It was pleasing to see the following, in a Latter-day Light Daily Devotion this week, from President Harold B. Lee:
"I came across a statement . . . from Thomas Jefferson, who said, 'If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, . . . it expects what never was and never will be.' And as I thought of that, I paraphrased it and applied it to [the Church].
"If the Church expects the family can be both ignorant and safe, it expects what never was and never will be. Therein I think is our great responsibility. . . .
"Those who apostatize from this church apostatized for one of two reasons---Either because they have sinned and lost the faith, or they're ignorant of the doctrines of the Church. I say, you think about what I have just said. If we, as the Church, expect the family can be ignorant and safe, we expect what never was and never will be."
President Lee died at Christmas over 38 years ago. If he were speaking today he may well add a third reason for apostasy from the Church: members who take offense so easily.
This last one has led us to enthrone tolerance and avoiding offense at all costs. We might say it has led us to the Mormon version of political correctness. As Joseph said, "They cannot stand the fire at all."
But President Lee's observation is well taken: there is an appalling ignorance across the grassroots of America. Interestingly, those who know something --- politically and spiritually and culturally and socially --- will tend to agree with this assessment. Those who cling to their ignorance out of some false modesty or "humility" --- for heaven's sake! --- will resist and resent and reject such an accusation, er I mean, assessment.
But it is clear to see. And it is traceable to the usual suspect.
Last month I read online a book titled, The Deliberate Dumbing-Down of America, by Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt. The book traces and documents the findings that over the last hundred years or so the education system in America has followed a deliberate Progressive plan to keep American students from kindergarten through college ignorant in the areas of basic history, geography, reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The book parallels my own findings day-to-day. A few examples:
In a light-hearted way a few months ago I told my Sunday school class of bright 12 to 14 year olds that the Church was organized in 1830 (not one of them knew this basic fact, or, at least had a low level of confidence in their knowledge if they did guess at 1830).
I then said --- slowly and carefully and deliberately --- Joseph Smith's First Vision, where he saw the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove, occurred ten years earlier. In what year, then, did Joseph see the First Vision?
I paused. I repeated, slowly . . . deliberately . . . 1-8-3-0 Church was organized . . . ten years earlier was the First Vision, so in what year was the First Vision? I repeated these dates and information, in a low mutter, held up all ten fingers to help . . . .
Do you think they quickly came up with 1820 as the year of the First Vision?! They did not! The arithmetic was too tricky for them. Whose fault? Are they all dull students in school? I do not believe they are --- I know they are not.
Do their parents deliberately insist that they stay up late every school night so they are exhausted next day at school? They do not. I don't think that for a minute.
The problem is in the education system. It is in the classroom. They do not breed confidence in the basics.
Since around the early 1980s I have noticed on the report cards from school of all my children (seven of them) spelling mistakes, poor grammar, and incoherent comments written by the teachers. On both sides of the Atlantic --- Britain as well as America. If the teachers struggle with the basics, how can they teach the basics? So we are left with expertise in social engineering, political correctness, and self-esteem. In those areas the system excels.
The problem is in the schools. The phrase "appalling ignorance" is not an exaggeration.
I got my haircut just before I left for England and my Mum's funeral. To the hairdresser, in usual conversation about school, accents, England, and so on, I asked the same question about the 1830 --- 1820 dilemma.
She said, "Oh, I'm not good at math." I said, "No one is around here." She agreed. I repeated the question --- slowly, carefully, deliberately. She had no clue. I gave her the answer. She said, "Oh, it was the 18---part that threw me off." I suggested she should get her money back from the high school she graduated from. She agreed. . . !
I often chat like that with casual acquaintances. I frequently ask, "When was the Declaration of Independence?" No idea, from most people. This same hairdresser had said she is no good at math and English, but she knows history, so I rolled out the Declaration of Independence question. No clue. But she said she does have a pile of notes in a closet at home. Oh . . . .
I asked, "Take a guess: when did this nation start, begin, originate? She hummed and hawed and came up with " . . . Er, 1900s?"
