My faith is placed upon Jesus Christ

      “Brigham Young...said 'My faith is not placed upon the Lord’s working upon the islands of the sea, upon his bringing the people here, … nor upon the favors he bestows upon this people or upon that people, neither upon whether we are blessed or not blessed, but my faith is placed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and my knowledge I have received from him.' (Brigham Young, "Instructions", Deseret News, Nov. 21, 1855)

     "Our repentance and obedience, our service and sacrifices do matter. We want to be among those described by Ether as “always abounding in good works." (Ether 12:4) But it is not...because of some tally kept in celestial account books. These things matter because they engage us in God’s work and are the means by which we collaborate with Him in our own transformation from natural man to saint. (Mosiah 3:19) What our Heavenly Father offers us is Himself and His Son, a close and enduring relationship with Them through the grace and mediation of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

From "Our Relationship with God", D. Todd Christofferson, April 2022

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

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.

Walketh in his own way and after the image of his own god Doctrine and Covenants 1:16

 How does one  answer the question, “What idols or false gods do men worship?”

Actually, the better question is “what idols or false gods do I worship?”

Usually, when that  first question comes up in  a Sunday school class, members of the class come up with things that they see others caught up in acquiring or maintaining or lavishing attention on, or depending upon for personal validation or security, and that they think they themselves are not. However, the real question to answer is the second one.

Thinking about idolatry throughout the ages and the common threads throughout them, here is a set of questions I can ask myself when I wish to find a more honest and accountable answer to that second question.  Sobering for me to go through.

To whom (not what, nor what book) do I look for guidance in the matters of greatest importance or greatest concern in  my life?

What do I turn to for a daily sense of validation, self-worth, or approval that I seek?

To whom or what do I look to validate the rightness and acceptability of the decisions I make or of my point of view?

On whose respect or approval, or on what accomplishments in my life, does my sense of being successful rest?

Of all possibilities, with whom do I most wish to work in unity?

Of  all the “hats”  I wear, honestly, which one feels most valuable to me?  And do I behave in accordance with it if the answer is “a servant of God”?

What causes me to pause when I am given an opportunity to engage in work aimed at “feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and comforting the weary”?

What am I placing my trust in when I have the means and opportunity to share but I “withhold my substance from the poor” anyway?

Doctrine and Covenants 3:7 “For behold, you should not have feared man more than God”

 “For behold, you should not have feared man more than God”

It strikes me that this is a sentence that, due to the situation in which it was spoken or written or received, refers not to fear of threat, or danger,  or misuse of power from others, but to a fear of displeasing someone who has a strong desire that you do something, that seems reasonable to him, and maybe even within reason to you when, in fact, when you asked the Lord about it, He advised you not to do that thing.

The desire to please someone, or to avoid disharmony, or to not rock the boat, or to give way to authority, power, or age or experience, or to support, as a friend or relation, someone else’s proposed plans  (which desires are not uncommon)  should never be of greater value to me than my determination and desire to do that which the Lord has lovingly, personally counseled me to do when I have asked Him for guidance on the decision at hand.

Ether 12:25-41 ...when people you care about not only don't get it, they think it's stupid...

 Moroni’s conversation with the Lord.  

Ether 12: 25-41

 

Moroni: We are trying to express what we know is true and right as clearly and compellingly as we possibly can, guided as much by the Spirit as we can, but, knowing them, I am afraid that they will not believe any of it, but instead consider our words foolish, naïve and laughable and not understand that which is so essential that they understand.  My best efforts at persuasion or explaining are not enough. And knowing that, I am concerned and dismayed.

 

The Lord: Yes.  They will mock.  And, in the end, they will be very sad that they did not pay attention or consider what you wrote.   But remember that my grace, my loving, willing, powerful help, is enough to prevent them from irrevocably misusing what you have written.

    That’s the power of my grace.  And my grace can be enough for every man or woman who struggles with weakness and is humbled as he/she realizes that weakness and turns to me for help. That’s a major reason why I give you weakness.  It helps you to humble yourself and to want and ask for my help.  And then, with my grace, what is a weakness when you try by yourself, becomes a strength as we work together.  (Working together is an essential element of celestial life.)

