Nuggets and Pearls

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the October 2010 conference.

A few talks stood out to me from this session, so I gleaned some nuggets and pearls from each one.

President Henry B. Eyring - God does not rule in nations, but He is mindful of them. He can and does place people in positions of influence who want what is best for the people and who trusts in the Lord.

I find that comforting as I think back on the elections of the past twenty-five years. The United States has had ups and downs; scary times and even more frightening times. But this is a land of promise, the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are blessed that in spite of the elected officials, regardless of who is in the White House, the Gospel rolls forth, temples are built, Israel is gathered and preparations continue for the Second Coming. Life is so much better when we elect men and women who make it easier to live the gospel, keep the commandments and prosper in the land but God's work cannot be stopped.

He also said, "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks."

King Benjamin said, similarly, ". . . and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." (Mosiah 4:10) And we sing, ". . . teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday."

President Boyd K. Packer - There is something very liberating when an individual determines of his or her own free will to be obedient to our Father and our God and expresses that willingness to Him in prayer.

Isn't it wonderful to have free will and choice? With that, though, comes accountability and consequences. This principle, often called the Law of the Harvest, has been largely forgotten in current society, such that when it is invoked people howl in discontent. We reap what we sow. There is no getting around that; it might be delayed, but the harvest always comes.

President Packer also said, "Nowhere are the generosity and the kindness and mercy of God more manifest than in repentance. . . . Repentance is like unto a detergent. Even ground-in stains of sin will come out."

To me that is comforting, reassuring, and hopeful. No matter how sincere my desire to be obedient is I won't be perfect. I will mess up, choose poorly, make mistakes, and fall short. The gift of repentance is just about the best ever.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks - Those who reject the need for organized religion reject the work of the Master, who established His church and its officers in the meridian of time and who reestablished them in modern times.

It is the purpose of the organization of the church first to enable authorized performance of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation, and then help us stay faithful to the covenants we've made. The fellowship with others on the same path is encouraging and strengthening. We need each other; as the saying goes, there is strength in numbers. 

Elder Oaks also said, "Each member needed to seek the Lord in prayer and receive the direct message of comfort and guidance that comes through the Holy Spirit to those who seek and listen." 

He was speaking of a time of an earthquake in Chile when the physical and spiritual needs of the members was great. The church helped with physical needs, but each member needed to draw on God's help also. I know what it's like to go through a big calamity. The ultimate comfort comes to us from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. I learned long ago that Father and my Savior are dependable and will never let me down or disappoint. They keep their promises.

 

Internet

Count Your Blessings - Day Twenty-One

Today I completed the final preparations for both a Sunday School lesson for the youth and a talk in Sacrament Meeting tomorrow. The internet in general, and the church website lds.org are such a valuable resource and blessing to me. Frequently I thank God for the miracles of technology that make life so much easier.

Sabbath Day and Rainy Days

Count Your Blessings - Days Fifteen and Sixteen

Can I get an Amen! on being grateful for the Sabbath Day? Thank you. I couldn't make it through the weeks without a break and rest from the cares of the world, and the spiritual nourishment of going to church and worshiping with like minded people.

Today I'm grateful, as always, for rain. I enjoy rainy days, especially because I can stay home and do things like put on a quilt, make soup and cornbread, and otherwise exercise my homemaking skills. Having worked outside the home for a while I have compassion for all women who are forced by circumstance to do that; while at the same time I don't really understand the women who choose to leave home and family to work, but that's okay, the freedom to choose ones path is a blessing. I'm a homebody and like being able to set my own agenda and schedule for the work that gets done.

My thoughts (Which I hope are in line with His Thoughts)

My husband came home from General Priesthood Meeting relaxed and in a good mood; he shared with me some of the stories and themes from the talks they'd heard. He got on the computer while I rustled up some dessert for the men (they're all taller than me so I think of them as men now!). He has the ability to stay calm when reading things that make my blood boil. He found an article about the Ordain Women protesters and told me about an interview with a sixteen year old who said she wanted to be ordained because she had skills and talents that she wanted to be useful in the church. (Or something to that effect.)

Herewith are my thoughts about ordaining women to the priesthood.

First: In all of the scriptures I have read, Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, God is absolutely consistent in following the Great Plan of Happiness. At different times and in different places his covenant people have had more or less of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but never a different gospel. And in all of the scriptures The Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God has been given to men and men only. This is one of those instances where God our Father in Heaven could say "Because I said so," without any other explanation, like good parents can and do, and we should obey without question. At the time we are mature enough and ready we will understand the why.
(I will state right here that I have never questioned and have always "just known" that this was the correct order of things.)

