What does it mean to have faith?

Faith is the first principle of the Gospel (See Articles of Faith 4). The Lord commands us in many verses of scripture to have faith.  (See Habbakuk 2:4, Ephesians 6:16, Hebrews 11:6, 1 Nephi 7:12, 2 Nephi 9:23, Alma 22:16, Moroni 7, D&C 8:10, D&C 20::25, D&C 68:25 for a few examples.) He taught his disciples that faith as a grain of mustard seed is sufficient to move mountains (see Matthew 17:20). We are told to live by faith and strengthen our faith. Faith is a key to success in this life from an eternal perspective. It is the principle of power by which God works (see Hebrews 11). So what is faith, how do we know when we have it, and how do we strength it?

According to the Guide to the Scriptures, faith is "confidence in something or someone. Most often... it is confidence and trust in Jesus Christ that lead a person to obey him.... Faith includes a hope for things which are not seen, but which are true.... By faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually is able to dwell in God's presence."

Job had faith

Job in the Old Testament is the quintessential example of faith. In his story we find the key to what it means to have faith. According to the biblical account, Job was a faithful, obedient, and prosperous man (see Job 1:1-3). He had everything temporally that a man could want: family, friends, health, property, wealth. When Satan and God discussed Job's situation, God extolled Job's faith and righteousness. Satan complained that it was easy for Job to have faith, since he wanted for nothing (see Job 1:9-11). God had given him everything. Why would he not have faith? But, proposed Satan, if Job lost all of his blessings, he would lose his faith and denounce his righteousness.

To prove his point, and to teach us all a lesson, God removed Job's prosperity. In one day he lost his property, was deprived of his wealth, and learned that all of his children had been killed in an accident (see Job 1:13-22). Shortly thereafter he developed debilitating diseases (see Job 2:7-8), and his wife (see Job 2:9) and friends deserted him (see Job 16:2-4). Left in such awful conditions, surely he would turn away from the God who had apparently turned away from him.

Yet he did not turn from God. He held on to his belief that God still loved him and would save him at the last day (see Job 19:25-27). He retained his belief in the goodness of God despite the lack of evidence in his own life. He knew what he knew, and the difficulties of the moment would not dissuade him.

For Job, and for the rest of us, the key to faith is patience. Job was highly distressed and terribly discouraged by the losses he had suffered and the pain he had to endure. He did not understand why everything had turned to ash around him. Yet he did not doubt that God still loved him. He did not abandon his faithfulness. He continued to believe in God, to trust him, and to hope for rescue in whatever time frame suited the Lord. Though he felt abandoned for the moment, he knew he would not be abandoned forever. He did not blame God or turn against him or stop keeping the commandments or stop praying. Job waited patiently for the Lord.

From Job we learn that to have faith is to remain faithful when faith does not seem to be getting us anywhere. We learn that faith is best expressed in patience.

Believing without seeing

Faith does not come by seeing. Miracles do not produce faith, but faith can produce miracles. "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning [faith]; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6).

If we would expect faith, we must first expect trials. In fact, without trials, there is no faith. Though no one in his right mind asks for trials and afflictions, when they surely come, we can be assured that God is trying our faith, and we can have confidence that there are blessings on the other side of our trials. On the other side of the Red Sea for the children of Israel were manna and water flowing from a rock and Mount Sinai and a land flowing with milk and honey. On the other side of the ocean for Lehi and his family was the promised land. On the other side of Liberty Jail for Joseph Smith was Nauvoo. On the other side of persecutions and the Great Plains and Rocky Ridge for the pioneers was the Salt Lake Valley and Zion. When we are in the midst of trials and troubles on every side, we can look confidently to a future blessing that God is preparing for us.

Faithfulness in patience

But when will this terrible trial end? we ask. That is a good question. We all want to know how long we have to hold out in the face of unpleasantness and distress. We all wonder if we have sufficient strength to endure to the end. The Prophet Joseph wanted to know when the Lord would finally come out of his hiding place and relieve the suffering saints in Missouri (see D&C 121:1-3). It is a legitimate question.

The answer is, in the own due time of the Lord (see 1 Nephi 14:26, D&C 56:3). He tests us by stretching us. He strengthens us by stretching us. How do we gain more faith? We stretch it.

The "own due time of the Lord" is when we are stretched to the breaking point. It is when we have toiled against the storm into the fourth watch of the night and the boat is filling with water (see Matthew 14:25). It is when the waters of the Red Sea are lapping at the soles of our feet (see Exodus 14:10-12). It is when we have no money left and our sons are about to be sold as slaves to pay our debt (see 2 Kings 4:1). It is when we are in the moment of ultimate despair and ready to abandon ourselves to destruction (see Joseph Smith-History 1:15). It is the "true last minute".

God knows that moment better than we know it. So if we have not yet been rescued, if we have not yet been stretched to the limit, if we are not yet in the fourth watch, it is not yet the true last minute.

When that moment comes, he will part the sea, still the storm, grab our hand, fill the cruse with oil, send a pillar of light - whatever it is that we truly need to rescue us. In that moment of rescue, we will know from whence our salvation has come. It will be clear that we did not save ourselves, for we will know assuredly that we could not have saved ourselves. Our strength will have been exhausted, and all hopes of getting ourselves out of the situation will have been dashed. Every coincidence and stroke of luck will have been abandoned. When God saves us, it is clearly his hand, and not ours or anyone else's, who has snatch us from our certain destruction.

When we learn to trust the Lord till the truly last minute, we will have faith.

Does Heavenly Father hear all of our prayers? Yes. Does he answer them all? Yes, but not always the way we want or when we want. We pray sometimes like we are ordering a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Imagine what life would be like if God answered every one of our prayers immediately and exactly as we ordered. Not only would we go through this life as spoiled brats, but we would miss out on the good things that our Father has in store for us, and we would probably do ourselves and others grievous harm in the process. We do not believe in a  "McDonalds God" who takes our order at the drive-thru window and dispenses nutrition-ridden, calorie-crammed blessings that have been reheated under an infrared lamp. He loves us too much and expects too much of us to treat us like whining children, even when that is what we are. He gives us what we need when we need it. He gives good gifts when they will do us the most good. His objective is not to make us happy but to make us gods.

The rest of the story

Job passed his test of faith. Despite every reversal and defeat and trial and affliction, he trusted in the Lord with all his heart and refused to curse God and die. When the test was over, the scriptures report that "the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters" (Job 42:12-13). Our trials may seem to be forever, but they are not. Father may seem to have abandoned us, but he has not.  Our afflictions may seem more than we can bear, but they are not. Our finite, mortal eyes cannot see the end from the beginning, but the Lord's eyes can see it all. He knows how it will all turn out, and he calculates that it shall turn out for our good. When we believe that, we have faith.

If You Want to Walk on Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat

We are all familiar with the story of the Apostle Peter trying to walk on the water, as found in Matthew Chapter 14. Jesus had performed the miracle of feeding the five thousands from five loaves and two fishes. He had then sent the disciples ahead of him while he dismissed the people and went into the mountains to pray. Per Jesus's instructions, the apostles took a small ship and began sailing across the Sea of Galilee.

A storm arose during the night, and the apostles ship began to thrash about among the waves and the wind. Jesus, who had been watching them from the hillside, saw their peril and went out to them, "walking on the sea".

When the disciples saw the dark figure of a man walking on the water towards them, "they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear."

Jesus heard their fearful cry and answered them with comfort. "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."

Then Peter did a remarkable thing. He said to Jesus, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."

Now, I would have been perfectly satisfied to have sat in the boat and waited for Jesus to come and get in. But Peter had a different idea. As a dedicated disciple, he wanted to do everything that he saw his master do. If Jesus could walk on the water, then Peter wanted to do it, too. He did not, however, want to presume that he could walk on water simply because he wanted to. He wanted Jesus to command him to come out of the boat. He knew that if Christ could do it, and if Christ commanded him to do it, he could do it, too.

At Peter's request, Jesus issued the command, "Come." Peter dutifully climbed over the side of the boat and set his feet on the churning waters. To his great satisfaction, the water beneath his feet felt as solid as ground, and he began to walk towards Jesus.

