5/2/2018 - Section 93:31-40

May 2, 2018

Section 93:31-40

Agency, Family Home Evening, Children Raised in Light and Truth, Parenting,

A very sobering verse to begin today: v 31 “Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.” I know that my children who have left the church have agency to do that. I know, too, that anger forces the spirit from us. And while I know that they thought, and struggled, and pondered—I feel they did that without the spirit near. And after scanning and reading all their missionary letters – and subsequent letters – I wonder how they can forget the spiritual gifts and insights and comfort they were given. But I know too, what a precious gift agency is. Sometimes I’m a little surprised that I didn’t accept the safeness of Satan’s plan, for I have never liked risk. And then I remind myself that we learned of that plan when we had a full vision of the pathways of eternity. And I remind myself that I happily went to college – twice—and happily went through that type of struggle and sacrifice so that I could do more and be more. And the other sure thing I know, that no matter how much we use our agency to veer away from the Lord’s plan, His love for us does not change. Because it is the same for a parent. My concern for my children who have left the church is greater, but my love…hmmmm I was going to say that my love has not changed---but it has. I believe my love for them has increased: possibly because they are amazing people, and possibly because I simply like them and like being with them so much, and very possibly because they are in my daily thoughts and daily prayers so very often.

All our prophets of this day (and of days of old) warned of the deteriorating standards of the world around us. We are given strong suggestions—from the pulpit and from the scriptures-- on how to combat the influences of the world and warnings as to how those influences can erode our spiritual life. And that is when I think of FHE. That is probably my one real regret as I look back at my life, that I did not carve out time EVERY week for FHE. I will always wonder if that stronger, and hopefully deeper, foundation would have helped all of our children withstand the worldly affronts upon the gospel.

But the other thing I know. Is that the Lord knows each of us, and his eyes are on each of us—and I think his eyes are on us even more when we are in pain or struggle or worry or grief. And the best thing I know, is that he stands close by and waits only for us to reach out to him. For that has been the plan from the beginning. And when we reach out with our hearts and with deep desire, he answers—for that, too, has been the plan from the beginning.

8/28/2021 – D&C 93:30-53

In v 30, Christ speaks of the importance of our free agency. It is very similar to the things He taught Moroni, and letting us know of His assurance that we are fully capable of doing what is required. “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27). And in v 33-23, He continues to teach us truths about our spiritual side, letting us know that “For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.”

In v’s 36-37 He speaks of light and truth, and of knowledge and intelligence: “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one.” Elder John AA. Widtsoe spoke about this in the April 1938 General Conference: “Among the many great truths revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, none is more beloved by the Church than ‘The Glory of God is intelligence. The word intelligence, as used in common speech, means readiness in learning, quickness of mind. Its higher Gospel meaning is more profound. The intelligent man is he who seeks knowledge and uses it in accordance with the plan of the Lord for human good. This is implied in the revelation from which the quotation is made, for the full sentence reads, ‘The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth.’ When men follow the light, their knowledge will always be well used. “Intelligence, then, becomes but another name for wisdom. In the language of mathematics we may say that knowledge, plus the proper use of knowledge, equals intelligence, or wisdom. In this sense intelligence becomes the goal of the successful life. Knowledge is one of the means by which such intelligence is attained; the use of knowledge is equally as important, for it gives life and direction to knowledge. . . . Thus it often happens that a person of limited knowledge but who earnestly and prayerfully obeys the law, rises to a higher intelligence or wisdom, than one of vast Gospel learning who does not comply in his daily life with the requirements of the Gospel. Obedience to law is a mark of intelligence.”

Satan knows this, and uses it as one of his tools against us: “And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men….But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.” (v’s 39 & 40)

He speaks directly to the leaders of the church at that time: Frederick G Williams, Sidney Rigdon, and Joseph Smith. He opens their eyes to the ways they have not kept His commandments. In v’s 45 & 46 He lovingly explains “I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me—I called you servants for the world’s sake, and ye are their servants for my sake—” One of our jobs on this earth is to serve one another with sincere love. That’s what friends do, they serve one another with love. That is true charity. The scriptures say that charity is a gift from God. As we draw ever closer to Him, we learn more from Him—and love for all is one of the most important things we need to learn, and to put into practice in our everyday life, and in our own homes. President Spencer W. Kimball said to us: “We do not rear children just to please our vanity. We bring children into the world to become kings and queens, priests and priestesses for our Lord.”

The Lord’s counsel is also in v 49: “What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place.”  And he closes with an important repetition of his promises: “…inasmuch as you keep my sayings you shall not be confounded in this world, nor in the world to come.” (v 52)