Proverbs

• With God's help, every good thing is possible.

• Heavenly Father is real and wants you to be happy.

• God’s love usually comes from one of his lovely children.

• Feel God’s love by helping someone.

• If we really want to help God, we should work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of his beloved children.

• Jesus is your Savior and the one who helps Heavenly Father help you.

• The Savior suffers with us when we suffer and will comfort us if we are faithful to him.

• The birth, resurrection, and atonement of the Savior are the most important things that ever happened.

• The atonement becomes real to us as we access the grace of God to help us do what we can.

• Righteous intentions, attempted in the name of Christ, avail much.

• The God of this earth is Jesus Christ, not Satan.

• Spirit is real.

• The gift of the Holy Ghost helps you know the truth and identify evil.

• The Holy Ghost also helps us know the truth and do what is right.

• The Holy Ghost will help us figure out the many ways we can help one another.

• Accept the gift of the Holy Ghost and be a righteous companion with whom he will feel comfortable.

• We pray to align ourselves with God, not to instruct him of our needs.

• The plan of salvation is for all people everywhere, always.

• You only receive the blessings that you are willing and worthy to receive.

• Your family members are the most important people in your life; other people are also important.

• If you want to get to the Celestial Kingdom you must work to develop a celestial personality and attitude.

• Power in the priesthood comes from righteousness and spiritual strength.

• The Gospel is true; people are fallible.

• We must be the force for good that is in opposition to the evil that is so rampant in this world.

• You should always give the Church and its leaders the benefit of the doubt when issues arise.

• You are responsible to protect yourself and your family from bad influences.

• You are responsible for your own happiness; release everyone else with a vote of thanks.

• Rejoice that the heavens are open and that we have a prophet.

• The safest thing to do is to follow the Prophet; he will never tell you to do something that is wrong.

• We would not need a prophet if all we needed to hear is what we already thought.

• When you do not know what to do you can pray to Heavenly Father, listen for an answer, and try to do what you think Jesus would do.

• You do not have to be perfect in this life; only Jesus was perfect.

• The Lord wants you to be as happy as he is.

• Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Life is short, eternity is forever.

• When you are helping another, you are helping the Lord.

• How and why you do things are as important as what you do.

• You need to stand up and speak up for what is right.

• There are an unlimited number of ways that you can do good and work righteousness.

• Love your enemies until they are no longer your enemies.

• The Lord will answer the righteous prayers of the saints who pray for what they ought to pray for.

• Act righteously, react mercifully.

• People sometimes do things you will not like or that are wrong; you can love the people but not like the things they do.

• Never let another person’s actions undermine your testimony.

• You should not have your own "take" on the gospel; you should wholeheartedly embrace all that the current prophet teaches.

 

• Happiness and salvation are found in the Church.

• It is a privilege to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; treat everything about it with respect.

• In this life, the Church is not on trial, you are.

• The truth of the gospel does not depend on what happens to you or your family, and you should not link them.

• There is strength in uniting with the Saints.

• Service to others is a privilege, not a chore.

• The Lord delights to bless those of his children who will use the bounty of his earth to bless others of his children who may be less fortunate.

• There is nothing embarrassing, degrading, or inappropriate about the Church, its leaders, or its teachings.

• The best way to improve your own situation is to forget about yourself and do all you can to serve others.

• Don't wait for your neighbor to be robbed before being a Good Samaritan.

• Help your neighbor look for what is lost, then rejoice with them when it is found.

• Most people are neither wicked nor disobedient; they just do not know any better.

• Righteous living is its own reward, but we all must die sometime, of something.

• Death is not a tragedy for those who are righteous; it is usually sad.

• We are expected to search out ways to help others.

• The united, fervent prayers of many righteous people avail much.

• If you make yourself available, Heavenly Father will use you to answer someone’s prayer.

• How you look reflects who you are trying to be.

• The Lord’s plan is the best possible plan, even if you do not understand all of it.

• The Lord has the big picture because all things past, present, and future are continually known to him.

• Your personal plan should include all parts of the Father's plan for you; resolve any differences in favor of the Father's plan.

• Try to appreciate and understand the Father's plan instead of suggesting changes.

• You need to work to become comfortable with the Church and its doctrines and people.

• You might as well get comfortable with yourself because you have a long eternity to be who you are.

• Let the brethren set the agenda for the Church.

• The Church has stood the test of time; the questions detractors raise do not prove anything about the Church.

• In the Church, do what you are asked, regardless of what you have done before.

• Everyone has weaknesses; people with weaknesses can do the work of the Lord.

• The scriptures are not simply good stories, they tell you how to live.

• Church members sometimes do things that are unkind or not right, but you can still believe in the truth of the Gospel and love the Church members.

• Nothing that is worth having can be gained by leaving the church.

• Church members sometimes make mistakes and do dumb things; the Gospel is still true.

• You need to be active in the Church for your whole life; if you ever slip, come back, and the sooner the better.

• Never be afraid to come to Church; you are always welcome.

• Be like your children when they are being like the Savior; lovingly correct them when they are not.

• Sometimes you must wait for things to get good; you can do something else good while you are waiting.

• Try to learn the tough lessons of life on your own without having to learn the hard way. 

• Stand up against that which is wrong.

• Follow a good example to become a good example.

• If you agree to teach a lesson, do not teach something else, such as what you think the lesson should have been.

