Study Habits

Alma 45:17

"And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth."

I love the fact that the Lord cares about my gaining knowledge here upon the earth and that He will bless my efforts in school if I will but keep His commandments (thinking specifically about keeping the Sabbath day holy).  I have yet to study any topic related to school since being married, and so far throughout the four semesters of classes I have taken, I have earned a 4.0.  Hopefully that will continue as I have two very difficult finals to take tomorrow, one of which I feel very unprepared for.  I am thankful for the principle of faith, for I have full faith in the Lord's ability to bring things to my remembrance that I need, when I need it most - so long as I have taken the time to put the information into my brain. 

True Power

Alma 44:4

"Now ye see that this is the true faith of god; yes, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."

I love the knowledge that the only person who can defeat me is myself.  Satan has now power over me if I do not give him the time and place to destroy me.  I need to do a better job of keeping my life so pure and clean that any attempt of Satan's to blemish my spirit is instantly noticable.  Being strong in the face of temptation is a wonderful thing, but how much more wonderful would it be to keep my life so pure that even temptation is a rare thing.  I believe that was part of Christ's strength while he was upon the earth.  He lived such a pure life that it was difficult for Satan to even find methods of tempting Christ that might reasonably have a chance of succeeding.  That's partly what it means to become like Christ, to become more than just this personage of flesh and bone that walks the earth.  To truly view myself as a son of God, Christ's brother, an heir to eternal glory and kingdoms.  With that knowledge, and the knowledge of what God wants me to do and how God wants me to act, what chance does Satan have?  Therein lies true power and true self-mastery.

Wordless Example

Alma 43:45

"Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church."

I often marvel at just how many forms the sin of pride can take.  I have recently been pondering on how I should interact with people from the stand point of who I am and what I represent, as well as the understanding that everything I do and say is an example of sorts, whether I intend for it to be or not (and this is the same for everybody).  For example, when someone does something that I find rude or untimely, should I react in such a manner that reprimands them for what they did and makes them feel bad in an effort to get them to not do it again?  Or would it be more Christ-like of me to simply wait for the interaction to end, and respond in a more light-hearted and jovial manner?  I suppose it depends on the circumstance, but what I am getting at is an issue of pride.

Who am I to be the one who "teaches" everyone how they should react and respond to everything positive and negative that comes their way?  I should simply just react the way that suits me, righteously, at that moment and let my "reacting" do the teaching, if they care to observe and learn.  I should not feel as though it is my place to tell someone how they should do things or to point out people's flaws every time I see something that seems awry.  I suppose that doing so every now and then, when it seems as though it is really important, would still be reasonable... but my first reaction to everything I see around me shouldn't be to "fix and teach," rather it should be to "love and show by wordless-example."  I think that is the key there, wordless-example.  Don't tell someone that you are teaching them, or showing them the proper way to react.  If you do something or react in a manner that catches someone by surprise, they will notice and they will remember.  If someone is around you long enough, and they see the way you act and react often enough, they will either do the same (if your reaction is the proper way to react) or they won't.

I should live my life as a "wordless example."  I like that.

Mercy and Justice

Alma 42:16-25 (I realize this is long, but there is no point at which it could be ended early and still capture the entire essence of its message.  This is my favorite chapter of all scripture, so I refuse to cut anything out.)

16 "Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul.

17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?

18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.

19 Now, if there was no law given - if a man murdered he should die - would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?

20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.

21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?

22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the words of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.

23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.

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.

25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you Nay; not one whit.  If so, God would cease to be God."

As I mentioned above, this is my favorite passage of scripture.  Why?  Because it paints such a wonderful picture of the way things should be, and the way they truly are.  God truly loves me, and because of this he has laid forth a plan to accept back into his fold as many of his children as will come back to him.  He is ever-loving, ever-forgiving, ever-merciful, yet ever-just.  He wants me to come back to him, yet he cannot give me something that I do not deserve.  I say deserve hesitantly, for it is impossible for me to be exalted with out his help.  No unclean thing can dwell with God, but God has promised his kingdom to me if I do what God has asked me to do, and because of that promise (which not even God can break), I deserve (in a manner of speaking) to dwell with him if I keep my end of the bargain.  

My thoughts are all over the place right now when I think about what it takes to please God the most.  I recently watched a movie about the prophet Joseph Smith, and when it ended I felt the Spirit so strongly, I was so moved.  I suppose that is what it means to please God, to do what He wants you to do.  Joseph Smith was a man of faith, and because of that he dared not to do what the Lord commanded him not to do, and he did what the Lord commanded him to do.  There is no reason to question the Lord, because the Lord knows best, in all things and at all times.  Being obedient truly is the best way that we can please God.

He has asked me to live his commandments, to read the words of the living prophets, to read the words of the prophets from past dispensations, to search the words of Isaiah, to have charity towards all men, and other things as well.  None of these are menial tasks, none of these aren't worth the time and effort.  All of them build character and promote love and harmony.  Is it too much to listen to what the Lord asks of us to do?  Am I so prideful that I think I know what is a better use of my daily-time than the Lord does?

