WINDOWS OF HEAVEN

 

There is a principle of the Gospel that paved the way to my Church membership. I have had a very strong testimony of this principle ever since.

When I was looking into the Church I was only 17. I obtained information about it from my local library. Everything I read seared my soul and I knew I had to be a member of such an amazing community of saints. I knew the Church was true and longed to be a part of it.

One Sunday I arrived at the nearest chapel to see the Church for myself. What I saw was the saints coming in and out of the building and I longed to be one of them but presumed that I couldn’t because I wasn’t a member.

What came into my mind as I looked on longingly was the principle of tithing. I thought to myself, I would gladly give the Church my entire pay if I could just sit in that building. I was working full time by then and earning my own money. I was at the threshold of becoming my own person but it would seem what I wanted more was God and His Church.

At the time I didn’t realise the significance of this but now, years after obeying the law of tithing, I do. Money is a tangible symbol of the world we live in and on that fateful Sunday, God was calling me out of the world.

Besides opening the windows of heaven, our commitment to live this commandment, takes us out of Babylon. It is the beginning of our faith in God rather than the mortal world we are placed temporarily into. It is the deciding factor of our path to either God or Mammon (Matthew 6:24). Mammon being an Aramaic word for riches (Guide to the Scriptures, Gospel Library)

I am sure we are all familiar with the scripture that says: “He that is tithed shall not be burned at His coming” (D&C 64:23). This is how failure to pay tithing becomes a slippery slide to this demise: “This is what it means…when a man who ignores the express command of the Lord, by failing to pay his tithing, the Spirit of the Lord will withdraw from him; it means that the power of the priesthood will withdraw from that man…..He will drift away into darkness, gradually but surely, until finally he will lift up his eyes among the wicked.

“That is where he will finally land; and then when the destruction comes and when the burning comes he will be among the wicked and will be destroyed; while those who observe the law will be found among the righteous, and they will be preserved…..” (Elder Rudger Clawson, In CR Oct 1913, p 59, Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual p 138)

That we may know that our faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death (D&C 121:44), the Lord requires ‘the hearts of the children of men’ (D&C 64:22) because ‘where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ (Matt 6:21; Luke 12:34). We cannot possibly love God and love the world at the same time. We either obey one or the other.

In all our earthly sojourn we are deciding between God and the world. One has the power to lift us to eternity, the other leads to corruption of both body and spirit: “….for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon” (D&C 64:24)

The Saviour died that He might save us from the world. If we are of the world, we give the world more power than we give Him. This is a mockery of Him who descended into the pit of agony that He might rescue us from the clutches of evil and death. No such sacrifice has been offered by the God of Mammon.

Remember what Jesus said about the rich young ruler who rejected Christ by choosing to hold onto his wealth: “….how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! With men that trust in riches, it is impossible but not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake for with such all these things are possible.” (Mark 10:17-24; JST 27a)

Tithing is one mortal journey worth taking. It's a journey that will in the end help you discover the real treasure…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Rich Young Ruler) 

YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD PART 1

"Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all

that are in the house."

- Matthew 5:14-15

"Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated - with one another; with the rainy, sleety weather; with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here. 

But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. 'Folks', he said, 'I know you've had a rough day and you're frustrated. I can't do anything about the weather or traffic, but here's what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don't take your problems home to your families tonight - just leave 'em with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I'll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?

It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who'd been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other's existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?

Oh, he was serious.

At the next stop - just as promised - the driver reached out his hand, palm up,and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up - but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.

We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it's extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and

you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don't know where to find it.

But what if you are the light? What if you're the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?

That's what this bus driver taught me - that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn't some big power player. He wasn't a spiritual leader. He wasn't some media-savvy 'influencer'. He was a bus driver - one of society's most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully  for our benefit.

When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world's troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can't personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can't control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other's name. How we behave matters because within human society everything is contagious - sadness and anger, yes, but also patience and generosity. Which means we all have more influence than we realize.

No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated - one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river."

- Elizabeth Gilbert, author or Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things

I cannot read this story of the thoughtful bus driver without getting emotional. As Elizabeth Gilbert said, a bus driver is one of society's most invisible workers and yet, to me at least, he possessed more power on that rainy, dreary night than any military leader who conquers nations. Why? Because he lightened people's loads with as little as the palm of his hand. No weapon, no gadget, no instrument, just the palm of his hand. Often we think we are not skilled enough to lift another, to light the path at their feet, to carry their burdens. We often live from day to day wrapped up in a cloud of self interest full of our own problems, troubles, fears, burdens, responsibilities and pressures. We are told in the scriptures that in our day 'men's hearts shall fail them' and the love of men shall wax cold' (D&C 45:26,27). We see evidence of this all around us in public, where courtesy is denied and chivalry is dead. We have forgotten where we came from and who we are and most importantly we have forgotten the mandate that we could be and should be a light in this dreary world. We have forgotten we are our brother's keeper. In the midst of our own troubles and responsibilities, this charge may seem overwhelming but in reality it does not require much more of us than human kindness, a loving gesture, a smile - in short: a connection, an exchanged energy, a bonding with other human beings who are with us in this vale of tears. 

None of us is an island. We all need approbation, human contact, acceptance, understanding. We need someone to say: I see you, you exist. None of us need to do mortality alone, and we shouldn't do it alone. Consider another story from Elizabeth Gilbert:


"Back in 2002, I went away by myself for ten days to a tiny fishing island in the middle of Indonesia. It was the farthest-away place I could find on the map, and all I wanted right then was to be as far removed as possible from all that I knew. My life was a mess. My life, in fact, looked like a dropped pie; everything was on the floor in pieces. I was going through a bad divorce, and in the process I was losing a husband, losing a house, losing money, losing friends, losing sleep, losing myself. So I took myself to this little island 10,000 miles from home, where I rented a small bamboo hut that cost a few dollars a day. My plan was to spend ten days in silence and isolation. I hoped that making myself small and quiet would heal me. I guess what I really wanted was to disappear, and this island seemed the perfect place for it. There was no Internet, and I had no access to a phone. Transportation consisted of fishing boats, or wooden carts pulled by skinny ponies. Here, surely, I could hide from the world. 

