Helping Youth Prepare For Missionary Service

Plant The Idea to Serve Very Early In Life
Preparing a son or daughter to go on a mission, is a lifelong processes. Waiting until a young man turns 18 and then suggesting that he go on a mission is way too late to begin. Going on a mission, and eternal marriage should be taught and looked forward to from early childhood.

Elder Marvin K. Gardner gives an example of this from his life:

As I look back now, I can see a lot of things dad and mother did—sometimes subtly and other times not so subtly—to help us get ready for our missions. They made missionary training a natural part of life.

That’s how they got their eight sons to help out with the washing, the ironing, the cleaning, and the cooking. (Our little sister came last.) It was all good experience, they kept telling us—experience for marriage, yes. But first, experience for the time we’d have to fend for ourselves on a mission.

That’s how they kept us from getting too serious with a girl too soon. During high school, it’s best to date lots of girls instead of just one, they said, to avoid the possibility of having to choose between marriage and a mission.

That’s how they got us to save our money instead of spending it all the minute we made it.

I’m not saying that dad and mother brought up the word mission every time they corrected us or tried to get us to do something; they didn’t have to. A mission was only one of the many things they were helping us prepare for. But they helped us see that preparation for a mission was good preparation for the rest of our lives. That’s why I never thought dad and mother had one-track minds stuck on missionary work. That’s why I don’t remember ever feeling pushed or coerced to serve a mission. We all expected to go on a mission just like we all expected to . . . get married in the temple. (Marvin K. Gardner, “What Parents Can Do … Before the Call Comes,” Ensign, Dec. 1979, 7)

It was much the same in my home, as I was growing up. When my two brothers and I turned 19, each of us expected to go on a mission, and were looking forward to it. Each of us made our own choice to go; we were not forced or pressured to leave. However, the idea of going on a mission just seemed to be natural part of life. And it was!

Obtaining a Knowledge and Testimony of the Gospel
With the recent changes to the missionary discussions, missionaries no longer memorize discussions. Instead, they study and learn gospel doctrines and principles in five basic lessons, and create individualized lesson plans for each investigator, or new convert. In order to teach effectively, each missionary needs to know the gospel himself.

Parents need to emphasize the importance of studying the gospel in their own homes, years before the mission call comes. Regular family scripture study and home evenings can go a long way toward helping children learn the gospel. Family scripture study also helps reinforce the scriptures as a prominent part of our daily lives. Attendance at Sunday meetings, seminary, and youth activities should also be encouraged by parents to help youth people learn the gospel for themselves.

Perhaps the single most effective tool for learning the gospel, and gaining a personal testimony is the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith once said that:

“. . .the Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book. (History of the Church 1:461.)

We all know the promise contained within the Book of Mormon itself, that if we will study it, ponder, and pray to know the truth, that the Holy Ghost will manifest the truthfulness of what is contained in the Book of Mormon to our hearts and minds. (See Moroni 10:3-5)

Recording For Future Playback
Our minds are wonderful things. All the studying we do, both before and during our missions is indelibly recorded in our brains. The power Heavenly Father has given our brains to absorb and retain information is one of the reasons that we must be careful about the kinds of words and images we view. Sometimes as mortals – especially when we get older – we have a hard time recalling all the information that has been stored in our minds.

However, the Holy Ghost has a key to unlock our minds. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, all that we have previously studied and learned can become available to us as we teach the gospel. One of the special functions of the Holy Ghost is to bring all these things to our remembrance. (See John 14:26)

If we have diligently studied and learned the gospel, the Spirit will bring the things we learned back to our remembrance, just in the moment they are needed in teaching situations. I know this was the case with me when I was on my mission. A scripture, or a concept would just pop into my head at the most opportune moments. I learned that this was Spirit prompting me to teach the things that the person I was teaching needed to hear – at that very moment.

On the other hand, if we have not sufficiently prepared ourselves, the Spirit will have less within us to work with, and we will not be as effective of a teacher as we might have otherwise have been.

Help Youth to Recognize the Spirit
Having a good working knowledge of the gospel is important. However, having a personal witness of the truthfulness of the restored gospel makes for a far more powerful and effective teacher.

Investigators can sense whether or not you really believe what you are teaching. When you teach with the spirit and with a personal testimony, you teach with power. Power that communicates spirit to spirit. Power that will cause hearts to soften and change. When you teach with the spirit, you will see miracles happen as people hear the voice of the Lord, through you, and make the necessary changes in their lives to come unto him and be baptized. There is no greater work.

As parents, one of the greatest things we can do is to help our children learn to recognize the presence of the Holy ghost. Take the time when you have your family scripture study, or home evenings to point out moments when the presence of the Spirit can be felt. In fact, helping children and youth learn to feel the promptings and impressions of the spirit may be even more important than the subject matter that you are teaching at the time. Because once a person learns how to receive light and knowledge from the Holy Spirit, the key to the knowledge of all things is then opened up to them.

Using “Preach My Gospel” in the Home
A little over a year ago, the updated missionary manual “Preach My Gospel” was introduced. This manual contains mission rules, missionary study materials, as well as the concepts of the gospel that they are to teach investigators and new members. Missionaries are to create individualized lesson plans for each investigator or new convert.

Unlike previous full-time missionary resources, Preach My Gospel is available to any leader or member of the church through the church distribution center.

Speaking of “Preach My Gospel”, Elder Richard G. Scott, in the April 2005 General Conference said:

[Preach My Gospel was] developed primarily for full-time missionary use. [However], this material has also proven to be most beneficial for parents who want to help children prepare for a mission. Young men and women as well as some couples are using the resource to get a head start before entering the missionary training centers. Some priesthood leaders have confirmed its worth in preparing Aaronic Priesthood brethren for missions. (Richard G. Scott, “The Power of Preach My Gospel,” Ensign, May 2005, 29)

You might be interested to know some of what is contained in Preach My Gospel. Here are a few of the chapter headings:

• How do I study effectively and prepare to teach?


• How do I recognize and understand the Spirit?


• What is the role of the Book of Mormon?


• How do I develop Christlike attributes?


• How do I use time wisely?


• How do I find people to teach?


• How can I improve my teaching skills?

Family Home evenings could be based on Preach My Gospel, and each family member, as they are old enough, can take turns in teaching from its pages. This will help them become familiar with what missionaries do, and how they live, as well provide opportunities for every family member to prepare and teach lessons. Being able to stand up before a group, and make a presentation is an invaluable skill for missionaries.

Practical Living Skills
Practical living skills are also important for a young man, or young woman as they enter the mission field. Things like basic cooking skills, how to do laundry and household cleaning, and even a little bit of basic sewing – like how to sew on a button. Other practical skills like budgeting, time management, and goal setting are also great preparation for a mission. Many of these skills can be learned throughout their lives from daily chores and responsibilities around the house.

So kids -- when your parents ask you to do the dishes, or clean up your room, they are not only wanting you to do your chores, but they are also trying to help you prepare for your mission as well. While its true, parents could do these chores themselves, they are actually unselfishly trying to help you prepare for your mission, and for your life later on after you leave home!

These practical life-skills not only prepare youth for their missions, but for when they go off to college, and later when they get married and begin new homes and families of their own.

Physical and Mental Preparedness
Spiritual preparedness, and the ability to take care of oneself on your own are important ways to prepare for a mission. However, we also need to prepare ourselves physically and mentally as well.

One thing you will find, is that missionary work is hard, strenuous work – both physically and mentally! A missionary’s day begins early in the morning, at 6:30 am, and their whole day is filled with scheduled activities until 10:30 pm. It takes a lot of energy to be a missionary. Being in good physical condition is important to be being able to keep up with what is expected of you.

Likewise, good mental health is also important for effective missionary service. One problem many missionaries struggle with is homesickness. It is good for youth to occasionally spend some time away from home. This can come in the form of scout or young women’s camps. Spending a few days away from home with grandma and grandpa, or an aunt or uncle when school is not in session is another way to learn about being away from home. Time spent away from home, while going to college also his an excellent way to learn how to function on one’s own, while still being able to call mom or dad on a regular basis, or come home for the weekend if you are close enough to home.

When a young man or woman enters the mission field, it is time to leave the thoughts of home, school, and girlfriends behind. Time serving on a full-time mission is consecrated time. When we agree to missionary service, we are asked to serve with all our hearts, might, mind, and strength. If a part of us is still so wrapped up in life back home, we cannot fully focus on our missionary responsibilities, and we are not able to give the full measure of service that is required.

