True Shepherds

I had to laugh out loud when I was asked to give the following priesthood lesson after my Home Teaching outburst in January.

Apparently the lesson in January by the stake leaders was even based on the same "True Shepherds" talk from President Monson in Oct 2013.

I decided to try to focus on how how important being caring "shepherds" is and how Home Teaching provides a framework/opportunity for something we might eventually be able to do spontaneously.

I started with reference to the recent essay on religion on the church newsroom:

"To this point, Rabbi David Wolpe taught that religion “can go into a world in which there is a great deal of pain and suffering and loss and bring meaning and purpose and peace.”

I like the idea of religion being most useful when it eases pain through either hands or hope.

Healing through hands is not, of course, exclusive to religion. The irreligious also care for those in need.

But I think a religion should be partly evaluated by how much it motivates people to heal with hands.

Hope, eternal hope, is perhaps more exclusive to religion. Hope that the pain is not meaningless. Hope that pain is part of going through the refiner's fire.

President Monson spoke about being shepherds:

"Dad would drive about 35 miles an hour all the way up to Provo Canyon or until we would come around a bend in the road and our journey would be halted by a herd of sheep. We would watch as hundreds of sheep filed past us, seemingly without a shepherd, a few dogs yapping at their heels as they moved along. Way back in the rear we could see the sheepherder on his horse... He was occasionally slouched down in the saddle dozing, since the horse knew which way to go and the yapping dogs did the work. 

Contrast that to the scene which I viewed in Munich, Germany, many years ago. It was a Sunday morning, and we were en route to a missionary conference. As I looked out the window of the mission president’s automobile, I saw a shepherd with a staff in his hand, leading the sheep. They followed him wherever he went. If he moved to the left, they followed him to the left. If he moved to the right, they followed him in that direction. I made the comparison between the true shepherd who led his sheep and the sheepherder who rode casually behind his sheep. 

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep.” He provides for us the perfect example of what a true shepherd should be. 

Brethren, as the priesthood of God we have a shepherding responsibility. The wisdom of the Lord has provided guidelines whereby we might be shepherds to the families of the Church, where we can serve, we can teach, and we can testify to them. Such is called home teaching, and it is about this that I wish to speak to you tonight.

From the Book of Mormon we read that Alma “consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men. 

“Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness.”

What does the word “Nourish” mean?

1. to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.
2. to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc.
3. to strengthen, build up, or promote

I especially like: "supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth."

Definition of Necessary: "1. being essential, indispensable, or requisite"

What is necessary for each of your families? What is, right now, the most important, essential, indispensable thing? Are they always the same?

"In performing our home teaching responsibilities, we are wise if we learn and understand the challenges of the members of each family, that we might be effective in teaching and in providing needed assistance."

Without mentioning any names, what are the different needs of some of your families?

(Write down in two lists, which at the end I'll label "Healing with hands" and "Healing with hope.")

Focus on three main themes (group needs if possible):

Practical help
Companionship
Spiritual uplift

Discuss each:

Practical Help

"I do not worry about members of the Church being unresponsive when they learn of the needy as much as I worry about our being unaware of such needs. … Please, priesthood leaders, do not get so busy trying to manage Church programs that you forget about basic duties in what the Apostle James described as ‘pure religion, undefiled’ (James 1:27)." Spencer W. Kimball. at a seminar for Regional Representatives in 1979

Read James 1:27, then read excerpts from Matthew 25:31-46:

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory… before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. 

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee...?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me… Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

When considering these verses, why is the structure of Home Teaching a gift to us? (Because it gives us a structured opportunity to feed the hungry, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned. In today's world we may have few locked away in actual prisons but plenty who feel shackled and imprisoned by debt, unemployment, disability or mental illness.

Companionship

"To assist in our efforts, I share this wise counsel which surely applies to home teachers. It comes from Abraham Lincoln, who said, “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” President Ezra Taft Benson urged: “Above all, be a genuine friend to the individuals and families you teach. … A friend makes more than a dutiful visit each month. A friend is more concerned about helping people than getting credit. A friend cares. A friend [shows love]. A friend listens, and a friend reaches out."

Spiritual Uplift

President Monson spoke of visiting those no longer active or strong in faith.

"Home teaching is more than a mechanical visit once per month. Ours is the responsibility to teach, to inspire, to motivate, and where we visit those who are not active, to bring to activity and to eventual exaltation the sons and daughters of God."

If we are to know our sheep we should first seek to understand their concerns before we seek to be understood.

Elder Uchtdorf said:

"The search for truth has led millions of people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, there are some who leave the Church they once loved. 

One might ask, “If the gospel is so wonderful, why would anyone leave?” 

Sometimes we assume it is because they have been offended or lazy or sinful. Actually, it is not that simple. In fact, there is not just one reason that applies to the variety of situations. 

Some of our dear members struggle for years with the question whether they should separate themselves from the Church. 

