recognized the moral power of any women, regarding her circumstances:
"Whether you are single or married, whether you have borne children or not, whether you are old, young, or in between, your moral authority is vital, and perhaps we have begun to take it and you for granted. Certainly there are trends and forces at work that would weaken and even eliminate your influence, to the great detriment of individuals, families, and society at large."
Three major trends against the moral authority of women are listed by the apostle:
1) "the devaluation of marriage and of motherhood and homemaking as a career";
2) "attitudes toward human sexuality";
3) "those who, in the name of equality, want to erase all differences between the masculine and the feminine".
I realize Elder Christofferson (probably because of his wonderful career in the law profession) likes to use some fancy words, which I would like to break down into everyday language for the sake of our understanding -- mainly mine!
Point 1) is very well explained by Elder Christofferson in this brief video clip.
Point 2) warns against abortion for personal or social conviction, which "strikes at the heart of a woman’s most sacred powers and destroys her moral authority", and "sexual immorality and [...] revealing dress that not only debases women but reinforces the lie that a woman’s sexuality is what defines her worth." This is not bigotry. Asking for morality is not bigotry and should not sound like asking for a past that could never possibly come back. Women were once expected to live by high standards of morality and men were allowed pretty much anything ("the unfairness of such a double standard is obvious, and it has been justifiably criticized and rejected" noted Elder Christofferson). That double-standard has now turned upside down, and women are encouraged to be as immoral, uncommitted, and incautious as possible in their relations. The results? "Fatherless families and growing poverty." And men are "liberated" from all responsibilities. In a nutshell, allowing our daughter to go around with the latest low-cut tank top only contributes to the reinforcing of this wrong mindset by which women are just another nice toy.
Point 3) refers to those persistent voices that entice women to be "more aggressive, tough, and confrontational". This is simply wrong. Just because men have spent the past centuries warring with one another, it doesn't mean that's right or praiseworthy in any way! Elder Christofferson adds: "In blurring feminine and masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of women and men that together produce a greater whole."
In concluding his talk, Elder Christofferson invites all women to cultivate the most meaningful relationship that could ever exist: that with God, our Heavenly Father. And to exercise that influence for good "without fear or apology".
There's also something for all men:
"Let no one willfully misunderstand. By praising and encouraging the moral force in women, I am not saying that men and boys are somehow excused from their own duty to stand for truth and righteousness, that their responsibility to serve, sacrifice, and minister is somehow less than that of women or can be left to women. Brethren, let us stand with women, share their burdens, and cultivate our own companion moral authority."
I realize this is kind of a hot topic and I was a bit hesitant as to whether I should make a post about it or not, but I figured that this is what the Lord has spoken through one of His duly ordained apostles and, as Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans of his days: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is thepower of God unto salvation to every one that believeth". Missionary hugs to all of you! Bye for now. -Ottavio
First of all I need to say how awesome General Conference was this last weekend. If you missed it... then you missed out! But that's okay, because you can find everything (talks, music and all the nice stuff) HERE!
This week we talk about the link between testimony and conversion. The talk I'm going to use was given by Elder Bednar at the Sunday Afternoon Session of the October 2012 General Conference -- "Converted unto the Lord".
Elder Bednar dives into the topic quite quickly by relating two events in the New Testament:
(a) "He saith unto them, But whom sayyethat I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, theSon of the living God.And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, SimonBar-jona: for flesh and blood hath notrevealeditunto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:15-17)
(b) "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to haveyou, that he may siftyouas wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthenthy brethren." (Luke 22:31-32; italics added)
In the first passage Peter bears his testimony of the Christ (he acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God); in the second one, Christ is addressing Peter referring to his conversion as something yet to happen.
These are Elder Bednar's words:
"Interestingly, this mighty Apostle had talked and walked with the Master, had witnessed many miracles, and had a strong testimony of the Savior’s divinity. Yet even Peter needed additional instruction from Jesus about the converting and sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost and his obligation to serve faithfully."
When thus analyzed, it's clear to see how a testimony, a knowledge of truth didn't make Peter converted to it and neither will it make us. In Elder Bednar's words: "Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony."
