Flood the Earth with The Book of Mormon

A week ago or so I came across a plea for funding to help create a Book of Mormon movie, “Reign of Judges, Title of Liberty.” https://m.facebook.com/reignofjudgesmovie/ I felt the Spirit, ordered the concept film and watched it yesterday with my children. I felt the strong influence of the Holy Ghost. I decided to help Darin Southam, the hands of the Creator of this project.

So, when I read these words this morning, not only did they apply to Joseph Smith Jr and anyone who has shared the Book of Mormon, but the Spirit witnessed to me that a filmmaker, truly seeking to bring this great book to the inhabitants of the earth will be given the power of God to do so. Here is what Moroni said, “For none can have power to bring it [The Book of Mormon] to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an eye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord.
And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God” (Mormon 8:15-16),

Joseph Smith Jr., and anyone else who are given power to bring to light the Book of Mormon, are given that power from God so others might partake of the heavenly gift, even the power of Jesus Christ. I know God will bless those that share the Book of Mormon.

https://reignmovie.com/

The Sealed Portion

I just shared the impressions that came upon me during my trip to Rome and Spain in my last blog post. It was impressed upon me how individuals, throughout all of history, received more light and truth and then were persecuted for it as they stood firm in the faith of Christ and what He was revealing to them (see “What I Learned on a trip to Rome, the Vatican and to Spain”). Then from these enlightened groups of people, other individuals and groups would receive more light and then be persecuted by their own. It occurred to me that every time this happened, more of the word of God was being revealed. For example, Moses brought forth the higher law and then the lower laws on the tablets of stone, Jesus was the word and brought forth more of His words, the reformers tried to get the word of God into a discernible language so the common person could receive more light and knowledge and then Joseph Smith brought forth another witness of Jesus Christ in the writings of the Book of Mormon. There is a distinct pattern here. If one receives the full word of God then God will find a way to bring more of His word to them. If we say we have enough then we will be condemned for not wanting more and will live in that false world we have created. Nephi and Mormon taught this principle in the Book of Mormon and Jesus taught it in the Doctrine and Covenants.

“Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!
And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have” (2 Nephi 28:27-30).

“And when they shall have received this, [The Book of Mormon] which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation

Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people” (3 Nephi 26:9-11).

In the Doctrine and Covenants 84 we learn more of this pattern,

“17 Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years.
18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.
19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb” (D&C 84:17-27).

So, where are we at in this pattern. In Moses’ day he tried to elevate the people to see the face of God. We just read where the Aaronic Priesthood deals with repentance, baptism, remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments (D&C 84:27). This happens every week as the Aaronic Priesthood ordinance of the sacrament is the ordinance that opens the way for a formal remission of sins through covenant and applying the atonement of Jesus Christ as we give away our sins to know Him. We also have had the Melchizedek Priesthood ordinances revealed in the temples. Here we go through the formal ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood to see the face of God. But do we really believe it? Are the covenants sinking into our hearts or do we mistakenly think that if we have gone through the temple then we will be exalted like unto God? We have been taught that it takes much more effort than just the ordinance.

Jesus was the word and He came to a people that had the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances. The church at the time was run by the Pharisees and Sadducees who had distorted truth. Moses had established this church but shortly before the Savior came they had not received the fulness of the gospel still. In fact, they had digressed to the point that John the Baptist came and baptized those willing to follow the Lord and prepare for His coming. He baptized with the Aaronic Priesthood.

Joseph Smith Jr. is compared to Moses. He established the truth and brought forth the word of God. He was given the Melchizedek Priesthood to help elevate the people to see the face of God. We are anticipating the coming of the Lord. Are we as a church more or less prepared than the children of Israel in the days shortly before the coming of the Lord? We have been told that out of ten, five would be wise and will have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide (see Matthew 25:1-13; Doctrine and Covenants 45:57). Elder Oaks taught that that percentage is very accurate of the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came” (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 2004 General Conference).

So, are we under condemnation or are we more righteous than the ancient children of Israel?