"Try this one, then, you little historian: Who was the first President of the United States?"
No idea. . . . So she ventured, "Abraham Lincoln?" A common response. (Some celebrity said recently that Abraham Lincoln was her "favorite Founding Father." Dear me . . . .)
I had asked her to take about an inch off, for my haircut. I began to grow worried that . . . well, never mind.
This is a cultural problem. It is an educational issue. And it is a spiritual matter, as President Lee and the great Thomas Jefferson both know. Do you know it?
Nor is the problem confined to fresh-faced students and their teachers. The cable-news channel CNN, over the past year or two, have had regional maps on the screen showing London in Norfolk, Cannes on the north coast of Spain, Tripoli in Lebanon, Cornwall as a city at Land's End, and a map of South America with a caption for the South Africa World Cup.
Now, friends and family, I have a gnawing suspicion that not all of you will know what I am talking about here, when I cite these geography, history, arithmetic, and current-event matters!
Some of you will. . . . Most of you?
Let's hear (and hearken) to how the Lord feels about this stuff:
"Teach one another . . . that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle," and so forth, "in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God . . . .
"Things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth, things which have been [history], things which are [current events], things which must shortly come to pass [there is an election in November . . .]; things which are at home [politics and domestic affairs in the U.S. and the U.K. or wherever you live or call home], things which are abroad [foreign policy and related matters]; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land [weather? catastrophic events? pandemic disease? . . .]; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms [geography and history]---"
Why all this? The Lord answers: "That ye may be prepared . . . ."
In more than one place in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord commands this obtaining of specifics in knowledge and understanding. I have often wondered about this phrase, common among the early leading Brethren of the Church: "They know not the day of their visitation," speaking of the Saints who are content in their ignorance and complacent in their lack of understanding and their false traditions. I think I am coming to know what those early Brethren meant.
Ezra Taft Benson wrote a book about all these things in America, and he used a phrase from Matthew 13:28 for its title, An Enemy Hath Done This. Done what?
The Deliberate Dumbing-Down of America --- and, today, of Britain, and who knows how many other nations worldwide.
Permit us to visit this theme again before the November elections.
The First Presidency sent out a letter last week urging the involvement of the Saints in local caucus meetings, as an integral part of the political process and of civic duty, that such attendance and involvement and energy has been falling off in recent years, especially on the Wasatch Front.
We wrote last July of "Independence Day: Awake to a Sense of Your Awful Situation," as Moroni warned specifically of these matters of liberty and the secret combinations active around and among us.
We wrote too in July of "Spiritual Wickedness in High Places---a Warning Voice," and we invite --- urge --- all of you to revisit these matters in our archives column to the right of this blog posting.
Also, the Dennis Prager column on the evil nonsense that is taught --- both openly and subtly --- in our universities and colleges, and many, many other classrooms in our nations; all such evil traceable, as we know, to the usual suspect, the enemy of our souls, the same enemy who "hath done this" ---even Lucifer, a real person, with real designs, and real results among us, unless we are vigilant in the extreme.
More later on this. Much more to say on it.
God bless us all to see it.
Steve
P.S. Feel free to share and spread these thoughts if you find them sober and worthwhile. Give me your feedback and comments. As always, sources and references available on request.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
GIFTS: "This is not 'The Church of the Comfortable Chapel'," ---Boyd K. Packer
In Europe and elsewhere it is common to find local churches with names like, "The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe" or "The Church of St Hilda," or "The Church of St John the Divine".
Inside those buildings you may often find a chapel, separate from the main church meeting area, dedicated to a local benefactor or to a wealthy donor. Think of one of the themes in the movie, The Bishop's Wife.
In a sideways nod to this sort of practice, Elder Boyd K. Packer some years ago felt it necessary to warn that "This is not ' The Church of the Comfortable Chapel'."