The Book of Mormon is full of accounts of people who were truly converted. Elder Bednar mentions a few: the people of King Benjamin and the Lamanites converted by the sons of Mosiah. What do these converts have in common? Elder Bednar uses the 5 points givenby the prophet Samuel in the book of Mormon to define what it takes to become converted:
1) Believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are reported in the scriptures; 2) Exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; 3) Repenting; 4) Experiencing a mighty change of heart; 5) Becoming "firm and steadfast in the faith"
The process of conversion is the process of a lifetime. From my (yes, small and yes, still brief) experience, you are never converted enough. Since Jesus Christ is our example, and the kind of life He lived our goal, we are never quite as Christlike as we know we should be.
In conclusion, Elder Bednar uses the parable of the virginsto show the strong relationship between testimony and conversion. These are his words:
"Ten virgins, five who were wise and five who were foolish, took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Please think of the lamps used by the virgins as the lamps of testimony. The foolish virgins took their lamps of testimony but took no oil with them. Consider the oil to be the oil of conversion."
When the bridegroom came, the foolish virgins asked the wise ones if they could borrow some of their oil. The five wise virgins refused to lend them their oil and said: "Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." Elder Bednar goes on explaining:
"Were the five wise virgins selfish and unwilling to share, or were they indicating correctly that the oil of conversion cannot be borrowed? [...] As the wise virgins emphasized properly, each of us must “buy for ourselves.” These inspired women were not describing a business transaction; rather, they were emphasizing our individual responsibility to keep our lamp of testimony burning and to obtain an ample supply of the oil of conversion."
To "buy" that precious "oil of conversion" Elder Bednar suggests that we -- for example -- obey the commandments and study the scriptures, thus experiencing the peace the gospel can bring in our life. As a missionary, I see everyday how it's not possible to give the joy and peace that come from living the gospel to someone else. As much as I would like everyone I meet and talk with to experience the blessings of the gospel, I can't do for them what only they can do for themselves. We can't be converted for others, although we can sure help others in their journey to conversion.
This quote sums up the meaning of this address:
Testimony is an excellent starting point. Becoming more and more converted to the Lord should be our goal everyday. Let's do it :)
Thanks for reading my blog. You're so many I could have never imagined!
This week I really though I'd have to postpone my blog entry. Not so! I'm here ready to discuss another talk by an apostle. This week we'll be with Elder Dallin H. Oaks - who has been a member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles since May 1984. The title of his latest conference address is "Followers of Christ".
This talk is full of examples, facts, and anecdotes that show the deep commitment Mormons have to follow Jesus Christ. It both shows non-members that we are Christians indeed and reminds us all - as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - what we should be do, think, and believe to qualify for the title of Christians (literally "followers of Christ").
Elder Oaks is well aware that we are not perfect, and one of his first admonishments is for those of us who've stumbled in their efforts to follow Christ:
As taughtby President Monson, obedience is key. You will find Elder Oaks' teaching about obedience pretty useful as well.
Elder Oaks goes on to point out how we, as Christians, prayto our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ; are committed to strengthen and uphold the role of familyin today's society; always strive to help our neighbor and rescue who's in need; forgive each other.
This is a very touching experience related by Elder Oaks about Christlike forgiveness, which is one of the core values of the LDS faith:
"Chris Williams drew upon his faith in Jesus Christ to forgive the drunken driver who caused the death of his wife and two of their children. Only two days after the tragedy and still deeply distraught, this forgiving man, then serving as one of our bishops, said, 'As a disciple of Christ, I had no other choice.'"
Many people are not aware of the outstanding efforts made by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the humanitarianfield. Some numbers given by Elder Oaks leave no room for doubts:
$13 million given in cash and relief supplies after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011+31,000 Church-sponsored volunteers who gave more than 600,000 hours of service;
300,000hours of service in cleanup efforts by about 28,000Church members following the hurricane Sandy that hit the eastern United States;
300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of clothing and shoes for the refugees in the African nation of Chad only in the last year;
30 million people of all faiths and races assisted in 179 countries during the last 25 years.
The missionary effort of the LDS Church is well known and it's inspired by one of the last teaching the Savior left with His original apostles: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). At the time when this talk was given (April 2013) the missionary force of the church consisted of 60,000+ missionaries. Today there are more than 75,000!
