Thoughts on Themes of General Conference Oct. 2016

We all get something unique from General Conference. As it unfolded, I saw themes running throughout the talks. Interspersed with my thoughts, and without actually naming speakers, here is what jumped out at me: 

“Thy will, not mine, be done” was one theme.

The link between the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and its support of Joseph Smith’s prophetic call was another theme. The good feelings we have when we study it seriously, and the power that comes into our lives, are both strong confirmation that Joseph Smith actually was a prophet.

Repentance, simple and straightforward, was also there. The call to repent was repeated many times. Yet it was seasoned by a parallel idea: Stop beating up on yourselves! Keep trying—your efforts count, regardless of ultimate performance. The idea that God sees all our flaws, yet He patiently, lovingly works with us was expressed many times, and in varied ways. Regardless of how the individual speakers phrased it, the essence of the message was showing mercy and patience to self.

Another recurring theme was repentance involving confession to priesthood leaders and spouse, one’s family members. The image of the penitent husband trapped in pornography, yet confessing to his bishop and to his heartbroken wife was recurring. Hiding sin, minimizing it, rationalizing and justifying it impede us by leaving the unrepented sin in place.

(I think some sins are like fungus; they thrive in the dark. Confession is the safest way to throw light upon them, at which point we can deal with them effectively.) Beyond the need for confession is the need for assistance from priesthood leaders, family, and therapists in overcoming addictions. Nephi cried for strength to burst his bands with which he was bound; likewise, addicts need divine assistance to achieve freedom (and perhaps other support along the way).

“Intent,” and “real intent,” were other words that came up over and over. The sacrament prayer has that key word, “willing,” in it, and a fairly close synonym is intent. (As I look at the sacrament prayers, “willing” is hard to replace with any phrase or word; ready, intending, planning, determined, committed, excited, eager, prepared, resolute—all convey some part of the flavor of willing.) We are blessed for our sincere intent and attempts that fail, along with our success.

A companion to this theme of not beating oneself with guilt was the outstretched hand of invitation to all who are weary in Church membership, whose faith has dimmed, or who are teetering on the edge of abandoning the Church. I heard several talks directed at those who are weary, faith under assault, perhaps ashamed of a Church doctrine or policy.

It is so easy to be offended! Answers to our questions will come as we hold fast to our covenants, and what light we already have, however limited. Staying active in the Church and pushing uphill (which is what staying active always feels like) eventually lead to having the curtain of confusion pushed back as our questions are answered and the next level of truth is illuminated for us.

(The image that came into my head at one point was of a pyramid of Gospel knowledge. It takes a wide base of simple obedience to first principles in one’s pyramid of understanding before the blocks that are higher up can be added. The wider our foundation of obedience to simple truths, the more likely we are to have the blocks that belong higher up, the mysteries, explained to us. Without that wide base, we would have an unstable skinny structure, likely to topple. Conference reiterates the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel of Christ—if we live those things well and consistently, the Lord will reveal the rest to us as we are ready to receive it.)

Answers may come slowly, but for the faithful members of the Church, they come inevitably.

God’s love is manifest in the rigors and trials He puts us through as much as in the pleasant things He showers down upon us. (I think that for us, we define success as complete removal of all problems, trials, burdens, and discomfort; for God, success is achieved when we can be saddled with any discomfort and still remain cheerful. Ironically, that is the moment He is most likely to remove the obstacles and burdens!)

“Preach the Gospel” was another theme that resounded. Instead of inviting people to go on missions, the call was more an invitation to us as members, wherever we are, to not postpone opportunities to share the Book of Mormon, to follow promptings to invite others to take whatever step they need next, to invite non-member friends to feast at the table of the Gospel and find joy.

We should pray for opportunities to share the Gospel, and prepare ourselves by living it. Then we get chances to invite others to come to Christ by sharing the Gospel with them because they see the difference it makes in us.

Two late general authorities, President Packer and Elder Maxwell, were quoted frequently.

Living the Word of Wisdom, avoiding harmful substances and putting nourishing foods into our bodies, and subsequent blessings of stamina came up. We all need refreshment and energy to endure; the Lord provides it as we are obedient, and pray fervently for energy (perhaps this idea connects to being happy in all circumstances).

Do your part where you stand, however small, in your local Church calling, was another point of emphasis. There are no small callings in the Church. Our individual efforts, when combined, amplify one another. Small actions can precipitate huge effects down the road, results we are unaware of. So do not be weary in well-doing! (ESPECIALLY in the small things! Our consistency in the small things no one ever sees is the best indicator of what we really want, the actual condition of our hearts.)

“Joy” was another word that jumped out of the talks. Everyone everywhere experiences pain and discomfort, physical and emotional, at some point. Can we have joy while we are in pain? Yes! (Jesus’ discourse to His Apostles in John 13-17 is basically: You will be persecuted and tormented by the world, but I will impart my otherworldly peace to you and direct you via My Spirit, so instead of moping, rejoice!)

