Elohim or Eloah

I don't get the place of Christ in LDS theology.

Were there other Christs on different worlds?

Was Heavenly Father a christ in his human life?

Will you be a Christ one day in your universe?

B-

Much of LDS afterlife speculation comes from Lorenzo Snow's couplet that says: "As man is now, God once was; as God is now man may be."

That couplet was most likely influenced by the King Follett discourse by Joseph Smith in which many in depth ideas are presented regarding the afterlife and our potential as children of God.

Neither the couplet or the King Follett discourse are accepted doctrine from the church. That's not to say that they are not true or partly true but nonetheless, not doctrine.

The following teachings and scriptures are what I know to be doctrine:

Acts 17:29, "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device."

Romans 8:16-17, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Revelation 21:7, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Psalms 82:6, "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High."

Jesus later quoted Psalms 82:6 to an angry crowd in John 10:31-36. It reads:

"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?"


Boyd K. Packer gave a talk in 1984 titled, The Pattern of Our Parentage.

Below are several quotes from this talk:

"There are many other verses of scripture, at least an equal number in the Bible, that speak in plural terms of “lords” and “gods.” The first chapter of Genesis states: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Gen. 1:26; italics added.) Such references are found from Genesis to Revelation. (See Rev. 1:6.) The strongest one was given by Christ Himself when He quoted that very clear verse from the Eighty-second Psalm: “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? [See Ps. 82:6.] “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (John 10:34–36; italics added.) The acceptance of this truth does not mean accepting the multiple gods of mythology nor the polytheism of the pagans, which was so roundly condemned by Isaiah and the other prophets. There is one God, the Father of all. This we accept as fundamental doctrine. There is only one Redeemer, Mediator, Savior. This we know. There is one Holy Ghost, a personage of spirit, who completes the Godhead. I have emphasized the word one, in each sentence, but I have used it three times. Three is plural. Paul used the plural many and the singular one in the same verse: “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) “But to us there is but one God, the Father.” (1 Cor. 8:5–6.) Anyone who believes and teaches of God the Father, and accepts the divinity of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, teaches a plurality of Gods."


"The Father is the one true God. This thing is certain: no one will ever ascend above Him; no one will ever replace Him. Nor will anything ever change the relationship that we, His literal offspring, have with Him. He is Eloheim, the Father. He is God. Of Him there is only one. We revere our Father and our God; we worship Him. There is only one Christ, one Redeemer. We accept the divinity of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. We accept the promise that we may become joint heirs with Him."


OK so let me sum this up in my own words. I believe that to be a joint-heir with Christ is to receive ALL things from God. However, I feel that many LDS members have assumed incorrectly believing that if we are to receive all from God, we must somehow take part in the same order that God has taken to create, and most importantly, save us. Members seem to forget that Christ's atonement plays a role in not just our salvation here on this earth, but in our eternal lives as well. The couplet previously mentioned may not be entirely true. I have found no where in LDS teachings and/or doctrine that says that God was once a man like myself. Additionally Christ can never be replicated. That is doctrine. The Atonement of Christ is all encompassing of the past, present, and future. He is the Savior for not only those on this earth, but all everywhere. Assuming that I were to one day have all that my Father has, and to believe the Atonement how I know it to be taught, means that Christ is the Savior of all that I could one day create as well. Remember that this last concept is speculation on my part from what many consider a very limited knowledge of church teachings.

The same Christ that extends his hand to me now is who I believe will offer his hand to those I might take part in creating. I do not feel that my Heavenly Father is somehow diminished by the glorification of His children. I also do not believe that I must come from the same past as my God to one day receive all that He desires to bestow upon me. Furthermore, I do not feel that it is necessary for whatever I take part in creating, in the life to come, to share my same mortal history. I look forward to further study and prayer as I seek to find the answers to my still many questions.

Thank you for stirring up many thoughts that have been at the brink of written words but had not yet received enough opposition for growth to be born. While thinking about this, I came up with a few questions for you as well. They are:

1. What in Catholic doctrine keeps you from believing that you could "inherit all things" as stated in Revelation?

2. Is it impossible within your doctrine to be "offspring of God" as stated in Acts?

3. If you believe in the biblical account of Jesus' baptism where God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit take on three forms, is it impossible to believe that someone could see God the Father and Jesus in a vision separate from one another?

It feels good to do this again. I look forward to your response.

Your Brother,

A

A

well now i'm all confused.

most of what you said sound more or less like Catholicism.

