Mormon Life - Faith tag

FHE: Youth

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We must help our youth gain testimonies for themselves so they can withstand temptation and trust in God.

Conference Talk:

For more information on this topic read “Counsel to Youth,” by President Boyd K. Packer,

Ensign, Nov 2011, 16.

Thought:

Youth today are being raised in enemy territory with a declining standard of morality. But as a servant of the Lord, I promise that you will be protected and shielded from the attacks of the adversary if you will heed the promptings that come from the Holy Spirit.

(President Boyd K. Packer, “Counsel to Youth,” Ensign, Nov 2011, 16.)

Song:

“True to the Faith,” Hymns #254.

Scripture:

O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

(Alma 37:35)

Lesson:

Before family scripture study, ask the father of your family to be prepared to share his most heartfelt counsel to his children. When ready, invite him to share his counsel. Read Alma 37:35–37 aloud to your family. Ask if there are any similarities between Alma’s counsel to Helaman and your father’s counsel to them. Ask:

• What two gospel principles did Alma specifically admonish Helaman to keep? (Keep the commandments and pray.)

• Why do you think Alma encouraged Helaman to keep the commandments?

• What counsel did Alma give concerning prayer?

Prepare the following “prayer checklists” for each family member:

List 1:

I do not have personal prayer. I only pray at mealtime.

I only pray with the family.

I only pray in the morning. I only pray at bedtime.

I only pray in time of need.

List 2:

I pray out loud.

I pray silently.

I read scriptures before praying.

I ponder before praying.

I pray during the day.

I listen for answers.

Ask your family which list best represents the counsel Alma gave his son. Which list would bring

you the greatest comfort or direction or help?

Encourage family members to keep the “prayer checklists” as a reminder to improve their prayers

and gain the blessings that come with doing so.

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003], p. 209.)

Story:

Bernard F. Fisher

Graduating from high school, leaving very special friends and the stabilizing influence of home, to

enter the United States Navy was a large step in my life. I am sure that my seminary teacher at Davis High School [in Kaysville, Utah] was well aware of the new environmental and psychological change that would take place. As I stopped by the seminary building to say farewell, Brother Ensign invited me to visit and add his comments to many other well-wishers. He said, “I want to tell you something and subsequently would like to have you promise to write once a month.” Continuing, he suggested that I wouldn’t understand the full significance of his counsel; but if I was diligent and faithful in my correspondence, I would develop a broader understanding of what it meant. His instructions were to start each letter with this statement, “I am in the world but not of the world.”

I think those few comments transcribed from rote memory to paper each month had a great influence during the succeeding days and the personal challenges that were to follow. I, as any

young man would do, thought a great deal about home and the very special people I had relied on. I remembered the comments of Brother Ensign and soon developed a limited understanding of what he was trying to convey to me.

As we grow through adolescence to maturity, we form trusts and cherish certain individuals who have a tremendous influence on our lives. If, in our youth, we build a strong cache of strength from which to draw in our later and more vulnerable years, the vices and corrupt influences are lessened. Likewise, if our maturing environment is steeped in violence, immorality, or dishonesty, that is also the cache of ideals from which we will draw.

(Leon R. Hartshorn, Powerful Stories from the Lives of Latter-day Saint Men, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974].)

Activity:

Give each person a paper and pencil. Have them write STRENGTH OF YOUTH vertically down the left side of the paper. Each person needs to think of a word for each letter than would describe a strong and dedicated member of the church. (Example: S-service, T-true, R-reliable, etc.) Share your words with each other.

Refreshment

Moon Cake

Makes 20 servings

Cake

1 cup water

1⁄2 cup margarine

1 cup all-purpose flour 4 eggs

Topping

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

3 1⁄2 cups milk

1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or 2 cups freshly whipped cream

1⁄4 cup chocolate syrup

1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For cake: In a small saucepan, bring water and margarine to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir rapidly until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs to the hot mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spread dough on an ungreased 11 x 15-inch cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes. Cool. (Crust will look like the moon’s surface, which is how it got its name.) Don’t prick, let it stand as is.

For topping: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very soft. In another bowl, mix the milk and pudding mix. Blend cream cheese with the pudding and mix together until smooth. Spread on crust and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Generously top with whipped topping or whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and sprinkle with nuts.

(Lion House Cakes and Cupcakes, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011], p. 120.)

To access the PDF version of this lesson, click here.

New Presiding Bishop has witnessed faith in action

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:41:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Witnessing the death, damage and destruction caused by last year's historic natural disaster in Japan was a life-altering experience for Bishop Gary E. Stevenson and his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson. The Stevensons were, at once, terribly saddened by the heavy toll that was exacted by such cataclysmic events — but also uplifted by the sustaining comfort and support the Lord offered through His Church and its members.

{Poll} Public Displays of Faith

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Kaela Worthen
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We are taught to be examples of faith to those around us, but we're also taught not to cast pearls before swine. Where does that line fall for you?

In Christ's Sermon on the Mount, he commanded us to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." But only one chapter later, he also encouraged us that "when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret."

Obviously, we know we should be good missionaries for the Church, and we also know there are some things, such as what happens within the temple, that are too sacred to discuss. But there is a lot that seems to fall in a sort of gray area, left open to personal interpretation.

For example, praying in public. I've seen families bow their heads in unison and utter aloud a prayer in a restaurant, and I've seen others dig into their food without a moment's hesitation. Growing up, my family found a sort of middle ground: we all offered silent (and sometimes three-second, I admit) prayers individually.

Most recently, NFL quarterback Tim Tebow brought Christianity to the spotlight with his public displays of faith, including praying on the field and citing God as the reason for his success. Some people were thrilled to see a role model so open about their faith and using their position to spread religion, but others were bothered by how over-the-top it seemed and thought more discretion should be used.

What do you think is an appropriate amount or way to show your faith? Is that a question that is even answerable? Let us know in the poll and by leaving comments below.

'For the Strength of Youth' over the years

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Mandy Slack
source: ldsliving.com

Mormon Life says: The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet has recently been changed and expanded. After reading about the changes, we were interested to see how this youth handbook has changed since its first publication in 1965. Here's what we found. (Make sure to check out the gallery of old FSOY covers!)

Whenever I’ve heard my mom or other women from earlier generations claim they couldn’t wear pants to school, I’ve treated their words as myths--kind of like the classic dad story about walking two miles to school in the snow and uphill both ways. But when I traipsed over to The Church History Library and looked through the For the Strength of Youth pamphlets from the past, I found hard evidence that it was, in fact, considered inappropriate for young women to wear pants to school and several other places.

Deep down, I always knew it was true, but I was still surprised when I saw that the first edition of the pamphlet, published in 1965, advised young women not to wear pants “for shopping, at school, in the library, in cafeterias or restaurants.”

Can you imagine this kind of guidance for young women today? It was no doubt the right guidance for the youth to whom it spoke, but as things have changed, so has the pamphlet. Seeing these changes to the "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet has opened my eyes to the Church's awareness of the needs of youth at all times, whether it be the 60s and 70s or the late 90s and early 2000s. Here are some of the highlights from the different editions:

1965-1972

Between 1965 and 1972, seven editions of the pamphlet were published, including the very first edition. A lot of the guidance in these early editions of FSOY was geared towards propriety and acceptable behaviors. Under the section “Good Grooming,” it reads, “Not only should clothes be clean, but nails, skin, and hair should have the glow of health that bespeaks meticulous care in grooming.” Youth were also reminded that “it is not polite to run in and out of motel or hotel rooms late at night, making a disturbance which keeps other guests awake.”