There is a law given and a punishment affixed.  The law is that I obey his commands.  Both the punishments and the rewards are lying in wait for me.  Can I ask the Lord to let mercy rob justice?  I need to live my life in such a way that the Lord is able to welcome me home, with open arms.

Verse 27: "Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely..."

True Meaning of Restoration

Alma 41: 10,12&15.

10 "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness.  Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.

12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish - good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.

14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

15 For that which we do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all."

I love this passage of scripture.  It hits home in all the right ways.  I love the plan that God has set forth in terms of how we should conduct our lives.  When Christ comes again, and after this earth-life is finished, we shall be resurrected and all things will be restored to their proper state.  Truly this restoration speaks concerning our hearts as well.  Our purpose in this life is to go through the refiner's fire and to show Christ and God who we really are.  To think that our hearts, the driving force behind our thoughts, choices, and actions, will change simply because Christ has come is a wonderful lie that Satan has spread among mankind.  If this were the case, then I would ask what the purpose of this life is?  We are not able to take any material possessions with us after we die, so what is it that we gain from this existence if we achieve a never-ending state of happiness and bliss regardless of what we do or who we become while we are mortal?

Should we not make every effort to ensure that everything we do is out of love? of charity? of improvement? If we do, then the results are made clear.  Those things which we do unto others will be reciprocated, or restored, unto us in the Lord's due time.

I look forward to the time when I can stand before my Lord, give an accounting of my choices made on earth and hear his loving words, "well done, thou good and faithful servant."  I pray that I will have the strength and focus-of-perspective to continue to make choices that lead me to that wonderful and joyous interaction.  I pray that when my actions and thoughts are restored unto me, that I will be able to smile and look my loved ones in the eyes with my head held high.

Mysteries

Alma 40:3&5

"...nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself."

"...it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case."

This chapter of Alma is packed with wonderful doctrine about the state of spirits after we die and before the resurrection, but I think that this snippet of the third and fifth verses is just as profound if not moreso.  Many people often get caught up in trying to know everything there is to know such as: Where precisely is Kolob? How old is the earth? and other questions of that nature.  What Alma is saying here is that, while he does reveal the answer to such a wonderful mystery in chapter 40, there are other mysteries about the true nature of things that man does not know, but God does. 

For a long time throughout the history of this world, there were even more mysteries that had not been revealed until recent times.  Mysteries that Alma, Nephi, Moses, and other prophets possibly did not fully understand (though, we do not know what the Lord revealed to them with the understanding that they would keep it sacred and private).  As the world needed answers and as His church grew, those answers were given through revelation to prophets (Amos 3:7).  Thankfully the Lord continues to give revelation to his followers (Hebrews 13:8) so that we can have the fullness of the gospel and that we can understand those things which we need to understand.

This brings me back to my original thought, that we understand only that which we need to understand.  We do not need to understand precisely how old the earth is in order to receive salvation and exaltation, so why should we worry about it?  The Lord has revealed unto man that which He has chosen to reveal, and we should be satisfied with that.  I personally am thankful for that which He has revealed unto us throughout the course of time, and especially over the past 180 years.  My faith has made me happier than I could have ever imagined, and I pray that I can prevent myself from worrying about trivial matters that have no bearing on my current existence.  I understand that God does know all things, that that is sufficient for me.

Examples

Alma 39:1&11

"...for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?"

"...Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they would not believe in my words."

As I read this chapter, it really puts the daily activities of life into perspective. Our Father has told us that we are accountable for the way in which we use our time in this life. Are we using that time to build up the kingdom of God? Or are we falling into the trap of apathy toward the impact our actions have on those we come into contact with?

There are two things in this chapter that jump out at me, which is why I selected portions from two verses. The first is that Alma rebuked Corianton for not seeing the example that his brother was setting for him in terms of how one should live. What impresses me about this statement from Alma is that he is essentially declaring that our actions set an example for those around us. If we are constantly surrounded by people who behave and act in a certain way, then we are influenced by the choices that our peers are making, for good or for bad. Whether or not our peers are intending to be an example unto us, they are.

Alma further drives the point home when he turns the conversation directly towards Corianton's actions amongst the Zoramites. Corianton represented something grander than himself during his ministry to the Zoramites, but as a result of his choices, the Zoramites were not able to believe in what was being taught because they were witnessing a contradiction to those teachings. Truly, actions do speak louder than words.

I often reflect upon my interactions with people and wonder if I truly am "practicing what I preach." I often wonder what example I am setting for those around me, realizing that whether I intend to or not, my actions do influence those who witness them, and whether they intend to be influenced by my actions or not, they are. Every interaction I have with those around me changes me and it changes them. That is such an awesome thought.

Am I doing my best to build up the kingdom of God in everything that I do and say? Am I living my life in such a way that I can tell my Father and my Savior that I used my time well while I had the opportunity to do so? Is my conscious at peace when I reflect upon the manner in which I interact with those whom I love as well as those with whom I simply coexist? Am I becoming who I want to be? Am I developing habits that I want to pass onto my children? If my children were to emulate my behaviors and choices, would I be proud of that or would I instruct them to "do as I say and not as I do?"