B

To what degree of exhaltation do you believe in?

Am I right that Catholicism does not teach the potential for Godhood?

Or is it that you simply don't become like God because you do not originate from Him but still take part in some level of creation?

Is the highest "level" of exhaltation or glorification being an angel in God's presence?

A

A

we don't become angels, they are a different species.

we are filled with the Holy SPIRIT, with the BODY of Christ, more and more, infinitely more, forever ... yet never reaching the infinity that God the Father already is/has. in other words, God the Father gives us all that he has (the Spirit and the Son) and yet, even when we have ALL, he still has MORE, and gives us that, repeating forever. Key ideas that point to this: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation.

creation: we await the New Heavens and New Earth, which will be made OUT OF and WITH us, with our ecstatic approval. in other words, we will be the instruments of that new creation, the many words ("small white stone w/ new name") which God the Father will use to call that New Creation into existence. Thus the new creation, in some sense, can be said to be made BY us, in somewhat the same way that God the Father created this universe BY his Word, his Son.
main issue in trying to deal with mormon theology: there seem to be two massively conflicting ideologies or tendencies: one I call the Joseph Smith tendency, which is summarized in the King Follet discourse etc and approaches an almost genius level of imaginativeness-- it is that stream of thought with which i am fascinated on an anthropological level. while i do not think that it is true, i will say that it may very well be the greatest work of the art to come forth from the anglo-american mind. The other stream is what I call "cross-eyed Protestantism", this is the stream which bores me to tears and makes me laugh, just a confused mishmash of American Protestant "earnestness" , really REALLY poorly-thought-out theology, intellectual dishonesty and straight-up BS. Frankly, LDS seems to be veering in that much more boring direction and has been for some time now.

B

Does Authority Make You Righteous?

Below is a letter I wrote to a member in my stake after he gave a talk that put into words I had so longed to articulate myself. I think it makes for a great conversation!

Hello ****,

I greatly appreciate your talk from Sunday night. We've never met for more than a handshake but I've kept up with your amazing work in your ward. You've helped many friends that I've had over the years in the Alief area.

I wanted to share with you a scripture that came to mind when you said in your talk that "“Righteousness” does not mean “perfection.” The men who bear the Priesthood are men. They make mistakes. They have their quirks and foibles."

Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-37 in my opinion illustrates so well what you were talking about. In verse 36 it says, "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the power of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."

Until recently I never realized that I didn't understand this verse. What other principles other than righteousness take part in the handling of the priesthood?! I found the answer in verse 37 only after first thinking that it was a contradiction. In verse 37 it says, "and when it (righteousness) is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of the man." It is not only the righteousness of a man that allows him to act in God's name, but the AUTHORITY as well. There are many men that are righteous that have no authority. However a man that has been given the authority, has an opportunity to prove his righteousness to his Lord.

Often I see members who forget that it is the authority that separates us from the rest of Christianity and not righteousness. I follow my church leaders not just because I perceive them to be righteous but more importantly because I know them to be those with authority. We have made commitments to follow our leaders with faith because we believe in the authority of the Lord's church and the leaders He calls to guide us back to Him.

These thoughts led me to a couple questions:

Do the unrighteous acts of a man take away the authority from whence it came?

D&C 121:36
"...that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness."

Does the authority diminish in the man when he is unrighteous?

D&C 121:37
"...and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of the man."

The answers to these questions are now very clear to me as the first question is answered in verse 36 as no and verse 37 answers the second question as yes.

I'm sorry if I'm rambling on but I wanted to try to share these feelings with you as you did so well in sharing yours in your talk. Thank you for your inspired words. I am truly grateful to the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity of being a member of His true and everlasting church.

Andy Ruggles

Following God’s Commands in the Storms of Life

For the sake of posting something, below are a compilation of thoughts and quotes related to how I feel we should act while going through the trials and tribulations that we are all blessed with in our life.

- John 20:24-29, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

- Moses 5:5-6, “I know not save the Lord commanded me.”

- Alma 32:14-16, “without being brought to know the word”

- How many of us justify disobedience because we have not yet received a testimony or

knowledge of that which we have been commanded to do?

- Abraham 3:24-25, “And we will prove them here with”

- 2 Nephi 2:11, “For it must needs me, that there is an opposition”

- What kind of Father tests his children with all kinds of difficulty knowing that the failure

of such tests could mean never being with them again?