Teaching our children how to deal with discouragement is also another way in which parents can prepare their children for the mission field, and for life in general. Missionary work is filled with many ups and downs. There are many great and marvelous experiences to be had. However, we know that there is opposition in all things, and along with those highs, will be some low moments as well. We cannot expect every moment of our mission, or of our live to be one continuous high. Young people need to learn how to deal with discouragement, and how to continue pressing forward, with faith, even in the face of adversity.

Discouragement comes to all missionaries at one time or another. It is not the same thing as depression. Individuals who are prone to serious states of depression or mental illness, who have previously required counseling and medication should consult with their priesthood leaders prior to submitting an application for missionary service. The application must include an honest history. If medication has been prescribed, it should be continued while serving in the mission field. (See: S. Brent Scharman, “Preparing Your Future Missionary,” Ensign, Oct. 2004, 17)

The Example of Parents
A tradition of missionary work also plays a strong roll in preparing children for missionary service.

If one, or both of the parents has served a mission, parents should regularly share their missionary experiences with their children. When personal experiences are shared with our children, missionary work becomes that much more real to them. If you kept a missionary journal while on your mission, you might want share some of your journal entries, photographs or other memorabilia with your family as part of home evening lessons from time-to-time. Be sure to share your testimony along with your reminiscences. This will help create a legacy and tradition of missionary service in your family, which your children can look forward to carrying on themselves.

The example of how parents live their everyday is also powerful in preparing children for missions. As children see you keeping your covenants, attending your meetings, fulfilling your callings, and supporting priesthood leaders, they will know that you are putting the Lord first in your life. They will see that you have chosen to make the sacrifices necessary to follow the Lord. This example will be a great motivator for them when they too, must come to grips with the sacrifice that is being asked of them, and consecrate two years of their young lives on the altar of the Lord.

Be Involved in Member Missionary Work
All of the things we have talked about thus far, are important, excellent ways in which to prepare our youth to serve missions. All of these things are quite useful and necessary.

However, if I were to choose one single way, that you can best prepare a child for a mission, it would be to become missionaries now!

If you, as a family are actively seeking out missionary opportunities, and inviting your friends and neighbors to be taught the gospel in your own home, you will provide the opportunity for your children to see real missionaries in action!

Having the full-missionaries frequently in your home, as they teach a neighbor or friend brings a powerful spirit into your home. What better preparation for a mission is there than actually seeing the change of conversion come over a friend or loved-one as they accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a powerful influence it will be on your children as they see investigators enter the waters of baptism, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Let your own children study and pray, and gain their own testimonies of the gospel, right along with the investigators who are being taught in your home.

The spirit and the example of the full-time missionaries will also rub-off on your whole family as well. If your home is filled with the spirit of missionary work, your children will be also. They will have tasted of that sweet spirit the gospel brings, and have a desire to share it with others. And when the time comes, it will be their desire to serve a full-time mission, and declare the glad tidings of the gospel to all who will hear.

The Greatest Battle

The following is a talk given at the Utah Boy's Ranch on January 1, 2006. The audience was mostly comprised of young men between the ages of 10-18. Most of them do not have a strong foundation in the Jesus Christ. It was my hope to help them gain a better perspective of who they are, and why they are here on earth.

The War In Heaven
Long ago, at the council in heaven, we each chose to follow the plan of our Heavenly Father. Satan and his followers were cast out of heaven, losing forever their ability to obtain physical bodies for themselves.

Because we chose to follow Jesus, we gained the privilege to come to earth and obtain mortal bodies. We were all excited to obtain these bodies and looked forward to the new experiences having a body would bring. We were charged with the responsibility to take possession of our bodies, and make it our servant. We are to respect our bodies, yet our spirit was intended to be the master over our bodies.

Satan, of course was not happy about any of this. He wanted to overthrow Heavenly Father, and to defeat Jesus. That is why the first battle of the war in Heaven was fought, which resulted in Satan being cast out. (Satan’s plan was foiled.)

Garden Of Eden
Having lost that battle, Satan next tried to defeat Heavenly Father’s plan in the Garden of Eden. He thought that by getting Adam and Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit, that he would foil Heavenly Father’s plan. What actually happened, however, was the Fall of Adam opened the door so that all of Heavenly Father’s spirit children who remained in Heaven, could come to earth to obtain physical bodies. (Satan’s plan didn’t work as he expected in the Garden of Eden.)

Lucifer Vs. Christ in Mortality
Later, Jesus was born, began his mortal ministry, and was tempted of the devil. He tried to appeal to Savior’s physical appetites, and to his pride. Jesus saw right through what Satan was trying to do, and sent the devil away. Later, Satan planted hate, fear and jealousy into the hearts of evil men. They had Jesus arrested on false charges, and had him crucified. Once again, Satan’s plan was foiled. The very purpose that Jesus came into the world was to lay down his life for all mankind, as a sacrifice for sin. By giving up his life, Jesus also was able to break the bands of death when he was resurrected. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, all mankind will be resurrected and live again. Through the atonement of the Savior, we may all be forgiven of our sins if we will repent. Satan’s plan didn’t work out too well that time either. – Are you sensing a pattern here?

Satan Vs. Joseph Smith
Later, in the spring of 1820, the 14-year old Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees to pray. Satan knew who Joseph was, and that he was to bring about the restoration of the gospel to the earth. The prophets have foretold that the gospel will go forth until it fills the entire earth. It will never again be taken from the earth, until the time when the Savior returns again in his Glory.

As Joseph knelt in the Sacred Grove, Satan tried to overpower him. Joseph felt that his life was in danger, yet he still pressed on in faith. Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to the prophet Joseph, and dispelled away the power of Satan. Through Joseph Smith, the gospel was restored. Once again, Satan influenced evil men to conspire to take away the life of the Prophet. But by then Joseph Smith had completed his work, the gospel was restored, and the church is now in process of filling up the whole earth, as was prophesied.

The Final Battle
As we can see, and various critical moments in the plan of salvation, Satan was there to try to defeat the plan. At every one of these instances, Jesus has won the battle every time. I’ve got news for you – it will always be that way. At some point in time, a final battle will be fought, and Jesus, and those who stand with him will win the war once and for all. Satan will be bound forever, and cast into that outer darkness where he and his followers will spend the eternities.

The outcome of this battle between Jesus and Satan is not in question. Jesus will win. The real question then becomes, on whose side will we be at the last battle. Will we be with Jesus, or will we be with Satan.

All of Satan’s attempts to foil the plan of salvation have failed thus far. Eventually that final battle will take place between Jesus and Satan will take place. But in the meantime, what is the battle front now?

The Battle For The Souls of Men
Satan is not just waiting around for the big battle to happen. He is actively recruiting people to come and join his side. The battle’s front, right now is an individual battle for the hearts and souls of mankind. That means that he is actively trying to get you and me to come over to his side. How does he do this?

The primary way that Satan will try to tempt us is through the flesh. Each of us is made up two parts: our spirits, which come from God, and our bodies, which come from our earthly parents. When we received our bodies, we were commanded to make our spirits the masters of our bodies. When we give in to the lusts, appetites, and ambitions of the flesh, we are allowing our bodies to control our spirits.

Most of the help that we will receive from Heavenly Father will come through our spirits, from the Light of Christ, and from the Holy Ghost. Satan will try to tempt us through our bodies, or through the flesh.

A key way we can know how well we are doing in our spiritual progress is to ask ourselves who is winning, the spirit or the flesh?

Me Vs. It
Elder Melvin J. Ballard describes the relationship between our bodies and sprits this way:

I should like to speak of spirit and body as “me” and “it.” “Me” is the individual who dwells in this body, who lived before I had such a body, and who will live when I step out of the body. “It” is the house I live in, the tabernacle of flesh; and the great conflict is between “me” and “it.” (“Struggle for the Soul”, Melvin J. Ballard, New Era, March 1984, p 32 – Talk Originally given May 5, 1928 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle)

Examine Ourselves
So, how does the battle go for you my friends? Each of us needs to take the time to occasionally examine ourselves, and see how our battle to overcome the flesh is going. Each week, as we attend sacrament meeting, we have a special time set aside just for this very purpose – when the sacrament is blessed and passed to the congregation.

During this time of quiet, we can look at our own lives, and our own behaviors, and determine whether or not we have yielded ourselves to the tempter. If this is so, then we need to repent and make peace with those we may have offended. We need to re-new our covenant to serve God, and to keep his commandments, as we do when we partake of the sacrament. If we do this, we can be cleansed and purified of our sins.

