One in Thee

All things shall work together for your good; a continuing confirmation that you are exactly who and what the Lord needs in every when and where of life: He is the how and why.

Predicated on personal standards: if ye walk uprightly, search diligently, pray always, and be believing,

and social standards: and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

D&C 90: 24

Living it Up

Heavenly mansions will not be privately owned islands of isolation, but publically owned (Acts 4: 32) plots in the City united by Christ’s love (Moses 7: 18).

Living in the world...

The commandment to love my neighbors (Matt. 22: 39) is not suspended until I move into a Zion enclave. 

nor fear of death

It was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death,

for that would destroy the great plan of happiness. (Alma 42: 8)

Death is a crucial ingredient in the plan of happiness. Baptism is a symbol of death. Repentance is a kind of death: cutting off actions and identity to become a new person.

Sometimes I cling to my mortal self, scared that tomorrow I won't be the same person that I am today. Fear of death holds me back from repentance.

The Atonement’s blessings will flow as freely as I overcome that fear: “whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again.”(D&C 103: 27)

Weight lifting

as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God,

and to be called his people,

and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn;

yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,

and to stand as witnesses of God

at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death,

that ye may be redeemed of God,

and be numbered with those of the first resurrection,

that ye may have eternal life—Mosiah 18: 8-9

How can I let the Spirit infiltrate my heart further, so that I desire to pick up another’s burden, rather than looking at it and thinking “Gosh that looks heavy. I’m glad I don’t have to carry that!”?

That they may be one....

I would that ye should be

steadfast and immovable,

always abounding in good works,

that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his,

that you may be brought to heaven,

that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life,

through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy

of him who created all things,

in heaven and in earth,

who is God above all. Amen. (Mosiah 5: 15)

I was using this as a prayer yesterday: silently mouthing it as I directed my thoughts to different members of my class, including my professor, whom I’ve had a hard time loving in the past.

dust

O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (Isa. 64: 8)

glorifying work

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

Sometimes bringing to pass my neighbor’s immortality is the last thing I want to do. I’ve gotta change that.

Love of the world...

It’s not enough to leave Babylon behind, Nineveh to be destroyed (Jonah 1), or Lamanites to dwindle in unbelief (Alma 17: 13-14). The Father has not left earth behind, despite superlative wickedness (2 Ne. 10: 3). With the commandment to “Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon” (D&C 133: 14) comes the commandment “Go ye into all the world, and teach all nations, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Matt. 28: 19, Mark 16: 15), until “all the nations of the earth be blessed”( Gen. 26: 4).

God so loved the world… How much do I love the world? (John 3: 16)

“The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18)

We will become of one heart and one mind as we individually place the Savior at the center of our lives - Elder D Todd Christofferson, Come to Zion, Ensign November 2008.

As spokes on a wheel run toward the center for support and direction: if Christ is the center of my life then each piece of my life should refer back to His example for support and guidance. How often do I think of him? There is power in the simple act of thinking of him - even in that moment temptations begin to release their grip, and the right way begins to be discernible. I must find ways to remember him throughout the day, and in everything I do.

I am not ashamed...

The woman at the well wore a low cut shirt and ripped up jeans, bare midriff and tarnished bellybutton ring, cigarette in hand. She looks tired, but “That’s just the way life is, Hun”. She takes a drag, and Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Experience

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3: 3)

When I am born again, I promise to live as Christ lived.

The way that I live is partly because I’ve been on the other side. If I imagine experiencing what He experienced, being like Him will be more intuitive.

I can imagine myself growing up as a foreigner in Egypt, a refugee.

I can imagine myself mocked and whispered about as an illegitimate child.

I can imagine myself warning friends that foxes have holes, but I have no home.