As the account continues, we read that Peter got distracted by the waves and the wind, and he began to doubt his ability to remain on top of the water. Because he doubted, he began to sink. What he forgot in his moment of fear was that it was not his personal power that was holding him up. It was Christ's power. Jesus was still standing steady despite the waves. Had he kept his eye on Jesus and focused on his Master's steadiness, Peter could have continued.

When he began to sink, Jesus reached out and caught Peter by the hand and lifted him up again. The touch of the Master's hand was sufficient to remind Peter by what power he stood upon the water. He had every right to be afraid of the storm if he thought that he was out on the water under his own power. But with Jesus by his side and supporting him, he had no need to fear. Back on his feet again, with his confidence restored, Peter walked with the Lord to the boat, and they both climbed aboard.

Peter did it, and so can we

We make much of Peter's near-fatal failure to stay afloat, but the reality is that he walked on the water like Christ. He did the Master's bidding, and he was sustained in his efforts. He accomplished the impossible. He got out of the boat.

We can do hard things in our lives. We can do miracles. The key is knowing the will of God. If he wants us to do a seemingly impossible task, and he bids us to do it, we can go with confidence that he will support us. If we keep our eye focused on him and recognize that it is his power, and not ours, that is sustaining us, we can succeed at whatever the Lord asks of us. Whether it is serving a mission, fulfilling a calling, raising a child, paying tithing, forgiving someone who has hurt us, befriending someone who is unlovable, healing the sick, or pulling a handcart, we can do whatever the Lord asks us to do. We can be confident that he is right there with us. When we fear or doubt our abilities, we have only to look to him, and he will steady and strengthen us.

Not all miracles are ours to perform

Some miracles, however, are not within our power. We can do anything that is God's will for us to do. if it is not his will, then our courage and bravado may not be enough to sustain us. On any other day, Peter would have jumped out of the boat and sunk straightway. For example, when Peter had been fishing and saw the resurrected Lord standing on the shore, he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to meet him. It was not his time to walk on the water.

How do we know when a miracle is God's will and not our own pride or wishful thinking. We must be bidden. Remember, Peter said, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come unto thee on the water." If the Lord directs us to action, either by revelation through the Holy Ghost or by a call from a priesthood leader, we can be confident that we can do what is asked of us. And not because we are capable by our own power, but because we know God will sustain us in keeping his command.

On the other hand, there are some things that are not within our power to do. We cannot violate another's agency. We cannot heal those whom God has ordained to die. We cannot remove a test from a loved one when God has placed that test to help our loved one grow and gain faith. We cannot make an investigator gain a testimony or choose to be baptized. We may force a child to read the scriptures with us, but we cannot force him to feel the Spirit.

Greater works than these

Nevertheless, when the Lord calls, we can do marvelous things. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do" (John 14:12).

Jesus converted only a few of his countrymen, but Peter convert 3,000 in a single day, and Wilford Woodruff brought more than 8,000 into the Church in England during a single mission. Jesus never left Palestine, but the Apostle Paul traveled across the entire known world, and Orson Hyde circumnavigate the globe in proclaiming the gospel. Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead; so did Peter, Paul, Alma, Joseph Smith, and Ephraim Hanks, and many others.

These valiant servants all had one thing in common. When the Lord called, they were willing to get out of the boat.

A Universe of Love

We live in a universe that is created and governed by love. I astounds me that the mightiest Being in the universe is also the Being who is filled with the most love. If there was any shadow of hate or anger or bitterness in that Being, we on this earth would truly tremble and fear because of his wrath.

Think if Satan had prevailed in the War in Heaven. Satan is the antithesis of God. Near the pinnacle of power, Satan would rule for his own selfish ends. He would assure that no one sins so that no redemption is necessary. He would escort us through mortality not because he loves us, but because we serve his ends to his personal glory. Those who disobeyed him would be instantly destroyed with no opportunity to repent.

Thankfully, wonderfully, mercifully, such is not our God. Hence my astonishment and my gratitude that the God of power is also the God of love.

God's Power

First, consider the majesty of God's power. While he has the power to do all things, the power he enjoys the most – the power about which he is most anxious and pleased to tell us about – is the power to create. Consider the following representative examples of God's power:

Isaiah 44:24 "the Lord, thy redeemer... maketh all things... stretcheth forth the heavens alone... spreadeth abroad the earth by myself."

Christ stands with the Father as the Supreme Creator. He makes everything that exists. Man in all the imaginations of his heart did not create the heavens and the earth. God created them. Now, he may have delegated responsibility, as we learn in the temple, but the work was done under his direction and by his power.

Isaiah 40:12-15 "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing."

God is powerful enough to hold all of the oceans in the cup of his hand. He can measure the breadth of the sky with the span of his hand, from the tip of his thumb to the tip of his little finger. He can put the largest mountains on a scale and measure their weight. There is no one who knows more than God. He needs to be taught by no one. The great nations of the earth, such as China, India, and the United States are but drops of water in a bucket to him. They are like dust on the surface of the scale, which makes no difference in the balance.

Moses 1:33 "worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten."

Now take our earth, which God has created and which he can hold in his hand and measure on a scale and which is just a drop in the bucket and is like inconsequential dust, and about which he knows everything, and multiply it endlessly. Such is only the beginning of power of God.

Moses 1:35 "behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them."

Yet amid all of this creative power, God does not forget a single thing he has created. Though the number of his worlds is too great for the human mind to comprehend, God knows and remembers every one of them.

Moses 1:37-38 "And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words."

As special and unique as we may feel our world is in the great span of creation, we are just one of innumerable worlds. And yet, each world is special and unique to God. Each one belongs personally to him. His work goes on forever, and he reveals himself forever to his creations. Worlds come and go through their stages of mortality, but God does not forget a single one.

Moses 7:30 "were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still"

God revealed the same truth to Enoch that he revealed to Moses. If we could count the particles – even the molecules, the atoms, and the subatomic particles of the atoms – contained in this earth, we would have to multiply that number by millions, and we could still not approximate the number of God's creations. And he is still creating today.

Such is the God we worship.

God's Love

And yet, amidst all of this power, there is love. Indeed, all of this creative power is the expression of love. When he could do anything he wants in the universe, why does God choose to create galaxies and stars and worlds and oceans and mountains and dust and molecules and atoms?

Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

God works so that we, his children, can become like him. He does not create worlds just for the fun of creating them. He creates them for us.

And how do we know he does this out of love, and not for some ulterior motive?

Isaiah 44:21-23 "Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel."

God has redeemed us. He has done the work to remove all of our sins. Having paid the price for us, he can never forget us.

Moses 7:30 "yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;"

God's heart is centered on us. It is in his very nature to be merciful and kind. He is just, for that is also in his nature, but he has worked out a way for mercy to overcome justice.

Isaiah 49:15-16 "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

God's love is stronger than a mother's love. Even if a mother could forget the child she bore, Christ would not forget us, the children he has born and for whom he has labored and sacrificed and atoned. We are never out of his thoughts.

Isaiah 49:24-25 "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children."

Though we may be temporarily captured by the terrible enemy of our souls, Christ will wrest us from Satan's hold. He will fight against Satan in our behalf, and he will save us who are his children.

Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The Father and the Son cannot be separated from us. We may choose to separate ourselves from them, but they will not be separated from us. There is no power in heaven or on earth that can tear us from their hearts if we choose to be connected to them.

Jeremiah 31:1-11 "I [will] be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people... saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.... For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.... They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he."

God is the father of our spirits. Christ is the father of our spiritual rebirth. We are all equal in their eyes. They treat each of us as if we were the firstborn, their only child. We weep when we think of how much they love us. Though we may wander off, Christ will gather us back to him as a shepherd gathers his lost lambs. He has ransomed us from the "natural man", who is often stronger in this mortal world than our spirits.

2 Nephi 1:15 "But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love."

What does it feel like to be loved by God? It is like being encircled in his arms. It is like being wrapped in a warm blanket after having fallen into icy waters on a cold night. It is a feeling that never has to end.

How do we know God loves us?

John 3:16 "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."

Because he sent his Son to prove it.

Conclusion

The God who made the earth and the sun, who causes the sun to shine, who holds the planets and stars in their orbits, and directs the universe – this God of power hears the prayers of a pathetic little creature, such as myself, because he loves me. He has a whole universe to love, and yet he loves me. How blessed I am – how blessed we all are – to live in a universe that is governed by love. And further, how blessed I am to live in a time and place when that truth is readily known and is easy to apprehend. Of all the things to be thankful for, today I am thankful for God's love.

