I just read an article that mentioned a fad diet that became popular back in 2006-7 called the Kimkins diet. It claimed that a person could lose weight super fast. It was featured in popular magazines which boosted its popularity.
After complaints about the diet arose, investigators found the creator of the diet to be a con artist, who was obese herself and had never tried the diet. Dietitians researched the diet and found it to be dangerously unhealthy. Also, the diet mentions nothing about exercise or seeking medical advice. It, in essence is a get thin quick scheme that did not work.
People spent millions on the diet before the creator was sued.
This "get ____ quick" mentality is pervasive in today's society. Coupled with another debilitating lack of a sense of delayed gratification, it is no wonder why so many people are financially strapped, including myself. There is nothing "quick" about success in any endeavor. There are no short cuts. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.
Just as this Kimkins diet purports fast weight loss, so too will one find schemes of all kinds to get to heaven quick without the necessary work God requires of us. These philosophies of men mingled with scripture try to make it sound like it is cool with the Almighty that we sin a little there and take advantage of our neighbor because of his weakness, and eat, drink and be merry, and then be saved with a slap on the hand. Too many who follow these something for nothing philosophies will come to the end of their lives desperately short of eternal capital to make it to heaven.
I am reminded of a story I read of a man who was tasked to carry a large cross across the desert. He began his journey with a smile and enthusiasm. After several hours, the man became tired and thought that if the cross were smaller, it would be easier to carry. After that thought caught hold of him, he lopped off a small portion of the cross in an effort to make it easier to carry.
Over the course of his journey, the man made several adjustments to the size of his cross before coming to a large ravine. The ravine stretched on forever in both directions. He could not jump across, for it was too far. He could not climb down then back up the other side, for the pit was bottomless. He then realized that he could use his cross to span the ravine and and walk on it to the other side. He carefully stood the cross on end on his side of the ravine and as he lowered the other end of the cross to the other side, he soon realized that the cross was not long enough, but the weight of the cross was too much and he lost his grip and the other end plummeted into the bottomless ravine. As the other end of the cross fell near the other side, he realized that if he had not shortened the cross, it would have been long enough to span the ravine, so he could make it across.
The cross the Lord has in mind for me to bear includes loving my family and others as myself. Serving them to the end, making no compromises
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thursday, December 9, 2010
What is Mammon?
I have been struggling with the scripture in Matthew 6:24 (KJV) that says, "No man can serve two masters...Ye cannot serve God and mammon." My struggle is this: I have been blessed as of late with an increased insight into my finances and how to climb my way out of debt. (That is a whole other story).
Many of the books I have been reading on the subject of money and finances have shown me that I am the creator of my debt, and, therefore, I am also the creator of getting out of that debt. For me to climb out of debt requires that I focus on making money. I have learned that by focusing on my debt the past few years has actually led me into even more debt. Thus my dilemma. If I cannot serve God and mammon (many definitions of mammon say that it means money) then how do I get out of debt if I want to serve God? I know some who read this already have the answer, and I feel that I have found the answer too. Here it is:
Mammon has reference to Idolatry, which is the worship of idols. It also has reference to covetousness, which is the desire for someone else's property. I think that all would agree that a thief is covetous. To covet something is to want it without earning it and without a desire to use it for good. To covet has reference to a state of being greedy. This is what the dictionary on my Mac spit out about greedy:
greedy |ˈgrēdē|
adjective ( greedier , greediest ) having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, esp. wealth or power : greedy thieves who plundered a defense contractor.
• having an excessive desire or appetite for food.
DERIVATIVES
greedily |-dəlē| |ˈgrid1li| adverb
greediness |ˈgridin1s| noun
ORIGIN Old English grǣdig, of Germanic origin.
The desire for money and the things it can buy is often associated with Americans. But not all Americans are greedy, which implies an insatiable desire to possess or acquire something, beyond what one needs or deserves (: greedy for profits). Greedy is especially derogatory when the object of longing is itself evil or when it cannot be possessed without harm to oneself or others (: a reporter greedy for information).
Someone who is greedy for food might be called gluttonous, which emphasizes consumption as well as desire (: a gluttonous appetite for sweets).
A greedy child may grow up to be an avaricious adult, which implies a fanatical greediness for money or other valuables.
Rapacious is an even stronger term, with an emphasis on taking things by force (: so rapacious in his desire for land that he forced dozens of families from their homes).
Acquisitive, on the other hand, is a more neutral word suggesting a willingness to exert effort in acquiring things (: an acquisitive woman who filled her house with antiques and artwork), and not necessarily material things (: a probing, acquisitive mind).
Covetous, in contrast to acquisitive, implies an intense desire for something as opposed to the act of acquiring or possessing it. It is often associated with the Ten Commandments (: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife) and suggests a longing for something that rightfully belongs to another.
