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Come Follow Me

Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Doctrine and Covenants 60-62

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These words sunk deep into my heart, “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them.” (D&C 60:2). Confronting the Lord’s anger in scripture can be harrowing and difficult, as it might be difficult to square that “negative” emotion with our perception of a loving God, but my mind turned to a couple other scriptures.

In the gospel of Matthew we read, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33).  Then in that same chapter, but further down, we read, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39). These verses indicate that preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ allows Jesus Christ to advocate for us in heaven. God’s anger kindled against us when we do not preach Christ’s gospel will fade into obscurity when we surrender our will to the will of God’s.

Whenever I think of the anger of the Lord, my mind is drawn to these verses, “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer…For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” (Isaiah 54:7-8, 10). Although the Lord might be angry with us for a moment, the Lord’s covenant with us is to gather us and to be kind to us. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Doctrine and Covenants 60-62

Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Doctrine & Covenants 58-59

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by Amber Rothamer

Blessings Come According to God’s Timing and Our Diligence

Sanctification. Diligence. Miracles. 

Sometimes the standard practices of the world become so commonplace that as a global society we often fail to alter our ways of thinking to produce a more desirable outcome or feeling. Yes indeed, one of the truths taught in Doctrine and Covenants 58 is that peace can be found during mankind’s times of trial and struggle both on individual and global scales. However, often what happens when we discuss such truths is we allow ourselves to hyper focus on the trials instead of adjusting that focus to that of envisioning the blessing so long as we are preparing ourselves for the miracle we seek. Might we consider instead: adding upon that truth by acknowledging our very real ability to act with diligence so as to be better aligned with God’s timing for the blessings and miracles we would prefer to have on a regular basis.

Sanctification

To sanctify is to set apart for a special use or purpose. We can set our hearts and minds apart from the limited and often negative scope the world has programmed us to have in times of struggle. Rather than dwelling on the various scenarios of adversity we may have or others we know have suffered, or are still yet wrestling with, perhaps a paradigm shift can help further confirm the truths found in these verses of scripture. In fact, many spiritual teachers both within and outside christianity emphasize that it is impossible to feel good and at the same time be having negative thoughts.  [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Doctrine & Covenants 58-59

Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Doctrine & Covenants 51-57

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by Hanna E. Seariac

One of the amazing elements of the Doctrine and Covenants is the way that the Lord teaches us about personal stewardship and responsibility in the scripture. Many callings are given to the saints and the faithful, where God asks them to stretch and grow to fill the capacity of their calling. While we may think about callings as a way for ourselves to grow, how often do we see them as a privilege?

We read, “And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of organizing themselves according to my laws.” (D&C 51:15). God’s commandments and covenants give us the privilege of becoming more like Him, becoming more good, becoming more loving; they compose the greatest privilege that we have in this life—to grow in the principle of perfection and love like our Savior. With that being said, my mind turns to a verse in Luke 9, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26).

When we frame commandments and covenants as privileges that God grants to us rather than as burdens or hindrances, we can remember the words of our ancestors, “Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?/’Tis not so, all is right/Why should we think to earn a great reward/If we now shun the fight?” This acts as a guiding principle for us when we consider how the Lord calls us. Edward Patridge was given a great calling and was told, “And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.” (D&C 51:19). We inherit eternal life not merely because the Lord grants it to us, but because we become the type of person who could live eternally with the Lord, who brings souls to Jesus Christ, which is the work and purpose of the Lord. The Lord’s organizational structure allows us to have stewardship in specific areas to learn how to love in the way that the Lord does. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Doctrine & Covenants 51-57

Come, Follow Me Week 20 – Doctrine & Covenants 49-50

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The Story Behind the Revelations: Using the Joseph Smith Papers to Better Understand the Doctrine and Covenants

by Matt Grow & Matt Godfrey

(This is from a presentation given at the 2014 FairMormon Conference)

Matthew Grow:

It’s a great privilege to speak to you today about the Joseph Smith Papers and the Doctrine and Covenants. What I want to do is to share some thoughts as to why the Joseph Smith Papers is important to answering questions and to defending the Church, and then to share some recent research which can enlighten Latter-days Saints as they seek to understand Joseph’s revelations.

First, a brief introduction to the Joseph Smith Papers. We sing in the Church that “millions shall know Brother Joseph again.” It is our hope at the Joseph Smith Papers that we have a role in helping millions upon millions to become acquainted with Joseph.