The Lord shared in 3 Nephi 26:9-10, that the Book of Mormon as we have it will test our faith to see if we believe what is in the Book of Mormon. If we don’t, then the greater things will be withheld. It is interesting to me that in my lifetime, Presidents Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson and Russell M. Nelson have all placed renewed emphasis on the Book of Mormon. President Benson also taught what the Lord taught in Doctrine and Covenants, that we are under condemnation until we receive the Book of Mormon. He made it clear we are still under this condemnation. He said, “I reaffirm those words to you this day. Let us not remain under condemnation, with its scourge and judgment, by treating lightly this great and marvelous gift the Lord has given to us. Rather, let us win the promises associated with treasuring it up in our hearts.
In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 84, verses 54 to 58, we read:
“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received--
“Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
“And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
“And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written--
“That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. [D&C 84:54–58]”’ (The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ezra Taft Benson, October 1986 General Conference).

The question then becomes apparent, do we really want further light and knowledge? Do we really want the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon? If the prophets keep begging us to read the Book of Mormon and believe it, then we must not be believing and applying its sacred messages.

When more of His word comes forth, how will it come forth? Will it come forth as His words have come forth in the patterns we discussed above? Will we have the Spirit as our guide to help us discern if additional scriptures brought forth are the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon? Let us be wise and take the Holy Spirit as our guide that we may not be deceived. If we fully receive all the principles and doctrines taught in this great Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, we will be ready. We will be filled with the light and power of Jesus Christ and detect what additional scriptures are of Him.

I have had the witness of the Holy Ghost burn into my heart and mind the truths of the Book of Mormon. I have intensely studied this great book for the past 26 years. I know this great book comes from God to us and I rejoice with you that He will one day reveal the fulness of this great book to us as the additional portions in the sealed plates are brought forth. Oh come! Please come! Please join with me in receiving the Book of Mormon! Pray to God that He will see fit in His great wisdom and mercy to bring forth these greater truths to us individually and as a people. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.

The Real Danger of Becoming Less and Less Astonished at a Sign or a Wonder from Heaven

We live in an interesting time. We have had several signs and wonders in the heavens come to pass. The tetrad of blood moons that happened on 4 significant Jewish holidays in a row (2014 Passover and Feast of Tabernacles, 2015 Passover and Feast of Tabernacles), the solar eclipse of August 2017, the fulfilling of Revelation 12 (JST Rev. 12:1-17), September 2017, and many more signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. In the Book of Mormon, the unbelievers set a date to kill the disciples of Christ who believed in the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite and in the sign of the day and a night and a day as if it were one day, if it didn’t come to pass (3 Nephi 1:9). Nephi cried unto the Lord and the voice of the Lord came unto him, assuring him the sign would be fulfilled that very night (3 Nephi 1:12-14). All these prophecies were fulfilled and Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and the new star appeared as prophesied. One would think that this fulfilling of prophecy would motivate the people to lasting repentance or change, but in large measure, it did not. For a time many were converted but lasting conversion did not last. I wonder if this was because they only believed because of the signs. The scriptures give us some clues about signs. Signs follow those that believe but we are also taught not to have our faith centered in signs, rather to put our faith in Jesus Christ.

We read:

“And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words” (Alma 30:43).

“An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matt. 12:39).

“And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:7).

“But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:9).

“Wherefore, I, the Lord, am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs and wonders for faith, and not for the good of men unto my glory” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:12).

So, are signs always negative or does the Lord use them to bless His children?  What is His purpose for signs?

Again, the scriptures give us some insight:

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” (Genesis 1:14).

“And the Gods organized the lights in the expanse of the heaven, and caused them to divide the day from the night; and organized them to be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years;” (Abraham 4:14, see Moses 2:14).

“And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath.

And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:39-42).

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18).

“And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men--
And this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation” (Helaman 14:28-29).

“And these signs shall follow him--he shall heal the sick, he shall cast out devils, and shall be delivered from those who would administer unto him deadly poison;
And he shall be led in paths where the poisonous serpent cannot lay hold upon his heel, and he shall mount up in the imagination of his thoughts as upon eagles’ wings.
And what if I will that he should raise the dead, let him not withhold his voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:98-100).

“And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith” (Mosiah 27:14).

“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

“...because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.
And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God” (1 Nephi 11:6-7).