Saints can have joy in any circumstance. People can try to be good through their own efforts, but only the power of the Atonement can sanctify us, literally saintify us.

We were warned against taking the bounteous blessings of the Gospel for granted, becoming “at ease in Zion.” Perspective and remembering generate gratitude and stave off complaints.

The inevitable success of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (despite our small numbers; part of success will include survival at the bottleneck moments before the actual Second Coming) was reiterated. Relax. Whether we choose to stay on board the Old Ship Zion or not, it will not sink.

Avoid Gospel hobbies and extremism, especially inflicting or imposing such extremes on other members of the Church. We should stay aboard the ship, but not dangle upside down from the mast.

When home teaching was discussed, it occurred to me that Satan throws his greatest opposition at the most useful parts of God’s plan; assaults on the family, the home, and morality are far more common than vandalism or violent persecution of the Latter-day Saints today. I wonder if that initial feeling of having one’s feet glued to the floor regarding home teaching is just evil opposition from Satan. It MUST be important! Home teaching is something that can feel onerous before we do it, yet we rejoice as we complete our assignment to watch over and care for each other.

This is a time of sifting, like never before, and we sift ourselves by choosing whether to remain in the Church. What makes the difference? No one boots themselves out of the Church on the spur of the moment. Just as we acquire testimony and conversion by degrees over time, so they can erode by degrees over time. We all need daily interaction with God to sustain and rebuild faith.

The social motivations to stay in the Church will not be enough to keep us there. We must have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, receive the power of Christ’s Atonement, and worry more about what our heavenly Father thinks, our relationship with Him, rather than what mortals think, if we are to withstand the rude blast of Satan’s fiery darts and hail. We are to be converted to the Gospel, not to the Church.

Developing an open correspondence with God and living by the promptings and subtle directions He sends will eventually be the only thing that can keep us faithful to the end. Nothing else, no contrivance by teachers, leaders, parents, or us, will be enough to make up for the lack of that divine connection and relationship with God.

Family was a constant theme also in General Conference this time. Satan wants us disconnected, isolated, forgetting our past and fearing our future. Family context, remembering those who went before us and what God empowered them to do, can imbue us with solid identity, place us in a web of connections with ancestors, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, uncles and aunts, and our own children. Pressing forward hand-in-hand is much easier and more encouraging than doing so alone. (Shepherds are often too busy tending sheep to worry about themselves anyway.)

Too often we think of ourselves as virtuous for struggling alone, without help, with our problems. The Savior (Rescuer) is there because there are some things we just cannot manage on our own. Humility enables us to admit we need Him, AND opens up the channel through which the enabling power of His Atoning sacrifice comes to us.

Sacrifice and holiness are connected terms; sacrifice makes something holy. Jesus Christ offered His whole self for us; when we offer our whole self to Him, it connects us with an invisible yet unbreakable cord. I feel that that cable is what He will pull on to reel us in, back to Him, after we depart mortality.

Success is inevitable for us when we are connected to, and obedient to, Christ.

This is by no means a comprehensive collection of ideas and themes that ran throughout this recent General Conference. This is the distilled version of some things I picked up on; I am sure there was individualized prompting for everyone who came with an open, humble heart. I look forward to hearing and reading the talks again.

As the world around us sinks into sin, it seems that Conference talks get more powerful. There is compensatory power available to us because the world is getting worse, and there must be opposition in all things. That includes greater goodness in the world, not just greater evil.

It was nice to have the notion that olive oil is blood-red when it emerges from the press confirmed. I had heard that years ago, yet could not confirm it with any research.

I was able to give a hearty “Amen” to every talk.

General Thoughts

Whether or not individuals attend or listen to General Conference seems to be an indicator of individual spirituality. There is a feeling of “have to” when it comes to regular Sunday church meetings, but during Conference weekend we see people sort themselves into those who go out and play, and those who come and listen, sitting at the feet of God’s living messengers.

We sift, sort, and judge ourselves by our choices.

Some of the most powerful parts of General Conference are not the words, but the incidental events and actions of those who participate, speakers and audience members alike. Not all lessons are delivered with words, but only those who are watching and listening pick up on them.

“Why should I listen? I can just read it later.” This is a false idea, in my experience. If we cannot find time today, when will we ever find time? There is something zesty about fruit right off the vine, something appealing about bread fresh out of the oven. They still have the same calories after spending time on the shelf, but have lost something—a bit of zing.

Conference talks are always good, and they keep forever in storage, but there is a little something extra as they are delivered live that we otherwise miss out on.