 

• Bad things often happen to good Mormons.

• Difficult things happen to all people even though Heavenly Father loves all people; this is part of the plan, not a defect in the plan.

• You will be happy if you keep the commandments even when it is hard or if bad things happen.

• Jesus, the sinless one, suffered the most.

• Heavenly Father does not stop bad things from happening; he helps us be strong when bad things happen.

• However hard things get, it is always possible to do the right thing.

• There is no downside risk to keeping the commandments.

• If you are relying on a technicality, you have probably missed the point.

• View the big picture but work in your neighborhood.

• If time is getting short, focus on what is most important; in fact, always focus on what is most important.

• People's names are important to them; treat them with respect.

• Good advice can come from anywhere; keep an open mind.

• Keeping the commandments is sometimes hard, but it is worth it.

• Do not give up; do not give in.

• Just as the beauties of life testify there is a God, so the evil things of life testify there is a devil who, pursuant to the Plan of Happiness, is allowed to provide opposition to all good things.

•We cannot change our identity, but we can improve the type of person we are.

 

• Obedience is fully rewarded in the hereafter; unrepented sins will be punished in the hereafter.

• As to guile, we should follow our children's example; as to obedience and integrity, we should set the example for them to follow.

• Keeping the commandments is not a negotiation, but a process of learning God's will and then striving to do it.

• If you want to avoid being punished for your sins, repent, and do not do them again.

• If you think keeping the commandments is hard, think how hard eternal punishment for sin will be.

• Keeping God's commandments leads to a happy life; you have nothing to lose.

• The rewards of heaven must be earned by effort; do not expect a reward if you have been indifferent to the commandments.

• As with baptism, we need to immerse ourselves in gospel living to get the benefit.

• God's judgment will mete out mercy, salvation, peace, and happiness to the righteous.

• The sooner you repent, the better because you never know how soon will be too late.

• Obedience leads to happiness; disobedience leads to unhappiness.

• Stay away from places where there is sin; avoid even the appearance of sin.

• Never experiment with sin; one try can ruin your life.

• If you keep trying to do your best, that is good enough.

• If you make a mistake, correct it and then try not to make it again

• Jesus will forgive you if you repent, no matter what you have done.

• The reward for righteousness is all that the Father has, which is everything.

• It is the devil who wants you to be miserable like he is.

• You have not failed if you have not given up.

• It is important for both adults and children to make moral decisions in advance.

• Run, don’t walk, away from temptation and evil.

• Do not judge other people but do judge for yourself between good and evil.

• There is nothing inflexible or intolerant about keeping the commandments of God, or with teaching and exemplifying them in our lives.

• You are most tempted by the things you need to be most careful to resist.

• Entertainment value is not a substitute for moral value.

• Anything that you would not feel good about doing if the Lord himself were present is something that you should consider as a subject for repentance.

• If you go down the wrong path you will reach the wrong destination.

• The things that we most need to learn to resist and avoid are precisely the things by which we are most tempted.

• The devil concentrates his efforts in trying to undermine the things that are most important to our salvation.

• Let Heavenly Father do any needed punishing; your job is to forgive.

• Don’t break yourself on the commandments.

• Knock off your own rough edges.

• Pay attention to your prayers to discover your priorities, your desires, and the real you.

• Anticipate the lessons you need to be taught, then learn them on your own.

• The punishment for sin probably will not be to just hang around with people who enjoy the same sins you do.

• If you do not want to keep the commandments, do not expect the blessings that come from obedience.

• In righteousness be a giant; in humility be a child.

 

• Inspiration is usually a quiet, peaceful thing.

• Knowing the Gospel is true is more important than any secular thing you can learn.

• Hold off on the mysteries until you have completely mastered faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, as well as faith, hope, charity, and love.

• "Virtuous, lovely, and of good report" is still the right standard for judging contemporary culture.

• You do not have to know everything to have a testimony.

• Skepticism is not a reasonable substitute for faith.

• There is no safety in doubt; there is no peace in rebellion.

• You should not allow what you do not know to interfere with what you do know and believe.

• Never make an important decision based on something you do not understand.

• Never make an important decision when you are upset.

• Just because you do not have a quick answer to a skeptical question does not mean the question contains any truth.

• Partial truths are not truths.

• Heavenly Father wants you to believe everything that is true.

• You can know that the gospel is true without knowing about everything else.

• Some things will only become clear after this life; you need to have faith in the meantime.

• The Holy Ghost helps you know what is true, but you need to work hard to learn as much as you can on your own.

• You can have faith and know things that have not been proven by the standards of the world.

• You can choose to believe things even though other people do not believe those things.

• You can know Gospel truths; until you do, choose to believe.

• You should respect that other people may disagree with you, and they should respect that you may not agree with them.

• You should respect and be nice to everyone since we are all Heavenly Father’s children.

• Loving sinners is different from tolerating sin; you absolutely cannot afford to have an open mind about sin.

• Give yourself a good talking to whenever you need it.

• Petty disobediences reveal lack of real commitment.

• Don't seek to revise the Father’s plan; instead, seek to understand and help implement that plan.

• The formalities of religion help both to provide a structure for the meek and to teach humility to the strong.

 

• Agency has to do with your choices, not your circumstances.