“But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:9).

“And he that believeth shall be blest with signs following, even as it is written.
And unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of Man” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:10-11).

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17-21).

“And these signs shall follow them that believe--in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;” (Mormon 9:24).

“Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name” (Ether 4:18).

So, we must be faithful and diligent in recognizing the purpose of signs but not let our faith become dependent upon them. One of the reasons it is so is because God’s ways are not our ways and neither are His thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Some have seen these signs and been discouraged because things haven’t progressed the way they envisioned them happening. Hopefully their faith is in Christ and the timing of God, not in their own personal interpretation of what should have happened by now after the fulfillment of these signs. These signs should encourage to continue to seek after God and His righteousness. If your faith isn’t centered in Christ, then these signs can actually result in more unbelief, one of the great sins uncovered in the Book of Mormon over and over again. This leads to one of the main purposes of this post.

Within 3 years of the day and a night and day appearing as one day, the people began to forget the signs and wonders they had seen. It reads,

“And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen--
2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.
3 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land” (3 Nephi 2:1-3).

There is a huge list of horrible things that happen as they forget the signs and wonders of God in their lives. Not only would this be applicable to the signs and wonders in the heavens but also in our lives. As we forget the miracles God has wrought in each of our own personal lives, the same wicked fruits listed above can and will take place within us; less and less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven, hardness of heart, blind in the mind, disbelieving of that which one has heard and seen, imagining that these things were done by men or the devil, waxing strong in wickedness and abominations, disbelieving in future signs and believing the doctrine of Christ to be a foolish and vain thing.

What a list of gross wickedness. Satan gets possession of one’s hearts as they disbelieve in the signs that God has given us in our lives. Ultimately disbelieving in the doctrine of Christ is the final nail in the coffin as a result of disbelief, or unbelief.

I have noticed that there are several groups and levels of faith in a church or organization. One of these groups are those that believe that the scriptures are true and the miracles happened to people in the past. They love to share the experiences of the faithful from the scriptures and their family histories. They are generally faithful in trying to do good works and be good. The interesting thing is they still fall into the category of the unbelieving. They don’t believe these miraculous things could ever happen to themselves. So they do a lot of good things but they really don’t believe they are as good as God knows they are. They don’t dare ask for the blessings God has promised to all the faithful, mainly of coming to know Him intimately and personally in this life, not just after death beyond the veil but piercing the veil and coming into His presence as is promised over and over in scripture. Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, Alma, the Brother of Jared etc, all testified that they saw Jesus Christ. We gain faith in Christ because we believe their testimonies and this motivates us to be good disciples of Him. This is why we are encouraged to study the scriptures that testify of Him. The Book of Mormon testifies of Him over and over and over again.

The other group of people believe the scriptures and believe that if these marvelous experiences happened to people in the scriptures then they truly can happen to themselves if they meet the qualifications to do so. They seek to do and to BECOME true followers of Jesus Christ and enter into His presence. Believing, believing, believing is the key. I could share scripture after scripture, quote after quote. I will share just one and let you search the scriptures to find out if this is true. I’ll point you to a few verses to start your search. Once you find out what is written is true, I would encourage you to humbly and boldly speak with your Father and let Him know you want this fruit of faith in Christ. Ask Him “what lack I yet?” And He will tell you over and over again until you come unto Christ and are perfected in Him.

“This principle ought in its proper place to be taught, for God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, 'Know ye the Lord; for all shall know Him who, remain from the least to the greatest” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 149).

Genesis 12:7

Exodus 19:10-11

Exodus 20:22

Exodus 24:10-11

2 Chronicles 7:14

Matthew 11:27

JST Matthew 7:14-15

JST Matthew 25:11

John 14:23

1 Nephi 2:16

2 Nephi 2:4

1 Nephi 15:11

2 Nephi 32:6

Alma 19:13

Ether 3:13

Ether 3:17

Ether 3:20

Ether 12:9

Ether 12:39

Doctrine and Covenants 50:45

Doctrine and Covenants 67:10-11

Doctrine and Covenants 84:22-23

Doctrine and Covenants 88:68

Doctrine and Covenants 93:1

Doctrine and Covenants 97:16

Doctrine and Covenants 101:38

Doctrine and Covenants 107:19

Doctrine and Covenants 130:3

Moses 1:1

As you come to believe these scriptures, your faith will increase in Jesus Christ and His promises. You’ll find an intense drive to come unto Him and be perfected in Him. You will become a true disciple because the closer you become to Him, the more you’ll feel the longing to have any darkness or evil rooted out of your heart and mind. You will become a new creature in Christ, truly born again.

