Talmadge on the topic of Hell and post mortal experience

 Traditional ideas about hell (and also purgatory) are all about punishment for sin, a punishment that God inflicts, and which punishment creates suffering.*   However, that is an earthly concept of the nature of authoritative response to sin or bad behavior.   We know that God is not earthly, He is heavenly, and though He may become angry when we indulge in destructive and/or heard-hearted sin, He is not vindictive. Vindictive behavior is contrary to the very nature of heaven.   In reality, the suffering in "hell" is not God-inflicted, it is the natural, logical consequences of sin.

 

Sin in our lives, for which we are unrepentant, does cause us to experience suffering whether we currently are in this life or in the next.  Sometimes it is the suffering of remorse when we recognize our sin.  Sometimes it is the suffering of the natural consequences of that sin.  Sometimes it is the suffering that comes when justice is meted out.   And all of those kinds of suffering are what is referred to when we speak of suffering for sin in the life after this one, as well as in this life.

 

It is important to remember that each of those different kinds of suffering ultimately causes us to experience enough distress to make us reconsider what we have done, what the consequences have been, and whether we wish to continue embracing our sin, or instead, repent and change, look to Christ, embrace the gift of His atonement, and live.

 

Sometimes our recognition of sin is quick and so our repentance is quick, and our embracing of the atonement of Christ is quick, and the release from suffering comes soon. Sometimes our learning to recognize sin is quick but our wanting to repent is slow, and so we delay our repentance and our embracing of the atonement of Christ.  And sometimes our learning to recognize our sins is slow, and so our repentance is delayed.  In the latter two cases, the suffering continues longer.  But always, in this life, and the next, whether the process of learning to recognize, repent and embrace Christ and his atonement for us is quick or slow, God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ are always reaching out to us to help us turn our hearts to repentance and to them, and to their rest.

 

And everyone of us will eventually come to understand that about them, and decide if we wish to continue as we are, or repent, and embrace the Atonement that Jesus offers us, to end our suffering that comes from our sins.  He can provide that because He made Atonement for our sins on our behalf. And all of us will understand that offer (Romans 14:11) and decide whether or not to repent.

 

So what does that mean for us if we have committed sin in this life for which we have not been able to repent, and we find ourselves in the next life, experiencing the suffering we have brought upon ourselves because of our sin?   (This is what is commonly referred to experiencing hell or spirit prison)

 

In reference to that: James E. Talmadge wrote: "During this hundred years (since the Restoration of the Church) many other great truths not known before, have been declared to the people, and one of the greatest is that to hell there is an exit as well as an entrance. Hell is no place to which a vindictive judge sends prisoners to suffer and to be punished principally for his glory; but it is a place prepared for the teaching, the disciplining of those who failed to learn here upon the earth what they should have learned. True, we read of everlasting punishment, unending suffering, eternal damnation. That is a direful expression; but in his mercy the Lord has made plain what those words mean. “Eternal punishment,” he says, is God’s punishment, for he is eternal; and that condition or state or possibility will ever exist for the sinner who deserves and really needs such condemnation; but this does not mean that the individual sufferer or sinner is to be eternally and everlastingly made to endure and suffer. No man will be kept in hell longer than is necessary to bring him to a fitness for something better. When he reaches that stage the prison doors will open and there will be rejoicing among the hosts who welcome him into a better state. The Lord has not abated in the least what he has said in earlier dispensations concerning the operation of his law and his gospel, but he has made clear unto us his goodness and mercy through it all, for it is his glory and his work to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man."

Elder James E. Talmage, Conference Report, April 1930, 

See also 2 Nephi 26:24

 

We cannot atone for our own sins, no matter how much we suffer.  In contrast, the Atonement of Christ "begins to work the day you ask" and will "[restore} what you cannot restore, [heal] the wound you cannot heal, [and fix] that which you broke and you cannot fix".    

Boyd K. Packer, "Washed Clean", Ensign May 1997, p.9

                            "The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness", Ensign, November 1995, p.18

 

This promise of release from the suffering that our sins have brought upon us (and upon others) is made possible through the atonement of Christ. It is a promise to each of us, whether we are recognizing our mistakes and sins in this life or the next.

 

Whether in this life, or the next, as we turn to Him, sorrowful over what we have done, changing our hearts and actions, and seeking forgiveness and release, we find the promised relief, hope, love, peace and vision which his atoning sacrifice makes possible for us.

 

That is one of the reasons He came.  That is one of the ways he saves us.

* For an interesting history of the Christian tradition of purgatory: click here.

God and Anger

 "God’s anger is at one with his love, helpful, healing, restoring; yet is it verily and truly what we call anger. How different is the anger of one who loves, from that of one who hates! There is the degraded, human anger, and the grand, noble, eternal anger. It is to me an especially glad thought that the Lord came so near us as to be angry with us..."

--George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons

Sealing and Binding, Doctrine and Covenants 128:14

 Today I was reading through section 128 and noted the "whatsoever ye shall bind on earth" verse (8) which also shows up in sections 127 and 132.