Soon, I fell into a routine, Every day, I would walk twice around the perimeter of the entire island - once at dawn and again at dusk. While I walked, I would try to meditate, but usually I ended up arguing with myself, or ruminating over my life's many failures as I fell apart into tears. As for the rest of the day, I believe I slept a lot. I was awfully depressed. I hadn't brought any books with me to disappear into. I didn't swim: I didn't sunbathe; I barely ate. I just executed my two walks a day, and the rest of the time I hid in my hut and wished the sadness out of me.

There were a few other tourists on the island, but they were all romantic couples and they mostly ignored me - I was a skinny, hollow-eyed, solo woman who talked to herself and gave off a freaky vibe. The local fishermen also looked right through me whenever I walked by. Maybe I actually was vanishing from the material world. I certainly felt that way. But there was one woman who saw me - and that changed everything. She was a local fisherman's wife, and she lived in a tiny shack on the other side of the island. Like all the locals, she was Muslim. She dressed modestly, with a head scarf. She seemed to be in her mid-thirties, though she had spent a lifetime in the sun so her age was hard to determine. She had a chubby little toddler who was always crawling about and playing at her feet.

The first morning I walked by her house, the woman looked up from her work in her scrubby subsistence garden and smiled at me. I smiled back, as best I could manage. After that, she always seemed to be standing outside her house when I passed - once at dawn and again at dusk. After a while, it seemed like she was waiting for me to come by. She was my only point of human contact in the world, and her mere recognition of my existence made me feel slightly less lonely. Once, I glanced back at her, and I saw that she was still looking after me, her hand shading her eyes. She was keeping an eye on me, is what it felt like.

On my eighth night on the island, I got terribly sick. It could have been food poisoning, or contaminated drinking water - or maybe it was just that I had finally reached the bottom of my grief and everything bad was coming out of me at last. I was shaking and feverish, vomiting and scared. It was terrifying to be so isolated and so ill. Also, the generators weren't working that night; there was no light. I remember crawling toward the bathroom in the darkness for the tenth time and wondering, 'Why did I come here, so far away from anyone who cares about me?'

I stayed in bed all the next day, shaking and sweating and dehydrated. I had a dreadful thought that I might die on this island all alone, and that my mother would never know what happened to me. That evening, after sundown, there was a knock on the door. On trembling legs, I walked and opened it. It was the woman from the other side of the island - the fisherman's wife. She din't speak English, and I don't speak Bahasa, but it was clear that she was checking on me and that she was worried. When she saw my condition, she looked even more worried. She put up a finger, like: Wait. Less than an hour later, she was back. She brought me a plate of rice, some chopped-up herbs, and a jug of fresh water. She came into the shack and sat on the side of my bed while I ate every bite of this healing food. I started crying. She put her arm around me, and I folded myself into her as if she were my own mother - even though we were almost the same age. She stayed with me for about an hour, until I was composed. She didn't say a word: she just sat with me, arms around me, as if to say: I see you. You exist. I will stay with you. I will make sure you are safe.

Only after she had departed did I have the clarity to piece together what must have happened. This stranger had come to find me because she'd noticed that I had missed both my morning and my evening walks, and she could clearly see: something is not right with this one. And because this was her island - her territory - and because she knew I was alone, she took it upon herself to look after me. She, who had so little to share, made me her responsibility and took the risk of reaching out.

The distance I had traveled may have been vast (10,000 miles from home), but the distance she traveled was vaster (all the way across the island, to knock on a stranger's door) and the kindness of her actions opened my heart to awe and amazement. And that's when I realized that my entire impulse had been dead wrong. I needed the exact opposite of isolation; I needed connection. This stranger had seen my need, and she had offered fellowship."

We are the light of the world. A light that transcends language, nationality, race, class. A light that speaks to all who belong to the human race. A light which was placed within us when we left our heavenly home. May we remember to keep it burning as we traverse the shores of mortality in hopes of saving a drowning soul.

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From his lighthouse ever more,

But to us he gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother,

Some poor sailor, tempest tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor,

In the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning,

Send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save.

- Philip Paul Bliss

BE YE SEPARATE

"Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, 

did cry much unto the Lord my God,

because of the anger of my brethren. 

But behold, their anger did increase against me, 

insomuch that they did seek to take away my life.

And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, 

that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness,

and all those who would go with me" (2 Nephi 5:1,2,5)

There are times when it is necessary to physically flee from evil, such as with Nephi and his followers who were told by God to separate themselves from that part of the family who chose not to believe in the warnings and the revelations of God. It must have deeply wounded Nephi's heart to have to guard against his own brothers who sought to take away his life but as always, Nephi obeyed the Lord in his instructions and removed himself and those who wanted to follow God (2 Nephi 5:6) from those who sought their destruction.

This separation was not only expedient for Nephi's temporal welfare but also for the spiritual welfare of his followers. Nephi records that because of their unwillingness to hearken to God's words, his brothers and their families were cursed by being cut off from God's presence (2 Nephi 5:20). As a sign of that cursing and to limit the spreading of more wickedness, the Lord caused "a skin of blackness to come upon them" (2 Nephi 5:21). Alma explained that the darkness of their skin was for the purpose of preserving the Lord's people, that in not mixing with the Lamanites, they would not 'believe in incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction' (Alma 3:7,8).