- “The myopic and despairing soul – cry and question, “If there is a God, why does He permit suffering?” reflects a basic failure to understand the very nature of life with its components of chastening and suffering. And as for that question, it is not difficult to imagine who originated it, however understandably sincere some are who raise it. The question strikes at the heart of Father’s plan, because it comes from him who rejected that plan! The future duties to be given to some of us in the worlds to come by an omniscient God will require of us an earned sense of esteem as well as proof of our competency. Thus the tests given to us here are given not because God is in doubt as to the outcome, but because we need to grow in order to be able to serve with full effectiveness in the eternity to come. Further, to be untested and unproven is also to be unaware of all that we are. If we are unknowing of our possibilities, with what could we safely be entrusted? Could we in ignorance of our capacities trust ourselves? Could others then be entrusted to us? Thus the relentless love of our Father in heaven is such that in His omniscience, He will not allow the cutting short some of the brief experiences we are having here. To do so would be to deprive us of everlasting experiences and great joy there. What else would an omniscient and loving Father do, even if we plead otherwise? He must at times say no. Furthermore, since there was no exemption from suffering for Christ, how can there be one for us? Do we really want immunity from adversity? Especially when certain kinds of suffering can aid our growth in this life? To deprive ourselves of those experiences, much as we might momentarily like to, would be to deprive ourselves of the outcomes over which we shouted with anticipated joy when this life’s experiences were explained to us long ago in the world before we came here.” Maxwell

- 2 Corinthians 6:2-10, “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing”

- Doctrine and Covenants 127:2, “Deep water is what I am wont to swim in”

- The hardships that we go through are wonderful blessings. For as we go through the “furnace of affliction” we must choose between separating ourselves from our sins or be left behind as the furnace gets hotter and hotter. Through this process in life we are refined and become more as our Savior. Without these tribulations we would remain weak and not develop into our full potential as the plan of salvation has set us out to do. “For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.” Brothers and sisters give haste to these words and “cast off your sins and not procrastinate the day of your repentance.” The longer you wait the hotter the furnace gets. “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And in as much as men do good they shall in no wise lose their reward.”

- “So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home.” Elder Eyring

- Alma 37:6-7 “by small and simple things”


- Elder Eyring gave four settings to practice to have sufficient strength to follow God’s commandments:
o Feast upon the word of God
o Pray always
o Pay a full tithe
o Escape from sin and its terrible effects

Additional Notes for Talk

- Is our obedience conditional?

- Could our disobedience be related to our lack of understanding who God is?

- If we knew more of who God is, would we be better prepared to follow Him through the storms of life?

- What is it about disobedience that makes it such an attractive way of life?

- “…why don’t we at least resist equally the gravitational pull coming from the other direction? The adversary would claim us too! Some how he gets away with it, even though his way is monotony masquerading as individuality, and even though the selfishness he encourages is merely an apostate individualism.” Maxwell

- “Perhaps the tilt to the telestial occurs because many feel less compromised when they are led carefully down the paved, gently descending, wideway, on which there is no exhilaration, whereas in climbing up the straight and narrow way, one seems to notice every chuckhole and all the loose gravel.” Maxwell

- “I suggest a simple solution for selecting the channel to which we attune ourselves: listen to and follow the voice of the Spirit. This is an ancient solution, even eternal, and may not be popular in a society that is always looking for something new. It requires patience in a world that demands instant gratification. This solution is quiet, peaceful, and subtle in a world enamored of that which is loud, incessant, fast paced, garish, and crude. This solution requires you to be contemplative while your peers seek physical titillation. (This may seem foolish in a time when it is not worth remembering much of the trivial tripe to which we are exposed.) This solution is one unified, consistent, age-old message in a world that quickly becomes bored in the absence of intensity, variety, and novelty. This solution requires us to walk by faith in a world governed by sight. With the eye of faith we are to see eternal, unseen, spiritual verities, while the masses of mankind depend solely on temporal things which can be known only through the physical senses.” James Faust

- Do we know what it means to have an omniscient God as our Father in Heaven?

- “Does the foreknowledge (which grows out of His omniscience) seem to make us less significant or less free? Does the perfect predictability of our behavior (in God’s eyes) seem to squeeze out some of the sense of adventure in mortality? And if so, do we childishly want to play - act just a little longer - risking righteousness and true happiness merely in order to be reassured about our independence?” Maxwell

- Are we defiant because we want to feel original?