But what particularly caught my attention was verse 14, which talks about "the sealing and binding" power, and "in one sense of the word, the keys (plural) of the kingdom".

I think that we tend to assume that sealing and binding are synonyms.

However, as I've been studying this a bit, I think that sealing and binding are actually two different elements of the kingdom of God.  

 

"Sealing" and "seal", does show up consistently, in both the New Testament and in the Doctrine and Covenants.  In the New Testament, the Greek word used means "authenticized" and "established and recognized by one person/entity and to be used only as that person/entity directs".   For example, when the stone was rolled in front of the sepulchre and "sealed", it wasn't cemented shut...the verb used indicates that a Roman seal was placed upon it, likely wrapping a rope around the stone and then sealing the rope to the adjacent wall, to show that it was not to be opened without Pilate's approval.  (Rolling the stone away would break the seal).

Sealing

Doctrine and Covenants sections on baptism for the dead talk about "sealing", particularly the importance of recording...a form of establishing the authenticity of the ordinance.  Baptism does not establish a relationship between mortals. Clearly, here, sealing is not a form of establishing such relationships, it is a word used to describe clearly whose work this is...having the ordinance sealed, or given the "seal or stamp of authenticity and directive" by God, recognizing that He is the one who determines how it should be used by the recipient.   

In temple marriages we are not sealed together, but when you listen to the words, you discover that blessings are sealed upon the individuals who are being married, ie., blessings are pronounced and made authentic by God if/as we abide by His directives/commandments about how we are to engage in this new covenant we are taking on. 

 If we engage in marriage in ways that are opposed to what he has directed....not only do we fail to receive blessings we might otherwise have received, but we also ultimately lose His approval/authorization of that marriage.   

Binding

Various forms of the verb "to bind", or the adjective "bound" also show up in various verses in scripture.  Going through the verses where it shows up in the Doctrine and Covenants I find that it means

• our obligation to keep the covenants we have made
  
• God's obligation to keep His covenants with us when we keep ours with Him
  
• the limits placed on Satan during the Millennium
  
• the unity that comes when people make and keep covenants with each other
  
• to obligate someone to act against his/her conscience
  
• obligation to sustain government
  
• obligation that rulers have to enact laws to protect citizens
  
• a state of being prevented from doing something due to one's previous choices
  

If I am on track, then the "whatsoever ye shall bind...whatsoever ye shall loose" scripture is referring, most likely, to the establishment of obligations and responsibilities, and the disestablishment of obligations and responsibilities between us and God, or between us and God and other individuals.

So, how does that apply to the various covenants we make?

As for binding and loosing covenants, per the bulleted list above....Binding, (the taking on of obligations/promises) comes as individuals make authentic, authorized covenants with God (baptism, priesthood, endowment, marriage) and loosing covenants (the extrication from those obligations and promises) comes as we choose not to fulfill those obligations and God no longer is obligated to provide the blessings that would have come if we had been working to keep them.

For some people, this extrication involves some church action in this life.  For others, it will happen without that official church action in this life.

So..."sealed" means the ordinance is recognized as being authentic and under the authority of God and binding means the taking on and living of covenants as part of that ordinance.

               (side note:  *an ordinance being authorized or ratified by the Holy Spirit, aka. the Holy Spirit of Promise, is a point for further discussion and is different from being "authentic" or from being authorized by a church leader---you might fool people, but if you are entering into a covenant and you have no desire or will to fulfill it and have been dishonest in your efforts to enter it, it you might fool other people, but can't fool the Holy Spirit and the ordinance doesn't count in heaven.  But I digress.)

Finally...what about children being sealed to parents?   That wording is used in the temple.  But...it is given with a huge extra blessing....   The parentage is recognized/authorized by God, (of course...it's His plan of salvation that put them there) but that sealing blessing is given with the blessing of the full and complete healing offered through the atonement of Christ...so in essence, they are authorized/recognized as children in that family "as if they had been born in the new and everlasting covenant".

Now...the new and everlasting covenant is, as you know, not just the marriage in the temple.  The new and everlasting covenant is different from the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. The new and everlasting covenant is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In other words, the blessing pronounced upon those children is that it will be, for them, ultimately, as if their parents had lived as Jesus taught and teaches us to live (or at least were seriously trying to and making progress).

So, in essence...the children are sealed to parents with the promise of the atonement of Christ....healed from every pain or suffering they have experienced due to the sins, wickedness, foolishness, horrible behavior, stupid mistakes, etc. of their parents, and blessed with every opportunity and kindness that they missed.

That is, in my opinion, HUGE.  We need to recognize that more.

Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

 Read today:

”It is not like a child that I believe in Christ and profess faith in Him, but rather my hosanna has come through the great crucible of doubt.” ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

1880-1881 Notebooks, draft of a letter to K. D. Kavelin, in reference to “The Brothers Karamozov”

The Unpublished Dostoevsky, Volume 3, p. 175

Cheering On and Rejoicing from Afar

There have been some videos posted online during this Olympics week that have been fun for me to watch.  

