Family: We Are One

There's something absolutely marvelous about the structure of the Gospel...it is one...giant...beautiful...FAMILY.

The Church is Mom.

Can you guess who Dad is?

It's our Savior, Jesus Christ.

When they got married, the Church took her husband's name upon herself, making her the Church of Jesus Christ.

Then the children of God are baptized, taking Christ's name upon them, making him the Father of their souls.

And they get to be born again every week as they partake of the sacrament.

Everyone has a role in the family. The Church nurtures, teaches, counsels, motivates, encourages, feeds, comforts, and blesses her children. Jesus Christ presides, provides, and protects. His role and our role as his children in the gospel are outlined in 3 Nephi 27:13-21.

Sometimes there's confusion with the difference between the Church and the Gospel. I can't take credit for this comparison, but someone in my Book of Mormon class said that the Church is like a lantern and the Gospel is like the light. What a beautiful analogy demonstrating the purity and good new of the Gospel held, protected, and proclaimed by the structure of the Church.

That is the wonderful thing about this giant family. The Gospel is beautiful, and it contains important ordinances and principles that will be forever true. But the Church makes it possible for the Gospel to bless us on earth. It's somewhere for us to go. It nurtures us and counsels us. It helps us become all that we can and should be.

What a blessing it is to be able to be a part of this family.

He Perceives

Sometimes I wish I were a little more perceptive. Knowing exactly how other people are feeling could be so useful. I would never offend, hurt, or discourage.

I know that I’m most perceptive to what someone is feeling when I know them really well. I think that’s why my mom can so easily read my mind. She knows when something’s wrong because she knows me.

A teacher is so much more capable of instructing when they can perceive how a student is confused. They have to know them well in order to individualize the lesson. Sometimes the lesson is focused on the classroom’s needs, and other times it is focused on each person’s needs.

In 3 Nephi, Jesus Christ is instructing the Nephites in the Americas about a year after His death. In chapter 15, verse 2, it says, “And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses…” Jesus Christ then explains that the law of Moses had been fulfilled, and He gives them a new law. But imagine the confusion that would have followed had He not perceived their wonder.

What a beautiful thing it is to know that, although we may not be able to perceive everything about everyone, even ourselves, God does. He knows us enough to be patient with us, and to individualize our instruction on earth. Were it not for a loving Father in Heaven and personal revelation, we would be doomed to wander around in someone else’s shoes. But He knows that we are here to make something of ourselves, and He has provided a way for every single one of us.

A Firm Mind and a Soft Heart

On page 353 of the Book of Mormon, Helaman uses the word “firm” three times to describe his army of 2,060 warriors. In verse 27 (in Alma chapter 57), Helaman says, “Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually.”

Now, the fathers of these very warriors had buried their weapons of war years before, making a covenant with God that they would no longer fight. Their sons, Helaman’s army, took up arms to defend their people, never having touched a weapon in their lives.

The king of the men who buried their weapons said to them, “And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts…” (Alma 24:8).

What is the difference between having a firm mind and a soft heart, and how are we to have both?

I believe that having a soft heart is remaining open to the Spirit. It is to be teachable, understanding, and thoughtful. A soft heart welcomes the seed of faith into our lives. Once we have faith, we make our minds firm, but keep a soft heart, because we know we are imperfect, and we must always learn and be open to the Spirit. However, a firm mind preserves our standards and faith. It is how we live, being an example of what we believe in.

Having a firm mind and a soft heart is extremely helpful to me when I have to make an important decision. I have been trying to decide what I am supposed to do with my life for the next six months: when I should go to school, where I should live and work, and if I should serve an LDS mission. I have made these decisions by exploring my options (prayerfully), making decisions with a firm mind, and asking in prayer if I have made the right decision with a soft heart. Sometimes, answers seem unclear, but given time with that soft heart, they reveal themselves, and I can go forward with a firm mind.

What Makes You Happy?

“But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni…” (Alma 50:23)

Moroni was a strong Nephite leader during the great wars between the Nephites and the Lamanite—awful wars full of hatred and death. Yet, somehow, it was during these great wars that the Nephites were happiest. This begs the question: What makes you happy?

