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. 

I’m not afraid anymore

For several months, there have been two things that I’ve been afraid of missing out on if leaders at church discovered the ‘real me’ and took away my temple recommend. I have wanted to go through an endowment session with the new film and I’ve been looking forward to attending my sister and brother in law’s temple sealing.

Today I got to do both and now I feel a freedom to be completely authentic. The things that matter most to me are mine to cherish. The church can’t take those from me. I’m not afraid anymore.

I went through an endowment session for the first time in over two years. I have long-loved the temple experience and the time living in China made attendance difficult.

The endowment I experienced today represented the positive changes the church is trying to make while also being limited in the extent it can evolve by its heritage and written texts.

The endowment session was bitter-sweet. It was bitter because the script was unchanged. Eve retains the same subservience and silence in later parts of the story as previous films. For my wonderfully independent and intelligent wife, daughter and mother this suddenly, perhaps for the first time, upset me. I choked up and wiped tears from my eyes a couple of times at the implicit message the endowment script gives to the women of the church. I hope that one day it is changed.

If the endowment were written today I don’t believe it would be included. Brigham Young once said, “When God speaks to the people, he does it in a manner to suit their circumstances and capacities… I will even venture to say that if the Book of Mormon were now to be re-written, in many instances it would materially differ from the present translation. According as people are willing to receive the things of God, so the heavens send forth their blessings.” There are still things taught in our church today that don’t “suit our circumstances” and are stuck in the past.

That’s the church’s challenge. We can’t simply throw our passed texts and leaders away wholesale. They are our origins and foundation. As much as I would welcome it, fast change would be too unsettling for too many people. My desire for change does not extend to the disregard for the spiritual welfare of my friends. Change, unfortunately, has to be slow, to be accepted.

But change is happening and visible. Today’s endowment session represented that and it was ‘sweet.’ One of the couples in the prayer circle was mixed race. Less than 60 years ago, the First Presidency would have called their marriage “repugnant” and against the Church doctrine. The session officiator, who at times represents God and a priesthood leader, was black. Only 36 years ago he wouldn’t have been in the temple at all.

Beyond the participants, the portrayal of Eve in the new film is perhaps a self-contained analogy of the church’s attempt to move forward and give women a more positive part in the church. With no change in her words, a different message was conveyed. Eve was an empowered and an active participant in choosing the elevation of mortality’s opportunities and progressing out of Eden’s limitations. More could have been changed, and I hope it will one day, to have put her on an equal footing to Adam. Baby steps will become giant leaps when we look with hindsight in the future.

Despite the appreciated evidence of change I also went with a desire to reach a resolution. As I sat through the endowment, and aware that I would see my sister sealed later in the day, I felt a deep peace. I have felt a growing disengagement with the church structural organisation and instead a desire to have a more meaningful connection with people I care about and with God. During the ordinance, I considered how the endowment is symbolically an upward trajectory.

In a 1977 devotional, Ezra Taft Benson lists the covenants made in the temple as: “the law of obedience and sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration.” (As an aside: I actively disagree with the politics in the speech, but appreciate the open reference to temple covenants that are otherwise kept excessively secret).

I was speaking to a missionary earlier this week. He said that every lesson their president teaches revolves around obedience. I suggested that God was not really interested in obedient children and far more interested in optimal children. Obedience is a way of establishing good habits which, in turn, create strong character. Obedience isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. The same could be said in the temple. We start with obedience but progress towards accepting the law of consecration, even if we don’t currently live it, and in doing so commit to “building up the kingdom of God and establishing Zion on the earth” (see here and here).

During the endowment I felt a growing ability and willingness to serve the God I believe by serving other people. As an April 1993 New Era article taught, “…the temple reminds us of the person we ought to be.” I feel I am becoming the person God wants me to be. I also felt a genuine peace with the decision to not look to a human intermediary for finding ways to do that. I appreciate what religious leaders and thinkers can teach me, but I don’t want to be dependent on them. Ultimately, the endowment teaches that we can only follow the council of church leaders for a certain time. In the end, at the end, they make way and we commune directly with God, the best source of truth. The pamphlet, Preparing to enter the Holy Temple, suggests that as we progress “toward the veil” in the temple, we are “instructed and enlightened on matters of spiritual importance.” The endowment experience teaches that there are some things that we can only learn from communing directly with God and that answers are not available from other people. It teaches that we need to develop independence.

So where does that leave me? Or lead me? As I moved into the Celestial room I carried with me a resolution and sense of conclusion. For over two years I have described myself as: “unconcluded.” I realised that the endowment session had felt like a conclusion. President Monson was right when he said, in April 2011, “In this sacred sanctuary we will find peace; we will be renewed and fortified.”

I wanted to confirm and apply my conclusion before leaving. I found a chair in the corner of the room and, having spent two years “studying it out in my mind,” sought confirmation. The February 2014 Ensign suggests that, “Once we have studied an issue thoroughly—including the scriptures and the words of our leaders—we can then pray about our decision with confidence that the Lord will guide us.” Regarding this process Elder S. Dilworth Young said, in April 1976, “…according to his wisdom, his word will come into my mind through my thoughts, accompanied by a feeling… which cannot be described, but the nearest word we have is ‘burn’ or ‘burning.’ Accompanying this always is a feeling of peace.”

Sitting in the chair I offered up a prayer to seek this simple confirmation that my conclusion was acceptable to God. My conclusion may surprise, given the experience I’d just, had but is important to me.