I have enjoyed watching snatches of videos of athletes competing in Tokyo, but what I have enjoyed even more, is watching their families and friends cheer them on from afar.

You can watch and listen to them as they watch during a couple of the recent swim races as well as when the final touch at the side of the pool happens

 Listen to, and catch a glimpse of Ahmed Hafnaoui's family in Tunisia here:  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/olympics/ahmed-hafnaoui-s-family-watching-him-win-gold-is-the-best-moment-of-the-olympics-so-far/ar-AAMAeZN

Lydia Jacoby's family and friends in Alaska here:  

https://fb.watch/v/1Xiacdpqq/

(I am sure that there are hundreds of other groups of family and friends that have or will respond similarly as they watch children and friends that they love... we just happen to only get a glimpse of the families of two gold medal winners...our world tends to focus just on those...)

Any loving parent (we are not including parents who are focused on winning and their child performing exceptionally and/or better than others instead of focusing on loving support) will recognized the joy that comes to us just watching our children engaged in efforts to become better at something and learning and growing and making progress, however great or small, in that process.  

As I watched the interest, support and rejoicing (which I have seen good parents do as they rejoice in their children, of all ages, who are engaged in trying to do something that they are learning how to do, regardless of the level of "performance" attained) I remembered the statement Jesus made after the parable of the poor widow who searches and searches and searches and finally finds the coin she had lost, and then rejoices with her neighbors (who apparently were aware of and concerned as well and likely were encouraging her and then relieved and happy for her) over that find :

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents."

Though I don't think there is any evidence that the angels act specifically the way that those family members and friends in Tunisia and Alaska did, but I have a feeling that the level of cheering on and celebration is at least that high as we engage in our life journeys and work with the Lord in the process of repentance as we embrace His atonement and do become free from a sin that besets us.

Enjoy catching an earthly variation of that cheering on and rejoicing.

Children and Praise, Some Good Advice

 Raising Children in Ways That Help Them Become Confident and Mentally Strong

Published Thu, Jul 15 202112:03 PM EDTUpdated Thu, Jul 15 20214:18 PM EDT

 

Jessica VanderWier, Contributor

 

As parents, we want our kids to feel good about themselves, so we try to praise them as much as possible.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Research shows that there are benefits to praising kids. A simple compliment can generate self-worth and pride. However, it depends on what kind of praise we give, as well as when and how frequently.

 

As a psychotherapist who works with parents and children, I’ve seen over and over again the negative effects of overpraising a child’s talent or outcome (“This looks amazing!” “You’re so handsome!” “Good job!”).

But these short, exaggerated reactions can cause kids to only focus on things that may harm their self-esteem. They might feel performance anxiety (“If I get this answer wrong, I am dumb”), for example, or believe that they are only appreciated for their appearance (“What if people think I look weird in this shirt? Then they won’t love me”).

So should you praise your kids at all? Of course. But there are right and wrong ways to give praise. Here’s what parents of confident, self-motivated and mentally strong kids always do:

 

1. They praise the process

When you praise the process (e.g., the kid putting effort into a math assignment), instead of the talent or outcome (e.g., the kid’s natural ability to solve math problems quickly), kids are more likely to develop a positive attitude toward future challenges.

In the 1990s, Carol S. Dweck, a professor of psychology at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, studied the effects of these types of praises. In one experiment, a group of children was told they were successful because they were smart, while the second group was told they were successful because they worked hard.

When the two groups were given a variety of puzzles, children in the second group were more likely to choose a harder puzzle. Dweck also found that praising the process made them more likely to feel confident in a task even if they made a mistake.

 

2. They never make it a competition

Parents love to compare — we can’t help it! And sometimes, we’ll even tell our kids that they’re better than others (“You scored more goals than all your teammates combined!”).

Often, it’s done with good intentions. We want them to feel as proud as we do, and to be motivated to do even better the next time ... but for all the wrong reasons.

It’s not healthy to be trapped in a vicious cycle of competition. Social comparisons can teach kids to always measure success based on the outcomes of other people.

Even worse, according to research, giving kids praise in terms of comparison, in some cases, can cultivate narcissism, attention-seeking behavior and a lack of teamwork values.

The better approach? Encourage them to compare their past efforts with their present efforts, rather than with other people. This gets them into the habit of shifting their goals away from being better than everyone else and toward self-improvement.

 

3. They use observational language

Instead of saying, “That’s so good!”, you may want to say, “I love the colors in your painting. Tell me more about why you chose them.” (This is what it means to praise the process.)

Another example: Instead of saying, “You looked like a pro riding that bike!,” parents of motivated kids might say something like, “You were so careful and focused while riding your bike. Even when you wobbled a bit and almost fell off, you kept going! That was cool to watch.”

These simple language tweaks can help your kids feel proud of themselves for putting effort into something. It can also make them more excited to take on more challenging things in the future.

Lastly, it’s important to create an environment of emotional safety. If your child failed a spelling test, refrain from telling them they should have studied harder. Instead, ask them what they think they can do to improve next time.

Kids need to know that they can come to their parents not just when they have done something well, but also when they are struggling with a specific task or challenge, and that they will be met with helpful, healthy appreciation and welcome.