Fasting
Once a month, we all have the opportunity to fast. This is a time when we have the opportunity to show our body just who is boss! Who will win? – The flesh, or the spirit. It seems like that as soon as we decide to fast, that our body begins to cry out in protest. It starts to whine and fuss with things like:

1 “My head will ache, my knees will quake, I shall feel faint; I cannot fast so long; I must eat a little.” Are you yielding? If so, we know who is winning that battle, and who is gaining the mastery.

2 On the other hand, your spirit can say such things as: “You can do without these two meals; it will not hurt you. And though my head may ache and my body may feel faint, I will not die; I am bigger than you are, and once a month I will show you that I am master.”

What strength that will give you to resist tomorrow when some other craving arrives! It may be for liquor, tobacco, or some other craving of the flesh because you have already defeated the flesh as you fasted. Likewise, you can defeat the flesh in these other desires.

One of the blessings of fasting is that we will be given power to overcome the bondage of sin. (See Isaiah 58:6-11) Fasting is a powerful way to obtain mastery over the flesh.

The Light of Christ
Remember that you are not alone in this fight. Satan and his followers may be trying to tempt you to do wrong, but remember, that God is also sending forth his influence to help you overcome Satan. He does sending forth the Light of Christ, which is shed forth upon every person that comes into the world.

Sometimes the Light of Christ is called a moral sense, or our conscience, The Light of Christ will always direct us to make good choices, and to avoid evil, unless we subdue it, or silence it.

We are taught in that in order to be tested, there must be an opposition in the choices that we make. On the one hand we have the Light of Christ, which inspires us to do good; and on the other hand we have Satan and his followers, which tempt us to do evil. These two forces are set in opposition to one another. We are in the middle, between these to forces tugging at us in opposite directions. We have been given our moral agency are free to choose for ourselves which course we will follow.

The choice is always ours. The gift of agency, besides the gift of life itself, is one of the greatest gifts God has given his children. The Light of Christ is always there, calling and beckoning to us, we are free to respond to it by our own choice – it is never forced upon us. The greatest conflict that any of us will have is this inner conflict that each of us must battle.

Open Your Eyes
If you were to close your eyes on a bright, sun-shiny day, you would not see the light. The sun, however, continues to shine, anyway. The only reason you cannot see it is that you have closed your eyes; and by so doing, you have shut down your ability to perceive it.

The same is true with the Light of Christ. It continues to shine on forever, whether we have our eyes open – or not.

In fact, we couldn’t hide from the Light of Christ – even if we wanted to! We can, however choose to ignore what we see, or cloud our spiritual eyes and minds so much with disobedience and wickedness that we can no longer perceive the light.

The Light is Always On
Perhaps you know someone who has fallen into this condition of spiritual blindness. Perhaps it may even happened to you or me. It happens, even to the best of us, if we are not careful. We can lose the light we once had, and can fall into sin and transgression.

What if that has happened to you, or to someone you know. Be assured that the Light is still there. There is no depth so low, no darkness so deep, nor any place so far away that cannot be penetrated by the Light of Christ. God will never abandon us, no matter how far we may have fallen. The light, and life of his love is ever there. His arms are stretched out still. There is none that he will turn away, if we will but come unto him.

Come Unto Christ
Even in our darkest hour, when we may feel so unworthy, and so unwanted – know that our Savior, and his light are still there for you. It is Satan, and not Christ that tells you that you are worthless, unwanted, and unredeemable. Do not listen to him. Believe in Christ, that he is, and that he can save you. Follow the promptings of the light of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost.

Know that his power is great. For he is mighty to save. He has taken upon him the sins and pains of the whole world. He has suffered these things for all . . . that they might not suffer. He has broken the terrible bonds of death – that we may all live once more. He has triumphed over all things. And though each of us are weak and lowly, because of his love for us, he desires to draw all men unto him, that he may lift them up, and return them to the presence of the Father.

He as felt the pain and suffering of each one of us. He knows what your problems are, and what they feel like. And because he knows how it feels, he also knows how to heal us. He wants so very much to bring you unto Him.

The Lord knowing your pain, and knowing how you suffer, still leaves it up to you. The choice is always yours – and he will never take that choice away from you. He can bless and heal your life, but you have to be willing to come unto him, to believe in him, to repent, and to follow him by keeping his commandments.

If you do this, you will be healed. You will have won your own battle between the flesh and the spirit. You will be joined with the Savior on the winning side of the great and last war between good and evil. And most of all, you will have Eternal Life, in the presence of our Father In Heaven, where you will receive a fullness of joy for ever and ever.

One Step At A Time
Now, what can we do in our battle today. How can we take a step in the right direction today? I would encourage you to think of two changes to make in your life.

1. Choose one thing that you are doing wrong now, and stop doing it.
2. Choose one thing that you are not doing right now, that you should be doing.

Ask the Lord, in your prayers to help you know what these two things should be. Make a decision, and write it down. Commit to yourself, and to the Lord that you will make these changes. Work on them, stay with it. If you slip up, don’t be discouraged. Just renew your resolve to change, and keep at it. Eventually these changes will become second nature to you. Then you can select what you should work on next.

If you take it one step at a time, real progress can be made. At the end of this year, you will be able t point to some of the changes you have made, and see that you have made real progress.

Know that the Lord is pleased when we desire to repent, and change, and follow his will. He will bless you in your righteous efforts, and will help you to achieve your goals. You are precious to Him, and he wants for you to return to his presence, and live with him one day.

The Light Of Christ

During the Christmas season, we commemorate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is interesting that one of the symbols we use in our celebration are Christmas Lights. Each of these tiny lights, can help us to remember Jesus, who is the Light of the World.

The Light of Christ is defined in the scriptures as:

- “the Spirit [which] giveth light to every man that cometh into the world” (D&C 84:46)
- “the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed” (D&C 88:13; see also John 1:4–9; D&C 84:45–47;
D&C 88:6; D&C 93:9).

In the scriptures, the Light of Christ is also referred to in the following ways:

- “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (D&C 84:45)
- “the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18; see also Mosiah 25:24)
- “the Spirit of truth” (D&C 93:26)
- “the light of truth” (D&C 88:6)
- “the Spirit of God” (D&C 46:17)
- and “the Holy Spirit” (D&C 45:57)

Some of these terms are also used to refer to the Holy Ghost.

A Gift to All Mankind

Speaking of the Light of Christ, we read:

46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.
47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father. (D&C 84:46-47)

There is a lot of meaning is packed into these two verses:

1. The Light of Christ is given to every person that comes into the world.
It does not matter what their race, religion, wealth, or social class may be. It doesn’t matter if they live in a free country, or a country dominated by avowed atheist dictators. It eveb doesn’t matter what they believe. The light of Christ is given to all of God’s Children, everywhere on earth. This gift has been given to all mankind from the time of the Garden of Eden, down to our present time, and will continue as long as the earth shall stand. There has never been a time on the face of the earth, when the light of Christ was not present. The Light of Christ still remained present, even during the deepest, darkest times of apostasy, when the fullness of the Gospel was not found on the earth. God has never abandoned his Children on this earth, at any time. His light has ever shone forth.

The Light of Christ existed before we were born, and it will be with us for every moment of our lives, and it will continue after we have died. It is ever there.

2. Those who hearken (which means to listen, and to obey) to the light of Christ will be enlightened.
Inspiration and enlightenment comes to all those who will listen to the light of Christ. This enlightenment can come in many forms. It can come to the inventor, the scientist, the painter, the sculptor, the composer, the performer, the architect, and the author. The result of this enlightenment can produce great, and even inspired things for the blessing and good of all mankind.

Think of the advancements in science, medicine, communications, technology, and transportation that have come about in the last 100 years. Think of the great writers, composers, and artists who have been inspired by the Light of Christ to lift and inspire mankind to the glory of God. Think of the religious reformers who prepared the way for the restoration of the gospel. All of these have been inspired by the Light of Christ.

3. Those who continue to hearken to the Light of Christ, will be led back to our Heavenly Father.
As a person continues to listen and obey the Light of Christ, they will eventually be led back to the presence of the Father.

Think of 14-year-old Joseph Smith, who hearkened to the voice of the Spirit as he became interested in religion, and desired to know the will of God concerning which church to join. Remember as he was studying the scriptures how he was not only influence by the Light of Christ, but by his obedience to the light which he had already received, he was then moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost – which in turn led him to the Sacred Grove where he would receive his miraculous First Vision. There he would behold the presence of God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and was given the answers to his questions, and was further instructed by them.

