The Symbol of Our Worship

By Harry Anderson
used by permission from:
churchofjesuschrist.org

I have seen a lot of Christians wearing a cross, and I know that in most Christian churches there are prominent displays of the cross.  It has been considered the symbol of Christianity.  But, even though I am a Christian, I was taught when I was young that we do not wear the cross.  Why?  Not because it is wrong.  I admire those who wear the cross to declare their Christianity, or to remind themselves of grace, and of how a Christian should behave.  I have thought before, what can I wear that would show that I am a Christian and give me a reminder of grace and gratitude, and that I should be acting as a follower of Christ?

And then I happened to see a quote by President Hinckley.  He had been asked why we don't have crosses in our buildings, and he said it is because we worship the living Christ.  He was then asked what the symbol of our faith is and he said,

"...the lives of our people must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship."

He didn't say that as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we had already arrived at having our lives be an expression of our faith, but that our lives must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and a symbol of our worship.

So what do I have to remind me to be a Christian?  Well, I do have a couple of tee shirts, but most importantly I have the chance to write His law upon my heart by studying and consciously choosing to follow His law and to seek His will.  As I do this, I hope that my life will become the symbol of my worship of Jesus Christ.

*Quote from The Symbol of Our Faith by President Gordon B. Hinckley

Battle Fatigue From An Inner Civil War

So today was a lovely day -- until I was planning out the family schedule for the week -- and I let myself be afraid that I was going to mess it up, or do it wrong.  I often imagine the worst thing possible.  Somehow I'm going to make a plan and everyone will hate it and it will be my fault and they will probably all decide to rebel, and they might frown -- at me! 

It isn't reasonable to believe that my kind, smart family is going to suddenly decide the gospel isn't true just because I gave them one too many chores, or I didn't plan our Come Follow Me lessons just right!  I kept reminding myself that I am not powerful enough to wreck God's plans, and if the schedule I made doesn't work, it can be changed!

Later, I read a talk that Sister Holland gave at a devotional at BYU in 1988.  She said that if we are always busy battling ourselves in what she calls an "internal civil war", we will "have little power and energy left" when outside challenges come.  Outside challenges always do come, and they will be much harder to deal with if we have convinced ourselves we are worthless, or incapable, or bad, or dumb or any number of negative things. 

I wonder how many times I will need to learn this same lesson?  I need to follow Sister Hollands council to "Be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend in need."  I hope, in the future, to avoid the battle fatigue caused by the civil war that is often raging in my head, and enjoy the peace that comes from trusting God, and accepting the gift of His atonement, and His love.

A Scripture For Me

"For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody."

2 Nephi 8:3

Sometimes when I am reading scriptures, I feel that a particular scripture is for me that day, and I can see how to put myself in it.  While reading this one, it struck me that I could put my name in the place of Zion.  Zion has more than one definition, and one is "the pure in heart".  While I am not saying that I am perfectly pure in heart, I do believe in Christ, and that He is helping me to become pure in heart through His grace, and His atonement.  So here's how I read it, and it felt hopeful, and comforting.

"For the Lord shall comfort [me], he will comfort all [my] waste places; and he will make [my] wilderness like Eden, and [my] desert like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be found [in me], thanksgiving and the voice of melody."

Reading it now it brings the same hope and comfort.  I sin, and let myself down often, and it creates "waste places" in my mind, and in my life.  Christ comforts me.  He doesn't condemn me, but is there to heal me.  Life often feels like a tangled wilderness that I can't see my way through, and yet, the Lord can make that wilderness like Eden.  When I lack knowledge, or direction, or I feel alone or worn out, it is as if I am lost in a desert.  But the Lord is the Living Water and can turn deserts into gardens. 

With the Lord in my life I have more joy and gladness, and more gratitude. I feel "the voice of melody" in my life when I turn to Christ, and it is not a discordant melody, but a harmonious, joyful one.

*Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Leave Room For Faith. Watch For Miracles

I believe in miracles, but I also believe that I often keep them from happening by my lack of faith.  One of my biggest challenges has been that when I have felt broken, I would think, and think, and try to figure out what was wrong, and try to fix everything I might be doing that could be causing a problem.  I would try to grit my teeth, and work my way to a happier, unbroken state.  After focusing on any and all of my faults that I could find, I would pray for help -- but it was more of a plea from a drowning person who didn't have much expectation of being rescued.