Some of the directions in these earlier pamphlets are more detailed than the FSOY pamphlets we know today. For example, in the section titled “‘Grubbies,’ Curlers, Hair Fashions,” girls were counseled not to leave the house in their “grubbies.” The next sentence states: “A ‘real lady’ does not go out in public, to the market, or to shops with her hair curlers.” (Most of today’s young women probably don’t even know how to use hair curlers.)

Young women were not only to avoid backless and strapless dresses because of immodesty, but also because, according to these early pamphlets, “few girls or women ever look well in backless or strapless dresses. Such styles often make the figure look ungainly and large, or they show the bony structures of the body.”

1990 Edition

Society must have changed drastically in the years to follow because For the Strength of Youth was almost completely different when it was updated in 1990. The Church standards remained the same, but the world seemed to be in more need of moral direction. “The title For the Strength of Youth is not new,” explained Ardeth Kapp, the Young Women general president at the time. “But because of the trend toward immorality and other ills in society and also because of the expansion of the Church into new geographical areas over the years, a more comprehensive, more explicit statement of Church standards was needed.”

The 1990 edition of For the Strength of Youth contained several more sections of what Sister Kapp said was needed—explicit statements of the Church’s standards. Youth were still taught about appropriate dress and dating, as in earlier editions, but topics like language, sexual purity, mental and physical health, and Sunday behavior were added.

There were still some specific directions on subjects such as dress. While pants and “grubbies” no longer raised concern, short shorts, tight pants, and other revealing attire, including off-the-shoulder and low cut shirts, became an issue. Youth were counseled to “dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you.”

2001 Edition

In 2001, FSOY expanded from just 19 pages to 44. This pamphlet was geared even more toward spiritual principles, with sections such as “Agency and Accountability,” “Gratitude” and “Go Forward with Faith.” “The Living Christ” and “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” were also added to the back of the pamphlet, and instead of a picture of youth on the front, the cover displayed a picture of the temple. The introduction to the “Dress and Appearance” section illustrates this more spiritual update: “Your body is God’s sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord that you know how precious your body is.” Youth were not only supposed to dress appropriately because it was socially acceptable, but because of their spiritual beliefs about the body.

2011 Update

In December 2011, the Church announced it would release a new and updated version of the pamphlet. For me, though, it didn’t seem like we were really that far removed from 2001. Had things really changed that much? The 2001 edition seemed to be sufficient for today’s youth--until I looked through the 2011 edition. It’s interesting to note how much things actually have changed. A lot of material in the updated version of FSOY is the same as before, but some additions are clearly vital for our time. In the “Music and Dancing” section, for instance, youth receive this counsel: “Keep your music at a reasonable volume, and remove your earphones when others are talking to you or want you to be part of their activities.”

Another interesting and certainly important addition comes from the section “Sexual Purity.” It counsels youth to “avoid situations that invite increased temptation, such as late-night or overnight activities away from home or activities where there is a lack of adult supervision.” Nearly every section has been expanded by a paragraph or more, and there's even a whole new section--"Work and Self-Reliance." Would the Church have made these additions to the pamphlet if they weren’t important for our time?

Same Principles, Different Words

Even though FSOY has changed, the principles have remained consistent. “The standards have not changed, but times have changed,” said Elaine S. Dalton, current Young Women general president. “For the Strength of Youth has been revised to address the issues youth face today—to teach them the doctrine behind the standards and the promised blessings of obedience.”

To see the updated For the Strength of Youth pamphlet online, click here.

Mormon musician finds faith on path to fame

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Mandy Slack - LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Amy Gerhartz was baptized in high school, but it wasn't until she became a full-time musician that she really realized she wanted God to have control of her life.

Amy Gerhartz isn’t really a new artist—you just haven’t heard of her yet. Back in 2006, a blogger claimed that Amy Gerthartz was a gem who was “making everyone in NYC feel stupid for not having heard of her earlier.” Gerhartz’s music has been described as everything from country to rock to soul, but to herself, she’s just a singer/songwriter without the limits imposed by a specific genre. “I really like the term singer/songwriter because of the fact that it allows me to be able to touch on a bunch of different categories. I love writing all different types of music,” Gerhartz says. “If I wrote the same thing every day, I’d drive myself crazy.”

In high school, Gerhartz started writing her own music and was also baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In time, she became more serious about music, making the daring decision to pursue a career as a solo artist. As the years passed, she became less active in the Church, but her music career grew to the point that she could quit her day job to become a full-time musician. More and more musical doors started opening, and that led to some personal reevaluation.

“I ended up sitting down and thinking about all these great things that were happening with my career,”says Gerhartz. “I’d signed on with a new manager and I had all these opportunities coming up. Life was really starting to look up and I kind of sat back and looked at myself and I thought, ‘Okay, what do I want for me in my personal life? Where do I want to be down the road?’”

At this point, Gerhartz made the decision to start letting God have more control. “I do believe it’s good to try to get direction from God and from someone other than yourself, but you can only take that so far,” she says. “It’s not just, ‘Hey, I’m going to let God do everything for me.’”

As she continues to become more well-known in the music industry, Gerhartz recognizes that she’s been blessed with opportunities that will give her career a boost, but she’s willing to do the work it takes to become even more successful. “Ever since I’ve put a conscious effort into thinking about what I believe in,” Gerhartz says, “life has been great. So many opportunities have been coming forward.”

Gerhartz knows from firsthand experience that change can be hard, but some sound advice from her bishop has kept her on track. “He said, ‘Nobody’s perfect. We’re not expected to be perfect. The idea is not to be great at everything. It’s about making the daily changes; it’s about making the effort every day to try to be a little bit better.’ I don’t have to be perfect all the time. Even if I do just one thing every day to try to be a little better, that’s good.”

While Gerhartz acknowledges she isn’t perfect, she was good enough to be chosen to be in the top ten of an online music contest taking place on playpromedia.com, a website teaming up with Sony music to find new talent. “It’s a great opportunity because it opens up a lot of doors for me as a songwriter,” Gerhartz says. “It’s so strange how you start getting your life back on track and everything starts coming in.”

As the opportunities flow in and her career grows in ways she’d only hoped for previously, Gerhartz keeps herself stable on a foundation of faith—in God, but also in herself.

“It’s not an easy road to chase after something you believe in,” Gerhartz says, “but if you have faith in yourself, you’ll be able to do it.”

You can check out Gerhartz’s music at amygerhartz.com or vote for her at playpromedia.com.

Book of Mormon Lesson 7: "I Know in Whom I Have Trusted"

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We can learn a great deal from Nephi's resolve to stay close to the Lord and flee from the wickedness he faced among his brothers.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Speaking of the new editions of the Scriptures, Elder Packer said:

The stick or record of Judah - the Old Testament and the New Testament - and the stick or record of Ephraim - the Book of Mormon, which is Another Testament of Jesus Christ - are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel's prophecy stands fulfilled.

With the passing of years these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey his will.