Ours is a pioneer heritage. We are rugged individualists fighting on the frontier of truth and right, where "the world is our foe," and our relative prosperity and ease, as contrasted with our pioneer forebears', may become a problem indeed.
Notwithstanding you can get anything in this world with money, our attitude is always that we have sufficient for our needs, and not much more.
Which of the early Brethren was it, on his way to open up the work in England, let his companions know that he had "plenty of money"? It turned out he had a sixpenny piece (around ten cents) above and beyond his immediate needs for passage and food, and so considered himself to have "plenty of money", and that the Lord would provide as he was on the Lord's errand.
There is a lesson in that attitude of abundance in small and simple means.
A good friend, who reads these posts and who will no doubt recognize himself in this next illustration, told me some years back of his wealthy father-in-law who often used to say that "The extent of your righteousness is measured by the thickness of your wallet," that this was a common idea and sentiment among our people as he was growing up.
I suppose they had read---and memorized---the frequent references in the Book of Mormon that "If ye shall keep the commandments ye shall prosper in the land," and took that as their prime article of faith.
This father-in-law served as a mission president in later life. His gospel understanding was wanting, I think it is fair to say, but he was "self-sufficient" as a multi-millionaire. He was a good, decent man, a loyal and faithful Latter-day Saint, but there was something lacking, notwithstanding his pre-eminence and status and his business acumen, which led to his temporal success.
"Without purse or scrip" seems to collide with "the thickness of your wallet" when it comes to missionary work, the work of the kingdom, and the riches of eternity. The Lord revealed:
"Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich" (D&C 6:7).
Ah . . . "eternal life." God's life. The kind of life God lives. And which gift He extends to all His children. A fulness of joy. . . . Spiritual life. . . . Eternal life = God's life = spiritual life. Where we take the time and trouble and energy to feed the spirit within us. God's life.
When Heber C. Kimball returned from a mission to the eastern United States, he lamented how he felt a distinct and "a grievous change had come over the Church in Kirtland," a spirit of speculation, accumulation and of covetousness. The words in the quote marks above are those of Heber's son-in-law, Orson Ferguson Whitney in Life of Heber C. Kimball.
Space will not allow an extensive extract, but Orson F.'s prose here is excellent, and describes the very real difference between the temporal riches and the spiritual:
"The order of Christ's kingdom is the order of creation; firstly spiritual, secondly temporal. When this order is subverted, 'chaos is come again.' Sorrow is the inevitable consequence of apostasy from the spiritual to the temporal. 'To be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded is [eternal] life and peace.'
"Does not the fall of man illustrate this principle? Can he descend from heaven to earth without causing and enduring pain?"
Orson F. answers his own questions:
"The spiritual must sway the temporal, the earthly be ruled by the heavenly. How else shall it be sanctified?
"It is the spirit in man that moves the body, not the body the spirit. In the Church, Christ's body, the spiritual must reign supreme. The temporal on the heart's throne is ever the usurper; the spiritual crowned and sceptred, ruler by right divine.
"Jacob is spiritual; Japheth is temporal. The mission of [the house of] Israel and the mission of the Gentiles are as the poles antipodal; God's ways and man's ways, as heaven and earth apart."
These trenchant words are from the first two pages of chapter 13 of this biography of Heber C., the father of the British mission. The whole chapter is worth reading closely, as is the whole book.
Now we are not being critical of wealthy men in the Church, men whose gifts and genius and industry have resulted in vast riches of a temporal nature. As in the Book of Acts, it is not uncommon today for wealthy men in the Church to lay "at the apostles' feet" (see 4:35, 37) huge sums of money, land, and property, far beyond a tithe or generous offering, and the work is blessed and moves forward with such bequests.
The concern of Heber, on his return to Kirtland, was that such accumulations diverted and engrossed "the time and attention of the Saints" so that there was no time left for gaining the riches of eternity. Or, in other words, for learning the things of God, which is synonymous with the riches of eternity.