• Agency implies acting on behalf of another; proper exercise of our agency requires that we choose to faithfully serve the Lord by helping his children. 

• Take a stand against sin and temptation and anyone who promotes such things. 

• You can choose to always be active in the church; you do not need to decide again every day.

• We should err on the side of generosity to others and of discipline of ourselves.

• There does not have to be a first time for everything, such as something you should not do even once. 

• Every choice to obey the commandments leads to greater freedom to choose.

• Obey Jehovah's commandments but follow Jesus' example.

• We all chose to come live the kind of life that this has turned out to be.

• The decision to keep the commandments is an act of free agency.

• Good and evil are opposites, not variations of the same thing.

• As we learn to distinguish good from evil, we need to decide to choose the good and reject the evil.

• Do what is right; do not do what is wrong.

• Make good church history now.

• Church history - a good place to get faith-promoting stories, but not a good place to hang your testimony.

• The Lord wants you to succeed but will not force you to succeed.

• The road to heaven is paved with good choices and service to others.

• If you want a particular blessing, find out the law on which it is predicated.

• However hard things get, it is always possible for you to do the right thing.

• Being active in the Church does not diminish free agency.

• Cultural Mormonism is a bit of an acquired taste. 

• Being active in the Church is totally worth it.

• Nothing that is forbidden will lead to happiness.

• Evil exists and is real, and you should not pretend otherwise.

• Bad things are often tempting; that is what a temptation is.

• Bad things are often entertaining and attractive, but they are still bad and must be avoided.

• People who do bad things are often popular and friendly, but you must resist and reject their example.

• There is nothing impolite about getting away from something that is not right.

• You can be polite about your obedience, but you need to be very firm.

• If you keep the commandments, you will be free from the results of sin; if you break the commandments, you will be burdened by the results of sin.

• Endure to the end so you can retain a remission of your sins. 

• The Lord's church will triumph in the end; you need to be a survivor, not a casualty, of that struggle. 

• There is no freedom or happiness in disobedience.

• Be careful what you say; everything you say adds to or detracts from your spiritual progress.

• Be careful what you do; you are responsible for everything you do.

• Heavenly Father gives you the blessings you need, not always the blessings you want.

• You need to set a good example and ignore other people’s bad examples.

• Pay attention to your first impressions.

• If something does not feel right, stop.

• Always put off until tomorrow what you should not do today.

• You achieve perfection in the world to come by making incremental improvements over a long time, starting in this life.

• You do not have to be perfect in this life to gain eternal life, but you do have to be clean through repentance to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Avoid seeing or doing anything you would not want your child to see or do.

• Develop yourself while you can.

• Leave the mysteries of godliness to God. 

• In the life to come you will still be yourself and not someone else.

• Any progress you make will count in the hereafter; every good thing you learn in this life will rise with you and be to your advantage in the resurrection.

• The more celestial attributes you can learn in this life, the easier it will be for you to find, enter, and feel comfortable in the celestial kingdom once you depart this life.

• The forces of good are greater than the forces of evil; we need to choose which force we support.

 

• The most important time to give service may be after your offer to help is declined.

• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; perhaps do even better. 

• Accept thanks gracefully.

• When thanked, humbly take credit for the good things you do.

• How good we are is more important than how many we are.

• Rejoice in the good fortune of others.

• Follow good examples.

• Support worthy causes.

• When you see something nice, say so.

• Live to serve.

• "Never" and "always" are good standards for our own conduct but poor standards for judging others.

• One way we can be more like Jesus is to act righteously on behalf of others. 

• The world secretly admires the righteous.

• Time expands to accommodate the good works needing to be done.

• A gentle touch may help most of all.

• Never hit anyone.

• Do more than you say and say less than you think.

• In the eternities, no good deed goes unrewarded. 

• Never pass up a chance to keep quiet about something that does not really matter.

• Allow other people to provide you with service you need; accept help when you need help.

• If you make a mistake, correct it.

• Look for the best; overlook the worst.

• Do not ever joke about sacred things.

• Do not ever make fun of anyone.

• Be nice to yourself.

• Be nice to everyone, especially your family members.

• The poor may always be with us, but we must take the opportunity to help them while we can. 

• The Savior ministered to the less fortunate, and so should we.

• The Savior taught the learned and unrighteous, and so should we.

• You cannot afford to be a bad example to anyone; everyone is important.

• The Savior blessed his friends, and so should we.

• Respect other religions and the good things they teach. 

• We must not support irreligion with either our money or our social influence or our indifference.

• If you need something to be grateful for, be grateful you did not live any time before now.

• Get ready to welcome the Savior; quit nit-picking the brethren and leave Church history alone.

• Get organized; it will be a good skill to have in the hereafter.

 

• Science is important and has its place, but it has nothing to say about the truths of the Gospel.

• True religion does not conflict with any truth, be it science, politics, economics, ethics, or religion.

• Religion is more important than politics; salvation is more important than situations.

• Life seems to speed up because each successive day is a smaller part of your total life.

• Whatever its age, the earth is one of God's glorious creations.

• In history and science, just because something is possible does not mean it happened.

• Important things do not have to be the same to be equal.

• Science requires as much faith as religion, but it is usually carefully disguised.

• Modern science asks that we believe what even scientists cannot understand; religion asks that we believe what no scientist can prove.

• Show respect for all God's creatures and creations. 