Physical and Spiritual Healing in 3 Nephi 17

Instances of miraculous healing in the scriptures grab our attention; we would rather be healthy and strong than in pain or weak. Our health reaches its peak at some point, and it is downhill from there, mostly. Our bodies wear out at various speeds until death.

People pay extravagant sums trying to recapture the power and beauty of youth. No serum, elixir, salve, or anything else yet invented, can stave off death permanently, or halt the decline of health permanently.

The Lord heals us not just because He is kind, but beyond that, those who experience miraculous healing have a work to do, and restored health enables them to accomplish that work. Again, spiritual considerations take preeminence over temporal convenience. (The Lord will actually give us weaknesses and flaws if it will further our spiritual, eternal progression; see Ether 12:27.)

Healings are usually temporary. Jesus raised the dead back to life during His mortal ministry, but it was to mortal life—He was the first Person to be resurrected, His spirit and body permanently reunited. We want health and restoration of limbs and organs, but to what end? It is better to die and be resurrected than to live forever in this telestial state. Unwelcome as death often is, delaying death indefinitely would interrupt our eternal progression. Mortal life ends according to God’s time table, ultimately.

Forgiveness With Healing

When the paralytic is lowered through the roof by his friends into the home where Jesus is teaching, Jesus says to him, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5). His friends had carried him on a bed for Jesus to heal his body temporarily, but Jesus gave him something that could last forever—forgiveness.

“For by the power of my Spirit created I them…

“First spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, first temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work—

“…Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal…

“…for my commandments are spiritual…” (D&C 29:31-32, 34-35). This does not mean the Lord does not differentiate between spiritual and temporal; rather, the spiritual, eternal consequences of our obedience to His commandments take precedence over the temporal.

Yet Jesus heals both physically and spiritually—the whole human being.

The Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners. Jesus responded, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matt. 9:12-13). Mercy motivates His healing.

Among the most remarkable instances of healing in the scriptures is the account in Third Nephi, chapter 17. The Lord heals 2500 people physically, but this is only a prelude to mightier spiritual experiences.

Physical

In 3Ne. 17, Jesus announces that He must go elsewhere. The people fasten their eyes on Him, “as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer” (v. 5).

“And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you” (v. 6). We might be too shy to come to Jesus in a wounded or flawed state, but the Savior commands them to bring anyone forward in need of physical healing:

“Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

“For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you” (v. 7-8).Many people would trade everything for the offer these people have just received. Instead of money, faith was the price Jesus required of them. (Faith includes willingness to accept His will regarding our illnesses, whether to be healed or not. In some ways this kind of faith exacts more of us than the largest doctor’s fee—submission to God’s will.)

“And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him” (v. 9).
It often takes help from others to get us to Jesus. We either carry others to Him, or others carry us. The whole group participates: “bring them hither.”

“One accord” indicates unity—no pushing or shoving to get to the Savior.

“And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears” (v. 10).

The longer we suffer, the greater our gratitude at relief. Other virtues (like faith) grow in us as we cope with problems patiently and humbly. Easy to say, often extremely difficult to accomplish—but the Lord is instilling virtues, focusing on the spiritual outcome. We see the problem as a broken body; He sees our need for more humility, patience, and faith. Our bodies will die eventually; virtues can become eternal parts of us.

“Every trial that a man goes through, if he is faithful in that trial and does honor to God and his religion he has espoused, at the end of that trial or affliction that individual is nearer to God, nearer in regard to the increase of faith, wisdom, knowledge and power, and hence is more confident in calling upon the Lord for those things he desires” (Lorenzo Snow, Deseret News, Apr. 11, 1888, 200).

Spiritual

Jesus heals their physical ailments, but that only precedes a more magnificent blessing. Picture this:

“And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

“So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him” (v. 11-12).

Jesus is in the center; children sitting in a ring around Him, the adults standing outside them.

“And it came to pass that when they had all been brought (again, helpless people carried to Him!), and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

“And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel” (v. 13-14).

These people are part of Israel, too. Are they “wicked?” Left to themselves, even after seeing Jesus perform miracles, these people might forget and slide back into sin.

Jesus does not point out problems without solving them (or offering solutions). What He does next for them heals these individuals, minds, hearts, and spirits.

“And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

“And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

“And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father” (v. 16-17).

What Jesus said when He prayed for them was not just forbidden to repeat; it was inconceivable, ineffable, beyond mortal ability to contrive or express. Whatever He said, this prayer filled them with incomprehensible joy. (There are good things awaiting us in heaven beyond what we have yet experienced.)

Jesus intervenes, getting the Nephites (and us) ready to live in Zion, and then heaven.

Many people have speculated and dreamed of living in an ideal society; what does it take to actually make one? Third and Fourth Nephi record the birth of an actual Utopia. Here we see that it takes more than good intentions and human ability, wisdom, or exertion. It takes divine intervention.