     Those people who will mock?  They will, in time, see clearly the eternally erroneous elements of the position they have taken.  I will show them that the things they are espousing and doing that they think are good and strong, are not; that if they wish to be one with me what they really need to do is become full of faith in me, place their hope in what I know is possible for them, and become truly filled with charity.  You can trust me with that work.

 

Moroni: Thanks.  Being reminded of that is helpful.  I will trust you as this unfolds. …I know the power of charity, and how essential it is.  I know the power of faith in you…just look at what Jared’s brother was able to do because he trusted you so faithfully.  I understand what glorious future may await us and the immense love you have for us; so immense that you gave your life for us.  It is woven throughout your work.  Truly charity is absolutely essential to and the very essence of celestial life.

   I understand now that, if those we are so very concerned about do not respond with charity to our efforts and words, but instead mock or deride what we believe and know, that you will make it so that, in time, they will be able to see themselves and their choices exactly as they are, and what they really are when they are without the strengths they have that you have given to them and out of touch with the grace that you offer to them.

    So, Lord, would you please, with your grace, make it so that they have more charity and become open to your grace sooner than later?  That would save so much time and trouble and sorrow for them and for me.

 

The Lord:  Don’t worry about whether or not they have charity.  That’s for me to address.  Your not worrying about that helps you to continue to work with me to assist others, to increase in faith, repent, be forgiven, become more at one with me, and grow in charity and grace.

     Your awareness of your own weakness and your turning to me for help opens you to working with my grace, making you more empowered to do good in the world and preparing you to be able to come to the place I have prepared for you.  Focus on that.

Moroni (later, speaking to the audience):  And now I..bid farewell to you, and to my brothers who I dearly love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Chist…And then shall you know that I have seen Jesus, and that he has talked with me face to face, and that he told me in in plain humility, even as a man tells another in my own language, these things.

     I would strongly and kindly and fervently recommend that you seek Jesus, so that you can come to know and experience first hand the grace that comes from Him, and from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost (who bears record of them) and so that you can also experience His amazing grace in your life not just once, but forever.

        

Matthew 9:16

 Note to self: Remember. Continue to engage in the work of creating a way of life and physical surroundings where more of your time can be and is devoted to good that is invisible and eternal—and less of your time is obligated to the maintenance of physical things that perish, spoil, and fade.

Matthew 9:16

2020: Watching “the elect”, those who have made sacred covenants, be deceived.

It’s been foretold.  But hope is not gone.  Keep going.  Do not let your heart fail. Love God. Read His word with humility and never use it for self-justification.  Keep anger and pride out of your heart.  Love of God and others is what opens us to personal revelation and casts out fear.

This from Jeffrey R. Holland in October of 2009

“Prophecies regarding the last days often refer to large-scale calamities such as earthquakes or famines or floods. These in turn may be linked to widespread economic or political upheavals of one kind or another.

“But there is one kind of latter-day destruction that has always sounded to me more personal than public, more individual than collective—a warning, perhaps more applicable inside the Church than outside it. The Savior warned that in the last days even those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth.

“If we think of this as a form of spiritual destruction, it may cast light on another latter-day prophecy. Think of the heart as the figurative center of our faith, the poetic location of our loyalties and our values; then consider Jesus’s declaration that in the last days “men’s hearts [shall fail] them.”

“The encouraging thing, of course, is that our Father in Heaven knows all of these latter-day dangers, these troubles of the heart and soul, and has given counsel and protections regarding them...

“The power of Christ to counter all troubles in all times—including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which it ends, calling all to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.” That phrase—taken from Moroni’s final lines of testimony, written 1,000 years after Lehi’s vision—is a...testimony of the only true way.”

From “Safety for the Soul”, October 2009

To be perfected in Him is to learn, from Him, how to love and bless as fearlessly and wisely and well as He does.