Brigham Young on Individual Learning

I really like this quote from Brigham Young about our individual ability and opportunity to be taught directly by God.

Our motive is to make every man and woman to know just as much as we do; this is the plan of the Gospel, and this is what I would like to do. I would like all the Latter-day Saints to come up to this standard, and know as much as I do, and then just as much more as they can learn, and if they can get ahead of me, all right. I can then have the privilege of following after them. If they keep up close to me, so that they will understand as I do the workings of the Spirit, they will do a good deal better than they do now. But the beauty and excellency of the wisdom that God has revealed to us is to fill everybody with wisdom, bringing them up to the highest standard of knowledge and wisdom, purifying us and preparing us to enter into the highest state of glory, knowledge and power, that we may become fit associates of the Gods and be prepared to dwell with them. This I say is the beauty and glory of the great knowledge that God has revealed unto the Latter-day Saints. You may ask in what particular? In every particular. For the knowledge men possess of every science, every art, every study there is, and every branch of mechanism known to men, they are indebted to the Lord. True men may have been taught it by his fellow man and he may have discovered much himself; but all originated with God our Heavenly Father, through his agents to the children of men. The faith and philosophy of our religion comprehends all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and I wish I was able to say a little better than I am, endures all things. But we must endure all things that we cannot help, enduring patiently until we are counted worthy to be free.

- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 19: 98

Time and Repentance

Time is inexorable.  We move through time, moment by moment, until mortal life is done.  Each future moment becomes the present and then the past.  And, once past, it is gone.  Imagine a task that needs to be done.  Every day, or even every minute, that we postpone the task is a day or minute less that is available to do the task.  Mortality is limited by death and death creates a limit to the time available for us to do our work in mortality.  Consider Alma 12:

  24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.

One of the key works of mortality is to experience the bitterness of sin and the goodness that comes through repentance.  Our father Adam was taught (see Moses 6):

  55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.

  56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.

  57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; ...

When we learn that our life is in some way not in harmony with God we taste the bitterness of sin.  When we repent we know the goodness of God and His Son.  At first we may be motivated by the deadlines created by time and death in mortality.  But, through experience we may find that we prize the good for its own sake.  We begin to learn, repent, and grow because that is what we love to do.

Once we become someone who learns because of the love of the word of God and we repent because of our trust in Jesus Christ, we are ready for the eternal life where there is no time.  Imagine, with no death and no time, there is no less time after procrastination than there was before procrastination.  I might sit and watch a canyon form before getting to work because I have not lost any time in watching the eons pass while a canyon forms.  If I have not learned to love learning and progressing in this life, it may be very difficult to learn in a life with no time and, thus, no deadlines.  With no time and no deadlines, I will only do that which I have come to find intrinsically motivating.  Maybe this observation is related to the verse in D&C 130:

 19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

Music and Zion

Imagine that it is time for the ward choir to sing in sacrament meeting.  The pianist plays an introduction.  The choir director signals the start of the signing and the choir sings. There is only one problem.  One member of choir is singing a different song!  What a cacophony!  The conflicting song is in a different key, at a different tempo, and clashes badly.  Why does this happen?  The one member of the choir felt that the other song was a better choice for that meeting.

In reality this hypothetical scenario is almost unimaginable.  Once the choir director chooses a song and helps the choir rehearse they sing in beautiful unity. There is a wonderful message in this.  Once the person with the authority to lead makes a decision, there is little to be gained from public discord.  We might compare the choir to the ward council.  The council meets together to discuss the needs of the ward.  They contribute ideas and insight.  The bishop listens carefully and learns from the members of the council.  But, once a decision is made and the bishop signals that it is time to move forward, complaints and actions inconsistent with the decision made in council is much like singing a different song than the rest of the choir because you didn't get your way.

The lessons to be learned from music extend to singing hymns in sacrament meeting.  Remember the Lord's statement on singing in D&C 25:

  12 For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

Just as with the ward choir, it would be quite disruptive to sing a different song than the rest of the ward.  We join in, not because the current hymn is our favorite or the one we would have selected, but because it is being sung in praise and worship.  It is a unified prayer for the congregation and brings the spirit into the hearts of those attending.  When we sing hymns we are experiencing a type of unity.  There can be people in the congregation who have differences.  They may even have hard feelings in some areas.  Yet, while the hymn is being sung they are praying and praising God in unity, and being blessed for it.  In a small way, the singing of hymns is an experiential lesson preparing us for Zion.  As the Lord taught in Moses 7:

18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; 

The hope is that we can take the wonderful spirit and attitude of unity that we feel while singing hymns and extend that to all of our service to one another in the church.  The singing of hymns is a type of experiential learning about Zion, where we will be of one heart and one mind.  Learning this lesson will help us learn of Zion.