• If you want to be listened to, make sure you know what you are talking about.

• You can control what you consider, and you can choose what you believe.

• Gravity - an important physical law but a poor attitude for life.

 

• Most people on earth know nothing of the Church or the Savior and are neither wicked nor rebellious; merciful provision is made in the plan of happiness to save and redeem these people, either in this life or in the life to come.

• Don't be surprised if kids act their age; that is their job.

• Sometimes it is very hard not to be discouraged; pray for help and then do the best you can until you feel better.

• There is a fine line between living a robust life and being a darn fool.

• Give everyone the benefit of the doubt since we have no idea what burdens each person carries and what good they do.

• We must be the leaven of righteousness that leavens the whole lump of the world to keep the earth from receiving the punishments most of it deserves for the rampant evils all about.

• Rest in heaven may consist of working hard but not getting tired.

• Offer prayer when you are worried or depressed.

• Life is a necessary detour on the road to heaven.

• You cannot hide from God or yourself.

• The power of acting on behalf of others extends all the way from the Savior's redemption to the Primary nursery.

• Any authority that can be delegated should be delegated, accompanied by appropriate accountability.

• Properly delegated authority is just as good as the original authority.

• Responsibilities come and go, but testimony should continue to increase.

• Times change but the Gospel is forever. 

• Confine your pet theories to your pets.

• Hearken back to first principles; simplify your faith.

• Compromise your opinions not your principles.

• Choosing to follow a good example is an act of free agency.

• Instead of fretting over the details of church history, find a neighbor to help.

• You can understand what the atonement does for you, and requires of you, without needing to understand how it was done by the Savior.

• Don't expect heavenly support if you take a position contrary to the leaders of the Lord's church.

• There are no mysteries about what you should do; you should keep the commandments.

• Moral agency is not free but was won at great cost following an epic battle.

• Yielding to temptation is weak and easy; keeping the commandments takes strength and is hard.

• Now that you know better, any sins you commit add to the Savior's burden in the atonement.

• The continued goodness and vitality of the modern LDS Church evidence that it is still approved of the Lord.

• When it comes to sin, do not have experiences to learn from.

• Try to avoid having strong opinions about things that do not really matter.

• Don't judge the Church based on what you would do if you were in charge; be thankful the Lord is in charge and rest assured that He does have all the facts.

• When the Church publishes the principles of the gospel, there is no need to look anywhere else; anything new will come from the prophet.

• The Holy Ghost will help us divide the light from the darkness in our lives.

• The doctrines, principles, covenants, and ordinances of the Church are not the place to show your individualism.

• There is great power and safety in sticking with what the church makes available. 

• Great power will arise in the Church as we strive to achieve a unity of faith based on a common understanding of the doctrines of the Gospel, as set forth by the prophet.

• A child cannot be expected to rationally choose a religion unless he or she has been taught and has experienced religion.

• The Savior should be both our example and our hero. 

• Study what Jesus did so you can know what he would do if he were you. 

• Many righteous people have successfully followed the Savior's example and you can learn from them. 

• For an adult, maintaining child-like faith requires a big-person effort and the help of the Holy Ghost. 

• A righteous person and his money are soon tithed. 

• Repentance does not necessarily remove the temporal consequences of sin. 

• Look for the good in others instead of in your own conduct.

• It is hard to view eternity from the vantage point of modernity.

• We need to be careful not to treat our church contributions as if they were medieval indulgences; when we sin, we still need to repent, no matter how much we have contributed.

• We need to become as comfortable with the idea of eternal progression as we are with mortal progression.

• The positions taken by the Church are not automatically binding on Church members, but they should be very persuasive; let us not forget who is behind those positions.

• God’s grace helps us do all we can.

• Grace, administered by the Holy Ghost, helps us feel the love of God.

• What we can do, with the help of God, is to love him, to love and serve his children, and to love ourselves.

• We feel the grace of God as tender mercies.

• God’s angels include his children providing tender mercies to each other.

• God appreciates when you help his children.

• Until we believe God loves us, it is hard to love ourselves.

 I try to “liken” what I read in the Book of Mormon to the events of the day. Today I read about a wicked man named Amalakiah who tried to take over the government from the rightful, righteous leaders.  See if any of this reminds you of a current politician who is trying to overthrow our legitimate government by corruptly attacking the past election and fomenting insurrection in the Capitol.  Alma 46: 

  “7 And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous,...

  “8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.

  “9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.

  “10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake.”

    My personal opinion is that the former President is not only weakening our country but is also weakening the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by luring many of its otherwise faithful members to believe important things that are not true (e.g., the Big Lie about the last election), while attracting followers who ignore his well-documented character and history flaws for some supposed, slight political advantage. Just my opinion.

In doing my scripture reading for Sunday School, I was impressed by the following which seems directly applicable to the current Congressional investigation into the Big Lie about the election and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. See, Doctrine and Covenants Section 134, which is a “declaration of belief regarding governments and laws” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

“5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; …

“6 We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men owe respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; ….”

As Church members we should “liken” these express scriptural teachings to our own understanding of the current political situation.

