Power of Pondering

There are so many lessons we can learn from the story of the First Vision. As I studied the account again this week in Joseph Smith-History 1:1-26, some of the lessons I learned were about the power of pondering, and the role it played in the story of the First Vision. Joseph’s pondering played a key role in this revelation and he continued to realize the value of pondering throughout his life.

Here are the pondering phrases I found that proceed his reading of James 1:5

“My mind was called up to serious reflection” (v. 8)

“My feelings were deep and often poignant” (v. 8)

“In process of time, my mind became somewhat partial to” (v. 8)

“I often said to myself” (v. 10)

Before he even goes to the scriptures, he’s already been pondering for some time and he has questions: What is to be done? Who of all these parties is right...? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? (v. 10)

Lesson: If we’re seeking revelation, it is helpful to define and think about the questions we are seeking answers to.

After reading James 1:5, he again references pondering. In verse 12 we read “I reflected on it again and again”.

After reflecting on this scripture “at length”, Joseph concludes that he must do as James directs, which is to “ask of God”.

Lesson: as the scriptures speak to our hearts, we must ponder upon their words to receive additional inspiration. Joseph might not have “asked God” if he had not pondered upon that scripture.

Pondering is something that has increasingly become more and more difficult to do in our day. Our time seems to be torn between many good things as well as distractions that unnecessarily occupy us. So how do we create an environment where we can ponder? The scriptures teach that the Spirit speaks in a still, small voice (1 Nephi 17:45), accordingly, I have found that it helps me greatly if I can find a quiet place. I’ve also found that it helps if I write things down. Sometimes thoughts come in the middle of a busy day and if I write them down then it shows the Lord I’m aware of Him and grateful for His inspiration, and I can go back to them later if I need to.

When Jesus Christ visited the Nephites, he invited them to “ponder upon the things which [he had] said...that [they might] understand” (3 Nephi 17:3). I know that as we take time to ponder we too will be able to better Hear Him.

Scripture Study Increases Revelation

Shortly after President Nelson was called to be the President of the Church, he gave a talk entitled "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives" in which he talked about the importance of learning how to receive revelation "if we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth". In this same address he said "my beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation." This is a plea he repeated two years later in his April 2020 talk entitled "Hear Him". Our prophet is pleading with us to do the work necessary to receive revelation because he knows that "in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."

As I studied lesson material for D&C 1 this week, one of the podcasts I was listening to was giving an overview of the Doctrine and Covenants and mentioned that if you look at the time frame in which most of the revelations Joseph Smith received, it corresponds with the time frame in which Joseph Smith was also translating the Book of Mormon and Bible (April 1829-July 1833). The take-away lesson we can learn from that example is that when we deeply immerse ourselves in the study of the scriptures our capacity to receive revelation will increase. This is something we've been taught a lot about recently, but I thought it was neat to see a connection of how this really worked in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. For me, this example really reinforces the need to include daily scripture study in my life if I want to qualify for personal revelation.

We also know that in order to receive revelation, scripture study has to be coupled with other important practices. Pres. Nelson has taught "nothing open the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting of the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work... Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your fears, your weaknesses-yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take." (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives)

As we start this New Year and think about setting goals, focusing on one of these areas will help us better answer the plea of our prophet to increase our spiritual capacity to Hear Him. And as D&C 1:38 tells us, whether we hear instruction from the voice of the Lord or from the voice of his servants, it is the same.

President Nelson leaves us with a promise as we heed his prophetic counsel. The promise is this... "that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord's timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you-even miracles-will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you." (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives)

*Another great article on this topic, written by Pres. Nelson, is in the January 2021 Liahona Magazine "Grow into the Principle of Revelation"

Christmas Gifts

As we think about Christmas each year, probably the number one thing on everyone's mind is gifts (at least I know it is for my kids😀). As I thought more about the symbolism of gifts this year, I realized how appropriate it is that we give gifts to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We follow the example of the wise men who brought gifts as part of their worship. More importantly, by giving gifts, we recognize the Gift that God gave to earth, the greatest of all gifts-His Son, our Brother, the Savior of the World. In Moroni 10:18 it says that "every good gift cometh of Christ." So, what are some of the good gifts we receive because of Jesus Christ being born?

