How to receive good things in life

Here's a letter I just wrote my brother on a mission. It has some good comments:

Interestingly, I was just telling my buddy Nate from college that until this job the last time I had this much responsibility was on my mission. For many reasons, the mission is unique. Not the least of which is that you have some much autonomy and responsibility. It's very cool that the Lord and the church have chosen to trust you guys (and girls) so much.

Jamie and I are excited to see you again (and get a break from work - it'll be the longest vacation we've had since I started working :)

Keep becoming good. I'm sure your anxious for many things (both good things to happen while you're still there as well as things when you get home). It reminds me of this story I read somewhere. Elder McConkie was visiting a mission and while the assistants were driving him to a meeting they asked him what they should look for in a wife. Elder McConkie replied with this verse in D.C. 88: 40 For ^aintelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; ^bwisdom receiveth wisdom; ^ctruth embraceth truth; ^dvirtue loveth virtue; ^elight cleaveth unto light; ^fmercy hath ^gcompassion on mercy and claimeth her own; ^hjusticecontinueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.

I am a big believer in this concept of like things being attracted to one another. Keep doing good and growing and good things will happen always. Or put another way in the end of Alma's talk to his son Corianton in Alma 41:

13O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again ^aevil 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.

14Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal ^ajustly, ^bjudge righteously, and do ^cgood continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your ^dreward; yea, ye shall have ^emercy 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.

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

Interesting advice to his son. Do good, be merciful, be just, judge righteously.

Examples of those who didn't put on the whole armor of God

So, I want to have a potential list of people who didn't have on the whole armor of God, so here's some thoughts.

King David - I watched a brief video about him yesterday on lds.org and it shows him being sneaky about watching Bathsheba and almost deciding not to watch her. Very good portrayal. It made me think of a good friend of mine and a story he told. Bro. Grimmer hunted and fished in Alaska. One day while hunting he had a strong feeling that he was in a very dangerous situation. He turned around and saw a bear very close to him. He ran away as quickly as possible.

Years later he was having dinner in a place as part of a trip and heard some music come on. He had the exact same feeling at that time (that he was in a very dangerous situation). A stripper was actually about to come out on stage. Once again he ran away as quickly as possible. He commented that he isn't sure which situation was more dangerous.

I appreciate the takeaway that the Lord will warn us to help us avoid sin if we're doing our best.

3 Witnesses - I believe I've written about them before but the 3 witnesses appear to have had deep testimonies about one thing (Book of Mormon) and relatively shallow testimonies about everything else. Their testimonies didn't grow as well as they should have beyond the Book of Mormon. I suspect that they had a strong testimony of the Book but did not learn daily from the Book. Otherwise, their shield of faith would have grown much larger and stronger. The Lord pushed them to be more committed (David Whitmer was among the first asked to live the law of consecration for example), but none of them made it out of Missouri with their testimonies of the Gospel and Church.

Corianton - I think he was actually a pretty good guy in most respects. He did get called on a mission. He did end up being very faithful. However, he had a couple flaws, he was very proud and he fell for one woman in particular. Here's the account from Alma 39:

2For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy brother, among the people of the ^aZoramites. Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.

3And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the ^aharlot Isabel.

4Yea, she did ^asteal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.

Side note: what if Isabel wasn't a professional harlot but just a promiscuous woman. Is the prophet calling her name right here? Potentially a little funny....

President Monson seemed to address this in his Priesthood Session Message - he told us to avoid numerous sins and also asked us to not do anything of which we wouldn't be proud. It's just not enough to have on half or even most of the armor of God.

I will talk a little bit more about how to put that armor on tomorrow....

Have a good day.