I have learned that faith does not require me to dig up and think of every little flaw I have, or to focus on all of the ways I fail.  I am human and so I have lots of flaws and fail often. Concentrating on these things is exhausting and discouraging.  Faith requires me to do my best to follow the commandments and to be as good of a person as I can.  Heavenly Father will let me know if something needs to be fixed, and He will not be mean about it.  He will direct me to Jesus, and I can trust that Jesus' Atonement will provide the way for whatever is broken to be mended!

In everything I do, and in all of the ways I want to help, it is always best when, instead of gritting my teeth, looking for solutions with desperation, and carrying all of the weight myself, I leave room for faith.  When I do this, then I can watch for miracles, and they will happen.

Gratitude

At stake conference we had a couple we know speak on gratitude, and I wanted to say an extra big AMEN!  I seem to discover over and over how important gratitude is to joy, and peace.  This morning as I knelt to pray I was thinking of a comment someone made about how when they were in pain they had been given the counsel to be grateful even if the pain was not taken away.  After a blessing they said a long prayer of gratitude and had the pain disappear.  She testified that gratitude is healing.

Pain can be really hard to ignore, and being grateful doesn't always, or maybe even often make it go away, though it can still be healing.  I am writing this on Easter morning.  There is so much to be grateful for, and yet I mainly feel tired, and my head hurts, and I feel a bit sorry for myself.  Why can't I just feel well?  And be energetic?  As I write though, we have a depiction of the Atonement of Jesus Christ running in the background, and His pain was much greater than mine, and He not only wished it would go away, but He could have made it go away -- except He knew we needed Him to go through that pain.

The atonement Christ made assures me that He understands my pain.  I am grateful for His patience, and the love He gives even when I am struggling to get past my pain enough to feel my gratitude.  His love is healing for me even if my pain doesn't go away.  There is nothing hard that Christ's love, and gratitude for Him can't make better.

He Lives!

When Connor came home, President Simmons (The Stake President) had him give a thought.  Connor told us about trying to teach someone, and that person saying that there is no way to know if there is a God or not.  Connor's companion answered by saying that he didn't used to know there is a God, but now he does, and Connor testified that He also had learned that there is a God -- not having known before.

God is our Father and He knows our name.  He loves us individually and sent Jesus to save us.  He shows us His love by giving us commandments so we'll know the happy way to live.  He shows His love by sending a prophet to guide us, and by giving us a chance to repent.  He listens to us as individuals, and guides us individually.  Salvation is available to us all.  It is free.

As I have studied during Easter week, and as I have welcomed home a son, it has been good to remember, and to hear that Jesus not only lived -- He lives.  He knows me.  He suffered a lot so that I would be able to come home and so that I can be resurrected too. 

"...and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God ..."  (2nd Nephi 26: 33).

Jesus is my Savior, and yours.  He lives!

Easter: He is Risen!

The Garden Tomb

Most, if not all of us, have had someone that we love die.  Even if they were very old, or were suffering, it does not stop us from wishing they could still be here.  We miss them.  We also know that one day we will die.  No matter how well we take care of ourselves, our current bodies were not made to live forever. 

Easter is a day to be grateful.  Those we love will be resurrected.  We will be resurrected.  Our loved ones will be whole again, and we will not have to miss them forever.  All of us will have bodies that do not get sick, and are not broken in any way.  There has always been a plan for us.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."  John 3:  16-17

Jesus carried out His part of the plan.  He decided that all of the pain He would suffer was worth it to save all of His brothers and sisters who want to be saved.  I love Him.

Happy Easter!

Easter Week: Saturday -- The Dark Day

God's word is a light unto our path.

The tomb was closed.  The Son of God had died.  The Light of the World had gone out.  Hope seemed to be gone.  What now?

Sometimes in our lives we have dark days.  It may seem that all of the light has gone out of our lives.  Hope seems gone, or at least very far away, and we ask ourselves, "What now?" 

The good news is that, unlike His followers on that dark Saturday, we know what happened on Sunday.  We know the tomb was opened, and that Christ had Risen.  The Light of the World still shines bright, and hope is NOT gone.  "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."(Psalms 30:5). 

So, what now?  We hold on to the knowledge that there will be a morning.  Even if all we see is darkness, the light will come.  We search His words because we know that "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."(Psalms 119: 105).  We search His word, and then step forward, trusting in that light.

