Future of the Mormon Church

On my mission we taught a girl who was studying at a divinity school. She was a smart, attractive younger woman (I'm guessing 25-28) who loved learning about the Old Testament in particular. She liked what we taught but would never actually attend church or truly study the scriptures.

Towards the end I just wanted to tell her that eventually it would be very clear that the LDS church was the true church. The church had progressed so much over the previous 30 years in Guatemala (and the world) and would continue to do so over the next 30 years, and that at a certain point sometime in the future, it would be obvious to her that the LDS church was indeed Christ's church and people on the earth.

God predicts this will happen in D.C. 105.

26Now, behold, I say unto you, my friends, in this way you may find favor in the eyes of the people, until the ^aarmy of Israel becomes very great.

31But first let my army become very great, and let it be^asanctified before me, that it may become fair as the sun, and clear as the ^bmoon, and that her banners may be terrible unto all nations;

32That the kingdoms of this world may be constrained to acknowledge that the kingdom of Zion is in very deed the^akingdom of our God and his Christ; therefore, let us become^bsubject unto her laws.

This is a section describing when Zion will be redeemed. The members of the church (in Missouri) were being persecuted in a substantial way, and 200 church members from Ohio made a trip to try to protect them. However, the Lord says in D.C. 105 that the time isn't yet for the "army of Israel" to deliver the people of Zion. However, the time would come that the army of the Lord would be very great and it would be obvious to "the kingdoms of this world" that Zion (the Church) is in very deed the kingdom of God and his Christ.

I believe this will happen. There has been tremendous growth and progress over the last 30 years, and there will be over the next 30 years, until the point comes that it will be obvious that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is absolutely the kingdom of God on the Earth. That day, the lady we taught will know that she made a mistake not taking our message more seriously.

Have a great day.

I believe in being honest and true - Ann Dibb missionary work

Ann Dibb told a great story in the Young Women's General Meeting about influencing people and how God can guide someone into the church. I really enjoyed it.

This is well worth the read:

Several years ago Kristi and Jenn were in the same high school choir class in Hurst, Texas. Although they didn’t know each other well, Jenn overheard Kristi talking with her friends one day about religion, their various beliefs, and favorite Bible stories. Recently, upon reconnecting with Kristi, Jenn shared this story:

“I felt sad that I didn’t know anything about what you and your friends were talking about, and so for Christmas I asked my parents for a Bible. I received the Bible, and I started reading it. This began my religious journey and my search for the true Church. … Twelve years passed. During that time I visited several churches and attended church on a regular basis but still felt that there was something more. One night I fell on my knees and begged to know what to do. That night I had a dream about you, Kristi. I hadn’t seen you since we had graduated from high school. I thought my dream was strange, but I didn’t attribute it to anything. I dreamed about you again for the next three nights. I spent time thinking about the meaning of my dreams. I remembered that you were a Mormon. I checked the Mormon website. The first thing I found was the Word of Wisdom. My mother had passed away from lung cancer two years previously. She had been a smoker, and reading about the Word of Wisdom really hit home with me. Later I was visiting my father’s house. I was sitting in his living room, and I started to pray. I asked to know where to go and what to do. At that moment a commercial for the Church came on television. I wrote down the number and called the same night. The missionaries called me three days later, asking if they could deliver a Book of Mormon to my home. I said, ‘Yes.’ I was baptized three and a half months later. Two years later I met my husband at church. We were married in the Dallas Temple. Now we are the parents of two beautiful little children.

“I wanted to thank you, Kristi. You set such a wonderful example throughout high school. You were kind and virtuous. The missionaries taught me the lessons and invited me to be baptized, but you were my third missionary. You planted a seed through your actions, and you truly have made my life better. I have an eternal family now. My children will grow up knowing the fulness of the gospel. It is the greatest blessing that any of us can be given. You helped bring that into my life.”

When I contacted her, Kristi shared: “Sometimes I think we hear the list of attributes that the thirteenth article of faith outlines, and we feel overwhelmed. However, I know that as we live these standards and strive to follow Christ’s example, we can make a difference. … I feel much like Ammon in Alma 26:3 when he says, ‘And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.’”

Returning home from a mission

Today is the first Monday in over two years that I'm not expecting an email from my brother. I talked to him for about 20 minutes last night and have a few thoughts and will also answer a couple of questions I've received from people lately as I've mentioned my brother is coming home and we didn't talk much on his mission.

1) A mission is the best investment you could make. Most importantly, it makes you think about how to help people and bring them to Christ, which in turn gives you a chance to see Christ involved in others' lives and therefore helps you learn that Christ lives and loves us.

2) A mission also gives you responsibility in a way and at an age that no other experience can give you. I have not felt as much responsibility on a day-to-day basis until right now in my current job. My mission prepared me for this job as much as any other experience.

3) As a result of the experience, my brother is ready to make getting married a priority. Interesting that it's true, but he is now far more ready for marriage than most people his age. And I can say that being married has only been a help for me in all areas of life.

Now some questions:

Q1) Why do you only talk 2 times per year with missionaries?

A) Because they need to stay focused every day on what they're doing and not be distracted by phone calls (or TV or dating) and because some missionaries are too poor to call home more often than that, so to be fair, everyone has the same rule.

