Diligence in the Scriptures

 Diligence is steady and constant effort and work towards a goal. Diligence is about endurance, not sprinting, and we do it with the Lord's help. Very short definition! Here's diligence in one sentence:

What do the scriptures say about diligence?

Well, here ya go!

Effort & Work

• “Let every man be diligent in all things. And the idler shall not have place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways” (D&C 75:29)
• “Let us not be weary in well doing” (Gal 6:9)
• “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Mt 7:24)
• “Be not slothful” (Heb 6:12)

Steady & Constant (Small and Simple Means)

• “The Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith… would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord” (3 Ne 6:14).
• Be faithful (D&C 5:35, 6:13, 6:37, 9:13, 27:18, 31:13, 42:66, 62:5, 81:5)
• “Be… firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” (1 Ne 2:10)
• “Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works” (Mos 5:15)
• “Let us run with endurance [active persistence, perseverance, determination, patience] the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:1)
• “They did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron” (1 Ne 8: 30)
• “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh 24:15)
• “When our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go” (Alma 26:27)
• “Watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard” (Mos 4:30)
• “Keep thy soul diligently” (Deut 4:9)
• “Be watchful and careful” (D&C 42:76)
• “They did press forward…clinging to the rod of iron” (1 Ne 8:24)
• Liahona worked “according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things” (1 Ne 16:28-29) 
• “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent” (Mos 4:27)
• “Be diligent and temperate in all things” (Alma 38:10)
• “Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided… but be diligent unto the end” (D&C 10:4)

Grace: With the Lord’s Help

• Jesus: ”Let us run with endurance [active persistence, perseverance, determination, patience] the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith [trust, loyalty]” (Heb 12:1).
• We can run with endurance (faith) because Jesus has authored our faith. JESUS is the source of all diligent effort.
• “Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you” (D&C 31:13, also D&C 24:8, 75:13)
• Grace: “Continue in the grace [power] of God” (Acts 13:43)
• Love: “Continue ye in my love” (John 15:9)
• Prepare: “the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Ne 3:7)
• Faith & Hope:
• “Hope cometh of faith, [and] maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works” (Ether 12:4) 
• "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark” (Philip 3:13-14)
• “Nourish the word,… with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof” (Alma 32:41)

At All Times, Unto the End

• Be “diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times” (Alma 7:23)
• “Continue in my word” (John 8:31, also Jacob 6:11, Omni 1:26)
• “Be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days” (Mos 5:5)
• “Endure…even unto the end of thy days” (D&C 24:8)
• “Be diligent unto the end” (D&C 10:4)
• “Be faithful unto the end” (D&C 31:13)
• “Continue in these things even unto the end” (D&C 66:12)

Rewards & Promises

• “Any man that shall… continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst” (D&C 84:80)
• Companionship: “I am with the faithful always” (D&C 62:9); “I, the Lord, will go with you” (D&C 66:8)
• Love: “Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love” (D&C 6:20)
• Peace and prosperity: “There was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God” (Alma 49:30)
• Strength: “He that is faithful shall be made strong in every place” (D&C 66:8)
• Deliverance: “if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage” (Mos 7:33)
• Victory: 
• “All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith” (D&C 103:36)
• “Inasmuch as ye are humble and faithful and call upon my name, behold, I will give you the victory” (D&C 104:82)
• Protection:
• “if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (D&C 33:13)
• Revelations, Guidance, Mysteries of God
• “Inasmuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do” (D&C 52:4)
• “They shall also be crowned … with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent” (D&C 59:4)
• Mysteries of God are granted “unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him” (Alma 12:9)
• “He that diligently seeketh shall find and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them” (1 Ne 10:19)
• “he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light” (D&C 50:24)
• Eternal Life: 
• “if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life” (D&C 18:8)
• “Continue in these things even unto the end, and you shall have a crown of eternal life” (D&C 66:12)
• Other:
• “Be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize” (Mos 4:27)
• “Because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, … ye shall pluck the fruit thereof…. Ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you” (Alma 32:42-43)

Diligence (Oct 2020 Conference Themes)

 This post is part of a series reflecting on October 2020 General Conference. Read the intro here. 

The first General Conference theme I focused on is diligence. 