“And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome” (v. 18). They needed healthy, whole bodies in order to endure this ineffable spiritual experience; they were overcome by intense joy.

“And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

“And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

“And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bear record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them” (v. 19-21).

Earlier, Jesus “groaned,” lamenting the wickedness of the world. But He tells the people that now His joy is full—because of their faith.

Again, though He is interacting with a crowd, Jesus ministers to individuals. He blesses each child individually, and prays for each child.

“And when he had done this he wept again;

“And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

“And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them” (v. 22-24).

It takes divine intervention, God and His angels, to raise lost individuals from sin. Angels are involved in ministering to lost children, especially when faithful parents cannot reach them.

Is it significant that this event transpires near a Temple? Family history work and Temple work strengthen the youth of the Church today against evil like few other things. For these little ones, their Temple experience with Jesus and His holy angels fortifies them permanently.

“And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children” (v. 25).

Physical healing is an incomplete gift; any such gift also requires some kind of spiritual rebirth to empower them to not misuse their health and extra time on earth. The prayers and blessings of Jesus, followed by angelic ministrations, set individuals (ergo families, ergo a nation) on the right path.

It is possible to have perfectly good health, yet be miserable. It is possible to have a broken body, yet be filled with light (see 3Ne. 13:22) and have lasting joy. These people were healed physically and spiritually by Jesus, and filled with joy by Him.

Understanding Faith

C. S. Lewis once wondered, “...how on earth can [faith] be a virtue—what is there moral or immoral about believing or not believing a set of statements?” (Mere Christianity, Chapter 21, first paragraph). Faith is a virtue because all other virtues spring from it. Soil is not food, but it is necessary to make all food.

Mother of All Virtues

“As faith is the moving cause of all action in temporal concerns, so it is in spiritual. But faith is not only the principle of action...it is also the principle of power in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth. The principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by which he framed the worlds, was faith” (Lectures on Faith, First Lecture).

Intelligent beings act according to belief. If we do not believe in something, we will not act. Faith is the spring that drives other virtues in us. The stronger our faith, the greater our tendency to do good.

“And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?

“And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing” (Moroni 7:20-21). Here Mormon gives us the sense of just how broad faith is, of how much it covers.

“The first principle…of the Gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Articles of Faith 1:4). Faith in Christ is Ground Zero, the beginning of conversion and the introduction to all other principles and the subsequent ordinances.

The oft-read Alma Chapter 32 defines faith:

“And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (v. 21).

Moroni defines faith similarly: “…faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6).

The first twenty five verses or so of Alma 32 deal with humility, a quality Alma notices in his audience. I used to read those exposition verses, impatiently waiting for the part about developing faith, the metaphor of seeds turning into trees, etc. Now I recognize that faith in Christ and humility are inseparable; they arrive simultaneously.

There is a very strong correlation between faith in Christ and humility—in fact, faith presupposes a measure of humility, even requires it.

Mormon writes to the small band of faithful Christians that remain at the end time of his nation: “…I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness…

“…he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

“If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity” (Moroni 7:39, 43-44). He adds humility to the trifecta of faith, hope, and charity.

The theme of Mormon’s entire epistle in Moroni 7 is recognizing good from evil, and how to lay hold upon the good. Mormon is writing to what remains of the Church as the members are surrounded by depraved, bloodthirsty people engaged in every sin imaginable. They had become mobile military nomads, pillaging, murdering, etc.

Yet there were a few good people, a nucleus of saints, keeping faith alive in the midst of wickedness preceding their annihilation. What he was prompted to write to them, therefore, is useful to modern Christians today. Invitations to sin are everywhere; faith is mocked and attacked openly (atheism is fashionable, if untenable, unsupported by empirical evidence), and groups are actively seeking to ban all expressions of a belief in, or public reliance upon God.

We too need to know how to keep our faith burning brightly in the midst of all these attacks and spiritually eroding forces. We also need to “lay hold on every good thing.”

Evidences

“Faith is the substance (JST “assurance”) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…

“But without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:1, 6).

Our doubts and fears must be hurtful, even insulting, to God. “…let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly…” (D&C 100:15). But we hesitate nervously or drag our feet. The Lord has the ability to turn all things we experience into something good (often the greatest good comes from the oppositions we face).

“…know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (D&C 121:7).

We typically cannot see the good in pain and difficulty we face now. It takes faith in God, faith that He can work things out, and make them into educational, strengthening experiences for us, to face adversity well.

How can faith itself be evidence?

Truth Detector

On the face of it, this sounds circular or confusing. The subject of faith is more complex than we might at first assume after a cursory glance at the scriptures.

Alma 32 seems to indicate that each human being has a built-in truth detector, aided by the Spirit.

He invites us to “awake, and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

“Now, we will compare the word (not faith itself) unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious unto me” (Alma 32:27-28).

