ANGUISH

 

Hope Deferred by Chris Brazelton

My soul is rent with anguish

In this vale of sorrow and tears;

I dim, I dim like a candle,

hoping the wind will set me free.

My pleas ascend to Thee,

Seeking Thy mercy to rescue me.

 

-     CATHRYNE ALLEN

I WILL FOLLOW THEE

 

Jesus Walking on Water by Heartlands Prints

I will follow Thee my God and My All

When I can see no more;

I will trust in Thee

When all hope flees;

I will praise Thy name

When I am left without ease.

I will nurture the seeds of my faith

With tears of my affliction;

Yet will I look up to heaven

And believe in Thy throne;

I will trust in the strength of Thine arms

To lift me and carry me home.

 

-      CATHRYNE ALLEN 

HUMILITY

 

My Solace by LDS Bookstore

To be sick and incapacitated turns even the smallest tasks into mountains. Seeing mountains before you all the time, makes you feel very small. It’s a place of powerlessness, a place of vulnerability and a place I didn’t expect, that of humility.

By being dependent on others shows you what you cannot otherwise see – your sense of self-importance. It brings you closer to the understanding that you are not as powerful as you thought you were and that you cannot survive and rise to higher ground on your own merit. In a world of ego that we live in, the lessons that lead to humility are imperative.

Herein is the necessity for humility….. Mortality is a state of weakness which we cannot rise above on our own. The good news is that a path has been provided to a power that can lift us. That path leads to Calvary and is laced with humility.

You might say the Saviour experienced mortal life at ‘ground zero’. And in doing so he ‘descended below all things that he might comprehend all things’: our difficulties, our sorrows, our sins, our imperfections, our sufferings, our inabilities, our mortal weakness (D&C 88:6; 62:1). He descended below all things that He might know the state of weakness of mortal life.

Imagine a God leaving His exalted throne and all that comes with it, to be rejected, spat upon, scourged, reviled and crucified. Imagine the humility it would take to subject yourself to all that, despite the power within your grasp....and all this for the sake of someone else and not yourself. Does it not make you wonder about your self-worth? Embrace the beating of your cherished heart, you were worth it.

I have been keeping a list of the Saviour’s characteristics for many years. So far I have 18. One year I noticed a scripture that stunned me and opened my eyes to the Saviour’s humility:

“Therefore, I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may WORSHIP ME” (D&C 115:8). Can you imagine the amount of humility it would take for a God totally devoid of pride to say such a thing? It would have to be someone who knows perfectly well who he is, is confident in that knowledge and most of all, has a purity of spirit and heart. Compare this to Lucifer’s desire to be worshipped (Moses 4:1-4; 1:16-19).

It amazes me that someone so powerful who calls himself ‘the king of heaven’ (2 N 10:14), who can create worlds and annihilate them by the power of His word can also be so humble (Helaman 12:9-17; D&C 63:4; Isaiah 11:4). This is the perfection of God, the balance is indisputable.

My mountains have shown me that I can do nothing of myself to rise to the summit but herein lies my hope:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. 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)

Note that ‘weakness’ at the beginning of this scripture refers to the state of mortality. The ‘weak things’ mentioned at the end of the scripture refers to our individual ‘weaknesses’.

Whether the mountains will be removed or I will be carried to the summit, I know not. I only know that the Saviour of my soul has the power to do both.

O the pain that seared Your heart

As You encountered human misery

On the dusty roads of Galilee!

You embraced it all so lovingly

And took it with You to the hill of Calvary.

You, who ached for our misery,

Became the beacon of hope

For all who accept Your suffering.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

YOUR LOVE DIVINE

 

My heart overflows with gratitude

For my darkest nights

Because they bring You to me

Flowing like a river with its strongest might.

I bask in Your presence,

I surrender my soul,

I am grounded in Your strength

I am strong enough to carry on.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus the Symbol of Hope by Ivan Guaderrama)

HOPE OF HAPPINESS

 

I CAME INTO THE WORLD:

To give peace to the suffering

To give hope to the down-trodden

To strenghten the weak

To lighten your burdens

To lift the downtrodden

To give sight to the blind

To give power to the faint

To give might to the weary

To comfort those who mourn

To bind up the broken-hearted

To show mercy to the penitent

To give you living water

To free the captive

To be a refuge from the storm

And a shadow from the heat

To give you rest from sorrow and fear

To break the bands of bondage

To empower the powerless

To conquer the sting of death

To be a light unto the world

To establish truth

To atone for you

To love you 

To help you

To save you.

