Questions from My "Daughter"

I wrote the following letter for an assignment a BYU-Pathway Worldwide PathwayConnect course I am taking.

Dear Jane,

I am so very, very glad, and grateful, that you have come to me! You may not know until you are a parent how much it means that you have come to me with your questions and concerns. If I understand your concerns, your question, in essence, is why does God give us commandments? Is that right? Do God’s commandments take away our agency? If He loves us so much, why do we have to be baptized to return to Him? If God gave us agency--freedom of choice--why does He then ask us not to do certain things? To answer your questions, let’s go to the scriptures. Providentially, the prophets of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ have answered these questions. Heavenly Father knew you were going to ask. That is why He gave you this book!

In His instructions to His followers in the Americas, our resurrected Lord said: 

the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned (3 Nephi 11:32-34).

Jesus is love personified. He teaches us here in humility. This is not a threat, but rather, a very direct statement. If you follow Him and receive baptism, you will be saved. If you do not follow and you are not baptized, you will be halted in your progress (this is the definition of “damned”). When He was suffering the agony of His atonement and eternity weighed upon Him, Isaiah says:

when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. . . . he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Mosiah 14:10-12, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ). 

Later, about this scripture the prophet Abinadi explained:

And who shall be his seed? Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?

Because God’s laws are immutable, only the righteous will be saved. 

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah (2 Nephi 2:8, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ).

This is why we preach repentance. In his final sermon to a group of inhabitants in the Americas, righteous King Benjamin declared:

And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent (Mosiah 3:17, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ).

There is no other way. Jesus really is the only way (see also 2 Nephi 9:41; 2 Nephi 25:20; 2 Nephi 31:21; Acts 4:12).

God loves us. He loves us deeply, and because He loves us deeply, He gives commandments. He knows it is only in and through the commandments—in and through Christ—that we may become like Him. This is the sublime opportunity He gave us when He awarded us our agency in the our life before life on earth (see Moses 4:3; The Pearl of Great Price of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

Satan will tell you, “I am no devil, for there is none,” (2 Nephi 28:22). He is a master deceiver. His servants and those who are without God in the world will tell you that the commandments are foolishness. This simply is not true. Satan and the world will say, “if you always keep the commandments, then you have no choices!” This is a blatant and boldface lie. Obedience to God’s laws is a choice. The Restored Church of Jesus Christ is different from the world by design. Satan is very good at making sin look appealing. Dig beyond the surface of sin and you find all of the consequences! Smoking leads to bad health, addiction, and a number of other negative physical and spiritual consequences. Drinking alcohol exposes you to a litany of ills, liabilities and risks—not the least of which is alcoholism. Drugs are a similar story as is the use of sexual passions outside of marriage. The truth is, you can always make choices. What Satan leaves out are the consequences(see 2 Nephi 2:17-19). From the beginning, his song has been, “have what you want now and you shall have no consequences.” This is simply and thoroughly false.  

Do we have to go through certain steps in order to return to God? Yes. The truth is, if taken deep into our souls, the commandments change us. Obedience is not hoop-jumping. It is practice! Repentance is not hoop-jumping. It is practice. Christ’s gospel is the way. Following Christ is the way. If we follow, we become more like Him. This is the beautiful truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Would it be more loving if God simply let everyone come back to Him? No. If we have not repented of our sins, we will not want to live with Him! The fact is, if we don’t follow Jesus, we are filthy! Moroni talks about this in Mormon 9:3-4 in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. 

Do ye suppose that [after death] ye shall dwell with [Jesus Christ] under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. 

Think about it this way. If you were smoking and drinking, doing drugs, or breaking the law of chastity, would you feel comfortable in the Holy Temple, the House of the Lord? No. This is why we have the Holy Temple—so that on earth we may qualify for and literally prepare to enter into God’s presence. 

God’s commandments, especially those mentioned in the interview for your temple recommendation, prepare you to enter His presence and feel worthy. They are the way! After our resurrection, all of us will be brought back into the presence of Jesus Christ (at least temporarily) to be judged of Him. To the His Nephite disciples He Said:

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world. (3 Nephi 27: 14-15, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ). 

In his July 2011 BYU Devotional talk Brother Brad Wilcox taught that after Jesus Christ offers His grace to us—that power of deliverance which He was granted through His immeasurable atonement and suffering,  “what is left to be determined by our obedience is what kind of body we plan on being resurrected with [telestial, terrestrial, or Celestial—see 1 Corinthians 15:40-41, The Holy Bible] and how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and how long we plan to stay there”. By the choices we make, we decide what we become, by believing in or not believing in and following Jesus Christ. If we believe and sincerely repent, we will be comfortable in God’s presence. What a blessing! God always loves us! Always. That is His nature. Through our faith in Christ and our humble repentance, we demonstrate how much we love Him! (And I do love Him! I want to obey Him with all my heart!) Obedience to His laws and ordinances brings us back into His presence. Jesus Christ is the way. He showed us the way! If we become pure through Him and learn to love as He loves, when we see Him, we shall be like Him! (See Moroni 7:48.)