I recently heard my sweet home teacher express deep regret that in his old age he now rues not taking the time and trouble and opportunities to increase in knowledge and wisdom and the things of eternity. Such regrets will be common beyond the veil as we recognize there the great truth that,
"If a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."
The knowledge and intelligence we must have in order to be like our God and Father. And if we have squandered the opportunities here to grow and progress in the things of God and of eternity, we shall be required to make up the deficit in the spirit world, in the classes which are held there. But it will be ten times harder there to learn if we have not set the pattern and the precedent here.
This is serious business. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the Lord places a high premium on knowledge of the things that He knows and values, and He expects us to know and value the same eternal matters. I know this is true, from His Spirit. We contradict such testimony at the peril of our salvation, and thus place our souls in jeopardy.
Strong words? True words.
But, in conclusion, what of the value of the spiritual for our work here, in mortality---here and now?
It is, sad to say, common to find home-teaching high priests who have interest and understanding in the temporal only. The same is too often true of visiting teachers. A stark illustration:
Since the global economic collapse of 2008 which brought Marxism / socialism out from behind the curtain in the United States and elsewhere, there have rightly been frequent "lessons" in priesthood and Relief Society classes on the need for prudence and frugality in temporal affairs. Invariably, the Parable of the Ten Virgins is used as an illustration of the pressing need for being prepared in food and emergency storage, for "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."
Such lessons are more than helpful and appropriate. But they are riveted on the temporal, and the spiritual meaning of the parable is lost. Such lessons focus on the oil in the lamps of the wise as temporal oil, as food and provision. The true meaning of this parable given by the Savior---the deep need for spiritual preparation, for the oil is the Holy Spirit, the spirit of revelation---is highjacked and missing, hostage to the temporal.
It is not a question of one or the other --- the spiritual or the temporal --- both are needed. But we clearly tend to neglect one at the expense of the other. I'll leave you to work out which one we neglect and reject.
We are left with the Church of the Comfortable Chapel . . . .
When the Lord spoke to us of such things, He said:
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
Can you see (and hear . . . and feel) the spiritual and the temporal in His words?
If I speak openly of such things as these when I am asked to teach the high priests group I usually draw criticism from a small number. They are happy to rest in the Church of the Comfortable Chapel, and they do not want a young whippersnapper from England pointing out the error and folly of such.
I am animated in my teaching to them by something the Prophet Joseph emphasized:
"The duty of a High Priest is to administer in spiritual and holy things, and to hold communion with God [see D&C 107:1--4, 8, 12, 18], . . . it is the High Priests' duty to be better qualified to teach principles and doctrines, than the Elders" (TPJS, 21).
Not that this excuses the elders from such Godly pursuits, for "Every elder should be a profound theologian," as Brigham taught.
Our observation is that very few elders or high priests live up to these injunctions. As my home teacher spontaneously observed about himself (bless his humble heart!), we are sorely lacking in knowledge and understanding in the important matters of God and eternity. We simply, for the most part, do not know the restored gospel as revealed in the scriptures. And our home teaching visits are left to discuss the weather, food storage, how to prevent water pipes from freezing and bursting in winter, and other such matters: "These things ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone," as the Master Home Teacher Himself taught.
There is more to say. Please . . . feel free to take the trouble to send these observations on a home-teaching visit of their own. There is a need for us to wake up in this area, is there not!
God bless.
Steve
Inside those buildings you may often find a chapel, separate from the main church meeting area, dedicated to a local benefactor or to a wealthy donor. Think of one of the themes in the movie, The Bishop's Wife.
In a sideways nod to this sort of practice, Elder Boyd K. Packer some years ago felt it necessary to warn that "This is not ' The Church of the Comfortable Chapel'."
Ours is a pioneer heritage. We are rugged individualists fighting on the frontier of truth and right, where "the world is our foe," and our relative prosperity and ease, as contrasted with our pioneer forebears', may become a problem indeed.
Notwithstanding you can get anything in this world with money, our attitude is always that we have sufficient for our needs, and not much more.