The last point Elder Oaks touches on in this talk is the LDS belief and practice of becoming more like Jesus Christ everyday:
"From modern revelation, unique to the restored gospel, we know that the commandment to seek perfection is part of God the Father’s plan for the salvation of His children. Under that plan we are all heirs of our heavenly parents. “We are the children of God,” the Apostle Paul taught, “and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16–17). This means, as we are told in the New Testament, that we are “heirs … of eternal life” (Titus 3:7) and that if we come to the Father, we are to “inherit all things” (Revelation 21:7)—all that He has—a concept our mortal minds can hardly grasp. But at least we can understand that achieving this ultimate destiny in eternity is possible only if we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, who taught that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). We seek to follow Him and become more like Him, here and hereafter."
Much doctrine and much encouragement can be found in this talk.
We invite all men to come unto Christ and we ourselves strive to do that on a daily basis.
I hope you enjoyed this week's entry! I'm always eager to have your feedback :)
Singe the October 2013 General Conference is coming up, here's a page where you can find useful tools to share this wonderful, unique event with your online friends and family members!
Have you ever found yourselves in front of a task (any kind of task: church, school, work and the list goes on...) without having a clue how you're going to accomplish it? As a missionary, it happens to me all the time. The talkI'll share this week has helped me a lot whenever I've had to do things that seemed bigger than me.
Elder Neil L. Andersen (who is currently the junior member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles) was yet to be called as an apostle when he gave this talk -- but I think it's such a great one that, that it definitely deserves studying and looking at! Its title is "You know enough".
When Elder Andersen was getting ready to serve a mission as a young man, he was wondering whether he would be able to be a good missionary. He relates:
"I felt very inadequate and unprepared. I remember praying,“Heavenly Father, how can I serve a mission when I know so little?” I believed in the Church, but I felt my spiritual knowledge was very limited."As I prayed, the feeling came:“You don't know everything, but you know enough!” That reassurance gave me the courage to take the next step into the mission field."
I think we can all have that exact spiritual experience as we go to our Father in Heaven and ask Him for comfort and reassurance. 99% of my stress is due to my fear that the lord expects me to be all perfect, all at once. I somehow think that the Lord expects me to be able to deal with all the difficulties of life by myself. When I get caught in that misconception, I fail to understand the very purpose of those trials and of my imperfections. "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27; italics added) What a wonderful scripture! What a wonderful promise from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Let's read the story of how Elder Andersen helped a missionary stay in the mission field in a moment of crisis:
"The missionary told me about his challenging childhood, of learning disorders, of moving from one family to another. He spoke sincerely of his inability to learn a new language and adapt to a new culture. Then he added, “Brother Andersen, I don't even know if God loves me.” As he said those words, I felt a sure and forceful feeling come into my spirit: “He does know I love him. He knows it.”I let him continue for a few more minutes, and then I said, “Elder, I'm sympathetic to much of what you've said, but I must correct you on one thing: you do know God loves you. You know He does.”As I said those words to him, the same Spirit that had spoken to me spoke to him. He bowed his head and began to cry. He apologized. “Brother Andersen,” he said, “I do know God loves me; I do know it.” He didn't know everything, but he knew enough. He knew God loved him. That priceless piece of spiritual knowledge was sufficient for his doubt to be replaced with faith. He found the strength to stay on his mission."
The simple, basic knowledge that God loved him helped this young elder (I always like this oxymoron!) stay on his mission. My mission president says that to understand the gospel and resolve concerns we have to K.I.S.S. ("Keep It Simple and Stupid"). That does make the difference!
In his talk, Elder Andersen says that as "we choose the road of faith [...] our questions and doubts are resolved or become less concerning to us. Our faith becomes simple and pure. We come to know what we already knew."
It takes faith to realize that we don't know everything, but we know enough. It probably takes even more faith to realize that the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ don't expect us to know everything. How wonderful is that, though! A good friend of mine, every time I talk to her about my problems and challenges, reminds me that I need to learn to turn it over to the Lord and quit over worrying about it!
I love this talk. It's been a huge part of my life ever since I first read it. It helps me remember that my Heavenly Father is a merciful God, who doesn't expect me to know everything. I'm sure He wants me to learn and increase my knowledge. But there are times when He does whisper to me -- just like He did to Elder Andersen more than 40 years ago -- "You don't know everything, but you know enough".
I do recommend that you read the entire talk. You might also wanna check out this nice Mormon Message.
Share your thoughts about this talk with me if you feel like. I love to hear from you all!
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