The older generation has been raised without them, but there is another generation growing up. The revelations will be opened to them as to no other in the history of the world. Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and Judah. They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forbears could achieve. They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim him and defend him. (Elder Boyd K. Packer, C.R., Oct. 1992, p. 75)

INTRODUCTION:

After you have reviewed the material in 2 Nephi 3, find a copy of the Joseph Smith Translation and read Genesis 50. You can read several verses in the Appendix to the LDS edition of the Bible if you cannot find the complete text. Compare the two chapters and you will once again see a witness to the significance of the contents of the brass plates, and even more you will sense the depth of the prophetic power of Joseph, the son of Israel.

1. LEHI TEACHES THAT HIS DESCENDANTS WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH AND THE BOOK OF MORMON (2 Nephi 3)

These the things Lehi knew about Joseph Smith:

• God would raise him up as a seer to the descendants of Joseph (2 Nephi 3:6)

• He would be a choice seer ((2 Nephi 3:7) Remember what Ammon taught Limhi about the role of a seer? He said, . . . that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God. But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. (Mosiah 8:16,17) But Joseph Smith would be more than a seer: he would be a choice seer. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• This seer would be a descendant of Joseph of Egypt. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• He would bring the descendants of Joseph to a knowledge of the covenants the Father made with the ancestors of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• He would be commanded to do only the work assigned by the father. (2 Nephi 3:8)

• God would make him great. (2 Nephi 3:8)

• He would be great like unto Moses. (2 Nephi 3:9)

• He would have power to bring forth the word of God to the descendants of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:11)

• He would have power to convince the descendants of Joseph of the truth of the Biblemy word, which shall already have gone forth among them. (2 Nephi 3:11)

• Out of weakness he would be made strong. (2 Nephi 3:13)

• Those that seek to destroy him would be confounded. (2 Nephi 3:14)

• His name and the name of his father would be Joseph also. (2 Nephi 3:15)

• He would be the spokesman to declare the writings of the descendants of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:18)

• He would rise up mightily among the descendants of Lehi's son, Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:22; see footnote 24a)

I have in the notes above identified Joseph Smith as the spokesman in 2 Nephi 3:18. Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggested that identification also:

The Lord said to Joseph of old: "I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman." As Moses wrote and Aaron proclaimed the law given in the Old World, so someone in the New World, someone of the seed of Joseph, would write the Lord's law, and yet another, a spokesman, would declare it. In this case the writer and the spokesman are not identified by name; rather, we are left, based on our knowledge of what has transpired in this and previous dispensations, to identify those whose missions were of such import as to have them revealed thousands of years before the events transpired. Mormon wrote the Book of Mormon, quoting, condensing, and summarizing front many ancient records as the Spirit directed. And Joseph Smith translated the ancient word by the gift and power of God and proclaimed it to all men, and to the seed of Joseph in particular, as the mind and will and voice of Him by whom salvation comes.

With this in mind, note these words of the Lord: "And I, behold, I will give unto him [Mormon] that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins [the Nephites], unto the fruit of thy loins [the Lamanites]; and the spokesman of thy loins Joseph Smith] shall declare it." [2 Nephi 3:18] That is, Mormon wrote the Book of Mormon, but what he wrote was taken from the writings of the Nephite prophets; and these writings, compiled into one book, were translated by Joseph Smith and sent forth by him unto the Lamanites unto whom, as the title page of the Book of Mormon attests, they were originally written. And further, they are sent forth to all the seed of Joseph, whether in the Lamanite branch of Israel or not. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.425 p.426)

Note the content of 2 Nephi 3:12. This remarkable prophecy about the future of the sticks of Judah and Joseph is the inspiration behind the Quote of the Week above. Because of the new editions of the scriptures, the sticks of Judah and Ephraim have begun to grow together, to the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions and establishing peace. This combination of sticks or books will also assist to bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of their fathers - their connection with the House of Israel and the covenant people - and to a knowledge of those very covenants.

2 Nephi 3:19 again testifies of the inspiration accompanying the selection of content for the Book of Mormon. We noted in Lesson 1 that Moroni had seen our day (Mormon 8:34,35) and that the Book of Mormon was written by the spirit of prophecy and revelation (see the Title Page). Now Lehi tells us this:

And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I know their faith. (2 Nephi 3:19)

2. NEPHI LAMENTS HIS SINFULNESS BUT GLORIES IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD (2 Nephi 4)

Lehi blessed the children of Laman and Lemuel, and he said something remarkable to them, for he declared, I know if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it. (2 Nephi 4:5,9) This prophecy must be specific for the children of these two sons. Laman and Lemuel were certainly brought up in the way [they] should go and they departed from it rather dramatically. But Lehi offers this observation as a testimony. I know . . . One is left with the feeling that in conjunction with his many prayers for his oldest sons, he had prayed mightily over his grandchildren, the offspring of those sons, and the Lord had assured him that the sins of these children would be visited on the heads of their parents, for if these children were taught righteously, they would be righteous.

Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents. (2 Nephi 4:6)

The promise of Lehi to his grandchildren requires an additional note here. Sometimes children, in spite of the purest love and the finest teaching parents can provide, seem to drift away, in somewhat the manner of Laman and Lemuel. But we have a promise:

Years ago President Joseph F. Smith gave us an answer and a promise when he said, If you will gather your children around you once a week and instruct them in the gospel, they will not go astray (David B. Haight, A Foundation Whereon Men Cannot Fall, Ensign, July 1972, 108).

Referring to this same promise of President Smith, in the October General Conference of 1970, Elder Boyd K. Packer taught:

In the Church, Monday night has been designated and set aside, Churchwide, for families to be at home together. Instruction has recently gone out, from which I quote:

"Those responsible for priesthood and auxiliary programs, including temple activities, youth athletic activities, student activities, etc., should take notice of this decision in order that Monday night will be uniformly observed throughout the Church and the families be left free from Church activities so that they can meet together in the family home evening." (Priesthood Bulletin, September 1970.)

With this program comes the promise from the prophets, the living prophets, that if parents will gather their children about them once a week and teach the gospel, those children in such families will not go astray (Improvement Era, Dec. 1970, p. 108)

In 1965, Harold B. Lee recalled a promise made by President Wilford Woodruff:

For over half a century, the leaders of this Church have counseled with parents in the home to gather their children around them in a weekly Home Evening and there teach the truths of salvation honesty, sobriety integrity, and chastity. One of our leaders has promised that if parents would do this, "ninety-nine out of every hundred children . . . will observe them through life." (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 267-268.) (Harold B. Lee, CR, April 1965, p. 15

Sometime after these final lessons, Lehi waxed old and died. Not many days later, Nephi’s brothers were angry with him again, because of the admonitions of the Lord. Nothing these bitter and violent brothers had ever done has had even the smallest shadow of success in keeping Nephi from telling the truth. What an example he sets for us. President Joseph F. Smith spoke to parents about this kind of courage in our relationships with our children.

God forbid that there should be any of us so unwisely indulgent, so thoughtless and so shallow in our affection for our children that we dare not check them in a wayward course, in wrongdoing and in their foolish love for the things of the world more than for the things of righteousness, for fear of offending them. (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p.286)

Nephi always dared to check [his brothers] in a wayward course. He never flinched, and his affection for them was not shallow. If they needed the admonitions of the Lord, they got them, even though such steadiness infuriated them and the outcome of his preaching was a forgone conclusion. And this time was no exception. Nephi was constrained to speak unto them (2 Nephi 4:14) and he did. God help all of us never to exercise restraint when under the influence of such constraint. We must reprove betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy ghost . . . (D&C 121:43)

2 Nephi 4:16-35 changed my life. At a time when I was desperate to know that in spite of my weaknesses the Lord loved me and needed me, the witness came. As I read these verses, I was healed and loved and lifted, soaring as on eagles wings to a whole new awareness of the goodness of the Father and the Son. The Son taught me how to say what Nephi said in 2 Nephi 4:21.