Which of the early Brethren was it, on his way to open up the work in England, let his companions know that he had "plenty of money"? It turned out he had a sixpenny piece (around ten cents) above and beyond his immediate needs for passage and food, and so considered himself to have "plenty of money", and that the Lord would provide as he was on the Lord's errand.
There is a lesson in that attitude of abundance in small and simple means.
A good friend, who reads these posts and who will no doubt recognize himself in this next illustration, told me some years back of his wealthy father-in-law who often used to say that "The extent of your righteousness is measured by the thickness of your wallet," that this was a common idea and sentiment among our people as he was growing up.
I suppose they had read---and memorized---the frequent references in the Book of Mormon that "If ye shall keep the commandments ye shall prosper in the land," and took that as their prime article of faith.
This father-in-law served as a mission president in later life. His gospel understanding was wanting, I think it is fair to say, but he was "self-sufficient" as a multi-millionaire. He was a good, decent man, a loyal and faithful Latter-day Saint, but there was something lacking, notwithstanding his pre-eminence and status and his business acumen, which led to his temporal success.
"Without purse or scrip" seems to collide with "the thickness of your wallet" when it comes to missionary work, the work of the kingdom, and the riches of eternity. The Lord revealed:
"Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich" (D&C 6:7).
Ah . . . "eternal life." God's life. The kind of life God lives. And which gift He extends to all His children. A fulness of joy. . . . Spiritual life. . . . Eternal life = God's life = spiritual life. Where we take the time and trouble and energy to feed the spirit within us. God's life.
When Heber C. Kimball returned from a mission to the eastern United States, he lamented how he felt a distinct and "a grievous change had come over the Church in Kirtland," a spirit of speculation, accumulation and of covetousness. The words in the quote marks above are those of Heber's son-in-law, Orson Ferguson Whitney in Life of Heber C. Kimball.
Space will not allow an extensive extract, but Orson F.'s prose here is excellent, and describes the very real difference between the temporal riches and the spiritual:
"The order of Christ's kingdom is the order of creation; firstly spiritual, secondly temporal. When this order is subverted, 'chaos is come again.' Sorrow is the inevitable consequence of apostasy from the spiritual to the temporal. 'To be carnally-minded is death; but to be spiritually-minded is [eternal] life and peace.'
"Does not the fall of man illustrate this principle? Can he descend from heaven to earth without causing and enduring pain?"
Orson F. answers his own questions:
"The spiritual must sway the temporal, the earthly be ruled by the heavenly. How else shall it be sanctified?
"It is the spirit in man that moves the body, not the body the spirit. In the Church, Christ's body, the spiritual must reign supreme. The temporal on the heart's throne is ever the usurper; the spiritual crowned and sceptred, ruler by right divine.
"Jacob is spiritual; Japheth is temporal. The mission of [the house of] Israel and the mission of the Gentiles are as the poles antipodal; God's ways and man's ways, as heaven and earth apart."
These trenchant words are from the first two pages of chapter 13 of this biography of Heber C., the father of the British mission. The whole chapter is worth reading closely, as is the whole book.
Now we are not being critical of wealthy men in the Church, men whose gifts and genius and industry have resulted in vast riches of a temporal nature. As in the Book of Acts, it is not uncommon today for wealthy men in the Church to lay "at the apostles' feet" (see 4:35, 37) huge sums of money, land, and property, far beyond a tithe or generous offering, and the work is blessed and moves forward with such bequests.
The concern of Heber, on his return to Kirtland, was that such accumulations diverted and engrossed "the time and attention of the Saints" so that there was no time left for gaining the riches of eternity. Or, in other words, for learning the things of God, which is synonymous with the riches of eternity.
I recently heard my sweet home teacher express deep regret that in his old age he now rues not taking the time and trouble and opportunities to increase in knowledge and wisdom and the things of eternity. Such regrets will be common beyond the veil as we recognize there the great truth that,
"If a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."