 

I WILL RETURN: 

To conquer the enemy

To destroy the wicked

To govern in righteousness

To unite the nations

To gather my people Israel

To establish peace

To take away the sorrow

To make all things known

To flood the earth with truth

To resurrect you

To judge in righteousness

To give mercy to the penitent

To take you to the Father

To give you eternal life

To exalt you.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus the Symbol of Hope by Ivan Guaderrama)

THE LIVING CUP

 

When all hope flees and darkness comes,

I find You deep within my heart.

You cradle me in Your loving arms

And offer me Your godly cup.

With eager haste I drink my fill,

New hope is born, I continue to live. 

- Cathryne Allen

(Art: Fill My Cup Lord by Danny Hahlbohm)

A GLORIOUS HOPE

 

“When we go out of this life, leave this body, we will desire to do many things we cannot do at all without the body. We will be seriously handicapped and we will long for the body; we will pray for early reunion with our bodies. We will know then what advantage it is to have a body….” (Melvin J. Ballard, “Crusade for Righteousness” p 213)

I have never much appreciated my body in until I entered the stage of prolonged bad health. Simple tasks became huge ordeals and successfully putting on socks came to be a triumph. I have longed to walk unassisted and to perform the simplest tasks with ease, the ones I used to take for granted.

The other day as I was struggling with my socks and its frustration, I came to understand the above quote. I could see how a spirit without a body he or she once experienced would feel without it. Indeed, we get a glimpse of that from President Joseph F. Smith’s vision of the spirit world which tells us that ‘the dead looked upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage’ (D&C 138:50). I began to appreciate that maybe my body is a privilege……

The other day I quoted Melvin J. Ballard who shared his conviction of our unreserved willingness to come to earth and obtain a body whether it be cripped, maimed, or deformed. I thought as I was struggling with my socks, surely those afflicted with such bodies would have regretted that choice. I know all about physical pain and limit of movement. I cannot imagine that to be my whole earthly experience.

Elder Ballard continued to express our pre-earthly knowledge of the necessity of a body for our ascension to godhood which enabled us to be centered on an eternal view rather than the sorrows and troubles of this life ("Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, p 179). Reconciling our pre-earthly perspective and the reality of living on this side of the veil is something of a challenge though.

In his last conference talk Elder Bednar spoke about enduring to the end and he connected to it a very necessary component, that of trust. It is something that has been on my mind of late. As I considered his talk I realized that this is the key to acceptance of earthly suffering and the power to endure to the end.

I realized my willingness to trust that my life is playing out according to God’s plan for me and my trust that what is to come in next life is imperative for my existence here and now.

And my ultimate trust comes with a hope which is this: to be faithful and valiant in my testimony of Jesus whilst in mortality with ‘a hope of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ’ (D&C 138:12-14)

Because the valleys do not

Lead to where I need to be,

You give me mountains to climb

To reach Your divinity.

 

You are so high

And my reach is so low.

To come to Your arms

I accept the mountains

That show me which way to go.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Ponder Anew by LDS Book Store)

A MAN OF GRIEF

 

“I…beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men….and I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and….they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.” (1 Nephi 11:31)

“Jesus was touched with a feeling of their infirmities. Those cries pierced to His inmost heart; the groans and sighs of all that collective misery filled His whole soul with pity. His heart bled for them; He suffered with them; their agonies were His; so that the Evangelist St. Matthew recalls, with a slight difference of language, the words of Isaiah, “Surely He bore our griefs and carried our sorrow.” (F.W. Farrar, “The Life of Christ, London: Cassell & Co., Ltd., 1874)

“Isaiah’s clear meaning is that the Messiah takes upon himself the sins – and hence the griefs and sorrows, for these come because of sin – of all men on condition of repentance…..the physical healings are a type and pattern of the spiritual healings wrought through the infinite and eternal atonement of Him who ransoms men both temporally and spiritually.” (Bruce R. McConkie, “The Mortal Messiah From Bethlehem to Calvary” Book 2”, 52)

 

O the pain that seared Your heart

As You encountered human misery

On the dusty roads of Galilee!

You embraced it all so lovingly

And took it with You to the hill of Calvary.

