Death and Rebirth: Easter Ponderings

So, Palm Sunday I didn't feel well. Actually, for several days before that I wasn't feeling very good: stress headaches, migraines, insomnia followed by nightmares... my emotions clearly had the upper hand, and I was quietly freaking right out, which is not my norm; my best friend once laughingly observed that I tend to be "a drama-free zone". And I do try. But last week I had drama enough that it made me ill.

So Palm Sunday. One of the things about a lay clergy is that sometimes everything is beautiful and perfect, and other times we get to exercise charity and patience. Don't get me wrong; the talks were excellent: one even successfully managed to relate fishing for eel in New Zealand rivers to following the prophet and the Lord; outstanding talk, the kind that people will remember and benefit from for a long time. But every speaker overlooked that it was Palm Sunday; it wasn't mentioned until the classes after Sacrament Meeting. And I was so hungry for a deep dive into the Atonement of Christ; I needed His healing: it had been a tough week --and the next day I was going to dig up my basement.

It felt like breaking my sanctuary: if life is like tag, my home is "safe". Only, it didn't feel very "safe" anymore. It felt broken. That's what I would tell people: "We're breaking the basement."

"I hope your week is less interesting than mine," I said to the guy at the rental place where we got the concrete saw and the mini jackhammer they called a "breaker" (that saw was HUGE). And he laughed, which was the intended effect. But I was whistling in the dark: it wasn't really funny to me. I was trying to put the best face on something that pulled me way out of my comfort zone.

#PrinceOfPeace: Compassion

The parable goes like this: the man was traveling from Jerusalem, and the thieves got him. They took everything, and left him for dead. A priesthood leader and a temple worker each passed by, crossing to the other side of the road to avoid the messy situation. Then a non-member happened by, but he helped the man, took him to get medical care, and paid all the bills -- including any future expenses.

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Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor to him that fell among thieves? 
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.
Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
-Luke 10:36-37

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Telling the parable about a guy beaten and left for dead, pushing things to an extreme, illustrates the principle very clearly. But in our lives, typically the situation is not so obvious, the story not so ironic as it was in the Savior's parable: mostly, our opportunities to show compassion are really very ordinary, and I think that sometimes we don't even realize it when we do it. That's just... what you do.

It was in reading a midwifery text book when I was pregnant with my third (I love birth, and had already read the usual "over the counter" books, so I'd found something "prescription strength"), that I realized how, in the Church, we often do compassionate things as a matter of course, and we don't recognize the value of what is being done. I read how student midwives are advised that new mothers need a number of things to have a well-developed support system: contact with women who have recently given birth and other experienced mothers, who will coo over her baby and share the wisdom they have gained when she needs it, as well as assistance with meals and possibly other day-to-day chores in that first time after the baby is born. In fact, after reading this section of the book my thought was, "Oh! What all new moms need is a Relief Society!" Nearly every item on the list was something that is routinely checked on by the Relief Society.

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The Savior has asked us to do the things which He has done, to bear one another’s burdens, to comfort those who need comfort, to mourn with those who mourn, to feed the hungry, visit the sick, to succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.”
-Barbara Thompson, And of Some Have Compassion

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These small things, little kindnesses we do for our friends and acquaintances and the strangers around us, are acts of compassion. Many of us do compassionate, merciful things, often without even realizing it, simply because it's "the right thing to do". All of us, I have no doubt, could learn to do still better at following the Savior in this way: everything the Savior does is focused on One. One hurting heart, one need filled, one pain eased. There is so much hurt in the world, it can sometimes feel impossible and overwhelming, but we don't have to fix it all. We just follow His example and do what we can for one person at a time. The Savior loves us one by one. He heals us individually, one by one. And he sends us to be His assistants, one by one, to one person at a time.

Compassion and mercy are twins - not identical, but so close that they can sometimes be tough to tell apart. Mercy is "the compassionate treatment of a person, greater than what is deserved, and it is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ... Every blessing we receive is an act of mercy, more than we could ever merit on our own. (source)" Christ's specialty is mercy, fueled by His perfect compassion, born in His perfect love. And He delights in teaching us to feel that same depth of compassion, to act in that same merciful way: to become like Him.