My gratitude to Nephi for including this psalm is enormous. He could have left it out. In his books, filled with page after page of portraits of his greatness, we would never have missed these few verses of windows into his weaknesses. But he allowed us to see how human he was, how much like us he was, how much need of the help of the Lord he had. I came to believe, reading these verses, that as he was in some ways like me, I could finally learn to be something like him.

The cause of his distress - his sin, his yielding to temptations - was anger. Why am I angry . . .? Angry at whom? His brothers, we suppose, who were angry at him and who would soon (in the next chapter) try to kill him again. But he knew that this anger (or any other sin) did not serve him, or hurt his brothers. It simply paved the way for Lucifer to attack.

Why am I angry because of mine enemy? Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. (2 Nephi 4:27,28, emphasis added)

Review the appeals Nephi makes in his prayer. He prays for wonderful things! (2 Nephi 4:31-34)

3. THE ANGER OF LAMAN AND LEMUEL INCREASES AGAINST NEPHI, AND THE LORD COMMANDS THE FOLLOWERS OF NEPHI TO SEPARATE FROM THE FOLLOWERS OF LAMAN. (2 Nephi 5)

As we mentioned in lesson #5, the hearts of Laman and Lemuel had become hard like unto a flint and the Lord seemed to have no way to soften them anymore. (See 2 Nephi 5:21) Thus, Nephi and Zoram and Sam and their families, and Jacob and Joseph [the] younger brethren, and also [his] sisters, and all who would go with [him] . . . did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. (2 Nephi 5:6,7)

Notice the contrast in the lifestyles of these two groups:

The Nephites lived after the manner of happiness (2 Nephi 5:27). Since I want my family to live in the same way, I read 2nd Nephi 5 for insights into the way they lived, and the things that caused them to be happy. I found four things:

• And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses (2 Nephi 5:10, emphasis added). Wickedness never was happiness (Alma 41:10), but obedience is. If we observe, that is watch carefully to insure that we are keeping the judgements and statutes and commandments, we will be much more likely to be happy.

• And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind (2 Nephi 5:11, emphasis added).

[The Nephites did learn to] build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance . . . And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands (2 Nephi 5:15, 17, emphasis added). Any truly happy person will be engaged in worthwhile enterprise of some kind. Work is a key to happiness.

Spencer W. Kimball said, Work brings happiness, self-esteem, and prosperity. It is the means of all accomplishment; it is the opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. (See Gen. 3:19.) Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual wellbeing by means of a dole violate the divine mandate that we should work for what we receive. Work should be the ruling principle in the lives of our Church membership (See D&C 42:42; D&C 56:17; D&C 68:3032; D&C 75:29)(Spencer W. Kimball, And the Lord Called His People Zion, Ensign, Aug. 1984, 4).

In contrast to this, the Lamanites

. . . did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey. (2 Nephi 5:24)

• And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass (2 Nephi 5:12, emphasis added). Elder Nelson taught: Happiness comes when scriptures are used in shaping our lives (Russell M. Nelson, "A More Excellent Hope," Ensign, Feb. 1997, 63).

• And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine (2 Nephi 5:16, emphasis added).

Of course the Lamanites had been cursed. And they had been marked with a skin of blackness so that the Nephites would know they were cursed and stay away. Their cursing was a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. (2 Nephi 5:20,21; see also 2 Nephi 1:17,18,22) They were cut off from the presence of the Lord. They had no scriptures. They had no priesthood. They had no revelations. They had no temple. They had little or no access to the Spirit. A sore cursing indeed! We would be astonished if we were told, given these descriptions, that the Lamanites were immersed in happiness.

CONCLUSION:

It seems to me that there is another reason for this separation, in addition to the danger faced by Nephi. It has to do with the influence that Laman and Lemuel and their lifestyle might have on the others who went with Nephi.

When my mother remarried after 19 years of widowhood, she married a man of steel and certainty. He was my old scoutmaster and he was rugged. She learned not long after their wedding that her new husband suffered from a chronically sore big toe. It pained him greatly, but it was just a sore toe and he was tough as saddle leather. However, she was tougher and she got him to the doctor. An examination revealed melanoma. The toe was amputated.

One might ask, Why? It was just a toe. The disease was serious but it was localized in an appendage a long way from the center of things. Why all the fuss? We all know the answer. Cancer doesnt secure a toehold (sorry!) and stay put. It is always looking for an opportunity to expand. When you find a cancer, you get it out. My stepfather had waited too long to do that very thing. Within a year of the surgery, he was bedridden and riddled with cancer. All that could be done was to make him comfortable and wait for him to die. Nephi leaving Laman and Lemuel is an act of killing the cancer. Nephi must have known the great need to get away from the disease. And so, with all those who feared the disease, he packed up and pulled out.

The Lord has warned us many times about the danger of allowing such a condition to remain where it can influence us. In Numbers 16, the Lord warned the congregation about those who had rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Moses counseled the people:

Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. (Numbers 16:26)

That is exactly what Nephi did. He departed. In the October 1999 Conference, President Packer said it this way:

Young Latter-day Saints, shape up! Face up! Take hold of your lives! Take control of your mind, your thoughts! If you have friends that are not a good influence, make changes, even if you face loneliness, even rejection. (Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 24)

If we do not depart from those who would lead us into wickedness, then what the Lord said to Israel may well become true unto us:

. . . they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. (Judges 2:3)

Young Men Lesson 6: The Holy Ghost

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0700

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "The spirit of revelation is real—and can and does function in our individual lives and in the Church." -David A. Bednar

Discussion Questions

• What can I do to receive daily promptings from the Holy Ghost?

• How can the Holy Ghost help me be morally clean and avoid temptations like pornography?

Excerpt from "The Spirit of Revelation" by Elder David A. Bednar, April 2011 General Conference:

I express gratitude for the inspiration that attended the selection of the hymn that will follow my remarks, “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223). I get the hint.

I invite you to consider two experiences most of us have had with light.

The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.

The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.

From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation.

To read the full talk, click here.

Young Men Lesson 5: Faith in Jesus Christ

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:04:00 -0700

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "In a household of faith, there is no need to fear or doubt. Choose to live by faith and not fear." -Kevin W. Pearson

Discussion Questions

• How would you explain to someone what it means to exercise faith in Jesus Christ?

• What experiences have you had that have strengthened your faith in Christ?

Excerpt from "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" Elder Kevin W. Pearson, April 2009 General Conference:

I humbly invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost as we discuss a vital principle of the gospel: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I acknowledge with deep appreciation and love great examples of true faith and faithfulness in my own life. To goodly parents, family, priesthood leaders, beloved missionaries, wonderful children, and a precious eternal companion, I express my deepest love and gratitude. I acknowledge my own need and desire for greater faith as a disciple and witness of Christ. There has never been a greater need for faith in my own life than now.