You, who ached for our misery,

Became the beacon of hope

For all who accept Your godly suffering.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief by Jay Bryant Ward)

A LIFE WITHOUT HOPE

 

“One Sunday morning our teenaged son stood with two other priests to administer the sacrament, as they had done on many prior occasions. They pulled back the white cloth, but to their dismay there was no bread. One of them slipped out to the preparation room in hopes some could be found. There was none.

“Finally, our troubled son made his way to the bishop and shared the concern with him. A wise bishop then stood, explained the situation to the congregation, and asked, “How would it be if the sacrament table were empty today because there was no atonement? I have thought of that often – what would it be like if there were no bread because there had been on crucifixion, no wager because there had been no shedding of blood?

“If there had been no Atonement, what would the consequences be to us? Of course, the question is now moot, but it does put in perspective our total dependence on the Lord. To ask and answer this question only heightens our awareness of, and appreciation for, the Saviour. What might have been, even for the “righteous”, if there had been no atoning sacrifice, stirs the very depths of human emotion.

“First, there would be no resurrection (2 Nephi 9:7); second, our spirits would become subject to the devil and we would become like him (Alma 34:35; 2 Nephi 9:9); third, we would be shut out from the presence of God forever (2 Nephi 9:9); fourth, we would “endure a never-ending torment” (Mosiah 2:39); fifth, we would be without hope, without faith and be of all men most miserable (1 Cor 15:14,19).

-          Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement” p 57,58)

During the strict covid restrictions when we could not go to Church, I sat at my daughter's kitchen table twice as my son-in-law reverently blessed the sacrament. Each time he did so I couldn’t control my tears. As I sat there I pictured the Saviour sitting at just such an ordinary table and blessing the emblems of His sacrifice and I understood what it was He had actually done for me.

For Him there was no chapel with cushy seats, no organ to assist the song, no fluffy white bread to pleasure the tongue. As my son-in-law passed the sacrament to me on the kitchen plate I came to know what it means to 'eat His body' as I have eaten from that kitchen plate before. Never before or since have I felt so close to the Saviour during Sacrament as I have at my daughter's kitchen table.

If you were not,

I would not be,

Silence would have wept at Calvary!

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

As death would claim me eternally.

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

Joyless would be my destiny.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Breaking Bread by B. Laura Wilson)

HOPE

 

I have been actively in pursuit of perfection since I joined the Church in my youth. I thought that’s what the Church was all about and I latched onto such an endeavour because I am a perfectionist.

I have always maintained that by the time you reach the last leg of your journey, you should pretty much be extremely close to perfection. I thought by the time I get to the age I am now, I would have myself all together. Imagine my surprise when I arrived here to discover that is not the case.

On a positive note, I have noticed greater strides in improvement from where I was 20 years ago. The lessons have been amazing; my patience has improved and my expectations are getting more realistic as my kindness toward myself grows.

Over the years I have come to understand that opposition in all things, the impact of others on our lives, and life circumstances make us fall short of excellence over and over and so our awareness that perfection is an unattainable ideal in this life becomes our reality. At this point some of us start to battle with yet another challenge called discouragement.

We are constantly living in the gap between the ideal and the real in just about every stage of our lives. Consider raising a young family. Before you marry you have visions of the ideal but after children are littering your home, you realise how very naïve you were.

Elder Hafen painted a good picture of this: “Somehow it has not been altogether natural for our children to glide reverently into their places all at once and all on time, prepared to ponder thoughtfully the wonders of eternity. More than likely, especially when they were young, they seemed to come swinging into the family room on the chandeliers like Tarzan on the vines, then would stand on their heads or flip themselves over the back of the couch during most of the lesson” (Bruce C. Hafen, “The Broken Heart” p 178).

Then you think, my life will be perfect when the children are grown and have lives of their own and I have myself back. To my surprise, that hasn’t worked out for me either.  It would seem the motivation levels in retirement take a nose dive. It keeps getting harder and harder to keep up with the pace that my idealistic level of achievement requires.

The truth is, this life is far too messy to be perfect. Perfection is an eternal incremental process and the path has to be laced with hope to make it lasting. That hope becomes viable when it is coupled with realism of the expected perfection. President Spencer W. Kimball has said that being perfect means to triumph over sin. Perfection in that respect is an achievable goal (see Miracle of Forgiveness, p 208). Perhaps our focus should be righteousness. Perhaps this is what the Saviour meant after all when He commanded us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48) because this is the greatest realism there is:

The only way we can reach perfection is through the atoning grace of Christ, after all we can do on our own (2 Nephi 25:23). This will happen long after we leave this mortal existence, become resurrected and made complete in Him who has the power of perfection.