The knowledge and intelligence we must have in order to be like our God and Father. And if we have squandered the opportunities here to grow and progress in the things of God and of eternity, we shall be required to make up the deficit in the spirit world, in the classes which are held there. But it will be ten times harder there to learn if we have not set the pattern and the precedent here.
This is serious business. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the Lord places a high premium on knowledge of the things that He knows and values, and He expects us to know and value the same eternal matters. I know this is true, from His Spirit. We contradict such testimony at the peril of our salvation, and thus place our souls in jeopardy.
Strong words? True words.
But, in conclusion, what of the value of the spiritual for our work here, in mortality---here and now?
It is, sad to say, common to find home-teaching high priests who have interest and understanding in the temporal only. The same is too often true of visiting teachers. A stark illustration:
Since the global economic collapse of 2008 which brought Marxism / socialism out from behind the curtain in the United States and elsewhere, there have rightly been frequent "lessons" in priesthood and Relief Society classes on the need for prudence and frugality in temporal affairs. Invariably, the Parable of the Ten Virgins is used as an illustration of the pressing need for being prepared in food and emergency storage, for "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."
Such lessons are more than helpful and appropriate. But they are riveted on the temporal, and the spiritual meaning of the parable is lost. Such lessons focus on the oil in the lamps of the wise as temporal oil, as food and provision. The true meaning of this parable given by the Savior---the deep need for spiritual preparation, for the oil is the Holy Spirit, the spirit of revelation---is highjacked and missing, hostage to the temporal.
It is not a question of one or the other --- the spiritual or the temporal --- both are needed. But we clearly tend to neglect one at the expense of the other. I'll leave you to work out which one we neglect and reject.
We are left with the Church of the Comfortable Chapel . . . .
When the Lord spoke to us of such things, He said:
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
Can you see (and hear . . . and feel) the spiritual and the temporal in His words?
If I speak openly of such things as these when I am asked to teach the high priests group I usually draw criticism from a small number. They are happy to rest in the Church of the Comfortable Chapel, and they do not want a young whippersnapper from England pointing out the error and folly of such.
I am animated in my teaching to them by something the Prophet Joseph emphasized:
"The duty of a High Priest is to administer in spiritual and holy things, and to hold communion with God [see D&C 107:1--4, 8, 12, 18], . . . it is the High Priests' duty to be better qualified to teach principles and doctrines, than the Elders" (TPJS, 21).
Not that this excuses the elders from such Godly pursuits, for "Every elder should be a profound theologian," as Brigham taught.
Our observation is that very few elders or high priests live up to these injunctions. As my home teacher spontaneously observed about himself (bless his humble heart!), we are sorely lacking in knowledge and understanding in the important matters of God and eternity. We simply, for the most part, do not know the restored gospel as revealed in the scriptures. And our home teaching visits are left to discuss the weather, food storage, how to prevent water pipes from freezing and bursting in winter, and other such matters: "These things ought ye to have done, and not leave the other undone," as the Master Home Teacher Himself taught.
There is more to say. Please . . . feel free to take the trouble to send these observations on a home-teaching visit of their own. There is a need for us to wake up in this area, is there not!
God bless.
Steve
Friday, February 10, 2012
GIFTS: "If they didn't know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan" (Ezra Taft Benson).
Our title this time is from President Ezra Taft Benson. Speaking in general conference he said, "King Benjamin caused that his three sons 'should be taught in all the language of his fathers' (Mosiah 1:2). They needed to understand and use the language of holy writ. If they didn't know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan."
Family and friends, if we don't know, and use, the right words, we won't know the plan, and we'll end up believing, and trusting, and teaching another plan of our own invention. That is what is at stake.
The Prophet Joseph said to the Saints in Nauvoo, two weeks before he was martyred, "All the confusion [about doctrine] is for want of drinking and deep draught."
I must say I have to smile when people write me e-mails correcting me for "leading people astray" in these blog-post articles, and then they add, "I am not a scriptorian . . . I do not know the scriptures . . . but I know what's in them, and you are wrong!" I smile at first . . . and then I weep, and mourn for the same reason Nephi did as expressed in 2 Nephi 32:7.