 Joseph Smith 

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God, the restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth…. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive;’ all shall be raised from the dead . The Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection, so that all shall rise from the dead. …Christ Himself has assuredly risen from the dead; and if He has risen from the dead, He will, by His power, bring all men to stand before Him: for if He has risen from the dead the bands of the temporal death are broken that the grave has no victory. If then, the grave has no victory, those who keep the sayings of Jesus and obey His teachings have not only a promise of a resurrection from the dead, but an assurance of being admitted into His glorious kingdom; for, He Himself says, ‘Where I am there also shall my servant be’ [John 12:26].” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith p. 50-51).

Recently I visited a mental health facility with a friend to provide requested religious services to a patient. We met with the patient for a half hour or so. The patient seemed quite normal until the patient addressed a particular topic of concern. It became immediately clear that besides being normal in most respects, the patient was severely deluded about a certain subject, which the patient repeated several times. The patient had been told that he/she was being admitted to the inpatient mental health facility because the patient is “delusional.”

The patient is delusional and institutionalized because he/she believes and repeats and is obsessed by non-trivial facts that are manifestly not true. 

I can’t help compare this unfortunate person to our former President who apparently believes obsessively, and who often repeats, facts about the last election that are manifestly not true. Unlike the patient I encountered, the former President’s false facts are not merely troubling to close friends and family, but are misleading thousands of people and are undermining public confidence in our nation’s fundamental democratic institutions. The January 6 insurrection is an example of the serious harm this one man’s delusion is doing to our country. 

I am giving the former President the benefit of the doubt by saying he is apparently doing what he is doing because he is seriously mentally ill and, sadly for him, none of his fiends or family have cared enough to get him the mental health care he so obviously needs. The alternative explanation to his delusional conduct would be that he is intentionally lying about what he says happened in the last election and that he is attempting to fraudulently undermine the government and steal the election for himself. Many think that is exactly what is going on, not without significant supporting evidence. 

So I conclude that either the former President is seriously mentally ill and should be hospitalized to get the care that he needs, or that he is engaged in a monstrous, venal, criminal enterprise for which he should be criminally investigated, prosecuted, and incarcerated to limit the massive attack on American values and democracy that he is attempting.  

In either event, people of integrity, good character, and patriotic values should stand up for what is right and good and reject any and all future support of or devotion to this very flawed man.  Just my opinion.

 To what in the Book of Mormon can we “liken” Elder Holland’s recent remarks at BYU? Elder Holland’s talk was a gentle reminder compared to some of what Book of Mormon leaders  were required to do to get the attention of Church members in their time. See, e.g., Enos 1:23 “And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.”

Church leaders have to do what they have to do to raise the warning voice in perilous times.

 The Book of Mormon continues to provide incisive guidance for how we should act in our day. Consider this from the Book of Alma about how a gospel-centered people treat refugees who have been driven out of their home land by wicked people who are threatening the good people who are taking them in and protecting them. See Alma 35: 8 “Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land.

9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.”

  That’s how it should be done!

 This reminds me of the opposition to the vaccines, especially in light of the admonition of the First Presidency. See, Alma 33:19 “Behold, he [Christ] was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. 20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. 21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?”

Always seeking to “liken” the scriptures to our day, I came across this teaching of the Antichrist Korihor in the Book of Mormon.  See if It doesn’t remind you of the current rantings of the anti-vaccine crowd.  Alma 30:27 [Korihor to the High Priest] “And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.”

Just because someone couches their rhetoric in high-sounding terms of “rights and privileges,” doesn’t mean they have anything valuable to say.

My letter to the editor as the US prepared to attack and then invade Afghanistan following the 9-11 attacks. 

Deseret News  Sep 19, 2001

   How can we, a Christian community in a supposedly Christian country, seriously think that retaliation against anyone is the correct response to the barbaric attacks of a small group of fanatic terrorists? Does the barbarism of these few justify the systematic barbarism of a whole bloodthirsty country?

    How can we possibly consider mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops to attack the innocent relatives of these fanatics, or more likely, complete strangers with no connection to the terrorists?

    How can we, as a society committed to freedom and due process of law, even consider that it is proper for us to summarily execute individuals who have been neither charged nor convicted of anything? Does the evil that they have done justify evil in return?

    If we terrorize them, are we not terrorists ourselves? Have we learned nothing from the New Testament? Have none of us ever read the Sermon on the Mount? Is this how Jesus responded to those who terrorized him? Is this how he would want us to respond?

    It is long past time for us to internalize what our religions really teach and reject the cultural barbarism that says it is OK to retaliate against someone who wrongs you. The way to protect ourselves is to defend ourselves within our own borders; retaliation is not defense, it is cold-blooded, state-sponsored terrorism.

Scott C. Pugsley

 As the tragedy unfolds of the abandonment of the people in Afghanistan who America promised to protect, I am reminded of a very sad situation in the Book of Mormon wherein an army withdrew leaving innocent people to die.  See, Moroni 9:16: “And again, my son, there are many widows and their daughters who remain in Sherrizah; and that part of the provisions which the Lamanites did not carry away, behold, the army of Zenephi has carried away, and left them to wander whithersoever they can for food; and many old women do faint by the way and die.”

I am afraid what the Biden administration is doing is worse - it is tragically abandoning to Taliban murder, many thousands of Afghan people who were promised American protection. Very sad.

The Book of Mormon contains an interesting episode about drought that should provide guidance for what we should be doing to remedy our situation. 

Book of Mormon , Ether, chap. 9:

“28 And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them—that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent.