So, what is the real danger of unbelief? It is not fulfilling the purpose of our creation, to become as God is (see Moses 1:39, John 17:3, King Follett Discourse by Joseph Smith Jr.).

What I Learned on a trip to Rome, the Vatican and to Spain

I recently went on a trip to Rome, the Vatican, Florence and then over to northern Spain (where I served a proselyting mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I wondered why I was there. I knew it would be enjoyable but there had to be something more, some deeper purpose for me being there. I had a constant impression sink deep into my heart and mind as I toured these wonderful places.

We walked around the beautiful ruins of Rome. I love how Rome has left evidences of the past all around their beautiful city. It is a great reminder of what once was and now is. We went to the Vatican and saw where the Romans once had their chariot races and would torch Christians on burning stakes so they could light up the venue for their games. In this same area, now surrounded with statues of Christian saints, sainted by the Catholic Church, is the center stage where the pope will speak to the Christian world. Just a few feet away from this stage is the Basilica where it is believed that Peter was crucified upside down, declaring his testimony of the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A Christian church or temple built on the exact spot of a faithful, Christian martyr. What a contrast! What happened? Christian martyrs were now held up as heroes where once they were persecuted, mocked, and murdered.

My mind went to the past and the Lord pieced history together for me and rested it upon my soul. I will let you do the research and put the dates on the timeline but here is what settled upon me...The children of Israel were given light and knowledge from the Lord beginning with Abraham, their father. He was persecuted by his father and had to flee to save his life. Then he had children and eventually had a great nation that was put in bondage in Egypt. Then Moses was raised up to free the children of Israel from the persecution and bondage in Egypt. The children of Israel were miraculously preserved by the Lord and settled the promised land in Israel where a fresh body of water empties into a salt body of water. They rejected the greater truths Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai and only wanted Moses to commune with God for them, thus, they were given a Levitical priesthood and the associated laws that would help prepare them for something greater, greater laws and blessings. This nation came to be the Jews in Jerusalem. In time, the Jews were the ones that rejected the greater light and truth that John the Baptist came to give them in preparation for receiving Jesus Christ and the fulness of the gospel. Those that believed in Jesus Christ were called Christians. The Jews persecuted and even murdered the Christians. The Jews later were persecuted and murdered by Nazi Germany for their beliefs. The Christians that accepted Jesus Christ originally were murdered by the Jews and Romans. Later, from among these same Christians, God raised up individuals with greater light and knowledge. These were knows as reformers...Tyndale, Luther and others were persecuted and even murdered for seeking to spread God's word to the people and give them greater power through light and knowledge. These followers created the great Protestant churches we have today. In time, individuals from these Protestant churches recognized there was something missing and further light and knowledge would come. It did and greater light and truth was given to a young boy, Joseph Smith. As Joseph shared his message some received it. Of those that did, many were persecuted and even murdered for joining the Church of Christ that Joseph Smith restored, known today as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So, there is an interesting pattern that has developed over the centuries. God gives light and truth to individuals. They accept it and are persecuted and even killed for it. The same groups that come from these enlightened individuals and are persecuted for believing are eventually the same people that persecute and even kill those that spring from their own groups with further light and knowledge. Over and over this pattern has been consistent.

On my trip to Spain I visited the Inquisition Museum. I saw the depravity of man and the degeneration as individuals hate those that go against the norm of their day and are willing to bring forth more light and truth. Truly the verses in scripture that describe why Jesus was killed can apply to the faithful martyrs who stood firm to the light and truth God gave them. The Gospel of John reads, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (John 3:19-21).

The Book of Mormon gives a profound warning to Zion, "Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion! Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well! Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost! Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall. Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts" (2 Nephi 28:24-32). The whole chapter needs to be read, pondered over and prayed about.