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There is one who understands, who sympathizes. He was misunderstood, rejected, knew supreme loneliness, was poor and had not a place to lay his head, suffered anguish and conflict of mind.
He understands.
He can give pardon and bring peace.
The specialty of the Savior is mercy.
And he requires that we be specialists in mercy.
Marion D. Hanks, My Specialty is Mercy, emphasis original

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Psalm 13: Mercy, Justice, and Forgiveness

I love this, from verse five, where it talks about trusting in His Mercy. I've been studying Justice in the stuff I'm working on studying for our homeschool, and it's really remarkable to see the inter-relation of Justice and Mercy. Here, David starts out with a plea for mercy:

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How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God...
-Psalm 13:1-3

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I read this plea, and my heart goes out to him. But I also remember that there were some very legitimate demands for Justice against him, among them the complaints of Uriah and Bathsheba.

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My experience is that we can sometimes forget that the Atonement has two sides. Usually, when we think about the Atonement we focus on how mercy can satisfy the demands that justice would impose upon us. We are typically quicker to accept the idea that when we sin and make mistakes the Atonement is available to pay our debts. Forgiveness requires us to consider the other side of the Atonement—a side that we don’t think about as often but that is equally critical. That side is the Atonement’s power to satisfy our demands of justice against others, to fulfill our rights to restitution and being made whole. We often don’t quite see how the Atonement satisfies our own demands for justice. Yet it does so. It heals us not only from the guilt we suffer when we sin, but it also heals us from the sins and hurts of others.
-James R. Rasband, Faith to Forgive Grievous Harms

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Uriah and Bathsheba had a right to expect Justice and restitution from David, and Christ will make it right -- but He can do that and extend mercy to sinner: the scriptures talk about the "sure mercy of David". Looking at the interrelation of Justice and Mercy has been really comforting to me, both as it applies to my debts to others, but especially as it applies to wrongs committed against me; forgiveness is not incompatible with Justice -- but I don't have to bear the burden of Justice; the Lord does that for me. And He handles the restitution. When I think of it this way, the lines between Justice and Mercy that once seemed so sharp start to feel softer; it all starts to look so merciful, no matter which direction I look.

Psalm 12: The Double Heart

There seems to be a consistent longing among the men of God for a previous, more righteous, age, and this Psalm starts out expressing regret over the decline of civility and righteousness:

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Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

-Psalm 12:1-2

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David was hardly the only one to lament and long for a more righteous time. Nephi, just prior to the Lord's visit to the Nephites, talked about how he wished he had lived previously, in a time when the people were "easy to be entreated", and Brigham Young spoke to this same theme where he quoted James's words: 

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In speaking of the tongue the Apostle says, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” If the tongue cannot be tamed, it can be bridled. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridle not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” If this unruly member is not held in subjection it will work our ruin, for, “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, and it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” If the tongue is unbridled and uncontrolled, it sets in motion all the elements of the devilish disposition engendered in man through the fall. The Apostle has represented it well, in comparing its influence to the fire of hell which will eventually consume the whole man.
-Brigham Young, JD 9:268

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And it's true: words can cut deep wounds. When I was a kid someone taught me to tell bullies, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me," but in reality that sort of thing is false bravado. Words can deal deep and lasting hurts. I think it's telling that the Psalmist laments over the loss of righteousness among his people, and the very first proof he offers is that people are speaking wrongly, indulging in flattery, prideful speech, and speaking with a "double heart".

I had to spend some time searching out what, exactly, is a double heart. Elder Brough described what it is to have a single heart this way, using David's mighty men  as an example:

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These men did not have a “double heart” which compelled them to seek their own personal interest ahead of that of Israel. Because of their single heart, manifest by pure motives, they did not aspire to a different position or rank within the armies of David. -Monte J. Brough, Oct. 1993

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This passage was a favorite of Brigham Young's; he referenced it repeatedly, stressing the importance of serving God with an undivided heart.