We choose to obey or not obey and by doing so, we choose our desired eternal rewards. Satan advertises, “get thrills now,” and leaves out the eternal consequences you will pay later. Satan says, as an obedient member of the Church, “you cannot sin. Restricted by the commandments, no earthly pleasure is yours!” This is not true! What is true is that we cannot sin and still get a good reward! It simply doesn’t work like that! “Wickedness never was happiness,” (see Alma 41:10)! When we make a choice, we get both ends of the stick—our choice, and the consequence. Satan’s lie is get what you want now, for this life. There is no afterlife. He is a liar from the beginning (see Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 93:25). 

O, daughter. I know that God loves us. Because He loves us, He gives us commandments not a few. If we follow His commandments with faith in Jesus Christ, we will be blessed—eternally. The commandment of the Father is to repent and believe in His Son. If we do this, we will be blessed. Of this I testify.

My Testimony

https://bit.ly/3b1lkgV

2 May 2020

Dear Family (and I mean that),

These are interesting times. Now, more than ever, it is important that we each share what has shaped us. I humbly share what I have written in a spirit of love. I realize that we are all on different journeys in life. I recognize that we are all on different paths. I feel duty-bound to God and to you as my family to share what I have experienced.

Jesus is my Savior and Redeemer. He suffered for my suffering. He has paid the price for all of my transgressions. He knows me better than I know myself! He is intimately acquainted with me and with all of my needs, challenges, trials, troubles, and afflictions. He has often rescued me! He knows me! He knows my weaknesses and struggles! 

Under our Father in Heaven's direction, He created and organized this beautiful earth. This world was created as an abode for God's children--a place where we could live. He paid intimate attention to detail. As the pre-mortal Jehovah, He knows the end from the beginning! He is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He inherited unique capacities. As a mortal, He could suffer. As a sinless God, He could atone for the sins and suffering of all humankind. I know that He lives. On the third day, He rose from the tomb, forever shattering the chains of death! As a resurrected being, He appeared to multitudes, both in the Holy Land, and in the Americas. The Book of Mormon is a new witness of His Resurrection and that He has set His hand again to gather scattered Israel. The Book of Mormon witnesses of His divinity. The book's very existence is a testimony that Christ is moving in His majesty and power.

I know that He will come again. Before long, He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. His benevolent reign will be the culmination of human history. At that day, there will be peace, for He will wipe away all tears. He is The Great Healer. He is the King Immanuel. I love Him and I want to serve Him. 

I know that Jesus Christ is the living, resurrected Son of the Living God. He is the God of all creation. In the beginning, He was with God. He is our Elder Brother. He is our Advocate with the Father. He suffered for all of the trials, troubles, and afflictions of His people. All pain was experienced by Him. All suffering is known by Him. All loneliness is His firsthand knowledge. On this Eastertide, I share my witness with you. I am the humblest and the most imperfect of His servants. 

I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. His Way is the way of happiness. His Way is the way of peace. 

I was taught these things in my youth. My parents taught me to pray. They taught me to tithe, and they taught me to worship. At eight years old, I chose to be baptized. I was specifically asked by Bishop Larry Banks why I wanted to be baptized, whether it were for social reasons, to please my parents or my teachers. I responded that I wanted to be  baptized to follow Jesus Christ. After that ordinance, I remember receiving the Holy Ghost. Given the option of being confirmed immediately after my baptism or waiting to be confirmed the next day in sacrament meeting, I opted to be confirmed immediately. I wanted to receive the marvelous Gift of the Holy Ghost I had been taught about. I still remember what I felt during that confirmation as hands were laid upon my head and words were spoken to confirm me a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

In time I realized that I had not had what I thought was a spiritual experience confirming to me the truth of the Church and of the Book of Mormon (I had heard and read many stories and testimonies of such experiences). I could not honestly say that I had had any such experience--not that I recognized (I later realized, in Book of Mormon terms, that over time I was baptized by fire and by the Holy Ghost, “and knew it not”).

I knew that I was going to serve a mission. Because of this fact, I knew that I needed to have the spiritual experience I had heard about. However, this experience did not come “on demand” (few things with God do). When my personal repentance (motivated by the Holy Ghost that I didn’t realize at the time was guiding me) combined with sincere desire and a resolve to worship in simple and sincere ways, things began to change. My repentance was real. My simple resolve before God was that I believed the things I had been taught. I would simply do my best to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I trusted that God would give me an answer to my question. I only asked that He would help me to recognize my answer when it came. Meanwhile, imperceptibly, I changed. My friends noticed that I was different. My conversation was different. My interests were different. My friends wondered what had happened. 