He is telling us that when we encounter an idea (“the word”) and ingest it or take it into our hearts, if it is divine truth our hearts will automatically resonate with it. We taste honey and say that it is sweet; we chew on the word, mull it over, ponder upon it, and we feel pleasant burning and swelling motions, increased enlightenment, clearer understanding, as symptoms. The seed of truth we plant actually begins to grow in us; that growth and enlightenment and sweetness we experience is our faith in the word.

We each have a sixth sense, a built-in truth detector, or at least the ability to receive revelation through the Spirit, and when we encounter something we cannot currently prove but that actually is true, and let it into our hearts, that Spirit will register many positive signs. Those things increase our faith in that idea, and so that faith is evidence that it is true.

What is the seed, the word, we are to plant? Alma says to “believe in the Son of God, that he will come down among his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and he will rise again from the dead…

“I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts…” (Alma 33:22-23).

Weak Faith, Strong Faith

“Because faith is wanting, the fruits are. No man since the world was had faith without having something along with it. The ancients quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, women received their dead, etc. By faith the worlds were made. A man who has none of the gifts has no faith; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has. …tongues, healings, prophecy…and all the gifts and blessings have been wanting” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 270).

Jesus’ disciples asked Him why they could not cast out an evil spirit. “And Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:20-21). Have we seen mountains move?

It is easy to look at the world and assume faith is abundant, ubiquitous, as common as air. Despite the innumerable religious traditions and belief systems, where there is no smoke there is no fire. Where the gifts of the Spirit are missing, faith in God consistent with what the the scriptures ask from us is absent.

Faith is a belief in that which is unseen, yet true. Belief in unseen false things, or seen true things, or things we see that are actually false—none of these meet the scriptural criteria that define faith.

The symptoms of weak, dead, or absent faith, on the other hand, are sadly abundant in the world. People assume that radicals and zealots who commit violent atrocities in the name of God have excessive faith. In reality, the opposite is probably true. When a person has a weak belief in his religious tradition, and his belief is challenged or contradicted by evidence, he is far more likely to respond with violence than someone who is secure in his faith.

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love…

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear (the opposites of faith, hope, and charity are doubt, fear, and pride): because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love…

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1John 4:8, 18, 20).

Doubt and fear lead to pride, which manifests itself as competitive malice, jealous contempt for others, enmity, and people trying to force their beliefs onto the world.

Respect for free will is a defining characteristic of God; He allows all sorts of bad things to go on, not because He is bad, but because of His commitment to preserving our freedom. How else could we learn and progress? Good choices are not really good unless they include a deliberate rejection of evil, which means good and evil must be available at the same time. Sincerity is impossible without real options.

Faith as a Gift

So many of the virtuous behaviors commanded of us in the scriptures presuppose interaction with God, receipt of His grace. Our faith might begin as part of our own exploration of the Gospel, but when we receive divine intervention, that is when faith really begins to snowball.

The scriptures refer to Jesus Christ as “the author and the finisher of [our] faith” (Moroni 6:4). It is not enough to simply believe on our own; at some point, our faith must be the result of what we witness and experience as we interact with God, and be something God puts into us. A divine spark must ignite our own faith.

God does not leave us in the dark to rely solely on what physical evidences we can scrape together. He rewards the exercise of faith in Him with correction and with greater faith.

Under His influence, our inklings and suspicions and hunches in our conscience turn to impulses, impressions, and promptings. When we act on those promptings, impressions are confirmed; faith becomes knowledge.

“Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought (worked, caused) a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2). The Lord upgraded the people of King Benjamin from belief to knowledge via a mighty change He “wrought” in their hearts. (Power to keep the commandments and certainty about God arrived simultaneously— to give us certain knowledge without giving strength to keep commandments would lead to greater condemnation.)

Doubt turns to faith, but faith, as it is confirmed over and over again, turns to sure knowledge.

“…and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting” (Ether 3:19).

We should not be discouraged at the slow or imperceptible growth of our own faith. As faith grows, the opposition and challenges to it also increase, which can make our progress seem smaller than it is. We can find encouragement when we glance back occasionally and see what we used to struggle with.

Faith seems like a friendly, fairly amorphous concept—until it bumps into challenges. Then faith must deploy in the form of virtues like courage, patience, humility, fortitude, and other cumbersome forms of endurance. Experience increases our faith over time and we do not worry so much.

“Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense and doubt: for these cannot exist where knowledge is.

“There is no pain so awful as that of suspense. This is the punishment of the wicked; their doubt, anxiety and suspense cause weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth” (TPJS, p. 287-288).

We do not have to wait until we are in hell to experience these things. Nor do we have to wait until we are in heaven to experience the fruits of firm faith.

“I am Jesus Christ…they who shall believe on my name…they shall become my sons and my daughters” (Ether 3:14).

