A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 10: The Scriptures

(I switched the lesson order around a little to make sure I could teach the Atonement on East Sunday)

God inspires people all over the world to teach good principles

Gospel Principles page 45: …From the beginning, the Lord has commanded His prophets to keep a record of His revelations and His dealings with His children. He said: “I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written”

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet said (Alma 29:7-8): 

7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

This teaches us that God is able to communicate to all of his children around the world, via inspired men and women. They write this down and people consider it as scripture.

God speaks to his children all over the world and they write his divine communication.

President James E. Faust succinctly said that: “God’s inspiration is not limited to the Latter-day Saints.” (First Presidency Message, “Communion with the Holy Spirit,” Ensign, Mar 2002)

Speaking in General Conference, President Howard W. Hunter taught that: “God operates among his children in all nations, and those who seek God are entitled to further light and knowledge, regardless of their race, nationality, or cultural traditions.”

(The Gospel-A Global Faith, General Conference, Oct 1991)

An August 2000 Ensign Article quoted a general authority of the church, Elder B. H. Roberts who said:

“While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established for the instruction of men; and it is one of God’s instrumentalities for making known the truth yet he is not limited to that institution for such purposes, neither in time nor place. God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend. … All the great teachers are servants of God; among all nations and in all ages. They are inspired men, appointed to instruct God’s children according to the conditions in the midst of which he finds them.”
(Defense of the Faith and the Saints, 2 vols. (1907), 1:512–13, quoted in an Aug 2000 Ensign Article)

As members of the church we should feel very comfortable with the idea that other religions also have inspired Scriptures. Each culture is given the divine guidance needed to lead them further along the path to godliness.

We can evaluate whether a teaching is from God or not depending on where it leads. Mormon taught us a simple method for discernment:

Moroni 7:13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

Having the scriptures and having a "fullness" does not mean we know everything.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf put it succinctly when he said: “Yes, we do have the fulness of the everlasting gospel, but that does not mean that we know everything. In fact, one principle of the restored gospel is our belief that God ‘will yet reveal many great and important things.’”
What Is Truth? CES Devotional, Jan 2013

The 9th Article of Faith states "...we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things..." and D&C 93:18-20 says "And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record... therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."

In the April 2014 General Conference President Uchtdorf also said: Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthood keys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now. It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” and the “many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal.”

Are you sleeping through the Restoration

(For class, get a jug and a small and large glass)

The “fullness” of the gospel might be compared to an almost overflowing glass of water. The glass may be full, but there is still more water available from the source. The water represents God’s word and principles, given to mankind. The glass represents the current capacity of us as individuals and the church collectively to receive principles of truth. The fullness of God’s gospel is only limited by what the church’s collective practices and paradigms can receive. The more we enlarge and expand our mind and spirit, the more there will be available to us.

This means there is more to know in future but enough to consider and embrace today. As we become willing to open our minds and hearts and enlarge the capacity of our spiritual “glasses” we will receive a greater “fullness.” If we are not willing to, then the pure living waters will fill our glasses to over-flowing and we will miss out on the truths and greater "fullness" available to us.

Avoid the expectation of perfection

The scriptures are the writings of inspired men. We can embrace their words while feeling comfortable with their natural human weakness. We should not expect perfection.

The prophets of the Bible, Book of Mormon and Restoration all taught that the impact of both human fallibility and the weakness of our language lead to limitations in our knowledge and doctrine. 

Nephi’s beautiful poetry laments the challenge: “my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.” (2 Nep. 4:16)

I take great solace and encouragement from prophets being openly and unashamedly aware of their limitations. Joseph Smith said “I do not want you to think that I’m very righteous, for I am not. There was one good man, and his name was Jesus” (Documentary History of the Church, 5:401)

As a result, the words of prophets are influenced by their weakness. The aforementioned Nephi said that “…the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good.” (2 Nephi 33:4) Nephi had been taught this by his father Lehi, who he recorded as saying: “…the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith…”  (2 Nep 3:21)

We should accept and expect scripture and the words of prophets to have mistakes. By divine design, humans are fallible. Prophets are not exempt. Mormon declares as much in the title page of the Book of Mormon: "And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men." The opening section of the Doctrine and Covenants (1:34) similarly says:  "...these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language…"

President Uchtdorf encourages us to find peace with this principle: 

“We simply do not know all things—we can’t see everything. What may seem contradictory now may be perfectly understandable as we search for and receive more trustworthy information. Because we see through a glass darkly, we have to trust the Lord, who sees all things clearly.” (What Is Truth? CES Devotional, Jan 2013)

Paul’s comments on prophesy is worth revisiting: 

“…whether there be prophecies, they shall fail… whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away… For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away… For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:10) 

As President Uchtdorf points out: we still see through a glass darkly; that which is perfect is still yet to come.