• Gift of God’s love (1 Nephi 11:22)
• Gift of God’s word (1 Nephi 11:25)
• Gift of healing (1 Nephi 11:31)
• Gift of the atonement (1 Nephi 11:33)
• Gift of miracles (Mosiah 3:5)
• Gift of the creation (Mosiah 3:7)
• Gift of salvation (Mosiah 3:9)
• Gift of a righteous judgment (Mosiah 3:10)
• Gift of faith (Mosiah 3:12)
• Gift of repentance (Mosiah 3:12)
• Gift of joy and rejoicing (Mosiah 3:13)
• Gift of light in the darkness (Helaman 14:3)
• Gift of everlasting life  (Helaman 14:8)
• Gift of fulfilling promises (3 Nephi 1:13)

As a gift-giver, isn't it rewarding when we see someone using, appreciating, and cherishing a gift we have given? As you read through that list, do you find yourself using, appreciating, and/or cherishing these amazing gifts that we've been given? As we give temporal gifts to our friends and family members, let's not forget the spiritual gifts that have already been given to us. Let's not allow those gifts to go unused, be forgotten, or get discarded. Let's show our gratitude for these gifts throughout the year by using, appreciating and cherishing them everyday.                                                                 

 Merry Christmas Everyone🎄

Testimony of Christ

As I read through Moroni 10 this week, I was struck by the frequency in which Moroni used the name of Christ as he bore his final testimony. Before sealing up this ancient record, his thoughts and his focus are undeniably on our Savior, Jesus Christ. Moroni is a great example of talking of Christ and it is evident in these verses:

• the coming of Christ (10:1)
• the name of Christ (10:4)
• having faith in Christ (10:4)
• nothing that is good denieth the Christ (10:6)
• the Spirit of Christ (10:17)
• every good gift cometh of Christ (10:18)
• Christ truly said (10:23)
• the words of Christ (10:26)
• come unto Christ-twice (10:30, 32)
• be perfect in Christ-three times (10:32, 33)
• ye are sanctified in Christ (10:33)
• through the shedding of the blood of Christ (10:33)
• the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah (10:34)

I think the reason this stood out to me was because of a recent general conference talk we studied together as a family. The talk was given by Elder Neil L. Andersen in Oct. 2020 called "We Talk of Christ". The part of his message that really resonated with me was his admonition to speak of Christ more in our homes. He said "when your children ask you questions, consciously think about teaching what the Savior taught." As I've intentionally tried to do this in my home, I have found it so much easier to answer the hard questions my kids ask because my mind knows where to immediately go to answer their questions. And being able to answer those hard questions, with my testimony of the Savior, has been a rewarding and spiritual experience.

Reading the words of Moroni as he bears his final witness of Jesus Christ is such a fitting way to wrap up our study of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I know that my testimony of Jesus Christ continues to grow as I study the words of the prophets written in the Book of Mormon. I'm grateful for this inspired book of scripture that testifies of the plan of salvation and the central role Jesus Christ plays in that plan. I'm grateful to better understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how my choices affect my standing before God. I also understand more fully how merciful God is and how often He will forgive us as we repent and turn back to Him. I love that the character of Christ is that he never gives up on us. He is always waiting for us to repent and return to him. I'm so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I'm grateful for the peace, comfort, hope, excitement, and joy I feel as I study, serve, and share the things that I continue to learn from others and from the Spirit.

Real Intent

There were so many great phrases in the Come, Follow Me chapters of Moroni 7-9 this week that I thought about discussing, but the one that kept coming back to me was “real intent” (Moroni 7:6,9).

The word "intentional" is something I have focused on for a few years now and it’s amazing to me how much more motivation I have to do good things when I focus on doing things with real intent. It turns out, when I couple my responsibilities with real intent, those tasks becomes more rewarding - they profiteth me something. And, as we do things with real intent, we are more likely to see the tender mercies of the Lord in our lives. 

