5 Ways to Withstand Persecution in the Latter-days.

It comes as no surprise that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is becoming more distasteful to the world at large. As the world is taking a more “progressive” stance on morality it continues to digress away from the teaching and admonitions of the Lord. Naturally as the Church takes an unyielding stance on controversial topics such as gay marriage, abortion, and morality in general, it is under attack by those who adopt standards of moral relativism. These people often violently and viciously defend their “rights” to disobey God by attack those who exercise their right to worship. As members of the Church we will continue to face opposition and persecution from those who are hell bent on forcing their philosophy of benign whateverism. We know from the Doctine and Covenants that in the last days the very elect of God will be deceived and men’s hearts shall fail them. So what can we do to prevent this? Lehi’s dream holds all the answers. (1 Nephi Chapter 8)

1.  Grab hold of the rod

In Lehi’s dream there is a large field, in this field are many paths. One of these paths has an iron rod as a handrail. This is the only path that led to the tree of life. Our Iron Rod is the scripture and the words of our modern day prophets. So why is it so important to read the scriptures? Because they contain the words of eternal life; as we read the scriptures daily they will lift our thoughts heavenward. They provided an eternal perspective that make all the distractions and fades that the world sends our way seem meaningless. As our focus in on heaven, eternal life, and forever families we are filled with a hope that motivates the correct course of action.

2. Don’t let Go!!

After the people grabbed hold of the rod great mists of darkness clouded the path and many lost their way. This would not have been possible if they would not have let go of the iron rod. Today the mists of darkness come in the form for intellectual and moral arguments based on logic. To exaggerate a few: “A woman should be allowed to kill her unborn child because it is still part of her body.” “Two people should have intimate relationships, it is natural and very desirable, to hold out for marriage is a waste of time.” “It is not reasonable that there should be a God.” Do any of these sound familiar? If we are consistent with studying the scriptures, praying, and heeding the words of our modern day prophets we will not get confused and lost in the swirling mists of darkness. How many of us can list the people that Kim Kardashian has been married to, but cannot remember what President Monson talked about in his last conference talk?

3. Remember which way you face.

As the people made their way to the tree of life and partook of the fruit they found it to be delicious to their souls. But then in shame many of them turned away. Discouraged by the taunts and jeers from the people in the great and spacious building. Elder Lynn G. Ribbons in his recent general conference address reminded us that we need to face the right way. Those who get discouraged, ashamed of the testimony they had, and turn from the Lord do so because they forget which way they face. We would do well to remember that our accountability is to God. Look to the example of Daniel, who chose death before he would stop praying. Or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego who survived the fiery furnace because they refused to worship the statue of Kind Nebuchadnezzar. As we hold ourselves accountable to God and not to man we will remain strong in the truth.

4. Be prepared to answer hard questions.

Many will question you and your faith. Prepare for this by, wait for it, studying the scriptures! Elder L. Tom Perry taught how to graciously share the gospel in a talk in General Conference in October 2011. Said he,

 “We can help “disabuse the public mind” and correct misinformation when we are portrayed as something we are not. More important, though, we can share who we are.”

He then continued to tell the saints to be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ, to be righteous examples, and to speak up about the Church. As we prepare ourselves and share the gospel it will solidify and strengthen our own testimony.

5. Wait on the Lord.

The Book of Mosiah tells twin tales of two people who endured similar hardships in two different manners. The people of King Noah were captured and enslaved by the Lamanites. On three different occasions under the leadership of King Limhi they went to battle to try to break the chains of enslavement. Each time they were slaughtered and suffered debilitating losses. Finally when they were sufficiently humbled the Lord provided a way for them to escape, without bloodshed. Now compare that to the people of Alma the Elder. They left the people of King Noah so they could practice their faith in peace. But in the words of Mormon “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.” Soon they were captured by the Lamanites and also forced to be their slaves. The people of Alma did  cry to the Lord for deliverance. Their faith was not in vain. “The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.” Then finally after sufficient patience and faith had been proven they were delivered from their captors. So when faced with persecution are we going to fight or submit cheerfully to the will of the Lord?

       I heard a sad story of a sister who, after a temple marriage, left the church. A decade later she has become a vigorous supporter of women’s rights. Recently she sat down with my father and told him that in our church we do not allow women to speak or even pray. How does one become so disillusioned about the faith of her childhood? Because she abandoned it and let the darkness of doubt fill the void where the Spirit of the Lord once resided.  It is my prayer and hope that we will be able to bare our persecutions without losing our faith or our hope. Read your scriptures daily. Pray to the Lord will all your heart. Remember which way you face and bear your trial with grace and patience. God will support you in trials and persecution. I promise it will be worth it in the end!

Wisdom of Days Past

I was looking for something to write a poem on before it fluttered away and I came across a small note book. It was labeled, "Elder Solomon's Proverbs". Apparently I kept a proverbs book at the end of my mission. Here is the wisdom that I recorded. It had me thinking for the rest of the day!