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I have never asked but one thing of the Latter-day Saints, and that is for them to serve the Lord our God with an undivided heart. One says, “I knew brother Joseph, but I do not know much about brother Brigham.” I do not care for this; the question with me is this, do you know Jesus and the Holy Spirit?
-Brigham Young, JD 10:310

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I found a collection of verses that I'll be marking as a scripture chain. These verses are mostly ones that I found using the BYU database that had been quoted or referenced in context with Psalm 12:2 as I was looking through the various places where Brother Brigham referenced this idea of serving God with an undivided heart: 

Psalm 12:2 - they speak vanity, pride, and have a double heart
Hosea 10:1-2 - Judgements on Israel's empty vine and divided heart
Zechariah 8:17 - The Lord hates evil in the heart and false oaths
Deuteronomy 5:32 - Keep the commandments without swerving right or left
Moses 7:18 - The Lord's people are of one heart
D&C 104:3-5 - Cursings on those unfaithful to covenants
Psalm 119:16 - Delight in His statutes; do not forget His word

Then I started looking for connections between the heart and the tongue, and I added a couple from that:

Luke 6:45 - men speak from what's in their heart
Mark 7:21-23 - evils arising in the heart defile the man
Matthew 12:35 - evil hearts cannot speak good things
Moroni 7:9 - false prayers are counted for evil and not received by the Lord


At this point, I go back to my Psalm and reread it to recenter and refocus on the chapter I am studying. One thing that stands out, now that I understand the first two verses better and I'm no longer stumbling over the unfamiliar usage of the words, is the way that the Psalmist has contrasted the words of those who turn from righteousness against the Lord's words. The words of the failing faithful are flattering, prideful, and deceitful. In contrast, the Lord's words are pure, tried in a furnace and "purified seven times".

Another thing that strikes me as I study this passage and the related verses is the way that it sheds light on the character of Christ. In order to exercise faith unto life and salvation, we need several things, among them a correct understanding of His character, perfections, and attributes (See Lectures on Faith, Lecture Third). There is a tendency to focus solely on Christ's mercy, and to overlook or play down His justice and judgements. But if we are worshiping a smooth, easy, non-judgmental Being, then we are not worshiping Jesus Christ; He exemplifies both mercy and justice, having both attributes in perfection. Some of these verses really bring that justice into focus, particularly in relation to the dissenting believer that this Psalm is specifically addressing. These verses (and there were many more that could have been included) talk about how the Lord hates -and hate is a strong word- evils in the heart, how those evils defile us, and make our prayers useless. Useless prayers -one could pray regularly, but if the heart's wrong, you might as well leave it undone, the prayer is rejected. That's a sobering reality. And cursings - if we break our covenants He has said that He will not be mocked, and the consequences -the just wrath of an offended God- will follow.

No wonder Brother Brigham repeatedly emphasized the importance of serving Him with an undivided heart!

Psalm 9: Passover Paralles

I sat down to work on studying this Psalm in the days leading up to Easter, having just re-read the Exodus story at the request of my five year old. Which is a really great way to get ready for Easter; I had never before seriously considered the many connections and parallels between the Passover and Easter. You could study just that for a very long time.

So as I studied the chapter and came to verse 9, I thought of the Exodus, and it made the passage much more meaningful. 

It was dramatic, the refuge the Lord provided from the Egyptians. The passage I wrote in the margins is describing some spectacular atmospheric phenomenon. First, there's the Lord's pillar of cloud that's been leading them, but now, with the Egyptians approaching, it moves from the front of the camp to the back. And it's not just a bit of fog. It's a barrier of cloud and fire formidable enough to stop the entire military force of the kingdom of Egypt. All night long, the Egyptians were struggling in profound darkness, but the Camp of Israel has light to work by. That's a lot, but it's not everything; in addition, there's the wind. It's not just a bit of a breeze, but a strong east wind -east winds being consistently associated with destruction in scripture - that blows all night. And even among east winds, this one was something special: it's strong enough to not only split the sea, but also to dry out the seabed. That's no small feat to accomplish, and it was done overnight. So the Israelites go through, and then the Egyptians chase them. Between these big walls of water. Chasing down the Lord's people doesn't go well for them: first the chariots break, then the Lord sends the water rushing back to its place. Interestingly, Moses never asked Pharaoh for freedom, just for a break to go and sacrifice.