.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/15/a-psychotherapist-shares-how-parents-of-confident-and-mentally-strong-kids-praise-their-children.html

Forgiveness, a look at the Greek

Below is an answer to a question I posed on the 100 Hour Board years ago, about meanings of the words translated as "forgive" in three passages in the New Testament.  Since the Board is ending soon, I have cut and pasted it below for future reference. 

The author and person for whom I am indebted for this information was a person whose used the pen name "St. Jerome"

For the benefit of our readers I have reproduced the verse in question.

Matthew 6:12 and 14: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

The words in Matthew 6 (apheys, apheykamen, and aphete) all derive from the same root word, aphieymi, which is a combination of the preposition apo- meaning "away," and hiemi meaning "to go." The whole word, aphieymi, therefore means "to send away or discharge." In this sense, it has the meaning of "let go" or "set free." However, it also has a legal sense of "to release from a debt or an obligation." In this passage, as with many of the passages in the New Testament, older legal terminology has been co-opted into a newer religious terminology. So, when we ask the Lord to "forgive our debts," we are using legal terminology.  

Ephesians 4:32 "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God 

for Christ́’s sake hath forgiven you."

The words in Ephesians both come from chariskomai, which is a middle form of the word charis. This

 is one of those great and important words. It forms the root for our own English words charity and charisma.  Charis is translated in other places in the New Testament as "grace." It also has the sense of "to give a favor or grant a boon." The word in Ephesians are in the middle voice, something which English doesn't really have. Essentially, the middle voice are words that carry a reciprocal meaning or "for oneself." Not in a selfish sense, but in a linguistic sense. So, chariskomaimeans something to the effect "to show favor, for oneself." Perhaps to retain the sense of charis we could translate the 

passage in Ephesians as "be gracious one to another."

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"

The words in Luke are various forms of apoluo which means "to let loose, or free from apo- "away" again and luo "to release." This is again a legal term. It can in certain cases have the meaning of "acquit" or "to absolve of charges." It can also mean "to ransom or redeem." Once again here we 

have a legal usage, which the Christian authors used in a religious sense. 

Treat the place where you live as if you intend to live there and to make it better for a very long time.

 "I  consecrate unto them this land for a little season until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence;  And the hour and he day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, an this shall turn unto them for their good."

Doctrine and Covenants 51:16

My church calling

Though it may seem so at first glance, my church calling is not to serve as organizer, director, manager, mentor or teacher.  

My calling is to minister individually and, occasionally, collectively.  

And it is to be available, Christ being the example.

And as an essential part of that, I am instructed to receive and follow the promptings of divine revelation that will help me to be of help to those whom I am called to serve, and help me to be an extension of divine love.

The purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not to make it possible for you to “be happy”.

We equate heaven with happiness,  and we equate living the gospel of Jesus Christ with happiness.   

Certainly, living in the presence of God, when all is said and done, is a state of light and love. And surely, our lives, when we understand and live His gospel, are better in terms of inner peace and moments of joy than when we don’t understand it or live it.  But the purpose or result of the gospel of Jesus Christ is definitely not to make you happy every day as you work with Him.  If we believe that happiness to supposed to be the ongoing, predictable result of our earnest discipleship we will be disappointed, because, frankly, it isn’t.

Witness:

Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” and suffered hunger, thirst, fatigue, temptations and pain. (a)

Ammon was “depressed” in spirit and “suffered many things”. (b)

Alma was “weighed down with sorrow”. (c)

Nephi was “much cast down”. (d)

Paul experienced “distress” and “anguish of heart”. (e)

The purpose of the gospel of Jesus is not to make us happy now and every day (though there are moments of happiness in discipleship).  The purpose of the gospel in this life, and beyond, is to change us from a natural man or woman to a saint. (f)

And that change is unlikely if we do not have the opportunity to become people who respond with faith in Christ and love of God, repentance, and openhearted charity towards others, even while simultaneously experiencing all of the above feelings and challenges as we engage in the work of disciples of Christ.

References:  

a. Isaiah 53:3, Mosiah 3:7, Mosiah 14:3

b. Alma 26:27, Mosiah 7:16

c. Alma 8:14

d. Helaman 10:3

e. 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10, 1st Corinthians 2:4

f. Mosiah 3:19

The purpose of the set up...

The purpose of sacrament meeting is to worship the Father and the Son and renew our covenants with them.  If we do not speak of them, and just speak only of their commandments or of the church without reference to them, or if we speak of of our experience with their commandments without reference to our experience of seeking Them, in the talks we give there, we have failed.  Our speech here is to worship them, to speak of them, to renew covenants with them, and to rejoice in their hand in our lives as we  seek to be their disciples and follow them.

The purpose of our Relief Society, Priesthood Quorums, Young Women classes and Primary classes are to turn our hearts to the Father and the Son and to empower us to work more lovingly, more wisely, more unitedly, with greater vision, with less anxiety and self-doubt, with more confidence, and with greater focus, with them, in their work of blessing and assisting and lifting all of his children.