Jacob (2:18-19), in the Book of Mormon, teaches:
"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."
"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."
I like how Jacob teaches me that "riches" or money, is simply a tool. It can be used for good or evil purposes. I can see how a person who serves mammon cannot use money for good purposes, because all good comes from God.
Because I am human, I know that I need to avoid greed and covetousness by keeping my eye on Christ.
I know that I can serve God and pay off my debts, and make money with intention to use it for His purposes, and not my own. In fact, I have come to realize that because I have the capacity and ability to make money, I have an obligation to do so. Not only because I need to pay off my debtors, but because I have an an obligation to help and serve others with it as well.
Just to add a note about service. I once heard a business owner say that his time was his money and justified not giving of his time if he gave his money. I completely disagree with this. There is no greater gift you can give than your time. Time is life. If you give your time, you give a part of your life. Benjamin Franklin said, "We give our lives to that which we give our time." I am keenly aware of my obligation to give of my time regardless of how much money I give and strive to live the admonition given in the Doctrine & Covenants in section 58 verse 27 that reads:
"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;"
I welcome comments.
Many of the books I have been reading on the subject of money and finances have shown me that I am the creator of my debt, and, therefore, I am also the creator of getting out of that debt. For me to climb out of debt requires that I focus on making money. I have learned that by focusing on my debt the past few years has actually led me into even more debt. Thus my dilemma. If I cannot serve God and mammon (many definitions of mammon say that it means money) then how do I get out of debt if I want to serve God? I know some who read this already have the answer, and I feel that I have found the answer too. Here it is:
Mammon has reference to Idolatry, which is the worship of idols. It also has reference to covetousness, which is the desire for someone else's property. I think that all would agree that a thief is covetous. To covet something is to want it without earning it and without a desire to use it for good. To covet has reference to a state of being greedy. This is what the dictionary on my Mac spit out about greedy:
greedy |ˈgrēdē|
adjective ( greedier , greediest ) having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, esp. wealth or power : greedy thieves who plundered a defense contractor.
• having an excessive desire or appetite for food.
DERIVATIVES
greedily |-dəlē| |ˈgrid1li| adverb
greediness |ˈgridin1s| noun
ORIGIN Old English grǣdig, of Germanic origin.
The desire for money and the things it can buy is often associated with Americans. But not all Americans are greedy, which implies an insatiable desire to possess or acquire something, beyond what one needs or deserves (: greedy for profits). Greedy is especially derogatory when the object of longing is itself evil or when it cannot be possessed without harm to oneself or others (: a reporter greedy for information).
Someone who is greedy for food might be called gluttonous, which emphasizes consumption as well as desire (: a gluttonous appetite for sweets).
A greedy child may grow up to be an avaricious adult, which implies a fanatical greediness for money or other valuables.
Rapacious is an even stronger term, with an emphasis on taking things by force (: so rapacious in his desire for land that he forced dozens of families from their homes).
Acquisitive, on the other hand, is a more neutral word suggesting a willingness to exert effort in acquiring things (: an acquisitive woman who filled her house with antiques and artwork), and not necessarily material things (: a probing, acquisitive mind).
Covetous, in contrast to acquisitive, implies an intense desire for something as opposed to the act of acquiring or possessing it. It is often associated with the Ten Commandments (: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife) and suggests a longing for something that rightfully belongs to another.
Jacob (2:18-19), in the Book of Mormon, teaches:
"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."
"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."
I like how Jacob teaches me that "riches" or money, is simply a tool. It can be used for good or evil purposes. I can see how a person who serves mammon cannot use money for good purposes, because all good comes from God.
Because I am human, I know that I need to avoid greed and covetousness by keeping my eye on Christ.
I know that I can serve God and pay off my debts, and make money with intention to use it for His purposes, and not my own. In fact, I have come to realize that because I have the capacity and ability to make money, I have an obligation to do so. Not only because I need to pay off my debtors, but because I have an an obligation to help and serve others with it as well.
Just to add a note about service. I once heard a business owner say that his time was his money and justified not giving of his time if he gave his money. I completely disagree with this. There is no greater gift you can give than your time. Time is life. If you give your time, you give a part of your life. Benjamin Franklin said, "We give our lives to that which we give our time." I am keenly aware of my obligation to give of my time regardless of how much money I give and strive to live the admonition given in the Doctrine & Covenants in section 58 verse 27 that reads:
"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;"
How can I give of my time in a good cause if I do not have the money to do so? How can I give of my time if I have to work to pay off debt?
I have an outrageous goal to be completely debt free by December 30, 2013.
I welcome comments.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The Secret
I recently watched a movie called The Secret, and thought I would share my thoughts about its message and how it relates to my experience as a disciple of Christ. For those who have not seen the movie I recommend watching it as it has some good information in it.