- “…if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in Him.” Joseph Smith

- “Unfortunately, the omniscience of God in the minds of some well – meaning Ladder Day Saints has been qualified by the concept of “eternal progression.” Some have wrongly assumed God’s progress is related to His acquisition of additional knowledge. In fact, God’s “eternal progression” (if one is nevertheless determined to apply these two words to God) is related to the successful execution, again and again, of His plan of Salvation to redeem billions of His children throughout His many creatures.” Maxwell

- There is vast difference, therefore, between an omniscient God and the false notion that God is one some sort of post – doctoral fellowship, still searching for additional key truths and vital data. Were the latter so, God might, at any moment, discover some new truth not previously known to Him that would restructure, diminish, or undercut certain truths previously known by Him…Fortunately for us, however, His plan of salvation is constantly underway – not constantly under revision.” Maxwell

- “…those who wrongly think of Him (God) as still progressing with regard to the acquisition of knowledge will not be able to manage well the hard doctrines.” Maxwell

- “…our adoration for and appreciation of God will be measurably increased as we increase our understanding of Him and His plan of Happiness.” Maxwell

Prayer and Fasting

I'm about to go and give a talk at the Vietnamese branch. I was great to refresh my mind to the importance of these two principles.

Prayer and Fasting

I pray that I may be worthy of the Lord’s guidance and His Spirit today to speak to you about the importance and influence of prayer and fasting. While on my mission in Chile, I read a plaque above someone’s door that said, “To live without prayer is to live without God.” I know that without the ability to communicate with our Heavenly Father, we would be lost and without purpose, but with heartfelt and sincere prayer and fasting, we can come to know of the love that our Maker has for us.

The Bible Dictionary says, “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.”

The adversary would have you believe that your prayers are no more than silent words of the weak but I testify that sincere faithful prayer can change your life and others for the better. We learn in the scriptures of the many lives that were saved by someone else’s prayer and faith. In Mosiah 27: 11-14 it says:

11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

The sons of Mosiah and Alma were actually working against the kingdom of God and by true prayer they were given an opportunity to return to the Lord’s fold. I would challenge you to consider within yourself what you must do to have prayers be so powerful in your life, that the very lives of those you love will be changed for the better.

We also learn from the scriptures that fasting plays an important and sometimes necessary role in receiving an answer to our prayers. After casting a devil from a child, the Savior taught his disciples a very important lesson. In Matthew 17: 19-21 we read:

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Often times the reason our efforts do not end with the results we were looking for is because of our lack of faith. Jesus taught in the above referenced scripture that the reason why His disciples could not cast the devil out themselves is because they had not the sufficient faith. He also then taught that those with the faith to carry out His will, “goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Another example of what the Lord requires of us to receive an answer to our prayers is found in Doctrine and Covenants 67: 1-3. It says:

1 Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.
2 Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give.
3 Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you; but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive.

Where there is fear there cannot be faith! How often do we find ourselves going through the motions of prayer or doubt in what we ask for? It has been told to me that there is no reason that we would not obtain that which the Lord commands unless that reason is one we put upon ourselves. It is by our faith, not the Lord’s, that we gain Salvation. Therefore, it is the faith in our prayers that determine the outcome of our existence.

My mission taught me of the miracles that can take place when there is sincere prayer and humble fasting. I saw the hearts of those who once rejected the gospel change as an answer to those who prayed they would accept the love that their God has for them. I saw lives spared as they and those who administered the blessing of health were faithful and in tune with the Lord’s will through a special fast. Prayer accompanied by fasting will move mountains, whether they are the mountains that you see or the personal mountains in your own life. In Alma 17:2-4 we learn that if we search the scriptures, pray frequently, fast frequently, and work hard we will receive the spirit of prophecy and revelation, knowledge of the word of God, and be able to teach with the power and authority of God so that we may ultimately bring many to the knowledge of truth through the power of your words. What a recipe for success! We must believe that we all can play a role in the building up of the Kingdom of God even by our prayers alone.

We also must remember that our prayers and fasts are sacred and personal and not meant to be advertised somehow for attention. Jesus taught in Matthew 6: 16-18:

16 ¶ Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

If the attention of man is what you seek from your prayers and fasts that is ultimately all you will receive.

Remember that secret prayer does not mean silent. The Lord teaches us to pray vocally in Doctrine and Covenants 19:28 when He says:

28 And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.

Personally, I’ve found that if I can find a place to have my personal prayers where I can pray vocally, it is easier for me to feel the influence of the Spirit. While kneeling and praying vocally do not necessarily make a prayer more powerful, it helps us recognize the sanctity of it.