Our ministry, that which we accept by invitation, as well as that which we do as we care for and interact with family members, and that which we do free-lance by inspiration, is a God-given opportunity to get farther out of our comfort zones (2 Ne. all is well in Zion) and work more carefully with the Father and the Son and with each other to do and be and understand who the Father sent us here to learn to do, and be, and understand.

Feed my sheep.  What does that mean?   To minister...to be aware of....to love, wisely,  in spite of their, and our, sins and flaws and imperfection

In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these...Matthew 25:31-40.

Who are the sheep the Father has given to me?
Have I made holy promises to someone before God?  That is one of the sheep He wants me to feed in my interactions with him or her.   Has the Father ever sent children to my family (nuclear or extended)?  Those are some of the sheep He wants me to feed in my interactions with them.  Have I accepted an invitation to be a ministering brother or ministering sister to members of my ward?  Those are some of the sheep He wants me to feed in my interactions with them.  Are there people in need in my neighborhood or community?  Those are some of the sheep He wants me to feed in my interactions with them.

Frankly, that sounds absolutely overwhelming and impossible at first glance.  But notice that Jesus did not say “for I had problems and difficulties and you made it so that they were all solved and I became everything you hoped I would become”,  but He did say, “feed”, which is to “love” and to “nourish and strengthen” to use a familiar church phrase in our interactions with them.

Some of the sheep the Father has given us to care for we see and speak to as a matter of course every day.  So it’s easier, once we understand His hope that we will love, nourish and strengthen them, for us to find time to do that.

Others of the sheep that the Father has given us to care for we will never see or speak to unless we actually, purposefully, make the time to do that.  And many of us are afraid, or too overwhelmed, or shy, or feel too lonely, or we love our little kingdoms too much to leave them.  Or we tend to expect that we are incapable,  or that the sheep is trying to avoid us.  And so we don’t make time to care for them.  Or if we attempt to do so, we feel totally inadequate and discouraged and feel guilty and unhappy.

That’s normal.  It’s also one of the reasons why we meet together each week: so that we can encourage, empower, and assist each other to overcome that discouragement, resistance, and sense of overwhelm as we rejoice in the power of the God we worship who gives us the strength and vision we need to work together to feed His sheep.  

Being Prepared and Moving Forward, Doctrine and Covenants 38:29-35, 39-41, some main points.

 Received in 1831

Main points:

You have heard of wars going on in other countries, and you expect that there will even bigger wars between countries.  But you underestimate the results that will come from what is going on in the minds and hearts of people in your own country.

 

You have been praying, so now I will counsel you: Seek wisdom and embrace what it teaches you.  If you do so, you will be prepared for what wicked people do.  If you do not do so their actions will surprise you in awful, frightening, alarming ways, and you will be unprepared to respond.

 

If you have sought wisdom and then prepared accordingly, you will not fear.

 

Being prepared needs to include creating a community of believers and receiving an endowment of priesthood power from God.

 

It also includes going out beyond your community, following the promptings of the Holy Spirit as you interact with others.

 

And it includes caring for the poor and needy, administering to their relief, and welcoming them into the community that you have created.

 

Speaking of poverty and riches: the riches you should seek are the riches of eternity.  

 

Also, beware of pride. (Otherwise you run a good risk of becoming the kind of people that the Nephites became.)

 

And work hard to accomplish the things that the Lord has commanded you to do.

 

And, remember, when you speak of the above, or teach any other part of the gospel of Jesus Christ, to anyone, that it is essential that you do so in mildness and in meekness. 

One of the pitfalls of "loving those you serve". Doctrine and Covenants 34-37

 We sometimes hear the sentiment expressed that if you want to learn to love someone, serve that person.  And certainly, if you are a person who values the quality of being loving or of being motivated by love, that is often true.

And in most cases, that is helpful.

However, as a leader or teacher, that can create a problem, particularly in a church which values "sustaining" leaders.  If others are participating in and helping you in the church work for which you, as a leader or teacher, are responsible, and you are appreciative, the result might be that they will feel greater love for you, and be more inclined to help in the future.

So what's wrong with that?

I've been reading passages in the Doctrine and Covenants in which various individuals are called to the work of preaching and writing, joining Joseph Smith in the work of spreading the good news of the restored gospel.  Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge, etc. etc. all called to join in the work, alongside the man who had also been called and who was the one who invited and called them.

In a situation like that, in an organization that is young, and fledgling, and has, by it's resultant nature, a primary leader, the good-hearted individuals who join in the work often feel an increase of affection for and commitment to the person who leads the work and works alongside them. That's normal.

And that's the rub.  When we love the leader because we have been assisting/sustaining him or her in the work, it is very easy to see the work more as an extension of our affection for the leader, and, because we are enjoying that brotherly love, we miss the opportunity to understand that experience or create it as service to a real, present, divine Lord.  

And thus, in the magnification of and focus on the 2nd great commandment, we fail to fully experience the 1st.