*Photo by Michael Mouritz on Unsplash

Easter Week: Friday -- Cruelty and Pain

The Crucifixion by Harry Anderson
Used by permission from theChurchofJesusChrist.org

When my children were younger we took them up to Salt Lake to see The Testament:  Of One Fold and One Shepherd.  There are scenes during the movie that show people being cruel to Christ.  They show Him nailed to the cross, and in pain.  When I looked over at one of my daughters, she had her head down, with her eyes tightly shut and her hands covering her ears.  She is a sweet and loving person.  Watching the Jesus in the film suffer was too much for her.  I can only imagine how much pain and sorrow Jesus' mother felt as she saw her own son suffer such agony.

Sometimes in this life we may suffer cruelty.  We will have pain.  There is no doubt that Jesus understands what that feels like.  He knows it is hard.  He may even want to hide His face, and close His eyes, and cover His ears and so He does not have to watch someone He loves suffer -- but He does not do that.  Like His mother stayed with Him, He stays with us.  He offers us comfort, and support, and understanding.  He may even take some of our pain, or strengthen us so that we can handle it.  Even if we are hurting to much to recognize it, He is there for us.

I want to be like Jesus.  Instead of avoiding having to see and hear a family member, friend, or stranger suffer, I want to be there offering comfort, and support and understanding.  Jesus has done that for me.  Family, friends, and strangers have done this for me.  Even at times when I have felt alone, and seemed to be alone, I hold on to the knowledge that the Lord is with me, and He loves me.

Easter Week: Thursday -- Jesus Prays For Me

A lot of things happened on the Thursday of the original Easter week, but today I want to focus on the fact that Jesus prayed for me twice that day.

The first time was when He gave what is called "the great intercessory prayer" recorded in St. John chapter 17.  Why do I say He was praying for me?  In verse 20 He says He doesn't pray for His apostles only but for "them also which shall believe on me through their word".  I have not seen Jesus like those original apostles have, but I believe they saw Him, and I believe their teaching and testimony that Jesus is the Son of God.  One thing He prays for is that the love the Father has for Him will be upon me.  I feel His love as I picture Him praying for me.

The second time He prayed for me was in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, and began His atonement for my sins, and my suffering, and my sorrow.  I love Isaiah Chapter 53 -- especially verse 5.  "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

I love that He prayed for me, and was willing to go through such pain for me.  Today I will pray with gratitude for Him.

*Image used with permission from churchofJesusChrist.org

Easter Week: Wednesday -- Betrayal

Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
We need Christ always.

Judas Iscariot.  The Betrayer.  Someone who was supposed to be a friend, but who loved money more than Jesus.  Jesus, who is the Son of the Most High God.  Who created everything, including the silver that the money Judas coveted was made from. 

Have you ever been betrayed?  Have you thought someone was your friend, only to find that they cared for something or someone else more than they cared about you?  Have you ever been the betrayer?  The person that someone trusted, who ended up being untrustworthy?

Jesus, who was betrayed, is the very one who can help and heal those who have been betrayed who are hurting and broken, and forgive and lift the betrayer who is also hurting and broken.  He understands being betrayed and the healing power of forgiveness, and He knows the motivations behind betrayal and the healing power of repentance.

All of us will fill both roles in our lifetime -- the betrayer and the betrayed.  Maybe we will yell, and be angry when love and understanding were called for.  Maybe we will be late in helping when someone really needed us to be on time.  Maybe we will gossip, and betray a trust through our words.  At other times we might be the one who is hurt by someones words, or actions.  We need Christ in both instances.  We need Him in every instance! 

Today I will be grateful for Christ, who I need every minute of every hour, and who is never the betrayer.

*Photo by Robert Nyman on Unsplash

Easter Week: Tuesday -- Pride and Preparation

Herod's Temple
Used by permission from churchofJesusChrist.org

On the Tuesday of Easter week Christ taught more in the temple, and the Jewish leaders desperately tried to trap Him in His words.  They were afraid of losing their power to Christ.  They liked being important.  They liked being able to think they were right.  Money was more important to them than sanctification, and they were more worried that all of the little details of the Law of Moses were kept than about understanding the meaning of the law.