Until then He is our hope: “For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (D&C 84:88)

You enliven my spirit;

You bring me to life;

You enrich my impoverished heart.

You are the God of power and might;

You make of me what I alone could never be,

You light my way into eternity.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Light by Land of Dreams)

THE HARDEST ROAD

 

When, following much suffering in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith begged God for deliverance in March of 1839, The Lord offered him peace and comforted him by telling him his afflictions would be but a small moment.

I don’t know what comfort that was to Joseph who was in the thick of things but I know it gave him hope and I believe it came via this promise:

“If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren, if thou art in perils among robbers, if thou art in perils by land or by sea; if thou art accused with all manner of false accusations, if thine enemies fall upon thee….and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb….

“And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee, if thou be cast into the deep, if the billowing surge conspire against thee, if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” (D&C 122:5-7)

The hope would have been based on this one promise: “…if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high….” (D&C 121:8). This is the ultimate reward. Joseph had many revelations. The heavens were opened to him on a number of occasions. He might have known what that promise really looked like.

We, on the other hand, don’t have a proper concept of exaltation in this earthly life. We cannot conceive what it is like. We don’t see it or understand it…and we can’t imagine it. We are in the telestial world. What we do know is that exaltation comes at a price. A hard road has to be travelled to earn it. Joseph proved this.

I do know one thing. When we were in the realms of heaven, we had the picture of exaltation before us and we understood well what it would take to qualify for it. I do not believe everyone wanted it because of the hard road that led to it. I think some of us chose easier roads that led to lower kingdoms (see D&C 88:28-32).

Those of us who wanted exaltation were willing to risk a perilous journey “by land or by sea”. In fact, I am sure we covenanted we would travel it and that we would endure for the reward…and for one reason…..the Saviour would pay the price of suffering, greater than any of us can begin to imagine, ensuring our ability to endure….(D&C 122:8)

Now that we are here travelling, may we always remember the promised reward which Joseph himself received: “For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even until the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father…..” (D&C 132:49)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Lord and Master by Greg Collins)

THE LESSONS

 

I wrote yesterday about the practical knowledge of mortality that is essential for us in our rise to godhood. We acquire this knowledge through lessons we are given that provide an opportunity for acquisition of godly attributes and skills.

Every single quality I desired in life and asked for was not freely given. What was given was a practical lesson in difficulties I had to go through to acquire the skill I wanted. Indeed, just knowledge of it could not develop a godly character. It’s a matter of doing. I have wondered which of my lessons I didn’t need and the answer is I needed all of them. I have likewise asked myself what lessons I missed that had to be repeated because I was at the time unyielding.

I think of the Saviour and wonder which ones He could have skipped. Even He had to wade through the probationary state of mortality step by step receiving “grace for grace until He received a fulness”…..and he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him….” (D&C 93:12,13,17).

Now relate this to us. Verses 19 and 20 of Section 93 state that we too can receive of the fulness if we follow the example of the Saviour…but we too shall receive it “grace for grace”, one step at the time, one lesson after another. Would we have that example of fulness if the Saviour didn’t embrace ALL of His mortal experience? His subjection to receiving ‘grace for grace’ was for the benefit of the human race. He showed the way to perfection.

“He is the way, the truth, and the light, and no one can come back into the presence of our Father in heaven except through him. Christ is God the Son and possesses every virtue in its perfection. Therefore, the only measure of true greatness is how close a man can become like Jesus. (President Ezra Taft Benson, in CR, Oct 1972, p 53 or Ensign Jan 1973, p 57)

I often reflect on Him ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross’ (Hebrews 12:2) and know that I can hope for the same joy if I follow Him to the end of my mortality……grace for grace…..

The lessons of my life flowed like a river

Winding through days, months and years;

I rescued a few but missed so many

From the currents as I saw them passing;

They drowned in a daze of my ignorance,

Unwanted and ignored but yet abiding.

I fish them now from the pool of my memory

And give them life everlasting.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Jesus the Symbol of Hope by Ivan Guaderrama)

DESIRES

 

“A knowledge of the plan of happiness can help you through the difficult times and you can face problems you otherwise could not endure.

“For example: Some years ago a president of a student stake asked if I would counsel with a young couple. The stalwart young man and his lovely wise had recently been told, with some finality, that they would never have children of their own. They were heartbroken as they sobbed out their disappointment. What they wanted most in life….they now were to be denied.