This theme, I feel, came as an answer to a major issue in my life. I hear Elijah’s voice regularly, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” During Conference, I felt like the Lord was gently reminding me - “You have to be constant in your efforts. Choose this day whom you will serve, and do that. Consistent, daily decisions are the path to becoming like Christ. Press forward, push through. Keep going. Doin’t give up.” 

Diligence is basically steady and constant effort and work in the direction of a desired goal. That goal may be something really specific, or as broad as “becoming like Christ.” With anything we want to accomplish, it requires diligence - steady and constant effort and work. This is one meaning of the word faithful - to be faithful is to be committed, constant, and loyal. 

Another key to diligence is persistence - not giving up. We won’t reach our goal with a few days of effort. No, we need to be constant over a long period of time. Press forward, don’t give up. 

Also, I think we can sometimes get overwhelmed by diligence. It seems SO BIG and we have to do it FOREVER?? Well, that’s another piece of good news. The scriptures (and this General Conference) really emphasize that diligence is a marathon not a sprint. We are constant and steady over a long period of time because we rely on “small and simple means.” We know we will not achieve our goal overnight. The Lord says it is not requisite that we run faster than we have strength. And that’s what diligence is about - small, consistent efforts over time. 

One of the most important aspects of diligence (in my opinion), that probably won’t be mentioned in the dictionary, is grace - relying on the Lord’s strengthening power. We will not be able to go on steadily and constantly forever by relying on our own strength. If we want to make it, we need the Lord’s help. 

Here are some synonyms and other keys words associated with diligence: 

Steadfast, Firm, Immovable, Press forward, Endure, Faithful, Patience, Determination, Persistent, Commitment, Continue, Persevere

If you want to learn about diligence, I’d recommend going to the Topical Guide or Index to the Triple Combination and reading verses under those headings. 

The scriptures also promise so many rewards for diligence. Honestly, check them out! 

I think there is one verse that really encapsulates all these aspects of diligence. It’s a classic:

Alright, now that we know what diligence is, what did the speakers at General Conference teach about diligence?

Great question! Here are some quotes about diligence, organized under those five aspects of diligence (Some appear more than once, because they cover multiple categories).

Effort & Work

• “It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work…It takes consistent, daily effort” (Pres Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail”)
• “Maintaining change takes effort” (Becky Craven, “Keep the Change”)
• “It is always worth the effort to keep trying” (Carlos A. Godoy, “I Believe Angels”)
• “Such adjustment requires a daily and constant personal effort” (Ulisses S. Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”)
• “By their faithful endurance and effort, they became more like the Savior and our Heavenly Father” (Henry B. Eyring, “Tested, Proved, Polished”)
• “Your consistent efforts in this endeavor - even during those moments when you feel that you are not being particularly successful - will change your life, that of your family, and the world” (Jeremy R. Jaggi, “Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work, and Count It All Joy!”)
• "Commit to exerting meaningful effort. These attributes… will come incrementally while endeavoring…You will need to put in sustained effort. Much like climbing a mountain requires preparation before and endurance and perseverance during ascent, so too will this journey require real effort and sacrifice. True Christianity, in which we strive to become like our Master, has always required our best efforts.” (Scott D. Whiting, “Becoming Like Him”)

Steady & Constant (by small & simple means)

• “It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work…It takes consistent, daily effort” (Pres Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail”)
• "These attributes won’t come cheaply and suddenly, but through His grace they will come incrementally while endeavoring…In order to see real progress, you will need to put in sustained effort. Much like climbing a mountain requires preparation before and endurance and perseverance during ascent, so too will this journey require real effort and sacrifice. True Christianity, in which we strive to become like our Master, has always required our best efforts.” (Scott D. Whiting, “Becoming Like Him”)
• “Additional aspects of a spiritual foundation…include acting ‘in wisdom and order,’ which implies a gradual buildup…over time, as well as embracing “small and simple” means, which is a demonstration of faith that the Lord will magnify our small but consistent efforts” (W. Christopher Waddell, “There Was Bread”)
• “We endure to the end by continuing to apply these principles….Our daily choices will either help or hinder our progress. Small but steady, deliberate changes will help us improve.” (Becky Craven, “Keep the Change”)
• “Your consistent efforts in this endeavor - even during those moments when you feel that you are not being particularly successful - will change your life, that of your family, and the world” (Jeremy R. Jaggi, “Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work, and Count It All Joy!”)
• ““I may not soon make it to the top, but I can do this next step right now.” Over time the daunting task ultimately became achievable—step by step” (Scott D. Whiting, “Becoming Like Him”)
• “Such adjustment requires a daily and constant personal effort” (Ulisses S. Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”)
• “With [God’s] help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Be of Good Cheer”)