Second: I doubt very much that the sixteen year old girl is currently fully using her talents and skills to build the kingdom of God. Does she hold a calling such as Laurel President? Are all of the Laurels under her stewardship active, temple worthy girls? Is she sharing the gospel with others to the point that they come to church, are taking lessons with missionaries and preparing for baptism? How many generations of family history has she completed? Is her own personal history up to date? Does she reach out to serve others without being assigned or asked? Does she have all the skills and talents she will need to raise and teach children, keep a home, and prepare children to serve missions? Are her prayers effective? She can do all of this and much more without being ordained to the priesthood. When women are perfect in their own sphere, then it might be understandable for them to look at another's sphere, but not until then.

Third: What do those women want to do? Conduct meetings? All presidencies of all the organizations and auxiliaries conduct meetings. Go Home Teaching? What's wrong with Visiting Teaching? (I once thought about having MiaMaids and Laurels serve with visiting teachers, but realized that perhaps it would be inappropriate because of confidentiality issues to have young sisters assisting.) Give blessings? My mother's prayers were heard and answered, sometimes instantly. When she prayed for something it happened. I suppose it was because of her purity, her virtue, her exceeding great faith, whatever it was, it worked! My father's priesthood blessings were no more efficacious than my mother's prayers of faith. I think what the priesthood has done for my father was give him reason to be virtuous and pure so that his blessings would be effective. Mom was that way already. Do those women want to prepare, bless and pass the Sacrament? They remind me of immature children who can't be content seeing what another has until they've taken it away, and once gotten, find it's not so fun after all. Why can't the men and boys have something that civilizes and ennobles them without some female getting in a snit because she can't have it too? Do they want to "run" things? Being a leader is not telling others what to do, believe me, I've learned the hard way. We set an example, encourage, teach and love, but cannot force or punish anyone. 

Fourth: The roles and stewardships of men and women are different yet complementary, they complete each other. One cannot be exalted without the other because it takes the two different halves to make a whole. Perhaps men would be more effective and efficient in church callings if more wives were taking responsibility for their homes and allowing their husbands time to study the gospel and leadership principles, serve in callings and spend time fulfilling their duties without having to work to support the family and then come home and be responsible for fixing dinner, doing dishes, cleaning up after the children and taking care of the children "so the wife can have a break." From personal experience of the opposite I would gladly never have a break if my husband was out doing the work of the Lord. 

Fifth: This is the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. Through Joseph Smith the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored and re-established. Many radically different doctrines were revealed and put into practice. Don't you think that if women were to be ordained to the priesthood it would have been so from the beginning? That it has not must say something about the order of things as they are now. I know that this is the true church of God and His Son on the earth today. We are led by a prophet, Thomas S. Monson, with other prophets and apostles to assist him. The priesthood is God's power and authority to give to whom he chooses after the order set in heaven. One day when all is revealed we will fully understand His order and realize how truly perfect it is.

Awesome?

I have lived and served in about a dozen different wards and branches of the church. Each has been the same in organization and doctrine, and each has been different in size, culture and personality. Looking back I think I’ve learned something valuable from each one. And I’ve been thinking about them recently and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses.

The adjective awesome is thrown around a lot. It’s probably among the most overused adjectives right now. According to my dictionary awesome means “inspiring with an overwhelming sense of reverence or fear.” With that definition in mind I’d like to explore the question “What would an awesome unit (ward or branch) be like?”

A unit could be called awesome if it had 75% Sacrament meeting attendance (there’s always someone out sick, on vacation or at work), and at least 90% Home and Visiting Teaching. A unit would qualify as awesome if they had more individuals and families to teach than one set of missionaries could handle, and convert baptisms every month, with those converts staying active because of the love and nurturing they receive.  A unit could be called awesome if it also had ongoing temple preparation classes; and if all the adults who had been members longer than one year had full temple recommends and were endowed and sealed. A unit could be called awesome if there was an ongoing teacher improvement class and graduated members could teach any of the classes on the spur of the moment, and could give inspiring Sacrament meeting talks without wasting time on how they were asked to speak and how nervous they are and how they decided what to talk about, ad infinitum.  A unit could be called awesome if the majority of the members went the extra mile without having to be asked; as it is many of us have to be begged and cajoled to go even the first mile. A unit could be called awesome if it were attracting and retaining people instead of losing them to inactivity. An awesome unit would have more than one person who played the piano and organ, and more than one who could lead music, and would have a choir that practiced and performed regularly and actually sounded great. A unit would be awesome if the members didn’t get offended at every little thing and were humble and forgiving. A unit would truly be awesome if the members acted upon their testimonies and exercised faith instead of just saying the words. If it is true that “by their fruits, ye shall know them” then an awesome unit would include a culture of excellence in all they did from the bulletins to the music and speakers, to the home and visiting teaching, to the classroom lessons and discussions inspiring each other to reach higher, work harder and love more deeply.