Like Nephites of old, there comes a time in our lives also when it becomes necessary for us to separate ourselves from certain people who would potentially become the cause of our destruction. In our politically correct world, we are constantly encouraged to accept and mix with people of all persuasions, beliefs and lifestyles and it is often done under the guise of 'love'. In our willingness to comply with this edict we sometimes confuse the world's admonition for acceptance of people of all walks of life with the Lord's commandment to love one another. This erroneously leads us to become involved with people who live lives in direct violation of God's commandments. The danger that lies in this involvement is that the seeds of their beliefs and behaviour eventually gets sown into our own belief system and dilutes the strength of our commitment to follow Christ and His teachings. From there it can become a slippery slide as we start to put ourselves in places we should not be in and in which it becomes easy to behave in similar fashion to our non-Christian friends. I concede the difficulty exists for many families who are caught in the predicament where some children choose to follow paths that are not in accordance with the Church and its' laws. In my opinion, the emphasis there should always be on the parents' and siblings' love for them rather than acceptance of their lifestyle. The world would have us believe in the correctness of 'support' of ones' children no matter what their choices are but this is clearly not compatible with the teachings of the gospel. As followers of Jesus Christ we are commanded to uphold His teachings and none else.

Often times we come to believe that we should keep company with those not of our religious persuasion for purposes of converting them to the truth or helping them overcome their worldly ways and addictions. In those instances, we need to make sure that we ourselves are strong enough for such a path and that the person we are trying to help is serious about change. If we innocently put ourselves in places where the Holy Ghost would not keep us company, we go unprotected against the powers of darkness which seek to destroy us. It is in these mists of darkness that Satan has power to lead us by the neck with a flaxen cord until he binds us with his strong cords forever (2 Nephi 26:22). Notice how the leading away from righteousness starts with one cord but the further you are led away the cords magnify until they become a strong rope that cannot be broken, ever. For this reason Alma wisely admonishes us: 'come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things' (Alma 5:57). The more we touch, the more contaminated we become until worldly things become a part of us and we can no longer separate ourselves from them.

On a lesser scale, we should also be aware of those people around us who drain our spiritual and emotional energy by their constant negativity, criticizing, complaining and lack of faith. Sometimes it becomes necessary, after all you can do, to distance yourself from such friends for the sake of your own mental health. I was a participant of such an experience once when I was going through a period of diminished faith. The friend I was being a drain on let me know very diplomatically that she could not bear my melt downs along with her own challenges. This was the greatest thing that she could have done for me because not only did it make me assess the strength of my faith but it helped me see the importance of uplifting and nurturing others instead of being a burden to them. It also made me see that I was not being true to my convictions and the knowledge I possessed about the character of God. In other words I was not being true to myself, to who I professed to be and to my testimony. If the person you are seeking to correct is not blinded by pride and ego, they will take your correction on board and use it to their advantage. If not, they will depart from you. It is important for all of us to know that nobody wants to be with someone who is high maintenance. There is a difference between needing temporary support through trials and being an ongoing concern. In all situations though it is important to have resilience and a trust in God who is our true deliverer from predicaments.

"And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,

they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit;

and they cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,

Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou,

bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come. 

And when Peter was come down out of the ship,

he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid;

and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me."

(Matthew 14:26-30)

Peter walked on the stormy sea with eagerness towards the Saviour until he directed his gaze elsewhere. The minute he did so, he could see the wind whipping up the waves around him and he lost his focus. If he had kept looking at the Saviour he would not have begun to sink. Lucky for Peter he cried out immediately and he was rescued forthwith. So it is with us. We must focus on the Saviour at all times and if we so much as begin to sink we need to cry out 'Lord save me' but if we wait until we sink to the bottom the Saviour will no longer be within our view and we will not have sufficient faith to cry out for help. The Lord can rescue us from the deepest ocean and the deepest sea but He can become lost from our sight forever if our vision is obscured by the watery depths. At that point we run the risk of becoming lost. May we stay on the surface of life's stormy seas keeping the Saviour always within our sight. We, the children of the covenant, do not belong in the depths of the sea, drowning in the ways of the world. May we separate ourselves from its' ways never losing sight of our divine destiny.

"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell

combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock,

they cannot prevail.

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

(D&C 6:34,36)

TO COMFORT THE COMFORTLESS

"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee........I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.....I pray for them......that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17)

As Jesus neared the dreaded hour when he would face His suffering in Gethsemane, where alone, forsaken, 'and without the pomp of crowds, he would win an infinite victory far greater than any defeat of Rome' (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles p 165), he turned his attention to those whom He loved. Even though He faced the certainty of His own exquisite suffering, He sought to offer comfort to His devoted apostles and to prepare them not only for the dismal hours ahead but their own fate. That fate, though not remotely comparable to that of His own, the Saviour painted a bleak picture indeed for them whom the Father had given Him to carry on the work He had begun. Jesus warned the Apostles they will be put out of the synagogues (John 16:2) , meaning they would be excommunicated and persecuted; that whosoever killed them would think they were doing God a service (John 16:2); that they shall weep, lament and sorrow (John 16:20, 32); and they shall be scattered and have tribulation (John 16:32, 33). All these predicted and foretold tribulations the Apostles bore with dignity and faith. They were faithful to their divinely appointed callings even though they were often rejected, frequently imprisoned and even stoned and killed. 'They taught and testified and suffered and presided and waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise that they would see Him again and that He would give unto them eternal life.' (Ted Gibbons, NT Lesson 24, This Is Life Eternal)

With what heavy heart the Saviour must have told them what they should expect once the earthly Kingdom He established was left in their hands. How He must have agonised knowing of their suffering for His sake, so much so that He prayed for them, interceding and pleading with the Father on their behalf, nevertheless, knowing that they could endure all things because they would not be alone. The Saviour promised them He would not leave them comfortless, that He would come to them (John 14:18) through the Comforter that the Father would send them in His name: the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who shall teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all that He had said to them (John 14:26) . And so it was that on the Day of the Pentecost, this promise was fulfilled and the Holy Ghost found his abode with the members of the Church in the meridian of times; the power of the Holy Ghost being operative during the Saviour's ministry, but the gift of the Holy Ghost withheld until after the Saviour's resurrection (Bible Dictionary p 704): "While Jesus ministered among men, the gift [of the Holy Ghost] itself was temporarily withheld; one member of the Godhead dwelling with mortals sufficed. During that period, however, the Holy Ghost frequently spoke to righteous persons, as he did to Peter in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi. Just a few hours before Jesus went to Gethsemane and from there to the cross He told His disciples: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7.) This promise -- that the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit would be available -- was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.280 - p.281).