The Light of Christ, is also known as the Spirit of Truth. Those who seek after that spirit, and cling to the truths that they learn, will eventually be led back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

President Joseph F. Smith said it this way:

The Spirit of Christ “strives with … men, and will continue to strive with them [if they will resist the enticings of Satan], until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and testimony of the Holy Ghost.” (Gospel Doctrine, Deseret Book Co., 1973, pp. 67–68.)

Truth Vs. Error

The Light of Christ is not only given to us for enlightenment, and to draw us toward the Savior; but also is given to us to discern right from wrong.

Sometimes this manifestation of the Light of Christ is called a moral sense, or our conscience, The Light of Christ will always direct us to make good choices, and to avoid evil, unless we subdue it, or silence it.

Each person enters mortality to obtain a physical body, and to be tested. We are taught in that in order to be tested, there must be an opposition in the choices that we make. On the one hand we have the Light of Christ, which inspires us to do good; and on the other hand we have Satan and his followers, which tempt us to do evil. These two forces are set in opposition to one another. We are in the middle, between these to forces tugging at us in opposite directions. We have been given our moral agency are free to choose for ourselves which course we will follow.

Nephi said:

“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; . . . And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27)

The choice is always ours. Agency, besides the gift of life itself, is one of the greatest gifts God has given his children. The Light of Christ is always there, calling and beckoning to us, we are free to respond to it by our own choice – never is it a compulsory force upon us.

Moroni describes how the Light of Christ helps us to judge good from evil:

16 “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; . . . “ wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; . . .” (Moroni 7:16-17)

Moroni reaffirms the truth that the Spirit, or Light of Christ is given to every man, without exception. What is the way we are to judge good from evil? Moroni teaches that those things which lead us to do good, and to believe in Christ are good, and those which would lead us away from doing good, or believing in Christ are of the devil, and should be avoided.

Each of us has this ability to distinguish good from evil, if we will listen to the Light of Christ.

No Excuses

After establishing the power of the Light of Christ – which shows us the way to truth and righteousness, and then giving man his moral agency to choose good or evil for himself – man then becomes an agent unto himself. Fully free, and fully accountable for his actions while in mortality.

31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. (D&C 93:31-32)

Those who choose not to receive and hearken to the Light of Christ will be under condemnation. When the time of judgment comes, men will have no excuse that they did not know right from wrong. They will be held accountable because the Light of Christ had shown them what was right, but they still chose to do evil, -- choosing to sin against the Light.

Teaching By the Light Of Christ

Knowing that each of us receives the Light of Christ provides an opportunity for us as teachers. All of us are teachers, in one respect or another. Missionaries teach. Parents teach. Some of us are called upon to teach classes or to speak in church. All of us teach by our examples too, as we interact each day with those who are around us.

When we teach the truths of the gospel, the light of Christ is there to witness to the truth of what we are saying. When others see us living in harmony with truth, the Light of Christ resonates within them. Our teachings will have a familiar ‘ring’ to those who are listening to the Light. That light will lead them to further search for truth, and eventually will be led to the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Losing The Light

If you were to close your eyes on a bright, sun-shiny day, you would not see the light. The sun, however, 1 continues to shine, as always. The only reason you cannot see it is that you have closed your eyes; and by so doing, you have shut down your ability to perceive it.

The same is true with the Light of Christ. It continues to shine on forever. In fact, the Lord has said that:

12 [The Light of Christ] . . . proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—. (D&C 88:12)

We couldn’t hide from the Light of Christ – even if we wanted to! We can, however choose to ignore what we see, or cloud our spiritual eyes and minds so much with disobedience and wickedness that we can no longer perceive the light.

A Spark In The Dark

Perhaps you know someone who has fallen into this condition of spiritual blindness. Perhaps it may even happened to you or me. It happens, even to the best of us, if we are not careful. We can lose the light we once had, and can fall into sin and transgression.

What if that has happened to you, or to someone you know. Be assured that the Light is still there. There is no depth so low, no darkness so deep that cannot be penetrated by the Light of Christ. God will never abandon us, no matter how far we may have fallen. The light, and life of his love is ever there. His arms are stretched out still. There is none that he will turn away, if we will but come unto him.

Those whose minds have become sufficiently darkened may find it hard to believe in Christ, and that he is trying to reach each one of us.

In a recent Ensign article, Elder Boyd K Packer gives the following example:

“Man himself, with all his limitations, can convey messages through fiber-optic cables. A single tiny fiber of glass, smaller than a human hair, can carry 40,000 messages at the same time. These can then be decoded and turned into sight and sound and color, even motion. Man can do that.

A laser beam, where there is no wire or fiber at all, can carry 100 billion bits of information in a second.

If man can do that, why should we marvel at the promise that the Light of Christ is in all of us and that the Holy Ghost can visit any of us?
It should not be difficult, therefore, to understand how revelation from God to His children on earth can come to all mankind through both the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost.” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Light of Christ,” Ensign, Apr. 2005, 8)

Even in our darkest hour, when we may feel so unworthy, and so unwanted – know that our Savior, and his light are still there for you. It is Satan, and not Christ that tells you that you are worthless, unwanted, and unredeemable. Do not listen to him. Believe in Christ, that he is, and that he can save you.

Know that his power is great. For he is mighty to save. He has taken upon him the sins and pains of the whole world. He has suffered these things for all -- that they might not suffer. He has broken the terrible bonds of death – that we may all live once more. He has triumphed over all things. And though each of us are weak and lowly, because of his love for us, he desires to draw all men unto him, that he may lift them up, and return them to the presence of the Father. And for this, all he asks is that we follow Him, and keep his commandments.

Conclusion

During this season of gift giving, let us remember the that the greatest Christmas gift ever given was when the Father sent his Only Begotten Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. In return, the greatest gift that we can ever give is to love and serve God, and our fellow-men – the two great commandments.

Healing During The Holidays

(Note: This was a talk that I originally gave in December of 2003)

When we received our December (2003) Ensign, our daughter, Amy, was exited to see the new “Joy to the World” video which came with the magazine. However, instead of pronouncing the title “Joy to the World”, she said instead, “Joy of the World”. This caused me to think for a moment, The Savior’s coming truly was a moment of joy to the world. However, for those who love and serve the Savior, He can truly become the Joy of the world as well.

This being the case, how do we answer the following question: Is the Savior the Joy of my world? For the next few minutes, I would like you to ponder that question in your own hearts.

At Christmas time, we celebrate the coming of the Savior into the world. The Prophet Alma describes the mortal mission of the savior in:

(Alma 7:10-13.)

10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

This scripture gives us a wonderful description of the purposes for which the Savior came into the world. He came and suffered all things that we might be called upon to suffer in this world: He suffered every pain, every sickness, every temptation. He took upon himself our sins. He suffered persecution and abuse, even to death. He overcame the grave, and was resurrected. He provided the way that we can be saved from our sufferings, both physically and spiritually, and one-day overcome the world, just as he has. And because he has suffered all these things himself, he also knows the pains and sufferings that we experience, AND, most importantly, he knows how to heal us.

Knowing this, we can be sure that the Savior has provided the cure for any heartache, disappointment, anguish, despair or torment that we may feel. He came into the world with “healing in his wings”, to bind up our wounds, and to make us whole again.


The Cause of Heartache and Disappointment

In each of our lives, we suffer from the wounds, heartaches and disappointments that are a part of mortal life.

Some of these wounds are those which we have brought upon ourselves through our own sins or poor decision making. The burden of sin inflicts the deepest wounds, and ladens us with the heaviest burdens we can carry in mortal life.

Some of our heartaches disappointments come simply as a result of what I call, “Random Acts of Mortality”. These are things of which we are called upon to endure through no fault of our own. These might include accidents, illnesses of both body and mind, or simply just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The agency of others sometimes causes us great pain and suffering. When others use their agency to inflict harm on us, we can suffer great loss.

Sometimes it may be one of our children or other loved ones, who use their agency to pursue forbidden paths outside the laws of the gospel. Our love for them causes us to have great anguish when they choose to be disobedient.

Some may feel a lack of purpose and meaning in their lives. Life seems to be hollow and empty, because they have chosen to fill their lives with that which cannot feed their souls, and bring joy to their hearts. They are seeking for happiness in all the wrong places. As Alma taught, “Wickedness never was Happiness”.

President James E. Faust once said: “One reason for the spiritual sickness of our society is that so many do not know or care about what is morally right and wrong. So many things are justified on the basis of expediency and the acquiring of money and goods. . . Those who persist in following after the evil things of the world cannot know the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”

President Faust Continued: Someway, somehow, we must find the healing influence that brings solace to the soul. Where is this balm? Where is the compensating relief so desperately needed to help us survive in the world’s pressures? . . . comfort in large measure can come through increased communion with the Spirit of God. This can bring spiritual healing.”
(Elder James E. Faust, April 1992 General Conference, “Spiritual Healing”.)