Grace (relying on the Lord’s strength and power)

• “Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven’s inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us will be our safest and surest way to move confidently forward” (M. Russell Ballard, “Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always”)
• “We are never alone in our efforts” (Sharon Eubank, “By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power With God”)
• “The Lord is ready to assist us in our personal efforts” (Ulisses S. Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”)
• “The Lord will magnify our small but consistent efforts” (W. Christopher Waddell, “There Was Bread”)
• “He will send angels to help you” (Carlos A. Godoy, “I Believe Angels”)
• “Combining our efforts with the Savior’s ability to change us, we become new creatures….In addition to the transforming power of our Savior’s Atonement, the Holy Ghost will support and guide us as we put forth our effort” (Becky Craven, “Keep the Change”)
• "These attributes won’t come cheaply and suddenly, but through His grace they will come” (Scott D. Whiting, “Becoming Like Him”)
• “With [God’s] help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail”(Dallin H. Oaks, “Be of Good Cheer”)

At All Times & Unto the End

• “Such adjustment…takes a lifetime of diligence and faithfulness” (Ulisses S. Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”)
• “We endure to the end by continuing to apply these principles throughout our lives…Do not become discouraged. Change is a lifelong process” (Becky Craven, “Keep the Change”)

Rewards & Promises

• “The Lord…promises remarkable blessings if we endure to the end” (Ulisses S. Soares, “Seek Christ in Every Thought”)
• “Your consistent efforts in this endeavor - even during those moments when you feel that you are not being particularly successful - will change your life, that of your family, and the world” (Jeremy R. Jaggi, “Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work, and Count It All Joy!”)
• “Our faith will grow as we experiment on the word of God with hope and diligence” (Lisa Harkness, “Peace, Be Still”)
• “By their faithful endurance and effort, they became more like the Savior and our Heavenly Father” (Henry B. Eyring, “Tested, Proved, Polished”)
• “With [God’s] help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Be of Good Cheer”)

Find all the General Conference addresses here. 

"Who do you say I am?": A Testimony

 

God is difficult. God is unseen. God can be hard to find sometimes.

God is a symbol, a metaphor. God represents our deepest aspirations for ourselves and the cosmos. God is a vision of what could be, and the strength to make that vision a reality. 

God is the energy of electrons vibrating. God is the constant expansion of the universe, and God will be its collapse. God is photons. God is whatever magic that turns sunlight into food. God is breath, God is the mechanism that turns glucose into movement. God is the energetic connection between people. God is love.

God is healer and God is healing. God is our immune system and herbs and doctors.

God is justice. God is listening to the marginalized and oppressed. God speaks in their voices. God's righteous indignation pours out upon the oppressor and the unrepentant. 

God is Black Lives Matter. God is a dead black body, shot in the back 7 times. God is the tears of a bereaved mother. God is the child whose parent lies in a grave. God is the signs held high, God is the sweat that falls for hours in the hot sun, God is the water and powerade donated buy strangers. God is the fire that demands we see and hear the enslaved, just as God was the fire on Mt. Sinai. 

God is reconciliation, repentance, forgiveness. God is a new path through the wilderness. God is a shadow by day and pillar by night. God is the Rock that gives Living Water. God is our food, our drink, our strength. God is our refuge, our shelter, our very present help in time of trouble. God is our comfort, our peace, our joy. God is the smile of a friend. 

God is the sovereign king over all the earth, whose we welcome with trumpets. God calls us to repentance, to change, to transformation into the image of Christ. God gathers us in as we gather the fall harvest. God is judge, attentive to our deeds and sealing us in the Book of Life. God is atonement - the opportunity to change, make things right, start anew. 

God is near, within every cell. God is every song I sing and every tear I cry. God is life itself. 

On Loving Others

"The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people . . . God himself thought they were worth dying for."

Acts 20:26

This week, I've been working on seeing people how God sees them. As you can imagine, this is going great!

...Not.