Elder Gong recently shared the story of a family that earnestly prayed that their family would be welcomed into their new community. After their house burned down, the community finally opened up to this family and showed kindness and acceptance to them. Because of this families' intentional prayers for people’s hearts to be softened towards them, they were able to recognize the house fire as an answer to their prayers and not just as a terrible tragedy. (All Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues)

Another story I read had the opposite effect. This story was shared by Randall Ridd, who was serving as Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency when he shared it. "I learned the importance of real intent when I was a young seminary student. Our teacher challenged us to read the Book of Mormon. To keep track of our progress, he created a chart with our names down one side and the books listed across the top. Each time we read a book, a star was placed by our name. At first I didn’t put much effort into reading, and it wasn’t long before I found myself getting further and further behind. Spurred by a sense of embarrassment and my innate competitive spirit, I started reading. Every time I got a star, I felt good. And the more stars I got, the more motivated I was to read—between classes, after school, in every spare minute. This would be a great story if I could tell you I finished first in the class—but I didn’t. (I wasn’t last either, by the way.) But do you know what I did get by reading the Book of Mormon? I know you are thinking “a testimony,” aren’t you? But I didn’t. I got stars. I got stars because that was why I was reading. That was my real intent." (Living with Purpose: the Importance of Real Intent)

Being intentional with the small things takes diligent effort but provides the greatest rewards. Elder Bednar compared this process to looking closely at a painting of a wheat field. As you look close, you can see all the tiny brushstrokes (small, simple), and as you slowly back away you see the magnificent painting of a wheat field (great reward). The lesson is that we can't immediately see the effect of all the intentional things we do everyday, but overtime those small and simple things end up creating a beautiful landscape for us to enjoy. (More Diligent and Concerned at Home)

According to Brother Ridd's and Elder Bednar's talks, some of the small and simple things that we need to be intentionally doing are...

• remembering Jesus Christ

• praying (personal and family)

• studying the scriptures (personal and family)

• having family home evening

• expressing love and showing it

• bearing testimony and living it

I know that as I step back and think of the reasons why I’m doing something then my perspective changes and I have a renewed energy for the task at hand. I know that as we focus on being intentional in our efforts to become more like Jesus Christ that our enjoyment for life can increase. The mundane tasks we are asked to complete on a daily basis will have more purpose and meaning to them as we look for the real intent behind our all actions. 

The One

I've recently been noticing how Jesus Christ finds it important to minister to the one. I first started noticing this in 3rd Nephi 17 where Christ heals every one that was brought before him (notice how the word is not everyone, but every one - I think it makes a difference in how you read that) (vs 9), and that he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them (vs 21). In the New Testament Jesus taught about the importance of leaving the ninety and nine to find the one (Matthew 18:12). And, in one of my favorite scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants, 18:15, Jesus teaches about how great our joy will be in bringing even one soul unto him. 

It should be no surprise that when Christ organizes His church, he places a high importance on knowing each one of its members because that is consistent with His teachings and His character. And that's exactly how Moroni describes the church during his day. "They were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken." (Moroni 6:4 italics added). So one characteristic of the true church of Jesus Christ would be a church that knows, by name, all of its members. Why? Because Jesus Christ knows each of us. And he wants to make sure that we are known and numbered as one of his disciples. Sister Michelle D. Craig said "Jesus Christ sees people deeply. He sees individuals, their needs, and who they can become...Even in our busy lives, we can follow the example of Jesus and see individuals-their needs, their faith, their struggle, and who they can become." (Eyes to See)

The way the church is organized gives us not just a way to commune with God, but to connect with other saints. It is a way to follow the two great commandments: first, love God, and second, love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). Many of us (including myself) have enjoyed the opportunity of receiving permission to have Sunday Meetings in our homes and have been reluctant to embrace a full return to church. Even though we've still been able to keep that connection with God during this time, our ability to connect with others has been severely limited and it has made keeping the second great commandment more difficult. So why has the return-to-church process felt so haphazard? Why don't we just wait until we have the "all clear" and can resume our meetings as normal? Why are we trying to stumble along through this process of gathering each week when it's weird and uncomfortable to wear masks and have classes on Zoom and when home church is so nice? It's because of the important and sacred nature of the second great commandment. We need to be watching out and caring for others. And one of the best ways to do this is by meeting together as often as we can (Moroni 6: 5-6). Moroni uses chapter 6 to talk about all the wonderful blessings that come when we worship together...