While preparing for this talk, I’ve become aware of my complacency especially in regards to fasting. I once could not imagine what my life would be like without it as I had been part of such amazing miracles while fasting. As my circumstances in life changed, I allowed myself to slowly forget, until now, the importance fasting plays a role in my life. I wish to commit once again to incorporate fasting in my life so that I may be a more worthy instrument in the Lord’s hands. I invite all of you to do the same. May we also remember how fast offerings can better the lives of those we impart them to! I once had a bishop recommend me to estimate the amount of my fast offerings by how much it “hurt” me financially. He went on to say that if we currently can easily pay the amount we are paying, then maybe we should find the faith within so that the amount we pay stretches our faith a little more each time.

I would like to conclude my talk with my heartfelt testimony. It has been witnessed to me by the Holy Ghost that this gospel and all its principles and doctrines are true. Prayer and fasting are requisite towards our salvation. It is by prayer that all of us can come to know of the truthfulness of this gospel. My prayers have been answered and I hope that you persevere until your prayers are answered as well. The Lord loves all of us and He would have us be with Him again. May all our prayers be sincere and faithful so that they may change the lives of those that are in them. Of this I testify, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

An Uphill Journey

In preparing for a fireside that I did last night I found some thoughts that I wrote back on February 1, 2006 to a couple friends of mine after a deep lunch conversation about religious devotion.

How can so much evil and good coexist in the world, a society, or even in one individual? What is it about us as humans that make us so attracted to sin, but so hungry and yearning for purity?

Where there is light there cannot be dark and yet we seem to want somewhere in between. If we believe in a Creator that requires obedience to His laws to live with Him again eternally, and we desire to be with Him, would we not dedicate our lives to the pursuit of salvation? Is life’s secret then doing what one loves or loving what one must do to gain salvation? Can we not have both? Must we be always torn between what is required by God’s laws and what we want to enjoy on this earth alone? Why must we feel that to enjoy this mortal life, we must risk our eternal one? Is it possible to find complete and absolute enjoyment on this earth while at the same time living in accordance with God’s commandments securing our eternal life with Him?

I feel impressed to seek an answer to these questions. It has been said that if we seek for any other thing in this life other that God, in the end it makes no difference what we seek instead. With that in mind, I would want you to think for a moment what your tallest priority in your life is. Priority is to be defined as what you spend most of your thoughts, time, talents, and passions towards. If God is not your priority, what rewards will your current priority in life bring you? Most do not wish to truly answer that question because normally the answer is an indication of a selfish, self-serving life style that is not pretty to come to grips with. Taking your spiritual temperature is not a comfortable thing to do but necessary while in the pursuit of salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Do you really believe that your God is a rewarder of those that live within His laws? By way of our acts our desires are shown. Thus indicating that if we truly believed that we had a chance to live with our Creator we would act accordingly and also proving that the reason we would not live accordingly is because we do not truly believe that heaven is a reality or more simply put…we do not have the faith required to return and live with our Father in Heaven again.

I feel that most of us have good times and bad in respect towards our faith in God and what is required of us, which is why I feel that we tend to go back and forth from being the believer to the unbeliever. Our goal should be to find within ourselves the strength to continually side ourselves with God more than we do with His adversary. We can not be satisfied with remaining where we are at this moment spiritually or we risk losing our conviction which can only be maintained by a constant progression towards heaven. If we remain still, our “spiritual” muscles become complacent and weak therefore leaving us ill prepared for what challenges we face next in our battle and struggle towards heaven.

The Circle of Faith

I've been working on a post for about two months and I'm still not done! I was looking through some of my old mission notes and came across what I called The Circle of Faith. I wrote it in hopes to find a better way to motivate missionaries to be more dedicated. I was 20 at the time and it shows. I thought it would be a filler post nonetheless. Feel free to break it down and tear it up!

THE CIRCLE OF FAITH

Faith

From the beginning we have been taught that faith is the first principle that we must attain to progress the Lord’s work the way he wants us to do it. Faith is so important that without it all things that require any kind of action to be accomplished cannot be done. Being that everything that exists is created by the spirit of the Lord both spiritual and temporal, there are laws that must be satisfied or obeyed so that we can obtain what we act upon or work for. The Lord has given us these laws or commandments so that we may receive more truth and light to become as Him. Therefore first we must have confidence in the laws or a commandment the Lord has given us which is faith.