When the Saviour offered the Intercessory Prayer, He did not only pray for His apostles but for all those who would believe in Him through their word (John 17:20). This means us. It also means that all the promises the Saviour made to His apostles, He also made to us. Not wanting to leave us comfortless Jesus made the staggering promise that the obedient would not only receive the comfort of the Holy Ghost but that of Himself as well (John 14:18-24). In addition to the two Comforters, we can also qualify to bask in the presence of God the Father from time to time and converse with Him face to face as one friend converses with another ( See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp 150-151).

"These statements about the two Comforters climax and crown the teachings of the Son of God. We have no record of anything he ever said which can so completely withdraw the curtain of eternity and open to the faithful a vision of the glories of God. Based on love, born of obedience, Jesus promises the saints that they can have, here and now in this life, the following:

1. The gift and constant companionship of the Holy Ghost; the comfort and peace which it is the function of that Holy Spirit to bestow; the revelation and the sanctifying power which alone will prepare men for the companionship of gods and angels hereafter;

2. Personal visitations from the Second Comforter, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the resurrected and perfected being who dwells with his Father in the mansions on high; and

3. God the Father shall visit man in person, take up his abode with him, as it were, and reveal to him all the hidden mysteries of his kingdom.

(McConkie, DNTC, 1:735, The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, p 166)"

We live in a fallen world, a world where sin, wickedness and tribulation abounds; a world that has gone crazy with wanton indulgence and crime; a world where people's hearts are failing them; a world filled with terror, wars, natural disasters and frustrated efforts of mankind to avert them. Despite all this madness, Jesus has promised we can have peace amidst this turbulence: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)". After his death, the Prophet Joseph Smith appeared to Brigham Young and instructed him as follows: "Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord, they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in great confusion. (Journal History, 23 February 1847)"

If we will but be obedient and come out of the world, the Lord's promise of peace is sure. If we will make ourselves worthy, the greatest gift to humanity second only to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Truth, will lead us in paths of security and peace. It will bring comfort to our troubled souls and whisper secrets of eternity to bring us to a remembrance of things past and foster in us a longing to return there. We are not so far from home because those who have sent us here carry us in their hearts forever.

 The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

He will not, he cannot, desert to his foes.

That soul, though all hell shall endeavour to shake,

He'll never, no never, no never forsake!

("How Firm a Foundation", Hymns, 66)

THE HEIGHTS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Beside the city of Capernaum there is a mount where Jesus delivered the lengthiest discourse recorded in the entire Bible and which covers chapters 5-7 of Matthew. As great multitudes of people followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and even beyond Jordan, Jesus ascended the mount leaving the ease of valley travel and leaving behind those who followed Him for cures only, ensuring that only the most loyal of his disciples would follow. And so it came to be that, contrary to popular belief, Jesus did not deliver his most famous sermon to multitudes but only to his disciples (Matthew 5:1) who were no doubt already baptised and had taken upon themselves His name .Taking the disciples to the heights of the mount symbolised higher expectations and committment of the truly converted.  Those who made the upward journey were willing and prepared to live the higher law leading to exaltation.

The Beatitudes which constitute the Sermon on the Mount have been referred to by Bible commentators as 'the preparation necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven' (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Student Manual, p 60). They embody the constitution for a perfect life and become steps of perfection that enable us to obey the two great commandments, to love God and to love our fellowman. Obedience to the first four Beatitudes lead us to the love of God: the poor in spirit who recognise their dependence on God for all they have and all they are, are led to thirst and hunger after righteousness and to mourn for their sins which leads them to repentence and acceptance of the need to enter the waters of baptism, being the gateway to His kingdom. The Beatitudes which include the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the merciful and those which are persecuted are those which are learning to love their fellowman. (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, Student Manual, p. 60-61)

Whilst on the Mount, the Saviour assured his disciples that He did not come to 'destroy the law or the prophets but only to fulfill' (Mat 5:17). Immediately following this statement He elaborated by adding antitheses to six laws, each beginning with the statement "Ye have heard it said". It was clear by these antitheses which reflected various codes of conduct found in the Law of Moses, that the Lord intended His listeners to live these laws at a higher level (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,).  It is by no coincidence that the Saviour delivered the admonition to live at a higher level on a mountain. The Mosaic law given to Israel was delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai where the Lord told Moses he wanted Israel to serve Him. It was to this mountain that the Lord invited all Israel to come and commune with Him and to become 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation' (Exodus 19:5-6). Israel, however, refused to be sanctified and to receive the higher priesthood which would lead them to exaltation. Ancient societies believed their gods lived in mountains. When temples were built to house deity, they were considered to be 'mountains'. If possible they were built on mountains or high places and if not, the structure of the building was designed to represent a mountain (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,)

The Saviour delivered the higher law on the heights of a mountain symbolising the higher way of living through covenants we make in the temple, the covenants which lead to exaltation and the heights of godhood. The proof of this intent can be found in the fact that He delivered this significant sermon to the Nephites in the Bountiful Temple (3 Nephi 11:1). Immediately following the sermon He issued an invitation and a challenge to the Nephites 'to be the salt of the earth' (3 Nephi 12:13). Why salt? Because salt symbolises indestructibility. Salt was used anciently in a variety of sacrifices of the Mosaic Law (Lev 2:13). "The Lord also referred to a series of obligations as a 'covenant of salt' to demonstrate the eternal nature of the covenant that had just been made between Him and Israel (Num 18:19, 2 Chron 13:5). With this understanding in mind, the invitation to become the salt of the earth was a challenge to enter into the higher law of the gospel with an everlasting covenant. This is stated clearly in modern revelation: 'When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men' (D&C 101:39)  (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,). As a preservative, salt was also used in the Mosaic sacrificial ritual as a reminder that we should remember and preserve our covenants with God (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).