Seek learning from inspired and inspiring texts

While other religions have their own, inspired texts, we embrace four volumes that we accept scripture. They are:

The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price

(If time allows, discuss the timeline and origin of each)

We are also encouraged to search out answers and guidance from many other sources. Article of Faith 13 says: "...If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." Through Joseph Smith, we’re taught to: "...study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15) and to seek “out of the best books words of wisdom.” (D&C 88:118)

Gospel Principles page 49: As we read, ponder, and pray about the scriptures and ask God for understanding, the Holy Ghost will bear witness to us of the truth of these things. We will each know for ourselves that these things are true. We will not be deceived (see Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:37). We can receive the same feelings Nephi expressed when he said, “My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard” (2 Nephi 4:16).

In doing this, it enables us to enlarge our capacity to receive the things of the Lord. As we grow the size of our “spiritual cup” we can also increase the question we ask and the answers we gain.

2 Nep 28:30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 12: The Atonement

Jesus Jesus declared he is the Messiah

Isaiah 61:1-3

“…the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord… to comfort all that mourn… to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…”

From www.mormon.org/becauseofhim

The night before His death, Jesus visited a garden called Gethsemane, just east of the walls of Jerusalem. Leaving His Apostles at the edge of the garden, He trod through the dewy grass and past gnarled olive trees, walking farther inward. He had prepared His entire life for this moment, carefully following His Father’s commands in every step of His life, in every breath He took. Now the time had come. Even as He prayed, “Father, if it be thy will, remove this cup from me,” He accepted that this was His burden, and His alone, to bear. He was the only one who could free us from the awful consequences of our sins. In the coolness of the night, He knelt and began to pray. Though we don’t fully understand how, He willingly took upon Himself our sins and sorrows, suffering in body and spirit for every sin, every sadness, every mistake and imperfection of every single one of us. The pain that came was crushing, exquisite and infinite. Blood oozed from His pores as this impossibly heavy weight caused Him to tremble with pain. The cruelties of the next day have echoed throughout the ages: the cries of “Crucify Him!” as He stood before Pilate, wrists bound like a common criminal… At the summit of Golgotha, soldiers stretched Jesus’ arms along a wooden cross. Their hammers clanged dully as they drove thick nails into His palms and wrists... Tired, sweaty, bloodied, Jesus did only what a Redeemer could do: He forgave His murderers, comforted the criminal suffering next to Him, and trusted in His Father. When His sacrifice was complete, Jesus willed Himself to die as only God’s Son could do. He gave up the ghost, but His death wasn’t an end. It was the beginning for all of us. The empty tomb in that Jerusalem garden is a reminder that when the women who so lovingly cleaned, anointed, and wrapped his body came to observe the tomb, His body was gone, and in His place were two angels… “He is not here: for He is risen.”

 The church has released a new video emphasising the effect on both the next life and this life:

We often talk of the eternal impact of Christ’s sacrifice. We sometimes emphasise that it helps us live again with God in the next life. I want to focus the lesson on the very real and immediate effect of the atonement: the chance to live again today.

In John 10:10 Jesus said: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

In the March 2011 Ensign, Geoge Bonnet, an aid worker in Burundi, Rwanda and Somalia wrote:

There’s no doubt that the world’s conditions create many forms of despair, but none are beyond the reach of the Redeemer to heal. All of us can have the sure hope that through the Atonement of Christ our hearts can be bound up and made whole. With this knowledge, I could go on in my work, knowing that His efforts always succeed.

Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke of the importance of the Atonement now during the April 2001 conference:

For some reason, we think the Atonement of Christ applies only at the end of mortal life to redemption from the Fall, from spiritual death. It is much more than that. It is an ever-present power to call upon in everyday life. When we are racked or harrowed up or tormented by guilt or burdened with grief, He can heal us. While we do not fully understand how the Atonement of Christ was made, we can experience “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” 

…If Christ had not made His Atonement, the penalties for mistakes would be added one on the other. Life would be hopeless. But He willingly sacrificed in order that we may be redeemed. And He said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” (D&C 58:42, Hebrews 17:10)

 Terryl Givens, a writer for the church, taught that we are natural products of our own choices but that through the process of choice and change we can try and try again to be better people. He said the following:

We are… the product of our own choices. God’s role in our salvation is to maximize our opportunities to choose… with a knowledge of what we are choosing, and the guarantee that our choices entail predictable consequences. The atonement allows us to choose, and then choose again, as often as we in good faith (that is, with sincere moral purpose) persevere in reorienting our moral compass according to True North.