If you're like me (a human) you probably struggle to see people in their best light. we're quick to judge people for cutting us off in traffic, being rude in line at the grocery store, taking too long at the DMV, etc, etc, etc. All kinds of things get us irritated with the people around us.

I've started praying something simple each day: "Lord, give me Your eyes and Your heart. Give me a mind and a heart to do Your work. Show me Your heart. Let me see people how You see them."

I pray this in the morning and get in my car. I have this thought fresh in my mind when I start my day, but it doesn't take long for my mind to wander and completely forget this goal.

I find it's especially hard to see God's love in those closest to me. It's easy to look at a stranger in the car next to me at a red light and think, "Wow. God loves them so much." But when those nagging habits come out in my family members, it's easy to get frustrated and focus on that. I never seem to remember to look with God's eyes at those closest to me.

But let me share that verse again: "God himself thought they were worth dying for."

Wow. "Remember, when you see these people, God died for them. God loved them so much that God went to the ends of the earth, even to death, to show that love."

The New Testament indeed preaches a universal gospel. This library of scripture is no longer a story of a chosen people called to slaughter cities and take the survivors as slaves and concubines. Jesus preached and his earliest followers continued preaching a universal gospel - one where every single person is loved by God.

No more do we see a tribal god who knew before they were formed in the womb only his own people. Now, we see a God who created and knows and loves the whole world.  

Further, Jesus told us that every person we see is not only loved by him, but like HIM.

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Matthew 25: 34-40 

Actually, he said that every person we serve IS him.

Mother Teresa famously served the poorest of the poor in India. When people asked her how she did it, she responded, "This is Jesus in his most distressing disguise."

When we feed those who are hungry, we feed Jesus. When we welcome those who are strangers among us, we welcome Jesus. When we clothe those in need of clothing, we clothe Jesus. When we visit those who are sick and in prison, we visit Jesus. When we serve those in need, we serve Jesus. When we love anyone, we're loving Jesus.

And when we turn any of these away - we reject Jesus.

Every person we see is Jesus. Every person should be treated as if they are the God of the universe.

Wow.

Started with a goal to "see others as God sees them." Then realized "everybody is Jesus."

Guess I'll have to work a little harder to overcome that road rage.




Ways to serve Jesus right where you are:

• Make blessing backpacks for the homeless. Click here for some ideas of what to include.
• Volunteer at your local food kitchen or homeless shelter.
• Renew the practice of bringing a casserole to welcome new families to the neighborhood. 
• Clean out your closet and donate gently used clothes, coats, and shoes to a local clothing agency. 
• Visit people in hospitals or nursing homes.
• Visit people in prison. Or, if you're worried about safety, sign up to bake cookies! Click for more information.
• Call your representatives to tell them you want legislation that feeds the hungry, welcomes strangers, clothes the naked, cares for the sick, and treats those in prison with justice and kindness. Click here to find your representative in the House. Click here to find your Senators.
• TITHE. Whether it's to your local congregation or to your favorite charity, reclaiming the Old Testament practice of tithing the first 10% of our income to the work of the Lord is a powerful way to affect our world for good. Check out my favorite charity here. They partner with local organizations to help Syrian refugees, hurricane victims in Texas and Puerto Rico, low-income schools, and more - and because they're run completely by volunteers, 100% of donations go to those in need.

The Abundant Life: Ananias and Sapphira

A man named Ananias—his wife, Sapphira, conniving in this with him—sold a piece of land, secretly kept part of the price for himself, and then brought the rest to the apostles and made an offering of it. Peter said, “Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn’t lie to men but to God.” Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. That put the fear of God into everyone who heard of it. The younger men went right to work and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.

Not more than three hours later, his wife, knowing nothing of what had happened, came in. Peter said, “Tell me, were you given this price for your field?”

“Yes,” she said, “that price.”

Peter responded, “What’s going on here that you connived to conspire against the Spirit of the Master? The men who buried your husband are at the door, and you’re next.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than she also fell down, dead. When the young men returned they found her body. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

By this time the whole church and, in fact, everyone who heard of these things had a healthy respect for God. They knew God was not to be trifled with.