Real faith manifests itself as a host of virtues—charity, obedience, repentance, etc. It also manifests itself in our hearts as trust in God. External turbulence need not drown out internal peace that comes to us when our faith is burning brightly. God adds fuel to that fire as we use it.

The Foreknowledge of God

Our free will and God’s foreknowledge might seem like contradictory principles. C. S. Lewis asserted that they are both true principles, but that free will “is the deeper truth of the two” (The Great Divorce, pg. 124-25).

God’s foreknowledge of events before they transpire does not compel us or make our decisions inevitable. It does not rob us of agency.

Somehow, God knows everything, past, present, and future, what we will choose, and yet that is not the same thing as determinism, the idea that everything is inevitable.

Satan tries to sap our drive and commitment with falsehoods. One such lie he promotes is the idea that God’s foreknowledge of our choices destroys our freedom. If everything were predetermined and out of our control, it would be a good excuse to stop repenting. Regardless of how contradictory they seem to us, God’s foreknowledge and our agency are both clearly taught in the scriptures as coexistent and harmonious.

“And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good…” (Alma 13:3).

All metaphors are flawed, but the following image helps me reconcile the seeming contradiction: Imagine someone piloting a helicopter above a driver on a winding road with many forks. Canyon walls flank the road and obscure the view of the driver. The pilot sees him take a wrong turn. Because of his elevated position, he can see what the consequences of this wrong turn will be. He knows that the driver is headed toward danger. If the pilot can communicate with the driver, and the driver listens, the pilot’s advanced view of the terrain ahead will benefit the driver.

“…all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men” (Alma 40:8).

Even though God knows everything that will happen, the constant litany of the scriptures is repent, exercise faith in Christ, repent, exercise faith… This instruction is more than a dictum to be good boys and girls; it is based on God’s knowledge of what lies ahead (whether we can see it or not). Satan wants us to believe all such efforts are futile (no matter how hard we try we are never completely free from our flaws here). Yet the Lord insists that constant repentance is not futile, but vital.

Staying in the Light

The scriptures teach us that the Savior is “the light of the world,” “the true light which ligheth every man that cometh into the world” (John 8:12, 1:9). This life is a time “to prepare to meet God” (Alma 12:24). While we are here, we can receive a greater amount of light than we have earned—through grace. We get that light for free at birth. Once we die, however, the amount of light we receive will be greatly reduced, unless we have repented, been baptized, and made other priesthood covenants with God and kept those covenants well.

“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

“…Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit” (D&C 19:16, 17, 20).

That power, the light emanating from God, keeps us alive and makes us happy, the way petroleum fuels automobiles or food sustains our bodies.

“And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;

“Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

“The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things…the law by with all things are governed…

“…your glory (in the resurrection) shall be that same glory by which your bodies are quickened (here in our mortal existence).

“Ye who are quickened (now) by a portion of the celestial glory shall then (in the resurrection) receive of the same, even a fulness” (D&C 88:11-13, 28-29).

Heaven is heavenly in part because we get a fullness of that celestial light there. “When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is…

“And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy” (D&C 130:1-2). Joseph Smith experienced that glory during the First Vision:

“A pillar of fire appeared above my head; which presently rested down upon me, and filled me with unspeakable joy” (Joseph Smith’s First Vision, Milton V. Backman, Appendix B, 1835 Account, p. 159). Even without a grand theophany or open vision, we can get a foretaste of that joy in this life.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy…” (D&C 11:13).

In order to enjoy that same portion of the Spirit we have here and now after we cross the boundary of death, we must repent, make covenants with God, and keep those covenants well.

“I am the bread of life…

“…he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (John 5:48, 58).

“…If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (John 8:51).

This refers to spiritual life and death, our portion of the Spirit we enjoy, more than physical death (though eventual resurrection for all is literal).

“…the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). All the original Apostles but John died. However, physical death does not include spiritual death (loss of the Spirit, of that light) for those who die in Christ, faithful to their covenants.

“And it shall come to pass that those who die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them;

“And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for their death is bitter” (D&C 42:46).

“…for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” (Alma 34:34). Repentance, here and now, is vital for happiness hereafter. The command for all men everywhere to repent is to help us in the next world beyond death, not just here in mortality.

Hell is depicted figuratively as a furnace of stinking sulfur. The clinical, literal description of Hell is “Outer Darkness.” God dwells in “fire” and “everlasting burnings” (Isaiah 33:14). When this earth is celestialized and crowned with His presence, it will become a “sea of glass and fire,” a great “Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon” (D&C 130:7, 9).

The more of God’s light we receive, the happier we will be. Misery is to lose that light, to receive a lesser portion, or none at all.

The scriptures applaud every step away from sin, and toward obedience and repentance. Our attempts might seem fruitless at times, but the consequences of repentance here and now might save us from incalculable suffering, loss of that light, after we die.