True disciples of Christ belong on the mountain and not in the valley. They are meant for better and higher things than this world can offer. The heights of discipleship can lead them to eternal life and exaltation that only the Master can give. He is the light, the truth and the way. For us who have been baptised and taken upon ourselves His name, the road is simple and straight and there are no obstacles there, save the ones we place ourselves. And even then He has prepared the way . He will fill in the holes, patch up the cracks, smooth out the way, over and over and over again. We are meant to live on the mountain, far above the cares of this world. To reach higher, to look upward, to be a light to the world. We are the salt of the earth bound by the temple covenants to be His. He calls us to the mountain just like Israel of old, the mountain where He can bless us with the highest of blessings matching the heights of our discipleship. Leaving the world behind, we are admonished to think, feel and act like truly converted disciples of Christ. Only then can we become crowned with blessings of eternal life which He so anxiously awaits to give us.

THE SACRIFICE OF ALL THINGS

At the onset of the Saviour's ministry Jesus began to recruit his disciples who were converted by the ministry of John and were ready to follow the Master and learn from Him in order that they might begin to build Christ's church. As he journeyed through Galilee preaching, the Saviour came to the lake of Gennesaret where he found two empty ships that belonged to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. The ships were empty as the two brothers were washing the nets following a fruitless night of fishing. The Saviour entered Simon's ship that he might preach to the crowds that were gathered on the shore. When he had finished speaking He told Simon to launch out into the deep and let down his nets once more. Simon reminded Him that they had been out fishing all night and had caught nothing but at His will, he would let the nets down one more time. Of course when the nets were pulled up, they were brimming with fish. Obviously, the Saviour made this happen to teach Simon and Andrew that He would make them fishers of men if they would leave everything and follow Him. The brothers did just that and the rest is history. One cannot help but wonder if there was an element of sacrifice in the call issued by the Saviour to these men. At this stage they were not even called to be apostles but only disciples. The element of sacrifice lay in the timing of the Saviour's call which was not issued when the nets were empty but when the nets were full. If He had invited them to follow Him before the biggest haul of their careers they might have chosen to follow Him because there was nothing much keeping them back. The call, however, was issued when the nets were brimming with fish and the fishermen stood to make a lot of money. How difficult it must have been for Simon and Andrew to leave those nets on the shore bulging and to walk away abandoning their all. 

Later when the brothers were called to the apostleship with the rest of the Twelve, the Saviour commissioned them to go and preach the Gospel to the whole world, He told them He was sending them 'forth as sheep in the midst of wolves' (Matthew 10:16), that they will be delivered up to the councils and be scourged in synagogues (vs 17) and that they shall be hated of all men for His name's sake (v 22).  What would have gone through the brothers' minds as they heard this bleak pronouncement? Might they not have cast their minds back on the fish they abandoned on the shores of Gaililee? The Saviour in return had promised them salvation (v 22) but this salvation born out of their sacrifice would blossom into eternal life. 

Contrast this successful story of sacrifice with another not so successful one. Just prior to preaching in Galilee and following his communion with God in the desert, the Saviour came to Nazareth and attended the local synagogue on the sabbath day. The scripture that He chose to read to the congregation would open the way for Him to proclaim himself as the Messiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18,19). This scripture has a strong reference to the Year of Jubilee, being the meaning of the 'acceptable year of the Lord'. This was a year appointed by Moses for ancient Israel to observe every 50 years (Lev 25:10), a year of significant sacrifice for those who were not 'poor' for during this whole year all debts were to be cancelled, all property reverted back to its original owners and all prisoners and slaves were freed. Observance of the Jubilee Year was to keep all Israel in remembrance of the Messiah who would come to set them at liberty spiritually. By the time the Saviour made His appearance in mortality, however, Israel had long ago abandoned observation of the Jubilee Year but they understood its' meaning. As the Saviour finished reading this scripture, He sat down and said: "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" (Luke 4:21).  Not only was He is claiming He was the Messiah but He was drawing their attention to the year of significant sacrifice which they were no longer observing for obviously this is not the way to do business, to pardon all debts and to give all property back to their original owners and to free the slaves. What an inconvenient Messiah He was. No wonder they could not accept his spiritual deliverance when they couldn't observe the law of the physical one.

Joseph Smith once said that "a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation". Perhaps no one would qualify better than Joseph Smith to issue such a statement for he truly had sacrificed all things during his mortal probation; his time, family, reputation, freedom, even his life. Joseph Smith also said that the sacrifice of all things was necessary in this dispensation so that the ancients will have nothing to laud over us. In other words, our sacrifices in this day have to equal the ones made by saints of old or they will outstrip us when it comes to qualifying for the kingdom at the judgment bar of God. No doubt Joseph was thinking of outstanding examples such as Abraham, Lehi, Joseph, Peter, Paul and many others who had sacrificed so much for the cause of truth. Certainly Joseph, emulating their examples, and the early saints of this dispensation, gave their all for the purpose of building up Christ's kingdom on earth once more.

