The Importance of Unity

We are often taught that we need to focus on things that matter most. President Monson said, "I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not.... and what is most important often involves the people around us." Oftentimes, that people that are around us are our family, and close friends: in specific, the people that we are sealed to in the temple. One of the most wonderful sealings we can partake of is being sealed to a spouse for time and all eternity. When this occurs, the husband and wife kneel across an altar. Now, we’re going to go on a little road trip…. Altars have often been used for sacrifice, and when we think of the things we need to come and lay on a metaphorical altar, we think of the things that we have done wrong. However, the Lord asks for all that we have: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21). Now, let’s go back. We are commanded to give up everything, and so it will all be on the altar. We need to put everything on the altar: our family, fear, doubt, sin, time, etc. Therefore, in this sense, the altar of the temple signifies Christ and the Atonement. The Atonement, a word that literally means “the process of becoming one,” is essential in marriage. This is not because we need to repent of the wrongs we do, although we do need to do that, but because a husband and wife need to work together, or as one. This is, however, not just metaphorical, but literal. Kneeling across the altar, a couple lay their love and everything they bring into the marriage onto the altar, so that they can become one. The church handbook says, “The nature of male and female spirits is such that they complete each other. Men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation. We cannot take this lightly. We need to show those around us that we love them, and that we want to live with them in eternal harmony.

We are often taught that we need to focus on things that matter most. President Monson said, "I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not.... and what is most important often involves the people around us."

Choose to be Happy

The reading for this past week was Alma 56-63, and Helaman 1-4. I would like to focus on a concept that we talked about in class. In Alma 58 there are some great trials and battles that the Nephites are struggling with. A song that I really like says, “like stones in the river we are tossed and turned, smoothed until the edges are gone.” This is only half of the story though: trials are meant to help us change, but how we change is a choice of our own. We can either become more like Christ and Heavenly Father, or more like the devil. In Alma 58 we see that the Nephites chose to become more Christ-like, because it says, in verse 10, “we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.” Then in verse 11 it talks about how they became better, because “the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith.” However, as we’ve seen earlier in the Book of Mormon with Laman, Lemuel and Nephi, trials can make people either better, or bitter. The difference between becoming better and bitter is that when people become bitter, they are too focused on themselves (too much focus on “I”). So, you might be wondering what the take-away is on this. It’s simple. When we focus on ourselves throughout a trial, we are destined to become bitter, and more like the devil. However, if we turn to God, and trust in Him and His timing, then we can become better, and rise above our situation. This is because faith, and happiness are both choices, and when we choose them, we are turning to God. As the verse in 58:11 shows, when we have faith in God, He will bless us in even more faith and happiness.