What are some ways in which we can receive the healing influence of the Savior in our lives? Each of us carries burdens, each of us bears the wounds and bruises of mortality. Each of us needs the healing balm that the Savior can provide. Hear are several ways in which we can apply the healing balm of the Savior to our lives:

1. Priesthood Blessings. Priesthood blessings can be a source of Spiritual Healing. Both blessings of comfort and counsel, as well as administering to the sick following an anointing with consecrated oil. Christ is the great Physician, . . while the Comforter is the agency of healing.”

2. Temple Worship. Temple Worship can be a source of the healing influence of the Lord. Temples provide a place where we may go to lay aside many of the cares and worries of the world. Temples are places where we can find a peaceful sanctuary from the world, and where the Lord can heal our broken hearts and bind up our wounds.

3. Scripture Study. Studying the scriptures regularly allows the words of the Lord to directly enter our hearts and minds. These words have great power, if we will feast upon them and take them into our souls.
As we let the power of the scriptures have a greater influence on our lives, we will begin to crowd out those things that cause us heartache and disappointment. We will be motivated to repent and make changes in our lives which will bring us closer to the Lord, and increase our portion of joy in the world.

4. Invite the Spirit. Avoid those things which may cause the Spirit of the Lord to depart from us. The Word of Wisdom is perhaps more important for our Spiritual Health, than it is for our physical well being. While we know of the harmful effects of the substances proscribed by the word of wisdom, these same substances also harm our spirits, and interfere with the delicate communications from the Holy Ghost.
Physical well being is important, but the ability to receive the peace and comfort of the Holy Ghost is perhaps even more important.

I might also add that anything that causes the Spirit of the Lord to withdraw from us is harmful to our spirits, just as breaking the word of wisdom harms our bodies. We cannot be healed by the Savior without the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost.

5. Prayer. Honest, sincere prayer is one of the best ways to draw closer to the Lord, and invite His healing power. Prayer is the “soul’s sincere desire”. When we call upon our Heavenly Father, in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and when our words are uttered by the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can become one with the Lord. We can know His mind and will for us. We can feel His love, and know that not only is he aware of us, but that he truly wants us to return into his presence. We can feel the healing balm of the Savior being applied to our wounds.

6. The Sacrament. Each week, as we attend sacrament meeting, we have the opportunity to worship the Lord, and to partake of the sacrament. As we repent, and come unto Christ, in meekness and lowliness of heart, we can feel the burdens of sin being lifted from our souls as we partake of the sacrament. As we are cleansed from or sins by the Savior, through this holy ordinance, we become more worthy vessels, and qualify to have a greater portion of the Spirit of the Lord with us. Through this process, we can be freed from the heaviest burden we can bear in this world, which is the burden of sin.

The spirit can also provide comfort to us for our pains and sorrows. Through the Spirit, we can gain insight and perspective regarding the trials and tribulations that we may be called upon to bear. We can come to understand more of God’s plan for us in our lives.

Some trials and tribulations may not go away anytime soon. In the case of illness or handicaps, they may last for the duration of our mortal lives. Sometimes we may not know why we are called upon to bear these challenges. But through the Spirit, we can be strengthened and enlarged to carry weight of those burdens, that they may become light unto us, until the purposes of the Lord have been fulfilled.

7. The fallacy of Inactivity. The opportunity of partaking of the sacrament, and receiving the associated blessings of the Spirit can only be ours if we attend our meetings. Too many of our members miss out on the spiritual renewal that is available to those who come and partake of the sacrament through attending sacrament meeting. Without regularly undergoing the repentance process and partaking of the sacrament, the burdens of sin become increasingly more heavy to bear. Our spiritual vision and perspective become clouded. We may become disaffected, or even blame God for our problems and disappointments. The Spirit of the Lord becomes less and less a part of our lives, until it can become only a distant memory.

When a person reaches this point, they are particularly vulnerable to succumbing to the philosophies and wisdom of the world, and the subtle whisperings of the adversary. If the Spirit of the Lord were more present in their lives, these philosophies and temptations could not stand the light of truth. However, without that light, they become murky shades of gray, and the truth is not so readily apparent. Those who think they can stay at home or participat in recreational activities on Sunday, instead of attending their meetings and partaking of the sacrament are missing out on great blessings, and are placing themselves in spiritual danger.

8. Giving Unselfish Service. When we provide unselfish service to others, we also can unlock blessings for ourselves.

After completing high school, I attended BYU for one year prior to leaving for my mission. During that freshman year, I felt very overwhelmed by the experience. I was keeping the commandments, and doing well at school, yet I still felt something lacking -- a kind of hollowness and emptiness inside. I remember attending a fireside in the Marriott Center, where a General Authority Spoke. I don’t remember now who the speaker was, but he challenged us that if we would give service to others, that we would find great solace to our souls as we forgot ourselves in the service of others.

My roommate and I decided to take him up on the challenge. We decided that we wanted our service to be in secret. So we invented a fictitious character named ”Bryan Bateman”. We came up with the name by using our two middle names: My middle name is Bryan, and Batman was my friend’s middle name. We then began to look about us in the dormitory in which we lived, and found that there were many, like ourselves who were also struggling. We would then write them letters of encouragement, signed by “Bryan Bateman”, and offer them small gifts and tokens of our appreciation. We also made it a point to spend time with and befriend these individuals under our real identities as well.

As we did this, we noticed that those to whom were the focus of our attention were improving. However, we also noticed that as we looked outside of ourselves, and forgot about our own problems and worries, and started to feel after the needs and concerns of our neighbors, that our own problems and worries seemed to be diminished, and we were healed. Many of the heartaches and disappointments that we had experienced had seemed to melt away.

It was at this time in my life that I discovered the 5th verse of the Hymn, “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief”. It Hymn Number 29 in our hymnbooks, and reads as follows:

Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment--he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

As I read this verse, I received a manifestation of the Holy Ghost that this was what happened to me. It is a lesson that I have never forgotten.

Many years later, I would learn from one of those friends in college, that the efforts my roommate and I came at a most opportune time. This young man was severely depressed, and unbeknownst to us he was seriously thinking about taking his own life. One of the things, we later learned, that helped him through that time, in his most desperate hour, was one of our letters of encouragement. The love, concern and encouragement expressed in the letter were enough to help him through one of his darkest hours. Now he is a school teacher, and the father of eight children, and makes many contributions in his own ward and stake.

It was the Savior who taught, “He who seeketh to save his life shall lose it; and he who loseth his life for my sake shall find it. (JST Matthew 10:34.) I found this to be true, as my roommate and I forget ourselves, and began to server others, we seemed to lose our own problems. The wounds and heartaches of our souls were healed.

I still find this to be true today. I know that my family and I are blessed as we serve others. This can come in a myriad of different ways: It could be serving as a home or visiting teacher. It may be as we fulfill and magnify our callings in the church. It can come in the form of fulfilling welfare assignments, cleaning the church building, or simply reaching out to our neighbors, and lifting up the hands that hang down, and strengthening the feeble knees. In a way, the payment of our tithes and offerings is also a form of unselfish service, because of the effort required to earn the money that is donated. In other words, one-tenth of our labor in our employment is dedicated to the building up of the Lord’s kingdom on earth as we pay our tithing. Service may also include our efforts within the walls of our own home, as we unselfishly look to the needs of our family members. No matter what form it may take, our service to others must be with an eye single to the glory of God, not for our own glory or worrying about who gets the credit, or recognition. And when we do so, the Lord blesses our own lives in many ways – not the least of which is to help us solve our own problems and troubles.

I have a little saying that I say to myself: “I know that if I will take care of His business (meaning the Lord’s business), that he will help me take care of my business.”

Remember the call of the Savior to each one of us when he said:

(3 Nephi 9:13-14.)
13. “ . . . will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

So if you feel weighed down by the pressures and anxieties of life. If your heart is not right with the Lord. If the burdens you carry seem hard to bear – Come unto the Lord. For he has said, “Come unto me all ye that labor, and I will give you rest.” Draw near to the Lord, for he will draw near unto you. He will send you His Spirit, and you will be strengthened and comforted. Forget yourself in the service of others, and you will find your life – even a new life. A life filled with light and love, purpose and meaning, and hope and joy.