Trust

The night Jesus was arrested, Peter said, “I will lay down my life for thy sake.”

“Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice” (John 13:37-38). This is a painful kind of prophecy—the Lord knows Peter will make a big mistake, and foretells it. Should Peter wallow in despair? No. The very next verse says,

“Let not your heart be troubled…

“In my Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you…

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3).

We must trust that the Lord foresaw all our bad choices (and good), and has prepared a way for us to return to Him.

We speak of the “plan of salvation” as though it were a simple, uniform template for everyone, a waterslide that we all traverse. How much information is contained in that little word, “plan?” It is a verb as well as a noun. Millions of threads make up a mighty tapestry, yet each is unique, and serves to create its own part of the final picture. Each life is unique, and so each life must have been accounted for—planned for—in order for the plan of salvation to be complete.

Nephi saw a vision of the creation and destruction of his people, the Nephites. He sank into bitter sorrow because of this, but his final analysis is educational for us: “…nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted” (2Ne. 4:19).

The fact that God knows the future should fill us with trust and hope, not despair, because He works on our behalf.

Guidance

Rather than feel compelled or limited by God’s foreknowledge, we should feel gratitude that He has our best interests at heart, and that we can trust His omniscience and guidance He sends us through His Spirit (and other sources).

Nephi obtained the brass plates, not because of cunning or his own strength, but because he “was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1Ne. 4:6).

Lehi’s family was led by the Liahona, a miraculous brass ball that pointed the way they should travel in the wilderness. Messages would appear on it and change from time to time. “And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness” (1Ne. 16:16). To ignore spiritual promptings is to invite waste and disaster. Following the Spirit saves time, and leads to safety, greater opportunities, and generally increased prosperity.

“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10).

Instead of waiting to be free from flaws before we feel alright about ourselves and start choosing, we should move forward with confidence, do the best we can, and trust that the Lord has foreseen and provided for the results of our choices.

Often, the Lord will place decisions on our shoulders instead of giving us specific instructions.

“For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant…” (D&C 58:26). The Lord lets us choose, and is prepared for any messes we might make (or invariably make) in the process. The Atonement of Christ is the ultimate power to fix, clean, and cure the aftermath and consequences of our sins or mistakes. (It also does far more; we have only begun to experience the benefits of the Atonement.)

After Joseph Smith was martyred, Brigham Young met him in a dream-vision:

“Joseph…said, ‘tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go…. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls…and their whole desire will be to do good…. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord…they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in heaven before they came into the world” (Elden J. Watson, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1846-47, 23 February 1847).

Both our moral agency and the foreknowledge of God are real, and coexist.

The omniscient foreknowledge of God should console us, not unnerve us. We can rejoice in His ability to foresee what is coming. The Spirit will give us direction according to that knowledge about the future. It will also give us peace and faith to cover gaps in our current limited understanding. “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1Ne. 11:17). When we follow the quiet whisperings of His Spirit, we experience tender mercies, tangible blessings that serve as proofs that God knows the future, and uses that knowledge for us.

I have been blessed with such promptings, and when I have the courage necessary to follow them, I have witnessed those quiet, consoling evidences that God knew what would happen. We should not forget that pure love motivates the use of His power in our lives, and we can return that love by repenting and following directions He gives.

Be of Good Cheer

During the last moments with His disciples before the agony of the Atonement, Jesus Christ instructed and comforted them. John records many of these teachings.

“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). They were about to see their beloved Teacher and Friend betrayed and murdered by a mob misled by conspiring political and religious leaders. They needed this kind of consolation in the dark hours ahead.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How is that consoling? It sounds as though Jesus is saying, “You are stuck in the mud, but that’s alright, because I’m not.”

Why should we “be of good cheer” because HE has succeeded in overcoming the world, especially when we still struggle?

Merits

Merit refers to what we have earned or deserve because of our choices. Nephi speaks of “relying wholly (completely, exclusively, absolutely) upon the merits of him who is mighty to save” (1Ne. 31:19). Why must we rely so totally upon what Jesus has earned?

“And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins…” (Alma 22:14). The moment we commit any sin at all, we lose the option of meriting salvation through works alone. One who falls into a deep pit with no handholds cannot fetch a rope and pull himself out; it requires help from someone else. When Jesus says “be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” He is not bragging; He is saying that we should not worry since He is not trapped in the pit, and is therefore able to help us.

Because of sin, we merit spiritual death, but all this was foreseen and planned against. We need a Savior (Rescuer) to get us out of the mess we created, and so we should not spend an inordinate amount of time moping about being “fallen,” “lost,” “nothing,” “unworthy creatures” or any other unflattering terms the scriptures apply. As long as we trust the Lord, and act on that trust, we will be alright.