29 But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth.

30 And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth.

31 And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla.

32 And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward.

33 And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents.

34 And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.

35 And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine.”

“To assume as duty a strict error has its peculiar grandeur.”

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables 

This quote made me think of the current Republican Party, and it’s smug, self-satisfied support of all things Trump, which all seem so wrong to me.

As I have done in the past, I feel the need sometimes to “liken” current affairs to scriptures in the Book of Mormon.  One instructive episode concerns the preaching of lies about the church by the Anti-Christ Korihor, in Alma chapter 30.   Korihor claimed Alma did not know there would be a Christ or that there was a God, and that Church leaders were profiting from their preaching.  The conflict was basically about who was preaching “truth.”

    Alma accused Korihor of saying things that Korihor knew were not true for personal profit. “31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people. 32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves upon the labors of this people; … 34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren? … 41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?

42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God.”

      The lies that have become a litmus test for leadership in the Republican Party are perfectly obvious to anyone who has paid any attention to the facts of the recent election and it’s aftermath. Such lies are, perhaps, even more obvious than the lies that confronted Alma, whose position involved religious faith. The Big Trump Lie, which so many Republicans have bought into is, like Korihor’s lies, supported by no “evidence,” but merely by the rantings of a dishonest man. 

    Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should be fiercely loyal to the truth and should reject the lies of the current Republican Party leadership. Failure to to do so may, as the Book of Mormon also demonstrates, lead to secret combinations of evil people fighting against all truth.

There should be no question in the mind of any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about the Church’s stand on getting vaccinations for COVID 19. The Church supports getting vaccinated and it’s leaders have set the example by getting vaccinated. See, the Church General Handbook, sec. 38.7.13 Vaccinations: 

“Vaccinations administered by competent medical professionals protect health and preserve life. Members of the Church are encouraged to safeguard themselves, their children, and their communities through vaccination.

“Ultimately, individuals are responsible to make their own decisions about vaccination. If members have concerns, they should counsel with competent medical professionals and also seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

“Prospective missionaries who have not been vaccinated will likely be limited to assignments in their home country.”

 I ran into a neighbor at the store and, knowing that I had not supported Mr. Trump, he tried in a good-natured way to tease me about what he thought were failings of the current president, including what he characterized as all the people at the border. I think I said I was fine with all that and he wondered how people can read the same news and come to such different conclusions.

   Well, I’m not sure we actually do “read the same news,” but the more important point, in my opinion, is how we think of and treat God’s children who are not in our immediate circle. The people at the border are God’s children, and our brothers and sisters, just as surely as our children are our children. 

   In reading for this week’s Sunday School lesson, in Section 38 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I was impressed by these verses: “15 Therefore, be ye strong from henceforth; fear not, for the kingdom is yours.

16 And for your salvation I give unto you a commandment, for I have heard your prayers, and the poor have complained before me, and the rich have I made, and all flesh is mine, and I am no respecter of persons.

17 And I have made the earth rich, and behold it is my footstool, wherefore, again I will stand upon it.

18 And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh;

19 And I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you seek it with all your hearts.

20 And this shall be my covenant with you, ye shall have it for the land of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children forever, while the earth shall stand, and ye shall possess it again in eternity, no more to pass away.

21 But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you.

22 Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people, and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver, and what can stay my hand?

23 But, verily I say unto you, teach one another according to the office wherewith I have appointed you;

24 And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practice virtue and holiness before me.

25 And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself.

26 For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just?”

   I think the Lord wants us to share the bounty with which  he has blessed us with all his children, especially including those at our border desperately seeking escape from desperate conditions in other countries. I believe this is a test of our country’s goodness, and of our goodness, as we choose how to treat Heavenly Father’s children in need.  We will fail that test if we turn away people in need because of selfish, political concerns.

 Choosing

Scott C. Pugsley

Talk 10-18-2020

 

     I live in a condominium in what I like to call the “Donner St. Marys’ Archipelago,” composed of the condos on the west side of the street on Donner Way, a mile or so from this building.       Condo living has several good things about it – no snow shoveling, no lawn mowing, and the like.  One of the less great things about condo living is that there is a committee that makes decisions about matters of general interest, such as what color to paint the common areas.  In my condo, a few years ago, there was a spirited dispute about what color to paint the entry way. One of the committee members decided that a brown color would be good and directed that it happen.  Other residents reacted in quite a hostile and aggravated way.  It has been said that the reason such disputes are so bitter is because the stakes are so low.  Anyway, I tried not to get involved.  However, one day, waiting for the elevator, a fellow resident asked me what I thought about the new paint color.  Without giving it much thought, I said, quote, “I have chosen to like it.” “I have chosen to like it” I said. She gave me a look like I had just said the most unbelievable and horrible thing imaginable: “you have chosen to like it?” It seemed inconceivable to her that I could say such a thing: you either like it or you do not like it; you do not choose what you like.

     I would like to start my talk on this point: Yes, you can choose what you like, and yes, you can choose what you believe. This is, at least in part, what moral agency is about. To suggest otherwise is to suppose that our important likes and beliefs are something that just happen to us when the occasion arises; they just pop into our minds from somewhere but are not something that we can and do control. There may be some things that are inherent in our natures, built in so to speak, but paint color preferences, and of course, religious beliefs and preferences, are not something beyond our control and agency. What we believe and choose to do regarding religion, is something entirely within our control, entirely within our moral agency, and not something that we can suppose is outside our will. And since we do have moral agency to choose what we believe, we are morally responsible for the choices we make and the fidelity we show to those choices.

