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.

Weak Things Shall be Made Strong

This past week we have talked about the war chapters in Alma. This is when the Lamanites come against the Nephites, and begin to take their cities. In reply, the Nephites begin to build fortifications, and end up having to defend themselves as they attempt to take back their cities from the Lamanites. In the beginning of the war chapters (which begin in chapter 43), some dissenters from the Nephites go and join themselves to the Lamanites. However, the dissenters are even more blood-thirsty than the Lamanites, and begin to stir the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites. In their anger, the Lamanites come against the Nephites. However, the Lamanites "were not armed with breastplates, nor shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites." Then they decide to come against the Nephites in another part of their land, but the leader of the armies of the Nephites, Moroni, knew their intentions, and so the Nephites ambushed the Lamanites, and overcame them. The Nephites, having won, made the Lamanites to promise not to come to war against them again. Of course, the Lamanites came to war again, otherwise there wouldn’t be more war chapters. So, just a few years after the Lamanites are repelled from the land, a Nephite dissenter, named Amalickiah, becomes king of the Lamanites, and begins to bring them against the Nephites again. However, when they come to the Nephite cities, they find that they have been fortified, and they dare not attack. However, they vow to attack, and so they have no more choice. Now, I’m not going to explain all of what happens in these wars, but if you’d like to know, you may read it yourself. Instead, I am going to explain how any of this could possibly relate to us. So, even though the Nephites were a peaceful people, they were prepared to defend themselves. We need to be ready to defend ourselves, but we shouldn’t instigate a fight. The Nephites prepared themselves in multiple ways. First, they had shields, armor, and helmets. Then, Moroni causes the cities to be fortified by building up walls around the cities, and placing guards on the walls. The next fortification that is made is a strengthening of the line between the Lamanites and Nephites. All of these fortifications can be applied to our own lives: We need to protect ourselves in more than just one way in order to face the trials and problems of life. The individual armor shields us on an individual scale, and, in an individual, it would be related to strengthening our front-lines: the ones that are actually going in for attack. Then, the cities are strengthened: they cover more than just the individual, and strengthen our whole self. Finally, fortifying the line between ourselves and the evil that surrounds us us mandatory once we have expelled the evil from our lives. However, in all of this we cannot do it alone. We need to turn to Christ, and ask for His help in order to properly defend ourselves. So, turn to Christ, and strengthen yourselves to fight against all wickedness.

A Focus on the Atonement

At the beginning of last semester, my professor told us about how the Atonement saves men from both a spiritual death, and a physical death. I understood the concept at the time, but I didn't have anything to back up what he had said; until now. This past week I was reading in Alma 42, where Alma is giving instruction to his son Corianton. Alma tells Corianton about why there is a law, and how justice and mercy work to carry out the law. He explains: "There is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment." This means that when a law is broken, justice then has hold on the breaker of the law. However, if the breaker of the law repents, then mercy claims them, and justice has no hold on them. This repentance is made possible by the Atonement, which allows for mercy, which requires a mediator.* I need here to explain a little bit more of Alma's words. He says, "As soon as [men] were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord." Therefore, without the Atonement, mankind would still be cut off from the presence of the Lord: which is considered the spiritual death of which I spoke earlier. Now, as Alma continues, he says, "The Atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God." Now we see that the Atonement overcame physical death by allowing the resurrection. Also, the Atonement brings men back into the presence of God, thus overcoming the spiritual death. This means that Christ not only atoned for our sins, but He also overcame physical and spiritual death through the Atonement. I am so grateful to have a Savior who knows me personally, and loves me even with all of my faults. *In writing this, it has reminded me of the video about the mediator, which can be found at this address: http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/book-of-mormon-presentations?lang=eng&query=justice+mercy#2007-01-0005-the-mediator Enjoy!

My First Post: An Explanation

I would like to explain the purpose of this blog for all those that don't know, which is probably most everyone who reads it. So, I am a student at BYU, and in my Book of Mormon class we have been asked to share an insight we have had about the reading that we have to do each week. This is going to be my way of sharing my thoughts and feelings. Well, now that that is out of the way, I'll get down to business.