In my studies of the Book of Mormon, searching for the enemies of Christ that President Ezra Taft Benson told us it uncovers, I have noticed unbelief is one of the major enemies to Christ. My prayer is that we will always believe in the gifts of the Holy Ghost, continue in fasting and prayer, repenting of our sins, and offering our whole souls unto God that we might prepare for the coming of our Lord and recognize Him because we will be like Him, having received all the light and truth He is anxious to give us. As President Russel M. Nelson recently exhorted us to do, just as the scriptures do too, seek the mysteries of the kingdom, even the secrets of the universe (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” by Russell M. Nelson, April 2018 General Conference). That we might ever be faithful to God and not to man is my humble prayer, in the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Comfort and Strength in Jesus Christ

I was reading in Alma 31 this morning and came across verse 31. It reads, “O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.” He prayed for strength and comfort in Christ because of the afflictions which would come upon him because of the iniquity of the people he would preach to. He knew great persecution would come but he knew who to turn to. The Lord knew what it felt like to preach the truth and then be persecuted and eventually killed for speaking the truth. As Alma explained, “he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:12). If history repeats itself, then as we go forth “speaking the truth in love,” (Ephesians 4:15) we will be rejected by the majority. If we want comfort and strength then we can turn to the Lord and He will give us those gifts. He promises He will not leave us comfortless. In fact, He will come to us. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18). As we continue on in faithfulness, keeping His commandments, He and the Father will love us, manifest Themselves unto us and make Their abode with us (John 14:21, 23). God loves us all but to feel of His love is the greatest motivator in the world. What could be more exquisite! What could fill your soul with as much joy then to feel the love of God and know He has approved of your life! Nephi said it beautifully, “the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things...the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22-23). Nothing else matters and so we lay down our lives in the cause of truth and the cause of our Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, seeking to elevate the people by sharing the words of eternal life and living a life and offering sacrifices in the similitude of our Savior that we may one day become like Him and live with Him (see Doctrine and Covenants 138:13).

Covenants With God That May Appear as Foolishness to Others

I’m in Alma 24 this morning. I was pondering the Anti-Nephi-Lehis and how their covenant to bury their weapons of war was unique to them. They felt deeply that this is how they would draw closer to God, to make a covenant to God to bury their sins by staining their swords no more with the shedding of blood. In our paths we make oaths and covenants with God to stay away from the evil sins we have committed in the past. These oaths and covenants are in general terms in the ordinances but at the individual level, we should be very specific as we bury every sin that separates us from God. Sometimes the covenants we make with God may differ from other believers. For example, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and the Nephites both are seeking to keep the commandments and covenants they’ve made with God. In this instance one decides not to go to war and the other does go to war. In fact, the Nephites go to war to protect their brethren who won’t go to war. It may be tempting for one party to condemn the other party for not doing what they have felt the Lord wanted them to do. If they become someone else’s judge, then they have crossed their lines of stewardship. It is best that we let others seek God and do the things they feel He is asking them to do. Our paths to Him are so individual. I believe this is why the Lord’s servants teach doctrines and principles and let the people govern themselves. We just don’t know all the details of other’s lives and it’s best we let God work in others according to His will, their will and the timing of the Lord. 

Highly Favored People and Spiritual Patterns

It is interesting in Alma 9 who Alma says the Lord is angry with. He will be merciful unto the Lamanites because they are living their lives according to the false traditions of their fathers. It is true they are cut off from the presence of the Lord because they are not keeping His commandments but the Lord will be merciful and prolong their days that they might have a chance to repent and come unto Him. Here are his words unto them, “Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land.

15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you, except ye repent.

16 For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land.

17 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name” (Alma 9:14-17).

Contrast the Lord’s feelings for the Lamanites with His feelings for the Nephites in Ammonihah. His anger is kindled against them. Here is what Alma says unto them as he carries forth the message the angel delivered unto him:

“Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent; and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. But behold, this is not all--he has commanded you to repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce anger he will not turn away.

13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord...

18 But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited with utter 

destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce anger of the Lord” (Alma 9:12-13, 18). 