The Book of Mormon tells the story of a man, Alma, who discovered the impact of embracing the principles of the atonement in life, not just in death (Alma 36).

Alma had an experience that made him realise the impact of his negative behaviour on other people and on himself. He realised that sin is the negative choices that are hurtful to ourselves, to others and to our relationship with God.

He said “I saw that I had rebelled against God.” He realised his example had led many people “away unto destruction.” He imagined, at that moment, having to meet God and the thought of it “did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.”

The pain of this negative behaviour on others made him want to stop existing completely. This wasn’t a fleeting grief. He says that “for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.”

And then something changed… while he was “racked with torment” he suddenly remembered a lesson taught by his father about “the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.”

When he thought of this he said, in his heart, “O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now… when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!”

Alma’s reaction to this wonderful experience was to celebrate it and share it. He worked, from that time forward, to help other people “…taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost… and… the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors.”

Like Elder Packer and many other religious writers, I don’t understand how the atonement works, but it doesn't matter to me. I wasn't there 2000 years ago. I didn't see him die, I didn't see the empty tomb. I can't know for certain what happened and how it worked. Even though I don’t know how it works, I know that it does work. 

I also don’t know for certain what happens after we die. I have a sincere hope that the atonement will work to enable our eternal opportunities. What I can be sure of is the effect of applying the principles of the atonement today. The atonement teaches us to recognise negative behaviour and the consequences on ourselves and others; feel genuine regret for the impact of that behaviour; make changes to rectify those impacts on ourselves and others; seek and feel forgiveness; embrace the opportunity to put the past behind us and keep moving forward to develop our best possible self.

The church website shared an article with the youth by Brad Wilcox. He spoke of embracing the atonement today when he said:

When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don’t say he is not worthy to keep practicing. We don’t expect him to be flawless. We just expect him to keep trying. Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction. Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven? Too many are giving up… because they are tired of constantly feeling like they are falling short. They have tried in the past, but they continually feel like they are just not good enough. They don’t understand grace. There should never be just two options: perfection or giving up… Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “continue in patience until [we] are perfected” (D&C 67:13). God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus’s grace is sufficient. It is enough. It is all we need. Don’t quit. Keep trying. Don’t look for escapes and excuses. Look for the Lord and His perfect strength. Don’t search for someone to blame. Search for someone to help you. Seek Christ, and, as you do, you will feel the enabling power and divine help we call His amazing grace.

This process is part of an ongoing elevation. Growing in this life does, ultimately, lead to a hope of being able to grow in the next life. In an August 2012 talk, Elder Tad R. Callister quoted the writer C. S. Lewis who said:

God is not merely mending, not simply restoring a status quo. Redeemed humanity is to be something more glorious than unfallen humanity would have been…  And this super-added glory will, with true vicariousness, exalt all creatures… The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said that we were “gods” and He is going to make good His words. . . . The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said. 

A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 9: Prophets of God

I've not posted my GP lessons for a while. The Holy Ghost and Prayer ones were enjoyable to teach. I really appreciate the idea of personal interaction with the heavens. It resonates with my perspective of a personalised curriculum. 

As such, this was a far more challenging lesson to prepare. I had to step back from the manual a little more than usual - especially when it emphasised the "prophet will never lead you astray" and "do everything the prophet says" messages. 

https://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-9-prophets-of-god?lang=eng

Gospel Principles, Chapter 9: Prophets of God

GP P41: There have been prophets on the earth since the days of Adam. Experiences of these great men excite and inspire us. Moses, an Old Testament prophet, led thousands of his people out of Egypt and slavery to the promised land. He wrote the first five books of the Old Testament and recorded the Ten Commandments. Nephi, a Book of Mormon prophet, journeyed from Jerusalem to the Americas 600 years before the birth of Christ. This great leader and colonizer gave us many important writings in the Book of Mormon. John the Baptist was chosen to prepare the world for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Joseph Smith, a latter-day prophet, the Lord restored the Church. Joseph Smith also translated the Book of Mormon while a young man. 

 Ask the class for examples of prophets from the scriptures who inspire them.

One of the inspiring people in the Book of Mormon is Nephi.

I love that despite having visions and revelations, he was still aware of his own fragility and depended on his testimony of Jesus Christ for support:

(Excerpts from) 2 Nephi 4:16-35

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.(17) Nevertheless… my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
(19)…when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. (20) My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. (28) Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.(30) Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.(34) O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh… cursed is he that putteth his trust in man...(35) Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God.

What are some of the themes in this scripture?

-          Bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and his saving grace.

