I come from generations of European peasants. Poverty is ingrained in my family's consciousness. My grandfather was raised to till the ground and farm the land he inherited from his family. To him, that was the way of life. The oldest of five sons, my father, was meant to inherit and carry on the family tradition. He, however, and four brothers that followed him were not interested in taking over the land. My father went into trade to become a bricklayer. His father was outraged and told him in very clear terms that he would not receive any support from him during his apprenticeship or ever after. All the sons went their separate ways and perpetuated the poverty consciousness they grew up with but the second youngest dared to break free from the family mold. Not surprisingly he was the only one that succeeded in his efforts to carve a successful life for himself. This uncle of mine was born with certain talents that he would not deny. It became very evident early in his life that he had a talent for art. He loved drawing so much that he would secretly go to his friend's house after school and spend a considerable time there unrestrained, drawing to his heart's content. When he would eventually come home he would receive a beating from his father who thought drawing was foolishness and wanted to punish him for not being there to attend to family chores. When this uncle grew up he moved to the city, educated himself and became a very talented architect. He didn't stop there however. He proceeded to accomplish everything in his life that he wanted to do. Besides a lucrative career, he painted, he raced cars, invested himself in archeology, wrote books on his finds and opened a museum for gems and crystals. I am guessing he did all this because he knew who he was and chose to believe in himself. Whenever this uncle would visit us, he would be very respectful to my father who was the oldest brother in the family, but the differences between them were startling. My uncle lived in another city and he very much behaved like an educated city dweller that he was. He spoke with a city dialect and carried himself with dignity. My father, on the other hand, turned to drink to silence his fear of poverty which he could not break away from to his dying day. In other words, he remained a peasant.
I guess my uncle felt in his heart that he was not a peasant, even though he descended from generations of such before him. I am guessing that he recognized who he really was and sought to change the course of his destiny. I consider him exceptionally smart because he believed in the possibility of change. We know through Epigenetics that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle can change gene activity in subsequent generations suggesting that DNA is not fixed, that DNA can be switched on or off and that we can change it by the choices we make: diet, lifestyle, thoughts, attitude, awareness and therapy. This means that we do not have to be poor, fat or sick like our progenitors. We do not have to follow those before us like blind sheep. Because we are all individuals, we all have different individual paths irrespective of our families before us. These paths are spiritually engineered and are individualized plans for mortality and beyond. The Saviour is a perfect example of this. Born into Jewish traditions and laws that His family had followed for centuries, He fulfilled the laws and changed the course of not only His family but the entire human race. The Saviour was true to who He was and to His mortal and spiritual destiny, no matter what the sacrifice.
We women of the free world have so much in this day and age. We have the ability and freedom to be whatever we want to be but more importantly than that, we have the freedom to be who we truly are. We are not stuffed into corsets, denied ownership of property or rights to an education. We have come a long way yet still many of us are forcing ourselves into molds created by others intent on proving that women are capable of anything and everything. The quest for equality has caused us to lose many womanly traits that are so badly needed in the world today. Many of us follow society's expectations at the risk of individuality and freedom to choose paths in mortality that will ensure our spiritual well being. Our ultimate destiny is to live with God forever. However, the path to eternal bliss begins here and now. It is our duty to perfect ourselves on this path of mortality employing our strongest capabilities and relying on God's assistance to get us to where we should be. There is a curse spoken by one tribe in Asia to their enemies that says "may you stay in one place for the rest of your life" or "may you stay where you are forever and may it torment you for the rest of your life". A life of regret would certainly be a curse we could carry upon us forever. We live in the most exciting and vibrant dispensation of all times. Joseph Smith stated once that "prophets, priests and kings have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung, written and prophesied of this our day...." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 231). Never before has the human race had the opportunities and resources we now have to polish ourselves and prepare ourselves for the golden age of the Millenium. Never before have we been given so much to ensure our spiritual destiny is obtainable. We stand at the threshold of another whole year of opportunities to repent, overcome, subdue, improve, and achieve.
When Joseph Smith said that prophets, priests and kings have looked forward with joyful anticipation to our day, he added that we are "the favoured people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory, the dispensation of the fullness of times", for of whom much is given, much is required, therefore, the obligation is two fold: to perfect ourselves and to perfect others. Do you feel weak or strong when you reflect on this responsibility? If you feel weak cast your mind on the humble beginnings of this dispensation and those who were commanded to lay the foundation of 'the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth' (D&C 1:30). In the words of one talented writer: "Who would lay the foundations of the Kingdom of God on the earth in the last Dispensation? Two simple farmers and a one-room school teacher would become the principle witnesses of the Book of Mormon. A potter, a glazer and simple carpenter would be called to stand firm by the Prophet Joseph. A twenty-three year old printer, who never joined the Church, would actually print and publish the Book of Mormon. A simple German farming family would provide a small 20 x 30 foot cabin as the first headquarters of the Church. A poor. unsuccessful homesteader who had never really been able to finish his payments on his land would be called off a canal boat to become of the great missionaries of these last days. The list could go on and on. And all of these led by a simple farm boy from western New York. And this would indeed be the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that will roll forth and fill the whole earth" (Scott Facer Proctor, "The Voice of Warning shall be Unto All People" Meridian Magazine).
How could such humble and weak men of the earth accomplish so great a work? The answer was given through Joseph F. Smith's vision of the spirit world where he saw Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum and others. He observed that they were "among the noble and great ones who were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God. Even before they were born, they, with
many others received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labour in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men" (D&C 138:55,56). We are 'the others' who came to earth disguised as the weak and simple ones. We are the ones the Lord spoke of when he said 'the weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones...." (D&C 1:19). We are the ones crowned with nobility and greatness to accomplish the great work of bringing salvation to the souls of men.
Our destiny is our destination, being eternal life in the presence of God. May we strive to stay on the path that leads to this holy place, the place of our eternal home.
"Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
and called thee from the chief men thereof,
and said unto thee,
Thou art my servant;
I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee;
yea, I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousness."
- Isaiah 41:9,10