In this Church that honors personal agency so strongly, that was restored by a young man who asked questions and sought answers, we respect those who honestly search for truth. It may break our hearts when their journey takes them away from the Church we love and the truth we have found, but we honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience, just as we claim that privilege for ourselves."

Elder Uchtdorf extended an invite which we could also take to our families or when we visit those not attending with the Elders:

"To those who have separated themselves from the Church, I say, my dear friends, there is yet a place for you here. 

Come and add your talents, gifts, and energies to ours. We will all become better as a result."

The reason for sharing our invite is to offer hope and healing:

"Those who follow this path faithfully avoid many of the pitfalls, sorrows, and regrets of life.
The poor in spirit and honest of heart find great treasures of knowledge here.
Those who suffer or grieve find healing here."

President Monson said:

"Brethren, our efforts in home teaching are ongoing. The work will never be concluded until our Lord and Master says, “It is enough.” There are lives to brighten. There are hearts to touch. There are souls to save. Ours is the sacred privilege to brighten, to touch, and to save those precious souls entrusted to our care. We should do so faithfully and with hearts filled with gladness."

"In closing I turn to one particular example to describe the type of home teachers we should be. There is one Teacher whose life overshadows all others. He taught of life and death, of duty and destiny. He lived not to be served but to serve, not to receive but to give, not to save His life but to sacrifice it for others. He described a love more beautiful than lust, a poverty richer than treasure. It was said of this Teacher that He taught with authority and not as did the scribes. His laws were not inscribed upon stone but upon human hearts. 

I speak of the Master Teacher, even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind. The biblical account says of Him, He “went about doing good.”

Perhaps one day we won't need Home Teaching as a structured program. Perhaps one day we will spontaneously care for the needy around us and spiritually uplift each other. Until that time, Home Teaching is a gift and a framework. One way, among many others, of fulfilling the Lord's directive to to serve and care for each other.

All are alike unto God - finding unity in diversity

When Samuel was asked to go and anoint the future king from among Jesse’s sons he looked at them and made certain assumptions. (Sam 16:7) “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature… for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Sister Chieko Okazaki was first counselor on the Relief Society General Presidency during the 1990s. In one talk in 1992 she said:

“I’d like to teach you an important Japanese word. It’s kigatsuku. 

Kigatsuku means “an inner spirit to act without being told what to do.” …When I was just a little girl, my mother began teaching me to be kigatsuku. When she swept the floor, she would say, “Chieko, what would a kigatsuku girl do now?” Then I’d run and get the dustpan… 

(W)e can do great good when we act as an organized group… we can do great good when we act in small, informal groups… (and) we can do great good on our own—just as individuals who care enough to serve… It is the desire in individual hearts that powers not only small, individual acts of service, but also the great acts that become mass movements and even revolutions. You have that power, too. 

Are you sitting on a mat or on a polished bench? Are you wearing a sari or a three-piece suit? Are you hearing me in English or in Tagalog? It doesn’t matter. Hear the words of my heart. Feel the power that can come from your own desire to do good!

There are many ways to serve. Today I would like to talk on the service of acceptance, respect and fellowship:

In the October 2013 General Conference, Elder Gérald Caussé said:

The world in which we live is going through a period of great upheaval. Because of the increased availability of transportation, speed of communication, and globalization of economies, the earth is becoming one large village where people and nations meet, connect, and intermingle like never before…

It is very likely that the next person converted to the gospel in your ward will be someone who does not come from your usual circle of friends and acquaintances. You may note this by his or her appearance, language, manner of dress, or color of skin. This person may have grown up in another religion, with a different background or a different lifestyle.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin spoke, in April 2008, of some people who stop attending church because they don’t feel like they have a place or fit in.

Some are lost because they are different. They feel as though they don’t belong. Perhaps because they are different, they find themselves slipping away from the flock. They may look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes them to assume they don’t fit in. They conclude that they are not needed. 

Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all members of the Church should look, talk, and be alike. The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his (or her) own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole. 

This variety of creation itself is a testament of how the Lord values all His children. He does not esteem one flesh above another, but He “inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.”

Elder Uchtdorf has spoken many times about the importance of respecting each other and accepting one another. Perhaps he does so because he understands, because of his background and upbringing, what it feels like to be the outsider, the one who is being side-lined.

In April 2010 he said: 

“Unfortunately, from time to time we also hear of Church members who become discouraged and subsequently quit coming to and participating in our Church meetings because they think they don’t fit in.”

As a refugee from East Germany moving to West Germany after the second world war he was very aware of being different. He says:

When I was a young boy, during the aftermath of World War II, Germany was broken and in ruins. Many people were hungry, sick, and dying. I remember well the humanitarian shipments of food and clothing that came from the Church in Salt Lake City. To this day, I can still remember the smell of the clothing, and I can still taste the sweetness of the canned peaches. 

There were some who joined the Church because of the goods they received at that time. Some members looked down on these new converts. They even called them an offensive name: Büchsen Mormonen, or “Canned-Food Mormons.” They resented these new members because they believed that once their temporal needs had been met, they would fall away. 