The Parable of the Tame and Wild Olive Trees

We usually think of the Fifth Chapter of Jacob in the Book of Mormon as an allegory. Indeed, the heading of this famous chapter states that it is an allegory, which is defined as a fictional representation of truths using symbols. Read in this way, we know that the tame and wild olive trees represent the tribes of Israel and the Gentiles, respectively. The lord of the vineyard (God) and his servant (the prophet) remove branches from the tame tree because the roots are rotting, and they plant them in other parts of the garden to preserve the good fruit of the tame tree. Eventually they gather up the tame branches and graft them back into the original roots to revive the tame tree, and thus save Israel.

Michael Wilcox, a former Institute Director, author, and lecturer, suggests that this chapter can also be read as a parable.We can read it in ways that apply to our personal lives.

The Parable

At one point in the story, the lord of the vineyard and his servant tour the garden and inspect the various places where they had previously grafted the tame branches. In verse 20 we read, "he beheld the first that it had brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good. And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought forth much fruit."

The lord of the vineyard is pleased with the result of the branch after it had been transplanted because it had produced much useful fruit. The servant is surprised, however. He says in verse 21, "How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard." He could not understand why his master would put one of his prized branches in such an unlikely environment. Why would he not put his best branch in the best spot of his garden so that it would have the best chance of producing?

The lord of the vineyard mildly scolds his servant for questioning his methods in verse 22: "Counsel me not." He then explains his technique for growing good fruit. "I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit." The lord of the vineyard was not ignorant or careless or haphazard in his actions. He knew what he was doing.

To strengthen his lesson for his servant, the lord of the vineyard points out other grafting projects. "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self. And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another abranch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit" (verses 23-24).

Then by way of contrast, to complete the lesson, the lord of vineyard examines one last tree. "Look hither and behold the last," he says to his servant. "Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others" (verse 25).

The Application

In the story, the lord and the servant go on to discuss other aspects of his garden and the lord's plans for his trees. The author leaves it up to us to draw the meaning from the parable. Brother Wilcox points out some key ideas that we can gain from this brief exchange between the lord the vineyard and his servant.

First, it is not the ground in which we are planted that determines our ability to please the Lord. Some of us are placed in very favorable circumstances, and others are handed seemingly impossible trials and afflictions. Some are born into excellent families where gospel teachings fill their homes, and others are born into much less promising situations. Some are born with healthy bodies, and others are born with afflictions. Some enjoy prosperity while others are faced with a life of poverty. The point is that the Lord knows our circumstances. He has determined the environment in which we can best grow and achieve his goals, which are immortality and eternal life.

Second, because he knows us and our circumstances, which he has designed, the Lord nourishes us. He makes us equal to the task. He provides the nutrients and sunlight to enable us to grow, and he keeps the weeds from choking us. He helps everyone. He leaves none of his children unattended and unnourished.

The Lord knows us. He knows what we can handle. He knows what will make us strong. He knows how to nourish us. He knows what fruit we can bear. He has great expectations for all of his children.

Yet we do not all produce the same. What makes the difference? It is how we react to our circumstances and to the Lord's nourishing that makes the difference. We can look at our circumstances - the spot of ground in which we are planted - and we can get discouraged and wither and die. Or we can absorb the nourishment that the Lord provides, take strength from his help, overcome the weaknesses of our circumstances, and prosper. It is our choice - our exercise of agency - that determines our destiny. We can choose to bring forth the good fruit of obedience, faith, service, charity and love, or we can choose to curse God, shrivel on the vine, and become bitter. We can let our afflictions and trials overpower us and discourage us and ultimately destroy us, or we can draw on the Lord's strength, have faith, and marvel at the miracles that he can produce in our lives, despite what we may perceive as our poor circumstances. The hardiest trees can grow in some of the most adverse conditions.

Everything about us and within us constitutes our spot of ground. The century in which we are born, the country in which we dwell, the society in which we grow up, the community in which we live, the parents who raised us, our bodies, our health, our opportunities for education, our jobs, our spouse, our children, the availability of the gospel and the proximity of the church - all of these things and many more are the ground in which the Lord has planted us. One may have been born in the Dark Ages, or in a country dominated by an atheistic Communist regime, or in a milieu of gang violence, or in a community of poverty, or to abusive parents, or with physical handicaps, or with genetic or acquired diseases, or in a time and place where schools are not available. We may be beset with a myriad of problems and challenges and afflictions and disadvantages and bad breaks that make our life seem harder than we would want it to be.

The Lord is not ignorant of our circumstances. Our lives are not as haphazard as we may think. God is never surprised by where we are or who we are or what happens to us. He knows. And because he knows, he nourishes us with just the right nutrients to ensure that we have all that we need to overcome and improve and bear fruit. He does not delight in our suffering, but he rejoices doubly with us when we succeed. When we take what he has given us and make something of ourselves, he is thrilled.

Conclusion

To be honest, I think I am like the last example in the parable. I am planted in a pretty good spot of ground. I am surrounded by pretty favorable circumstances. The Lord has been nourishing me all along. But my fruit has been a mixed bag of good and bitter, tame and wild. I keep trying to lop off the unfruitful and bitter branches and encourage the good branches to grow stronger. I am grateful to have a good Gardner to help me, to point out the areas that need thinning and pruning, and who is patient while I try to respond to his loving care as he cultivates my soul.

In the end, it is not where I am but who I am that matters to the Lord.

If You Serve Diligently, Joy and Happiness Shall Be Yours

My patriarchal blessing contains the following statement of admonition and hope:

"If you will serve diligently our Heavenly Father in keeping the commandments of God, joy and happiness beyond that which it is possible for you to comprehend at the present time is going to be yours in your life."

Three principles of service and joy stand out in my mind as I contemplate this statement:

1. Service
2. Diligence
3. Joy and happiness

I will share some thoughts on each of these principles.

Service

Service is an expression of love. In the popular book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, we learn that people express and receive love in at least five different ways:

1. Words of affirmation
2. Tangible gifts
3. Time and attention from a loved one
4. Physical touch
5. Acts of service

The Gospel encourages us to exercise all of these channels to communicate love. For me, service is the most valued love language. Jesus set the example of righteous service, for he came not be be served but to serve others. The greatest of all is the servant of all.

In Matthew 25:35-45 Jesus gives us the parable of the Good Samaritan as a profound example of service motivated by simple charity. When we render sincere service to others, in the name of Christ, motivated by charity, Christ counts that service as if we had performed it for him personally. 

King Benjamin taught his people, "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). King Mosiah served his people as an expression of his love for God and his service to him. 

The Lord tells us in D&C 76:5 "I, the Lord, delight to honor those who serve me." God's greatest pleasure is to bless us. He gives many gifts to all of his children regardless of their worthiness or whether they deserve them. But his greatest delight - his fondest joy - is to honor those who faithfully serve him according to his plan and his desires. When we serve him consciously according to his plan and design, sacrificing our own will to do his will, he is delighted with out efforts, and he recognizes our efforts. He respects and admires us. Could we ask for any greater recognition than that which comes to us from God as respect and admiration? When we serve well and faithfully, the Holy Ghost manifests the Father's acceptance of our service.

Diligence

Diligence is defined in the Guide to the Scriptures as "Consistent, valiant effort, especially in serving the Lord and obeying his word." Diligence is the key to all we do. Diligence demonstrates sincere intent. Lack of diligence is hypocrisy.

In D&C 4:2 we read "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." God asks our full devotion, for he is fully devoted to us. We are first and foremost in his thoughts and intentions, and he should likewise be first in our thoughts and intentions. He gives us strength specifically so that we can use that strength in his service. If we spend our strength in other pursuits, to enrich ourselves or serve some other purpose other than God's will for us, we waste his gift and offend him who is the giver.

My patriarchal blessing is permeated with if statements. If marks a commandment with a promise. Diligent service and keeping the commandments will result in joy and happiness. If I am missing joy and happiness in my life, I should look to my diligence in serving and keeping the commandments. Going through the motions does not count. I must be diligent if I am to obtain the desired outcome.