I wonder if this early church experience, at a time when so much of the calling to the work was done through one man, and at a time when so much of the work involved interacting with that one man and with others who were interacting with that man, didn't create an era where those involved were highly susceptible to the experience of the work being felt as an increase of the 2nd commandment. 

And that's not bad.  Except that the 2nd commandment is the 2nd commandment.  And when my decision to engage in God's work is motivated primarily by the 2nd commandment type love that I have experienced while engaged in that work, then I cheat myself out of increasing my engagement and comprehension of the 1st.  And it is the 1st that is absolutely necessary, especially when, suddenly, you discover that your leader is less than completely loveable.

This process makes me think that I am understanding a little better the "love for Joseph Smith" that was felt by some early members of the church, which they, naturally, tended to pass on to their descendants; vestiges of which are still found in discourse within the church today, and certainly linger in our hymn book.

So I think that one of the biggest challenges a church leader or teacher has is the process of moving the focus of others onto serving, and thereby coming to love, the Lord as they work with you to try to do his work.  And one of the biggest challenges that the rest of us have, is to maintain that focus on who we are really, first and foremost, learning to serve and learning to love.

Creating opportunities for lasting change and strength

 The comments of a fellow laborer have caused me to review what I have learned about engaging others in moving forward the work of the Lord.

What is that work?  It is the work of empowering, blessing, and aiding progress in goodness and discipleship in the lives of those involved and those they seek to assist.

I have seen multiple ways of attempting to engage fellow saints in the work of the Lord.

Encouraging, cheerleading, advertising, talking up, pontificating, making it fun, testifying, socializing, including delicious food, involving competition, forming teams, adding energetic music, persuading, debating, setting goals, providing rewards, tracking and celebrating progress, dramatic performances, expert (or non expert) media, athletics, clean humor, games; any one of them, and more, can be and have been utilized in efforts to increase engagement.

These are not intrinsically bad things. They are often enjoyable and inviting to at least some of the participants we invite. And people of all ages enjoy them and benefit from having them in their lives. However, no matter how engaging and fun they might be, they are, essentially, the equivalent of beach  sand.  They are not, and will never be, what is needed for a lasting foundation for finding, long-term, the peace, hope and vision that the Lord's work offers.   And as we consider employing the ways of involving listed above, we need to remember that.

Employing them as a "way to get people to come or to participate" so that you can "teach them what you want them to know and engage them in the good work" may well get them involved.  But it will never be enough to help them see what is possible. That method of engagement does not, ultimately, work long term.  And sometimes it even distracts or distresses, actually hindering progress.

Our work is to be like Jesus, and in his manner, speak, love and invite to a place where, whatever we are doing, what we create there will help them to feel His love and understand better what is possible.

The only thing I have seen work long-term in our efforts to create lasting fundamental change in the lives of others who we hope to engage in the work of the Lord is this: to make the following combination of elements, listed below, the essence of our work and the essence of every activity we create in our efforts to invite others to experience and engage in that work.

The list:  Loving others honestly, loving the Lord, treating others with dignity, speaking truth with soberness and kindness, listening respectfully and carefully, consecrating what we have to the Lord, living in gratitude, being fully aware of and responding to needs, and following the promptings we are gently given through the Holy Ghost.

That's a tall order. Yet, without those elements (however imperfectly) being at the heart of, and the essence of, every aspect of our work, those we seek to engage will find that they have been invited to build houses, but that too much of what they have been given to build upon is just sand.

"I'm Trying to be Like...."

 "Christ was not interested in himself, but in his Father and his Father's children.  He did not care to hear himself called good.  It was not of consequence to him.  He was there to let men see the goodness of the Father in whom he glorified."

~ George MacDonald, "The Way", Unspoken Sermons, Volume 2

Doctrine and Covenants 24: 7-8

 You shall devote all your service to God’s work of uniting people in love and care for each other here on earth; and in this you will have strength.

Be patient in afflictions, for you shall have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with you, even unto the end of your days.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:18-21: A scriptural definition of “church” as found in the KJV, and the sin of contention.

 “The word ‘church’ (Hebrew qahal or edah; Greek ekklesia) had a slightly broader meaning anciently than it does now. It referred to an assembly, congregation, or association of people who bonded together and shared the same loyalties. Thus, the term was not necessarily restricted to religious associations; in fact, in Athens the Greeks used the term to denote the legislative assembly of government.

“Originally, the term ekklesia, formed from two words meaning call and out, referred to those citizens whom heralds called out or summoned to public meetings. Thus, it was an ideal word to represent the body of individuals whom God “calls out” of the world through the Holy Ghost. The civil dimension of the word appears in Acts 19:32, where assembly in the KJV is a translation of the Greek ekklesia.”

“The term abominable is used in the Old Testament to describe what God hates, what cannot fail to arouse his wrath.”

“ When we put all this together, we find that the term ‘great and abominable church’ means an immense assembly or association of people bound together by their loyalty to that which God hates.”