The Psalm praises the Lord as a refuge for the oppressed, and it conjured up for me images of this dramatic sheltering refuge behind first an impenetrable wall of cloud and fire, and then between mighty walls of water, where they were simultaneously sheltered and brought to freedom and safety. Far from being forsaken, the Lord had heard their groaning, He heard it when they cried "by reason of the bondage", and His response was so remarkable that we still sing the praises begun by those ancient Israelites. He remembered the lost sons of Israel, and called the Egyptians to account for their evil.

So I went through the chapter like that, and with the Exodus story so fresh in my mind, there were quite a few places that suggested connections between the Psalm and the Exodus. 

Ps. 9:5 -- Ex. 2:25
Ps. 9:9 -- Ex. 14:19-20
Ps. 9:10 -- Ex. 14:23-26
Ps. 9:11 -- Ex. 15
Ps. 9:12 -- Ex. 1:15-22
Ps. 9:17 -- Ex. 14:8-9
Ps. 9:18 -- Ex. 1:14
Ps. 9:19 -- Ex. 3: 7-8
Ps. 9:20 -- Ex 3:19-20

But as deeply meaningful as Easter is, the Passover and the Exodus isn't "just" about that. The Lord also identified the parting of the Red Sea as the classic example of revelation. 

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First of all, revelation almost always comes in response to a question, usually an urgent question—not always, but usually. In that sense it does provide information, but it is urgently needed information, special information. Moses’ challenge was how to get himself and the children of Israel out of this horrible predicament they were in. There were chariots behind them, sand dunes on every side, and just a lot of water immediately ahead. He needed information all right—what to do—but it wasn’t a casual thing he was asking. In this case it was literally a matter of life and death.You will need information, too, but in matters of great consequence it is not likely to come unless you want it urgently, faithfully, humbly.
-Jeffrey R. Holland, Cast Not Away Therefore Thy Confidence

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The 9th Psalm also has encouragement for the hurting soul in need of revelation, and particularly those who are persecuted or wounded by the choices of other people. 

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When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

-Psalm 9:12-13

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The phrase "he make inquisition for blood" threw me at first, but after I'd spent a few minutes browsing through verses about blood, I started to get a better sense of the scriptural uses of blood, and it started to make more sense. I then looked into inquisition, which basically means to inquire diligently, or investigate thoroughly. He invesitgates thoroughly the claims of the wronged - the petitions that we put up to Him when we are hurting and wounded. And He won't forget to make it right.

The Plan of Salvation: What is Hell?

Recently, I've been asked what the Mormon theology about hell is. This post is an outgrowth of that conversation, which took place on Facebook. The question is this: Do we believe that hell is just a temporary state, or unending torment for the sinner who has rejected God and is consigned to be apart from Him for eternity?

There are two points in what we term the plan of Salvation or the Plan of Happiness that could be thought to correspond to the Protestant/Catholic Hell as it has been explained to me. I am a lifelong Mormon, and no expert in the theology of other Christian denominations, though I have tried to educate myself. I have made a serious study of Mormon theology on these points, but have only passing familiarity with the specifics of other Christian beliefs. Since I do not know your level of familiarity with our doctrine, I will first sketch the whole plan, and the address the question about hell more specifically.

The Plan of Salvation

We believe that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16, Ps. 82:6). That we lived with Him prior to our birth in mortal life (Job 38:7; Jer. 1:5). This is variously called the pre-earth life or the premortal existence in our vocabulary. 

It is our Father's Plan that we should become like Him (Matt. 5:48; Romans 8:17). As a part of this process we have been sent to earth, became mortal (Gen. 2:17), gain physical bodies (Gen. 2:7), and be tested as to our obedience and faithfulness (Romans 6:16).

Knowing beforehand that we would, even the best of us, fall short of perfection (Rom.3:23), our merciful Father arranged for mercy to temper Justice, through the intercession and sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son (John 3:16). Thus, this life becomes a probationary state, and allowing men a space in which to repent (Ps. 38:18; Mark 1:15). 

Upon our death, our body returns to the dust (Gen. 3:19), but the immortal soul continues (Luke 23:46; 1 Kings 17:21). 