The goal of the Joseph Smith Papers is to publish – either in print or on our website – everything that is a Joseph Smith document – that is, documents that he wrote, that he dictated, that he authorized, documents that were written to him, business records, legal records, and other things. It’s a massive undertaking.

On the day the Church was organized, the Lord declared, “Behold there shall be a record kept among you.” The early Saints took that commission seriously. We’ve now published eight volumes out of a projected two dozen. The Joseph Smith Papers is a documentary editing project that’s sponsored by the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as the Larry H. and Gale Miller Family Foundation. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 20 – Doctrine & Covenants 49-50

Come, Follow Me Week 19 – Doctrine & Covenants 46-48

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by Dell Blair

How is it that a dark and formless void ends up as a holy and glorious paradise? How can something so empty become completely whole? What is the recipe? And what is our personal role in bringing it about? Is there a map? If so where is the big red ‘YOU ARE HERE’ mark on it?

A thought experiment:

Consider the task of drawing a map of something that is dark, empty and formless. You are standing at the easel in your studio staring at an blank surface thinking: what lines do I start with? What information do I have to reference? How do I do this?

Any line or dot or brush stroke you make will establish a kind of form. So how do you proceed? Since the reference doesn’t look like anything, how do you represent it as something? What form can represent the idea of formlessness?

[Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 19 – Doctrine & Covenants 46-48

Come, Follow Me Week 18 – Doctrine & Covenants 45

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A House of Order, a House of God: Recycled Challenges to the Legitimacy of the Church

by Cassandra Hedelius

(This is from a presentation given at the 2015 FairMormon Conference)

I. Introduction to Mormon Gnosticism

Apologetics is a very broad field and different topics can involve extremely different audiences. My topic today is a little delicate, because the audience I hope to reach is a certain group of members of the church, good and faithful and well-meaning members, who believe in God, believe in Joseph Smith’s calling as a prophet, and have no problem with most of the doctrines and truth claims of the Restoration. You may now wonder why on earth I’m even up here. The unfortunate reality is that even for such a faithful person, there’s still the possibility of spiritual danger. One particular spiritual threat is gaining strength among some church members, particularly via the internet. What we’re seeing is a modern spin on an old song–that the church has lost its way, church leaders are not inspired or in favor with God, so God has raised up new leaders outside the church hierarchy whose visions and teachings are important for us to follow. It is likely you know someone who finds this narrative persuasive, or at least intriguing, even if you don’t know that they do. It is also possible that you and I have some seemingly harmless beliefs that can lead to this danger.

Central Tension

There is an interesting central tension in our faith. On the one hand, we believe that everyone can—and should—receive personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. On the other hand, God calls prophets to receive essential revelations that are binding on each of us church members. On the other one hand, Christ said many times to ask, seek, and knock, and promised He will answer. On the other other hand, Christ said that answers come in His own time, not automatically like putting a quarter in a pop machine. On the other other one hand, He wants us to come unto him with all our hearts, which is intensely personal and can be done without help or participation from anyone else. On the other other other hand, Christ commands us to receive ordinances which by definition require another ordained person to administer them to us, leaving us helpless if no such person is available. To boil it down: there’s a tension between religion as practiced on an individual level, and the many ways access to religion is mediated through the church organization. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 18 – Doctrine & Covenants 45

Come, Follow Me Week 17 – Doctrine & Covenants 41-44

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“Gladly” receiving God’s law

by Jeff Markham

The restoration of the Gospel revealed God’s law to the saints. There will be times in each of our lives when God’s law might feel like a burden. In those times, it is important to take the time to reaffirm and deepen our understanding of and appreciation for the fundamental purposes of mortality.

Let’s begin with a parable.

A certain man had three sons. It was summer, and each of the sons left home each morning to spend time with their friends. One morning, as they passed through the garage, they saw it contained three brand new, shiny bicycles, almost calling out to them to be ridden.