“I consoled them as best as I could and offered comfort that really was insufficient. As they were leaving the office, I called them back and said: “You are a very fortunate and very blessed couple.” They were startled and asked why I would say such a thing as that.

“I answered: “Because you want them. In the eternal scheme of things that will be of inestimable and eternal value.”  The Lord has said that He “will judge all men according to their works, according to the desires of their hearts (D&C 137:9). Many people now do not want children or want few of them or consider them a burden rather than a blessing. They were a very blessed young couple.

“When you understand the plan, you can cope with challenges in life which otherwise would be unbearable.”  (President Boyd K. Packer, The Play and the Plan, CES fireside 7 May 1995 in Kirkland, Washington)

This life is a life where we find out what it is that we really want. How we live the Gospel is a good indication of what that is. Imagine if all our desires were fulfilled in this life. How many of us would abandon our journey to a glorious eternity?

“Abraham’s desires led him to God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the priesthood, to the covenants of salvation, and to a life in which the Lord promised to lift Abraham from a mortal, fallen world. He was promised the happiness of being an eternal parent responsible for worlds and countless children.

“The “covenantal lifting” of Abraham came as he was willing to sacrifice the things of this world, showing to the Lord that he wanted to be like God more than he desired the treasures of the world or life itself.” (Jerry A. Wilson, The Great Plan of Happiness, p 61)

Abraham has now ‘entered into his exaltation and sits upon his throne’ (D&C 132:29). First the probation, then the desires of our hearts……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Hope Deferred by Chris Brazelton)

A BETTER WORLD

 

I happened to see a YouTube video recently that attempted to teach us that there are three words we should never say.

Apparently according to ‘the law of attraction’ the number one thing we should never say is, “I hope”. The self-help gurus teach that ‘hope’ lacks tangible stability and will therefore always have you chasing something that isn’t real rendering what you hope for incapable of manifesting into reality.

To me it spells this: those who teach we should invest ourselves in the law of attraction for our success, well being and survival in life, teach the techniques and wisdom of the world. I believe in the sustaining power of hope. My whole world revolves around it.

Imagine if there was no hope in the world. Would we ever stop seeing doctors if we had no hope that we would one day get better? Would we ever stop educating ourselves if we never had hope of getting a job commensurate with our level of education? Would we ever attempt to date if we had no hope that one day we will find a marriage partner? Hope propels us into action manifesting those things in life which are within our control.

 Now take this a step further to realise how this principle would destroy our faith in God for the reality of those things which are not within our control.  Would we ever stop praying because we had no hope of God’s help? Would we ever survive and endure this life if we had no hope of a better one? Would we ever accept Christ as our Saviour if we had no hope in His salvation?

"Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. Moroni spoke of it in the Book of Mormon as a "hope for a better world" (Ether 12:4). For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead.

“It is enough just to know we can get there, that however measured or far away, there is the promise of 'good things to come'. My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the 'light that is endless, that can never be darkened'. It is the very Son of God Himself."

- Holland, Jeffrey R., "An High Priest of Good Things to Come", October 1999

Imagine if this world was perfect. If there were no calamities, wickedness or turmoil....Imagine if this telestial life was an easy ride; one of constant happiness and devoid of strife. Would we, as disciples of Christ, be yearning and hoping for our Celestial home which is our ultimate destination?

Some say that there have been bad times on this earth since year one and what we are experiencing now is not new. That is true but never before have calamities and scourges come with such intensity, frequency and speed.

There will soon come a time when there will not be a period of respite; when we will long for peace, rest and freedom from oppression of every kind; when we will know beyond a shadow of doubt that He is our only hope, our Deliverer, our God; when we shall have hope through the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ, to be raised unto life eternal (Moroni 7:41).

It will be a time when we will say, in the words of John the Beloved: Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20) for if a man have hope he will also have faith, for without faith there cannot be any hope (Moroni 7:42).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Second Coming by Brent Borup)

MY HOPE

 

 

My moment of being lifted to higher ground came to me this morning. Following passages of the Second Coming, a simple short verse: “For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:4). As I looked up the reference in the footnotes to confirm what I thought I understood about ‘the year of my redeemed’, my heart skipped a beat as I read: “And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever.” (D&C 133:52). Who are the redeemed? We are. We, the followers of Christ who have accepted His salvation. If you are suffering, hang on! He will come and will wipe away all our tears (Rev 7:17; 21:4) and make up for everything! In the meantime, trust in His goodness and His loving kindness that will endure forever and ever…..