The basic message about The Secret is the Law of Attraction. I have come to experience this law in my life in profound ways that can only be explained by this law, and yes, I do believe it to be a law just as there is a law of gravity. Because it is a law, it operates for everyone regardless of their belief system just as the law of gravity. I have read in numerous posts on the internet about Christians ranting and raving against the movie and its message. For those of you who disagree with the message, I would ask why you do?
I agree with the message as it pertains to the aspects of the Law of Attraction. So, how does this law relate to my Experience as a Latter-day Saint?
I believe that God attracts good because He is good, and that Satan (Evil) attracts bad because he is bad. I believe that all that is good flows toward God and all that is Evil flows toward Satan. I know from experience that good flows into my life as I think, believe, and act according to God's commandments. I also know the opposite to be true.
So how does this relate to The Secret? (by the way, this was really not a secret before the movie or book came out. It is in the Bible; Proverbs 23:7.)
For centuries, God's Prophets have been teaching His commandments because of this law! God knows this law and he knows what beliefs and actions will bring good things into our life, and He knows what beliefs and actions will bring misery. Like attracts Like!
In the movie, a Feng Shui specialist describes how a male client of hers wanted to date 3 women each week. The specialist told him how he could attract this into his life, and he followed her advice and it happened for him. That is the Law of Attraction, but does that mean that God wanted this man to date 3 women each week. No! All this means is that he successfully accessed this Law and found three women each week who were also seeking the same thing. When this man finally wanted to settle down and get married, he set his mind on that end and it was manifest in his life, just as the man who set his mind on moving into his dream house. No matter what a person focuses on in life, does not absolve them of the need for Christ in their lives. In fact, because of their knowledge of the law of attraction, I believe that they need Christ in their lives more so now to provide guidance in what to focus on.
The Law of Attraction does not replace Christ in our lives any more than the law of gravity does. Regardless if I am good or bad, the Law works for me, and that is the beauty of agency. What I desire (and work toward) will be given to me. The Lord says over and over again, "Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." This goes for seeking Him or seeking our common enemy, the Devil. If a person is a seeker of truth, he will find it. If a person is a seeker of the pleasures of this world, he will find them. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)
If I treasure poverty, meaning I think about it constantly, that is where my heart will be, and according to the Law of Attraction, poverty and I will be attracted to each other, and will eventually meet unless I choose a different treasure. I have experienced this in my life the last few years. I made some seriously bad financial decisions a few years back that devastated mine and my family's financial well-being. I blamed others, the market, and anything else I could attribute responsibility to.
After a few years, I was reminded about the Law of Attraction, and completely broke down and cried when I realized that I had created my condition. I finally admitted to myself that it was me, not them, or anything else that created my financial condition. So I prayed. I prayed more, and realized something amazing! I realized that because I created my state of poverty, I had the power to create a state of abundance in my life. It has been a trying process, because of the many years of living in scarcity, not only in things, but in thought as well. I have been retraining myself to believe that I am living in abundance, and I have already seen results. I know that these results would come into my life regardless of my religious beliefs; however, the difference is that because of my faith, I recognize where the Good in my life is coming from - From GOD.
The basic message about The Secret is the Law of Attraction. I have come to experience this law in my life in profound ways that can only be explained by this law, and yes, I do believe it to be a law just as there is a law of gravity. Because it is a law, it operates for everyone regardless of their belief system just as the law of gravity. I have read in numerous posts on the internet about Christians ranting and raving against the movie and its message. For those of you who disagree with the message, I would ask why you do?
I agree with the message as it pertains to the aspects of the Law of Attraction. So, how does this law relate to my Experience as a Latter-day Saint?
I believe that God attracts good because He is good, and that Satan (Evil) attracts bad because he is bad. I believe that all that is good flows toward God and all that is Evil flows toward Satan. I know from experience that good flows into my life as I think, believe, and act according to God's commandments. I also know the opposite to be true.
So how does this relate to The Secret? (by the way, this was really not a secret before the movie or book came out. It is in the Bible; Proverbs 23:7.)
For centuries, God's Prophets have been teaching His commandments because of this law! God knows this law and he knows what beliefs and actions will bring good things into our life, and He knows what beliefs and actions will bring misery. Like attracts Like!
In the movie, a Feng Shui specialist describes how a male client of hers wanted to date 3 women each week. The specialist told him how he could attract this into his life, and he followed her advice and it happened for him. That is the Law of Attraction, but does that mean that God wanted this man to date 3 women each week. No! All this means is that he successfully accessed this Law and found three women each week who were also seeking the same thing. When this man finally wanted to settle down and get married, he set his mind on that end and it was manifest in his life, just as the man who set his mind on moving into his dream house. No matter what a person focuses on in life, does not absolve them of the need for Christ in their lives. In fact, because of their knowledge of the law of attraction, I believe that they need Christ in their lives more so now to provide guidance in what to focus on.