[I have received e-mails from two or three people correcting me in this way; whereas dozens of you have expressed thanks, and support and unity with what we teach here. I thank you, in return.]
The issue is one of using the right words. It is a simple matter.
Let me illustrate:
One of our readers, a dear and lovely young lady I've known for many years, wrote this week asking for a little insight for a sacrament talk she was assigned to give this Sunday on "Personal Commitment" to stuff (her words). She is a bright young lady and said, "The more I think about it the more I want to focus on our commitment to the Savior." (See, I told you she was bright.)
I wrote back and spoke about our need to use the right words, scripture words, words found in the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. The word "commitment," I said, doesn't fit. It's a word the christian world uses in "making a commitment to Jesus."
Our true context is far beyond a commitment to Him. Ours is a "covenant" relation to Him. That one word change makes all the difference. It alters the conversation and puts the sacrament talk on a true gospel basis, anchoring it to the events focused on the small table with the white cloths just to the side of the pulpit from which she will be speaking to us about Him.
Do you see it?
She sees it. For she wrote back and said, "Thank you so much! I was getting frustrated and a little flustered when I couldn't find the word 'commitment' in the scriptures. How was I supposed to give a meaningful, uplifting, Spirit-inviting, Christ-centered talk on something I couldn't back with simple gospel truths?" (Did I mention she was bright?!)
Now there is indeed a topic in the topical guide entitled "Commitment" where we can find around seventy scripture references that highlight the meaning behind "commitment" with good gospel words like follow, all thy heart, fixed, steadfast, sacrifice, doers, covenant, and many more, but the word commitment is not there at all.
But our point is clear: the power is in those scriptural words. The strong doctrine in them is diluted if we stay with mere "commitment," and the power is lost. "If they did not know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan."
So you can see it is not just etymology ("the study of the history and usage of words"), it is being true to the source, which in turn means being true to the Source, the Lord Himself, for He said, "These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;
"For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;
"Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words."
My word! Do you hear what He is saying?! As you read the scriptures to one another you are hearing His voice! We abandon the revelations in the scriptures and adopt lesser ideas and words at our peril.
Do you see it? . . . Do you hear what I hear?
In conclusion, consider these additional, reinforcing statements (all put together in one place by Dean many years ago --- thanks, Dean):
"It is important that in our teaching we make use of the language of holy writ [the scriptures]. Alma said, 'I . . . do command you in the language of him who hath commanded me' (Alma 5:61). The words and the way they are used in the Book of Mormon by the Lord should become our source of understanding and should be used by us in teaching gospel principles" ---Ezra Taft Benson. (So much for "unconditional" anything as a "gospel principle." It doesn't fit.)
"The Lord promised his children that they would be taught the gospel in their own language. This Church is making that happen. My concern is that families need to teach the gospel to each other in the language of God, our Heavenly Father. In the home, when direction is needed, when a problem or misunderstanding arises, I pray that we may open the scriptures with our youth beside us and find the law irrevocably decreed upon which blessings are predicated. Reading the will of God in the language of God builds reverence and witness, and we will all live more purely" ---Elaine A. Cannon.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth" --- Paul the Apostle.
Truly, "If they did not know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan."
This is given to us now in such plainness that none --- well, perhaps two or three --- may misunderstand. With some, the problem may be that they do not understand; with some, the problem is that they do not believe.
Let's all get on the same page, the same page with our Lord and our God and the Spirit which He gives us to make this possible: one in hope and doctrine, one in Christ.
God bless us all to this end.
Steve
P.S. As always, feel free to share. References and sources available on request, if needed.
Family and friends, if we don't know, and use, the right words, we won't know the plan, and we'll end up believing, and trusting, and teaching another plan of our own invention. That is what is at stake.
The Prophet Joseph said to the Saints in Nauvoo, two weeks before he was martyred, "All the confusion [about doctrine] is for want of drinking and deep draught."