Knowing Jesus Christ

A few years ago I began to feel that, while I understood the doctrine of Jesus Christ, I lacked the deeper witness of the Spirit regarding the mission and reality of Jesus Christ.  I had learned in my mind, but had not yet been convinced in my heart.  So, I began to pray more earnestly.  I looked for understanding of the Savior as I read the scriptures and attended the temple.  An amazing thing happened that parallels the pattern of increasing light I have described in the hike we just took together.

As I prayed, attended the temple, and pondered, I did not hear a loud voice from heaven, have a vision, or receive a visit from an angel.  I did not have any single experience that was dramatic and life altering.  Yet, I have come to feel, through the power of the Holy Ghost, a deep appreciation for the love of the Savior that is manifest in His atoning sacrifice.[1]

I have always found hope in the testimony of prophets and apostles.  For example, in his final conference address, Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught us of the atonement.  He said:[2]

Now, the atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. … We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane.  We know he sweat great gouts of blood from every pore as he drained the dregs of that bitter cup his Father had given him.  We know he suffered, both body and spirit, more than it is possible for man to suffer, except it be unto death.  We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name.

This is beautiful doctrine.  I feel that I have been able to read the words and understand the concept that Jesus Christ atoned for my sins and made it possible for me to return to my Father in Heaven.  Yet, as Elder McConkie states, the mechanism is incomprehensible to me.  I have wondered how it is that we can come to love the Savior who suffered for us in a distant time and place.  How can I come to know Him?

Jesus taught us the way.  He invited us to know Him by living His teachings.  He taught us that:[3]

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Because,

He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

I truly feel my knowledge of Jesus Christ growing.  I feel that I am coming to know Him.  I firmly believe that this is the key to our coming unto Christ.  It is how we can know him and experience His love.

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[1] 1 Kings 19: 11-12.

[2] Bruce R. McConkie, “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Ensign, May 1985, 9.

[3] See John 7: 17 and D&C 93: 28.

Do I Know Jesus Christ?

My journey to know Jesus Christ has been very similar to the hike we took together in an earlier post.  I have been blessed with an ever-increasing amount of light from my Father in Heaven.  As the light grows brighter I have been able to appreciate more of the detail and beauty of the gospel message.  But, rather than just tell you of my journey, let me ask a series of questions and share some thoughts that will allow us to walk together towards knowing the Savior.

In all our experiences in life there are the things that we do and then there are the things that we feel.  We learn in our minds by the choices we make about the activities we participate in, the people we associate with, and the study in which we engage.  We learn in our hearts as we contemplate the feelings that accompany our life experience.  It is when the message received in our mind is confirmed by the feelings of the heart that we experience revelation.

For example, do you remember your earliest days of learning the gospel?  It may have been your parents, a friend, or missionaries that introduced you to the gospel message.  What caused you to accept their message?  Were you somehow impressed by the goodness radiating from those who taught you?  Did you see the blessings of obedience in their lives?  Do you remember how you felt as you heard the gospel message?  Did it sound good and uplifting and thrill your soul?  Did you hope that it could be true?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then you have experienced the Spirit of Jesus Christ reminding your spirit of what we knew in the premortal world.[1]

After we hear the gospel we begin to have hope of eternal life through the redemption and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We also come to know that our lives are not in harmony with all of the teachings of the gospel.  So, we begin to repent and call upon God for forgiveness.  Have you ever felt the weight of knowing that something in your life is not in harmony with God’s teachings?  Have you felt that burden lifted as you repented and moved on living in a little better harmony with the gospel?  Repentance and forgiveness bring joy and relief from the burden of sin.

Many of us were baptized at a young age and may not remember that day.  Fortunately, we have the opportunity to attend baptisms of friends and family members.  Once we are twelve years old we have the blessing of doing baptisms for the dead.  Whether it was at your baptism or at any other baptism, have you ever felt the spirit whisper of the cleansing power of the Savior?  Not long ago I had the privilege of going to the temple with the young women from our ward.  One of these young women brought the name of her grandfather to be baptized and confirmed in the temple.  I got to baptize this young woman’s father in behalf of her grandfather as she looked on.  Our eyes filled with tears as we felt the gratitude of her grandfather from the other side of the veil.  The spirit whispered and we were uplifted.