May you, with the angels, sing “Joy to the World”. And may you also know that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is also the Joy of the World.

Gratitude -- More Than a Platitude

This week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. It is a time for family gatherings and for feasting. Traditionally, a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, filled with the bounty of the harvest has been used as a symbol for our Thanksgiving celebration -- symbolic of the many bounteous blessings we have received from our Father in Heaven.

For many, Thanksgiving, our other sacred holidays (Christmas and Easter) has lost its spiritual meaning. Now it is referred to as "Turkey Day". Football games often receive more devotion than does God. The poor newspaper carrier has to deliver the largest, heaviest newspaper of the year on Thanksgiving day, in order to prepare consumers for the special sales taking place on the following day. Others like Martha of old, are so busy cooking, and making preparations, and getting everything set just so, that they can hardly wait for Thanksgiving to be over with. Lost in the shuffle is the better part of Thanksgiving -- remembering our Lord, and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.

Is there anything wrong with turkey, or football, or shopping malls? No, not by themselves. However, if they distract us from truly taking stock of our blessings, and expressing our gratitude to God, then we lose out on the true purpose and meaning of the holiday. In fact, we miss out on some choice blessings, if we do not have grateful hearts.

Giving thanks is not merely a courtesy, it's a commandment. In the scriptures we read:

(D&C 59:7)
Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things

(D&C 59:21)
And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

(Alma 34:38)
38 . . . that ye [should] live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Why Are We Commanded to be Grateful?

Why does God want us to be grateful unto him? Does he want our praises and thanks for His benefit -- or is there another reason?

Is it because he expects our thanks after all that He's done for us? After all, we owe him, don't we? I would suppose that might be part of the reason as well.

Would not common courtesy and graciousness require us to express our thanks for that which we have received? Surly it would!

However, there is yet another reason for us to be grateful. We know that whenever Heavenly Father gives us a commandment, that he, in turn, attaches certain blessings to that commandment. (See D&C 130:20-21)

Heavenly Father does not just want to hear us say "Thank-You". In his wisdom, He knows that if we will carry a spirit of gratitude in our hearts, that he can bless us in ways that otherwise would not be available to us.

Now, let's see if we have this straight: Heavenly Father wants to give us yet more blessings for thanking him for the blessings we already have!

What blessings do we receive by having a grateful heart?

First, in order to carry a spirit of gratitude in our hearts, we are required to be humble. If we are not humble, we don't acknowledge that the blessings we already possess are from the Lord.

Ingratitude is a form of Pride.

Over time, if we fail to thank the Lord for his blessings, we start to believe that those things which we have are by our own doing alone, rather than received through the grace of God.

President James E. Faust commented on this tendency:

"It seems as though there is a tug-of-war between opposing character traits that leaves no voids in our souls. As gratitude is absent or disappears, rebellion often enters and fills the vacuum. . . . Rebellion against moral cleanliness, beauty, decency, honesty, reverence, and respect for parental authority. A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being." (James E. Faust, Liahona, Dec. 1996, 3)

If we have grateful hearts, we are blessed with a shield against pride, which can blind our minds and harden our hearts against God.

An Ungrateful Nation

The following statement comments on the State of American Society as a whole. See if you can guess who the author was, and when it was written.

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in number, wealth, and power as no other Nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us.

"It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended power, to confess our . . . sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness." (John Wesley Hill, Abraham Lincoln, Man of God, 4th ed., New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, p. 391.)

This quote comes from Abraham Lincoln, in 1863! If you didn't know better, you might think that it was something written by a church leader, or heard in a recent General Conference!

As a society, have we become too proud to pray?

The same pitfalls of ingratitude and pride that can befall individual, can also befall a society. Likewise, the same blessings that an individual can enjoy by being humble and grateful, can also benefit a whole society as well.

Taken to its extreme, ingratitude can result in a denial of God altogether.
In the Book of Mormon, we have the example of Korihor, who stated:

(Alma 30:17-18.)
17 . . . [That] every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his [own] strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.

18. . . [and] that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.

Korihor not only denies that we are blessed of God, he denies God altogether. He argued that everything we have comes from our own cunning and labor. He also denies that there is a life after death, wherein we will be held accountable for our actions here on earth. Logically, if this were to be true, it would follow that you may as well do anything you can get away with, because there is no accountability for our actions. A very selfish, and self-centered philosphy.

Keeping Score

A lack of gratitude can lead to a condition I refer to as: "Keeping Score". This is where we keep track of how good someone else has it, and how lousy things are for us.

Keeping score always has at least two elements:

• A comparison between us and someone else, and
• A feeling that we are not being treated fairly.

Let me illustrate with an example that often happens in our home:

In our house each evening before dinner, one child sets the table, empties the dishwasher, and puts the clean dishes away. After dinner, the other child clears off the table, loads (and hopefully actually starts ) the dishwasher, and wipes down the table, sink, and countertops.

Each week they exchange kitchen jobs.

This system might seem straightforward, but it doesn't always work out that way. Life always seems to interrupt our schedules. Should a disruption to the normal schedule take place, one child might be asked to fill-in for the sibling who is unavailable to do their regular task when scheduled.

On Tuesday nights Bryan attends the Young Men's program here at the church. If he happens to be on clean-up duty in the kitchen, there is usually not enough time for him after dinner to do his job and make it to scouts on-time.

On Thursdays, both children have piano lessons, with Amy having the later session. If she has table-setting duty, she might not have time to complete her chores in time before dinner.

Disruptions to the schedule can provide opportunities for service. Amy could help out Bryan cleaning up the kitchen on Tuesday nights. Bryan could help out Amy by setting the table on Thursday nights.

However, sometimes these opportunities for service are not always met with a smile. The suggestion that one child might help out a sibling by doing the other's chore sometimes met with resistance. Often times we will hear something like: "It's not my turn!", or "It's his or her job" , and, "I did it last time!" as if there were a scoreboard keeping track of whose turn it is.

Sometimes a comparison of jobs will be made. Who's job is the hardest? And how often does one sibling have to fill in for the other. And this so unfair!

When all is said and done, the task is usually done, but not always with a smile.

The same situation happens to adults as well. Think of the workplace. Some tasks are more desirable than others. How many times do we roll our own eyes when asked to do an unpleasant task. How often to we complain, or hear complaints about how so-and-so always gets out of having to do the unpleasant tasks that we seem to always get stuck with. Do we hear or make complaints of how unfairly we are being treated? Are we keeping score too?

Each of us, whether as children or adults would be less prone to keeping score, if we were more humble, and more gracious.

The Savior's Example

Let's look to the life of the Savior. Did he keep score? After a long, tiring day, when the little children were brought before him to be blessed, did he tell them go away? No! He invited them to come unto him. He took them on his knee and be blessed them. His disciples had figured that he had already done enough for one day, but the Savior's response was to turn no one away. (See Mark 10:13-16)

When we call upon the Lord for his blessings, will he turn us away? Will he hang up a "closed" sign and tell us to come back some other time? No! He invites always to come unto him, at any time, and at any place.

When Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, and as he Hung on the Cross, was he keeping score? Did he complain about how hard his task was, compared to what was required of the rest of Heavenly Father's children? No! He bent His will to that of the Father.

Then he took upon himself the sins of the world. Again, was he keeping score? No! For his was an infinite and eternal sacrifice, for which it was impossible to score.

Even though we can't comprehend what he went through, we know that he did accomplish the work of the Atonement. And we know that he did it for us, because he loved his Father enough to do his father's will, and because he loved us enough that he was willing to bear all of our sins and burdens as well.

If He could do all of that for us without complaint, without keeping score, how is it that we have such a hard time loving and serving one another ungrudgingly. When you think of what the Savior has done for us, it makes our whining and complaining and score keeping seem very small, indeed.

To Whom Do We Owe Our Gratitude?

As we begin to understand the power of gratitude in our lives, and the shield of protection that a grateful heart can bring to us, it would be wise to consider to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.

Some of those would include:

• Our Parents and Family. -- The ones who have borne and raised us in this world.
• Our Teachers, leaders, and those who have been good examples and an influence for good in our lives.
• Our ancestors, as well those from whom we have inherited a legacy of the gospel -- Including the prophet Joseph Smith, and his successors. This is true whether we are a first generation member of the church, or if we have many generations of our family in the church.
• The Founders of our Nation, and the soldiers who have protected and defended the freedoms we enjoy.
• Of course we owe a debt of gratitude to our Heavenly Father, for his wondrous plan of salvation, and his willingness to share all that he has with us, including his only begotten son, Jesus Christ
• Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, without whom the plan of the Father could never come have come to pass.