~ Stephen Robinson, “Warring Against the Saints”, Ensign, January 1988

“Our...enemy is wickedness—those who love darkness more than light and who serve the evil one.  Those who attack other [religious denominations] violate the Lord’s command, as stated in this verse [Doctrine and Covenants  18:20]...In fact thy run a great risk that by adopting Satan’s methodology—in this case, argument and contention—they may themselves become members of the ‘church of the devil’”

~ Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, p. 107, Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2000

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit  of contention is not of me, but  is of the  devil, who is the father  of contention, and he stirreth up the  hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.  Behold,  this is not  my doctrine,  to stir up the  hearts of men with anger,  one against another;  but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done  away.”   ~ 3rd Nephi  11:29-30

There is, in scripture, permission given to contend with “the 'church' of the devil” ( Doctrine  and Covenants 18:20).   Tellingly, that verse is bracketed clearly with the declaration that without faith, hope and charity you can do nothing  (verse 19) and the admonition to speak the truth with soberness (verse 21)).

The bracketing verses clearly indicate that this contending against evil that is allowed is one that  eschews  any involvement in the sin of contention, but manifests itself instead by its truth speaking that is aimed at those who, like the devil, love to and rejoice in harming, denigrating and hating others of God’s children (Moses 7:29-34).  And those verses clearly indicate that God requires that such truth speaking on our part be fully grounded in faith, hope and love, and delivered in self-restrained and profound seriousness.

It seems that no matter what your cause, nor what evil organization or group you are contending against, when you embrace or indulge in anger and contention you lose your alignment with God.

Seymour Brunson and Oliver Cowdery

Seymour Brunson received baptism in 1831 in Northern Ohio.  After serving as a missionary, he moved his family to Far West, Missouri in early 1837 where he was called to act as a temporary member of the high council.  

As tensions and fear of failure to be able to live in safety and economic stability increased in Far West, anxiety about the survival of the new town increased, and people in the community became concerned about the possibility that division of opinions or independent actions by members would harm the viability of the new settlement.  And anxiety and fear of failure often lead to deep distrust of conflicting opinions.

Oliver Cowdery, sustained as the “Assistant President of the church” in 1834, was also living in Far West and, to support his family, had established a law office.  As a lawyer he was concerned about conflicts between what he saw as constitutional law and directives being given by the high council in that city and he expressed those.  He also was concerned about Joseph Smith’s relationship with Fanny Alger which, as polygamy had not yet been made a matter of public knowledge, smacked of adultery to him.  

Stress levels among members of the church in Far West were considerable as the church began settle the area amidst increasing and threatening opposition from Missourians outside of Far West, and their own concerns about their ability, as a united group, to live a new form of community that later became known as the “United Order”.  Inevitably, members of the Far West high council began to be concerned that Cowdery’s, and others leaders' expressed concerns would undercut people’s trust in Joseph Smith and their church authority in decision making regarding property and speech, thus creating disunity.  

An article about about the excommunications that occurred in April of 1838, published by BYU Studies describes the series of events that happened in Far West that month, including the following:

On Wednesday, April 11, 1838,  Seymour Brunson preferred the following charges against Oliver Cowdery, to the High Council at Far West: 

To the Bishop and Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I prefer the following charges against President Oliver Cowdery.

“First—For persecuting the brethren by urging on vexatious law suits against them, and thus distressing the innocent.

“Second—For seeking to destroy the character of President Joseph Smith, Jun., by falsely insinuating that he was guilty of adultery.

“Third—For treating the Church with contempt by not attending meetings.

“Fourth—For virtually denying the faith by declaring that he would not be governed by any ecclesiastical authority or revelations whatever, in his temporal affairs.  [This was addressed in Oliver’s letter to the council and was withdrawn by the council]

“Fifth—For selling his lands in Jackson county, contrary to the revelations. [This was addressed in Oliver’s letter to the council and was withdrawn by the council]

“Sixth—For writing and sending an insulting letter to President Thomas B. Marsh, while the latter was on the High Council, attending to the duties of his office as President of the Council, and by insulting the High Council with the contents of said letter. [This charge was withdrawn]

“Seventh—For leaving his calling to which God had appointed him by revelation, for the sake of filthy lucre, and turning to the practice of law.

Eighth—For disgracing the Church by being connected in the bogus business [the practice of law], as common report says.

“Ninth—For dishonestly retaining notes after they had been paid; and finally, for leaving and forsaking the cause of God, and returning to the beggarly elements of the world, and neglecting his high and holy calling, according to his profession.”

The Bishop and High Council assembled at the Bishop’s office, April 12, 1838. After the organization of the Council, the above charges of the 11th instant were read, also a letter from Oliver Cowdery (see notes below), as will be found recorded in the Church record of the city of Far West, Book A. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, and 9th charges were sustained. As noted above, the 4th and 5th charges were rejected, and the 6th was withdrawn. Consequently he (Oliver Cowdery) was considered no longer a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also voted by the High Council that Oliver Cowdery be no longer a committee to select locations for the gathering of the Saints.

An indication of the extent of the levels of stress and fear among the population of Far West could well be measured by the response by many of them to this excommunication of Oliver Cowdery and several other prominent church leaders that week. Though the High Council did not direct those who were excommunicated to leave, a dire and threatening letter addressed to those individuals promising personal violence if they did not leave Far West was signed by 83 men of the community and delivered to those individuals.