 

You opened my heart

And searched for what 

You there did not see;

My feeble faith and lack of trust

Stood in contrast to your will for me.

You sorrowed at the tears I shed

With every step I was led to take

To find You in my hour of agony.

How patiently You stood waiting

With open arms hoping I would come to Thee.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Come To Me by Yongsung Kim)

THE BOOK OF HOPE

Some two thousand years ago, during the bleakest period of Church history, there was on the island of Patmos an exile, a prophet and an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, the last apostle alive, all others having been killed before him. And to that rocky island prison, on a particular Sunday came the glorified, exalted Christ to the apostle whom He called 'The Beloved'. "Heralded by the trumpet-blast of the godly voice and standing in the midst of seven golden candlesticks symbolic of the seven branches of the church in Asia was the Saviour. Some fifty or sixty years before He had hung in agony on the cross and had been laid in the dark recesses of a borrowed tomb. Now he stood in blinding, blazing glory before John: "I am he that liveth, and was dead", he declared, "and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Revelation 1:18)" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, p 449)

So overcome was John that he fell to the earth as though dead but the Saviour touched Him and told him not to be afraid but to write down the revelation which he was about to receive for the seven branches of the Church who were facing life-threatening persecutions. "They knew the wrath of a government intent on enforcing the policy of emperor worship. They knew the clutch of fear at the approaching sound of Roman legionaires. By the time of Patmos, according to the traditions that have come down to us, Peter had been crucified, Paul beheaded, Bartholemew skinned alive, Thomas and Matthew run through with spears. John was the only surviving apostle (an apostle who would survive it all and never taste of death); all the others had died violently because of their faith. By the time of Patmos, the history of the Church included the lining of Nero's colonnade with crucified Christians and the savagery of the mobs screaming for blood in the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus." (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, p 449).

The revelation which John the Beloved received is known to us as The Book of Revelation. There are many scholastic views of the book which offer explanations as to its' meaning. Some argue that the book needs to be considered with a non-prophetic view, that all that is contained therein pertains to the past, meaning John's day, referring to the clash between the Church and the Roman Empire. Others however, claim that the Book needs to be considered with a solely prophetic view and that the symbols within it are to be seen as future predictions of all the great events of history. Viewed either way, people throughout Christendom have found the Book of Revelation hard to understand. Joseph Smith has said, however, that "the Book of Revelation is one of the plainest books God ever caused to be written" (Teachings, p. 290). One can wonder how that can be so considering the extensive use of symbolism used by John when describing his vision. The clue to its plainness lies in the very heading of this book. Because The Book of Revelation was received by revelation, it can also be best understood through revelation. Thankfully, as Latter-day Saints, we not only have personal revelation to rely on for understanding of this book but also revelation given to latter-day prophets: "Thanks be to the interpretive material found in sections 29, 77, 88 and others of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants; plus the revisions given in the Inspired Version of the Bible; plus the sermons of the Prophet; plus some clarifying explanations in the Book of Mormon and other latter-day scripture; plus our over-all knowledge of the plan of salvation - thanks be to all of these things.....the fact is that we have a marvelously comprehensive and correct understanding of this otherwise hidden book" (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:431).

The greatest purpose and meaning of The Book of Revelation is that it is a book of hope. It's main purpose is not history but prophecy. This is evident in the fact that the Book covers the history of the earth's 6 thousand years only briefly whereas it expounds on the period of the Millenium in lengthy detail. What does this have to do with hope? The Book of Revelation gives us hope in that Millenium reign when evil, "in all of its power and wickedness, shall be put down once and for all" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, p. 444). This knowledge would have given great hope to the saints who were witnessing the decline of the Church and the beginning of the Great Apostasy but it is of even greater value to us because it assures us that the forces of great evil which are gaining momentum in our day will one day be destroyed and come to an end. The Book of Revelation highlights the conquest of evil and that God is still over all and will triumph in the end, which triumph will cause all His creations to worship Him with glory and praise. The Book of Revelation presents the greatest contrast between the Saviour's first coming to earth and the second. Whereas the first time he was despised and rejected of men, when all this is over and the earth is rolled together as a scroll, even the earth will sing His praise and honour His name (Rev 4:9-11, 5:14, 11:17, 16:5).