As parents, we have been commanded to teach our children “to understand the doctrine of … faith in Christ the Son of the living God” (D&C 68:25). This requires more than merely recognizing faith as a gospel principle. “To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone” (Bible Dictionary, “Faith,” 669). True faith must be centered in Jesus Christ. “Faith is a principle of action and of power” (Bible Dictionary, 670). It requires us to do, not merely to believe. Faith is a spiritual gift from God that comes through the Holy Ghost. It requires a correct understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ, His divine attributes and perfect character, His teachings, Atonement, Resurrection, and priesthood power. Obedience to these principles develops complete trust in Him and His ordained servants and assurance of His promised blessings.

There is no other thing in which we can have absolute assurance. There is no other foundation in life that can bring the same peace, joy, and hope. In uncertain and difficult times, faith is truly a spiritual gift worthy of our utmost efforts. We can give our children education, lessons, athletics, the arts, and material possessions, but if we do not give them faith in Christ, we have given little.

“Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith” (Bible Dictionary, 669; see also Romans 10:14–17). Do your children know that you know? Do they see and feel your conviction? “Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Bible Dictionary, 669).

To read the full talk, click here.

{A&E} Real-life Angels

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:34:00 -0700

by Ashley Jones
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We occasionally have the blessing of coming into contact with living angels - those people who unfailingly encourage us to have hope and faith.

I'm guessing most of you remember Elder Holland's talk on "angels" from October 2008. It was one of my favorite talks that conference season. I think about Elder Holland's words often when I meet someone who leaves me feeling happy and better about myself. Well, I met one of those angels about six months ago. Appropriately named, Angel Randall is the author of a children's book I had the opportunity to help promote. The topic of her book? Angels.

But you're probably asking yourself, what qualifies her to be an angel? In 2009, while she was in her mid-20's, Angel Randall was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. After a full schedule of treatments, she returned in March 2010 for a checkup where the doctors told her she had six months to live. They explained that with certain treatments, they might be able to help extend her life. This past March, Angel hit her one year mark of defying the doctors' prediction. I met her in June, and at that moment, I learned a very important lesson: faith is the key to happiness.

Angel has every right to feel depressed, scared, and lonely. Is she? No. She could easily be one of the happiest people I know, because she believes in her Savior and does what He would do.

Every few weeks or so, I get an e-mail from Angel simply asking how I'm doing, how my family is doing, if I'm surviving work, and then signs her email:

KTF,

Angel.

She sent me a couple of emails with KTF at the bottom, and I finally emailed and asked specifically what KTF means.

"Keep the faith."

She, the one with a terminal brain tumor, was reaching out to me to see how I was doing and encouraging me to keep the faith. Little does she know how much those e-mails meant to me when I was going through a rough time. She was, and is, an angel to all those she comes in contact with. Her book, Snow Angels, in my opinion, illustrates her life: recognizing that angels are truly closer than we think.

(Click here to learn more about Snow Angels.)

Ashley Jones practices public relations for Deseret Book. She loves writing and home-made popcorn, and is a Pinterest-aholic.

Martin Luther and a Life Changing Moment

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:04:00 -0600

by John L. Lund
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: On the day we now know as Halloween, Martin Luther challenged the Catholic church with his 95 Theses. It started with an unexpected event in his own life.

Most of us are caught up in the hustle-bustle of daily living and rightly so. We are anxiously engaged in the daily pursuit of health, wealth, and happiness. During our sojourn there are moments when quite unexpectedly we are confronted with a life changing event. The experience will change the choices we make for the rest of our lives. The life-changing experience could be as simple as a poignant moment derived from watching a movie, reading a novel, perusing the Holy Scriptures or listening to an inspired speaker that jolts us into an introspective search for the meaning of our lives. It may be the awareness of a life threatening personal illness or the sudden passing away of a dear one. It may be as dramatic as a near death experience thrust upon us by a natural disaster such as a tornado, an earthquake or even a bolt of lightning.

Such an event happened to Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer. After receiving his master’s degree at the age of twenty-two, he was bound for law school. This was to please his father. However on the 2nd of July 1505, Martin Luther had a life-changing experience. He was riding his horse towards the Law University when a bolt of lightning nearly took his life. In an instant Martin returned home and reported to his father that he was terrified of death and the final judgment. In proclaiming that he was not prepared to meet God, Martin cried out, “Help! Saint Anna, I will become a monk.”

Martin Luther entered a monastery and devoted himself totally to a quest to discover what it was that God wanted from him in order that he might return and abide with God in eternity. Martin Luther focused on a comprehensive study of the Bible. From dawn until dusk Martin immersed himself in a determined quest to understand the life and message of Jesus as found in the New Testament. Martin poured over every word of the Old Testament looking for insight and what it was that God wanted from Martin Luther. Eventually he received a Doctor of Theology degree and was called to teach at the University of Wittenberg. Appropriately his title was “Doctor in Bible.” Students flocked to his classes from all over Europe. Martin Luther was unmatched as a Bible scholar. He would spend the rest of his career at Wittenberg deeply immersed in teaching the scriptures.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

{LDSL Blog} My Interview with Elizabeth Smart

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:03:00 -0600

by Jamie Lawson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I was curious about Elizabeth Smart's personality before meeting her. I came away from our meeting with answers to many of my questions, but one striking impression of her: she has incredible faith.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Elizabeth Smart for the fall issue of LDS Living (click here to read the article). I admit that I was curious how she would be in real life—if she is as impressive and poised as she appears to be on television. I’m here to tell you that she absolutely is.

Elizabeth was surprisingly candid. She openly discussed both the joys and frustrations she experienced as a missionary in France. She shared her feelings about her captor, Brian David Mitchell, including how and why she chose to forgive him. She talked passionately about her work as a children’s advocate, and her determination permeated every word as she expressed her desire to make the world a safer place for children everywhere so no one would have to experience anything like what she was forced to endure. But the thing that struck me most during my time with her was her incredible faith in the gospel.

Despite all Elizabeth has been through, or perhaps because of it, she has learned to trust in God completely. I’ll never forget when she said the following: “For me, the word ‘gospel’ means hope. No matter how bad things get, that’s the one thing you can always hold on to.”
Elizabeth is a great example of resilience, and I thank her for showing us that it is possible to become stronger, better people if we are willing to push beyond our darkest moments and look with hope toward the future.

It was definitely a powerful experience to talk with her about such deeply personal experiences. But while I had Elizabeth to myself, I couldn’t resist trying to learn more about her personality. What makes her smile? What are some of her favorite things? It was fun to watch her light up as she talked about her love for the harp. And did you know she loves to go country dancing?

I am grateful to Elizabeth for her willingness to speak with us at LDS Living. And I hope our readers will enjoy and appreciate her insights as much as I did.

(To find out more of Elizabeth’s favorite things, pick up the September/October 2011 issue of LDS Living.)

--
Jamie Lawson is managing editor of LDS Living magazine. She loves traveling internationally, meeting fascinating people, and listening to 80s music. She enjoys tasting new foods but does not like to cook. She has two adorable boys who help her stay up to date on the latest technology, fashion trends, and catch phrases.

FHE: Light

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:04:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light . . . until the perfect day." (D&C 50:24)

Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “The Spirit of Revelation,” by David A. Bednar, Ensign, May 2011, 87.

Thoughts:
The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30).

(David A. Bednar, “The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign, May 2011, 87.)

Song:
“I Love to See the Temple,” Children’s Songbook, p. 95.

Scripture:
That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

(Doctrine and Covenants 50:24)

Lesson:
Turn out your house lights, light a candle, and read D&C 14:9–11 to your family by candlelight. Ask:

• What did Jesus testify about himself? (He is the Son of God, the creator, and a light in the darkness.)