As I prayed, the words came naturally, the culmination of hundreds, perhaps even hours of study and consideration. I felt complete peace and spiritual confirmation – a burning in the bosom – as I prayed and expressed the following:

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not the only true church, but it is a church that contains truth. It is not better than or more superior to other religions but is a good way of working towards greater godliness. Other religious expression is equally valid. The Church is not the kingdom of God on earth but gives us tools and teachings to become a part of the kingdom of God. It is not Zion, but helps us build Zion. It is not the church of the Lamb but is part of it and helps us be a follower of the Lamb… just as other churches also do.

There have been inspired prophets through the ages who are able to teach with clarity and inspiring words, despite seeing through a glass darkly. I consider Joseph Smith to have been one of them, despite his challenges and natural human limitations.

The leaders today are not teaching or talking “as if God were speaking.” They are well-meaning and often give good advice but their manner of receiving divine guidance is very similar to the inspiration received by the rest of the membership.

Obedience is not the ultimate objective. Becoming our very best selves and helping other become the same is a better one. I do not believe that what we eat and drink, what we wear, what money we pay, which meetings we go to really matter. I believe that what matters most is the way we treat each other. Compassion and charity matter most.

I also believe that all are equal in your eyes: Male and female, black and white, gay and straight, rich and poor, homeless and housed. Unity in and acceptance of diversity are godly virtues.

I recognise that being part of the Mormon community means certain behaviours are an expectation and help the individual be better involved the group. Compassion and consideration should also extend to my friends and acquaintances at church. I won’t actively impose my perspectives but will also be entirely genuine in my own views and beliefs. A balance of respect and authenticity is important. I want to build up, not break down.

This conclusion could lead me further from Mormonism as I work on a more meaningful spirituality. I have never sought to leave the church. That’s not the objective. I am happy to worship in this faith community and have enough friends to feel comfortable doing so. I am uplifted by many of the perspectives and experiences in the LDS faith. At the same time I’m not bound to it. My covenants are with you, God, not with the church. There may be times when a Sunday is better used for other forms of service and spiritual uplift with my family.

My personal spiritual development is not dependent on membership in an earthly organisation but on a willingness to continue pursuing the best and most positive course as it is unveiled to me. While it may result in less frequent attendance at LDS meetings, it isn't a forgone conclusion. I will go where I feel you want me to go.

For this reason, the church organisation and leaders can’t threaten or take anything of significance. If they now, or in future, choose to take my recommend and or even my membership then I would miss the worship experience found in Mormon holy places, but would still keep the things of most important to me. I retain and respect my commitments to you, to consecrate my time to the best ways to serve you by serving others. My home and family is the best place to start.

I don’t feel confused or deceived or misguided. I feel gently and genuinely guided.

I’m not afraid anymore.”

Throughout this prayer and thought process I felt a constant peace. I felt increasing internal light.

Several years ago I experienced a “stupor of thought” during prayer and wondered if I might feel the same mental block when praying about something that some Mormons might consider wrong without even needing to ask. Instead I felt clarity, not confusion.

While praying, I felt the same spiritual witness, or burning in the bosom, as I have felt at other significant times in my life. A prayer of a 10-year-old about the Book of Mormon in 1988, the plea for reconciliation with God and His approval on an Italian mountain top in 2011, the feeling of standing on holy ground in a Buddhist cave temple in Thailand in February 2013 and the change in prophet paradigm on a pagoda overlooking bamboo covered Chinese mountains in July 2013.

I feel complete peace with my conclusions. I feel concluded. I feel able to move on and carry on.

I’m at peace and I’m not afraid any more.

Of prophets and pagodas

Originally written in July 2013:

Before heading back to the UK I'm doing some travelling.

I spent last night at a Buddhist temple in the Chinese bamboo covered mountains.

They have a simple hotel on site. The monks and guests were wonderfully welcoming. Sharing food and chatting with me in their broken English and my even worse Chinese.

This is a place of peace and tranquility. There are no 'graven images' here, in a temple complex of over 100 religious statues and deities. They are expressions of the God I know too. One God with many names and faces: Moses 7:35 "Behold, I am God; Man of Holiness is my name; Man of Counsel is my name; and Endless and Eternal is my name, also."

A generous guest this morning invited me on a tour of each building and deity and explained a few principles of their worship.

This temple site dates back over 1000 years. I can feel the positive presence of God.

Yesterday evening I climbed to the top of the pagoda that overlooks the community, watching the sun sleepily set over the horizon. I've returned today and am typing this message from the same place. Last night I prayed and shed a tear as I finally let go. I let go of the church and prophet paradigm I was raised with and established for myself. It hurt but it also felt enriching. I felt 'inner-peace.'

I choose to worship God and work to better myself within the Mormon community. I recognise it as a valid way. They are my friends, my community and where I fit. They are my tribe.

I have loved developing an appreciation for other faiths while living in Asia. It has taught me a simple truth: that God is found in many places. Not as diversions or distortions of the 'one true way' to God and not as partial truths for those more limited than others, but as equally valid faith practices that each help God's creations walk the path to godliness.

I believe in a God who knows us so well that he's able to create a personalised curriculum for each of his children. For some that may be devout, orthodox Mormonism. For others it may Mormonism followed by something else or the same in reverse or something completely different not even touching Christianity.

Whatever your personalised curriculum I look forward to discovering and living mine to the best of my abilities while continuing my association with a diverse group of friends and faiths.

God is good.

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.

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