The hope of true followers of Jesus Christ, and the hope referred to in John's revelation should be to gain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. Moroni tells us that if we have no hope we must be in despair (Moroni 10:22). An absence of hope for something better than this telestial life would surely suppress any incentive to repent, deplete the power of endurance, entice fear and diminish belief needed to overcome the natural man. The Book of Revelation gives us hope that all these things are possible. In it John sees Satan as a red dragon driving a woman with a child (The Church) into wilderness (apostasy) (Rev 12). As the woman rises again out of the wilderness John records 'the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus' (Rev 12:17). This is a frightful depiction of our day which would leave us, the members of the Church, to the buffetings of Satan if we had no hope that we can fight the fierceness of the battle that we are engaged in: "Yet, of all people, we as Latter-day Saints should be the most optimistic and the least pessimistic. For while we know that 'peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion', we are also assured that 'the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst' (D&C 1:35-36) (Ezra Taft Benson in CR, Oct. 1974, p. 90).

No one can read the concluding chapters of Revelation without feeling the hope that John felt as he looked forward to our day. It is somewhat appropriate that the Saviour would give him this glorious vision considering he was to live to witness incredible calamities, wars, pestilence, wickedness and the Great Apostasy. It might also be appropriate for us to assume that this vision was given to the beloved apostle, who would never taste of death, out of love so that the hope of the triumphant ending would enable John to endure everything preceding the Millenium when 'the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan' will be bound for a thousand years enabling a period of peace for those who will dwell with Christ in paradisiacal glory' (Rev 20:2). One would have to wonder what kind of chain it would have to be to bind the Prince of Darkness and what kind of bottomless pit could contain him? To believe that such a thing could ever happen means for us to believe that we are more powerful than him because we have kept our first estate. Because Satan is a spirit only, all his power is derived through spiritual means from those who live on this earth clothed in earthly tabernacles, meaning us. His power is added upon from spiritual energy that we create. We make him powerful by creating spiritual energy of darkness through sin or powerless by creating spiritual light through righteousness. Since the Saviour is the Light of the World, Satan is the opposite, the Prince of Darkness. The chain he will be bound with and the bottomless pit he will be cast into as referred to in the Book of Revelation are terms symbolic of righteous living of those who will qualify to live during the Millenium (see Eldred G. Smith in CR, Apr. 1970, p 142 and 1 Nephi  22:26). In other words, because of people's righteousness, there will be no spiritual darkness and therefore Satan's power will dissipate.

Righteous living proceeds from a committed heart of true followers of Jesus Christ. It does not come from complacency that some of us in the Church are familiar with: "The abundant life is a spiritual life. Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions - attending their meetings, perhaps glancing at the scriptures, repeating familiar prayers - but their hearts are far away. If they are honest, they would admit to being more interested in the latest neighborhood rumors, stock market trends, and their favourite TV show than they are in the supernal wonders and sweet ministerings of the Holy Spirit. Do you wish to partake of this living water and experience that divine well springing up within you to everlasting life? Then be not afraid. Believe with all  your hearts. Develop an unshakable faith in the Son of God. Let your hearts reach out in earnest prayer. Fill your minds with knowledge of Him. Forsake your weaknesses. Walk in holiness and harmony with the commandments. Drink deeply of the living waters of the gospel of Jesus Christ" ( Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Abundant Life, Ensign, May 2006).

Being merely Church members is not enough, we must build the spiritual core within us which will enable us to stand when the mighty winds of apostasy descend upon us. Then no imperfect leadership in the Church can offend us, no transpired event in Church history will sway us, no Church teaching we do not understand will cause us to give up. If we are built on the spirit of prophecy and an unshakable testimony of  Christ, we will withstand any pressure to cave and any temptation to sin and seek justification for same through some imperfection that we insist we have found in the Church for such imperfections only serve as great stumbling blocks that obscure our vision from perfectly seeing the Saviour of all mankind. With an absence of fear, being filled with hope and armed with righteousness and faith we can defeat and bind the enemy who seeks our destruction and pave the way for Him who will 'wipe away all tears from [our] eyes' (Rev 21:4) and with whom we can live during the Millenial reign of peace and happiness. It is therefore, our duty here and now to 'drink deeply of the living waters of the gospel of Jesus Christ' that we might have reason to hope for a better world, a world where 'there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away' (Rev 21:4).

".....for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay,

that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness....."

(Moroni 9:6)