We see this pattern in scripture. The righteous become prideful and the Lord uses the wicked, who are wicked because of the false traditions of their fathers, to come down and destroy those that had greater light and knowledge. He prolongs the days of the wicked that they might repent but uses them to destroy those that should have known better. The Book of Mormon and the words of Isaiah are full of this pattern. 

What do the Nephites in Ammonihah need to repent of? He’s angry with them because of turning from the light and knowledge they have received (Alma 9:19). What specific light and knowledge have they turned from? Here is what the account says, “Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to come;

21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation;” (Alma 9:20-21). 

In our culture are we the Lamanites or the Nephites? I ask this question for several reasons, one of which came to mind because of Alma 9:25,

“And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand;”

What would happen to a person that would stand up in your congregation and say, “An angel visited me last night and told me to cry unto you that we need to repent of our ways because the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand.”?

Reread verse 21 above and think about the gifts that these Nephites had turned away from. It’s interesting that the Old Testament word for repentance is to turn back to God. Have we individually turned from these things? Do we really believe the gospel of Jesus Christ? The end of verse 21 says the “gift of translation.” Is that translating ancient records or is that referring to becoming a translated being or is it both?

In light of this consider these verses in Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-27

“19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;

24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.

25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;

26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;

27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.”

There are patterns in the scriptures and patterns in how the Lord’s people receive Him and reject Him. I pray for strength to put my faith and trust in Father and His Son and to repent each day and invite the Lord into my life more fully that I might receive all that He wants to give me. What wonderful blessings He has for us and Pres. Nelson alluded to them in his general conference address as he quoted the scriptures about the mysteries of the kingdom being revealed to us and he quoted another prophet, Neal A. Maxwell, as he shared that God wants to reveal the secrets of the universe with us. 

How To Partake of the Bitter Cup Without Becoming Bitter

I have pondered Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s quote about partaking of the bitter cup without becoming bitter. The talk he gave below shares his marvelous thoughts on this. I also posted a video of Sister Joy Jones who speaks of enticements. The opposition we fear or fight against is so often the perfect curriculum to help us grow and develop and become as Father is. We practice becoming grateful for all things, as the Doctrine and Covenants teaches us to do. Truly, we are grateful as we come to realize how perfectly these enticements come into our lives to nurture us along the meaningful path of mortality. For me, only when I’m focused enough to see through the perspective of becoming like Father have my personal trials been worth facing and seeking to endure well. Otherwise, I truly would shrivel up in bitterness of soul. I’m so grateful for my Redeemer who lifts me up and sustains me as I turn to Him completely.

“Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ”, October 1997, General Conference.
Neal A. Maxwell
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Found here:  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1997/10/apply-the-atoning-blood-of-christ?lang=eng

Sister Joy Jones:
https://youtu.be/2n0u0MPqWYE

Why Bring to Light the Hidden Things of Darkness?

Why I or anyone else should bring to light the hidden things of darkness and share true doctrine:

“13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven--“ (Doctrine and Covenants 123:13).

“61 For I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment--that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you.

62 Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:61-62).

“True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.

The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior...That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel” (Boyd K. Packer, “Little Children,” November 1986, Ensign).

“36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

37 Light and truth forsake that evil one...

39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36-37, 39-40).

We should share the hidden things of darkness, the false traditions that are creeping into society and the true doctrines of the gospel that we might lift God’s people out of Babylon and into Zion. We must share these things with love. Paul taught to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 1:15). I seek to share the things God prompts me too in the spirit of love and understanding, hoping that these things may be of benefit in helping someone draw closer to Heavenly Father and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

Even though Jesus brought to light the hidden things of darkness in perfect love and clarity, it cost Him His life. We read, 

“19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19-21).

“All things that he spake have been and shall be”

In 3 Nephi, Jesus Christ teaches us of the importance of spiritual patterns in the history of the children of Israel. He even gives a commandment to study the words of Isaiah and all the prophets. “I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. (We, the children of Ephraim, are the Gentiles. The Book of Mormon was brought forth through the Gentiles. The nations of Europe that came to America are the Gentile nations. See 1 Nephi 13-14; 1 Nephi 15:13; 2 Nephi 30:3; 3 Nephi 21:5-6; 3 Nephi 26:8). 

