"I Am a Child of God"

I'm a little bit of a procrastinator. This is not news to some of you. In an effort to correct this little flaw, I am going to try posting something relating to the upcoming lesson ahead of time. Crazy, I know. Especially considering I haven't really done much with this page over the past year.

This year (2010), we are studying the Old Testament in Gospel Doctrine class. Lesson 1 deals with the first chapter in the Book of Moses where the Lord speaks with Moses on "an exceedingly high mountain". We're not really sure when this vision took place, but it was sometime between the burning bush (Moses 1:17) and the Exodus (vs. 25-26).

What transformed Moses from someone who was so reluctant to accept the call to someone who could walk into Pharoah's court and confidently demand that he release the Israelites?

I believe the answer is in this experience with the Lord. God appears to Moses and speaks with him face to face, introduces Himself as "the Lord God Almighty" (vs. 3), then says "behold, thou art my son" (vs. 4) and twice more refers to him as "Moses, my son" (vs. 6-7).

From this introduction, Moses quickly learns that God lives and has a body, not just a voice speaking from a burning bush. He also has a powerful confirmation that he is a son of God.

President Thomas S. Monson taught:

"...we need to reflect on the counsel of Maxwell Maltz, who declared:

'The most realistic self-image of all is to conceive of yourself as made in the image of God.' You cannot sincerely hold this conviction without experiencing a profound new sense of strength and power." (Thomas S. Monson, Go For It!, Apr 89 General Conference).

It is one thing to know that God lives, it is quite another thing to learn that we are His spirit children. What does it really mean to know that we are literally a child of God? Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught:

"Consider the power of the idea taught in our beloved song 'I Am a Child of God.' ...Here is the answer to one of life’s great questions, 'Who am I?' I am a child of God with a spirit lineage to heavenly parents. That parentage defines our eternal potential. That powerful idea is a potent antidepressant. It can strengthen each of us to make righteous choices and to seek the best that is within us. Establish in the mind of a ... person the powerful idea that he or she is a child of God, and you have given self-respect and motivation to move against the problems of life" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 31; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 25).

How would it affect our own lives if we really knew and felt that we too were children of God? I suspect it would bring more focus and direction to most of us. I think many of us know or believe that we are children of God, but how many of us really feel it? What can we do to strengthen that feeling? I can only speak for myself, but I know if I "called home" more often on my knees, that would help. The times when I have really opened my heart in prayer, whether to seek for guidance or just to express thanks, are when I have felt this parent-child bond the strongest.

"Never forget, my dear ... friends, that you really are a child of God who has inherited something of His divine nature, one whom He loves and desires to help and bless." (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, "You Are a Child of God," Ensign, May 2003, 117

Talk on Trials

We were asked to speak in church on Sunday and my topic was Trials. Rather than copy all five pages, I'll just post a link to the PDF version:

Talk on Trials

This was another learning experience for me. We had two weeks to prepare, and I had been collecting quotes and writing down thoughts, but I just couldn't get it to come together until two days prior. I had a quirky little thought come to mind, talked with Michael about it, and as we talked things started falling into place. I compensated for not having any quotes from Elder Bruce R. McConkie by using three or four from Elder Neal A. Maxwell

The best part was a sister in the ward came up to me later to tell me that I had said something she'd heard many times before, but this time it stuck with her and was what she needed to hear.

"...he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth...

"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50:21-22)

Learning From the Early Apostates

I know, it's been six months since my last post. Things have been a bit crazy on this end. After giving my bro-in-law a hard time about semi-annual posts, I guess I should update my own blog a bit more frequently.

I'm working on my lesson for the 28th, which is about avoiding deception and apostasy (lesson 24). The manual uses a couple of illustrations from early Church history of people who apostatized and discusses the various reasons. Because I really enjoy Church History, and knowing I won't be able to cover everything during class time, I thought I would go through a few examples here.