Prior to resurrection, the spirits of the righteous and the wicked await judgement (Matt. 7:21-23; Romans 14:10). The righteous wait in paradise, which is a state of rest and peace (Luke 23:43; Rev. 14:13). The wicked wait in what we typically call spirit prison, though it can also be called  hell (1 Peter 3:19; Ps. 16:10), indeed, in the Book of Mormon it sometimes is called hell. The gospel is preached to those in spirit prison (1 Peter 4:6). Baptism being an absolute requirement (John 3:5); those who did not have the opportunity in life may accept proxy baptism for the dead (1 Cor. 15:29).

Then comes the day of judgement (Rev. 20:12). 

We believe that that which is typically called heaven in Protestant/Catholic theology can actually be thought of as three heavens, or degrees of glory, as we usually call them (1 Cor. 15:40-42; 2 Cor. 12:2). Additionally, there is outer darkness, a place of torment with no glory at all (Matt. 8:12) reserved for those who blaspheme against the Holy Ghost and for whom there is no forgiveness (Matt. 12:31).

For clarity, we will sometimes sketch an outline of the plan, like this. Though this is a traditional sketch familiar throughout the Church, it is not without its flaws. It does not show Christ's indispensable role; this sketch is concerned only with our journey. But it is useful to kind of map out where we were, where we are, and where we hope to go.

What is Hell?
There are two places that are, in Mormon theology, both sometimes referred to as hell. These are spirit prison and outer darkness.

We believe that spirit prison is a temporary place. I'm not super familiar with purgatory, but I believe that spirit paradise and spirit prison, together, would be somewhat analogous. However, rather than lumping everyone into a single place, we believe there is a distinction made between those who have done their best to live righteously and those who have not. As we understand it, the ordinance of baptism (I know that some denominations use the word sacrament, rather than ordinance) also plays a role in the separation, with those who have not received baptism being barred from spirit paradise; hence the importance we place on baptisms for the dead. Peter talks about the gospel being preached among the dead in one of his epistles:

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For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1 Peter 4:6

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God's requirement for baptism is absolute (John 3:5), so the justice of God requires that each and every soul must have a meaningful opportunity to hear and accept or reject Christ. Hence, God, in His mercy, has provided a space for those who did not have the opportunity in life to have that opportunity prior to final judgement.

On the other hand, outer darkness we believe to be permanent. That punishment the Book of Mormon describes as being "as eternal as the life of the soul", endless punishment "affixed opposite the plan of happiness". In my opinion, outer darkness is analogous to what Protestant/Catholic Christians refer to as hell, much more so than spirit prison, though both can be, and sometimes are, called hell. This is one reason why most Mormons don't use the term "hell" very often, preferring instead the more specific terms of prison and outer darkness. There is no Mormon belief in "dodging" Judgement; on the contrary, we believe that it will be universal: every single person must account for their choices, including the choice to accept (or not) Christ's mercy.

Commonplace Sampler: September

Little, in fact, had either the Vatican or Galileo comprehended just how serious a rival Jupiter and its moons are to Earth and Luna. They are more fairly compared to the entire solar system. We now know that Jupiter comprises two-thirds the mass of all nine planets and it is the biggest of the so-called gas giant planets, a class that also includes Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Unlike the inner terrestrial planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars - these planets lack solid surfaces. Instead, they are made from the same stuff as stars: hot gas. ...

So, too, many of the Jovian satellites are more like planets than moons. The terrestrial planets only have three moons among them - Luna and Mars' satellites, Phobos and Demos. But the gas giants are surrounded by swarms of smaller bodies. Jupiter has the largest entourage, with eight regular moons and more than 60 so-called irregular moons. These moons are categorically different from teh terrestrial variety: Luna is probably a chip off Earth's block and the Martian moons may be captured asteroids. In contrast, the regular Jovian moons likely condensed from spare material around a proto-Jupiter, much in the same way as the planets coalesced from leftovers swirling near our newborn Sun.
-The Moons of Jupiter, p11


The Asters are the second largest family of flowering plants, surpassed only by the mostly tropical Orchid family. Worldwide, there are about 920 genera and 19,000 species, including 346 genera and 2,687 species in North America. Aside from lettuce (Lactuca), artichoke (Cynara), and endive (Cichorium), surprisingly few genera are cultivated for food.
-Botany in a Day, p 163