“And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake. Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles. And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things“ (3 Nephi 23:1-5).

Jesus establishes to the Nephites that were spared in America, that Isaiah spoke to the house of Israel and the Gentiles. We are the Gentiles and we will benefit by understanding Isaiah because “all things that he spake have been and shall be”. Then He, Jesus, adds that many of the prophets have testified of these things that “have been and shall be.” The prophets would be those prophets that wrote after the five Books of Moses in the Old Testament. 

Once it is established deep in our minds and hearts that the Lord has given us a commandment to study the words of Isaiah and the prophets of the Old Testament, then we start to feel an urgency to understand these things that we might know what is to come. 

I think many times we let ourselves feel intimidated of Isaiah’s writings because of cultural traditions and because of what Nephi said, “Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:1). Jesus revealed a great mystery and key to Isaiah when He said, “all things that he spake have been and shall be.” Once we understand that, we can take his words at face value and understand that the same things that happened to the children of Israel will happen again. This opens up the scriptures to us. Further, Nephi taught that the words of Isaiah, “are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy” (2 Nephi 25:4). 

This is another great key to making Isaiah plain and easy to our understanding. Nephi said Isaiah’s words are plain unto those filled with the spirit of prophecy. So, how do we receive the spirit of prophecy. We learn in the Book of Mormon how the sons of Mosiah were filled with the spirit of prophecy. The record states, “they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation” (Alma 17:2-3).

We live in a society of microwave dinners, instant messaging, photos sent across the globe and even transporting ourselves halfway around the world in less than 24 hours. A society that has everything at our fingertips, is a society that teaches, without even trying to teach, the philosophy of instant gratification. We get used to instant gratification. But, many times the things of God are learned little by little, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. We grow into the spirit of prophecy and revelation by giving our hearts to God and then studying, pondering, praying and even fasting. For me at least, the great spiritual truths that have been opened up for me in the scriptures by the power of the Holy Ghost have usually taken time and effort. It’s wonderful after the truth is received because it is burned deep into the heart. But, each time I am seeking more light and knowledge, I find myself wanting the answer quickly so I can move forward with the next step. 

Joseph Smith taught this, which I believe we can apply to the teachings of Isaiah, “It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it” (History of the Church, 5:387; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 14, 1843, in Yelrome, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff).

“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave” (History of the Church, 6:306–7; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3).

Though we will learn even beyond this life, the Savior taught us that Isaiah’s writings will reveal to us what will happen in the last days. There is an urgency to qualify for the spirit of prophecy and revelation, that we might grow into understanding these important truths that God is desiring to reveal to us. I don’t claim to understand all of Isaiah, but I have felt the Spirit settle upon my feelings and teach me some important truths that he reveals to us. I’m grateful for his writings and the Savior’s teachings about their importance to us in these latter days. I have come to recognize in part why the Lord commanded us to study the words of Isaiah. Nephi, Jacob, Moroni and Jesus all endorsed Isaiah (see 1 Nephi 19:23-24; Mormon 8:23; 2 Nephi 6:4; 3 Nephi 23:1-3) and I believe there is a reason they did not expound and reveal what he revealed. I believe it’s the same reason Jesus spoke in parables. 

Attaining and Accessing the Power of God

I really like this. I believe Brother Clare shares some wonderful insights and quotes in this talk from Women’s Week at BYU.

https://www.byutv.org/player/2210043a-9050-4d23-a898-acfe5f2f15b8/byu-womens-conference-david-clare-2014

“Faith is Power and Power is Priesthood”

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said this, “Faith and priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood. After we gain faith, we receive the priesthood. Then, through the priesthood, we grow in faith until, having all power, we become like our Lord“ (The Doctrine of the Priesthood, April 1982 General Conference). I have pondered the power of faith and how God rewards faith and what faith looks like.

At times, faith is exercised by following every command of God with exactness. In the Pearl of Great Price we read, “And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me” (Moses 5:5-6).