The Law of Attraction does not replace Christ in our lives any more than the law of gravity does. Regardless if I am good or bad, the Law works for me, and that is the beauty of agency. What I desire (and work toward) will be given to me. The Lord says over and over again, "Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." This goes for seeking Him or seeking our common enemy, the Devil. If a person is a seeker of truth, he will find it. If a person is a seeker of the pleasures of this world, he will find them. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)
If I treasure poverty, meaning I think about it constantly, that is where my heart will be, and according to the Law of Attraction, poverty and I will be attracted to each other, and will eventually meet unless I choose a different treasure. I have experienced this in my life the last few years. I made some seriously bad financial decisions a few years back that devastated mine and my family's financial well-being. I blamed others, the market, and anything else I could attribute responsibility to.
After a few years, I was reminded about the Law of Attraction, and completely broke down and cried when I realized that I had created my condition. I finally admitted to myself that it was me, not them, or anything else that created my financial condition. So I prayed. I prayed more, and realized something amazing! I realized that because I created my state of poverty, I had the power to create a state of abundance in my life. It has been a trying process, because of the many years of living in scarcity, not only in things, but in thought as well. I have been retraining myself to believe that I am living in abundance, and I have already seen results. I know that these results would come into my life regardless of my religious beliefs; however, the difference is that because of my faith, I recognize where the Good in my life is coming from - From GOD.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Power of Belief
I have often shared my testimony in Sunday meetings and used the word "know", such as "I know the church is true". I have often heard others use that word as well as many of the other ways to express their feelings on the subject, such as "with every fiber of my being" and
without a shadow of a doubt". I have a confession to make - I don't think I know anything.
I think that everytime I said I "know"...what I was really saying is that I choose to believe. I believe that the sun will rise and set today just as it did yesterday, but I could choose to believe otherwise. So, if I were to choose to believe that the sun will not rise and set as usual, how would that influence my behavior.
Suppose I have a limited knowledge of the effects of the sun on life in general, but understand that it is essential to growing a garden. If I chose to believe that the sun would not rise, I would not plant seeds in my garden because I would have no hope for the seed to grow beyond sprouting.
Suppose that I chose to believe that because plant life is not possibe because I believe that the sun will not rise that any plants, fruits, vegetables, and etc sold in the stores are man made and therefore not healthy for me, I would stop eating those things and in turn, place my health in jeopardy.
My actions that are based on that one simple belief that the sun would not rise would eventually lead to my destruction, or in the very least the disintegration of my quality of life. Because, in this scenario, I have chosen to believe that the sun will not rise, I will do what I can to protect that belief and maintain it by staying indoors during the day, and only venturing out at night. This behavior would allow me to continue believing that the sun is not rising. I would also cut off anything in my life that interfered with that belief such as TV shows that show the sun, because a picture of the sun in those shows would contradict my belief and I can't have anything in my life that would sway me from this belief.
I know the above scenario sounds absurd, but just think about this for a moment: I am what I am, because I believe what I believe, I know what I know, because I believe what I Believe, and I have what I have, because I know what I know. I don't have what I don't have because I don't know what I don't know, and I don't know what I don't know because I don't believe what I don't believe.
I heard this quote a long time ago, and I apologize that I cannot reference it, but it goes as this:
without a shadow of a doubt". I have a confession to make - I don't think I know anything.
I think that everytime I said I "know"...what I was really saying is that I choose to believe. I believe that the sun will rise and set today just as it did yesterday, but I could choose to believe otherwise. So, if I were to choose to believe that the sun will not rise and set as usual, how would that influence my behavior.
Suppose I have a limited knowledge of the effects of the sun on life in general, but understand that it is essential to growing a garden. If I chose to believe that the sun would not rise, I would not plant seeds in my garden because I would have no hope for the seed to grow beyond sprouting.
Suppose that I chose to believe that because plant life is not possibe because I believe that the sun will not rise that any plants, fruits, vegetables, and etc sold in the stores are man made and therefore not healthy for me, I would stop eating those things and in turn, place my health in jeopardy.
My actions that are based on that one simple belief that the sun would not rise would eventually lead to my destruction, or in the very least the disintegration of my quality of life. Because, in this scenario, I have chosen to believe that the sun will not rise, I will do what I can to protect that belief and maintain it by staying indoors during the day, and only venturing out at night. This behavior would allow me to continue believing that the sun is not rising. I would also cut off anything in my life that interfered with that belief such as TV shows that show the sun, because a picture of the sun in those shows would contradict my belief and I can't have anything in my life that would sway me from this belief.
I know the above scenario sounds absurd, but just think about this for a moment: I am what I am, because I believe what I believe, I know what I know, because I believe what I Believe, and I have what I have, because I know what I know. I don't have what I don't have because I don't know what I don't know, and I don't know what I don't know because I don't believe what I don't believe.