Joy

The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi states clearly and succinctly that we exist so that we can have joy (2 Nephi 2:25). Joy is the feeling of great pleasure and happiness. We are designed and engineered to seek pleasure and feel happiness. It is in our very DNA. It is a powerful motivator, sometimes even more powerful than self-preservation. 

The great question, then, is how do we obtain joy. The answer is in the Gospel and is spelled out in the scriptures.

The Apostle Paul taught that "The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal 5:22). The feelings described here are some of the ways that the Holy Ghost manifests to us that our service is acceptable to the Lord. Godly service requires these traits of us. When we discipline ourselves to exercise them, the Spirit increases them, which enables us to give even greater service. Service enriches our life, and that richness increases our capacity to serve. God, who has all of these attributes in perfection, is also the perfect servant. If we are not receiving these gifts of the Spirit, we ought to examine ourselves and determine if perhaps the focus of our lives is on something or someone other than God.

In Lehi's dream, as recorded in 1 Nephi Chapter 8, the fruit of the tree of life filled Lehi's soul with exceeding great joy (1 Nephi 8:12). God's love is the greatest and surest source of joy. In Lehi's dream of the tree of life, when he ate the fruit of the tree, it filled his soul with exceedingly great joy. Nephi later learned that the tree and its fruit represent the love of God and eternal life, which is the greatest of all of the gifts of God. When we have God's love, we feel joy. The joy of God's love is communicated to us through the Holy Ghost. Therefore, if we want true joy, we need to attune ourselves to his Spirit. God loves us all the time, but he expresses his love most freely when we are obedient and engaged in his service.

In Alma 22:15 we read of the remarkable statement of the King of Lamanites, after he heard the message of the Gospel and the promise of joy: "What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy." The king of the Lamanites said that he would give up all he possessed that he would receive great joy. Joy is a marvelous gift, but it comes at a cost. We do not earn it, hence it is a gift of God. We do, however, have to qualify for it. We qualify to feel his love for us, and the joy that accompanies that love, when we serve him. Obedience and service generally require sacrifice. The more we sacrifice, the better qualified we are to receive joy. Brigham Young said that he never felt more of the love of God than when he and the saints were being mobbed and driven because he knew his sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord. The more we sacrifice for the Lord's sake, the more freely he can express his love for us.

Joy is not reserved only for the eternities, but Moses learned that joy is available to us in this mortal life (Moses 5:10-11). There are joys to be had in this mortal probation. We do not have a fullness of joy here, as described below, but this life is not without joy. Adam equated the opening of his eyes with joy. Mortal joy is relative. Because we taste the bitter fruit of our mistakes, we learn to prize the sweetness of obedience and righteous living. Eve said that her joy was in knowing that she was redeemed. Without a knowledge of Christ and the Atonement, it would be hard to have any kind of deep and abiding joy in this life. Our sins and mistakes would curse us forever. It would be impossible to look past all of the wrongs in this world - all of the injustice, pain, and sorrow - and feel joyful. But because of Christ's Atonement, we can have the peace of knowing that all wrongs will eventually be righted. With that knowledge, we can allow ourselves a measure of joy without feeling guilty and without being overwhelmed by the sorrows that are still among us in mortality.

As mentioned, our joy is not full in this world, but will be full in Christ (D&C 101:36). Joy is experienced in degrees. When something is full, it contains as much as possible, it is complete in every detail, there are no restraints, it has all distinguishing characteristics, it lacks nothing essential in its nature, it is at the highest or greatest degree. Without Christ, though we may have a measure of joy, it is less than complete. It is constrained. It lacks certain characteristics of the joy that God feels. Some essential aspects are missing. it is not as great as it could be. While joy can be a part of life in this world, it is not the sole purpose of mortal life. Mortality is a probation - a test. While we may taste of the rewards to come, we do not enjoy the full rewards until the full test has been administered and passed. We cannot pass the test without Christ. Only through his Atonement can we overcome the sins and transgressions that mar our lives. Only through the Atonement can the pains of this life be fully healed - both the pains that we cause others and the pains that others cause us.  

Nephi teaches us that the joy of the righteous who inherit the kingdom of God shall be full forever (2 Ne 9:18). Joy, however, is more than just the absence of pain. Eternal life with Heavenly Father and Christ is a fullness of joy forever. There is not end to joy, just as there is no end to life, because there is no end to creation, and in creation we have joy. 

Yet Heavenly Father's joy is not constant and unlimited. Enoch saw God weep over his wicked children who refused to accept and obey him. In his Beloved Son, however, his joy is full. It is complete and unreserved. There is nothing in Christ that diminishes the Father's joy and pleasure in his Son. As we become like Christ, Father's joy becomes more complete in us. We rejoice when we bring joy to the One we love. And so as his joy increases in us, our joy increases.

God is the source of joy. God's Spirit will fill our souls with joy (D&C 11:13). Because he has a fullness of joy, and because he loves us, he shares his joy with us. The Holy Ghost is the medium of communication between God and man. Thus, it is through the Holy Ghost that God radiates his joy to us. It is therefore essential, if we want to feel God's joy in this life, that we be in tune with his Spirit. To the degree that we can qualify for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, we can have a constant source of joy. The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift of joy. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are filled with joy. The soul of man is the uniting of body and spirit. So to have our souls filled with joy is to have both temporal and spiritual joy. Such joy touches every part of our lives. It touches our senses as well as our hearts.

Examples of joy in service

Here is a brief list of examples of people who served diligently and experienced great joy:

• The sons of Mosiah served 14-year missions
• Alma gave up his political career to preach the gospel the rest of his life
• Nephi served unwearyingly
• Peter, Paul and the other early apostles traveled and preached to the end of their lives
• All of the latter-day prophets, notably
• Joseph Smith
• Brigham Young
• David O. McKay
• Gordon B. Hinckley
• Thomas S. Monson

Other examples of joyful service:

• Jesus pronounced his joy as full when he met with the Nephites at the temple in Bountiful and received their full belief and acceptance.
• The Father's joy in his Beloved Son is full because Christ lived up to every expectation of his Father and finished his work exactly as required.
• Ammon's joy was full to the overpowering of his physical strength when he considered the blessings that came into the lives of his many Lamanite converts.
• Alma's joy was great when he was reunited with the sons of Mosiah and found that they were still faithful and had completed successful missions.
• Parents experience great joy when they see their children succeed, marry well, accomplish good things, and are happy. We refer to these moments as "paydays".
• Missionaries experience great joy when they lead someone to baptism, and even more joy when they have the opportunity to accompany them to the temple.

Conclusion

From these examples, and experiences in our own lives, we learn that our greatest joys are centered in others. If we want joy, we should work to ensure that others have joy. Their joy adds to our joy. Hence the scripture D&C 18:15 "And if it so be that you labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" Our joy will be the greater because the joy of our convert will be great.

As noted earlier, joy is the great motivator. There are counterfeits and approximations everywhere, but they are temporary at best, and debilitating and destructive at their worst. The only dependable source of true and inexhaustible joy is God through the Holy Ghost because of Christ's Atonement.

The Second Coming - The Great Day

Introduction

The Second Coming: it is capitalized because it is a significant, well-recognized event. The term evokes frightening images of natural disasters, wars, plagues, death, destruction, the earth heaving to and fro, the sun and moon darkened, the stars falling from the sky, and the mysterious "abomination of desolation". But such things are not the Second Coming. They are signs that the Second Coming is near. They are a final, desperate attempt by a loving God to awaken as many people as possible to prepare themselves for what comes after.

What comes after the signs is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, our Savior, our loyal and true and best friend. He does not want to smash us and destroy us and wipe us out. He wants to love us and to have us feel and acknowledge and return that love. He wants to come back to the earth, his mortal home, to be with us, to rejoice with us, to have a fullness of joy with us, and to present a glorious planet and a faithful people as a gift to his - and our - Father. The coming of Christ may be a dreadful day for those who are not prepared to meet him, but for those who have looked forward to it and longed for it, it will be a Great Day.

The message of the Second Coming of Christ is not about destruction and fear, but about peace and love. "And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever" (D&C 133:52). It will indeed be a Great Day.

The Long-Awaited Day

From the beginning of this last dispensation, we have been told that the Lord's coming is near:

• D&C 1:12 "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh."
• D&C 34:7 "For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory."
• D&C 38:8 "But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day."
• D&C 110:16 "Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors."