-          Being aware of weakness, expressing trust in God/Jesus Christ and not in other people;

1. Bearing testimony of Jesus Christ:

In 2000, to commemorate two millennia since the birth of Christ, the leaders of the church published their witness and testimony of the Saviour:

“His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity. He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth. Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

Revelation 19:10 says “…the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Prophets through the ages have testified of Christ. That is their most important role.

During Moses’ time, two people taught through the spirit of prophesy, which concerned some of the other people in the camp:

Numbers 11:26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua … answered and said… Moses, forbid them.  And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!

 In that sense we can all embrace the spirit of prophecy. The Bible Dictionary says: In a general sense a prophet is anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost

2. In Nephi’s ‘lament’ he also emphasises being aware of weakness, expressing trust in God/Jesus Christ and not in other people.

We can sustain the prophet and learn from what he teaches. We can use the teachings of modern leaders and prophets in the scriptures as a platform for developing our own testimony and relationship with God.

GP39: A prophet may come from various stations in life. He may be young or old, highly educated or unschooled. He may be a farmer, a lawyer, or a teacher...
 Latter-day Saints sustain the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles as prophets. However, when we speak of “the prophet of the Church,” we mean the President of the Church, who is President of the high priesthood. D&C 45:10 Wherefore, come ye unto it, and with him that cometh I will reason as with men in days of old, and I will show unto you my strong reasoning.15 Wherefore, hearken and I will reason with you, and I will speak unto you and prophesy, as unto men in days of old.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are frequently taught the importance of finding our own, independent testimony of what the prophet teaches.

p.42 How can we sustain the prophet? We should pray for him. His burdens are heavy, and he needs to be strengthened by the prayers of the Saints.We should study his words. We can listen to his conference addresses. We can also subscribe to the Ensign or Liahona so we can read his conference addresses and other messages he gives.

We can sustain the prophet by thoughtfully reading their counsel and gaining a personal confirmation of the truth.

President Hugh B. Brown said:

“[W]hile all members should respect, support, and heed the teachings of the authorities of the church, no one should accept a statement and base his or her testimony upon it, no matter who makes it, until he or she has, under mature examination, found it to be true and worthwhile; then one’s logical deductions may be confirmed by the spirit of revelation to his or her spirit, because real conversion must come from within.”

President James E. Faust quoted Brigham Young in 1989:

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourse 9:150)

A belief in prophets does not mean we are asked to stop thinking for ourselves.

One well-meaning member once said: When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.

In response, the president at the time, George Albert Smith said that this statement: 

“…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 must obtain for himself a testimony of the truth of the Gospel, must, through the redemption of Jesus Christ, work out his own salvation, and 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... 

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."”

Joseph Smith resisted people trying to make out that, as a prophet, he was infallible:

In a series of 1843 sermons Joseph Smith said:

“I told them [the Saints] I was but a man, and they must not expect me to be perfect; if they expected perfection from me, I should expect it from them; but if they would bear with my infirmities … I would likewise bear with their infirmities. (1)
 Many think a prophet must be a great deal better than anybody else... I love that man better who swears a stream as long as my arm, yet deals justice to his neighbors and mercifully deals his substance to the poor, than the smooth-faced hypocrite. I do not want you to think that I’m very righteous, for I am not. There was one good man, and his name was Jesus (2)”

 Nephi also taught how prophet’s receive guidance and how we can too:

1 Nephi 22:

1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the spirit and not the flesh?2 And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.

President Uchtdorf has said: "Latter-day Saints are not asked to blindly accept everything they hear. We are encouraged to think and discover truth for ourselves. We are expected to ponder, to search, to evaluate, and thereby to come to a personal knowledge of the truth."

Having a living prophet does not mean we now know all there is to know.

Elder Uchtdorf said recently: 

"For a worm in horseradish the world is horseradish.

…We have an almost irresistible desire to assume that the leaf of information we have in our possession is a representation of all there is to know.” “Isn’t it a remarkable feeling to belong to a Church that not only embraces truth—no matter the source—but that teaches there is much more to come! That God “will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” As a result, we are humble about the truth we have. We understand our knowledge is a work in progress, that the leaf we have before us is simply one microscopic snapshot—part of an infinitely vast forest of fascinating knowledge.”

Last week, when talking about prayer, we learnt that, like all of us, prophets receive guidance by praying to Heavenly Father with questions and receive guidance through the promptings of the spirit.

During an interview, President Gordon B. Hinkley was asked:

As the world leader of the the Church, how are you in touch with God? Can you explain that for me?

Gordon B Hinkley replied: 

I pray. I pray to Him. Night and morning. I speak with Him. I think He hears my prayers. As He hears the prayers of others. I think He answers them... if a problem arises, as it does occasionally, a vexatious thing with which we have to deal, we go to the Lord in prayer. We discuss it as a First Presidency and as a Council of the Twelve Apostles. We pray about it and then comes the whisperings of a still small voice. And we know the direction we should take and we proceed accordingly.