I heard this quote a long time ago, and I apologize that I cannot reference it, but it goes as this:
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results."
I do things the same way sometimes and expect that things in my life will be different. In that I have found moments of insanity to be very unforgiving. There are areas in my life that I need to change, and that change cannot happen unless I am willing to change my beliefs. Even a desire to believe is a step in the right direction. I have found by sad experience that believing in something that is false requires that I disbelieve in something that is true. Take my sun scenario for instance: by believing that the sun will not rise, I disbelieve in the rising of the sun. I know I did not need to point that out, but did so for clarification for my next thought which is this: I believe that there is a God in heaven, and that he is the Father of my spirit. I believe that I am made in His image. I believe that He loves me. I believe that I can become like Him, just as I can be like my mortal father here on earth. I also believe that I fall short of that eternal blessing of having everything the He has because of my weakness, however, I also believe that He sent his Son to atone, and effectively, wiping out my weakness so as to return me to a state of perfection through His grace. I believe that no other being that has ever lived or will live on this earth has the power to do that for me.
Because of these beliefs, I make an effort on a daily basis to keep my life in keeping with these beliefs, and I have experienced things that I am not at liberty to discuss here, but suffice it to say that my beliefs have made me a better person than I could have become if I did not believe as I do.
I know that if I am not happy with an aspect of my life, all I need to do is look at my belief that led me to the actions that caused my grief and every moment of introspection I had of this kind has always shown me the belief was not in keeping with God and His love for me. To make a change was as simple as looking to Him, to my Savior, and seeking His guidance, and in every case, I have found peace and forgivness.
To be happy requires belief in correct principles that lead to it.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Help When You Need It!
It's been a while...been busy with moving, but in moving I have learned once again the small miracles manifest in the Church.
I injured my arm (minor injury, but put my work as a sign language interpreter in jeopardy) last week and I hesitated to unpack boxes and move stuff around worried that I would exacerbate it. I happened to mention this to a friend at church and he offered to help with our unpacking. I told him I would call him. The next evening I received a call from another member of our Ward (local concregation) offering to organize members of the Elder's Quorum (a group of men designed to serve other members) and come over and help move boxes, and whatever else I needed.
Last night, six of them showed up and I was able to get some help doing things that would have had to wait another month until this little injury completely healed.
Two of them gave me a Priesthood blessing and today, the pain is noticeably less than expected.
"...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." Alma 37:6
I am sure I will have the chance to return the favor.
I injured my arm (minor injury, but put my work as a sign language interpreter in jeopardy) last week and I hesitated to unpack boxes and move stuff around worried that I would exacerbate it. I happened to mention this to a friend at church and he offered to help with our unpacking. I told him I would call him. The next evening I received a call from another member of our Ward (local concregation) offering to organize members of the Elder's Quorum (a group of men designed to serve other members) and come over and help move boxes, and whatever else I needed.
Last night, six of them showed up and I was able to get some help doing things that would have had to wait another month until this little injury completely healed.
Two of them gave me a Priesthood blessing and today, the pain is noticeably less than expected.
"...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." Alma 37:6
I am sure I will have the chance to return the favor.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Imperfect People Led by Imperfect People Who are Led by God
One of my most difficult hurdles to overcome in building my knowledge of the Gospel is the fact that imperfect people (such as myself) are led by imperfect people. That fact is obvious to adults, but growing up in the church, I had these ideas that the full-time missionaries and leaders were perfect and could do no wrong. Of course that fairy tale came to an end when I left for my mission, because I knew that I was not perfect and soon realized that missionaries are people too. I had to work through this thought piece by piece, person by person.
I realized at the time that the leaders of the Church were not perfect, both local and General Authorities (the prophet and officers of the church). That was difficult to swallow. Please do not think that the church in any way teaches that they are perfect. This was an idea I had put into my own head and had to rewrite my mental scripts.
Armed with this idea, I delved into the scriptures and saw amazing things. Before this change in perception, I did not think a miracle performed by a prophet was such a big deal because he was perfect, but viewed through this new lens of imperfection, I see the miracles of Moses and Elijah as just that - Miracles. Imperfect men doing the works of God! Then came the clincher...could I do these things? Could I do the works of God? Miracles?
This thought was flattering, but who was I to hope for such power. I knew that I was a child of a loving Heavenly Father, but did that fact alone give me that power? What made the difference between an imperfect person who could not do miracles and an imperfect person who could (or rather who the Lord worked through to accomplish his work). I often thought at that time in my life that the perfomring of a miracle was the measure of a servant of God. I know, it sounds like the Cathoilic definition of a Saint, but I believed that I was a saint in training of sorts and performing a miracle would the proof that I had arrived. I soon learned that becoming a saint was not something I arrived at - It was something I decided to do on a daily basis.