I have sometimes read the scriptures where these leaders try to trap Jesus and I have chuckled at how easily He understands what they are up to.  They get what is coming to them!  But there are also times when I realize that I fall into similar traps that lead me away from Christ.  I have cared too much what others think.  I have thought more about what I want than what others need.  I have worried more about keeping every rule than on learning why they were made, and acting out of love.

art by Harry Anderson
used by permission from
churchofJesusChrist.org

On Tuesday of Easter week Jesus also taught about His second coming.  He gave parables about preparation, letting us know that we need to fill our lamps with oil, and improve our talents.  On this Tuesday of Easter week, I want to consider pride, and where it might have snuck into my life unnoticed.  I want to ask "What lack I yet?" and then I want to be willing to act on what I learn.  I want to admit that I am wrong if my will is not aligning with the will of my Savior.  In short, I want to let go of pride, and be prepared for the time when I will see Jesus again.

Easter Week: Monday -- The Cursing of The Fig Tree

Figs

There is a story in the Bible about Jesus coming to a fig tree when He was hungry, and finding no fruit on it. He cursed it, and it died.

I think the story of the fig tree is meant to remind us that we are not to be idle, and "unfruitful".  We are to lead by example, by keeping the commandments, by going about doing good, and loving as Jesus did.  We have been given abilities and talents and we are to use them in the service of our God.  Jesus is loving and kind.  He is sympathetic, and understanding.  He also has expectations, and the story of the fig tree is a warning to help us remember that we need to put forth some effort in a quest to follow Him.

In Matthew 7:17 Jesus said, "...every good tree bringeth forth good fruit...".  In verse 19 He says "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."  On this day of Easter week, it would be a good idea to find something good we can do for someone.  We can forgive.  We can be kind.  We can be thankful.  We can be helpful.  Any time we do these kinds of things, I believe that we are putting forth good fruits, and are showing love for the Savior who gave everything for us.

Palm Sunday: Hosanna!

By Harry Anderson
Used by permission from ChurchofJesusChrist.org

"...when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (they) took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna:  Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."

John 12: 12-13

The people shouted "Hosanna" which we often think of as a word for giving praise.  Biblically it means "save us"*.  It is an appeal to God for deliverance*.  Many, and maybe all of those shouting hosanna at Christ's entry thought He had come to save them from the Romans.  We know that He had actually come to save all of us from sin and death.

Though the gospels do not all have the cleansing of the temple on the same day as the triumphal entry, Matthew, who was the eye witness, did.*  Jesus said, 

"My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."(Matthew 21:13).

While there are many things we can think of on Palm Sunday, as I read about it today it reminded me of the Sacrament.  We are temples, and are unclean.  We need Jesus to save us now.  We need Him to cleanse our temple, and make it fit for the Spirit of God.  Jesus finished His work.  Because of Him we can shout Hosanna -- calling on Him to save us now, and at the same time praising Him for cleansing us when we turn to Him.

Hosanna!!

*Bible Dictionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

*Dictionary.com

*God So Loved The World:  The Final Days of the Savior's Life by Eric D. Huntsman pg. 20

Standing Up For Christ

Abinidi in chains before King Noah.  By Arnold Friberg
Used by permission from churchofjesuschrist.org

Several years ago Derek was leading a discussion during study time at his parent's house about voting.  He asked the youth, if they were given a chance, would they vote to keep the pool open on Sunday or closed?  Derek did not give his opinion.  Connor listened to the discussion, and then made a comment that I recorded in my journal.

Connor told a story from the Book of Mormon that happened when King Noah and his people were wicked.  I wrote that Connor "talked about Abinidi and how he stood up for the Lord when nobody else would -- even though he was killed for it -- and that we should stand up for the Lord too, and not for everybody elses opinion."

In our voting and in our conversations are we standing up for Christ?  We can stand up for Christ kindly.  We do not need to argue.  We do not need to prove anything.  We can just quietly say what we believe, and respect the fact that they can choose to believe differently.  Maybe, in standing up for Christ in a kind way, we can help others learn again that there is such a thing as disagreeing in a civil way.  We can share our belief and then try to understand what someone else believes without thinking they need to agree with us.  We can be kind without needing to vote for what they want.  They can do that.  We can vote for Christ.

The Beam and the Mote

Photo by Ian Simpson on Unsplash

Matthew 7:3-5 says, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"  We were studying this scripture at home and I asked which was bigger, a beam, or a mote.  Well, it turns out that they were thinking of the kind of moat that goes around a castle!  That would change the meaning of the scripture!  The mote in the scriptures is just a sliver.  Something not big at all.  A beam is large, and heavy.  