The principle of prophets teaches us that God loves us enough to reveal his will to his children throughout cultures and eras:

GP41: We have a prophet living on the earth today. This prophet is the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has the right to revelation for the entire Church. He holds “the keys of the kingdom,” meaning that he has the authority to direct the entire Church and kingdom of God on earth, including the administration of priesthood ordinances

 At other times and in other places, God has inspired people to teach the principles of the gospel.

Alma 29:8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

 President James E. Faust said in 2002: 

“…we claim that God’s inspiration is not limited to the Latter-day Saints. The First Presidency has stated: “The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. … We believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation.”

Elder B. H. Roberts was quoted in an Ensign article in August 2000. He said: 

“While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established for the instruction of men; and it is one of God’s instrumentalities for making known the truth yet he is not limited to that institution for such purposes, neither in time nor place. God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend. … All the great teachers are servants of God; among all nations and in all ages. They are inspired men, appointed to instruct God’s children according to the conditions in the midst of which he finds them.”

The principle of prophets teaches me that we are not alone, that we all human and subject to the same frailties. I frequently quote prophets in my lessons because I appreciate their teachings and feel they teach me about the nature of God and my relationship with him. With that in mind, I embrace their positive messages and also try to find personal guidance and interaction with the heavens.

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).

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.

A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior

(Note: repeating a couple of quotes as we didn’t use them last week in class)
http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-3-jesus-christ-our-chosen-leader-and-savior?lang=eng

Elder Neil A. Maxwell, in Oct 1985 General Conference gave examples of other people who, throughout history, have considered this pre-life existence. 

“Everything in our life happens as though we entered upon it with a load of obligations contracted in a previous existence … obligations whose sanction is not of this present life, [which] seem to belong to a different world, founded on kindness, scruples, sacrifice, a world entirely different from this one, a world whence we emerge to be born on this earth, before returning thither.” (Marcel Proust, in Gabriel Marcel, Homo Viator, New York: Harper and Row, 1963, p. 8.)

Last week we read from Elder Uchtdorf’s talk on how our choices today are influenced by our choices before we were born. (Re-cap on pre-earth spirit existence if new people attending).

This story begins a very long time ago, long before the earth began spinning in its orbit, long before the sun began to reach its fiery arms into the cold of space, long before creatures great and small had populated our planet. At the beginning of this story, you lived in a faraway, beautiful place. 

We do not know many details about life in that premortal sphere, but we do know some. Our Heavenly Father has revealed to us who He is, who we are, and who we can become. 

Back in that first estate, you knew with absolute certainty that God existed because you saw and heard Him. You knew Jesus Christ, who would become the Lamb of God. You had faith in Him. And you knew that your destiny was not to stay in the security of your premortal home. As much as you loved that eternal sphere, you knew you wanted and needed to embark on a journey. You would depart from the arms of your Father, pass through a veil of forgetfulness, receive a mortal body, and learn and experience things that hopefully would help you grow to become more like Father in Heaven and return to His presence. 

In that sacred place, surrounded by those you knew and loved, the great question on your lips and in your heart must have been “Will I return safely to my heavenly home?”There were so many things that would be out of your control. Mortal life would be hard at times, filled with unexpected bends in the road: sickness, heartbreak, accidents, conflict.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng#9-10785_000_64uchtdorf

In the talk we’ve just read Elder Uchtdorf he refers to several stories about journeys: Wizard of Oz; Christmas Carol; a Chinese classic, Journey to the West and the story of Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit. My daughter loves Harry Potter. She relates lots of life-applicable principles from these stories. In one scene in Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince (p.532 in my edition) Dumbledore needs to drink a large bowl of dangerous potion and asks Harry to make sure he completes the task. Dumbledore says:

"...this potion... might paralyse me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted, or render me incapable in some other way. This being the case, Harry, it will be your job to make sure I keep drinking... do I have your word that you will do all in your power to make me keep drinking?"

Harry makes Dumbledore drink the potion, even when Dumbledore pleads for the pain to be removed. "I don't want to... make it stop..." to which Harry can only reply "You've got to keep drinking, remember? You told me you had to keep drinking."

Sometimes in life, we’re faced with experiences where we might think “I don’t want to, make it stop.”

Jesus Christ was perfect, without sin, but even he understands what it feels like to want a difficult experience to stop, if possible.