The law of sacrifice is the very first covenant we make in the temple. It goes hand in hand with the law of consecration for it asks us to consecrate our time, talents and money for the building up of the kingdom of God and for the establishment of Zion. Because we live in such affluence compared to the early saints, very often we interpret this covenant to mean we have to pay tithing and fulfill our callings. We tend to think only of the 'building up of the kingdom' and neglect to focus on 'the establishment of Zion'. It is comparatively easy to donate money for the building of chapels and temples compared to the not so obvious establishment of Zion for Zion is more than a place, it is a state of the heart. I don't know that we will ever be asked to walk away from our houses and our fine furnishings and life long achievements but I do know that we are asked to consecrate our hearts to the  Kingdom of God, being the Church. And what is the Church? The Church is us. To many of us this will be far fetched for the sacrifice of the heart means giving up judging, criticizing, back biting, resentment, jelousy and envy. It means rejoicing in each other's achievements, coming to the aid of the impoverished, wishing for our neighbour that what we want for ourselves, loving the less loveable, forgiving those who sin against us. It means a selfless existence denying worldly desires, our pride, our self importance and self focus. We live in a 'feel good' world where everybody is out to get for themselves what they can. The Roman Empire fell because they neglected their poor. We too can fall if we do not look after each other. We must be bound in love and duty for without it we cannot build Zion. We must do this because we cannot become like Christ if we don't. We must do this because we must prepare to be lifted up when He comes in all His glory to gather us home for if we don't we will not be found worthy to stand. And stand we must if we are called the saints of God.

LIVING WATER

When Christ encountered the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well He told her that He can give her water far superior to the one she was constantly drawing to assuage the thirst of her household. (John 4:5-15).  The water he said he could give her was living water 'springing up into everlasting life' (John 4:14) as opposed to water that satisfies the body which is destined to die, thus making the well water 'dead water' with a used by date.

In performing its main object of springing up into everlasting life, the living water also heals here and now.  It heals the broken hearted, spiritual wounds caused by sin, emotional and physical suffering and defects of the mind.  Just before the Saviour returns, the scriptures inform us, "a new spring will appear at the temple in Jerusalem and its waters will flow eastward to the Dead Sea which will be healed of its dead and stagnant condition. The Dead Sea, or any other body of water which is stagnant, is so because of two reasons.  First, it has little or no inflow; and second, it has little or no outflow.  In its stagnant condition it becomes lifeless water.  Since it is not renewed with fresh water, it cannot in turn pass living water onto other streams and bodies of water, nor can it support life within itself". (Larry Keeler, Living Water or Dead Sea) The spring which will appear at the temple in Jerusalem is symbolic of Christ's power to heal anything that is dead, either spiritually or physically.

When I reflect on the incident at Jacob's well, I feel it is important to understand why the person Christ chose to tell of the living water was this particular woman. His solemn invitation to her, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink", was a plain and open claim of Messiahship. In making this claim he identified himself as the very Jehovah who had promised drink to the thirsty through an outpouring of the Spirit (McConkie, DNTC, 1:445-46). This is a pretty serious declaration to make since it either meant that he was a blasphemer worthy of death or he was in fact the God of Israel. What is more astonishing is the fact that He made this declaration to a Samaritan woman rather than a person of authority. Surely the latter would have carried much more weight and bring His claim to more prominence. However, as the Saviour proved with subsequent declarations, those in authority were not meek of heart who were willing to accept His claim. In my mind Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman was not by chance. When all of Jewry chose to travel an indirect and longer route from Judea to Galilee rather than go through Samaria, Jesus chose to travel the direct route and sat himself down at Jacob's well at noon having sent his disciples to procure provisions. There are two facts worthy of notice here:

1. Samaritans were an impure race, remnants of the 10 tribes who had intermarried with Assyrians and other foreigners and even though they boasted that Jacob was their father, the Jews denied this vehemently and considered them 'more unclean than a Gentile of any other nationality' (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 172). Because of this disdain Samaritans rejected the prophetic writings now known as the Old Testament. The ill-feeling between Jews and Samaritans had been growing for centuries, and at the time of the Saviour's ministry, the feeling between the two parties had grown to intense hatred. It goes without saying that a Jew would not be caught dead speaking to a Samaritan.
2. The Saviour knew well the woman who came to draw water from the well. He knew that she had had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. This was a fallen woman who chose to come to the well in the heat of the day rather than the cool of the morning when it was the custom for women to gather and enjoy social interaction. The timing of her visit to the well emphasized her despised and outcast position. In general Jewish men didn't speak to Jewish women much in public, especially not to ones of ill repute. For a Jewish man to speak to a Samaritan woman in public would have been unheard of. And here is Christ, the Messiah, speaking to a fallen, Samaritan, woman.  It is obvious that he was not politically correct on three counts.

Through Jesus's encounter with her, the Samaritan woman became the symbol of the downtrodden and the lowliest of us who can qualify for eternal life. The Saviour came to heal the sick and bind the broken hearted. He did not minister to those who were well and rejected Him in the pride of their hearts. This is why He mixed with the publicans and the sinners. How else could he have demonstrated that His living water could heal us and give us eternal life? When I think of the Samaritan woman and consider His important message, I also see through my 21st century view the Saviour sending a message to the women of our day, a message of healing and hope. A great number of women today feel fragmented and damaged  having been divorced, widowed, abandoned or simply ignored by the opposite sex. Among the damaged are women who have been embroiled in sin, abused and enslaved in oppression. Perhaps they are all depicted in this Samaritan woman. No doubt having had five husbands came at a price. We who live in this modern world where so much suffering abounds feel the oppression of sin, affliction, hardship and temptation. Some of us are barely keeping our heads above the water and some of us are scraping up sludge of dry wells.

In all our suffering and stumbling in the dark we tend to turn to the ways of the world to fill us. Sometimes we get so blinded by the glare of this world that we dive headlong into Jacob's well eager to assuage our thirst with that which does not satisfy, benefit or fulfill us. We seek for the corruptible things of this earth that have no lasting power to fill our cracks, heal our sorrows and make up for our lack. We think that this dismal telestial world has treasures to offer us that will somehow make us whole. The truth is that the lustre of this world can only be seen during the day. When the night falls, the emptiness is still there, the pain exposed, the suffering unbearable.