• What will this “light” bring forth? (The gospel.)

• How is that “light” or “gospel” to be brought forth?

Review with your family the section heading for D&C 14 and the historical background above. Then read D&C 14:11 and ask:

• Who is this revelation to? (David Whitmer.)

• Why was it given?

• What did the Lord want David to assist in doing? (Bringing forth the gospel.)

• What blessing was David promised if he faithfully assisted the Lord?

• How can we also be blessed both temporally and spiritually?

Share your testimony of how the Savior has brought light into your life and of the blessings that have come as you also have assisted in the work of bringing the light of the gospel into the world.

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Doctrine and Covenants, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004], p. 29.)

Story:
“Revelation: A Light from Heaven”
Harold B. Lee

I was sent several years ago to New York to select a patriarch. We decided upon a certain man and went to his home. He had been out with his sons on the welfare farm, pitching manure all day, and was tired and weary. . . . After he changed his clothes and came in, I made him more weary when I told him what it was that I had come for—that he was to be called as the patriarch to that stake.

The next morning in conference he bore a remarkable testimony. Then afterwards we went to the Manhattan Ward, where I was to ordain him. The office was down in the basement, where there was no natural light. . . .

This is the story as told to me by the stake president’s wife: “As you walked over to put your hands on the patriarch’s head, I thought to myself, this is a man with whom we socialize; we have gone on trips with him, and he has been in our social group. Now part of his responsibility is to declare in patriarchal blessings the lineage from which each one has come. He hasn’t been a student of ancient languages—how is he going to know?

“With these thoughts in my mind, I saw you walk over and put your hands on his head, and a light came from behind you and went right through you and into him. I thought to myself, ‘Isn’t that a strange coincidence that the sunlight has come in just at this moment.’ Then I realized that there was no sunlight; I was witnessing the answer to my question. That light came from somewhere behind you, Brother Lee, and went through you into the patriarch. Then I knew where he was going to get that information: from the revelations of Almighty God.”

(Leon R. Hartshorn, Classic Stories from the Lives of Our Prophets, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1971].)

Activity:
Show the players an article to be hidden. Explain the game and then ask them to leave the room.

Hide the object ‘in plain view,’ that is, place it in an out-of-the-way spot where it may be easily seen when a player flashes his flashlight upon it if standing in just the right spot.

When the object is ‘hidden’ call the players back to start the hunt. As soon as a player sees the object, he sits down. The hunt continues until everyone spots the object and is sitting down.

Note: A flashlight is needed for each player or team them in pairs with one flashlight to a pair.

Variation: One player with a flashlight hunts for the object while the group watches, calling out HOT, COLD or WARM as the player gets closer or farther from the hidden object.

Refreshment
Quick Lemon Pie

1 quart vanilla ice cream

1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 prepared 8- or 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Soften ice cream and mix with lemonade concentrate. Spoon into pie crust and refreeze. Soften 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

(Janet Peterson, Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook” Syndrome, [Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2001] p. 300.)

Click here to access the PDF version of this lesson.

Young Men Lesson 35: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:04:00 -0600

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?" -Neil L. Andersen Discussion Questions:
    •    What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ?
    •    When has your faith in Christ been strengthened?
    •    What are some things you are doing or can do to demonstrate your faith in Christ?

Supplement from "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," by Elder Neil L. Andersen (April 2010 General Conference)

When you are assigned to speak at the end of the final session of general conference, you listen to every word, wondering which parts of your talk will be given before your turn comes. There are no assigned subjects, no collaboration of themes. The Lord’s way, of course, is always the best way. He takes the individual prayerful efforts of each speaker and orchestrates a spiritual symphony full of revelation and power. Repeated themes, principle building upon principle, prophetic warnings, uplifting promises—the divine harmony is a miracle! I testify that in this conference we have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord.

President Thomas S. Monson has described the rising generation as “the very best ever” 1 and has said to our youth: “You have come to this earth at a glorious time. The opportunities before you are nearly limitless.” 2 But he also warned, “We have been placed on earth in troubled times.” 3 “It is a time of permissiveness, with society in general routinely disregarding and breaking the laws of God.” 4 We are surrounded by so much that is designed to divert our attention. “The adversary is using every means possible to ensnare us in his web of deceit.” 5

We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. We cannot be casual in how we prepare them. Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.

This afternoon I wish to emphasize the plea of a child from a Primary song:

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.

To read the full talk, click here.

God Gifted Me My Race

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:05:00 -0600

by Keith Hamilton
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The Church’s history regarding blacks is long and complicated. And while some people—members and nonmembers alike—may struggle to come to terms with past events, I am not one of them. These are some of my personal experiences as an African American Latter-day Saint, and why I believe the color of my skin is a gift from God. I cannot remember a time when I did not believe in God. Some of my earliest memories involve going to Shiloh Baptist Church in Norfolk to see and hear Granddaddy, my paternal grandfather, the son of an emancipated slave, preach his sermons. He died in February 1962, and his passing was the first time I experienced the death of a close loved one. His body lay in state at his home for several days for friends and members of his congregation to view. Not quite four years old, I found the custom quite eerie.

To my dismay, I soon became much more familiar with death, viewings, and funerals than I would have liked, as over the next 10 years I attended the funerals, in chronological order, of my mother (January 1965), my maternal grandfather (January 1967), my paternal grandmother (December 1968), and my father (July 1972). My maternal grandmother and all my great-grandparents had died before my birth; thus, shortly after my fourteenth birthday, I had no living forebears.

I introduce myself to you, the reader, on what may seem a sad note because those deaths and that 10-year period of my youth formed the essence of who I have become. They were also the catalyst to my acceptance, years later, of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as taught to me by LDS missionaries. As I came to appreciate both my earthly and divine legacies, I also realized that who I came to earth to be, through the family bloodlines I acquired, was not by coincidence, nor of small consequence, for me, or to my Heavenly Father.

Black Is Beautiful
Growing up when I did, and where I did, was not coincidental either. Except for three aggregate years in Trenton, New Jersey, I lived all of my days prior to leaving on my LDS mission in either Virginia or North Carolina. As a product of the Civil Rights era, I remember experiencing segregation, prejudice, and overt acts of racism as a child and teenager. Throughout my entire life I have witnessed the struggles of my people.

The “Black Is Beautiful” cultural movement was in full swing by the time I became a culturally conscious teenager. Integration had become public policy within most of the South by 1976, America’s 200th birthday and the year I graduated from high school in North Carolina’s tobacco country. I did not pursue opportunities to attend a Historical Black College or University (HBCU), as had every prior college-attending relative, but chose instead to enroll at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. That choice turned out to be the seminal decision of my life.

Going to State allowed me the opportunity to learn how to successfully navigate life as a black male in a white man’s world—a skill set I have found very useful since joining the LDS Church and now residing in Utah. African Americans, and perhaps all other ethnic minorities in the U.S., must skillfully perform a critical navigation if they are to successfully assimilate into mainstream American life. That truth is even more real with regard to genuine and meaningful integration within the LDS Church. It is not “failing to be real” for the ethnic minority to fittingly act according to the cultural standards of the majority when she or he finds herself or himself in such a situation, just as it is not “selling out” to God for a Latter-day Saint to act differently, i.e., more reverently, in the temple as opposed to in one of the Church’s meetinghouses.