Q2) Why do only men go on missions?

A) Women and older couples can also go on missions actually. I would estimate that 10-20% of the total mission force is made up of women and older couples. Men, however, have the priesthood obligation/duty to do missionary work. Essentially, all are invited to go on missions, but young men are required/expected to go on missions. D.C. 20 makes clear that teaching the gospel is a priesthood obligation (See D.C. 20:59 about a deacon's duty to invite all to come unto Christ: 59They are, however, to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.

Have a good day :)

Being the Light of the World, having the companionship of the Savior and Accomplishing things

D.C. 103 doesn't seem to be a section that is well known by members of the church (including myself), but I sure was impressed by it yesterday. It touches on various important topics. Here's a summary:

1) We are the salt of the earth as we keep the commandments.

8But inasmuch as they ^akeep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.

9For they were set to be a ^alight unto the world, and to be the^bsaviors of men;

10And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as^asalt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

Compare to Matthew 5 where the Savior calls the disciples the salt of the earth. Notice that he then gives many commandments to them including not lusting upon a woman and not being angry with our brethren. Enduring to the end and keeping the commandments help us improve the world; without faithful living, we are not influential and don't help the earth.

2) The children of Israel were accompanied by angels but the church members of our day also benefit from the Savior's presence:

17For ye are the children of Israel, and of the ^aseed of Abraham, and ye must needs be ^bled out of ^cbondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm.

18And as your fathers were ^aled at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.

19Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you as I said unto your fathers: Mine ^aangel shall go up before you, but not my ^bpresence.

20But I say unto you: Mine ^aangels shall go up before you, and also my ^bpresence, and in time ye shall ^cpossess the goodly land.

This is very powerful. I'm not sure how we benefit from the Savior's presence more than the children of Israel in the wilderness, but it likely has to do with our building of temples in abundance and also the Melchizedek Priesthood that exists among our people which holds the keys of communion with the Father and the Savior (see D.C. 107: 19). Those with the priesthood and their families (and I would add those endowed temple members) have rights to the companionship of the Savior, though that is often unseen companionship.

3) Sometimes we're given tasks to do that we won't be able to accomplish because men have freewill:

30It is my will that my servant Parley P. Pratt and my servant Lyman Wight should not return to the land of their brethren, until they have obtained companies to go up unto the land of Zion, by tens, or by twenties, or by fifties, or by an hundred, until they have obtained to the number of five hundred of the ^astrength of my house.

31Behold this is my will; ask and ye shall receive; but men do^anot always do my will.

200 people joined Zion's camp, not 500, and it failed in some ways and was successful in other ways.

3a) Accomplishing things happens with 3 attributes:

36All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your^adiligence, faithfulness, and ^bprayers of faith.

This is a very powerful list - diligence (sticking with things and being disciplined), faithfulness (doing things the right way; a faithful spouse is one who is very loyal to the marriage commitment/covenant), and prayers of faith (involving the Lord and asking for his help/guidance) will help us accomplish all things. It's important to involve all 3 of these as we go about accomplishing things in life.

D.C. 103 is a very impressive section about life: keep the commandments to influence the world, God and Christ will be with us, and accomplish things through diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith.

LaDon

Impact of living a good life - harmon killebrew

I am a Mormon who believes that it's absolutely vital to live a good life, but a lot of times we don't also talk about the church and invite people to church. How is someone going to know that they're invited to church if no one invites them.

In fact, when I was in my last ward, I taught a combined Sunday lesson and mentioned that Elder Ballard said in a conference talk that many non-members don't know that they're invited to our Sunday meetings. There were two recent converts in the meeting and both of them said that they didn't think they were invited to the meetings until someone specifically invited them.

That's very understandable when you remember that non-members and members who aren't living all of the standards are not allowed into the temple (though we want them all to enter in as they become ready). It's not a stretch that most people just assume that they can't come to any Mormon meetings.

So, please talk to people and invite them to meetings.

However, I also wanted to mention that living a great life can have a profound impact on people. Harmon Killebrew was a Mormon and many people have been quoted recently saying that he was the best person they ever knew. This story explains how Charlie Manuel, the manager for the 2009 World Series champion Phillies was convinced to speak at a mostly LDS university in his hometown in Virginia. It was because of the example of Harmon Killebrew, a teammate of his when they played for the Minnesota Twins.

Enjoy the story and remember to be a good person:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700137076/How-Harmon-Killebrew-Charlie-Manuel-blessed-a-small-Virginia-Mormon-community.html

Remembering God's involved and there to help

D.C. 101 gives instructions to the Saints who were having a tough time amidst great persecution in Missouri. It must have been apparent that they would not be able to stay in the same place as they were told Zion was, which must have been crushing. However, the Lord reminds them of his involvement and that things would end up okay.

16Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine ^ahands; be still and ^bknow that I am God.

17^aZion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.

Everything that needed to happen would happen eventually. It was simply important to remember that God was in charge and that all would be okay.

This certainly applies to many of us throughout our lives. Be still and know that I am God. Everything will work out okay. I believe this with all my heart.

Have a great day.