         In his talk in the recent Conference, Elder Bednar told this story:

“While I was serving as the president of Brigham Young University–Idaho, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came to the campus in December 1998 to speak in one of our weekly devotionals. Susan and I invited a group of students to meet and visit with Elder Holland before he delivered his message. As our time together was drawing to a close, I asked Elder Holland, “If you could teach these students just one thing, what would it be?”

He answered:

“We are witnessing an ever greater movement toward polarity. The middle-ground options will be removed from us as Latter-day Saints. The middle of the road will be withdrawn.

“If you are treading water in the current of a river, you will go somewhere. You simply will go wherever the current takes you. Going with the stream, following the tide, drifting in the current will not do.

“Choices have to be made. Not making a choice is a choice. Learn to choose now.”

         In a 2015 General Conference address, Elder Whitney Clayton, now released but a member of our Stake, noted the following:

“God does not compel us to believe any more than He compels us to keep any commandments, despite His perfect desire to bless us. Yet His call to us to believe in Him—to exercise that particle of faith and to give place for His words—remains in effect today. As the Savior said, “I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.”

Elder Clayton continues: “Belief and testimony and faith are not passive principles. They do not just happen to us. Belief is something we choose—we hope for it, we work for it, and we sacrifice for it. We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior and His gospel any more than we will accidentally pray or pay tithing. We actively choose to believe, just like we choose to keep other commandments.”

         Elder Renlund said it this way, in his October 2018 Conference address:

God’s plan includes directions for us, referred to in the scriptures as commandments. These commandments are neither a whimsical set nor an arbitrary collection of imposed rules meant only to train us to be obedient. They are linked to our developing the attributes of godliness, returning to our Heavenly Father, and receiving enduring joy. Obedience to His commandments is not blind; we knowingly choose God and His pathway home.

      I am aware that sometimes inappropriate things just pop into our minds, for no apparent reason and contrary to what we might choose.  Part of our moral agency is to deal immediately and decisively with those unwanted thoughts, substituting something different and better. Elder Soares said the following in his recent Conference talk: 

“Despite our continuous efforts to seek out the Lord, inappropriate thoughts may penetrate our mind. When such thoughts are permitted and even invited to stay, they can shape the desires of our heart and lead us to what we will become in this life and eventually to what we will inherit for eternity. Elder Neal A. Maxwell once emphasized this principle by saying, “Desires … determine the gradations in outcomes, including why ‘many are called, but few are chosen.’”

Our ancient and modern prophets have constantly reminded us to resist temptation in order to avoid losing our spiritual traction and becoming confused, disoriented, and disillusioned in life.”

         Temptations are tricky things – we are not tempted by things that don’t interest us; we are tempted by things we find tempting, things that do interest us even when we know we should avoid them.  That is what it means to be tempting. It would not be a temptation otherwise.  Enticement is another similar word to temptation. Lehi said

“Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself.  Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.” 2 Ne 2:16

It is not big deal to resist and avoid something that is of no interest, but it is a big deal, and vitally important, that we resist doing things that are tempting but which we know we should avoid.  Just because something is entertaining or feels or tastes good, does not mean it is appropriate; indeed, the things that are most entertaining may well be the things we most need to avoid.  I give as an example, the Broadway play, The Book of Mormon, so innocently named, and apparently entertaining to many, and yet so thoroughly inappropriate in content.  Just my opinion. Thus, temptations are something we can and must choose to avoid. Elder Dale Renlund said it this way:

“Our Heavenly Father’s goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right and ultimately become like Him. … God is not interested in His children just becoming trained and obedient “pets” who will not chew on His slippers in the celestial living room.  No, God want His children to grow up spiritually and join Him in the family business.”

         As is so often the case, the Book of Mormon provides detailed and helpful instruction on the matter of choosing in the Gospel context.  In the recent Conference, Elder Holland referred to Chapter 32 of the Book of Alma as follows:

My beloved brothers and sisters, Christianity is comforting, but it is often not comfortable. The path to holiness and happiness here and hereafter is a long and sometimes rocky one. It takes time and tenacity to walk it. But, of course, the reward for doing so is monumental. This truth is taught clearly and persuasively in the 32nd chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon. There this great high priest teaches that if the word of God is planted in our hearts as a mere seed, and if we care enough to water, weed, nourish, and encourage it, it will in the future bear fruit “which is most precious, … sweet above all that is sweet,” the consuming of which leads to a condition of no more thirst and no more hunger.

Many lessons are taught in this remarkable chapter, but central to them all is the axiom that the seed has to be nourished and we must wait for it to mature; we “[look] forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof.” Our harvest, Alma says, comes “by and by.” Little wonder that he concludes his remarkable instruction by repeating three times a call for diligence and patience in nurturing the word of God in our hearts, “waiting,” as he says, with “long-suffering … for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.”

         Here is what Sister Lisa L. Harkness said about choosing in the recent conference:

Regardless of our circumstances, we can intentionally make efforts to build and increase our faith in Jesus Christ. It is strengthened when we remember that we are children of God and that He loves us. Our faith grows as we experiment on the word of God with hope and diligence, trying our very best to follow Christ’s teachings. Our faith increases as we choose to believe rather than doubt, forgive rather than judge, repent rather than rebel. Our faith is refined as we patiently rely on the merits and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah.