Obedience

Secondly, to obtain what we desire we must be obedient to the law upon which what we desire is predicated or simply said, do what the Lord has told us to do to get what we want.

Work

Third we must work or do something to obtain our desired objective because as we have been taught “faith if it hath not works, is dead.”

Correct Decisions

So as we apply our faith while being obedient to the laws which have been given and at the same time working within these laws to obtain what we desire, we will come across decisions that we have to make so we can have success in what we are working for. In Joshua 1:8 we learn that to make good decisions we must meditate or think deeply in the work that we are doing and then observe or study what has been taught to us. By doing this we prepare ourselves to make the correct decisions needed to have success in the Lord’s work.

Success

Success is a result of applying faith, being obedient, working hard, and making the correct decisions.

Self Confidence

When we have success in the Lord’s work, we truly have a great joy, a joy that replaces all doubt and fear into pure faith and confidence in the Lord.

Drive

This self confidence attained by having success in the Lord’s work is a great moment for a missionary because the “drive” to progress the work is increased. That is the step required to reach a higher level in relation to becoming a better instrument in the Lord’s hand. When a missionary can look back upon the success he has already had his attitude is changed when faced with a new challenge, it becomes “why not” instead of “I hope so.” That is why it is so important to report the success of a missionary so that he feels that he isn’t the only one that realizes that he is getting better. However with success there must be follow-up so that the missionary knows in what to improve. Without follow-up, success becomes the number on the sheet of paper instead of what the numbers represent. This is a key procedure in maintaining the circle to grow properly. As we can see success takes away doubt which increases the drive to reach a higher level of intensity to progress the work.

Desire

The last step is the keystone that keeps the circle of faith spinning. When the drive of a missionary has increased there is a natural reaction. With the increase of drive there is also a great increase in desire. Drive is the spontaneous spark that allows one to maintain a higher level of desire. Desire is so important that at every completion of the circle, if there is not an increase in desire the circle cannot grow. Desire is the only reason that causes one to get up everyday and do more and more to save souls. If the desire of a missionary is not increased he will become bored at what he is doing and the circle will collapse. Desire is something that cannot be given but only motivated. It must come from within. Desires are easy to point out because that are what cause a person to act, and by way of your acts your desires are shown. As we learn in Alma 32:27, what we first must have isn’t faith, but rather a “desire to believe.” Therefore brethren and sisters, let us have a desire to become better and from there we can start. Nurture your desire as if it was a seed so that as a seed it may grow in your hearts and give place for the words of God.

Notes:

Circle of Faith

Faith – 1Nephi 7:12 with faith all things of God can be done; Alma 32:21; Alma 19:23 by our faith others can be saved; 3Nephi 5:1-2 previous blessings strengthen our faith; Ether 12:12-16 All is done through faith; Jacob 4:6 Hebrews 10:38; Helaman 10:4-7 Lord will work through you if you do your part; Moroni 10:7; Hebrews 11

Obedience – D+C 130:20-21 every blessing from God is because of obedience; 1Nephi 2:20 obedience brings success; 1Nephi 17:3 we are given all that is needed to accomplish the Lord’s work when we are obedient; D+C 14:7; D+C 132:5

Work – James 2:17; D+C 123:13 work to bring all unto the light; Alma 36: 24-26 work to convert; Alma 26:3-5

Correct Decisions – 1Nephi 4:6 decisions must be made with the Spirit; Joshua 1:8 thinking it out by observing the situation brings success; D+C 58:26-29 must take your own initiative; Alma 43:30

Success – Alma 26:31 we must think back on the success the Lord has given us; Alma 26:27 don’t give up and success will come; D+C 103: 36; Alma 60:36; Alma 29:9; Moroni 10:22; success is not an option

No Doubt (self confidence) – Mormon 9:27 don’t doubt and use the faith of old or in other words let the success you’ve had motivate you; Alma 26:27,31; D+C 67:1-3

Drive – Alma 26:22 recipe for success; D+C 18:15-16 desire many to be with God

Desire – D+C 137:9 by way of your acts you desires are shown; Alma 29:9; Mosiah 28:3 desire that all be saved; D+C 88:32-33 you receive what you truly desire; Alma 29:14; Alma 32:27-28 desire is the key to all progression

The circle of faith is like a helix – D+C 50:24