I began to do small acts of service. A smile, for instance, to every on who looked at me. I would visit the poor and the well to do and speak of God and His Son. These and others I would do with the thought that is what a Latter-day Saint would do; that is what Jesus would do if he were here, so I invited Him with me everywhere.
During a particular high point at the beginning of my full-time mission (1993-95), my companion and I met a family who invited us in to teach them. They lived in government housing, but this single mother of 3 kept that place as clean as though she lived in a palace. After a few visits, she mentioned to us that her youngest son had suffered a set back with his sickle cell condition. He had been complaining of stiff arms and legs that were painful to move. We then taught her about how the power of the Priesthood has blessed the lives of many people and asked if she would like us to give her son a blessing. She said her son needs all the help he needs and to please go right ahead. We placed our hands on his head and I offered the words of the blessing. No sooner had I began speaking that I felt my whole body fill with this burning sensation and knew that I could not say anything to this little boy except to command his illness to leave his body. I did so and said a few other words of encouragement and the prayer was done.
My companion and I left right after that to return about 3 days later. When we arrived, I knocked on the door, and the mother, who had seen us from the window, was crying when she opened the door. My feeble brain immediately thought that her son had died or something terrible like that, but she gave me this big hug and told us that not even an hour after we left that last time - after the blessing - her son came to her and told her that he did not hurt anymore and has been pain free from that time.
I am not a doctor, but that sounded like a miracle to me, and yet I felt that my journey was just beginning. I do not know what happend in the lives of that family, but I like to remember that I had a small part to play in their life and hope the freedom from pain was permanent.
So here I am, an imperfect man sharing a perfect power. What do I think of these imperfect leaders now. I know this much- that imperfect leaders are placed in those positions to do as the Lord would have them do. I believe that for the prophet, his actions are always in line with what the Lord has in mind for the Church. As for the local leaders, I have seen very imperfect people doing extraordinary work and I can only give credit to the Lord for that.
Sometimes I wonder due to mistakes made by these leaders. My mom tells me that some leaders are called to teach and some are called to test. The key for me is to learn as much as I can from the former and have an abundance of patience with the latter. Who knows, maybe I will be called to lead someday and be the one who tests everyone else.
I realized at the time that the leaders of the Church were not perfect, both local and General Authorities (the prophet and officers of the church). That was difficult to swallow. Please do not think that the church in any way teaches that they are perfect. This was an idea I had put into my own head and had to rewrite my mental scripts.
Armed with this idea, I delved into the scriptures and saw amazing things. Before this change in perception, I did not think a miracle performed by a prophet was such a big deal because he was perfect, but viewed through this new lens of imperfection, I see the miracles of Moses and Elijah as just that - Miracles. Imperfect men doing the works of God! Then came the clincher...could I do these things? Could I do the works of God? Miracles?
This thought was flattering, but who was I to hope for such power. I knew that I was a child of a loving Heavenly Father, but did that fact alone give me that power? What made the difference between an imperfect person who could not do miracles and an imperfect person who could (or rather who the Lord worked through to accomplish his work). I often thought at that time in my life that the perfomring of a miracle was the measure of a servant of God. I know, it sounds like the Cathoilic definition of a Saint, but I believed that I was a saint in training of sorts and performing a miracle would the proof that I had arrived. I soon learned that becoming a saint was not something I arrived at - It was something I decided to do on a daily basis.
I began to do small acts of service. A smile, for instance, to every on who looked at me. I would visit the poor and the well to do and speak of God and His Son. These and others I would do with the thought that is what a Latter-day Saint would do; that is what Jesus would do if he were here, so I invited Him with me everywhere.
During a particular high point at the beginning of my full-time mission (1993-95), my companion and I met a family who invited us in to teach them. They lived in government housing, but this single mother of 3 kept that place as clean as though she lived in a palace. After a few visits, she mentioned to us that her youngest son had suffered a set back with his sickle cell condition. He had been complaining of stiff arms and legs that were painful to move. We then taught her about how the power of the Priesthood has blessed the lives of many people and asked if she would like us to give her son a blessing. She said her son needs all the help he needs and to please go right ahead. We placed our hands on his head and I offered the words of the blessing. No sooner had I began speaking that I felt my whole body fill with this burning sensation and knew that I could not say anything to this little boy except to command his illness to leave his body. I did so and said a few other words of encouragement and the prayer was done.
My companion and I left right after that to return about 3 days later. When we arrived, I knocked on the door, and the mother, who had seen us from the window, was crying when she opened the door. My feeble brain immediately thought that her son had died or something terrible like that, but she gave me this big hug and told us that not even an hour after we left that last time - after the blessing - her son came to her and told her that he did not hurt anymore and has been pain free from that time.
I am not a doctor, but that sounded like a miracle to me, and yet I felt that my journey was just beginning. I do not know what happend in the lives of that family, but I like to remember that I had a small part to play in their life and hope the freedom from pain was permanent.