1. A slothful servants looks for excuses to quit; a wise servant diligently seeks means to accomplish
2. The riches of the world are a salty cracker to a hungry man; the treasure of heaven are a feast to strangers and wonders.
3. He that seeks righteousness builds the kingdom of God; he whose heart is inclined to wickedness seeks destruction.
4. The worlds of a wise man are recored and kept; a fools word is presently forgotten.
5. A wise man passes through opposition and is strengthened; a fool heaps to himself strife.
6. A prudent man sees improvement; a fool hungers for approval.
7. The humble have honors in heaven; the proud shall be abased.
8. Those who seek the Lord shall be supported; he that seeks the world will find himself alone.
9. A wise man teaches his son to love and his daughter virtue; a fool seeks pleasure.
10. The hand of the Lord is righteousness; whoever seeks it shall be upheld
11. No matter how good they are, excuses never hide facts.
12. A wise king stands where all may see and leads to righteousness; a fool hides in darkness.
13. He who doubts his first impressions inhibits the inspiration of the Lord.
14. A wise man asketh questions and gaineth understanding; but a fool sits in darkness.
15. A wise youth makes his father proud and will be established; a foolish youth may still repent.
16. Who can gain understanding? He that seeks the Lord and petitions at his throne shall find hidden treasures of knowledge.
17. Righteousness is like a flower, it is pleasing to the eye, but if it is plucked form its root it will wither and die.
18. Wisdom is a successful hypothesis.
19. Wounds may heal but scares remain.
20. We are that we may become.
21. It is best to receive honor freely given from another.
22. If we are not progressing we are damned.
23. Without patience, hope is lost.
24. At the conclusion of all this God's greatest interest is the final product.
25. Joy is the fulfillment of our hopes and dreams.
26. To pray and ponder on the scriptures is to have communion with the Holy Spirit.
27. Only sinners need fear proximity.
28. The King calls his Princes, the obedient come, the disobedient lose their inheritance.

How Do You Know It's Love?

It is springtime and love is in the air. With the staggering amount of recent engagements and wedding announcements that are bombarding my Facebook page I have pondered the question over and over again, “how do you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with this person?” Of course every couples answer is going to be different. “He makes me laugh.” “I can talk with her about anything.” “I love the way he listens to me.” Then there is always the romance story, whether it is love at first sight or an intense uphill battle through the friend zone. Though I have fallen in and out of love a time or two I have never experienced the irrevocable forever kind of love that I envision precedes marriage vows. So I continue to ask the question “How can you know?” I found a satisfactory answer by pretending that my daughter just came rushing into our living room with a ring on her finger, excited about her recent betrothal. Naturally I being her father want to protect her from doing anything stupid so I sit her down and ask her a bunch of questions to help her see if she was really in love. Of course this is hypothetical but it helped me visualize it all and I’ll share with you the questions and advice I came up with.

1.     How well do you know him? Vowing to spend the rest of eternity with a person is absolutely crazy in my mind. Promising to spend the rest of eternity with a stranger is just insane. You need to know some fundamental things about a person before you make that jump. You need to know and be able to predict how they are going to react in certain situations. Do they stress eat? Or do they resort to retail therapy? Do they shut down when confronted with a difficult problem or patiently seek solutions? How do they handle anger? Every one gets angry; it’s inevitable. If you didn’t get angry I would steer clear because eventually you are going to blow. Do they become threatening or are they able to communicate? What are their dreams and aspirations? You don’t have to have the exact same plans for the future but it is important that they are similar and that you will both be able to work together towards goals. Are you willing to trust them with the task of raising you children? Or providing for your family?

2.     How well do you communicate with each other? Learning the answer to this question takes a great amount of time and observation. You may feel confident in your ability to communicate but then realize that it is completely one sided. Communication is a two way street. To communicate effectively both persons need to listen emphatically and speak clearly. Transparency and honestly are the key to communication. To be a strong couple you cannot allow anything to come between you, not kids, parents, financial problems, or even home decorating ideas! Yes that is asking a lot and no I am not asking you to yield you personal identity. What I am saying that that communication and compromise need to be of paramount importance. You need to learn how to communicate before you make big decision together. Try it out on the little things like “Honey, what would you like for dinner?” Part of transparency is assertiveness. If you are laying down and letting whatever fly then you are not being honest with your partner or yourself and this will only lead to future issues. Have confidence and faith that your views and desires will be given the attention they deserve. If they are not you should rethink spending eternity with someone who doesn’t appreciate your views. Further you should be able to have uncomfortable conversations. I think it is important that every girl ask her fiancé if they have ever viewed pornography.  If they say no they are more likely then not lying. Serious couples should talk about fidelity expectations and plan on ways to prevent outside invasion and distractions. Men, be men and be honest.

3.     Third and final topic of questions. Do you love each other? Love to me is a deep yearning for and devotion to the person who holds all of your affection. Can you say this about your partner? Do you think about them when you have nothing else to do? Does your heart skip when they send you that first text of the day? Do you ache every time you have to say goodbye? Even if it is just for the night? When you think of something exciting to do, do you imagine doing it with them? When you learn something new are you excited to share it with them?  Are you willing to leave your comfort zone to stand by them? Is you attraction skin deep? It is only a rare few that can retain their prime beauty through out the rest of life. Will you still be able to see her (or his) beauty when the muscles weaken, the skin stretches, and the fat pops out of nowhere and won’t go away? Can you feel the attraction whenever they walk into the room?

I heard of a study that purported that people could typically wear a social mask in a relationship for about nine months before the demons start showing themselves. Good communication and transparency can speed that time up. Personally I hope that when I eventually get married it will be to a girl who sees me with my masks off and is still willing to stand by my side. Further I would hope that any and all masks are off before I get married. Knowing each other is a fundamental process to the development of a good relationship. Learning whom you are with, what makes them tick, their dreams, desires, and quarks is one of the greatest, and most exciting part of a relationship.