While some did leave, many stayed—they came to church, tasted the sweetness of the gospel, and felt the tender embrace of caring brothers and sisters. They discovered “home.” And now, three and four generations later, many families trace their Church membership back to these converts. 

I hope that we welcome and love all of God’s children, including those who might dress, look, speak, or just do things differently. It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand. Let us bestow upon our brothers and sisters in the Church a special measure of humanity, compassion, and charity so that they feel, at long last, they have finally found home.

We are all different. We are all individuals. I revel in the reality of our diversity. But I also celebrate the underlying similarities of our values, our goals and desires. Most of the people in the world, whatever their faith tradition, want to be happy, to be comfortable, to have friendship, to better themselves and to help better others.

Elder Uchtdorf also said in April 2012:

This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: 

Stop it! 

It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

Elder Uchtdorf’s advice could also be rephrased as:

“Don’t judge me because I act differently than you… or because I dress differently, speak differently, live differently, work differently, vote differently, pray and worship differently.”

I’d like to share two experiences of learning the importance of not making judgement. Many years ago, serving a mission in Belgium, I was walking with my companion back to our apartment. Walking towards us in the opposite direction was a disheveled man. He wore dirty clothes and shoes that had so many holes they might as well have been three steps behind him. His beard and hair was messy and stretched down below his shoulders.

I felt a strong impression that I should speak to him. My instant reaction was, “don’t be silly, he’s probably homeless and will more likely than not ask you for money to feed his habit.” Again came the impression, as we drew closer, to speak to him. Again I rationalised it away, “he won’t be interested, the gospel’s not for people like him.” Finally as we were a few steps apart and about to cross, I stopped ignoring the nagging thought to speak to him and blurted out: “Bonjour monsieur, comment ca va?” He stopped and we started speaking. His name was Arthur. We asked if we could visit him later that day to share a message about Jesus Christ. He gave us his address and we went over later that day. Arthur accepted the gospel and was baptised within 4 weeks. The day before finishing my mission I heard that he was serving as the Branch Mission Leader. The story has a memorable ending, but even if his response to my initial greeting had been “non merci,” I hope it would still have reminded me to not judge by the outward appearance.

More recently, I was teaching a class at church. A man who I didn’t know sat in the corner quietly. He was wearing jeans, trainers and a hoody. He said very little during the lesson and I made some unreasonable assumptions.

Towards the end of the lesson I asked the class how the principles of the gospel positively affected their lives. He looked up and caught my eye so I invited him to share his thoughts. He said: “I was in prison not long ago. I had made some bad choices and deserved to be in there. When I got out I was determined to make my life better and to avoid the negative influences that had got me into bad situations the first time round. I’ve moved to another town and have been meeting with the missionaries. When they teach me I feel hope that I can change permanently. Coming to church helps me be with people who can be a positive influence.”

I felt humbled and a gently rebuked. This was a living example of the blessings of the gospel. The Gospel is uplifting and healing. We should accept people into our community and share the gospel with them whatever their background, experiences or appearance.

Elder Caussé’s advice on acceptance and welcoming the stranger concluded with the following:

“…reach out to anyone who appears at the doors of your Church buildings. Welcome them with gratitude and without prejudice. If people you do not know walk into one of your meetings, greet them warmly and invite them to sit with you. Please make the first move to help them feel welcome and loved, rather than waiting for them to come to you. 

…During His earthly ministry, Jesus was an example of one who went far beyond the simple obligation of hospitality and tolerance. Those who were excluded from society, those who were rejected and considered to be impure by the self-righteous, were given His compassion and respect. They received an equal part of His teachings and ministry. 

For example, the Savior went against the established customs of His time to address the woman of Samaria, asking her for some water. He sat down to eat with publicans and tax collectors. He didn’t hesitate to approach the leper, to touch him and heal him. Admiring the faith of the Roman centurion, He said to the crowd, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

…I bear witness that no one is a stranger to our Heavenly Father. There is no one whose soul is not precious to Him. With Peter, I testify that “God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

The Saviour set the example with his compassion. How would it feel to be the recipient of the Saviour’s compassion, generosity, kindness and non-judgemental attitude? 

In Luke 5 we read the famous story about the man with the palsy being lowered through the roof. Because of the traditions of the day, some of the people in the house and perhaps the man himself would have made the assumption that his sickness was a punishment for his sins or the sins of his parents. Jesus turned to him and said: “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” He showed complete acceptance and the charity of seeing beyond the assumptions of the day. Considering this is what motivates me to try to apply these principles more consistently in my attitudes about others.

To conclude again with the words of Nephi in 2 Nep 26:33: 

(The Lord)… doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female… and all are alike unto God

Do you believe in God and Jesus Christ?

In a temple recommend interview we're asked if we have a testimony of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Here's the thoughts I have in answering that question:

I start from the premise of thinking a creative force behind our existence is probably a more likely explanation than pure chance. I have considered Atheism and it doesn't work for me. I believe in a creator.

