Two Keys to the Work of Salvation

It has been quite sometime since I have posted anything here, but today my Bishop reiterated a challenge that he gave our ward at the beginning of the year. He promised that we will receive blessings of The Lord if we spend time in the Book of Mormon each day. The spirit touched my heart and I decided I need to be more diligent in this area, so here goes a revitalization of this blog. Last week we had a training with Elder Tate of our Area Seventy. The training was a regional meeting designed to follow-up on "The Work of Salvation" training broadcast by the general authorities several weeks ago. During the meeting he gave us some reading assignments. One of the chapters he asked us to read was 3 Nephi 11. I have read this chapter hundreds of times, but something new stood out today. Well at least the combination of two things was new. In verse 1, it states that a multitude of people was gathered together around the temple. In verse two it says "they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ." I think these two actions are essential to pushing forward the work of salvation (e.g. helping people make and keep the covenants that will allow them to receive eternal life). These people were committed to the gospel. In time of great turmoil after the earthquakes and floods and darkness, they could have gone many places, but they chose to gather at the temple. In our families, our wards, our quorums or other groups to we belong do we gather to the temple in time of trouble? We should. Not only is it a place of peace but it is a place of revelation. Secondly, had I gone through such a horrible time of natural disasters and geologic upheaval I think my conversation may have been focused on rebuilding my home or mourning the loss of loved ones. However these true disciples focused their conversation on the Savior. When trial comes or when there is a moment where our minds are not focused on a specific task, do our thoughts turn to the Savior and his work or do they turn to sports, current events, recreation or work? How much better of a place this world would be if all spent a little more time worshipping in the temple and if our thoughts turned to the Savior and how we might serve Him and His children just a little bit more each day! I imagine that the work of salvation would push forth at a much faster pace that it does now.

Finding Comfort in Christ

Over the last few weeks, I have learned about the deaths of several friends or family members of friends. As a result, the transient nature of life has been on my mind a fair amount during this time. Those who have been affected by those deaths have been required to bear burdens and sorrows with which I myself have never been acquainted. It is no coincidence therefore that upon opening my scriptures tonight, I came across this verse:

"And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men" (2 Nephi 9:21-22). It is impossible to comfort someone who is stricken with grief by telling them "I know how you feel" because the truth is I cannot even begin to understand their pains.

However, I can claim without reservation that Christ knows their innermost feelings and sorrows. I can claim this because when faced with my own sorrows, I have cast by burden upon His shoulders. I do not know how it works, but I do know that it does work. By the miracle of His perfect Atonement, Christ can make my seemingly unbearable sorrows bearable. Most importantly He can do this for all who are willing to come unto Him in meekness. Upon doing so, the grief and pain which envelopes the soul can be swallowed up by equally encompassing joy and peace.

Where is my heart?

Today I was reading about the Savior's visit to the Nephites. After speaking about the importance of sincerity in our fasting and prayer he said the following:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where amoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (3 Nephi 13: 19-21).

As I was reading this I realized that sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the things of the world. I believe that it is easy to be a person who goes through the motions of doing what you are supposed to do without really having your heart in it. True discipleship is having our heart set on those Heavenly treasures. Helaman gave us a great way to determine if something is a treasure of the world or a treasure of heaven. The treasures of heaven are those things "which [are] eternal, and which fadeth not away; " (Helaman 5:8).

I love the end of summer because fall camp has started and college football season is just around the corner. As enjoyable as it is, football does not fit the definition of "eternal" and "fadeth not away." If my heart is set on football, then I can't have it set on by treasure in heaven. That is not to say that everything we do in life has to be spiritual in nature, simply that we must make sure that our hearts are with the things of eternal worth and the other things become secondary.

This point was really driven home by some things that were said in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication services this afternoon. Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "It is important to do all we can to schedule regular temple attendance to show the Lord our faith. We must guard against Lucifer interfering with us participating in temple work." I really liked that he said to schedule temple attendance. If we schedule it, then it becomes so much easier to do. President Monson, along similar lines said, "In our homes we have rooms for eating, rooms for sleeping, rooms for watching TV and other entertainment. We must not forget to have room for the Savior. In our lives we have room for golf, for movies and for other entertaining things, but are we making time for Jesus Christ?" There are so many blessings that come from making room for Jesus Christ. The greatest thing about laying up treasure for ourselves in heaven is that we do not have to wait to enjoy that treasure. We can have it both now and throughout eternity. That treasure comes because living the gospel of Jesus Christ provides us happiness greater than we can obtain by any other method. But to enjoy that treasure, we must have our hearts set upon it. If our hearts are set on other things, we cannot obtain.

The Manner of Happiness

In 2 Nephi 5:27, Nephi states, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." In previous verses contained in this chapter, Nephi teaches some principles that can help us "live after the manner of happiness."

1. Verse 6: Nephi took his family and others who would follow him to a different land where they would be safe from his brothers' anger. He describes those who would follow him as "those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God."
2. Verse 10: Nephi says "we did observe to keep the judgements, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things."
3. Verse 17: "I Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands."