I must say I have to smile when people write me e-mails correcting me for "leading people astray" in these blog-post articles, and then they add, "I am not a scriptorian . . . I do not know the scriptures . . . but I know what's in them, and you are wrong!" I smile at first . . . and then I weep, and mourn for the same reason Nephi did as expressed in 2 Nephi 32:7.
[I have received e-mails from two or three people correcting me in this way; whereas dozens of you have expressed thanks, and support and unity with what we teach here. I thank you, in return.]
The issue is one of using the right words. It is a simple matter.
Let me illustrate:
One of our readers, a dear and lovely young lady I've known for many years, wrote this week asking for a little insight for a sacrament talk she was assigned to give this Sunday on "Personal Commitment" to stuff (her words). She is a bright young lady and said, "The more I think about it the more I want to focus on our commitment to the Savior." (See, I told you she was bright.)
I wrote back and spoke about our need to use the right words, scripture words, words found in the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. The word "commitment," I said, doesn't fit. It's a word the christian world uses in "making a commitment to Jesus."
Our true context is far beyond a commitment to Him. Ours is a "covenant" relation to Him. That one word change makes all the difference. It alters the conversation and puts the sacrament talk on a true gospel basis, anchoring it to the events focused on the small table with the white cloths just to the side of the pulpit from which she will be speaking to us about Him.
Do you see it?
She sees it. For she wrote back and said, "Thank you so much! I was getting frustrated and a little flustered when I couldn't find the word 'commitment' in the scriptures. How was I supposed to give a meaningful, uplifting, Spirit-inviting, Christ-centered talk on something I couldn't back with simple gospel truths?" (Did I mention she was bright?!)
Now there is indeed a topic in the topical guide entitled "Commitment" where we can find around seventy scripture references that highlight the meaning behind "commitment" with good gospel words like follow, all thy heart, fixed, steadfast, sacrifice, doers, covenant, and many more, but the word commitment is not there at all.
But our point is clear: the power is in those scriptural words. The strong doctrine in them is diluted if we stay with mere "commitment," and the power is lost. "If they did not know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan."
So you can see it is not just etymology ("the study of the history and usage of words"), it is being true to the source, which in turn means being true to the Source, the Lord Himself, for He said, "These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;
"For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;
"Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words."
My word! Do you hear what He is saying?! As you read the scriptures to one another you are hearing His voice! We abandon the revelations in the scriptures and adopt lesser ideas and words at our peril.
Do you see it? . . . Do you hear what I hear?
In conclusion, consider these additional, reinforcing statements (all put together in one place by Dean many years ago --- thanks, Dean):
"It is important that in our teaching we make use of the language of holy writ [the scriptures]. Alma said, 'I . . . do command you in the language of him who hath commanded me' (Alma 5:61). The words and the way they are used in the Book of Mormon by the Lord should become our source of understanding and should be used by us in teaching gospel principles" ---Ezra Taft Benson. (So much for "unconditional" anything as a "gospel principle." It doesn't fit.)
"The Lord promised his children that they would be taught the gospel in their own language. This Church is making that happen. My concern is that families need to teach the gospel to each other in the language of God, our Heavenly Father. In the home, when direction is needed, when a problem or misunderstanding arises, I pray that we may open the scriptures with our youth beside us and find the law irrevocably decreed upon which blessings are predicated. Reading the will of God in the language of God builds reverence and witness, and we will all live more purely" ---Elaine A. Cannon.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
"Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth" --- Paul the Apostle.
Truly, "If they did not know the right words, they wouldn't know the plan."
This is given to us now in such plainness that none --- well, perhaps two or three --- may misunderstand. With some, the problem may be that they do not understand; with some, the problem is that they do not believe.
Let's all get on the same page, the same page with our Lord and our God and the Spirit which He gives us to make this possible: one in hope and doctrine, one in Christ.
God bless us all to this end.
Steve
P.S. As always, feel free to share. References and sources available on request, if needed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)