At the other end of the scale would probably be pathetic, which is defined as “evoking pity, sorrow, or compassion; miserably inadequate”. How does a unit move up the scale? Just calling something awesome doesn’t make it so or even encourage it to be so. In addition to loving their members, leaders teaching correct principles and practices, sort of like a coach of five year old soccer players would, through demonstration and repetition, could move a unit to actions that would bear fruit worthy to be called awesome. It’s what I’m attempting to accomplish in our Relief Society. I get discouraged because it seems to be such a slow process. But when I stand before the Lord on judgment day to give an accounting I want to be able to say I did my best to both love and teach the sisters and bring them to Christ.

What do you think makes for an “awesome” ward/branch?

Everyone is Needed

Pondering while doing the dishes today and a thought entered my head. If everyone, who already is a member of the church, would actively participate in living the gospel and keep their covenants life would be easier for us all. 

Do you find it easier to live the gospel when those around you are living it? When they unconsciously set a good example and encourage others by their actions? Do you find it easier to do your visiting teaching and home teaching when the sister or family is welcoming to your visit and receptive to your efforts to serve? Do you feel encouraged to be obedient and keep your covenants when you are visited regularly?

Does serving in the church feel better when you can count on those you've given assignments to, knowing that the work will get done? Doesn't it seem easier to serve when you see all around you others who are serving and giving?

Everyone is needed! Needed to be active, participating, covenant keeping, obedient to the commandments.

Wouldn't it be fantastic to be in a ward (branch or twig) where all the members could say with one voice: "Yes, we believe all the words we heard in General Conference, and we know the words are true because of the witness of the Holy Ghost, which has brought about a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually and keep our covenants." (see Mosiah 5:2)

If only everyone who enters into the waters of baptism would hold fast to the Iron Rod and press forward with steadfast faith, instead of giving up at the first sign of trouble or hardship.

Think of how the Kingdom would move forward!

Well, a Relief Society President can dream, can't she?

Compare and Contrast

Last month I did some figuring. I got out the map and measured the area of our branch. I did the math three times because I just couldn't believe the figures. Our Branch (which I call a Twig because our attendance and activity numbers are so low) covers an area of approximately 2,700 square miles, includes 22 towns, and covers all or part of 7 counties.

When I shared all that with my husband he said "Now I understand why we put more than 30,000 miles per year on our car."

I'm sure that there are units that are bigger geographically. And I'm sure there are units that are smaller in members. Just pointing out that this has been a culture shock to us, and still is after three years.

Another shock is the pervasive attitude among long time members here of "We've always done it this way, and NOBODY is going to tell us what to do differently." It is the antithesis of a humble, teachable attitude, and it drives me crazy!!!

Okay, I got that off my chest.

This unit is the polar opposite of the one we attended in Provo, Utah which covered 4 square blocks, and a few BYU housing units (some of the RA's attended our ward). We had one non-member family, and I think, two inactive families. Our back door neighbor was in a different ward! The activity rate was in the high 90's and the only reason it wasn't 99% is because some of the members were elderly and homebound. There were so many active people that instead of having 2 or 3 jobs, 2 or 3 people shared a job! We had half a dozen organists for Sacrament Meeting alone!

But, as John Bytheway would say, I'm not bitter.

Have a great day! And count your blessings.

Resolution and Moving On

Our Branch President came over to talk to us on Fast Sunday in August. Although not everything was resolved, enough was resolved and I felt enough peace to return to the Branch.

I recently attended a training meeting with Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy who said that each unit, in the first generation, goes through a "Kirtland" period of trials. This branch has been there for the past five years. He said it is important to stay faithful and move on to "Nauvoo" and then "the Valley".