Right before Christ’s atoning agony in the Garden of Gethsemane followed by his death on the cross he said these very understandable and human words:

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me…”
Mark 14:35-36 “And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me…”

After Jesus expressed a desire that, if possible, he might be able to avoid such a challenging experience to come, he used a short phrase that we could all learn:

Luke 22:42 “…nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Mark 14:36 “…nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

As we read last week, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, in Oct 1985 General Conference,

“We agreed to come here and to undergo certain experiences under certain conditions.Elder Orson Hyde said, “We have forgotten! … But our forgetfulness cannot alter the facts.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:315.) Yet, on occasions, there are inklings. President Joseph F. Smith observed how “we often catch a spark from the awakened memories of the immortal soul, which lights up our whole being as with the glory of our former home.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939, p. 14.)

So what have we forgotten? When Jesus said in prayer to Heavenly Father: “not my will, but yours” he was also saying “not my will here, but my will before.” Like all of us, Jesus Christ chose to come to earth. It was his choice and expressed willingness to go through everything needed to complete his purpose and role.

Moses 4:2 “But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.”

Gospel Principles, p.13: When the plan for our salvation was presented to us in the premortal spirit world, we were so happy that we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7). 

We understood that we would have to leave our heavenly home for a time. We would not live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. While we were away from Him, all of us would sin and some of us would lose our way. Our Heavenly Father knew and loved each one of us. He knew we would need help, so He planned a way to help us. 

We needed a Savior to pay for our sins and teach us how to return to our Heavenly Father. Our Father said, “Whom shall I send?” (Abraham 3:27). Jesus Christ, who was called Jehovah, said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27; see also Moses 4:1–4).Jesus was willing to come to the earth, give His life for us, and take upon Himself our sins. He, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to choose whether we would obey Heavenly Father’s commandments. He knew we must be free to choose in order to prove ourselves worthy of exaltation. Jesus said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2). 

Satan, who was called Lucifer, also came, saying, “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). Satan wanted to force us all to do his will. Under his plan, we would not be allowed to choose. He would take away the freedom of choice that our Father had given us. Satan wanted to have all the honor for our salvation. Under his proposal, our purpose in coming to earth would have been frustrated (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay [2003], 207).

There are three key principles to take from this lesson which we can discuss in turn:

• -          Jesus chose to fulfil his role. It was not imposed, it was not forced.
• -          Satan wanted to remove choice and agency.
• -          We chose to come to earth, with all the highs and lows it would bring. It was our choice. Not imposed, not forced.

This means that every person around us was in the same situation and also chose to follow God’s plan.

The story of the pre-earth existence teaches us that all of humanity were once working in unity.

Gospel Principles, p.15-16: “Because our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior, Satan became angry and rebelled. There was war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought against Jesus Christ and His followers. The Savior’s followers “overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). 

In this great rebellion, Satan and all the spirits who followed him were sent away from the presence of God and cast down from heaven. A third part of the hosts of heaven were punished for following Satan (see D&C 29:36). They were denied the right to receive mortal bodies.”

 As we mentioned last week, from Elder Uchtdorf's talk:

“…everyone you see around you—in this meeting or at any other place, today or at any other time—was valiant in the premortal world. Of one thing you can be certain: every person you see—no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type, or appearance—is family.”

Knowing that every person we meet was with us in the pre-earth spirit world and followed the same choices we did should lead us to greater care and unity. In the Oct 2013 general conference Elder Caussé said:

"Unity is not achieved by ignoring and isolating members who seem to be different or weaker and only associating with people who are like us. On the contrary, unity is gained by welcoming and serving those who are new and who have particular needs. These members are a blessing for the Church and provide us with opportunities to serve our neighbors and thus purify our own hearts.”

Elder Wirthlin similarly said, in March 1993:

“In the message of the gospel, the entire human race is one family descended from a single God. … “Every person is a spiritual child of God. “In this gospel view there is no room for a contracted, narrow, or prejudicial view. … “There is no underlying excuse for smugness, arrogance, or pride. …

Given we would all come to earth under different conditions, with a range of challenges, environments, influences and opportunities, God ensured that every person was given enough knowledge and truth to progress on their best next step towards godliness.

James E. Faust, “Communion with the Holy Spirit,” Ensign, Mar 2002, quoted a statement made by the first presidency of the church in 1978:

"The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. … We believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation”

We are all given the opportunity of being taught principles of truth, wherever we are in the world and whatever our conditions.

GP, p.16: From the beginning, Jesus Christ has revealed the gospel, which tells us what we must do to return to our Heavenly Father. At the appointed time He came to earth Himself. He taught the plan of salvation and exaltation by His word and by the way He lived.

Gospel Principles Chapter 2: Our Heavenly Family

http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-2-our-heavenly-family?lang=eng

The lesson went well and we had positive discussion around what we can learn from our opportunities in life and the benefit of a perspective of this life being our choice, not an imposition.

