"Charity is the defining quality of Latter-day Saints, just as it was when Paul enjoined the early saints in Corinth to develop the quality. Love for God and love of one's neighbor remain the marks of a Christian."
"Now, for us, the measure of our love is the measure of the greatness of our souls. ... Love is the beginning, the middle and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end, love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life.
"Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life. True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father has for us."
" All humans yearn for that kind of love, given in spite of shortcomings. Heavenly Father is the ideal of such love. He sees and loves his children, with all their shortcomings, as the beings they are capable of becoming."
I hope I never forget the feeling I had when I saw Elder Wirthlin struggling at the pulpit. Over the years he's become a favorite of mine. His talks are sometimes difficult to follow as he delivers them, but when listened to closely are so eloquent and powerful and insightful. The talk he was giving this day was a masterpiece on Charity. And then the transcendent happened: Elder Wirthlin, who has had severe back problems for the past 8 years, began to have a back spasm. In the middle of General Conference, in front of millions of people. A man of his determination does not let that stop him, no, not one bit. One of his brothers, close by his side, rushed to his aid to provide a gentle but firm and supportive hand to give him the ability to complete his talk. I don't know what was more touching...the fact that Elder Wirthlin was talking about Charity and brotherly love and kindness, the sight of Elder Nelson's humble and loving demeanor, the sheer willpower evident in Elder Wirthlin's delivery, or the meek (meaning humble but confident) "thank you" Elder Wirthlin gave after the lights went down. It stopped me in my tracks when it occurred, and I hope I never forget it.
Elder Holland was supposedly heard saying as the brethren were retreating from their seats after the meeting, "Elder Wirthlin, if we're ever called to charge up a mountain, I want you to be the one to lead the charge!"
Amen, and Amen.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Transcendent Moment
Monday, September 17, 2007
At the Prophet's Feet
Ours and 54 other stakes were visited (via satellite) by Pres Hinckley yesterday. The Lynnwood stake center was packed to capacity -- the parking lot was full to the gills, with cars double parked along every lane. It reminded me of the way we'd pack the parking lots for church in Japan. Like a giant Tetris puzzle. Luckily we were at the front of our row and were able to dart out without waiting for the giant puzzle to unfold itself.
The meeting itself was an interesting hybrid of general and stake conference. Pres Hinckley and those who spoke with him (Elder Hales, Bishop McMullen, and some others) were addressing all 54 stakes in Washington. The talks were all excellent, just a little generic. I think it's really up to me to try to listen deeply and learn from the spirit what it is I'm to take away. Listening to the spirit's whisperings is never easy with two little kids scrambling in your lap and at your feet, but here's what I can remember:
Elder Hales talked about listening to the spirit and bringing the spirit into our homes. He talked about the importance of temple attendance.
Pres Hinckley spoke about the restoration of the church and the priesthood. He spoke of the necessity of the restoration and the meaning of having a living prophet on the face of the earth. It wasn't an especially long talk (he even started it out by saying we were probably going to be leaving early) but it was vintage Pres Hinckley - simple, direct, eloquent. He closed his talk by thanking us all for our prayers on his behalf, requesting that we continue to pray for him--reminding us that he's 98 yrs old and needs the Lord's strength to carry on. What a powerful, humble, giant of a man!
So I am left with a few questions after this. Why has Pres Hinckley decided that holding satellite regional stake conferences is more effective than stake conferences presided by local leaders? It's not like we got to shake hands with general authorities and feel their spirit in person (always an exhilirating experience). But that will still happen every other year. And why would Pres Hinckley choose, of all the possible topics he could choose, to speak about the restoration of the Gospel and the restoration of the priesthood? Perhaps because that is what is centrally different about our church and any other church, and should be the foundation of all the "What is a Mormon" discussions swirling around us these days?
If nothing else, I'm committed to think about these things until I've learned what the spirit intends...I'll keep you "posted" when that time comes.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
And another deep thought
Two days, two deep thought blogposts. Given the LDSVoices podcast I listened to today, I had to write about it. It was Elder Scott's opener for 2007 Education week, about teaching and learning by the spirit. I first heard this talk when I was in the MTC and was absolutely rivited. I heard it later during a BYU devotional, another time in General Conference, and now here again as part of education week. Amazing how important repetition is when learning spiritual things. You'd think with a message as direct as this, and a style as straighforward as Elder Scott employs, you'd only have to hear this once and you'd be set. But this is 4x for me, and I'm still struggling to apply it. Well here we go again. The gist of the talk is this, which Elder Scott refers to as "perhaps the most valuable gift I could ever give you, the most valuable piece of wisdom I could ever impart:
Throughout the remainder of my life, I will seek to learn by what I hear, see, and feel. I will write down the important things I learn and I will do them.
He then goes on to enumerate the blessings and insights that come when you show the spirit you are willing and ready to learn. The last 1/4 of the talk is a whole barrage of insights he's learned that he felt comfortable to share. He said he keeps most insights to himself in his own sacred, password-protected journal. Some he shares in his family journal, and some he feels prompted to share with others.