The LDS Faith and Mormon Folklore
I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in August 1980, a week or so before the start of my last year of college at NC State. Two missionaries “tracted” me at my off-campus residence and two weeks later I got baptized. I chose to become a member of the LDS faith following a divine response to my sincere prayer, and because of the truthfulness of the Church’s doctrine, but certainly not because of any social or cultural benefit or advantage I expected to gain. Three hundred sixty-eight days after my baptism, I entered the MTC to begin my mission. Two years after that, in August 1983, I began law school as J. Reuben Clark Law School’s first black attendee. I became its first black graduate in 1986, and three years later (July 1989), I was ordained as bishop of the Bay Ward of the San Francisco California Stake, by then–Stake President Quentin L. Cook.

It was as a newly called bishop that I first learned of many of the rationales and myths put forth by LDS commentators and others regarding the Church’s historical relationship with blacks—namely its pre-1978 ban against black males receiving the priesthood and all blacks receiving the exalting ordinances available in the temple.

One time, two white, middle-aged sisters in the ward came to me with serious concern about the ways they perceived blacks had been treated by the Church. In an attempt to address their concerns, I researched the issues as best I could, which led me to an abundance of information. Some of it defended the Church, while other things I read severely criticized the Church and its leaders.

Over the years I gathered more and more information, and as I digested and pondered what I read, I often felt a spiritual emptiness or outright offensiveness to my spirit. Scripture study, more ponderings, and intense personal prayer led me to conclude that most of the commentary on both sides of the issue centered around a historical perspective or view toward the issues, which focused on how God’s children treated each other, or on what one of His children had said regarding the issue. It occurred to me that this approach might not be the more excellent way, particularly regarding the priesthood ban, since the priesthood is God’s, not man’s. I felt prompted to consider looking at the ban, and the lifting of the ban in 1978, from the perspective of how God has dealt and continues to deal with His children generally, and in particular, how He had apportioned the “right” of the priesthood in dispensations
prior to our current one.

This provided me the foundation of true principles, which have developed into a sure testimony that allows me to distinguish, through the workings of the Holy Ghost, truth from error and fact from folklore. It has also permitted me the ability to recognize the sublime yet tremendous impact the 1978 revelation on priesthood had on the Church and on all God’s children, black or non-black, LDS or otherwise.

Trials and Proofs
In order to qualify to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence after our mortal probation, every person must pass through the trials and tribulations of this life. So, too, it is and was for many nations or groups of peoples. The scriptures are replete with evidences that, at times, the Lord’s people must pass through severe hardship, due to no fault of their own, in order to serve as instruments in demonstration to others of His love, mercy, compassion, power, and divinity. Should it have been, or be, any different for blacks of this dispensation?

In a speech before the Utah Territorial Legislature, Brigham Young is quoted as saying: “Not one [particle] of power can that posterity of Cain have, until the time comes. . . . That time will come when they will have the privilege of all we have the privilege of and more.” While most commentators and readers of President Young’s statement get ensnared in his personal beliefs regarding blacks and Cain, the more important message contained in Young’s words is that he believed at some future time blacks would receive the same privilege that all the white brethren at this time had (including the right of the priesthood), and more. Black males ordained to the priesthood today receive no more authority and rights with that priesthood than Brigham Young’s counterparts of the 1800s. Worthy, temple-attending blacks receive no more of an endowment and opportunity for exaltation than temple-goers who attended before 1978. Yet today’s blacks, particularly black members of the LDS Church, may have more capacity to recognize, receive, and contain the joy of the gospel than some others because of the deep sorrow carved into their souls by past experiences and restrictions.

I do not know when or why the restrictive practices against my people were adopted and carried out by the LDS Church, but I do know that the policy and practices were the Lord’s doing and not the autonomous or unilateral act of any man or men. I know this by faith in God and through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. According to God’s wise and just purposes, He allowed the restrictions to be placed upon my people for the trial, growth, and benefit of all His children, especially my people and those of His church and kingdom on earth.

Adversity, through its many forms and faces, has dug a deep well of sorrow—and thereby created the potential for greater joy—in the lives of many peoples, not just blacks of this dispensation. Early LDS Church members suffered great hardship in establishing the Church in the Eastern states, as did the pioneers who crossed the plains into the Rocky Mountains. Twentieth-century Jews experienced horrendous atrocities during the Holocaust. Trials and adversity have been the lot for all of God’s peoples in all dispensations, including this dispensation, and my ancestors and I have not been excluded.

Impressions from Granddaddy
When I had the opportunity to serve as proxy for Granddaddy's endowment, I received more guidance and inspiration. I was contemplating the irony of my being the one with the holy priesthood, and using it to do his exalting work, when he was the one who had dedicated his life to lifting a heavily burdened people much closer to God. As the thought lingered in my mind, I distinctly felt the impression, which I instinctively knew had come from Granddaddy, that our lives—his and mine—for the most part were intended to be the way they had proceeded, as we each had been given unique missions on earth to fulfill in accordance with God’s plan ourselves and our family.

I was brought to realize that in living when and as he did, Granddaddy had fulfilled the primary missions which he had come to earth to accomplish and that it was now time for me to complete my tasks upon the earth on behalf of both the living and the dead. I felt impressed that many of the spirits who came
to earth as blacks and served as slaves in the Americas, including my forebears, chose to accept the circumstances of their birth in accordance with God’s plan for them individually and for all His children generally.

Considering more specifically my ancestors and posterity, I felt that a multitude of spirits had rejoiced when I was baptized into the LDS Church and when I later received my own temple endowment preparatory to doing work for the dead.

The final impression was solemn and direct: As Granddaddy’s sole descendant with the rights of the priesthood and temple privileges, I was the key link between my ancestors and their opportunity for eternal blessings. My faithfulness would not only significantly impact their eternal futures but would also determine, in part, whether the spirits chosen to come to earth through my seed would be blessed with an understanding of the gospel in mortality.

This remarkable occurrence infinitely strengthened my testimony concerning who I am and regarding Heavenly Father’s love for all His children. Most importantly, it confirmed for me in a very personal and unmistakable way that my spirit did not come to earth to dwell in black flesh, and into a family of black African lineage, because my ancestors and I were somehow cursed.

Simply put, like unto the blind beggar healed by Jesus central to the story in John 9, I was not born black because I sinned as a premortal spirit or because my parents, real or imagined (i.e., Cain, Ham, or anyone else), sinned in mortality. Rather, I am black, and of the lineage once subjected to priesthood and temple restrictions by the LDS Church, because I chose to accept the mortal mission given me by my Heavenly Father. It is a mission that required me to come into mortality as a black American at a time when the gospel was restored upon the earth, and when the priesthood would be made available to all worthy males, so that in some small way the works of God might be made manifest in and through me.

The Gift of Being Black
For many years I had the good fortune to be associated with a play about the life and times of black Mormon pioneer Jane Manning James, entitled I Am Jane, which contains a poignant scene where Jane is speaking with Elijah Abel, a black convert ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Jane asks Elijah to give her a straight answer about what she has heard preached by some Latter-day Saints concerning the curse of Cain and black skin. Elijah replies that he once took the question to God, and then shares with Jane his perception of God’s response. I close this article with my sincere prayer that Elijah’s words will bring each reader the same comfort and counsel they do me:

I feel, Sister Jane, that ours is:
Not a curse but a gift t’us,
The best path we could seek
A place where God can lift us
We kneel; our knees is weak

And when one of us is kneelin’,
We understand his fears.
We know what all us is feelin’
We cry each other’s tears.