Is it the place you live, the food you eat, or the people you’re with? Is it the weather? The time of day?

My happy memories have all been at different times and places, and with different people. Sometimes, I have been in a very pleasing environment, and felt blue. Sometimes, I’ve been through a lot of stress, and felt joy.

I remember lazy summer days, sleeping in until noon, and beautiful weather outside. I would feel miserable all day, when there was no reason to be sad. Other days, when I had someplace to go and something to do, I’d feel so much more content with myself, and I was much more pleasant to be around.

I think it all boils down to personal righteousness. If God is pleased with what we are doing, His sweet joy is passed on to us through the Spirit. If we have a Christ-like attitude toward ourselves and other people, it is so much easier to feel happy.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t feel pain and sorrow. It simply means that our external circumstances do not determine our happiness. The way we deal with them does.

And...since you're already happy from all the good things you've been doing, prepare to be delighted! Here's a singing alpaca :)

A Hospital for Sinners

One thing that I've realized is that living the gospel isn't hard; living the gospel in this world is hard. I've heard the argument many times that sometimes it's harder for people to live the gospel when they grow up in a primarily LDS (Mormon) community. In a way, that's very true, though everyone's experience is different. In junior high and high school, I often wondered, as have many other kids, "If we belong to the same religion, why are our standards different?" It is easy to lower your standards this way.

But something I have to remind myself is, I have many strengths and many faults, and everyone is different. Rather than being a people who have gained testimonies and keep the commandments, we are a people working toward these things. Or in other words:

"The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners." ~Morton T. Kelsey

In the Book of Mormon, Alma 39-42 teaches this principle over and over again. In these chapters, Alma teaches his son, who has committed very serious sins, about the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation. It is the most hopeful message for every one of us who's done wrong. And the most beautiful part of the story is, like his father Alma, Corianton becomes a faithful missionary and a very good man after repenting of his sins.

Part of having faith in Christ is having faith that He can help us and others out of our worst times. Experiencing imperfection is the only way that we are able to become perfect.

Who? Me?

One of my favorite discoveries in life is finding out what makes me different from other people. What did I acquire before my birth that will stay with me after my death? What traits have I developed through my experiences that make me unique?

I realize that this is a rather selfish thought, but I believe that the more we learn about ourselves, the better we treat other people. If we know what annoys us, what excites us, or how we typically react in a situation, we can better express ourselves to other people without misunderstandings, or impulsive confrontations that we later regret and must mend. And even these experiences help us confront ourselves and figure out how we can become a better "me."

Sometimes I wonder if, after everyone is dead, and we're all living in heaven together--perfect--will we all be the same? That's when getting to know myself becomes more meaningful. I know that there is definite good and definite bad, and individuality is not an excuse for sin. But real individuality aids us to do good in a special way. Our way.

Well, I think one trait that I was blessed with is faith. And although religion is probably the most important aspect of my life that faith affects, it's not the only one. For example, I believed in Santa until I was...older than most :) I prayed for my beanie babies to come to life (this was a long time ago). I loved (and still love) fairies, and I used to spend a lot of time in my mom and dad's garden, knowing the little folk were close by. These examples may sound silly, but they define me, and teach me about myself. My faith (almost gullibility), has helped me in relationships. It's easy for me to expect only the best from other people, and although that has occasionally led to disappointment, most of the time, it helps me to be open to people without making judgments.

I'm not perfect in this area, but I'm very grateful that faith comes relatively easy to me. My Book of Mormon teacher taught this principle from Alma chapter 30: "Science sees, then believes. Faith believes, then sees." Yes, science is useful, but sometimes our eyes are deceptive because of our incomplete knowledge. Although it looks like the stars, sun, and moon orbit earth from our perspective, we have found that earth rotates around its axis and orbits the sun, making it look like the heavens are circling around us. This is an eternal truth that our eyes cannot teach us. We are given eternal truths that we must have faith in, in order to see with clarity and improve our perspective. Through our faith, we can not only come to know the Savior, but come to know ourselves.