Following faith, repentance and baptism we are promised the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Often we hear in talks of dramatic stories where the Holy Ghost directs someone to leave a dangerous situation.  These are great stories of blessing to those who experienced them.  But, we are not promised that we will be saved from all danger by the Holy Ghost.  Rather, we are promised by Jesus Christ that the Holy Ghost “shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” and “he shall testify of me.”[2]

Have you ever been reading your scriptures and had a verse grab your attention?  Have you ever stopped to ponder that verse and felt it speak to your heart?  Have you ever looked for similar verses and had your understanding of a gospel principle confirmed and expanded?  These are all done by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Do you remember hearing a talk or a lesson and feeling challenged to make a change in something you were doing or not doing?  Did you feel that your life could be brought into better alignment with the teachings of the Gospel?  Did you feel a little closer to God because of that effort to change?  This is part of enduring to the end.

The atonement provides more than just the power to erase the stains of sin.  It also offers us the chance to become better than we currently are.  It is the power of change in our lives.  Once we have forsaken the worst of our sins, Jesus Christ is still the power that allows us to grow and progress toward our Father in Heaven.  It is only through Jesus Christ that we can approach the Father.

In the temple we learn the way back into the presence of our Father in Heaven.  The temple is, itself, a great symbol of Jesus Christ.  If we will approach the temple as if we are approaching the Savior we will be refined and purified through our temple worship.  We will be taught of how we are literally transformed and prepared in all ways to enter the presence of God. 

Have you ever felt a little closer to God in the temple?  Have you ever had a principle of the gospel become clear as you pondered the symbols in the temple?  Have you ever felt the cares of the world left behind and your soul lifted as you participated in temple ordinances?  It is in the priesthood ordinances that we find the key to the knowledge of God.[3]  These flashes of insight are an important part of the Lord’s promise to manifest Himself to His people in mercy in His house.[4]

Would you like to see Jesus Christ?  Have you ever done something kind for someone else and felt your own burdens become easier to bear?  Have ever served another person and felt your love and care for them grow beyond what you expected?  Have you ever put someone else’s needs ahead of your own and been surprised at the deep impact this can have?  When we serve those around us we are in the service of Jesus Christ and we see Him in the service of others.

Jesus said:[5]

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

We can be where the Savior is if we will serve Him by serving our brothers and sisters.

Were you able to answer “yes” to any of the questions I asked?  If you did then you have felt the quiet whisperings of the Spirit in those situations I asked about.  In fact, you are much like the Lamanites spoken of by Jesus Christ who “were baptized with fire and with the holy Chost, and they knew it not.”[6]  If in reading this post you have been reminded of past spiritual experiences I would ask Alma’s question, “Can you feel so now?”[7]

Each week as we partake of the sacrament we have the opportunity to turn our minds to Jesus Christ.  I have found a question that is of great help to me.  The question is, “when is the last time I felt the Spirit in my life?”  If I have not felt, and acknowledged feeling, the spirit since the last time I partook of the sacrament then I know there is something out of line with the gospel in my life.  I can prayerfully ask what I need to do and my loving Father in Heaven will bring to my mind that which I need to work on next.  Remember the question, “When is the last time I felt and acknowledged feeling the Spirit?”

Remember that we are, in fact, eternal spirit beings living in mortality in order to become like our Father in Heaven.  We were born into mortality as infants that could not walk, talk, feed ourselves, or even understand the loving language of our parents.  But, over time and with effort we learn and progress to become adults. 

Similarly, when we are born again we are as spiritual infants.  The language of the spirit feels good but we do not yet understand it in full.  The language of the spirit is quiet and is best heard while we are praying, serving others, reading the scriptures or worshiping in the temple.  These are the things we should be doing because they are things that will bring us closer to Jesus Christ.  By following the gospel path we will grow and progress in the things of the Spirit to the end that we may return to live with our Father in Heaven.  Sometimes the path seems difficult.  I believe, though, that there is no challenge that we may face in this life that cannot be overcome through the power of Jesus Christ.[8] 

At the end of the hike I described, we raised our hands in celebration of reaching the summit in the full light of the rising sun. I look forward to the day when, through the Savior’s guidance and mercy, we will raise our hands in the joy of the full light of God’s presence. That is the greatest destination we can work towards. It is only in and through the light of Jesus Christ that we can find our way to our Father in Heaven.