This leads me to ask myself some additional questions:

Does the loving, personal, "weeping" God of Mormonism exist?

Do we have a spiritual Father and Mother who created us?

Was our elder brother, Jesus Christ, with us in the pre-mortal life?

Did he really live on earth, suffering the pain of the sins of every person who ever lived in one agonising evening?

Did he die and then come back to life after three days, thereby guaranteeing every person will live again too?

Are all these things a reality?

I don't know. I hope so. 

It's the hope that is meaningful to me. Acting on this hope makes my life better. 

The creator doesn't seem to have left conclusive evidence of what they are really, actually like (or if they exist at all).

With that in mind I choose an image of the creator that works for me and that brings hope to my life. I like the description of the creator found in Mormonism. Perhaps the creator is always manifested to us in the most useful way for each of us. Perhaps we all create God in our own image. Perhaps it was designed that way. It seems that, for the majority, their personal image of God encourages them to be better people. Not always, but usually. Sometimes it's even a disbelief in God that motivates them to be a better person. If that's what is needed, it seems the creator is ok with that. 

What of Jesus Christ? Again, I don't know for certain that he was the historical, godlike, perfect person described in the New Testament. I hope he was. That hope is enough to apply the principles of the atonement: grace, repentance (effective change), forgiving (self and others) and hope that we are eternal beings on a path towards becoming more like God. 

I can say with confidence that this belief and behaviour has an effect. I have a testimony of hoping and acting on the hope. 

So yes, I have a belief and even a testimony in the Mormon description of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Not because I have a conviction that this description is the way things really are but because I have the experience of the "change effect" of acting on the hope.

Rather than giving this long answer, when it comes to the temple recommend question, I simply say "Yes."

A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 5: The Creation

The Creation.

http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-5-the-creation?lang=eng

Gospel Principles, p.23 When we lived as spirit children with our heavenly parents, our Heavenly Father told us about His plan for us to become more like Him. We shouted for joy when we heard His plan (see Job 38:7). We were eager for new experiences. In order for these things to happen, we needed to leave our Father’s presence and receive mortal bodies. We needed another place to live where we could prepare to become like Him. Our new home was called earth.

We often here people talk of Religion vs Science? Should there be an opposition between the two?

Brigham Young said, in a talk given in 1862:

"How gladly would we understand every principle pertaining to science and art, and become thoroughly acquainted with every intricate operation of nature… How delightful this would be, and what a boundless field of truth and power is open for us to explore!
In an Ensign article in 1987, Morris S. Petersen discussed the different, but complimentary roles of science and religion:

“…the scriptures testify of Jesus Christ and how we may receive the blessings of salvation and exaltation through his atonement. They reveal why (not necessarily how) the earth was created, and what laws and principles a person must follow to obtain eternal life. The goal of science, on the other hand, is to learn how (not why) the world was made and to understand the laws and principles governing the physical world.”
Elder James E. Talmage was invited to talk on a similar topic in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in 1931. His comments were later published in the church’s newspaper (Deseret News). They have also been quoted in other Ensign articles since them.

The oldest, that is to say the earliest, rocks thus far identified in land masses reveal the fossilized remains of once living organisms, plant and animal. The coal strata, upon which the world of industry so largely depends, are essentially but highly compressed and chemically changed vegetable substance. The whole series of chalk deposits and many of our deep-sea limestones contain the skeletal remains of animals. These lived and died, age after age, while the earth was yet unfit for human habitation.

Reading these remind me that it is not a question of Religion vs Science, but instead a benefit of Religion and Science.

Gospel Principles, p.23 Jesus Christ created this world and everything in it. He also created many other worlds. He did so through the power of the priesthood, under the direction of our Heavenly Father. God the Father said, “Worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:33).

Gospel Principles, p.24 Under the direction of the Father, Christ formed and organized the earth. He divided light from darkness to make day and night. He formed the sun, moon, and stars. He divided the waters from the dry land to make seas, rivers, and lakes. He made the earth beautiful and productive. He made grass, trees, flowers, and other plants of all kinds. These plants contained seeds from which new plants could grow. Then He created the animals—fish, cattle, insects, and birds of all kinds. These animals had the ability to reproduce their own kind.

The church has no official position on how God create the earth, only why it was created. The church also has not taken a position on how long the earth took to create nor how old it is, but has instead emphasised the gospel of Jesus Christ which teaches us how to live while we have our turn on earth. Members are free to have different personal views about the age of the earth and the manner of creation. Some of the leaders of the church have also expressed their different perspectives on the matter. We don’t know everything, there is yet more to learn.

Joseph Smith taught that in the midst of as-yet unanswered questions, there’s one simply principle to focus on (also quoted by D. Todd Christofferson in April 2012):

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”
Appreciating the beauty and gifts that the earth gives us is one way to express our gratitude for the creation.