(True repentance includes more than sorrow for sin; it should generate joy. If we continue feeling bad for our sins after we have repented, have we really repented?)

No one is exempt: “…no flesh…can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise” (2Ne. 2:8). How sad if we assume that we must save ourselves. True repentance includes the recognition that we cannot fix everything ourselves. Our sins cause damage that only the Savior can repair.

A Lamanite king rejoices at the discovery of God’s mercy:

“And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins…which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son” (Alma 24:10).

Does our behavior still matter if Jesus saves us from our sins? Yes. Our attempts at obedience (successful or otherwise, as long as they are genuine and sincere) demonstrate that we believe in Christ and love Him. Our faith, love, and willing obedience bind us to Christ. The more thoroughly attached we are to Him, the more power we receive to obey.

“And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits” (Hel. 14:13). He does not just save us in the next life; He participates in our salvation from beginning to end.

“And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith” (Moroni 6:4).

Obedience makes it easier for Jesus to perform His work in us. Following His instructions makes us receptive to His sanctification. (Think of a mother trying to put clothing on her child. When the child follows instructions (“hold still, raise your arms”) it is easier to clothe him.)

Change of Heart

I have heard some people misconstrue the phrase, “mighty change of heart,” in various Church settings.
The enthusiasm and renewed determination we feel after listening to a powerful talk are good things, but they are not what the scriptures are referring to when they say “mighty change of heart.” We can humble ourselves, but this is a precursor to the mighty change, not the change itself.

What is it, then? King Benjamin’s people experienced it together:

“And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought (worked) a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2).

This is not a change of emotion, or mindset; the Spirit of the Lord changed them. This is far greater than renewed determination; their natures have been changed by God, that they “have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” This is describing spiritual rebirth.

“…behold, I am born of the Spirit.

“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

“And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

“I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

“Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God” (Mosiah 27:24-28).

This mighty change is something God does to us, or performs in us; our efforts position us to better-receive it, but do not cause it.

Works

“Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you.”

This phrase contradicts itself. Things do depend on God, and we are living a lie if we believe or act like everything depends on us. The Savior does for us that which we cannot do for ourselves.

“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

“And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:23-26).

They were doing as the misguided aphorism suggests—acting like everything depended on them. Would they have been able to bail water fast enough if everything HAD depended on them? We Latter-day Saints often say that “faith is a verb,” implying action on our part. This is true; perhaps it is good to remember that faith is also an internal state.

If we are frantic, fearful, grouchy, despondent, etc., do we have any faith? Jesus did not ask, “Why are you not bailing water faster?” He was also not bothered by the storm. He was concerned that their frantic behavior and demeanor displayed a lack of trust in God.

It is easy to forget in the midst of our own tempest-tossed lives that the Lord is often the One sending the winds and waves our way, and what comes from other sources is under His control as well. We are here in mortality to be tried, as well as to have joy, peace, love, and all those pleasant things we prize. It is much harder to see the value of difficulty. “…know thou…that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).

Yes, we are to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power,” but at some point, we must release our death-grip on mortal resources and “stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17).

“Be not afraid” is consolation and a commandment. Elder Richard G. Scott once lamented that the frequency with which we disregard this instruction must pain our Father in heaven. We want deliverance; God wants us to demonstrate our trust Him.

Alma’s people were captured by the Lamanites and turned into slaves (after they had repented, left a wicked community, created a Church, and begun living righteously).

The preface to the account of their captivity is, “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21).

Slavery is undesirable, and so they prayed for deliverance. Guards curtailed even this religious freedom, “that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death” (Mosiah 24:11). The people pray in secret, and “pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts” (Mosiah 24:12).

“And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying, Lift up your heads and be of good comfort (that same commandment again!), for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:13).

“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even ye cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and this will I do that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions” (Mosiah 24:14).

He is looking further down the road, leaving them in captivity for a time to create a group of saints who can bear witness to His power to lighten burdens and deliver captives.

When does He deliver them from bondage?

“And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

“And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:15-16). As their silent, internal qualities of faith and patience increased, the Lord saw fit to take them out of the oven—they were done. They had obeyed the commandment, “be not afraid.”

That is usually the Lord’s way—we want relief from problems before we stop griping, but He wants us to stop complaining before He delivers us. If we can “be of good cheer” with His help, even at the bottom of a pit, then there is no reason to leave us down there—we have learned what we need from the experience, and can move on to bigger things.

I have learned for myself that God and Christ visit their people in their afflictions. Tender mercies, promptings of the Spirit, sweet consolation, DO come to those who are faithful, even when the Lord decides to allow us to remain in our problems and grief a little longer. Everyone experiences hard times—it is far better to enter those painful episodes holding onto the Lord’s hand. He can make us strong enough to bear those burdens, and the strength stays with us after they are gone.