Christ's Second Coming is only the beginning of a new and marvelous era for the earth and its inhabitants.  It is the opening scene in a millennium - the Millennium - of unprecedented opportunities to serve and participate in the Lord's great work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. If we understood fully what the Millennium will be like, we would be so excited that we could hardly wait. It cannot get here soon enough.

Christ will reign personally on the earth (see D&C 133:25). He will walk among his saints, visit his temples (see D&C 36:8), and reign over the earth from his twin capitals of Jerusalem and Zion. "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).

The thousand years of earth life that follow Christ's coming will be dedicated to missionary work, and its corollary, temple work. The veil between heaven and earth will be porous as messengers pass back and forth to ensure that all earthly ordinances are performed for every worthy soul who has every lived or is yet living during this time. An army of missionaries on both sides of the veil will be assisted by an army of physical beings in the temple who stand ready day and night to complete the work. There will be only one real work to do for the mortals in the Millennium, other than feeding and clothing and providing shelter for themselves, as all mortals since Adam have been required to do, and that is the work of salvation.

At the same time, the earth itself will be rearranged and transformed. The continents will be returned to their original positions, with the new and old Jerusalems being in close proximity to each other (see D&C 133:24-25). The earth shall be cleansed from the sins and pollutions that have befouled her (see JST, Hebrews 6:7). The earth will, in a literal sense, be re-created, and there will be a new heaven and a new earth (see D&C 29:23, Revelation 21:1). I suspect that in the same way that many of the sons of God participated in the original creation of the earth, they will be employed in this second creation.

Preparing for the Great Day

At Christ's coming, his faithful, mortal saints will be caught up (i.e., removed from the face of the earth) to meet him and to make way for the cleansing and re-creation that is to occur. At the same time, all of his faithful saints who have died will be resurrected and will join their mortal brothers and sisters in the happy throng around their Redeemer (see D&C 88:95-97). It does not really matter to the Lord which side of the veil we are on. What matters is that we are prepared.

The parable of the Ten Virgins is all about preparation and is directed at the members of the Church at the Second Coming. Ten virgins (worthy members of the Church) were invited to the wedding (the coming of Christ). The wedding parade was delayed, and while the virgins waited, their lamps went out. The bridegroom (Christ) came suddenly into view. All ten awoke and tried to prepare their lamps so they could join the parade. Five were wise and had brought extra oil with them just in case. The other five were not so wise and had no additional oil with which to fill their lamps. Those who were prepared joined the wedding party and entered in the bridegroom's feast. The others, though they eventually procured the needed oil, were too late and found themselves shut out (see Matthew 25:1-12). Speaking of this parable in General Conference in April 2004, Elder Dallin H. Oaks commented, "The arithmetic of this parable is chilling." Next time you are in sacrament meeting, look around the congregation. Someone on either side of you will not be present to meet the Bridegroom when he comes because they will not be prepared.

"I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Luke 17:34-36).

Our responsibility for the Second Coming is not to read the signs and predict precisely the day and hour of his coming. It is rather, first, to prepare ourselves, and second, to help others to prepare.

We do not need to be overly concerned about the signs of the times. The saints who are on the earth at the Second Coming will be no more surprised by that day than were Noah and his family when the rains started. Noah may not have known the day and hour that the rain would begin, but he was diligent in preparing the ark and collecting the animals. It did not matter to him whether the rain started a day, a week, a month, or a year after he completed his preparations. What mattered was that he was faithful and obedient, he fulfilled the commandments of God, and he was ready. The timing was up to the Lord. (See JS-Matthew 1:38-48).

We prepare ourselves by partaking of the Atonement of Christ. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless" (2 Peter 3:14). The only way we can have peace and be "without spot, and blameless" is through a remission of our sins by the Atonement.

• Moroni 8:11 "Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins."
• Matthew 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
• Acts 10:43 "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
• Helaman 14:13 "And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits."
• 3 Nephi 7:16 "Therefore, [Nephi] being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
• D&C 19:31 "And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost."

Once we are reconciled to God through Christ, we must retain that remission of sins through continued obedience. King Benjamin taught his people:

And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (Mosiah 4:11-12)

Christ will come to his temple as one of the events that mark his Second Coming (see D&C 36:8). I would speculate that there will be a general invitation to all temple recommend holders to come to their temple at a specific time to participate in this supernal event. It will not be a happy moment if we have let our recommends lapse.

After we have obtained our own remission of sins, our next duty is to others, beginning with our families and extending to our neighbors and acquaintances. "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor" (D&C 88:81). "And more blessed are you because you are called of me to preach my gospel— To lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, both long and loud, and cry repentance unto a crooked and perverse generation, preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming" (D&C 34:5-6).

When we are prepared and we have helped others prepare, we need not fear the Second Coming, but we will "look forward" and "hasten unto" this Great Day (see 2 Peter 3:10-14).

Bringing the Second Coming Into Our Lives

The Millennium and the Second Coming can begin at any time in our individual lives, regardless of the timing of the great event that the world will recognize. Just as we can each become a "Zion person" here and now, regardless of the location of Enoch's physical city, we can become a "Millennial person" here and now, regardless of the timing of Christ's arrival. There is nothing to stop us today from individually living the law of consecration and all of the laws of the celestial kingdom, which are the laws of Zion and which are the laws of the Millennium.

To the degree that we seek the Savior today, we can bring the Millennium into our life. We can allow the Lord to rule and reign in our lives. We can be about missionary work and temple work. We can seek the will of the Lord for us and strive to always be obedient. We can learn to have faith and rely on the power of the priesthood. We can receive revelation daily and learn to "speak the words of Christ" through the Holy Ghost (see 2 Nephi 32:2-3).

The Lord revealed through the Prophet Joseph in the earliest days of the restored Church: "But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day" (D&C 38:8). And later the Lord declared: "And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled" (D&C 88:95). Everyone will see Christ when he arrives in power and great glory in the clouds of heaven, but not everyone will recognize him. The saints who have sought his face diligently will not only see Christ, but they will know who he is when he comes.

Conclusion

Have you ever thought about why you were sent to earth at this specific time? You were not born during the time of Adam and Eve or while pharaohs ruled Egypt or during the Ming dynasty. You have come to earth at this time, 20 centuries after the first coming of Christ. The priesthood of God has been restored to the earth, and the Lord has set His hand to prepare the world for His glorious return. These are days of great opportunity and important responsibilities. These are your days. 

I testify of the majesty, but most of all, of the certainty of this magnificent event. The Savior lives. He will return to the earth. And whether on this side of the veil or the other, you and I will rejoice in His coming and thank the Lord that He sent us to earth at this time to fulfill our sacred duty of helping prepare the world for His return.

-- Neil L. Andersen, General Conference, October 2011.

Let us be found doing our duty, no matter which side of the veil we are on, when Christ comes again. It will truly be a Great Day.

Studying our patriarchal blessings

In Gospel Doctrine class recently the instructor made an interesting statement. She said that on her mission in Russia the missionaries were not allowed to be out of their apartments after dark. For much of the year the days were short and the nights were long in Russia, and so she had a lot of personal study time. One of the things that she enjoyed studying was her patriarchal blessing. She said that she studied it like she studied the scriptures, and she recommended the same practice to all of us in the class.

The idea intrigued me. I had read my blessing many times, but I had never studied it. So what would happen if I studied my blessing like I do the scriptures - word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph?

And so I have begun a study of my blessing. I will share here only a few thoughts that are generally applicable to all of us and all of our blessings. Much of what I study will be sacred and private and not to be shared publicly. But what the Spirit constrains me to share, I will share. 

I received my blessing from Patriarch Theodore P. Malquist, in Lakewood, California, on 5 August 1969. I was sixteen years old, about to enter my junior year at Lakewood High School. I had been a member of the Church for less than a year.

After stating his authority as a duly ordained patriarch, the very first thing Patriarch Malquist said is the key to my blessing, and is the principle I want to discuss today. He said, "This blessing shall be one which shall be a guiding influence for you all the days of your life, if you will heed the counsel that is contained in this important event in your life." In this single sentence he stated the scope and purpose of my blessing, offered a promise, and outlined the contingency upon which the promise would be fulfilled. While everyone's blessing may not contain this exact sentence, the principle applies to every patriarchal blessing.