• we are remembered (6:4)
• we are nourished by the word of God (6:4)
• we can be kept in the right way (6:4)
• we can be watched over through prayer (6:4)
• we can fast and pray together (6:5)
• we can speak to one other concerning the welfare of our souls (6:5)
• we can partake of the sacrament together (6:6)
• we can feel the power of the Holy Ghost through talks, prayers and music (6:9)

"It is true that we attend our weekly Church meetings to participate in ordinances, learn doctrine, and be inspired, but another very important reason for attending is that, as a ward family and as disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ, we watch out for one another, encourage one another, and find ways to serve and strengthen each other... stop, look around, and ask yourself, “Who needs me today?” You may be the key to reaching out and touching the life of a peer or to giving encouragement to a friend who is quietly struggling...I can guarantee that there will always be someone at every Church meeting you attend who is lonely, who is going through challenges and needs a friend, or who feels like he or she doesn’t belong. You have something important to contribute to every meeting or activity, and the Lord desires for you to look around at your peers and then minister as He would." Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson (The Needs Before Us).

Jesus Christ knows us personally and remembers us and we need to know Him personally and remember Him. The sacrament prayers (the scriptures we hear repeated more than any other scriptures) remind us that we need to "always remember him" (Moroni 4: 3, 5:2). One way we can do this is to look for ways to connect with the one, because that is what He would do if He were here. Additionally, we can't forget that the one needing our love could be someone in our own home. If we are intentional about finding the one, God will put people in our paths, and we will see these people as someone to connect with and not as someone to avoid or ignore.

As we strive to become more like Jesus Christ, let us not only minister to those we are assigned to, but look for opportunities to see others who are in need of our love as well. To reach out to the one, to serve the one, and to focus on the one, that we might be the Lord's hands in making sure that every one is cared for and remembered. "Now, as we enter the Christmas season and celebrate the living Christ, one of the most powerful ways we can show our gratitude is by serving His children. Let us follow His example to 'Light the World' by loving and serving others, one by one." (Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Instagram Post, Nov. 29, 2020; italics added)

 

Faith

In one of the podcasts I listened to this week (Unshaken Saints), the host of the show mentioned something about Ether 12 that was very insightful to me. He pointed out the during the Jaredite civilization, the prophets prior to Ether cried repentance unto their people (Ether 7:23, 9:28, 11:12, 20), but it seems that Ether took a different approach by first “exhorting the people to believe in God” (12:3), or in other words, to have faith. 

Faith has to come before repentance (vs 3) because faith in Jesus Christ is the catalyst for us to see the changes we need to make. Pres. Nelson recently said "When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."(We can do better and be better). So having faith first will open our eyes to see the things we need to change/repent of in our lives.

Seeing our need to repent is one gift we receive when we have faith in Jesus Christ. Ether 12 also lists many other gifts that come to us when we have faith.

Gifts of faith:

• By faith all things are fulfilled (vs 3)
• Faith gives us a sure hope for a better world and that we will dwell with God someday (vs 4)
• Faith will anchor our souls, and when we are anchored we are sure and steadfast. (vs 4)
• Faith motivates us to good works. (vs 4) 
• Faith leads us to glorify God (vs 4)
• Faith gives you hope for things you cannot see (vs 6)
• Faith allows us to see the hand of God in our lives-working miracles both large and small (vs.7-8, 12, 16, 18)
• Faith makes it possible for us to be partakers of the heavenly gift (vs 8-9). According to "The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families"(page 636), the heavenly gift is "receiving forgiveness of our sins and the companionship of the Holy Ghost."
• Faith allows us to have the priesthood here on earth (vs 10)
• By Faith the Atonement of Jesus Christ was fulfilled (vs 11)
• By Faith we obtain promises from the Lord (vs 17, 21-22)
• Faith allows us to understand His word (vs 20)
• By Faith we can be made mighty in word (vs 23)
• By our Faith the Lord can work through us to bring about righteousness (vs 29)

So what are some ways we can increase our faith? In Preach My Gospel it states that "your faith will increase through diligent study, prayer, dedicated service, and obedience to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the commandments. Your faith in Jesus Christ grows as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings" Also, as we work to develop any Christlike attribute, we will also gain other Christlike attributes. "By focusing deeply on one needed attribute, as you progress in obtaining that attribute, other attributes begin to accrue to you." (Elder Scott D. Whiting Becoming like Him). So, even if you're focusing on another Christlike attribute like becoming more patient or more obedient, your faith can also increase during that process. 

The principle of faith can sometimes be an abstract concept to understand and hard to quantify, but as we recognize the gifts of faith in our lives, then our faith becomes somewhat easier to measure. For example, if you can recognize God's hand in your life or feel motivated to do good works, then those are gifts that are coming to you because of your faith in Jesus Christ.