Acts 5:1-10 (MSG)

~ ~ ~

Recently, I read a book entitled Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism (authored by former Anglican Bishop John Shelby Spong). The thrust of his argument was that modern scientific inquiry and wider, less tribalistic morality was causing us to rethink how we look at the Bible. There are two options. First, we take it literally, discounting science and worshipping a God who commands slaughter of many people throughout the text - fundamentalism. Or, we revere the Bible as a work full of rich symbolism and metaphor (which is likely the way that early Christians viewed at least the gospels) that leads us to an experience of the divine - a progressive approach. 

As I read the above passage in my scripture study recently, I found myself thinking, "What the heck am I supposed to learn from this? That our God is the kind of God who will kill anyone who lies or fails to donate money to the church? Wow." It struck me that this was against the God of forgiveness and grace found in other parts of the New Testament and preached by many Christian churches today. Where is grace? Where is the forgiveness brought about by Jesus? Shouldn't these new Christians, of all people, have an understand of the radical grace given by their God? Or is grace a lie? Is this God a killer, or one who came "that you might have life, and have it abundantly"? 

This morning, I read a passage in John. Here, Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work" (John 4:34). Wow. His food is doing God's work. Jesus is saying that he gets nourishment and sustenance from doing God's work, from serving others. Doing God's work, for Jesus, wasn't something draining or energy-consuming, but life-giving. 

And, we are children of God just as much as Jesus. And our faith calls us to live Christlike lives. What if that means that we, too, are to find nourishment and sustenance in doing God's work? Doing God's work will fill us up and give us life abundant. Wow. 

Then, this evening, I was listening to a talk by a local preacher. On a tangent, he mentioned this story in Acts 5. He didn't really teach on it, just acknowledge it's existence. A sidenote to a passage I'd just been reading and questioning. 

And then I realized. Something spoke to my soul, and said - "This story isn't about actual death. It's not about Ananias and Sapphira literally falling to the ground, physically dead. Think metaphorically." So I thought. 

Then - boom. They died not a physical death, but a spiritual death. The story isn't about God smiting people for lying or not sharing. This story is about where we get our food. Ananias and Sapphira weren't contributing to building up the Kingdom like they should have. In their case, it was a financial lapse. Since they didn't contribute the way they could and the way God had asked of them, a part of them died. They lost some of the abundant life, because they were not walking in the way lined by the Light of the World. They died spiritually. 

The lesson for us, is that when we fail to contribute to the Kingdom of God in the ways that God has asked, in the ways that we are capable of, part of us dies. We walk away from God. That's death. The story isn't about God killing people, but about us failing to look at God. Ananias and Sapphira didn't believe that serving God would be all the food, all the nourishment, all the sustenance they needed. Either they were anxious about material needs, or they thought that worldly riches would satisfy the hunger in their hearts. Wrong. Only life with God can fill us up all the way. When we walk with God, we're fed. Inside and out. Our God is the Great Provider.

May we trust the Abundant Giver. May we look to this Holy Source to supply all our needs. May we be free of anxiety, knowing where our food comes from. May we follow Light and live to the fullest. 

The Holy Spirit and Building Zion

In the story of the wise men, God sent a star to lead them to Jesus. Today, we want to find Jesus, too - but there's no star, and no little house holding a baby king. What are we to do?

As I told my littles when I taught this, "Well, God thought of everything, so there's a gift to help us."

After Jesus finished his life on earth, he promised the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has a lot of jobs.

The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost (with many other names) is a revelator. The Spirit reveals to us the nature of God. The Spirit testifies to our redemption and reconciliation. It is by the Spirit that we become confident of our standing with God. Romans 8:16 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,."

The Spirit encourages and empowers us to accept God's love and submit (surrender) to Jesus Christ as Lord in word and deed. We receive wisdom and power to do God's will through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks God's will to us and helps us make decisions. The Holy Spirit teaches us God's heart so we can pray and act in ways pleasing to God. 

And the Holy Ghost does more than just tell us who God is and what God wants us to do. It is through the Holy Ghost - and only through the Holy Ghost - that we receive grace and power to do that which is pleasing to God. We are not big enough or good enough for a holy God on our own (we are loved, yes! but not perfect). We can't be like God by ourselves. So God sends power down to us so we are enabled to do God's work. The Holy Ghost is the channel by which this power travels from God to us. it is up to us to make a decision for Christ, and it is up to the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and make us more and more like Christ. 