When it comes to journals, he said he's not concerned so much about keeping track of all the occurrances that happen on a daily basis, but he does everything he can to keep track of the most important and meaningful learnings and experiences he has. I call it the "small plates" method of journal keeping. In a way, that's really the driving purpose of keeping this blog active...to have a place for me to capture those essential thoughts and think a bit as I write them out.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Some thoughts
The subtitle of the blog says it will contain thoughts and musings. Lately it's contained mostly YouTube posts. Incidentally, I'm going to put up the Okkervil River Conan clip as soon as someone posts it...I was all ready to set the DVR last night then thought, "I'm sure it'll be on YouTube tomorrow"...so far my bet is not proving to be a good one, but I guess I'll wait a little longer before assuming it's a complete loss.
So on to the thoughts. Lately my scripture study has consisted of listening to the LDSVoices podcast on my way to work. Now I know that it's certainly not ideal, we've received admonitions from Pres Benson, Pres Hinckley, and others that there should be no substitute for the scriptures themselves...but until I figure out how to make that work (until I humble myself enough to make it a true priority) I've really been enjoying the podcasts.
Yesterday I listened to a talk by one of my favorite speakers, Truman G Madsen. He's a longtime BYU professor of philosophy, church historian, and my father in law's former mission president. I always enjoy his deeply-thought insights and personal glimpses of the lives of the early leaders of the church.
Here's something he said about prayer, and about Brigham Young:
Now may I take slices from autobiographical accounts? Are we to pray in practical and specific terms? Brother Brigham Young was hung up on a sandbar crossing a river on the plains. His companion, troubled, said, "Let's pray."
Brigham replied, "Pray? I prayed this morning. Let's get out and push." There is a time for total concentration in prayer and a time for answering prayer with your own muscles--helping.
But this is the same man who was specific enough to bring to the Lord concrete and urgent feelings, even hostile ones. His prize saddle was misplaced or did not hang properly, and the horse trampled it into shreds. He sharply rebuked the neglectful man and then made a beeline for the bedroom where he said (someone overheard him), "Down Brigham." Then he knelt and prayed, "Lord, I'm sorry. I was angry. Take my anger away and help me to do better next time."
"When I am angry," he said to a friend, "the first thing I do is pray."
Some of us have been taught that should be the last thing we do, that we should soak our head in a bucket and then pray. "I never am so angry but that I can pray," said Heber C. Kimball (JD 3:231). And as for the related emotions, the same holds true.
Of such a practice Brigham Young once said, "I do not recollect that I have seen five minutes since I was baptized that I have not been ready to preach a funeral sermon, lay hands on the sick, or to pray in private or public." Think of that! And then he added, "I will tell you the secret of this. . . . If you commit an overt act, repent of that immediately, and call upon God to deliver you from evil and give you the light of His spirit" (JD 12:102–3) rather than spend a week rationalizing and defending what you have done amiss or not done aright. He did it.
Now I'm sure I've lost all three of my regular readers by this point due to the length of this post, but I these words really resonated me and made me want to be better. Rather than add my commentary to Bro. Madsen's, suffice it to say that these words struck me and caused me to pause. I love these insights into the inner thinkings of the prophets. They always reveal to me the difference in the level of thinking of theirs and mine, and how I can improve...imperceptibly on the outside but profoundly on the inside.
OK. I think I've filled my thoughts and musings quota. Now time to find the Okkervil River clip...
Monday, August 13, 2007
Falling Asleep in Sacrament
eryn stayed home from church with a stomach bug yesterday, and when she asked how the meeting went, I said something like, "you didn't miss much. those were the two least-energetic speakers I've ever heard." Now since the two of us just spoke in church 2 weeks ago, you'd think I'd be much more forgiving in my critique...but they were really, really listless.
Then this morning on the way into work I'm listening to Hal Eyring (can you call an apostle by his nickname) and he tells a story of a home teacher that visited his home and took notes during their discussion. Elder Eyring (Pres of Ricks College at the time) was a little proud of himself, saying something interesting enough to warrant note taking. Until 2 weeks later, when he sat behind the same brother in a primary class and noted that he was taking notes, just as intently, while listening to a 9-year old speaking. The message was how it's up to us to listen to the spirit from whoever may be called to teach us. That the onus is just as much on us as listeners as on the speakers/teachers to invite and listen to the still small voice.
Point taken. Thanks, Elder Eyring. I love listening to his talks because he has a way of exposing such simple, human faults and shortcomings and gently and persuasively showing a better way.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
All Things Considered
Listened to a talk by Elder Maxwell this morning called "The Inexhaustible Gospel." Not many things in this world make me feel as much an intillectual weakling as listening to Elder Maxwel. The talk was about truth and knowledge and how there are countless things you can gain knowledge about, but not all of it is useful. He says, "it is a truth that I am wearing a blue suit, but that knowledge is useless." He goes on to say that the most important truths we can learn are eternal truths, those that help us to become more like Christ which is the aim of our existence. He said that true knowledge is both mental and physical...it is both KNOWING and DOING. Reminded me about what the Book of Mormon calls Belief: which is both to "believe" and to "do." The Nephites and Lamanites were labeled as Believers or non-Believers because of their actions, not their words.
Anyway, it got me thinking how important it is to spend what little time I have exercising my mental muscles in ways that are meaningful and will contribute to something, and not just pass the time. Not to say that there isn't time for pure enjoyment now and again, but if it becomes a habit to use my commute to passively listen to sports radio rather than engaging podcasts or beautiful music, then that time is lost to me forever and what I could have become has been diminished.
So, All Things Considered, it is not wise to consider all things of equal value. And when time is the currency used to purchase who we become, I need to make sure I'm spending it wisely. Just need to be a little more aware and make sure I make the wiser choice.