Drawing water from a well used to be a thankless and miserable daily burden designated to women. Water is heavy, hard to pull out of a well and carry home, much like the cares of this world. The water the Samaritan woman drew out of the well was dead heavy water of this earth representing the burdens of this world. If you would but drink from the fountain of living water you would not thirst anymore for you would be filled with that which matters most, that which is lasting, that which will speak peace to the deepest recesses of your soul. Then the suffering will be bearable and even conquerable. Then the lack will not matter and the cracks will diminish and fade. Then you can look forward to the living water within you springing up into everlasting life. Then you can be filled with hope and happiness believing Him who has said, "....eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). He can give all this to you. Be filled and thirst no more.

"Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonder of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever!" (D&C 128:23)

HE WHO HAS PAVED THE WAY

The Inspired Version of the Bible records that at the onset of His mortal ministry and following His baptism, Jesus was 'led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to be with God': "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, and had communed with God, he was afterwards an hungered and was left to be tempted of the devil" (Matthew 4:1,2, Inspired Version, italics added). In the King James Version of the Bible, it is recorded that he was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Bruce R. McConkie makes it clear that this was not the case: "Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation. He went 'to be with God'. Probably he was visited by the Father, without question he received transcendent spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he 'had communed with God', 'after forty days.' (McConkie, DNTC, 1:128; see also Mosiah 3:7). The King James Version in Matthew 4 continues to record that Jesus was taken by the devil here and there to be tempted of him. The Inspired Version constantly corrects this in the footnotes stating that the Spirit took Jesus and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple and an exceedingly high mountain to show him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. This is an extremely important point we need to take notice of. If we did not have the Inspired Version we would be convinced by the erroneous account of the King James Version that the devil had the upper hand with Jesus and that he has the upper hand with us. This is simply not true. The devil has no upper hand in anything. He is simply an upstart and an outcast. He has no power over the children of men except what they give him. He cannot take away anyone's agency or make anyone do his bidding and he most certainly cannot take us anywhere. His only dominion lies in temptation. That is the extent of his power.

I heard an evangelist say on TV recently that the adversary has no power on his best day to take us out on our worst day. This is a sobering thought considering he is so well practiced and considering how well he knows us from pre-existence and from observation. Unknowingly we have taught him where our worst weaknesses lay by our repeated misuse of agency. He knows the traps, the pitfalls, human foibles and all weaknesses. So how can we be more powerful than him? Because of two things:

1. We have a body. This is our biggest advantage. We have kept our first estate and now we are on the second leg of our eternal journey. We stand to gain eternal life. He has already lost that chance. He stands to gain nothing for when all this is over he will be nothing. Isaiah said this of him: "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake the kingdoms?" (Isaiah 14:15,16). In the end Satan will be stripped of the limited power he now has and his reign of horror on this earth will be over. For now he is considered 'the god of this world' but he will once again be just an outcast. 
2. We have once before chosen the God of Glory over Lucifer. We have the power to continue to choose Him who delivers us from the sting of sin and death and offers us ultimate freedom. When God revealed Himself to Moses, Moses beheld His glory and was taught of his divine origin as God repeatedly called him, 'Moses, my son'. When God withdrew, the devil appeared on the scene and wanted to be worshipped also. True to his character, he sought to make Moses believe he was lesser than he was by calling him 'son of man' (Moses 1:12). Satan knew that if Moses believed he was the son of God, he would also believe that he had God's power at his fingertips and could therefore resist him. Moses was not to be confused, however, and he pointed out to Satan that he had no glory, only darkness, and therefore he had no power over him (1 Moses:15) and by his conviction he was able to cast him out of his presence. When Jesus resisted the three temptations of the devil He proved to those who follow Him that all power to overcome lay within Him. We as his followers and disciples, through our faith on Him and by the virtue of our agency, have access to this power to overcome and conquer the enemy of all righteousness.

It was after the Saviour had made his covenants with the Father through baptism that Satan came to tempt Him. So it is with us. Often when we are baptised into the Church, we think we are safe and have 'arrived'. Nothing could be further from the truth. The adversary will work on us, the covenant people, more than he will work on those who have not made sacred promises to God. More often than not his temptations will come in three ways that he tempted the Saviour with: 1. a temptation of the appetite; 2. a yielding to the pride and fashion and vanity of those alienated from the things of God; 3. a gratifying of the passion, or a desire for the riches of the world or power among men (David O. McKay in CR, Oct 1911, p. 59). We who are his targets need to be vigilant at all times to recognise the subtle slide into sin that he constantly lays before us. Why? Because by it we stand to lose a lot. Here is a clear explanation of this fact:

"Repentance is, frankly, just plain smart, because sin makes you stupid. Stupid because you are deaf, dumb and blind to the ways of the Lord. Stupid because habitual sin drives the Spirit away, leaving you outside the protective influence of the Holy Ghost. Stupid because it makes you incapable of drawing upon the powers of heaven. Being stupid costs a lot. Sin costs a lot too. It can cost time, money, peace of mind, progress, self-respect, your integrity and virtue, your family, the trust of those you love, and even your Church membership. Sin is just plain stupid. And the cost is off the charts. So repent now. Repent daily. If you want to be sanctified, repentance is not optional" (Sheri L. Dew, You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory, BYU Speeches, December 2003)

We are powerful beyond our capacity to understand. This power is shown in the moments of our choices. The power within us comes from God. It is His gift to all those who commit to follow Him. We cannot afford to give this power away for it has the potential to crown us with eternal life and endless glory. We want this, we have always wanted this. We are His children who are destined to wear the crowns of godhood. He has paved the way and by it made us powerful enough to conquer and overcome through His sinless sacrifice. The path is straight, the road smooth, the journey easy if we walk it following the footsteps before us. The Atonement is the key and it can make us brilliant and holy and glorious beyond anything we can ever imagine (Cathryne Allen, How to Use the Power of the Atonement, November Blog 2013). Use it, call upon it and trust in it. The reward is yours and it is waiting.