You can employ the same techniques. When a student asks a question, be careful lest you answer it! Or more emphatically, be careful lest the teacher answer it. How easy it is for a teacher to respond quickly to simple questions, to close a conversation that might have ignited a sparkling and lively discussion. The wise teacher deftly and pleasantly responds, "That's an interesting question. What does the class think of this?"
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, p 68


God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the Earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, ... not the east of pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved... That man might know the joys and glories of creation.
-Thomas S. Monson, quoted on Facebook


O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger, neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but Thou, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
-Psalm 6:1-4


You cannot exercise faith in God until we acknowledge that He exists and we have a correct understanding of His character, nature, and attributes. So the beginning of faith starts in the understanding of Christ.
-David A. Bednar, quoted on Facebook


The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart, this you will build your life by, and this you will become.
-James Allen, quoted by Shiloah Baker in "Training Mother Helpers"


Here [Helaman 6:7-9] we find one of the (extremely) few times peace existed between these two groups [the Nephites and the Lamanites], and the narrator lists for us a few resulting and related benefits. The first product of peace mentioned is open migration between the inhabitants of each distinct civilization. Free intercourse and commerce have special mention, and are corollaries to the unrestricted ability to travel and reside where one pleases. Second, the record notes that this exchange between the individuals of each group yielded increased prosperity for all involved. They became “exceedingly rich” and had “an exceeding plenty”. As with other scripture, this one can and should be likened unto us.
-Conner Boyack, Immigration, Individual Rights, and the Constitution


You’re not self-governing if you can’t rule yourself. Classical education is the means to freedom, the sine qua non of a free people, because it trains people in self-governance, in perceiving and living with the truth.
-Andrew Kern, quoted in "In The Common Core Era, Families Flock To Its Opposite"


More than once I have scolded members of a class just a little when they seemed to ridicule in one way or another a question asked by one of the group. And I have repeated with some emphasis the statement that there is only one stupid question: the one that isn't asked. Every student should have an open invitation to ask questions all of the time.
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, page 74


We make it a consistent practice in our family to respond to the questions of our children, an in doing so, we find that they ask many questions. If parents are not careful, they can dam up the quest for knowledge.
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, page 74


"All those antagonistic questions he asked you; it was just marvelous the way you handled them.  He was so antagonistic and bitter and yet the interview itself was successful."

I have never forgotten his answer. He said, "I never pay any attention to the questions - that is, if the interviewer is antagonistic. If he doesn't ask the right questions, I give answers to the questions he should have asked."
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, p77


There is another important matter we should discuss. A teacher naturally wants everyone to be satisfied and in agreement with him. That is not always to be. Often in the best teaching someone is left unsatisfied, perhaps even upset. Particularly this is true if we have an encounter with someone who is antagonistic. A mature teacher will know from the beginning that when the conversation is over someone will be unsettled and upset. Let it not be the teacher.
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, p83


In many churches of the world a doctrine is taught that holds that men are basically evil; that they are earthy and carnal and devilish, conceived in sin and possessed of a tendency to be wicked. This doctrine holds that the corrupt and evil nature of man must be conqured. It holds out the meager hope that by an extension of grace man may, on occasion, be lifted from his evil, carnal,and groveling state. In simple terms it avers that man is, by his very nature, inclined to be bad.

That is false doctrine. ... The doctrine is not only false, it is very destructive. ...

How glorious it is to have the revealed word of God, to know that we have a child-parent relationship with Him. If we are of His family, we have inherited the tendency to be good; not evil. ... God is our Father. We therefore are inherently good.
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, p88


I am fully aware that in the world there are individuals whose basic motivation seems to be contrary and disruptive and evil. I know this exists, but it is against their nature.
-Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, p89


For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.
-Patrick Henry, Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech before the Virginia Convention, 1775.


If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.
-Attributed to Roald Dahl on Facebook


The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.
-Haldir, Elven guard of Lothlorien, Fellowship of the Ring, p 452


Man's greatest happiness comes from loosing himself for the good of others.
-Attributed to David O. McKay on Facebook.


He understands. He can give pardon and bring peace. THE SPECIALTY OF THE SAVIOR IS MERCY. And He requires that we be specialists in mercy.
-Marion D. Hanks, "My Specialty is Mercy" October Conference 1981

 

Psalm 6: Mercy

Mercy is "the compassionate treatment of a person, greater than what is deserved, and it is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ... Every blessing we receive is an act of mercy, more than we could ever merit on our own. (Source)"

Mercy is a necessity.

