Monday, August 02, 2010
Yesterday after everyone left, Jeff and ShaRee stuck around and we talked for quite a while. Part of the conversation led us to talk about the chaplaincy and revelation. I rehearsed to them what I thought about revelation. I really think that God wants us to make our own decisions and “do many things of our own free will and bring to pass much righteousness” (see D&C 58:26-28). “not knowing beforehand the things which [we] should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). We have been discussing two philosophies we see amongst strong LDS families. One is to stay amongst the saints, build strong families, learn the basics and live simply etc. The other is to build strong families out in the stakes of Zion, outside of the Mormon belt of Idaho, Utah, and Arizona, etc. Uncle Ralph’s family is a good example of that.
Anyways, I told them how we felt we were following the pattern of living in rural Idaho. Learning the basics and teaching our children how to work, play, live by faith, etc. We were living the simple life doing fence and then the Spirit said, “try this route instead.” Now we feel the need to get out of Idaho and build the stakes of Zion in another state or country with the military.
After I sold the business, I came across D&C 126. I felt strongly the Lord was saying we didn’t need to go through with the chaplaincy. As we pondered this and then fasted and prayed we still felt fine about doing the chaplaincy. We came to the conclusion that the Lord wanted us to move away from fencing and staying in the path we were in. I felt like the Lord was directing us to get into the other stakes of Zion but then He wanted us to make the decision ourselves. There is a path of duty but He really wants us to do it, not out of duty, but because we are using our agency to magnify who we are and do many things to serve and bless the lives of others. The line from my patriarchal blessing comes to mind, “Only by the exercise of agency can we magnify our souls.” I love that line. God gives us direction but He wants us to become as He is. If He is holding our hand (telling us every little step to take) every step of the way then we are not progressing, we are still dependent upon Him. We need to recognize our dependence upon Him and upon the atoning blood of our Savior, but at the same time we ought to develop and become more like Him. I do not believe He continues to ask His Father everything He should be doing in the worlds He has created.
God gives us the reigns. Just as one gives a good horse more and more reign to use his freedom to move around, so the Lord works with us. If we are going somewhere we should not, then He takes the reigns and lets us know.
When I explained these thoughts in our conversation last night, I felt the Spirit very strong. I felt a confirming influence that these thoughts were from God.
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