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Temptation
More holiness give me... even if I'm not sure I want it
Last week, I had the privilege of working a baptismal session in the Temple with our wonderful Spanish branch-- most of them recent converts doing this work for the first time. They were untrained and nervous, so there were many do-overs. As I watched these humble brethren intently struggle through the ordinance, I thought back to my own first time doing baptisms for the dead, and how I managed to fumble things in my own unique way. When I was twelve, only endowed Melchizedek Priesthood holders could perform the ordinances, so the responsibility for all the baptisms often fell on a single young men's leader for the entire session. I could see this good brother's arms growing tired, so when it was my turn to be baptized, I tried to lighten his load by leaning myself into and out of the water. I guess I overdid it. After just two names, he laughed and said, "Matthew, you're trying to baptize yourself; that's not how this works. Just let go a bit and let me do the work. I've got you." I didn't know how important those words would become to me later in life.
Why our resolutions fail
I'm writing this post from the cafe of the YMCA (I come here regularly, but I'm no gym rat-- I drop the kids at the daycare while I work). Right now, this place is absolutely packed! I shouldn't be surprised-- it always fills up during the first month of the year as people try to meet their resolution to lose weight and get in shape. I looked it up just now-- the word "resolution" only occurs once in the entire Book of Mormon. Alma 47 tells of a group of people "fixed in their minds with a determined resolution" to break out of a rut and make some wonderful changes in their way of living. How did their resolution go? They started very strong. Then old temptations started to wear them down a bit. Then they started to cheat and compromise. And within a few weeks, they were right back where they started. Sound familiar?
The secrets of Godliness
I've heard some members who were born in the Gospel wish that they had been born outside the Church and then converted later in life. These members look back and say, "I wish I could have actually had fun in my youth-- sow my wild oats, carefree, without worrying. Get married, hear the Gospel, join the Church, and then live all the rules after I've really enjoyed life." In the minds of these members, converts get the best of both worlds-- they experience the pleasures of temptation in their youth and then the light of the Gospel once they've had all their fun. The Lord has a strong message for anyone who wishes they could go back in time and "live a little" and repent later.
Letting God Prevail over Politics
An online forum asked Church members if the Church endorsed Republicans or Democrats. One member's highly-voted answer essentially said:The Church stays out of politics. But when you look at our faith's teachings about family values, sexual morality, drugs, and self-reliance, it's no surprise that, in my experience, most Church members are Republicans like me.Another highly voted answer showed a different perspective. Something like:The Church stays out of politics. But when you look at our faith's teachings about the freedom to choose, equality, and generous welfare programs, it's no surprise that in my experience, most Church members are Democrats like me.These two members obviously had very different experiences with politics and the Gospel. But they both highlight critical principles about the intersection of faith and politics that we need to learn and apply if our country and our Church membership are to remain intact.
The remembrance cycle
I like listening to my dad tell stories from his time in the army. One thing he observed is that the drill sergeants he had were very much like the drill sergeants you see in the movies: insulting, swearing, and strict almost to the point of abusive. And he saw why. Although my dad was a married, returned missionary with 2 kids when he enlisted in the army, the rest of his group were 18 and 19-year old boys. And they acted the part. The primary goal in basic training is to crush you and try and get as much of the silliness and horseplay out of you as possible.
It's never just a little
A few particular points of the law In 67 or 66 BC, the Nephites had things pretty good. As far as the military goes, they'd been winning wars left and right. And they didn't even lose a single soldier in the most recent battle. Plus, things were great at home, too. They'd built a lot of cities and there was peace and prosperity in the land:And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.Nothing could go wrong! I mean, sure, there was a land dispute Moroni had to resolve, but aside from that minor skirmish, everything seemed to be going really well leading up to Alma 51
A New Year's Resolution from Captain Moroni
It's New Years time again. That introspective time where we reflect over the past year and resolve that this year we are surely, most definitely going to start that novel, get that promotion, pay off that credit card, and lose that gut. Oh yeah, and world peace. Like everyone else, I've been thinking about what I want to do this year. But more importantly, what I want to become this year. Something that stuck out to me as I thought about this was a story I read recently from Alma 55.
Spiritual poison
Another war chapter post today. Enjoy! Historical Background It was 62-63 BC. Captain Moroni had received a letter from the evil Ammoron, offering to exchange prisoners. But Moroni rejected Ammoron's offer, deciding instead to try and take his prisoners back by force. He found some Lamanite descendants among his army and sent them to the Lamanite soldiers who were guarding the city where the Nephite prisoners were kept. This envoy, posing as escaped Lamanite prisoners, carried with them a large supply of especially strong Nephite wine. The guards quickly drank themselves into unconsciousness. When they awoke the next morning, the Nephites had armed all the prisoners within the city and surrounded the Lamanites without. Surrounded by their enemies and reeling from a massive hangover, "in these circumstances [the Lamanites] found that it was not expedient that they should fight with the Nephites."
Easier to maintain than to fix
When I was a teenager, my household chore was the burdensome task of cleaning the "tile area" of the house. This included the entire kitchen, the dishes, the bar area, the dining room, the table, and setting/clearing meals. The rule was that my chores were to be completed to perfection every morning before I left for seminary and school. My mother would inspect them in the morning when she woke up, and if it was lacking, I would be pulled out of school unexcused to complete the job. The repercussions of a job not done terrified me. So I stayed awake cleaning my assigned areas each weeknight for an hour or two (depending on how much mess had accumulated). Every night, I would be surprised and annoyed to see how quickly our family of six (including four boys) turned my spotless assignment into a nightmare of a mess. But by the time I went to bed each night that year, the entirety of my assignment was ready for a showroom. I learned several lessons from this assignment:
Why we bridle
The other day I read this verse from Alma the Younger to his son Shiblon:Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions... -- Alma 38:12I think this is one of the most oft-quoted verses in all the Book of Mormon, usually in a lesson targeted to young men and young women (you know the one I'm talking about). But what stuck out to me this last time through is the rest of the verse:See that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love.