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O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me...
-Psalm 6:1-2

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 I struggled for several weeks to understand this chapter, reading and re-reading it. Then, one afternoon I re-read it after my five year old and I had spent an afternoon in conflict. It started with him not feeling 100%, escalated when he was asked to do his chore, and gradually engulfed our whole afternoon. I did not always keep my cool like I should have. That night after bedtime, I read these verses: 

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O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in they hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
~Psalms 6:1-3

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Then, I was able to liken it unto myself, and I finally understood.

O Mom, rebuke me not in thine anger... have mercy on me, for I am weak...

David is pleading for mercy. His sin, and the effects of his sin, are vexing him and he is crying out for relief. He needs healing, and he craves mercy.

Mercy is "the compassionate treatment of a person, greater than what is deserved, and it is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ... more than we could ever merit on our own."

Mercy is a necessity - and our Savior specializes in mercy.

 

Psalm 3: Christ's Grace Brings Confidence

First, this is labeled as "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." That's not a story that we spend a lot of time talking about in Sunday School or other classes, so the first thing I did was to go review the story. The Bible Dictionary lists quite a few passages that deal with Absalom, but the main event is in 2 Samuel 15-18. After studying that, and re-reading the psalm, I also went and reviewed the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12. 

This was an incredibly trying time for David. It's sometime after he had taken Bathsheba and killed Uriah, and now his son Absalom has risen up against him. First, Absalom played a subtle game where he undermined the king and stole the hearts of the people. Then, he actually raised an army, and David and his supporters had to flee Jerusalem. The third Psalm deals with both the difficult situations that he faced, and also expresses his confidence in the Lord's care.

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Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. 
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.(vs.1-2)

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I have frequently heard David held up as a singular example of What Not To Do. There are good reasons why this is so. We know from the Doctrine and Covenants that his sins were severe enough to cost him dearly in the eternities. In the beginning, he was described as "a man after the Lord's own heart", and he was chosen, and elevated above his brethren because of this. But his rise was followed by the tragedy of his choices regarding Uriah and his wife. You still hear, from time to time, people saying that, "there is no help for him in God."

David, himself, clearly felt otherwise, and the Psalms are full of his praise for the amazing Grace that the Lord extended to him.  This is one of those Psalms.

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But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head. 
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. 
Selah.(vs2-3)

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Even in this extreme case, the Grace of the Lord is such that David wasn't utterly abandoned. What a hopeful thing that is for all of us!

The Gift of Grace, April 2015

Even in these difficult circumstances, and in spite of past sins, David seems to have enjoyed the peace which passeth understanding. If ever there were troubles that would cause one to loose sleep, David had some, particularly at this time. He had to have known that the conflict with Absalom was not going to end well; attempted coups nearly never end in reconciliation for the dynastic family. And quite often, neighboring countries see this sort of weakness and take the opportunity to annex some territory or the country descends into civil war, so there were quite likely concerns for his people that could keep him up at night, even if those family issues didn't. But he's not talking about how little he's sleeping; instead he talks about the strength he draws from the Lord.

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I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. (vs. 5)

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We can have this kind of strength from the Lord, too. Whatever we have done, we, like David, are not too far gone for Christ's mercy. We can also draw on the strength that He offers.

In the Strength of the Lord, April 2004

Since I started studying the Psalms, I've come to have a greater appreciation for just how dramatic the power imbalance between us and God is: a mosquito has a better chance of stopping an elephant than any human has of frustrating God's Will. At this point in his life, David has returned to a place where he desires the Lord's Will, and is unflinching before it. "Here am I," he says. "Let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him." This is important; it enables the confidence we see in the psalm:

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I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God, for thou has smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth to the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. (vs.6-8)

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Sunday Scripture 9

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

Alma 34:37-27

I need to remember to pray more often, so this is one of the scriptures I've put in my Scripture Box. The box seems to be working nicely so far. The biggest problem is that I don't remember to do it all the time. But I've already got more scriptures memorized than I had before, so as far as I'm concerned, it's a success, if a somewhat imperfect success!