When I Do Good...

“When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, that’s my religion.”  Abraham Lincoln

Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief

Last night my wife shared the lesson of Sunday School with me. (I teach primary so I don't get to attend.) They learned about Naaman. I was impressed that an outsider to Israel would have enough faith to come to Israel to be healed of his leprosy. He was willing to go on the word of one of the servants of his wife. He was willing to listen to his own servant when the experience did not go as he expected it to. He humbled himself to go and wash in Jordan. He received his reward.

This morning I dropped off my oldest son and some of his friends to their first day of seminary. I have fond memories of attending seminary. I have four older brothers and sisters. For me it was a coming of age; a cool thing to do. It was during my seminary years that I gained my own testimony of Jesus Christ and his church.

I have been reflecting on whether or not I would have the faith I have now if it were not for my upbringing and nurturing. Where else can I find a belief system that challenges me as the Mormon one does? It asks me to obtain my own answers to the fundamental questions. It asks me to commit to God and my fellow believers through baptism and other covenants. It asks me to serve and give and grow. I get callings that I would not have had the disposition to do otherwise. The Lord has given his all. He asks nothing less of us.

There was a man that brought his mute son to the disciples of Jesus to be healed.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:14-29)

Like the father, like Naaman, I must step out with faith. This life is for us to see if we will do what God wants us to do in the face of not knowing. So I cry out to God, "I believe; help thou mine unbelief".

Opening Our Hearts

Lately, I have been thinking about testimony. How it is obtained and retained and increased. My mind went to a talk I thought Elder Bednar gave. When I searched, I found this talk.

Gerald N. Lund, “Opening Our Hearts,” Ensign, May 2008, 32–34 MP3

"Because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost" Moroni 8:26

Elder Lund refers to Elder Bednar's talk. The one he gave to Church Educational System educators given on February 3, 2006.

"Please notice how the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but not necessarily into the heart. … Ultimately, … the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a receiver allows them to enter."

David A. Bednar, “Seek Learning by Faith,” Liahona, Sep 2007, 16–24

To have the comfort of the Spirit of the Lord I must yield to His enticings. He will never force my heart.

Blessed By Adversity

It is hard to feel sorry for myself when I hear a story like Gary Ceran.

Early in the morning of one Christmas Eve, Gary Ceran’s life was drastically and forever altered. On this day, a terrible traffic accident took the lives of his wife and two of his children. Who was the at-fault driver of the other vehicle? What would your reaction be toward this person? How would you deal with this tragedy on a personal level?

From Conversations on the Mormon Channel. Download the MP3 here.

Some pressing appointment, perhaps?

We all have the same amount of time in each day. Each person is equal in this. What is it we use our time for?

I am reminded of a scene in the Count of Monte Cristo. Edmund has been in a political prison for five years when a floor stone pops up and Abbe Faria comes up. He has been in prison for 11 years. For the last five years he has been digging a tunnel to what he thought was the external wall. Abbe had narrowed down the possible directions to the external wall to two and had chosen the wrong one. This is where the clips (0:45-1:30) picks up.

"With two of us, we could dig in the opposite direction. And with both of us together, then of course we could possibly do it in um...oh...8 years. [Edmond laughs] Ohh... and does something else demand your time? Some pressing appointment, perhaps?" Edmund helps Abbe dig for years in return for lessons in reading, writing and more advanced learning.

What does it matter if I decide to take up a project that takes 20 years? As long as it is worthwhile. There is a calculus that occurs in my life whether I want it to or not. I eventually get what I want. The trick is to choose that which will bring lasting happiness instead of only immediate pleasure. 1 2

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;" D&C 58:27

Mercy Claimeth All Which Is Her Own

By Jonathon Linton (View Full Image)

Another link

I saw this painting in the General Conference Center a couple of weeks ago. Then twice the next week I remembered it.

Alma 42:24 "For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved."

Update Dec 29, 2012
I saw Les Miserable this week.  My mind went to this picture this morning.


There is such a paradox between justice and mercy.  Yet they are balanced in God's plan.  Both Les Miserable and the scriptures show that the existence of justice makes necessary the existence of mercy and forgiveness.

"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered" 2 Nephi 2:5-7

"if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery." 2 Nephi 2:13

How Do I Measure Success?

"We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit."

Julie B. Beck, Apr 2010.

More Fierce Desire

From Kenneth Cope's song "More" from All About You. This inspired me on the drive to work this morning. Here are the lyrics.

More steady

More sure

More trusted

More Pure

Some say it doesn't matter

More trained and more aware

More aim to get me there

I climbed this far

You raise the bar

You want my heart

(Chorus)

More fierce desire

To stand against the wind

More blazing fire

When dark is closing in

More love-inspired change within

So there's more and more of me to give

More words to learn and know

More etched upon my soul

Some say it doesn't matter

More tried

More true

Less me and much more You

I've stretched this tall

You sound the call

You want my all

(Chorus)

You keep reaching out Calling out to me for

More strength in shoulders

To face the war with sin

More wise and bolder

To save the souls of men

A more faithful soldier to the end

You want more and more of me to give

More and more of me to give

More

More and more of me to give

More love

More light

More purpose

More serve with all my might

I need more hope

more faith

more patience

Each day I pray for more

More and more of me to give

More fire

More zeal

More spirit

To know what's real

More courage

More joy

More and more of me to give

More grateful

More true

More humble

To trust in You

You cal

I hear

I'll walk the path that's set in stone

My heart is fixed on getting home

And what on earth could matter more

More and more of me to give

Acceptable Service

This article from the Ensign touched my heart this morning.

He walked into a little classroom in the Philippines to be interviewed in preparation for receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood. I didn’t know how old he was, but even the older members of the branch called him Tatay (father).

When I asked whether he would be able to understand my English, he smiled warmly and replied with careful diction, “Yes, I will.”

After our interview I asked him if there was any reason he should not be ordained to the priesthood. After a moment he said, “Perhaps I should not receive the priesthood.”

Puzzled, I asked, “What do you mean?”

“I have only one tooth,” he replied. “I know I don’t look very good to receive the priesthood. It is all right if you tell me I cannot have the priesthood.”

We sat for a moment while I pondered his comment, tears welling up in my eyes. Then I put my hand on his hand and told him that I had seen many wonderful priesthood holders who had lost their hair, but he had beautiful, thick black hair. I also told him of priesthood holders who had only one ear or one eye, but he had both of his eyes and ears.

I then told him of a friend of mine who had lost his arm to cancer. When that brother had prayed in our home and had asked Heavenly Father to bless my wife and children, I knew he was a great servant of the Lord. I told Tatay how this friend had placed his only hand on the head of a little girl to bless her because she was dying and that I had felt the power of the priesthood that day.

This elderly Filipino smiled and said, “I hope my service to God will also be acceptable.”

We are all flawed in some significant way, and we all know the feelings of inadequacy that come with a new calling. But God accepts the humblest offering of the humblest Saint, and each of us can make a difference. We need not be embarrassed or ashamed; we need only give our best effort to the Lord. In turn He will bless us and magnify us and, in a marvelous way, make us whole.

(David E. LeSueur, “Acceptable Service,” Ensign, Mar 2010, 26, PDF)

I think of how blessed I am to be living in the USA. Of all the opportunities I have. I have never had to go hungry. I have all my teeth. I have air conditioning. I have a temple within a hour from me. The list goes on and on. I hope to be more humble so that I need not to be compelled to be humble (Alma 32:6-25)