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."  (Moroni 7:33)

FOR THIS PURPOSE

When President Joseph F. Smith received the revelation regarding the spirit world in 1918 it was concluded by his vision of spirits who were reserved to come forth in the 'fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work'. These he stated 'received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men' (D&C 138:55-57). The Prophet Joseph Smith affirmed this truth with the following statement: "Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabits of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was (TPJS, p 365).  Whenever I look at people throughout history who have accomplished something great I am convinced they were chosen for that particular task in pre-mortal life. We of the last dispensation are fortunate enough to have history yield worthy examples for us to follow. We learnt of one such example in Sunday School this past Sunday. Her name was Mary and she was a young girl living in Nazareth.

I cannot imagine with what trepidation a young girl like Mary received angel Gabriel's announcement of her life's purpose, to be the mother of the Son of God. Scripture tells us that when Gabriel finished his announcement, she quickly reminded him that she was a virtuous young lady and that she was without the perimeter of intimacy with any man. Gabriel then proceeded to explain how the baby would be conceived and perceiving the alarm that must have arisen within Mary he quickly told her about her cousin Elizabeth who also was recipient of a miraculous conception. What comfort that would have been to such a young girl who had to explain to others of her condition with fear that she would not be believed. But there was another, her cousin Elizabeth, who had conceived by a miracle so this too was possible. Elizabeth, who languished for years in 'the waiting room' with her husband Zacharias, longing for a child, must have at times wondered what her purpose on earth was for she was being denied the role all women were appointed to before this world began. As years passed and motherhood eluded her she must have felt worthless and forsaken somehow not knowing the important role she was to play, that of being a mother to the forerunner of the long awaited Messiah. Elizabeth's role of giving birth to and raising John the Baptist was not her only purpose. Her other purpose was to be a witness of God's miraculous power. Gabriel attested to this when he referred to Elizabeth by saying: "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37).  Another woman who served the same purpose was Sarah.

Sarah too languished in 'the waiting room' until it seemed that the promise of an heir could not be fulfilled. Imagine waiting for a promised child for 37 years and arriving to the day when you could plainly see that the time was past. What thoughts would run through your mind? Would you wonder if you had done something wrong and displeased the Lord? Sarah was infertile to begin with and well past the child bearing age when she conceived Isaac. Why such a long wait?  Why not give Sarah a son when she could have conceived normally, without divine intervention? Among other explanations that might come to mind,  Church Father Ambrose offered the most plausible one:  "An aged woman who was sterile brought (Isaac) to birth according to God's promise, so that we may believe that God has power to bring it about that even a virgin may give birth". (Didymus the Blind, On Genesis 2:41, in Oden, Ancient Christian Commentary, 2:45). I wonder where it would have left Mary if Elizabeth and Sarah had not served their purpose in being witnesses of God's miraculous power for they surely prepared the way and ministered to the inhabitants of the earth by the roles that they fulfilled as mothers of notable men. And what of Joseph, Zacharias and Abraham? What amazing men they must have been to be chosen to be protectors and providers of these amazing women who had been given such important missions. Joseph must have been a good man because he wanted to break off his engagement to Mary privately not wishing her to be exposed to public scorn (Matthew 1:19). Then when he was given instruction regarding her, he obeyed and fulfilled his task of being Mary's husband and her child's protector and guardian.

How would you feel knowing you are one of the great spirits chosen to come to earth to do a specific job and one of great importance and magnitude?  Would you feel important?  Would you understand the gravity of your responsibility and live up to it every day?  How would you feel if you knew you were responsible for salvation of the souls of men? Would it influence you to live a better life? All three women mentioned above fulfilled their life's purpose because of their steadfastness and obedience. Elizabeth and Zacharias were a temple going people, 'righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless' (Luke 1:6). Gabriel told Mary she was highly favoured of the Lord and blessed among women (Luke 1:28). She would not have received such a salutation had she not been as virtuous as she was. In fact she would not have had any salutation or visitation from an angel at all! Sarah, in her desperation to fulfill the law and her duty as an honourable wife, complied with the law of her day and gave her husband another wife so he would have offspring. What heaviness of heart must have been hers as she did so.

One cannot help but wonder if the course of history would flow as smooth if the noble and valiant failed to carry out the missions they brought with them. One thing I am sure of is that the Lord had chosen those valiant enough who He knew would not let Him down. His choice to reserve the strongest of us for the last dispensation of time must have been made with amazing foresight. The Saviour would have foreseen our day for all things are continually before him (D&C 130:7). Moroni stood as witness of our day when in his solitude he said: "Behold, I speak unto you as if you were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." (Mormon 8:35). The Saviour knew our day also and He knew who would oppose and withstand the forces of evil that threaten to destroy His works. We, the possessors of truth, have been called out of the world to build, pave and prepare the path for mighty events of history that are yet to happen. We cannot fail in this. The Church needs us, the Saviour needs us, the world needs us. We are the valiant ones who have kept our first estate. Now we are on the second leg of our eternal journey. It is our destiny to perform mighty works in preparation for the Second Coming and it is our destiny to go on to eternal life. The adversary will do everything he can to stop us in our tracks but we must press on. We are yet to see marvelous events unfold in the history of this earth. We will see the dawning of a glorious day if we continue to be as valiant as we were in our first estate. And what were we valiant in? In our testimony of Jesus. Our lives need to reflect this testimony so that when He appears we shall know Him for we shall be like Him (Moroni 7:48). Then when we are caught up to meet Him we will welcome Him back with tears of joy knowing we have fulfilled the purpose for which we were born and we will rejoice to have been chosen to be His faithful servants.