     After being inactive for a number of years, I have chosen to follow this process for myself and now have a testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, springing initially, I will say, from a testimony of the Book of Mormon.

Now that I believe what I believe, it is my responsibility to conform my life to what I believe and to make choices to enable me to “endure to the end.”  For my part, I have chosen to be an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I have chosen to believe, and I do believe, in the essential and saving ordinances, covenants, doctrines, and teachings that are available through the Church.  I have chosen to believe, and I do believe, that the modern Church is the restored Church establish by Jesus Christ in the meridian of time, reestablished through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I have chosen to believe, and I do believe, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, brought forth by the gift and power of God through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith, who was and is an approved Prophet of God. I have chosen to believe, and I do believe, that the Church is led today by a Prophet and Apostles who have been called of God and anointed and set-apart to receive guidance and inspiration for the Church from the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church.

     I have decided to be an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to be involved in the activities of the Church.  I choose to strive to be qualified to have, and to regularly use, a Temple Recommend. 

All that being so, I do not have to check the news each morning to see if anything has happened to shake my testimony.  I try to assure that my testimony is independent of my circumstances, including world developments.  Let me say that again: I try to assure that my testimony is independent of my circumstances and world developments.  I know that life holds many challenges, adversities, even tragedies.  Several talks in the recent Conference dealt with dealing with adversities, particularly those of Pres. Eyring and Elder Holland.  For my part, Church history has some quirks and Church administration is sometimes different than I would choose, but my testimony does not depend on either Church history or administration. My testimony is based, primarily, on the Book of Mormon, which I know to be true.

Since I have chosen to be an active, loyal member of the Church, I try to never make an important decision based on something I do not understand or, for that matter, when I am upset about something.  Let me repeat that: I try never to make an important decision, especially about the Church, based on something I do not understand. My testimony is too precious to risk in an unguarded moment. My default response is to support the Brethren and be true and loyal to the Church.

In Elder Clayton’s 2015 General Conference address on Choosing he said the following related to actively choosing to be a faithful member of the Church:

“Alma’s call for us to desire to believe and to “give place” in our hearts for the Savior’s words reminds us that belief and faith require our personal choice and action. We must “awake and arouse [our] faculties.” We ask before it is given unto us; we seek before we find; we knock before it is opened unto us. We are then given this promise: “For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.”

As I endure the trials of my life, I try to remember this key point: Jesus suffered most! Think of that: Jesus, the Beloved Son, suffered most under the Father’s plan.  We should not be surprised if we suffer, although immeasurably less than our Savior.  We do not relish it, but we should not be surprised or have our testimonies shaken by the adversities of life.  If we want to end up where Jesus is, and where all the ancient and modern prophets and apostles are, we should not be surprised that we need to prove ourselves in various trying circumstances while enduring to the end. Only then can our “confidence be strong in the presence of God.” D&C 121.

As Elder Holland said in the recent Conference: 

The point is that faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed in our behalf. That can be difficult in our modern world when many have come to believe that the highest good in life is to avoid all suffering, that no one should ever anguish over anything. But that belief will never lead us to “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

We do not have to be perfect to enter the kingdom of Heaven; it is not possible for us to be perfect at the time we leave this life.  We should not fret over the fact that we are not perfect or that someone else seems to have it all together better than we do.  What we have to do in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is be clean, free from unrepented sin, which is something we can achieve through repentance and the Atonement of the Savior on our behalf. Repentance is, of course, something we choose to do. If we repent of our sins, on an ongoing basis, when we come to the pearly gates we can be as clean as an eight-year old child coming forth from the baptismal font.  As the scriptures say, “No unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of God.” It does not say that no imperfect person can enter the kingdom of God.  While we are to strive for perfection, and while perfection is an achievable goal in the hereafter, it is not either possible or required in this life.  If you think you need to be perfect, stop it. Be sure you repent and just do the best you can. God loves you just the way you are, and you should love yourself as you repent and try to keep the commandments.

In his closing remarks in the recent Conference, Pres. Nelson expressed his optimism about the future:

Despite the world’s commotion, the Lord would have us look forward to the future “with joyful anticipation.” Let us not spin our wheels in the memories of yesterday. The gathering of Israel moves forward. The Lord Jesus Christ directs the affairs of His Church, and it will achieve its divine objectives.

Pres. Nelson continues: “The challenge for you and me is to make certain that each of us will achieve his or her divine potential. Today we often hear about “a new normal.” If you really want to embrace a new normal, I invite you to turn your heart, mind, and soul increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Let that be your new normal.

Embrace your new normal by repenting daily. Seek to be increasingly pure in thought, word, and deed. Minister to others. Keep an eternal perspective. Magnify your callings. And whatever your challenges, my dear brothers and sisters, live each day so that you are more prepared to meet your Maker.

         As I did with the paint color in the entry way of my building, I pray that we can all choose to like, to choose to believe, and to choose to follow our Savior and the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  By the way, the hallway color was eventually changed.  May we all prepare to meet our savior with confidence in our standing, which is hope for our destiny, and have “joyful anticipation” as we make righteous choices and endure to the end, is my prayer.