How Do We Show Our Gratitude and Appreciation?

The first way we can express our gratitude is by expressing it verbally. Express thanks to our parents, our families, and those who have taught us, or have been an influence for good in our lives. President Thomas S. Monson encourages us to "Think To Thank." Be sure to take a moment to express our thanks and appreciation to others. Drop someone a thank-you note. Let them know you are thankful for the impact they have had on your life.

Take this approach, even with casual acquaintances or other associates. You never know when your moment of thoughtfulness may be an answer to someone's prayer. Your acknowledgement of them may be just the thing that helps them get through a difficult moment in their lives.

How can we thank those who are no longer living among us: our ancestors, the forefathers of our nation, and the prophets and apostles in this and previous dispensations to whom we owe so much. We can't just call them up on the phone, or drop a note in the mail. Not even email or instant messaging can reach them! How can we show our love and gratitude for their sacrifices on our behalf?

I would propose that if we honor the legacy that they have left for us, by living honorable lives, that they would feel that their sacrifice was worthwhile.

With Heavenly Father and Jesus, we do have a way of communicating with them, through the power of prayer. We can take time on our knees, in earnest prayer to express our gratitude for the many blessings we have received. However, there is more that we can do beyond honoring them with our words.

We can honor them best, by honoring the covenants we have made. We honor them, and show gratitude by the way we live our lives. When we obey our Heavenly Father's commandments, we show our love for him. It was Jesus who said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (See John 14:15).

Even though we may express thanks to the Lord in words, if we do not strive to keep His commandments, we are, in effect, being ungrateful. In essence, if we do not honor Our Heavenly Father by keeping the covenants we have made with Him, then we are rejecting the gift of the atonement that was wrought by His Son.

Passing Along Our Gifts

Perhaps the best way we can show our gratitude for what the Lord has done for us, is for us, in-turn, to give the heavenly gifts we have received to others.

We can give our children the gift of a good home, filled with love, warmth and the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can see that they receive the blessings of the Priesthood, and the eternal blessings of the temple.

We can also reach out to those around us who may not as yet received the great gifts that are ours. We can reach out to those who may have lost their way, whether they be members of the church, or those who have yet to learn the message of the restored gospel.

How pleased and honored our Lord would be if we were to assist Him in His work of bringing souls unto Christ.

Conclusion

As we enter this holiday season, may we do so with grateful hearts, recognizing our dependence upon the Lord for all that we have, all that we are, and all that we ever hope to become.

As the gift-giving season approaches, may we remember that the greatest gift ever given was that of our Father In Heaven sending us his Only Begotten Son to be the Savior of the World. May we also reach out to our families and fellow-man, and give them the gifts of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which will last well beyond Christmas morning, but will last for a lifetime, and endure throughout all eternity.

Are They There Yet?

Most of us with children, have had a child ask (usually repeatedly), are we there yet?

One of the great responsibilities we have as parents is to prepare our children for the journey of life. At some point in time, each child will reach a point when they will no longer be in our immediate care. This may come when they are about to leave home for college, a mission, or to embark on a new path. For some, it may also be when they are called home to their Heavenly Father's care. In any case, as parents, we may well ask ourselves the question: "Are They There Yet?" Meaning, have we prepared them sufficiently for their journey through life, when we will not be able to shepherd their every move. How will they act, now that they are alone.

Early Teachings and Examples

As parents, we have a responsibility to teach our children to pray. One of the most powerful lessons about prayer we can give our children is the example we set as we pray. Let them see us offering our prayers every day and night. Let them see us offering fervent prayer, as we pass through the trials of life. Let them hear us petitioning the Lord on their behalf. Let them know that they are important enough for us to call upon the powers of heaven for blessings upon their heads. Then let them hear us bear sincere testimony that God has heard and answered our prayers. Then when the day comes when they will pass through their own trials –they will be prepared.

In later years, as the child grows up and is away from home and family, prayer – both those we offer in their behalf, and hopefully the prayers they offer on their own, – can provide a shield of progection to them. Also our teachings, both lessons taught, as well as lessons learned by our examples will help server them as well.

Elder Henry B Eyring relates an experience he had with his father when he left home:

“Parting can be hard, particularly when the parent and the child know that they may not see each other for a long time. I had that experience with my father. We parted on a street corner in New York City. He had come there for his work. I was there on my way to another place. We both knew that I probably would never return to live with my parents under the same roof again.

It was a sunny day, around noontime, the streets crowded with cars and pedestrians. On that particular corner there was a traffic light which stopped the cars and the people in all directions for a few minutes. The light changed to red; the cars stopped. The crowd of pedestrians hurried off the curbs, moving every way, including diagonally, across the intersection.

The time had come for parting, and I started across the street. I stopped almost in the center, with people rushing by me. I turned to look back. Instead of moving off in the crowd, my father was still standing on the corner looking at me. To me he seemed lonely and perhaps a little sad. I wanted to go back to him, but I realized the light would change and so I turned and hurried on.

Years later I talked to him about that moment. He told me that I had misread his face. He said he was not sad; he was concerned. He had seen me look back, as if I were a little boy, uncertain and looking for assurance. He told me in those later years that the thought in his mind had been: Will he be all right? Have I taught him enough? Is he prepared for whatever may lie ahead?” (Henry B. Eyring, “Write Upon My Heart”, Ensign, Nov. 2000, p85)

Have We Done Enough?

Throughout our lives, and as our children grow up, there are times when we too, may wonder if we have taught them enough. Are they sufficiently prepared for the challenges and realities of life? Do they know in whom they can trust? We, as parents cannot be with them at every moment of their lives to give direction and counsel.

I remember taking my eldest son to his first day of kindergarten. It was the first such parting for our family. He was so young. He was a little small for his age. We worried about how well he would be treated and accepted by others. Would he be easily led astray by others? Would he choose the right?

Later, he would go on his first scout camp. Would he be wise in his decisions and choices? At this age, out in the wilderness, he faced choices that could mean life or death! Will he obey the rules, and stay with the group? How will he behave?

Later, he’ll go on his first date. Will he remember the Lord’s standards for proper conduct with the opposite sex? Will he be true to the moral values he has been taught, both at home, and at church?

When the time comes, will he choose to go on a mission. Will he serve faithfully?

When he comes home, will he remain true and faithful in the gospel. Will he seek out a young woman with whom he can be worthily married in the temple?

Will he, in turn, be a wise parent, and set the proper example to his own children?

These are questions we all have as parents. At each of these times, like Elder Eyring’s father, we may wonder if we have taught them enough, and if we have prepared them enough for the challenges they will face in life.

Enos

In the Book of Mormon, we find examples of parents who taught their children well, and whose teaching and examples of prayer would bless the lives of their children.

One day Enos went into the forest to go hunting. As he found himself alone in the wilderness, he began to ponder in his heart and mind the things that had been taught to him by his father, Jacob:

Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. (Enos 1:3-5)

We don’t know how old Enos was at this time. We don’t know if is father, Jacob, was still living at this time.

What we do know, is that the teachings of his father were deeply imprinted upon him. We do know that when the time was right, that the words of his father caused him to ponder and think, and seek out the Lord in prayer. He wanted to make sure his life was right with God.

Alma

Another instance where the teachings of parents played an important role in the life of their child was that of Alma the Younger:

In this situation,Alma the younger was,perhaps, in his greatest hour of need. He was suffering in mind, body and spirit as he was harrowed up by the memory of his sins. In his mercy, what did the Lord do for Alma? He sent the Holy Ghost to him, and in his hour of need, recalled to the mind of Alma the words that he had been taught by his father, perhaps long before, and possibly long since forgotten. The words that he came to Alma’s mind were the very words that he needed to hear in his moment of despair. They were the words that testify of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

You never know when your own teachings will be brought to remembrance in the minds of your children. Like, Alma, it might be in a moment of extreme need. It might be in a moment when their eternal destiny might hinge on a single decision. The words of truth and testimony that you teach your children, may be just the thing that pulls them through, during the fiery trials of their lives. The Holy Ghost will help to bring these teachings to their rememberance. (See John 14:26)

Don’t let the opportunities to teach your children pass you by. Take advantage of Family home evenings, and family scripture study to teach them the gospel. Even more importantly, teach them by example. Your children will remember your actions more readily than they will remember your words. Additionally, your example speaks volumes about what is truly most important to you.

Leave your children a legacy of honor, and of truth, and of testimony. It can be a legacy that will not only bless the lives of your children, but can also span the generations to come.