The first son, without even a moment of hesitation, jumped on a bike and rode off. He loved the feeling of the wind through his hair.  As he went about from place to place throughout the day, he didn’t think much about the bike. At times he left it lying on the ground. Despite his lack of concern for the bicycle, the newfound ability to quickly get to any part of town allowed him to have a lot of fun with his friends.  They went to a park, then to a fast food place, then through a forest and to the banks of a muddy creek. In the process of pushing the bike to its limits, he ended up having to walk it home with a flat tire and more than a few dents and scratches. He knew he’d have some explaining to do. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 17 – Doctrine & Covenants 41-44

Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Doctrine & Covenants 37-40

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God gathers us to bless us 

The Lord instructed Joseph, “Behold, I say unto you that it is not expedient in me that ye should translate any more until you shall go to Ohio, and this because of the enemy and for your sakes.” (D&C 37:1). At the time of this instruction, Joseph labored on his inspired Biblical commentary, having read Genesis 5. The city of Enoch appears in Moses 7, and Enoch weeps bitterly over the problem of evil. The Lord comforts Enoch by giving him a vision, “And it came to pass that Enoch looked; and from Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the day of Lord come…And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man…and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.” (Moses 7:45, 47).

Seeing all the families of the earth, Enoch also saw how the Savior Jesus Christ would rescue and restore them. Central to gathering, whether it be as families or wards or stakes or friends, is the Savior Jesus Christ. The Lord says, “And again I say unto you that ye shall not go until ye have preached my gospel in those parts, have strengthened up the church, whithersoever it is found.” (D&C 37:2). One of the Lord’s purposes in gathering is so that we can strengthen one another.

Jesus instructed Peter similarly in the New Testament, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you ,that he may sift you as wheat” but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32). We are gathered because we can learn from one another. This learning is integral to our becoming more like Jesus Christ. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Doctrine & Covenants 37-40

Come, Follow Me Week 15 – Doctrine & Covenants 30-36

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Thomas Marsh and the Individualized Instructions of Doctrine & Covenants 30-36

by Steve Densley

            Various sections of the Doctrine and Covenants consist of instructions to specific individuals. It may be that this is illustrated no better than in sections 30 through 36. In these sections we read about individualized revelations directed to various men who were called on a mission to the Lamanites (Peter Whitmer, Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson), some called to share the gospel at home and minister in the church in surrounding areas (David Whitmer, John Whitmer, Thomas B. Marsh, Ezra Thayre, Northrop Sweet, Orson Pratt, & Edward Partridge), and one was given a special assignment to be the scribe for Joseph Smith as he worked on his translation of the Bible (Sidney Rigdon).

As we read these sections, we are reminded perhaps of our own patriarchal blessings or other blessings in which we are set apart for some Church service and are given insight and direction as to how to carry out our assignments and generally conduct our lives. These kinds of blessings can come to be more meaningful with time as we look back on specific events of our lives and how those events were perhaps foreshadowed through prophetic instruction.

As we read Section 31, for example, we are left wondering if the life of Thomas B. Marsh may have been much different if he had followed the direction he received more closely. And, of course, the instruction he received can be applied in our personal lives and may similarly make our lives better if we heed the counsel provided here. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 15 – Doctrine & Covenants 30-36

Come, Follow Me Week 14 – Easter

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I was raised by two parents who loved science. My father was a biology teacher. He was a favorite at the high school, with lots of silly and whacky exercises that helped the students remember the material. I recall one phone call from a Yale university student who called to thank my dad for his help passing his Yale biology exams. He said that he just had to think back on the play they performed in his high school class when the students acted out the various parts of cellular mitosis. My father did try his hand at teaching college classes as well, but he said it wasn’t as much fun. He claimed he would try to crack a biology joke, but the college students would respond by dutifully writing it into their notes as if it were fact.

My mother was also a teacher. She taught grade school, and then later middle school. Her favorite magazine was Scientific American. Each month, she would read the magazine from cover to cover. She would read every single article. Then she would want to discuss it. Imagine my groan and eye roll as a 13 year old when she would start reading the latest article to me and state how it would change everything. Even as she moved into her 80s, she still read it. When I visited, she would want to talk about dark matter, gene splicing, or some other current science issue. She would also read to us as kids when we went on road trips to the coast, or over to Utah. We live in California. She wouldn’t read novels. No, she would read the latest psychology book, or book on mind science.

I believe every student should study science even if they have no plans to go into it. Science teaches us to ask questions. Asking questions is good. Asking questions is important. Science also teaches us how to evaluate evidence. Understanding how to evaluate evidence is very good, and very important.

How Does Science Relate To My Faith? [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 14 – Easter