As I have been collecting stories and examples from Church history, I've seen a few common threads through the lives of those who fell away. By studying these men, I hope to recognize potential warning signs to help me stay faithful. I'm sure none of these men started out with the intent to become apostate.

My first example, which is not covered in the lesson, is that of William E. McLellin. Shortly after meeting Joseph Smith, he wanted to receive a revelation from the Lord and came up with five questions to which he wanted answers. He asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord on his behalf, without informing him of the questions, and section 66 of the Doctrine and Covenants was received as a result. William wrote of the experience, "I now testify in the fear of God, that every question which I had thus lodged in the ears of the Lord of Sabbath, were answered to my full and entire satisfaction."

Less than a month later (November 1831), William spoke out against the language of the revelations in the Book of Commandments (now the Doctrine and Covenants). Joseph received a revelation challenging anyone, especially "him that is the most wise among you" (see D&C 67:6-7)to imitate even the least of the revelations.

Joseph wrote later, "William E. McLellin, as the wisest man, in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord's, but failed."

In 1835, William wrote a letter criticizing the First Presidency and had apostatized by August of 1836 "...because the leading men to a great extent left their religion and run into and after speculation, pride, and popularity... I quit because I could not uphold the Presidency as men of God." He later said this lead him to quit praying and keeping the commandments, and that for a time he had indulged in sinful lusts. I suggest he had the order reversed, and that he stopped praying and keeping the commandments first, and then lost faith in the prophet and presidency.

A couple of short illustrations of how far he had fallen:

First, while Joseph was imprisoned in Liberty Jail during the winter of 1838-39, he wrote to Emma saying he did not have a blanket and pleaded for one. Emma replied that while he was gone, William McLellin had plundered the house and taken all the jewelry and blankets, leaving only one quilt and blanket.

Later, when Joseph was imprisoned in Richmond, Missouri, William asked the sheriff for the privilege of flogging Joseph. The sheriff granted permission on condition that Joseph was willing to fight. Joseph agreed on condition that his irons be removed. William then demanded he have a club, and Joseph again agreed to the terms, but the sheriff wouldn't permit the fight as he felt William would have too great an advantage. Personally, I don't think William would've had a chance, even with a club.

So, what was the catalyst to William's apostasy? It seems from the accounts that he was determined to find faults in the Prophet Joseph as well as the brethren of the First Presidency and Quorum of the 12.

Wilford Woodruff once taught, "...the very moment that men in this kingdom attempt to run ahead or cross the path of their leaders, no matter in what respect, ... they are in danger of being injured by the wolves. ... I have never in my life known it to fail." (Journal of Discourses 5:83).

The Prophet Joseph said, "I will give you one of the keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principal, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 156-57). Such was the case with William E. McLellin.

How do we avoid making the same mistake in our lives? One of the first steps on that path is finding fault in our leaders, whether they be a bishop, stake president, or even the prophet. Inherent in finding fault is the assumption that we could have done better had we been in their place. Are the leaders infalible? No, they are imperfect men and women. The difference is they have been called of God to serve in their current assignment, and as President Monson has often said, "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies."

The Lord Himself has said, "...whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same (D&C 1:38-39)."

We should adopt the attitude of David when he was admonished to kill Saul, the king.

"...for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?

"...The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed..." (1 Samuel 26:9, 11)

How can we find fault or speak "against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?"

On a somewhat lighter note, William never denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Three years before William died, he wrote a letter to J.T. Cobb in defense of the Book: "I have set to my seal that the Book of Mormon is a true, divine record and it will require more evidence than I have ever seen to ever shake me relative to its purity...

"...When a man goes at the Book of Mormon, he touches the apple of my eye. He fights against truth - against purity - against light - against the purist, or one of the truest, purist books on earth... Fight the wrongs of LDSism as much as you please, but let that unique, that inimitable book alone."

William also counseled him to "cease your opposition and strife against the Book [of Mormon], ... for you might just as well fight against the rocky mountains as the Book!"