Today we had twelve sisters in Relief Society which felt rather nice.

Two Churches Only

Our Sunday School lesson included Nephi's visions recorded in chapters 12 and 13 of First Nephi. We talked briefly about the Great and Abominable Church of the Devil.

Verse 26 of Chapter 13 refers to the time after the testimonies of the Apostles of the Lamb go forth that there was a formation of "that great and abominable church" which took "away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away." Could this refer to what was begun at the Council of Nicaea? The council was called by the Emperor Constantine to resolve differences and standardize the church teachings.  No priesthood authority, just political authority involved; which I find interesting because Elder H. Verlan Andersen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1986 to 1991, wrote a book titled The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, in which he posits that this church is not a church in the way we think of a church (worshipping Jesus Christ or other deity) but a system of government that enslaves its people in an attempt to make sure that "one soul shall not be lost." (Moses 4:1) To have a religious council called by an Emperor with no spiritual authority seems just wrong. To have so much in-fighting among the leaders of the church is definitely wrong. It is obvious that they were in apostasy and wandering lost without the priesthood. This governmental interference with religious affairs continues to the present.

Nephi is told that "there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil;" (1 Nephi 14:10) Now where this gets interesting to me is verse 14: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, [two separate groups] who were scattered upon all the face of the earth;"

One day as I was reading this I recognized the mention of two groups of people: the saints of the church of the Lamb, which could refer to all those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ and live honorable lives within the limits of their knowledge; and the second are those with greater knowledge, temple blessings and priesthood authority, in other words "covenant people of the Lord".

This passage is significant to me because while we were homeschooling our children we associated with many Christian families, good people, virtuous and righteous, living the commandments to the best of the knowledge, and I often wondered if they would be counted in the Church of the Lamb in the last days. According to this passage it appears to me that they will be.

The revelation to Nephi continues with prophecy about the wrath of God being poured out and wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth, which obviously describes the latter days.

We are coming to a crucial time in the history of the world where we will have to declare our allegiance to either the Church of the Lamb, or the Church of the Devil. There are only two teams in this competition. The great thing is we know who will win! I'm wearing the jersey of the winning team! No matter how difficult the final moments of the game are, I am on the correct team and victory is assured.

As For Me and My House . . .

We attend church about twenty-five miles away at a little branch, which in turn is about an hour and a half from the Stake Center. This is the true "mission field"! We are the only active members in our town. Being here has been more challenging than any other place we've lived because there are more people on the rolls that don't come than there are ones who do attend. Visitors to the branch are warmly welcomed in hopes that they are not just passing through, but permanent residents within the branch boundaries.

I do not understand "in-actives"; nor have I cultivated any empathy or sympathy or patience as I have continued faithful attendance and participation through all the trials, challenges, and offenses of my life.  I can't imagine trying to face life without the church.

Today's reading in the New Testament included 1 John 1:5-7.

"This then is the message which we have heard of him,

and declare unto you,

that God is light, 

and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, 

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another, 

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

We can't claim to be members of Christ's church and then not participate, walking in darkness without the light of the gospel in our lives. We need the fellowship of each other to survive and progress; and it is in weekly partaking of the Sacrament that we renew our baptismal covenants and are cleansed again from sin.

A passage from 2 Peter raised a question in my mind: Does this apply to inactive members today?

"For if after they escaped the pollutions of the world

through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

they are again entangled therein, and overcome,

the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,

than, after they have known it,

to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

(2 Peter 2:20-21)

This subject has been on my mind so much lately as my husband and I struggle to home and visit teach people who haven't been to church for over ten years, or who are "too busy" to see us, or who are somewhat antagonistic towards the church.  I have likened our branch to a very old fruit tree that is in need of a good hard pruning to get rid of all the dead wood so there is room and energy for new growth. A unit of the church can't grow when the few active members are so stretched with trying to revive the deadwood that missionary work, and fellowshipping the active is neglected.  Also, who wants to add more in-actives to the rolls?  In our branch all but one of the people baptized last year have not been back to church after their baptism. That doesn't speak well of either their commitment or our ability to fellowship.

I wish Elder Bednar (or his equivalent) would come here and visit these people to invite them to stop being offended and lazy, and come back to church; or sign the letter to have their names removed from the records. Today is a day of decision!

Here's a link to Elder Bednar's General Conference address:

And a huge thank you to Noble for teaching me (over Skype) how to make links live!  YEAH!