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[1] See D&C 84:

  44 For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.

  45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

  46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.

  47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.

[2] See John 14: 26, 15:26

[3] See D&C 84:

  19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

  20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

  21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

  22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

[4] See D&C 110:

  7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.

[5] See John 12: 25-26

[6] See 3 Nephi 9: 20

[7] See Alma 5: 26

[8] See Ether 12:

  27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Join Me on a Hike

I want to share a journey with you.  It is both a literal journey along a trail to a prominent local landmark as well as a spiritual journey to a greater appreciation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  My words are far less important than the promptings that our Father sends through the Spirit to each of us.  I hope the verbal picture that I try to paint leads to productive thoughts for you.

Let’s Go on a Hike Together

For more than ten years I have been hiking regularly with several friends.  We get up quite early and hike once or twice a week if we can get away with it.  An early start allows us to hike to interesting destinations and still be back in time to get to work and engage in the activities of life.

One of my favorite hikes begins at the mouth of Rock Canyon just east of the Provo temple and ends at the very top of Squaw Peak.  Join me as we hike up this trail.  Because of our early start time we often begin our hikes in the dark of night.  At that early hour we can just make out the faint outline of the peaks on each side of the canyon against a starry sky.  Dim outlines of trees on each side of the trail are visible as we carefully pick our way into the canyon.  Occasionally we will stumble as we make our way up the rocky trail.  The dramatic beauty of the canyon is hidden from view in the darkness.

As the morning progresses we become aware that we can see our surroundings a little better, with a little more detail.  The sky begins to turn grey in the east.  Leaves on trees and rocks on the trail become visible.  The size of the canyon can be seen as the arrival of dawn opens our range of vision.  Colors are not yet visible, but the world is slowly revealed in a dim black and white outline form. At that point we look up at Squaw Peak and wonder at the elevation and distance still to be traveled.

As this first light of dawn arrives we see the sign marking the left fork and the trail up from the canyon to Squaw Peak.  We hike through trees up a steep drainage to the meadows above.  We can hear birds and animals beginning to stir.  As we work our way up above the canyon we begin to notice a pink and purple glow in the clouds overhead.  The world takes on pastel hues.  At that point I find myself stopping in my tracks to marvel at the beauty of the morning light.

Not long after we experience this burst of color from the first light of day, we walk out of the trees into a beautiful meadow.  The sun is still below the horizon and the full color and detail of our surroundings are still muted.  But we can see that we have arrived in a great place for a break.  It might be tempting to stop here and turn around to go home given the enjoyment of the hike so far, the company of friends, and the beauty we have seen but we would miss the best part of the hike if we were to stop now.  So, we pause for a drink of water, and a snack to restore our energy, and continue on.  It feels as if we should be almost there by now, and yet there is still some distance to go and several hundred feet of elevation to gain as we continue our hike along the ridge towards the summit.

From the meadow we will work our way up the rocky ridgeline and enjoy the light of the sun as it crests Provo Peak and warms us from the morning chill. The world is now well lit.  The scenery around us is vibrant in color and detail.  And, finally, we arrive at the summit of Squaw Peak. Our tradition is to raise our arms in celebration upon arriving at a destination and then to soak in the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the canyon below.  The view is spectacular.  The whole of Utah valley lies before us.  We can look down to the mouth of the canyon and see the little, tiny shape of the car we arrived in. We are impressed by the distance we have come.  And, we feel gratitude for the blessing of this beautiful world God has created for our benefit.

In my next post I will try to use this hike to better understand the process by which we come to know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Temple and Morning Light

I was walking up to the temple one morning just as the sun was lighting up Rock Canyon in the background.  I stopped and snapped this picture because I love the imagery of light.  The morning light breaking over the temple as I walked up the hill just made me stop and contemplate.  Two verses of scripture come together to give meaning to this image:

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. - John 8: 12

For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. - D&C 110: 7

Because the temple has been a key to my journey to know my Savior, Jesus Christ, I see it as a place where the Light of Christ is visible.  We walk in the light as the Lord is manifest to us in the temple.  I see the temple as a symbol of the Lord being among us.  I see light as a symbol of the learning that is available as we turn to the Lord through scripture study and temple worship.