Gospel Principles, p.24 We are now living in this beautiful world. Think of the sun, which gives us warmth and light. Think of the rain, which makes plants grow and makes the world feel clean and fresh. Think of how good it is to hear a bird singing or a friend laughing. Think of how wonderful our bodies are—how we can work and play and rest. When we consider all of these creations, we begin to understand what wise, powerful, and loving beings Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father are. They have shown great love for us by providing for all of our needs.

People in the scriptures are often seen spending time in nature to be closer to God. Jesus “…went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matt 14:23) Nephi also tells us that “…after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.” (1 Nep. 17:7)

Caring for our world – respecting the creatures that share it and the environment we live in

Gospel Principles, p.25 Plant life and animal life were also made to give us joy. The Lord said, “Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul” (D&C 59:18–19). Even though God’s creations are many, He knows and loves them all. He said, “All things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them” (Moses 1:35).

An article in the Oct 2000 New Era taught the importance of respect for earth’s creatures:

When God created the earth, He also created animals. These animals are ordained for our use, but we will be held accountable for how we treat them.
D&C 104:13-17 “(13)…I, the Lord… make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures. (17) For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves."

Commenting on this verse, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, in 2002:

"The resources so necessary to sustain human life are so generously provided on this particular planet; unless they are mismanaged, we are told that there is "enough and to spare" (D&C 104:17). "

Sharing a similar message, Elder Russel M. Nelson, wrote in May 2000:

The Creation, great as it is, is not an end in itself but a means to an end. We come to the earth for a brief period of time, endure our tests and trials, and prepare to move onward and upward to a glorious homecoming. Our thoughts and deeds while here will surely be more purposeful if we understand God’s plan and are thankful for and obedient to His commandments.

As beneficiaries of the divine Creation, what shall we do? We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations.

An August 1971 Ensign article, commented on the need to respect the earth:

Our environment has been tragically exploited and abused. Although not yet irretrievably befouled, it has deteriorated in too many ways, and a great deal of hard work and effort is required to protect it and repair the damage done by neglect, indifference, and misplaced priorities…. The gospel teaches us that this world is our home, created for us under the direction of a loving Father in heaven, whose sons and daughters we are… As such, it must not be misused or looted, for we are stewards entrusted with its care.
The gospel teaches us there are purposes to life that transcend the acquisition of material things. We are, literally, our brother’s keeper, with responsibilities toward others. Mortal existence is part of an eternal plan designed to return us to the presence of our Creator. Its purposes are primarily spiritual and center on development of the divine potential for growth and advancement that we all have.

The gospel teaches us that we are part of the continuum of human life. We do not stand alone in our generation. We are part of a great eternal… family. We draw from the past and are obligated to give to the future. We have an obligation, therefore, to others yet unborn—an obligation to present to them a world with beauties that they too can enjoy.

In D&C 59:16-20 we are similarly taught that the earth is to be respected and not to excess or extortion:

(16) “…the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth. (17) Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards (19) …for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. (20) And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
The church recently released a statement saying:

"God created the earth to provide a place for the human family to learn, progress and improve. God first created the earth and all living things spiritually, and all living things have great worth in His eyes.
The earth and all things on it should be used responsibly to sustain the human family. However, all are stewards — not owners — over this earth and its bounty and will be accountable before God for what they do with His creations.

Approaches to the environment must be prudent, realistic, balanced and consistent with the needs of the earth and of current and future generations, rather than pursuing the immediate vindication of personal desires or avowed rights. The earth and all life upon it are much more than items to be consumed or conserved. God intends His creations to be aesthetically pleasing to enliven the mind and spirit, and some portions are to be preserved." 

Let us enjoy and respect nature and join with it in singing praises to the heavens.

St. Francis of Assisi, who was born in 1181 in what is now Italy, is credited with the lyrics to “All Creatures of Our God and King.” The lyrics are adapted from “The Canticle of the Sun” (Canticum Solis), a poem he wrote during the last year of his life. Written at a time when he was weak and struggled with periods of temporary blindness, St. Francis wished to express the unity he felt with nature and the feelings of peace he experienced as his earthly life drew to a close.

Nearly 700 years after the death of St. Francis of Assisi, in 1906, music editor Ralph Vaughan Williams published the version of “All Creatures of Our God and King” that we know today. http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/articles/all-creatures-of-our-god-and-king?lang=eng

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing

Thou burning sun with golden beam

Thou silver moon with softer gleam

Oh, praise Him

Alleluia

Thou rushing wind that art so strong

Ye clouds that sail in heav'n along

Thou rising moon in praise rejoice

Ye lights of evening find a voice

Oh, praise Him

Alleluia

Thou flowing water pure and clear

Make music for thy Lord to hear

Thou fire so masterful and bright

That gives to man both warmth and light

Oh, praise Him

Alleluia

(Next week I'll be away visiting family so will miss the Ch.6 "Adam & Eve" lesson. I'm honestly relieved).

The age of the earth and the origins of humankind

It's seems increasingly popular for members to pick and choose their beliefs around Adam and Eve being parables/symbols or selected humans among other living humans. While I sit somewhere around these thoughts in my personal perspectives, the church statements on the matter seems to leave very little room for this perspective.