Simply put, 1) the Holy Spirit tells us about Jesus, and 2) the Holy Spirit helps us to be kind like Jesus, to share with others like Jesus, and to pray like Jesus. 

As individuals listen to and are empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church universal will make progress towards the Kingdom of God. "The Lord [will call] his people Zion, because they [are] of one heart and one mind, and [dwell] in righteousness; and there [is] no poor among them" (Moses 7:18). The Holy Ghost will teach us that we are one family, that we are all alike. When I am you and you are me, when we are one heart and one mind, we have no choice but to share kindness and material goods. Listening to the Holy Ghost will lead us to openness, compassion, and justice for all people. Listening to the Holy Ghost will open our eyes to injustice and oppression. We'll think "This is terrible! My brothers and sisters are suffering!" Then we'll think, "Oh my gosh, how can I ever change anything? There's so much to do and I'm so small." 

That's when the Holy Ghost will whisper to us, 

"You are small. But I am not.

You are weak. But I am not. 

You are afraid. But I am not. 

You are poor. But I am not. 

You are human. But I am God."

And with the power of God Almighty in our words, hands, and feet, we will go on to transform the world by grace as we have been transformed by grace. 

Brigham Young on Government

I was reading recently in The Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young. The chapter on "Earthly Governments and the Kingdom of God" seemed especially relevant in our current politcal climate.

What a government based on the Kingdom look like? 

President Young said that if the Kingdom of God ruled on earth, "Every one would be fully protected in the enjoyment of all religious and social rights, and no state, no government, no community, no person would have the privilege of infringing on the rights of one another. . . . Whoever lives to see the Kingdom of God fully established upon the earth will see a government that will protect every person in his rights" (268). 

Young reminds us that the Kingdom of God does not force anyone to do or believe anything. As such, "If that government [the Kingdom of God] was now reigning . . . you would see the Roman Catholic, the Greek Catholic, the Episcopalian, the Presbyterian, the Methodist, the Baptist, the Quaker, the Shaker, the [Hindi], the [Muslim], and every class of worshippers most strictly protected in all their municipal rights and in the privileges of worshiping who, what, and when they pleased" (268). Our country and church leadership would do well to work harder on to "protect every person in his rights" and ensure that "every class of worshippers [are] most strictly protected," rather than allowing Jews and Muslims to suffer and die as refugees abroad or victims of hateful actions domestically.

What kind of leaders are needed for such a government?

President Young also spoke about good leaders and the traits necessary for leadership: "[A good leader] should understand what administrative policy would be most beneficial to the nation. He should also have the knowledge and disposition to wisely exercise the appointing power. . . . He should not only carry out the legal and just wishes of his constituents, but should be able to enlighten their understanding and correct their judgement. And all good officers in a truly republican[*] administration will constantly labor for the security of the rights of all, irrespective of sect or party. . . . We want [people] to rule the nation who care more for and love better the nation's welfare than gold and silver, fame, or popularity" (269). 

1. Knowledge and Understanding
2. Carry out the legal and just wishes of this constituents
3. Constantly labor for the rights of all, irrespective of sect or party
4. Care more for and love better the nation's welfare than money, power, or fame

How are Latter-Day Saints expected to participate in such government?

President Young spoke regarding electing representatives, saying, "We will vote for the man who will sustain the principles of civil and religious liberty, the man who knows the most and who has the best heart and brain for a statesman; and we do not care a farthing whether he is a whig, a democrat [etc]" (270). 

After election, "We will pray for them and give them our faith [trust] and influence to do the will of God and to preserve themselves and the people in truth and righteousness" (270). Here, I do not believe the President Young is saying that the Saints are to vote, pray for our representatives, and leave it at that. He also says we should "influence" them - in today's words, an injunction to phone and write our representatives to tell them what we believe they should do and how they should act in given situations. We are to influence our representatives "to do the will of God." What does this mean? Well, I think the next part of the sentence partially explains that: "to preserve themselves and the people in truth and righteousness." We are to guide our representatives to act according to principles of truth and righteousness. We are not to allow or representatives to act based on falsehoods, assumptions, or bigotry. Remember, President Young said that the a Kingdom government "will protect every person in his rights."

"Are we a political people? Yes, very political indeed." 