Some Noble Cause

After Ammon taught the Lamanites and helped thousands of them come unto Christ, these valiant new converts showed their devotion to God by making a convenant with him to never shed blood again. The record states, "they did bury [their weapons] deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man's blood...that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives" (Alma 24:18).

Some twenty years later, these same faithful saints were faced with iminent attack from the Lamanites. The Nephites who had been protecting them up to this point were weakened and under much tribulation such that Ammons converts "were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country" (Alma 53:13).

I believe that this cause under which the people of Ammon sought to justify going to war is a very noble cause. Throughout the Book of Mormon as well as Latter-day revelation, the Lord has revealed that we are justified in fighting to protect our families and our freedom. However, Helams feared that by "[breaking] the oath which they had made....by so doing they should lose their souls" (Alma 53:14-15).

As I read this the question came to my mind, "What convenants have I made which I might break for some noble cause?" For each of us the answer to that question will be different. Take for example the following things that we might place too much empahsis on. Each of these are worthwhile and character building activities. In fact the Lord has encouraged and in many cases commanded us to participate in all of these things in one way or another.

1. Quality time with our Families

2. Church callings

3. Temple Work

4. Exercise and healthy living

5. Job responsibilities

6. Caring for the sick and needy

7. Home teaching

8. Community volunteer work

9. Gaining an education

10. Yardwork

Do we spend so much time with our church calling that we neglect the convenants we have made to our family? Or is it the other way around. Do we spend so much time making our own yard look nice, that we fail to fufill our responsibilities as a home teacher to help the families we home teach with projects they may have? Do we get so busy serving others that we neglect our own yard? Are we so caught up with our job responsibilities that we don't find time to care for the needy and visit the sick?

This list could go on endlessly. For the people of Ammon the proper course of action was very clear. However for our daily lives which convenant should take top prioity may not be as clear. There are so many "noble" causes out there which we can pursue. At times, one of these may need to take a back seat to another. But if too much emphasis is placed on one or the other for too long, then the balance of our lives can be thrown into disequillibrium and our spiritual progress stops. By finding the proper balance, we are blessed abundantly and will one day partake of eternal life.

Waxing Bold in Prayer

Nephi speaks of "waxing bold in mighty prayer" (2 Nephi 4:24). What a great image. When a candle goes through the dipping process, the wick is dipped in melted wax over and over again. Each time it is removed it becomes a little larger and thus able to burn for a little longer. The same process was at play in Nephi's personal prayer. Each time he prayed, his faith grew a little stronger, setting him up to be able to show forth his light (Matt 5:14-16) brighter and longer. As he did so he became more "bold," meaning that each time he prayed his faith had grown a little stronger. This allowed him to ask for greater and greater things in his prayers. In the next verse it speaks of how he was carried away on mountains and saw great things (2 Nephi 4:25). These grand and miraculous occurances did not come immediately. I would venture to say that Nephi asked to be able to see these things. Because of his consistency in prayer his prayers were answered more often. Each time a prayer was answered his faith grew and he became more bold in his petitions to the Lord.

Nephi has experience to backup his claim that "[he knows] that God will give liberally to him that asketh...[our] God will give [us], if [we] ask not amiss" (2 Nephi 2:35). I would like to add my testimony to that of Nephi. I too know that if we exhibit our faith to the Lord by consistently pouring out our hearts to him in prayer, then he will not only grant our righteous desires, but our faith will grow, allowing us to receive even more answers to our prayers.

My Soul Delighteth

In 2 Nephi 4:16, Nephi makes a statement that is a great example of what it means to be holy. He says, "my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." When I read this today, I had to take a step back and ask myself if I have the same attitude. I have listed just a few things that we might ask consider in answering this question for ourselves:

• Is Sunday a blessing or do I wish that I could be on the golf course instead of Sacrament meeting?
• When that new movie I want to see comes out, do I go anyway even though I would feel uncomfortable if the Savior sat in the seat next to me?
• Do I look forward to the time that I study my scriptures each day or do I find myself forcing myself to read them because it's what "I'm supposed to do?"
• When there is a service project, do I cheerfully give up my Saturday morning or do I stay home and do what I would "rather" do?

As I asked myself these questions, I realized that sometimes it is easy to be doing the right things. I believe that the Lord will bless us beyond what we could imagine simply for doing what we are supposed to do. As I pondered more, I was reminded of the Pharisees in the New Testament. They were perfectly obedient (at least they claimed to be) to the letter of the law. However, they missed out on the greatest blessings of obedience because they were simply going through the motions.

I know that as we strive to "delight" in the commandments, not only do we find greater joy but obedience becomes easier. This is so because as we delight in the things of the Lord, we understand that the commandments are to help and guide us to return to live with Heavenly Father. Nephi was able to "delight in the things of the Lord" because he understood this simple principle. He understood that even though it might be difficult and a lot of work now, it would pay off in the long run.