The latest official statement by church leaders, reprinted in 2002:

It is held by some that Adam was not the first man upon this earth and that the original human being was a development from lower orders of the animal creation. These, however, are the theories of men. The word of the Lord declared that Adam was “the first man of all men” (Moses 1:34), and we are therefore in duty bound to regard him as the primal parent of our race...

There is nothing in this, however, to indicate that the original man, the first of our race, began life as anything less than a man, or less than the human germ or embryo that becomes a man...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be the direct and lineal offspring of Deity.

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2002/02/the-o ... n?lang=eng

It states, in the face of deep contradictions from scientific perspectives, that the entire human race is descended from Adam and Eve. That they are the first parents of us and the "first of all" men and women.

To extend sources to manuals/official LDS resources:

Ponder for a moment your own relationship to Adam and Eve—your ever-so-great grandparents. Have the ensuing millennia made them seem unreal to you, like fictional characters in a novel? They are real and they are alive. Adam will return to earth prior to the Millennium to preside under Christ at the great council of Adam-ondi-Ahman (see Daniel 7; D&C 116), and he will lead the armies of the Almighty God to battle against the assembled hosts of Satan in the last great battle of the earth (see D&C 88:112–15).

The world would have you believe that Adam and Eve were primitive and superstitious, that they brought about the Fall through immorality, or even that they are imaginary, mythical persons. But as you read about them remember how the Lord views these two great souls. Think of what special qualities they must have possessed to have been chosen to lead the way.

https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testamen ... n?lang=eng

I find no support in any LDS source that Adam and Eve lived anything other than 6000 years ago. The idea that the entire human race started from two people, 6,000 years ago is frankly ludicrous. I don't believe it. Science doesn't support it. I'm happy to see them as symbolic moments in human history. They are more useful as symbolic principles representing every person's journey through the eternities. But not as the origin of the human species. I've been asked, "but what about the fall?" I fall every day. Besides, we've always believed as LDS that "...men will be a punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

Saying all that about Adam and Eve, which has little wiggle room in our published doctrine, there is more room for personal perspective when it comes to the age of the rock we stand on and the process of bringing the earth into its natural cycles:

A third theory says that the word day refers to a period of an undetermined length of time, thus suggesting an era. The word is still used in that sense in such phrases as “in the day of the dinosaurs.” The Hebrew word for day used in the creation account can be translated as “day” in the literal sense, but it can also be used in the sense of an indeterminate length of time (see Genesis 40:4, where day is translated as “a season”; Judges 11:4, where a form of day is translated as “in the process of time”; see also Holladay, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, pp. 130–31). Abraham says that the Gods called the creation periods days (see Abraham 4:5, 8).

If this last meaning was the sense in which Moses used the word day, then the apparent conflict between the scriptures and much of the evidence seen by science as supporting a very old age for the earth is easily resolved. Each era or day of creation could have lasted for millions or even hundreds of millions of our years, and uniformitarianism could be accepted without any problem. (For an excellent discussion of this approach see Henry Eyring, “The Gospel and the Age of the Earth,” [Improvement Era, July 1965, pp. 608–9, 626, 628]. Also, most college textbooks in the natural sciences discuss the traditional dating of the earth.)

While it is interesting to note these various theories, officially the Church has not taken a stand on the age of the earth. For reasons best known to Himself, the Lord has not yet seen fit to formally reveal the details of the Creation. Therefore, while Latter-day Saints are commanded to learn truth from many different fields of study (see D&C 88:77–79), an attempt to establish any theory as the official position of the Church is not justifiable.

https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testamen ... n?lang=eng

But that leaves one problem. Can you find an LDS source supporting the idea of death before the fall? I can only find it in the other direction:

Latter-day revelation teaches that there was no death on this earth before the Fall of Adam. Indeed, death entered the world as a direct result of the Fall (2 Ne. 2:22; Moses 6:48).

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/death

Before the Fall, there were no sin, no death, and no children.

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/fall-o ... e?lang=eng

“There was no death in the earth before the fall of Adam. …
“The gospel teaches us that if Adam and Eve had not partaken of that fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would have remained in the Garden of Eden in that same condition prevailing before the fall. … In regard to the pre-mortal condition of Adam and the entire earth, Lehi has stated the following:

“‘And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end’ [2 Nephi 2:22]” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:108–9).

https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of ... d?lang=eng

This is still the predominant published position of the church.

I managed to find some obscure quotes from Elder James E Talmage.

Elder James E. Talmage said,

"...life and death have been in existence and operative in this earth for ages prior to [Adam]."

Talmage to Heber Timothy, 28 Jan. 1932, Talmage Papers; cited in Richard Sherlock, "A Turbulent Spectrum: Mormon Responses to the Darwinist Legacy," Journal of Mormon History 4:? (1975): 45–69.