President Brigham Young 

So, Latter-Day Saints, follow the prophet in all areas of your life, including government. May I remind you that Jesus of Nazareth was executed on a Roman cross for defying the government and calling for social, economic, and religious justice for the Jewish people. May we not be afraid of a fate like Jesus in fighting for the Kingdom he initiated. 

*Republic - "a government in which supreme power is held by the citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives governing according to law" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

All images from lds.org.

Reader Report: A Simple Path

Title:
Mother Teresa: A Simple Path

Editor:
Lucinda Vardey

Publishing Info:
Ballantine Books, 1995

~ ~ ~

I bought this book for about 50 cents earlier this year. And oh, man, was it good. I finished it in only two or three days. So good, so good. The wisdom of this woman is amazing. It is so evident that she spends much time in prayer and tries very hard to know what God wants her to do. This woman takes seriously the counsel given in Matthew 25: "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visitedme: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." She truly sees the face of Christ in ever person she serves.

This book explains what Mother Teresa calls her "simple path." Throughout the book, this path is taught, as its name implies, quite simply and beautiful. Though we sometimes forget, the gospel path really is "so simple a child can grasp it" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "It Works Wonderfully!"). MOther Teresa reminds us of this through her simple teaching. The path is, as follows:

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service. 

The fruit of service is peace.

~ ~ ~

And, of course, a few lines from the book that I just fell in love with.

Prayer

• "It is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. . . . We need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters. Prayer feeds the soul" (p 7).
• "We've been made for God and our hearts are restless until we rest with HIm" (p 9). 
• "Without [prayer] . . . we won't reach the fulfillment of our being" (p 10). 

Faith

• "God created us to love and be loved . . . Any negligence in loving can lead someone to say Yes to evil . . . If someone chooses evil, then an obstacle is set up between that person and God, and the burdened person cannot see God clearly at all. That's why we have to avoid any kind of temptation that will destroy us" (p 51). 

Love

• "The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. . . . The only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. . . . There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God" (p 79).
• "As we remember and notice His love for us, we just begin to fall in love with Him because He is so busy with us - you just can't resist Him. I believe there's no such thing as luck in life, it's God's love, it's His" (p 80).
• "Everyone needs love. All must know that they're wanted and that they are important to God" (p 81). 
• "Even in the midst of pain and suffering, God loves [you]" (p 89).
• "Their [the sisters] happiest time is when they pray - they look forward to it, they are eager to pray and to refuel and they are equally eager to come out of that refueling and give away the energy they receive" (p 106). What would our world be like if we all had this attitude?

Service

• "Prayer in action is love, and love in action is service. . . . The point is to do something, however small, and show you care through your actions by giving your time. . . . Do not worry about why problems exist in the world - just respond to people's needs" (p 114). 
• "This is the future - this is God's wish for us - to serve through love in action, and to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to act when called" (p 137).

Peace

• "Knowing our strengths and weaknesses, we turn to the Lord. . . . He has the remedy for everything. . . . If we just turn to Him, He will bring us this inner healing, this spiritual healing so we can make our lives more holy and more pleasing to God" (p 172).
• "We are all meant to return to God - we come from Him and we go back to Him" (p 175). 
• "We are born to be happy - and we can only find true happiness and peace when we are in love with God: there is joy in loving God, great happiness in loving Him" (p 179). 

~ ~ ~

"Christ's love is always stronger than the evil in the world."

"God's love for us is greater than all the conflicts, which will pass."

"We're not always called to be successful but we're always called to be faithful."

*Ending quotes: p 52, p 60, p 153

God is Mindful and Merciful. We Should Be, Too.

A number of ideas have been on my mind and on my heart lately. My heart is broken for the brokenness of our world. Instead of offering advice, instead of offering my words, I will offer the words of God.

(source)

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:35-40, emphasis added).

"Blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land. Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth" (Alma 26: 36-37, emphasis added). 

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction" (James 1:27).

"The Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding" (2 Nephi 31:3, emphasis added). 

"Thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30, emphasis added). 

"We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true" (Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth," October 2014).

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of thepriesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile— That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men" (D&C 121:41-45, emphasis added).

. . .

"He commanded that their little children should be brought. 

So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, 

and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him. . . .

He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, 

and prayed unto the Father for them. 

And when he had done this he wept again; 

And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: 

Behold your little ones" 

(3 Nephi 17:11-12, 21-23).

(source)