My simple pattern was to sincerely pray to God every day, morning and evening. I was also naturally drawn to the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. (In retrospect, I cannot say as to why--just that I started. It felt comfortable.) I don’t claim that I understood everything I read. I do remember a day when I didn’t read after having been in the habit of reading. It felt off. I was missing something. There was a void in my heart.

I continued living life, doing my best, serving in the Church, and personally worshipping. About seven months later, something remarkable happened. After that experience, I knew and I knew that I knew, and I knew that God knew that I knew. The spiritual experience I had hoped for came in a quiet but unexpected moment. At the time, it seemed like a sudden rush of revelation. In retrospect, I see that it was the fruit of a lengthy process. 

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. It is the Restoration of the same organization that existed in the primitive Church. It is a work in progress. The Church will continue to change and evolve. The Church is here to prepare a people for the return of its head, even Jesus Christ 

I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet. My doubt on this subject has been removed. Joseph Smith is a righteous, virtuous, chaste, and honest individual. In the pre-mortal councils, he was foreordained as the Prophet of the Restoration. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. My doubt on this subject has been removed. It is an authentic record of a fallen people. From its title page, it declares itself to be an ancient record, translated by God's power, and brought forth to convince all people "that Jesus Christ is the Eternal God, manifesting Himself unto all nations," (see Title Page, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.)

I know that Joseph Smith was visited by angels--messengers sent from God’s presence. Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, the Lord’s apostles, Moses, Elias, and Elijah all appeared and conferred keys, power, and authority upon Joseph Smith.

The keys that were bestowed upon Joseph Smith were conferred upon the modern apostles. Those keys continue with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The Church today is led by ordinary men and women. None of them asked to be called. Of them, the saying of Jesus is true, “ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you.” In ways that we do not understand, before we came here, many of us made promises about what we would do on earth. Before the foundations of this world, the Lord foreordained apostles and prophets. The office of their calling is to bear witness of Truth.

Great judgements are coming on the earth with famine, sword, and pestilence. After the testimony of the elders of Israel “cometh wrath and indignation upon the people. . . earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion.” These things will surely come to pass. In mercy, Jesus stretches out His arms to us to save us from certain danger, both temporally and spiritually. His arm is stretched out still (2 Nephi 19). He desires to gather us to spiritual and temporal safety. I invite you to come, seek this Jesus. I only know the smallest part. I want to know Him completely. I invite you to walk in His ways with me. 

“Strong Like Unto Moses." 1 Nephi 4

Nephi is quietly determined to accomplish God's will. Because he knows God and has perfect confidence in his assignment and its source, threats to his life and multiple failed attempts are insignificant. He tells his brothers they should be, “strong like unto Moses."

How was Moses strong? Moses had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus gave Moses a directive: go and free my people Israel. The Savior promised to grant Moses everything he would need for the mission, including miracles. So the question is, how can we be, “strong like unto Moses"?

The "Mormon Moment" part 2

Time after time, I find that the Book of Mormon, a text that was written about 1600 years ago, is amazing relevant for our day. In fact, time after time, it is very clear to me that, as President Ezra Taft Benson stated in 1986, this book was written for our day! (see, "The Book of Mormon--Keystone of our Religion," from the Ensign magazine, November 1986) Here's a relevant example of what I mean that deals with how Mormons react to people with opposing viewpoints.

A lesson from the Book of Mormon about how disciples of Christ should handle religious contention (Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 1: 19-25, highlighting added and comments in brackets [like this] added):

 19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.

 20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words. . . .

[so, the believers in Christ were persecuted by those who believed differently than they did.] 

 21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church, that there should ^anot any man, belonging to the church, arise and persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there should be no persecution among themselves.

[So, the law of the Church was that the members should never persecute those who were not members!]

 22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their ^afists.

[Evidently, Church members' tempers flared to the point of physical violence!]

 23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the cause of much trial with the church.

 24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were^ablotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people of God. And also many ^bwithdrew themselves from among them.

[sounds like people getting angry with detractors and reacting was a bad thing for the Church. And, interestingly, for some Church members, how they reacted to detractors ultimately led to their excommunication or voluntary withdrawal from the Church! To me that says, "take very good care how you react to detractors!"]

 25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were ^asteadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with ^bpatiencethe persecution which was heaped upon them.

[to me, this verse implies that if we want to follow Christ, we need to roll with the punches, regardless of how detractors and fellow members interact.]