Principles

The following are general principles that apply to modern patriarchal blessings:

• The Guide to the Scriptures declares: "Blessings [are] given to worthy Church members by ordained patriarchs. A patriarchal blessing contains the Lord’s counsel for the person receiving the blessing and declares that person’s lineage in the house of Israel." 
• In a letter from the First Presidency to stake presidents, dated 25 June 1958, President David O. McKay stated that a patriarchal blessing is a "statement of the life mission of the recipient, together with such blessings, cautions and admonitions as the patriarch may be prompted to give for the accomplishment of such life’s mission." (First Presidency Letter, 25 June 1958).
• In General Conference in October 1986, Elder Thomas S. Monson taught that a patriarchal blessing is like a Liahona "to give direction to our lives, to mark the hazards to our safety, and to chart the way, even safe passage.... A patriarchal blessing is a revelation to the recipient." He said that a patriarchal blessing is as eternal as is life. "What may not come to fulfillment in this life may occur in the next." He reminded us that a patriarchal blessing "is to be loved. It is to be followed.... Patience may be required as we watch, wait, and work for a promised blessing to be fulfilled." He concluded, "Your patriarchal blessing is your passport to peace in this life."

From these teachings we learn that a patriarchal blessing is a personal revelation to us, similar in many ways to the revelations we read in the Doctrine and Covenants that were addressed to specific indivuduals, such as Olive Cowdry, Martin Harris, Thomas B. Marsh, Hyrum Smith and Joseph Smith. This personal revelation is intended to outline our life's mission and to chart a path that, if followed, will enable us to fulfill that mission and return to Heavenly Father.

Key Phrases

As I examine the opening sentence in my blessing, key phrases jump out at me.

• "Guiding influence"
• Guiding means to  "direct the course of action".
• Influence means the "effect on behavior, character and development; the power to shape policy."
• Thus, this blessing is intended to direct the course of action in my life by affecting my behavior, character and development and by shaping the policies that govern my decisions.
• My blessing is a prophecy, but not a limitation. If I let it guide me, it will lead me into paths that will expand and ennoble my life. 
• I can exceed my blessing. It tells me the minimum that I can accomplish, not the maximum. If I use the guiding principles in my blessing properly, it will lead me into greater things than are stated in the blessing.
• "All the days of your life"
• This blessing applies to my entire life. I will never outgrow it. I should be careful not to disregard sections of it or assume that I have accomplished some aspect of my blessing and now it is done. 
• Rather than try to figure out if I have accomplished some particular thing that is stated in my blessing, I should assume that I can continue growing in every area outlined in my blessing. These are things that Heavenly Father wants me to be continuously concerned about and actively pursuing.
• "Heed the counsel"
• God knows the end from the beginning. He knows my weaknesses. He knows where I need to focus at every juncture of my life. He knows I am going to fail in many ways and at many times. My blessing says to keep going, to keep trying, to keep seeking counsel and guidance, to not give up on myself.
• I need to pay attention to the advice and recommendations stated in my blessing.
• I need to look more deeply into my blessing. I cannot take it all literally or at face value. Just as the scriptures are a Urim and Thummim to open my mind to deeper things of the Spirit than are written on the page, my blessing, which is scripture to me, can also be a Urim and Thummim.
• A blessing is most valuable when we strive to consciously follow its direction and look for ways to engage ourselves in the activities about which it talks. 
• My blessing is not so much a gauge by which to measure whether I have made good decisions as it is a series of signposts on which I should fix my sights and by which I should conduct my decisions. 
• I should pray each day for the Holy Ghost to direct me to align myself with my blessing.
• "If"
• This may be the single most important word in my blessing. The word if appears three times in my blessing, indicating that the results are conditioned upon my responses and diligence.
• A patriarchal blessing is not a promise. It is more like a contract or covenant. If we fulfill out part of the contract, the Lord offers us benefits and opportunities. If we do not keep our part of the agreement, he has no obligation according to the terms of the contract.

Scriptures

The following scriptures provide valuable insight into the purpose of patriarchal blessings:

• Gen 48:14-16, 20 - Jacob blessed Ephraim with the birthright blessings. Though Ephraim was younger than Mannasah, Jacob by the spirit of prophecy knew the future of his grandsons and gave them appropriate blessings. His blessings to each of them prepared them to adjust their expectations and to align their wills with the Lord's will for them and their posterity.
  
  Our blessings likewise help us understand what the Lord has in store for us. They are prophecy. But prophecy is conditional. If Ephraim had not remained more faithful than Mannasah, he would had lost his place as the head of the leading tribe of Israel in the Last Days.
• Gen 49 - Jacob blessed all of his sons. "I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days" (v 1). The blessing to his children was a prophecy. He set them in order and prepared them for the things that would befall them and their posterity in the future. Deeds they had done and choices they had made influenced their future fate. Because of sin, each in turn from the oldest to the youngest forfeited the birthright blessing until it finally fell on Joseph.
  
  We get our patriarchal blessings when we are young, usually before we have had time to commit heinous sins that would disqualify us for the best blessings. As teenagers active in the Church and worthy of receiving a blessing, we are generally on the right path. Our blessings guide us along continual paths of righteousness and show us where valiant choices and diligent efforts can lead us. We generally are not cursed in our blessings, as were the sons of Jacob.That does not mean, however, that our future is assured. Had the sons of Jacob repented and worked hard to improve their lives, they could have exceeded their blessings and lightened their curses. Contrariwise, if we ignore our blessings and the counsel contained therein and drift away from activity and righteousness, we can fall far short of our promised blessings.

Examples and Experiences

I have spent most of my life doing what I wanted to do in my own way, and then looked at my blessing and tried to discern if I made good choices based on whether promises in my blessing have occurred in my life. Some have turned out very well. For example:

"You shall find a very choice young lady, how also loves our Heavenly Father. You shall be permitted to take her to that special place, the House of the Lord, and there be married and sealed not only for time but for all eternity. You shall find that this marriage shall be one which shall be filled with love and confidence towards each other."

I know that I was inspired to choose Evelyn for my wife. The Spirit confirmed it to me before we got engaged. Our years together have proven the correctness of my choice as she has indeed become a choice lady, and our marriage is filled with love and confidence.

Some have turned out no so well. About my mission my blessing states: 

"you shall find that it will be easy for you to make contact with non-members. Because of the special, humble, clean way that you have, you shall be able to deliver the message unto them, and shall see many join the church; and have the privilege of entering the waters of baptism with them and seeing them receive true joy in their lives."

This does not describe my missionary service at all. Rather than consider this counsel and figure out what my special, humble, clean way could be that would make it easier for me to contact non-members and deliver the gospel message to them, I just went through the motions for two years, made no real effort to improve myself, and experienced just the opposite of what my blessing stated would be my results.

Conclusion

For most of my life I have not used my blessing as a guide and an influence, but as a measuring stick. Instead of using it to look forward, I have used it only to look back. I made life decisions with little regard for the counsel in my blessing and then measured my results against the promises in my blessing to see if I guessed correctly. That is not how a blessing is to be used.

A patriarchal blessing is not a rear-view mirror. It is a lens for looking forward with clarity and insight. It is not to be filed away, but to be used.

My counsel is, to those who do not have a patriarchal blessing, get one; to those who have one, read it, often. And more than read it, study it. Ask Heavenly Father to reveal its meaning to you through the Holy Ghost. Just as the scriptures change for us as we mature, seek, and learn, so our blessings will be a constant source of enlightenment if we seek it. The words on the page will not change, but their meaning will grow as we grow in knowledge and faith. 

  

O God, where art thou?

"Adversity is inevitable, misery is optional."

The premier example of enduring adversity is the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty jail. Just two days after a mob of 200 armed brigands massacred seventeen Latter-day Saint men and boys at Hahn's Mill, Missouri authorities arrested Joseph Smith and about twenty other leaders of the Church. Joseph and his cohort, under constant threat of death, were marched from one location to another over the course of a few weeks until they arrived at the jail house in Liberty. Eventually most of his companions were released, leaving Joseph and six others incarcerated in the cold, damp basement cell of the jail house. For six months Joseph and the others languished in the miserable conditions of their cramped prison cell while the Missouri mobs attacked, murdered, burned and drove the Saints out of the state under threat of extermination.