The oldest, that is to say the earliest, rocks thus far identified in land masses reveal the fossilized remains of once living organisms, plant and animal. The coal strata, upon which the world of industry so largely depends, are essentially but highly compressed and chemically changed vegetable substance. The whole series of chalk deposits and many of our deep-sea limestones contain the skeletal remains of animals. These lived and died, age after age, while the earth was yet unfit for human habitation.

Address Delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah Sunday, 9 August 1931
http://en.fairmormon.org/Evolution:Prim ... th_and_Man

With the approval of the First Presidency, this address was given in the Tabernacle and later published in the Deseret News, as a Church pamphlet, and in The Instructor. I've managed to dig and have found the talk quoted in the Ensign/on LDS.org

Latter-day Saints share Elder James E. Talmage’s conviction that “within the gospel of Jesus Christ there is room and place for every truth thus far learned by man, or yet to be made known."

Foremost, the scriptures testify of Jesus Christ and how we may receive the blessings of salvation and exaltation through his atonement. They reveal why (not necessarily how) the earth was created, and what laws and principles a person must follow to obtain eternal life. The goal of science, on the other hand, is to learn how (not why) the world was made and to understand the laws and principles governing the physical world.

The different roles science and religion play is illustrated in a study of the dinosaurs. From the fossil record we learn that the dinosaurs were the dominant animals on earth between 225 and 67 million years ago. Some were carnivorous, others herbivorous. Some were small, while others were gigantic, weighing up to eighty tons and growing to lengths of more than ninety feet.

The existence of these animals is indisputable, for their remains have been found in rocks all over the earth. What eternal purpose they played in the creation and early history of the earth is unknown. The scriptures do not address the question, and it is not the realm of science to explore the issue of why they were here. We can only conclude, as Elder Talmage did, that “the whole series of chalk deposits and many of our deep-sea limestones contain the skeletal remains of animals. These lived and died, age after age, while the earth was yet unfit for human habitation.” (“The Earth and Man.”)

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1987/09/i-ha ... n?lang=eng

The talk was briefly referenced in a January 1998 article:
http://www.lds.org/ensign/print/1998/01 ... &clang=eng

Unfortunately (some might say), Joseph Fielding Smith, followed by his son in law Bruce R. McConkie disagreed with Elder Talmage and ensured that from the 1960s onwards the "no death before the fall" message became embedded in LDS consciousness.

In the end this whole thing reminds me that I have to continually lower my expectations of what doctrines a prophet can proclaim with certainty or authority. I think the only thing we should expect them to teach are the "doctrine of Christ." All of other LDS "doctrines" (and I mean all of them) seem like transient opinions based on the environment the leader has been raised in.

The Prophet Joseph Smith confirmed the Savior’s central role in our doctrine in one definitive sentence: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2 ... t?lang=eng

The spirit might still teach me to live and apply the other teachings or "doctrines." But that doesn't make them God's universal reality for the whole world. Just a man-made toolkit to be applied to my life and a small minority of fellow saints. Not doctrines, simply personalised principles applicable to my circumstances.

A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 4: Freedom to Choose

http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-4-freedom-to-choose?lang=eng

Start with the Viktor Frankl story (Family Home Evening Resource Book):

During World War II, Viktor Frankl was kept in a Nazi concentration camp for three years. During that time, he could make few of the choices we take for granted. He could not choose how to wear his hair; his head was shaved. He could not choose what clothes to wear; he was given a prison uniform. He could not read or write or talk freely. Someone told him when to get up and exactly what to do every minute of the day. He was treated cruelly, and if he did not work hard enough, he was in danger of being killed. 

He later wrote this about his experiences: 

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. … They offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. 

“And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour offered the opportunity to make a decision.” (Man’s Search for Meaning, trans. Ilse Lasch, rev. ed. [New York: Simon and Schuster, 1962], p. 65.) 

Viktor Frankl found out that no one could force him to be bitter and angry, no matter how much they hurt him. He could still enjoy the beauties of nature; he could love and show kindness to other people. 

...everyone uses agency each day, even if he is not aware of his choices. For example, everyone must choose his attitudes each day asViktor Frankl did. These are often very private choices that others do not notice. But it is easier to make these choices correctly when we realize that we are free to choose.

We have been given our agency since before our birth:

Gospel Principles, P.17: In our premortal life we had moral agency. One purpose of earth life is to show what choices we will make (see 2 Nephi 2:15–16). If we were forced to choose the right, we would not be able to show what we would choose for ourselves. Also, we are happier doing things when we have made our own choices.

You won’t find a prepared answer for every decision you’ll make in life. Here’s an example of an apostle encouraging us to learn to be intelligent in our decision making:

In the July 1979 Ensign Elder Bruce Hafen, spoke of the importance of developing the ability to make good choices without depending on a church “rule book.”

"We need to develop the capacity to form judgments of our own about the value of ideas, opportunities, or people who may come into our lives. 