This letter and its signatures not only effectively drove these men and their families out of the town, but also ended up being the early origins of the Danite movement, whose inclination to solve problems by intimidation caused multiple problems in the ensuing decades.

As one considers the multiple levels of personal as well as community tragedy that played out as a result of this situation in Far West during that April of 1838 and the various struggles and tragedies that followed in the ensuing years in the lives of many who were involved in this story, and which tragedies and struggles had some roots in this story, it is interesting to note two poignant occurrences in the seven years leading up to what happened in April, 1838, in Far West

1. Oliver Cowdery had ordained Seymour Brunson to the office of High Priest in 1831.

2. Three years before he moved to Far West, Seymour Brunson and his wife received patriarchal blessings  on 4 May 1835, under the hands of Joseph Smith Sr. And in his blessing Seymour was counseled to show more mercy to the Saints.  Harriet was counseled to be more humble.

Bibliograpy

Bushman, "Joseph Smith Rough Stone Rolling," 124; 

BYU Studies-Further Studies, Church History, volume 3, chapter 2, p.13    https://byustudies.byu.edu/further-study-lesson/volume-3-chapter-2/#fn-1

Olson, Ferrin A., Seymour Brunson, Defender of the Faith, published by author, 1999

Gentry, Leland H., “The Danite Band of 1838”, BYU Studies Quarterly, Volume 14, issue 4, article 4, https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1686&context=byusq

“Life Sketch of Seymour Brunson”, https://seymourbrunson.blogspot.com/

Vogel, Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet, Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 2004, p. 548

Note:

Oliver Cowdery’s letter to the council

Far West, Missouri, April 12, 1838.

Dear Sir:—I received your note of the 9th inst., on the day of its date, containing a copy of nine charges preferred before yourself and Council against me, by Elder Seymour Brunson.

I could have wished that those charges might have been deferred until after my interview with President Smith; but as they are not, I must waive the anticipated pleasure with which I had flattered myself of an understanding on those points which are grounds of different opinions on some Church regulations, and others which personally interest myself.

The fifth charge reads as follows: “For selling his lands in Jackson County contrary to the revelations.” So much of this charge, “for selling his lands in Jackson County,” I acknowledge to be true, and believe that a large majority of this Church have already spent their judgment on that act, and pronounced it sufficient to warrant a disfellowship; and also that you have concurred in its correctness, consequently, have no good reason for supposing you would give any decision contrary.

Now, sir, the lands in our country are allodial in the strictest construction of that term, and have not the least shadow of feudal tenures attached to them, consequently, they may be disposed of by deeds of conveyance without the consent or even approbation of a superior.

The fourth charge is in the following words, “For virtually denying the faith by declaring that he would not be governed by any ecclesiastical authority nor revelation whatever in his temporal affairs.”

With regard to this, I think I am warranted in saying, the judgment is also passed as on the matter of the fifth charge, consequently, I have no disposition to contend with the Council; this charge covers simply the doctrine of the fifth, and if I were to be controlled by other than my own judgment, in a compulsory manner, in my temporal interests, of course, could not buy or sell without the consent of some real or supposed authority. Whether that clause contains the precise words, I am not certain—I think however they were these, “I will not be influenced, governed, or controlled, in my temporal interests by any ecclesiastical authority or pretended revelation whatever, contrary to my own judgment.” Such being still my opinion shall only remark that the three great principles of English liberty, as laid down in the books, are “the right of personal security, the right of personal liberty, and the right of private property.” My venerable ancestor was among the little band, who landed on the rocks of Plymouth in 1620—with him he brought those maxims, and a body of those laws which were the result and experience of many centuries, on the basis of which now stands our great and happy government; and they are so interwoven in my nature, have so long been inculcated into my mind by a liberal and intelligent ancestry that I am wholly unwilling to exchange them for anything less liberal, less benevolent, or less free.

The very principle of which I conceive to be couched in an attempt to set up a kind of petty government, controlled and dictated by ecclesiastical influence, in the midst of this national and state government. You will, no doubt, say this is not correct; but the bare notice of these charges, over which you assume a right to decide, is, in my opinion, a direct attempt to make the secular power subservient to Church direction—to the correctness of which I cannot in conscience subscribe—I believe that principle never did fail to produce anarchy and confusion.

This attempt to control me in my temporal interests, I conceive to be a disposition to take from me a portion of my Constitutional privileges and inherent right—I only, respectfully, ask leave, therefore, to withdraw from a society assuming they have such right.

So far as relates to the other seven charges, I shall lay them carefully away, and take such a I shall lay them carefully away, and take such a course with regard to them, as I may feel bound by my honor, to answer to my rising posterity.

I beg you, sir, to take no view of the foregoing remarks, other than my belief in the outward government of this Church. I do not charge you, or any other person who differs with me on these points, of not being sincere, but such difference does exist, which I sincerely regret.

With considerations of the highest respect, I am, your obedient servant,

[signed.] Oliver Cowdery.