So here I am, an imperfect man sharing a perfect power. What do I think of these imperfect leaders now. I know this much- that imperfect leaders are placed in those positions to do as the Lord would have them do. I believe that for the prophet, his actions are always in line with what the Lord has in mind for the Church. As for the local leaders, I have seen very imperfect people doing extraordinary work and I can only give credit to the Lord for that.
Sometimes I wonder due to mistakes made by these leaders. My mom tells me that some leaders are called to teach and some are called to test. The key for me is to learn as much as I can from the former and have an abundance of patience with the latter. Who knows, maybe I will be called to lead someday and be the one who tests everyone else.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Who is My Neighbor?
Who is my neighbor? My answer to that question has changed over time as I learned more about myself and my relationship with my Father in Heaven and His Son. I have met many people who I would consider my neighbor and, in the past, many I had not considered my neighbor. I know that was not in keeping with The Savior's response to that question. I have made progress in learning how to see everyone as my neighbor. My progress is in my understanding of what the Lord meant by "Neighbor".
His question, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" slipped past me in reading his response. The definition of "neighbor" is not determined by the other persons behavior, but mine. Instead of asking, "Who is my neighbor?" the right question is "Have I been a neighbor?"
The Lord makes reference to "sheaves" in other parables in relation to the harvest. I think that "neighbor" and "sheaves" are synonomous with each other in the context of being a neighbor. What better way to make a neighbor than to be a neighbor. In this light, my neighbor is anyone I choose to be my neighbor.
Who is my neighbor? I hope to someday be able to say everyone. The next question I need to ask myself is, how can I be a neighbor to everyone? Even those who oppose me?
The Lord said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
How do I show love to everyone? To say it is not enough. I believe that "Love" is not just a word, it's a behavior. How do I show love to my neighbors?
First of all, my neighbor is myself. If that seems selfish, look at the Lord's command to "Love thy neighbor as thyself." How can I love my neighbor if I do not love myself. We love Him because He loved us first, and I can love myself because He loves me.
Second, my family. Again...selfish? No! Absolutely not! There are too many fathers in the world who treat their families like trash and often the result is crime and another generation of selfishness. So, my family is my neighbor, and teaching them to be neighbor to others is one of the ways I can contribute to the world.
Third, everyone else. Service to others is paramount to happiness. I find I am happiest when I am serving others. In contrast, I find my deepest regret in lost opportunities to serve. How am I neighbor to everyone. Simple, find the need and try to fulfil that need. There is a similar idea in capitalism, but the stark contrast here is I am not expecting payment for fulfilling that need! That is service. The best kind of service is anonymous service to others, but sometimes that is impossible. Besides, it is nice to get a thank you now and then, and when I do, I get to pass that thanks onto the One who it belongs to (even though I am sure He is aware, it is always good to say it anyway).
Here is a recent conversation I had with Sandi Johnson, a friend of mine who is an Associate Minister for the First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs, CO:
I love my Savior. He is indeed the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
His question, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" slipped past me in reading his response. The definition of "neighbor" is not determined by the other persons behavior, but mine. Instead of asking, "Who is my neighbor?" the right question is "Have I been a neighbor?"
The Lord makes reference to "sheaves" in other parables in relation to the harvest. I think that "neighbor" and "sheaves" are synonomous with each other in the context of being a neighbor. What better way to make a neighbor than to be a neighbor. In this light, my neighbor is anyone I choose to be my neighbor.
Who is my neighbor? I hope to someday be able to say everyone. The next question I need to ask myself is, how can I be a neighbor to everyone? Even those who oppose me?
The Lord said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
How do I show love to everyone? To say it is not enough. I believe that "Love" is not just a word, it's a behavior. How do I show love to my neighbors?
First of all, my neighbor is myself. If that seems selfish, look at the Lord's command to "Love thy neighbor as thyself." How can I love my neighbor if I do not love myself. We love Him because He loved us first, and I can love myself because He loves me.
Second, my family. Again...selfish? No! Absolutely not! There are too many fathers in the world who treat their families like trash and often the result is crime and another generation of selfishness. So, my family is my neighbor, and teaching them to be neighbor to others is one of the ways I can contribute to the world.
Third, everyone else. Service to others is paramount to happiness. I find I am happiest when I am serving others. In contrast, I find my deepest regret in lost opportunities to serve. How am I neighbor to everyone. Simple, find the need and try to fulfil that need. There is a similar idea in capitalism, but the stark contrast here is I am not expecting payment for fulfilling that need! That is service. The best kind of service is anonymous service to others, but sometimes that is impossible. Besides, it is nice to get a thank you now and then, and when I do, I get to pass that thanks onto the One who it belongs to (even though I am sure He is aware, it is always good to say it anyway).