We won’t always have the security of knowing whether a certain idea is “Church approved,” because new ideas don’t always come along with little tags attached to them saying whether they have been reviewed at Church headquarters. Whether in the form of music, books, friends, or opportunities to serve, there is much that is lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy that is not the subject of detailed discussion in Church manuals or courses of instruction. 

Those who will not risk exposure to experiences that are not obviously related to some Church word or program will, I believe, live less abundant and meaningful lives than the Lord intends. 

We must develop sufficient independence of judgment and maturity of perspective that we are prepared to handle the shafts and whirlwinds of adversity and contradiction that may come to us. 

When those times come, we cannot be living on borrowed light. We should not be deceived by the clear-cut labels others may use to describe circumstances that are, in fact, not so clear.”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf emphasised this importance of choice in April 2013 conference:

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are united in our testimony of the restored gospel and our commitment to keep God’s commandments. But we are diverse in our cultural, social, and political preferences. The Church thrives when we take advantage of this diversity and encourage each other to develop and use our talents to lift and strengthen our fellow disciples.

 A video directed at the youth of the church on moral standards, but equally valid advice for the rest of us said:

You can set standards that will help you stay pure. "Firmly establish personal standards... Decide what you will do and what you will not do to express feelings." (Richard G. Scott) 

Pray and ask Heavenly Father about the standards you have set for yourself. Don't let what happened in the past define your future.

 The scriptures teach us that the agency we have in life is for testing, improving, strengthening:

Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. 

Proverbs 17:3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

A refiner’s fire is not trying to test the metal to breaking point. Instead it is an intense process of purification and improvement. Life is not simply a series of hurdles of ever-increasing height. God is not trying to trip us up or test us to breaking point. He has given us an environment to test and improve ourselves in. He is trying to help us become better, more refined, more pure, more like God.

GP, p.19 When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make more right choices. 

As we obey each of our Father’s commandments, we grow in wisdom and strength of character. Our faith increases. We find it easier to make right choices. 

We began to make choices as spirit children in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our choices there made us worthy to come to earth. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow in faith, power, knowledge, wisdom, and all other good things. If we keep His commandments and make right choices, we will learn and understand. We will become like Him. (See D&C 93:28.)

GP,p.19: We cannot choose righteousness unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us. Lehi, a great Book of Mormon prophet, told his son Jacob that in order to bring about the eternal purposes of God, there must be “an opposition in all things. If not so, … righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad” (2 Nephi 2:11).

Both positive and negative outcomes in life are defined by what might be called: “the law of natural consequences.” These natural consequences apply to all of us. People say “What goes around comes around.”

GP, p.20: Imagine seeing a sign on the seashore that reads: “Danger—whirlpool. No swimming allowed here.” We might think that is a restriction. But is it? We still have many choices. We are free to swim somewhere else. We are free to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We are free to watch the sunset. We are free to go home. We are also free to ignore the sign and swim in the dangerous place. But once the whirlpool has us in its grasp and we are pulled under, we have very few choices. We can try to escape, or we can call for help, but we may drown.Even though we are free to choose our course of action, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. The consequences, whether good or bad, follow as a natural result of any choice we make (see Galatians 6:7; Revelation 22:12).

Knowing the reality of good and bad consequences we should always ask ourselves the question of the best choice to take and not assume that we already know:

Elder Uchtdorf said in a January 2012 leadership training talk:

"Brothers and sisters, as good as our previous experience may be, if we stop asking questions, stop thinking, stop pondering, we can thwart the revelations of the Spirit. Remember, it was the questions young Joseph asked that opened the door for the restoration of all things. We can block the growth and knowledge our Heavenly Father intends for us. How often has the Holy Spirit tried to tell us something we needed to know but couldn’t get past the massive iron gate of what we thought we already knew?"

Some years ago, a well-meaning member wrote an article which stated: “When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.”

In response the President of the Church at the time, President George Albert Smith, wrote the following:

“…the passage quoted does not express the true position of the Church. Even to imply that members of the Church are not to do their own thinking is grossly to misrepresent the true ideal of the Church, which is that every individual… is personally responsible to His Maker for his individual acts. The Lord Himself does not attempt coercion in His desire and effort to give peace and salvation to His children. 

He gives the principles of life and true progress, but leaves every person free to choose or to reject His teachings. This plan the Authorities of the Church try to follow. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith once said: "I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please." This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof. 

On one occasion in answer to the question by a prominent visitor how he governed his people, the Prophet answered: "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves."

President Smith concluded with the first verse of a favourite Hymn (#240):

1. Know this, that ev'ry soul is free

To choose his life and what he'll be;

For this eternal truth is giv'n:

That God will force no man to heav'n.

2. He'll call, persuade, direct aright,

And bless with wisdom, love, and light,

In nameless ways be good and kind,

But never force the human mind.

3. Freedom and reason make us men;

Take these away, what are we then?

Mere animals, and just as well

The beasts may think of heav'n or hell.

4. May we no more our pow'rs abuse,

But ways of truth and goodness choose;

Our God is pleased when we improve

His grace and seek his perfect love.