Photo by George Lucian Rusu on Unsplash

I am wondering if, perhaps, we might start out with our own little sliver in our eye, just like everyone else, but as soon as we turn and try to find the faults in someone else, even if it is to "help them pull it out" then we have created a beam in our own eye, making us completely blind.  Then we bludgeon someone with our beam, hurting them when we were trying to "help" pull out a sliver.

If a sliver is a sin -- something that needs to be pulled out -- then I hesitate to think that I am ever going to be ready to turn to someone else in judgment.  Christ forgives sin.  He can help them with their mote, and me with mine, and then we can both see clearly to lead people to Him instead of trying to do a little "helping" with our destructive, heavy beam!

Feed My Sheep -- Feed My Lambs

In church today I heard a talk about grace, and the speaker told of how Peter, who knew that Christ was the Son of God, was told by Jesus to feed His lambs, and to feed His sheep.  While listening to the story, I got to wondering about those words and why Christ chose them.  He didn't say, "Go find my sheep, find out everything that is wrong with them, and make sure they know."  He didn't say, "Go tell my sheep they are going the wrong way", or "Go scare my sheep" or "Go lecture my sheep".  He said to feed them.

This is what He asks us to do, and I am sure He doesn't mean to feed them poison, or things that aren't nourishing.  He wants us to feed them love.  He wants the good news of the Gospel shared -- as good news, and not as a list of things the sheep are doing wrong.  I am sure that Jesus meant that we should feed everyone encouragement for all they do right, and love for every difficulty including wrong choices.  He wants us to share joy for every success we see. 

Jesus wants us to know what He did so it can be beneficial to us.  He wants us to know where to look for help, and salvation.  Jesus is the "bread of life".  He wants all of us to know Him.  When we know and accept Christ, and the gift of His atonement, we will truly have been fed, and will want to feed others the joy of Christ and His gospel.

*Picture by Kamille Corry used by permission from churchofjesuschrist.org

As A Human .... Dealing With Problems and Challenges

Used with permission from churchofjesuschrist.org

As a human, I often want everybody's problems to be solved quickly, especially those that I can see, and feel, including mine and my family's.  I'm sure I often just pray that they will go away -- and we will all feel good and happy.  It is normal to just want to feel better, to be better, and to not have to deal with hard things.

Once, when I was feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, and like life was really, really hard, I was given the counsel that some challenges and problems just take time.  That is true.  Unfortunately I often have in my mind exactly how long something "should" take to heal from, or to solve, and I get frustrated when that time comes and goes with very little progress seeming to have happened!

As a human, I need to remember that problems and challenges are the rule, and that I can allow them to break me, or I can learn and gain strength from dealing with them.  Instead of praying for problems and challenges to go away, it would serve me better to pray for courage, strength, and direction, and the ability to accept help from others if it is needed.  It is important that at all times I allow Christ to walk with me so that my burden can be light.

Listen To The Right Voice!

Christ Walking on the Water
Robert T. Barrett

Satan = the accuser

"He is the one who tells us we are not adequate, the one who tells us we are not good enough, the one who tells us there is no recovery from a mistake.  He is the ultimate bully, the one who kicks us when we are down."

Christ = Helper and Consoler

"His ways bring joy and hope eventually and always."

Quotes by Elder Dale G. Renlund,
"Choose You This Day"  October 2018 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

Loving Each Other On The Road To Perfection

I believe that we are all on the road to perfection.  Sometimes we are going forward, and sometimes maybe backwards, and some people may not recognize which road they are on, but we are all on the road to perfection. 

If I feel like I am farther down the road than most people, I might actually ruin my progress by not listening to counsel and by not realizing there is more to learn.  Then I make it worse by looking down at those who haven't reached my more exalted state!

I have, on occasion,found myself feeling like I was farther down the road to perfection in some area, and looking down at others who weren't as awesome as me in that area.  How foolish!  There are so many areas to perfect, who is to say I'm actually farther down the road -- especially because we can't really see the end of it?

 I have found that often the very people I was feeling superior to were loving, caring people who do all they can to lift those around them.  We are all on this road, and none of us are ever going to get anywhere near perfection without Jesus, and He loves everyone, even those who may not be doing as good of a job as we are in any given area.

I am responsible to make the best choices I know how make for me, to teach my children to make the best choices they can for them, and I am responsible for loving everyone no matter what choices they choose to make for themselves as they travel the road to perfection.