Here is a recent conversation I had with Sandi Johnson, a friend of mine who is an Associate Minister for the First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs, CO:
Colby: What are some of your thoughts about the question to the Savior, "Who is my neighbor?"It has been my blessed opportunity to work with Sandi in the Sign Language interpreting field. It is always a treat when I see people like her giving of themselves for the betterment of others and truly exemplifying our Saviors charge to Love on another!
Sandi: In the context Jesus is telling his disciples and all people that we are all to take care of each other. We are not called to be in the seat of judgement of who is good or bad. That is God's role...We are called to be in relationship with those in need no matter their standing in the community or background.
Colby: What does that relationship look like to you? What does it mean to take care of each other?
Sandi: I guess it varies. It depends on the need of the other person. It could be a friend in need, a hand up or a walk along side. We are to serve each other, should that be to assist the elderly, street person, and even those in jail.
Colby: Can you give me an example in your life on how you are a neighbor to others?
Sandi: My life is in service to others. From homeless families living with us to serving a church full time... to mission trips around the country and world bringing money and teaching folks how to make a living….and who do you say your neighbor is??
Colby: Everyone!
Sandi: Good…we’re on the same page.
I love my Savior. He is indeed the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Self Discovery
The world of the internet is fascinating. Pre-internet, I lived in a little bubble that no one penetrated very easily. Now, a good portion of my life is spent in front of my computer reading and researching. I use an internet version of holy writ due to the speed at which I can reach answers to questions I might have about passages, or, in some cases, all I find are more questions. Some of those questions I find perplexing, even after an exhaustive study of the scriptures.
I have found that there are many people out there on the net that oppose my beliefs who are ready and willing to provide me with answers to my questions. I admit that they can be convincing the way they mingle their own philosophies with the written Word. For a short time, I began to wonder about my own beliefs due to these influences and then I found a tremendously helpful resource - www.fairlds.org. Everything I had wondered about, and more, was answered through my research on that site.
This is the main thing that I learned as I combined the information from the opposition (for there must be in all things), the information from the resources on LDS.Org and from the great defenders at FairLDS.com- it is this: When the opposition thinks they are learned (educated), they think they are wise and their pride distorts all their ability to think critically about the basis for their arguments. I was about to say that their rhetoric is borderline absurd, but I have to put it on the side of the absurd, their ramblings are not borderline.
To those who oppose, I have only one observation from my 34 years as a Latter-day Saint: I have never in all those years been offered a class at Sunday School, Seminary, or Institute that discusses ways in which a particular church organization is wrong or misled. Why would those who teach the truth need to criticize others? This type of behavior is not dissimilar to my 5-year-old tattling on my 3-year-old in an attempt to get the 3-year-old in trouble when in fact it was my 5-year-old who required the punishment because she was in the wrong.
It puzzles me how so many "Christians" are focused on attempting to prove that the LDS Church is such when I believe their lives would be better spent feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and lifting the hands which hang down. Stop trying to prove your faith with your words; only works prove faith. What will you who oppose say to Him who knows when He asks what you did with your life? That you spent your time ranting about 13 million of His children when you could have been serving them? Get out and serve, we do! http://www.lds.org/humanitarianservices/0,19749,6208,00.html
I have found that there are many people out there on the net that oppose my beliefs who are ready and willing to provide me with answers to my questions. I admit that they can be convincing the way they mingle their own philosophies with the written Word. For a short time, I began to wonder about my own beliefs due to these influences and then I found a tremendously helpful resource - www.fairlds.org. Everything I had wondered about, and more, was answered through my research on that site.
This is the main thing that I learned as I combined the information from the opposition (for there must be in all things), the information from the resources on LDS.Org and from the great defenders at FairLDS.com- it is this: When the opposition thinks they are learned (educated), they think they are wise and their pride distorts all their ability to think critically about the basis for their arguments. I was about to say that their rhetoric is borderline absurd, but I have to put it on the side of the absurd, their ramblings are not borderline.
To those who oppose, I have only one observation from my 34 years as a Latter-day Saint: I have never in all those years been offered a class at Sunday School, Seminary, or Institute that discusses ways in which a particular church organization is wrong or misled. Why would those who teach the truth need to criticize others? This type of behavior is not dissimilar to my 5-year-old tattling on my 3-year-old in an attempt to get the 3-year-old in trouble when in fact it was my 5-year-old who required the punishment because she was in the wrong.
It puzzles me how so many "Christians" are focused on attempting to prove that the LDS Church is such when I believe their lives would be better spent feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and lifting the hands which hang down. Stop trying to prove your faith with your words; only works prove faith. What will you who oppose say to Him who knows when He asks what you did with your life? That you spent your time ranting about 13 million of His children when you could have been serving them? Get out and serve, we do! http://www.lds.org/humanitarianservices/0,19749,6208,00.html
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