The Plato, Encyclopedia of Mormonism and Givens quotes were bending my 'rules' a little... but they fitted nicely.

Many people have asked, does God really care about me?

Job’s friend, Elihu, after seeing Job's suffering, asks whether our lives are really noticed? He questions whether we are truly cared about (Job 35:5-7): 

“Look at the heavens and see; observe the clouds, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him…?”

Psalm 8:3-4 “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? (NRSV)

Job questioned (7:17): What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

God knows us and has known us from before our physical birth

Gospel Principles, p.9: God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father. All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God. “Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335).Every person who was ever born on earth is our spirit brother or sister. Because we are the spirit children of God, we have inherited the potential to develop His divine qualities. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become like our Heavenly Father and receive a fullness of joy.

We were and are individuals. God knows us enough to give us the best opportunities to grow.

Gospel Principles, p.10: We were not all alike in heaven… We possessed different talents and abilities, and we were called to do different things on earth… A veil covers our memories of our premortal life, but our Father in Heaven knows who we are and what we did before we came here. He has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born so we can learn the lessons we personally need and do the most good with our individual talents and personalities. 

D&C 138:56 Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.

(The Encyclopaedia of Mormonism was published in 1992. The compilation project was approved by the First Presidency and articles in the Encyclopaedia are often quoted in church manuals and articles). The entry says the following on pre-earth life and preparation for coming to earth:

Latter-day Saints further believe that the times, places, and circumstances of birth into mortality may be the outcome of former covenants and decisions as well as that which would be best, in divine wisdom, to provide both opportunities and challenges for the individual's growth and development... The specifics of these factors remain unclear. As a result, a person's premortal character can never be judged by his or her present station in life. Some of the most bitter and arduous circumstances may be, in the perspective of eternity, the most blessed, and perhaps even the situations that men and women elected and agreed to enter.http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Foreordination

In other words, if a person is born into an LDS family it does not mean they were more or less righteous in the pre-earth life. Jesus said he had many sheep, in many folds. The parables of the labourers and the 1,2 and 5 talents teach that those who serve God at different times and in different ways are still equally appreciated and rewarded by God.

Elder Uchtdorf said, in the March 2013 General Young Women Meeting: 

You are not alone on this journey. Your Heavenly Father knows you. Even when no one else hears you, He hears you. When you rejoice in righteousness, He rejoices with you. When you are beset with trial, He grieves with you.“…everyone you see around you—in this meeting or at any other place, today or at any other time—was valiant in the premortal world. That unassuming and ordinary-looking person sitting next to you may have been one of the great figures you loved and admired in the sphere of spirits. You may have been such a role model yourself!Of one thing you can be certain: every person you see—no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type, or appearance—is family.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng#9-10785_000_64uchtdorf

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, in Oct 1985 General Conference,

“We agreed to come here and to undergo certain experiences under certain conditions.Elder Orson Hyde said, “We have forgotten! … But our forgetfulness cannot alter the facts.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:315.) Yet, on occasions, there are inklings. President Joseph F. Smith observed how “we often catch a spark from the awakened memories of the immortal soul, which lights up our whole being as with the glory of our former home.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939, p. 14.) 

There can be sudden surges of deja vu. A flash from the mirror of memory can beckon us forward to that far pavilion, filled with “everlasting splendours” and resurrected beings.  

C. S. Lewis wrote, “We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so.”From long experience, His sheep know His voice and His doctrine. Meanwhile, the soul weaving in process for such a long time goes on as described in these anonymous lines: 

My life is but a weavingBetween my Lord and me;I cannot choose the colorsHe worketh steadily.Ofttimes He weaveth sorrowAnd I in foolish pride,Forget that He seeth the upper,And I the under side.Not till the loom is silentAnd the shuttles cease to fly,Shall God unroll the canvasAnd explain the reason why.The dark threads are as needfulIn the Weaver’s skillful hand,As the threads of gold and silverIn the pattern He has planned.(In Sourcebook of Poetry, comp. Al Bryant, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1968, p. 664.)

Elder Maxwell used examples of other people who, throughout history, have considered this pre-life existence. 

There are ponderings, like this one:“Everything in our life happens as though we entered upon it with a load of obligations contracted in a previous existence … obligations whose sanction is not of this present life, [which] seem to belong to a different world, founded on kindness, scruples, sacrifice, a world entirely different from this one, a world whence we emerge to be born on this earth, before returning thither.” (Marcel Proust, in Gabriel Marcel, Homo Viator, New York: Harper and Row, 1963, p. 8.)And finally, there are these more familiar lines:Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: … But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home.(William Wordsworth, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood,” lines 58, 64–65.)