From this horrible and heart-wrenching situation, in the middle of March, 1839, the Prophet pleaded with the Lord for relief for himself and his beloved saints. He recorded his pleadings and the answer he received from the Lord in a letter dated 20 March, 1839. This letter later was added to the Doctrine and Covenants as sections 121 and 122.

Prayer

Section 121 begins with Joseph's pleadings with the Lord. As he records his prayer, he pleads for the beleaguered saints who have been mobbed and driven from their homes. He calls for God's vengeance against their enemies. Despite his own personal circumstances, which were surely hard to bear, his pleadings were for his friends.

When I read these verses, however, I am wont to personalize them for myself. Here is how I might read this passage and liken it unto myself:

"O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens my wrongs, and thine ear be penetrated with my cries? Yea, O Lord, how long shall I suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward me, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward me? O Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy pavilion be taken up; let thy hiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward me. Let thine anger be kindled against my enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy sword avenge me of my wrongs. Remember my suffering, O my God; and I will rejoice in thy name forever." (see D&C 121:1-6)

To Joseph's credit, he was more concerned about his people's afflictions than his own. Nevertheless, we all feel oppressed from time to time, either for ourselves or for those we love who are suffering. This is a model prayer for each of us. Note that Joseph did not ask the Lord "why", he only asked "when". He acknowledged God's infinite power. He trusted that God would eventually right the wrongs and redeem the righteous. He just wanted to know when the help would come.

Enduring Well

The Lord heard Joseph's prayer and answered him with words of comfort, and in that answer, he gave us keys to successfully enduring our afflictions:

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121:7-8)

First, God reminds Joseph of the eternal perspective by which all of our trials should be viewed. Hard times are usually just a small part of life. But even if they last a life-time, it is still only a small moment in the eternities in which we live. During our mortal probation, there may seem to be no end to our challenges and problems, but God assures us that there is an end to them, and once the trials are passed, there is an eternity of blessings awaiting us.

Second, the Lord commands Joseph to "endure it well." What does it mean to endure well? An example is the grandmother of one of the sisters in my ward. Racked with cancer at the end of her life, she chose to rise above self-pity and despair. When people came to visit and comfort her, she more often than not comforted her visitors. She remained cheerful and positive. Her family and friends felt better for having been in her presence. She was more concerned about others than about herself. That is enduring well.

Gratitude

Joseph was reminded that even in his worse trials, he could still be grateful:

"Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands." (D&C 121:9).

When things look dark and hopeless, look around. There are still good things in life. We must not become so consumed by the afflictions of our trials that we miss the blessings that are around us.

Justice

Though life may seem unfair at the moment, there will ultimately be justice.

"And they who do charge thee with transgression, their hope shall be blasted, and their prospects shall melt away as the hoar frost melteth before the burning rays of the rising sun;" (D&C 121:11)

Right will triumph in the end. There will be justice, but thankfully there is also mercy. Let justice take its course - focus on mercy.

God Sees All

We can be assured that God sees our troubles and is aware of our needs.

"Behold, mine eyes see and know all their works, and I have in reserve a swift judgment in the season thereof, for them all;" (D&C 121:24).

God sees everyone's works. He sees ours as well as those who wrong us or cause us pain. He knows the whole story. We do not. We must not get tunnel vision.

Gifts of Knowledge

Joseph received a surprising promised related to his suffering:

"God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been revealed since the world was until now;" (D&C 121:26)

What does enduring affliction have to do with receiving knowledge? We must be tried before we can receive certain gifts. The gift may have nothing to do with the trial. Perhaps the knowledge we will receive will explain why we had the trial. Regardless, if we pass the test and endure well those things the Lord calls us to endure, he promises us sweet knowledge through the "unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost". As trials humble us, we draw nearer to the Lord's Spirit, and that Spirit can teach us all things.

Mysteries of God

As we grow in knowledge of spiritual things, we will grow in the power of revelation.

"All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ." (D&C 121: 26)

Enduring valiantly with faith in Christ is the price of admission into the mysteries of God.

God Always Prevails

God is all powerful, and he will exercise that power in our behalf.

"How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints." (D&C 121:33)

God's will will prevail, so we might as well get on the boat and enjoy the ride. He wants ever so much to give us knowledge. We just need to qualify and apply.

God Is With Us

In the midst of our trials we may feel alone, unsustained and unloved. But the Lord promised Joesph that he was never alone.

"And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in honor; and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than the fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever." (D&C 122: 4)

Having trials does not mean that God has abandoned us. He was always with Joseph, even while he was suffering in Liberty jail. He is with us in even our worst of trials. He is never far away.

Trials With a Purpose

Joseph was told that no matter how black things seemed to get, there was purpose behind them.

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (D&C 122:7)

Years ago when I taught a teenage Sunday school class, I had my class memorize this verse, and we repeated it at the beginning of every class. It became our theme. Teenagers have lots of trials ahead of them. Having this verse as an anchor to their souls was important in helping them weather the storms of life. This is a powerful promise to all of us who remain faithful and endure our trials well.

Jesus Is Our Example

The Lord reminded Joseph that no matter how hard things got, they were never as hard for Joseph as they  were for Christ.

"The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (D&C 122:8)

There is great comfort in knowing that there is nothing we can suffer that Christ has not suffered. He has suffered for us and with us. He knows exactly how we feel because he has felt it. We should not expect to be exempt from trials because the Savior was not exempt.

Limits

Though they may feel like it sometimes, if we are faithful, our trials and afflictions are not limitless.

"Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." (D&C 122:9)

We will not be tried or tempted above what we are able to bear. God knows our limits, and if the trial continues, it means God knows we can endure it.

Examples and Experiences

Many trials are too painful or too personal or too sacred to talk about. In fact, our greatest trials are often highly personalized. There is an old adage that if everyone could take off their trials like their shoes and throw them in a pile and could pick any other set of trials in the pile, everyone would pick up their own trials because they just fit them so well. The Lord designed them that way.

Without revealing personal details about some of my greatest trials, I'll just say that I have learned some valuable lessons about being a parent as I have endured challenges that have come to me through my children:

1. Do whatever you have to do to keep your relationship with your children.
2. Do your best and then you let them live their lives. You can ache for them, but you cannot own their choices and problems.
3. The atonement heals not only the damage we do to ourselves but the damage that others do to us.

Conclusion

Why did God allow Joseph to suffer in Liberty jail? He was innocent of wrong-doing. He was trying his best to be obedient and live the gospel. If ever there was a righteous individual who deserved blessings from the Lord, it was Joseph Smith. Yet instead of an easy life, he had trial after trial, affliction after affliction. His experience seems so counter-intuitive to the teachings that we all repeat in Sunday school - if we keep the commandments, we will be blessed.

Perhaps the Lord allowed the injustice of the Prophet's incarceration just so he could write sections 121 & 122 and we could take his word for it. Perhaps we need to know that he knew what suffering was about. He was not writing from an ivory tower, but from the pit of despair.

We each will have our Gethsemane experience. It may not be imprisonment or persecution, but we must each be wrung out to our own bitter dregs. The Lord wants to prove what we are made of. We find solace and hope in the words that God gave to Joseph in his darkest hour: "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (D&C 122:8)

How do I study effectively by receiving revelation?

This is the final installment in this series on effective study. Preach My Gospel teaches us, "Learning the gospel is also a process of receiving revelation... As you study, pay careful attention to ideas that come to your mind and feelings that come to your heart."

The scriptures, and the Book of Mormon in particular, contain the fullness of the gospel. The gospel and doctrine of Christ as expressed in the written word and the pronouncements of living prophets and apostles is sufficient to save us. Exaltation and eternal life, on the other hand, require more knowledge than we can get from published writings. Personal revelation is essential.

And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts? Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. (2 Nephi 32:1-3)

Nephi's admonition to feast on the words of Christ is not a plea for us to read the scriptures. He wants us to receive the words of Christ directly through revelation, as do the angels in heaven. The scriptures only go so far. They cannot tell us everything that we need to do. But revelation can tell us "all things what [we] should do."