It is apparent that sometimes we are given commands from God that we may not totally understand, but as we follow in faith, God rewards us with power in Him as we obey in faith. We grow in priesthood power. As Elder McConkie said, “Faith is power and power is priesthood.” Any sacrifice we make to follow God ends up blessing us with power. 

Another way we exercise faith in Christ is to do many things of our own free will and bring to pass much righteousness. The revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 58 says this, “For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-28).

We note that the “power is in them” as we use our agency to exercise faith in Christ. “Faith is power and power is priesthood.” When Nephi went forth to get the brass plates he knew the Lord wanted him to get the records but the Lord didn’t tell him how. So he exercised his faith by acting. He tried asking for them and then he tried to buy them. His brethren murmured and were discouraged but Nephi kept going in faith. I love the description of his faith as found in the Book of Mormon record. It reveals this great truth about using our agency to act in faith and then seeing the power of God manifest. It reads, “I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban. And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth...” (1 Nephi 5-7). He “crept” forward. “Went forth towards.” The way he writes is that looking back he could see that the Spirit had led him but in the moment he wasn’t given a command by God how to obtain the plates. As he “went forth” the Lord delivered Laban, the keeper of the record, and the record into Nephi’s hands. In fact, once Nephi creeps forth and finds Laban drunken, then the Lord gives him a direct command through His Spirit to slay Laban. Power was given as faith was exercised. I love the combination here. God lets us exercise our own best judgment as we use our minds and our hearts and rewards us if we are using our agency to act in faith. Power is given to those who act in faith and don’t sit and wait for God to tell them exactly what to do. 

I have noticed that a father holds the hands of a toddler learning to walk and leads them along, gently letting go of the toddlers hands. The toddler inevitably falls but after time, the toddler takes steps on his own. His father eventually trusts him enough to and the toddler trusts his father enough that neither one of them need to hold hands at all. The toddler can now walk. 

The closer we become to God, the less we need Him to hold our hands. Like Nephi, we are expected to exercise our faith in Him by going forth, not knowing beforehand the way which we should go. Some of my most crucial decisions in life I wanted so badly for the Lord to tell me what to do. In His wisdom and mercy He allowed me to move forward, without a complete understanding of His will for me. But, even though I didn’t feel a direct command from Him, I knew that as I moved forward and tried to live my life according to His commandments that He would bless me. I could pray for His help, even though I didn’t know if I was on a decreed course given to me by Him. I have seen His arm revealed as I have sought to do this. 

I have felt the paralyzing effect of fear in some of these decisions. Sometimes when we don’t know exactly what He would have us do, we pause on the edge of the precipice, completely paralyzed with the fear that we are going to do something out of line with His will. Elder Oaks taught that if we don’t receive an answer, we can trust that God trusts us enough to allow us to use our agency to move forward and He will bless us as we seek to stay close to Him while moving forward (I believe that is in his book, “The Lord’s Way”). “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). I love that! As we act with a sound mind and heart in Christ He will always bless us with His power and light and fear will completely dissipate. He doesn’t dwell in fear or darkness, but rather in faith and light. In fact, when Moses feared he saw the bitterness of hell (Moses 1:20). We must choose to act in faith. Choosing to sit and stew in fear is a debilitating choice. I would suggest when we sit and stew and refuse to move forward, we are not trusting the Lord. If Nephi waited until the Lord told him how to get the plates, it appears that he would have never received the plates or the Lord would have eventually told him how and in the process Nephi would have decreased in his faith in Christ. By contrast, he learned that if he’d move forward in faith, God would deliver him through His power. “Faith is power and power is priesthood.” This set a pattern for his life. 

The scripture that spurred this post was in Alma 18:35. It reads, “And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God.”

If our desires are truly set on God and our actions show this, then we can know that God will bless us with His power. I testify that when we move forward in faith that God gives us power in Him. I have made decisions that felt right, not knowing exactly His will, but have seen Him open the heavens on my behalf. I have also moved forward, knowing His commands to do so, and have been blessed by His power, as well. And thus we grow in the priesthood as we act in faith in Christ, receive His power and grow in priesthood until eventually we become one with God. I’m so grateful for His grace as I stumble along. He perfectly knows how to do this with me and with all of us. Praise be to Father, our heavenly Friend. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).