That’s just what Jesus done
For all us human folk.
He agreed to come get born
To feel ev’ry pain and poke.

So’s he could understand us,
What it is to be a slave.
So’s he could get beneath us
And push us outa the grave

Would you rather be the massa
Or the Roman with his whip?
Would you rather nail the Savior—
Put vinegar to his lip?

Or learn the lessons of sufferin’—
How we nothin’ without grace.
Jesus, He give us a callin’
He gifted us our race.

---
Attorney Keith N. Hamilton is an adjunct professor at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and is the former chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. He was the first black person to attend and graduate from the law school. He later served as a bishop in San Francisco. Keith is the author of Last Laborer: Thoughts and Reflections of a Black Mormon, which is now available at Deseret Book stores and deseretbook.com.

Wrongly convicted man says he walked out of prison a better person, talks about faith

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:39:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: I don't think this man is LDS, but it is still a cool story about the sustaining power of faith. For Utah resident Ted White, the past 13 years of his life have been like being on a treadmill. “You think it’s over, and then it’s not over."

He spent five years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He went through three trials and to several courts to get his conviction overturned. “I think proving conspiracy is very difficult to do, and we were able to do that with a jury of my peers that heard the evidence,” he said.

{Single Saints} Faith in the Little Things

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:57:00 -0600

by Ryan Kunz
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I've realized there's no reason for me to be pessimistic about getting married. What kind of a person does it make me if I dwell on the timing of His fulfillment, rather than having faith in the promise? Not long ago, I viewed the prospect of marriage like I viewed the prospect of gaining superpowers: It would be pretty cool, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath waiting for it.

It’s not that I don’t have faith. I have plenty of faith. I have faith to power a city block for weeks, assuming that city block had some sort of AC/DC/faith converter. I have faith that if I work hard in school, I’ll get a decent grade. I have faith that the chances of the world ending next year are comfortingly slim. I have faith that Disney will continue churning out Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, possibly until Jack Sparrow searches for the Ark of the Covenant while battling Nazis in the desert.

Most importantly, I have faith in the verity of the Restoration, the power of the Atonement, and the eventual fulfillment of all of God’s promises.

However, the word in the last sentence that most lends insight to my past feelings is the word “eventual.” I’ve struggled with immediate faith. Ask me if I believe that Ephraim will be crowned with his blessings in Zion and I will say yes. But if you asked me a year ago if my prayer will help my find my car keys, I would have hesitated.

The same principle goes with marriage. I have faith that I’ll be married someday — absolute faith that sometime in the eternities, I will get married. But if you asked me to consider marriage as something that might conceivably occur in the next few years, I was a little less likely to think of that as a reality.

I like to think I’m different now. I sat back and realized there was really no reason for my pessimism. The Lord has promised that every worthy member of His family will someday get married. The "someday" may be a troublesomely vague qualifier, but we shouldn’t dwell on the worst-case scenario. What kind of person does that make me?

If you’re not married and feel you should be, it’s likely that some bishop or parent or random stranger with apparently dire concern for your welfare has told you, “It’s more important to be the one than to find the one.” Dwelling on the current absence of an eternal companion won’t help you. I doubt anything I’m saying is new and groundbreaking, and you could probably play LDS Single Consolation Bingo with the various pieces of advice I’ve given, but the reason advice like this is so prevalent is because it’s true, dang it.  

Having faith in the big, cosmic things may be easy because you don’t expect to see payoff any time soon. It’s the little, more personal things that may take the biggest faith. But working on these things a little at a time works.

I’ve found that praying for help works. (I think that may be the most obvious statement I’ve made in at least two months.) Praying to know about the big things — the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon or the other things about which I already have an ironclad conviction — and asking for that same certainty to be applied as I show a little faith in personal matters. It might even work for you.

“Faith,” says the doubtful Jonah in the Church’s classic Finding Faith in Christ movie. “It seems that is always the answer.”

You hit the nail right on the head, Jonah.

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Ryan Kunz is proud of the fact that he is a Star Wars nerd and remains socially adept and reasonably conscious of fashion. He enjoys writing, hiking, spending time in intellectually stimulating company, and talking about himself in the third person. He will someday be a bestselling novelist, but in the meantime is studying advertising at BYU.

Natural disasters test our faith and trust

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:39:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

The recent catastrophes in New Zealand and Japan, like all such disasters, raise the problem of evil in one of its most acute forms.

It's one thing to deal with human moral evil. We know that God has allowed us the free exercise of our agency, and there is no way for us to be genuinely free if we are not at liberty to do evil as well as good. Accordingly, moral evils are to be expected in this life. "It must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Matthew 18:7).

Natural evils, however, pose a different kind of problem. Why have horrific plagues killed so many people? Why are Boy Scouts sometimes hit by lightning? Why do crops fail, leading to famines? Why must tectonic plates intersect in such a manner as to cause massive earthquakes and tsunamis? Are such things really necessary to our mortal probation?

A Latter-day Saint believer will be inclined to answer yes. Faith isn't merely or even principally agreement with a checklist of historical and doctrinal assertions. Faith is trust — trust in a person. Even if we can't now understand, our trust in a loving and incomprehensibly wise Heavenly Father teaches us to believe that there are necessary and sufficient reasons for him to permit natural evils. (We now know, in fact, that active tectonic plates are vital to the origin and continuation of life on earth; among other functions, they maintain the proper level of acidity in the oceans.)

2011 Mutual Theme: Faith

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:22:00 -0700

source: lds.org

LDS family relies on faith as 6-year-old son battles brain cancer

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:55:00 -0700

source: MormonTimes.com

Battling almost insurmountable odds, 6-year-old Liam Jaussi is fighting to overcome a cancerous brain tumor. During his fight, his family has found peace and recognized blessings.

Prior to the discovery of his tumor, which quickly began growing inside his brain, Liam’s parents, Paul and Laura Jaussi, noticed some changes in him. They were shocked when they eventually saw how bad the tumor really was.

“The neurosurgeon finally came and he showed us the image, and literally from one view, it looked like it took up a quarter of his brain, and when I saw that, I literally dropped to my knees,” Paul said. “My father-in-law was there with us, and he had to support me. The first thought that came to my mind was, ‘You can’t survive this. My son is dead.’”

Strengthening Families & Building Faith by Using Church Resources

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:17:00 -0700

source: ldsmediatalk.com

The following was delivered today as part of a panel discussion titled “Mormon Media Studies: Across Web Time, Cyberspace, and Blogging Disciplines” in the symposium “Mormon Media Studies: Across Time, Space, and Disciplines,” at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah.

The Church provides scriptures, teachings of the latter-day prophets and apostles, and other instructional materials to help individuals and families learn, live, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the last few years, the Church has made great progress in providing materials electronically by way of websites, scriptures online, mobile applications, online videos, streamed radio content, and a huge online gospel library. Electronic means can provide materials more quickly, less expensively, and more directly to people who can use them. And multiple formats can make it more likely that people will engage with the materials.

For example, in addition to the printed text of general conference in the Church magazines and traditional CDs and DVDs, the Church also provides electronic text, audio, and video on LDS.org, Mormon Channel radio, YouTube, iTunes, and BYU-TV. You can even get daily quotes from conference on Twitter (twitter.com/ldsgencon). There are a lot of ways to get conference, and no excuse not to watch it and study it over and over again.