And what should we do? Make the Holy Ghost our constant companion, come unto Christ, receive and retain a remission of our sins, make our calling and election sure, be sealed up unto eternal life, receive the Second Comforter, and enter into the rest of the Lord until our mission on earth is complete and we return to the Father and sit with him in his throne as joint heirs with Christ. These blessings come by revelation, by acting on that revelation, and by qualifying for more revelation - line upon line, precept upon precept, from grace to grace, until we ascend up, part the veil of unbelief, and enter into the Lord's presence, and with him enjoy eternal life and exaltation.

The Revelatory Process

President Boyd K. Packer taught, "Enos, who was 'struggling in the spirit,' said, 'Behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind.' (Enos 1:10; italics added.) While this spiritual communication comes into the mind, it comes more as a feeling, an impression, than simply as a thought. Unless you have experienced it, it is very difficult to describe that delicate process" (General Conference, October 1991).

Revelation comes in two forms. First there are thoughts and ideas. The Holy Ghost brings all things to our remembrance, including things that we may have learned in the pre-existence. As we attune ourselves to the Spirit, we will receive ideas as we study and pray that have nothing to do with the written words on the page. The scriptures become a urim and thummim to us that unlock "treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures" (D&C 89.19).

Second, feelings of assurance come to us to convince us that what we have heard from the Spirit is right and good. The Holy Ghost both teaches and convinces.

Essential to receiving revelation are

1. having good desires
2. intending to act on our knowledge
3. self-discipline to follow through with actions
4. keeping our lives in harmony with the Spirit. 

Testimony

The more we act, the more will we be given to act upon. A man cannot be saved in ignorance, and he cannot be exalted in idleness. There is much to learn regarding our futurity, only part of which is contained in the scriptures. They are a vital beginning, but they are not the end. We need the tongue of angels, which are the words of Christ directly revealed to us. Only through personal revelation will we know all things what we should do.

I bear my testimony that the principles I have discussed in this article and indeed in the whole series of articles about effective study are true and faithful. I have tested them, and they have changed my life. As I have created a habit of prayerfully studying the scriptures and the words of the living prophets, I have pondered them and likened them unto myself. I have exercised faith and used my agency to try to internalize the principles I have learned, and continue to learn, by acting on them. Over the years, my desires for righteousness have increased as a result of putting righteous knowledge into action. As I have grown in the gospel, my ability to serve others has increased, I have been consoled when challenges have seemed overwhelming, I have found solutions to many perplexing problems, and I have been strengthened to endure to the end.

Throughout this process, I have learned to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Revelation has come and continues to come to me daily, not in grand visions and visitations, but in the still small voice as the Holy Ghost whispers to me. Visions and visitations may still await me, but for now, I have a rich source of truth and personalized commandments from the Holy Ghost to keep me occupied for a long time. Ideas come to my mind and feelings come to my heart, just as President Packer has promised.

I promise that if you will read and ponder the scriptures as often as you can, have faith in Jesus Christ, listen for and obey the promptings of the still small voice of the Spirit, and practice what you learn, you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and living church. Your life will change for the better as you grow in the gospel. I bear this witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

How do I study effectively through proper desires and actions?

In Chapter 2 of Preach My Gospel we learn that "successful gospel study requires desire and action."

What he want from our gospel study determines the effectiveness of our study. If we want to satisfy our vain ambitions, to impress people, to look smart, or to satisfy idle curiosity, our study efforts will be ultimately ineffective. On the other hand, if we seek knowledge so that we can act better, serve more effectively, teach more diligently, and draw closer to the Savior, then we can expect heavenly help in our studies.

A story about Aristotle illustrates that desire is an important prerequisite to learning. A would-be disciple came to Aristotle and asked him to teach him. Aristotle took the young man to the nearby beach and waded into the water. The eager student followed. Aristotle grabbed him and pushed him under the water. The young man flailed about and struggled mightily to get his head above water, but Aristotle held him firmly beneath the surface. Just as the boy's struggles began to subside, the philosopher jerked him from the water and dragged him to the beach. When the young man finally caught his breath, Aristotle said, "When you want to learn as much as you wanted to breathe, talk to me again."

Action is also a key to learning. If we sit comfortably and wait for knowledge to be poured upon us, we will learn nothing. We are told to "seek learning". That implies action on our part. Not only do we have to go after knowledge, we also must act on the knowledge we receive. If we seek a testimony, we should plan to bear that testimony to others. If we want to understand the law of tithing, we must be committed to live it. If we want to learn charity, we must do our best to act in charitable ways towards our neighbors. If we want to receive the will of God for us, we must be prepared to follow his will.

Scriptures

If any man will do his will, he will know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)

The Savior invites us to put the doctrine and the will of God to the test through action. He does not say that we should just ponder his teachings or discuss them or philosophize about them or speculate on them. He does not even say to pray about them, although prayer is certainly part of the formula. He says to do them. We must act upon what we have learned as a sign to the Lord that we believe him and we want to follow him. Only when we put our knowledge into action will we receive a witness. Alma teaches that we must "experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith" (Alma 32:27). "Experiment" and "exercise" are action verbs.

And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith. (D&C 88:118)

In this single verse the word "seek" is repeated three times. In scriptural language, such repetition is significant. The Lord places great emphasis on seeking. To seek implies desire and action. We are to desire words of wisdom and learning, and then we are to go after them diligently. The best seeking involves a plan and a goal. To seek successfully, we must know what we are looking for. If we do not know what we want, we will not know when we find it.

Colonial farmers in Titusville, Pennsylvania, were perturbed by a thick, black, viscous liquid that oozed up from the ground and spoiled sections of their fertile fields. They could not figure out how to get rid of the messy stuff. A century later, after the flammability and other properties of petroleum were discovered, the search for oil became intense. The first oil well was drilled in Titusville, and the rest, as they say, is history. The nature of oil had not changed, but men's perceptions of it had changed dramatically. It became an object of earnest seeking. Everyone wanted it, and greedy men worked hard to find it.

If we sought gospel knowledge with the same fervor and diligence as oil barrons seek oil and miners seek gold, we could have great treasures of knowledge.

Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. (2 Nephi 2:16)

We are accountable to God for our actions. He has given us agency. We are free to pursue whatever it is that we desire. We decide what we want, and we decide how we will get it. We will be judged on our use of this, the greatest gift of God to man in mortality. The War in Heaven was fought over this very principle. We can use our agency to learn the gospel, grow closer to the Savior, and become a disciple; or we can use it to acquire worldly treasures, fame, and power, which will canker and rust and remain behind when we depart this life. "Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee," the Lord said to Adam regarding the commandment to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Moses 3:17). It gives to us as well to choose what we will do with the resources he has given us. Our choices are crucial to our progress and our ultimate destination.

For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. (D&C 58:28)

This scripture reinforces the previous statement by Nephi. We must choose well, and then we must do well. There is a reward for righteous actions that follow righteous intents. The reward is the opportunity to choose good and do good again. We are also rewarded with the opportunity to repent and invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. Our "confidence [shall] wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven" (D&C 121:45). We will increase in our knowledge of the doctrine of the priesthood. It will fill not only our minds but our very souls. It will come to us in a natural way. It will surround us and fill us from the very air around us. It will cling to us as dew clings to the grass, and it will bring us life.

Proper desires and actions are the keys to this promised blessing from God. Our studies are most effective when the Holy Ghost is our guide and teacher, and he can play that role most fully in our lives when we choose righteously and then follow up our choices with righteous actions. When we humbly repent, the Atonement takes effect in our lives and the fruits of the Atonement are peace and confidence in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Examples

An obvious example of one whose desires followed by actions led to great treasures of knowledge is Joseph Smith. He desired to know the truth about the churches that were actively proselyting in his area. He acted on this desire by attending meetings, talking with others, and studying the scriptures. Not satisfied with what he was learning, his desires for sure knowledge increased, and with that increase came an increase in action. He took his questions directly to God in prayer. His desires coupled with appropriate actions opened the door to the greatest revelation in history and the initiation of a new dispensation of the gospel.

Abraham is another who desired "to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God" (Abraham 1:2). His righteous desires led him to righteous actions. The Atonement came fully into his life, and he received great knowledge from God about the plan of salvation, the universe, and all of God's creations.

May we follow Abraham's example in desiring greater knowledge and then acting on what we learn by being of greater service to our Heavenly Father.