I find personal strength and answers in one of Plato’s stories of choosing a life carefully:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WMbS85Ijg2oC&pg=PT610&lpg=PT610&dq=plato+%22become+more+just%22&source=bl&ots=hO4PJ3y92n&sig=ijBpJ_tg6hIPYRcdR4yJjRTNYIE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=w_XRUrq8F8ORhQeXg4HQBQ&ved=0CGkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=plato%20%22become%20more%20just%22&f=false)

"Call  a life worse," [Plato] said, "if it leads a soul to become more unjust,and better if it leads the soul to become more just."

We had a discussion around what we want if we had a magic lamp (comfort, ease, financial wealth) and then what we really want (happiness, satisfaction, meaningful relationships). I didn't read the Givens quote below out, but talked about this type of perspective being one that appeals to me and inspires me:

We have no way of knowing, of course, why some are born in health and affluence, while others enter broken bodies or broken homes, or emerge into a realm of war or hunger. So we cannot give definite meaning to our place in the world, or to our neighbor's.  But Plato's reflections should give us pause and invite both humility and hope.  Humility because if we chose our lot in life there is every reason to suspect merit, and not disfavor, is behind disadvantaged birth.  A blighted life may have been the more courageous choice--at least it was for Plato.  Though the first act of the play was obscure its hidden details make any judgments in this second act so much foolish speculation.  So how can we feel pride in our own blessedness, or condescension at another's misfortune?  And Plato's reflections should give us hope, because his myth reminds us that suffering can be sanctifying, that pain is not punishment, and that the path to virtue is fraught with opposition.

(Terryl & Fiona Givens, The God Who Weeps, pg. 60-61)

God created the earth as a place for us to be able to progress towards our best potential

Gospel Principles, p.11: “…Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present His plan for our progression. We learned that if we followed His plan, we would become like Him.”
“…we also learned the purpose for our progression: to have a fulness of joy. However, we also learned that some would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose their way. We learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good. If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity.

“We learned that He would provide an earth for us where we would prove ourselves.” The original meaning of “prove” is: to learn or find out by experience.

By divine design, we are living in a state of not seeing the whole picture.

Gospel Principles, p.11: A veil would cover our memories, and we would forget our heavenly home. This would be necessary so we could exercise our agency to choose good or evil without being influenced by the memory of living with our Heavenly Father. Thus we could obey Him because of our faith in Him, not because of our knowledge or memory of Him. 

1 Corinthians 13:8-12 “…whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. For now we see through a glass, darkly… now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 

We have been blessed with much knowledge by revelation from God which, in some part, the world lacks. But there is an incomprehensibly greater part of truth which we must yet discover. Our revealed truth should leave us stricken with the knowledge of how little we really know.Elder Hugh B. Brown

http://aims.byu.edu/sites/default/files/foundationdocuments/An_Eternal_Quest--Freedom_of_the_Mind--Hugh_B_Brown.pdf

We simply don’t know all things—we can’t see everything. What may seem contradictory now may be perfectly understandable as we search for and receive more trustworthy information. Because we see through a glass darkly, we have to trust the Lord, who sees all things clearly.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2013/01/what-is-truth?lang=eng

Draw strength from having learned to love in the presence of God.

In his talk to the young women of the church Elder Uchtdorf shared a message for all of us:

Have you ever wondered what language we all spoke when we lived in the presence of God? I have strong suspicions that it was German, though I suppose no one knows for sure. But I do know that in our premortal life we learned firsthand, from the Father of our spirits, a universal language—one that has the power to overcome emotional, physical, and spiritual barriers.That language is the pure love of Jesus Christ. It is the most powerful language in the world...We received our “first lessons” in this language of love as spirits in God’s presence, and here on earth we have opportunities to practice it and become fluent. You can know if you are learning this language of love by evaluating what motivates your thoughts and actions.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng#9-10785_000_64uchtdorf

The message of the pre-mortal existence helps us trust that we are all on a journey with God, even if we appear to be at different stages.

Elder Uchtdorf continued: Sometimes we become impatient with where we are in our journey… There will always be things to complain about—things that don’t seem to go quite right. You can spend your days feeling sad, alone, misunderstood, or unwanted. But that isn’t the journey you had hoped for, and it’s not the journey Heavenly Father sent you to take…
With this in mind, I invite you to walk confidently and joyfully. Yes, the road has bumps and detours and even some hazards. But don’t focus on them. Look for the happiness your Father in Heaven has prepared for you in every step of your journey. Happiness is the destination, but it’s also the path. “Peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” is what He promises.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng#9-10785_000_64uchtdorf