The culmination of all our efforts as a Parents in the home could be summed up by the invitation: "Come Follow Me, as I follow Christ."

Writings Upon The Heart

When preparing to attend a Priesthood meeting, President George Q. Cannon once said:

“I should enter that assembly with my mind entirely free from all influence that would prevent the operation of the Spirit of God upon me. I should go in a prayerful spirit, asking God to write upon my heart His will; not with my own will already prepared, and determined to carry out my will … , regardless of everyone else’s views. If I were to go, and all the rest were to go, with this spirit, then the Spirit of God would be felt in our midst, and that which we would decide upon would be the mind and will of God, because God would reveal it to us. We would see light in the direction where we should go, and we would behold darkness in the direction we should not go” (Deseret Semi-Weekly News, 30 Sept. 1890, 2; emphasis added).

Notice here that President Cannon entered the meeting with a prayer in his heart. He came with an open mind and an open heart – willing to receive God’s will, and willing to relinquish his own. He wanted the Lord to not only convey his will to him, but to write his will upon his heart .

We might want to use this same approach as we listen to, general conference, or as we later re-read the conference talks.

We might want to use this approach as we enter our council meetings, whether they we ward or stake councils, presidency meetings, or even family councils.

This would be a good approach to take as we prepare ourselves to attend the temple, and as we prepare ourselves to partake of the sacrament.

This is the approach that we should take as we approach the Lord in prayer, especially when we are seeking guidance and counsel regarding the direction our lives should take.

Let his will be written upon our hearts. Let it have the power to change us for the better, that we can progress toward our eternal goals.

Having Our Own Personal Liahona

When Lehi was traveling through the wilderness, the Lord Provided the Liahona for he and his family. This Liahona had spindles on it, that pointed them in the direction that they should go on their journey toward the promised land. The ball also contained instructions from the Lord, and taught them about his ways, which if followed would give them guidance and direction along their way. This is how Nephi describes it:

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.

And there was also [that which was] written upon [the ball] . . ., which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. (1 Nephi 16:28-29)

As we approach the Lord in humility and faith he will guide our lives in a similar manner. Only for us, instead of the writing being upon a ball, the writing is upon our hearts. He will give us direction in the way in which we should travel. Guiding us in the more fertile, bounteous paths of living the gospel, and away from the barren deserts of despair and sin.

From time to time, the writing upon our hearts may be updated as well. At each phase of our life, there are things the Lord would have us do and learn. As we give proper faith and heed to what He would have us do, the Lord will give us further light and knowledge, and further ways in which we can make that next step to become more like Him. Eventually, we will be led to the promised land, which is to have Eternal Life, with our Father In Heaven.

Choose You this Day

Each of us must arrive at a time in our lives, when we are willing to give our own will over to the will of the Father. Each of us must be converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ – regardless of whether you may have just joined the church, or if you come from a long line of many generations in the church.

To those who have been raised in the church, it is sometimes easy to accept the gospel as a way of life, or as a cultural experience rather than a spiritual experience. We go to church because our family does. We might go on a mission, or marry in the temple – which are worthy pursuits – but, perhaps, only because it is expected of us.

However, for each of us, there comes a time in our lives when we have to choose – really choose – how we will live our lives, and what kind of a man or woman we will really be.

Unless we have had our hearts changed, so that they are written with the will of God, rather than our own will, it will be difficult, if not impossible to withstand all the trials and temptations of this life.

Each of us must have our own “Joshua” moment: “Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house – we will serve the Lord.” (See Joshua 24:15)

My Joshua Moment

My Joshua moment came when I was 30 years old. I realized that I had been drifting along, and was beginning to go off the straight and narrow path. I decided to re-read the Book of Mormon once again, but this time, just as one who is investigating the church would read it. As I read, many insights came to me. The power of the Holy Ghost issued a gentle call to repentance as well.

I began to make changes in my life, but was still a little unsure of myself, and my standing before God.

Then one day, a priesthood leader asked me to fill an assignment. The time of decision was at hand. It seemed like, for a moment, that time had stopped.

I began to wonder if I was up to the challenge. Was I worthy? Could I do it? Was I ready? Before my doubts and fears could overtake me, I felt a wondrous flood of light, and a feeling of peace and confidence flood over me. I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost with great strength and power.

It was like the Spirit of the Lord was my best cheerleader, urging me on to take the next step of faith. I felt him saying: "Yes! You can do it! Commit to yourself, and to God that from this day forward, you will leave your old self behind, and walk with Him in a newness of life."

For the first time in a long time, I had real hope, and a confidence that I could do it.

All of these thoughts and feelings transpired in a single moment, maybe 1 or 2 seconds long in real-time, as my priesthood leader awaited my answer. At that moment, I made my choice. My Joshua Moment had come. I chose that as for me, I would serve the Lord.

I accepted that assignment from my priesthood leader, and fulfilled it. He may never know what great impact he had on me, just by asking me to fulfill an assignment. From that moment on, my heart was changed. The results of that Joshua moment, will have eternal consequences.

I chose to have the Lord’s will written upon my heart. I wanted to do His will, instead of my own selfish will. And with that willingness and commitment, comes great power. The power to change. The ability to overcome weaknesses, through the power our Savior, Jesus Christ. Through Him, I found the power to become a new and better person. The power to pass through the trials and temptations of mortal life. Each of us needs to have this power in our hearts and lives, if we are to overcome the world.

Conclusion

Originally I posed the question, "Are They There yet", or are they prepared to take on this world. We can help prepare them by teaching them to pray, reading the scriptures, and by living gospel standards. We can reinforce those teachings by our own examples. We can teach them about the importance of receiving the Holy Ghost, and developing a personal Liahona within our own hearts.

All of these things will help prepare them for their own "Joshua Moment". Of course ultimately, the choice will always be their own. Agency is the Prime Directive of the Plan Of Salvation. It is for us to "light the path, and show them the way" toward the Savior. They must have their own relationship with the Savior, and if they have that, they have all they need to overcome the world. And then, they will be there, at last.

Change is Constant -- Yet Good

I have been serving in my current church calling for two years now. It has been my privilege, as part of that calling to work with the missionaries, and ward mission leaders in our stake. I have met some very fine people during the last 24 months. Some wonderful missionaries, and some very dedicated ward mission leaders. Now, while still remaining in my calling, I have been given new areas of responsibility.

During the past two years, I have seen many people come into the church, and come unto Christ. There is a fine spirit in missionary work, the Spirit of the Lord. I will miss rubbing shoulders with these fine people, and feeling that missionary Spirit. Oh, I know I can still be a member missionary, but its just not the same.

In my home ward, we have a very fine ward mission leader, perhaps the best in the Stake. I intend to keep involved with him, and doing what I can to further the work here.

I just sent out an email to the ward mission leaders, explaining the change in assignments. I would like to quote a little from that letter:

It is with mixed emotions that I must inform you that I no long will be assigned to missionary work in the stake. Assignments, like callings, come and go. I told the Lord when I accepted my calling that I would serve him in any way that He wished. I still stand by that. I will look forward to my new assignment, and will do my best to fulfill it. My only regret is that I won't get to rub shoulders so much with you fine brethren, or with the missionaries as much as I have in the past. What a privilege its been! . . .

. . . It's been my great priviledge to be involved in missionary work for the past two years. Looking back, two years seems like a fitting time period to be working with the missionaries. It has been a real pleasure to work with each of you, and the many ward mission leaders I have associated with during the past 24 months.

Thanks for your efforts in bringing the gospel to our Heavenly Father's children, and in helping the members of your wards join you in that effort. In some ways, this reassignment is a little like being released from my own mission some twenty-(mumble, mumble) years ago.

Carry on brethren, in this fine and noble work. There is no greater work (outside the walls of your own home, that is.)

As for me, I will be learning my new assignments. Just when we get comfortable in what we are doing, the Lord always figures out a way to make us stretch and grow some more. Being comfortable is not really a part of the plan, now is it? Perhaps this is one way that the Lord chooses to help us keep humble, and to learn to depend on him, and not upon the arm of flesh, or our own strengths. . .

And so it goes. I take a deep breath. I make some phone calls to explain this, and other changes to my assignments. I wish people well, and express my thanks for their association.

I have new associations to make, and I look forward to those. The work goes on. I will have to rely on the Lord to learn my new responsibilities. Nevertheless, I trust that He will be there for me, and I will be able to accomplish the things required at my hand -- no matter how daunting they may seem right now. And with His help, I will be able to do my part to serve and glorify Him in new ways, and to help build His Kingdom here on earth.