THE GIVERS

 

Unless I Wash You by Mindi Oaten

“Conversion means consecrating your life to caring for and serving others who need your help and sharing your gits and blessings….Every unselfish act of kindness and service increases your spirituality.

“God would use you to bless others. Your continued spiritual growth and eternal progress are very much wrapped up in your relationships – in how you treat others…… The person who does only those things in the Church that concern himself alone will never reach the goal of perfection. Service to others is what the Gospel and exalted life are all about.”  (Elder Robert J. Whetten, Strengthen Thy Brethren, in CR April 2005, p 96, Ensign May 2005, p 91)

There was a king in the Book of Mormon who lived in ancient Americas by the name of King Benjamin who delivered a powerful sermon about service to his people. The premise of his sermon has several elements:

1.      His first reasoning is simple gratitude for the life that God has granted us to live and his preservation of us from day to day (Mosiah 2:20,21,23);

2.      God asks service of us in return for the debt we owe for our lives so he can bless us (Mosiah 2:24);

3.      Through serving one another we come to know God (Mosiah 5:13);

4.      By going above and beyond to serve those we do not deem worthy, we overcome the human inclination to judge and we grow in humility recognizing that we are all beggars before God, that all we have has been granted us by Him and not our own ability (Mosiah 4:19);

5.      All that we have belongs to God, therefore none of our possessions are ours to keep hence we have an obligation to impart of our substance to the needy among us (Mosiah 4:22);

6.      We measure the state of our hearts by our willingness to serve and help others. Even when we cannot help, the desire to do so should be in our hearts. It is the desires of our hearts that will one day be judged as much as our acts (Mosiah 4:24);

7.      By giving of ourselves and our substance we break our attachment to the things of the world. All that we are attached to in this life will one day perish when we leave, nothing is ours to keep (Mosiah 4:23);

These seven elements are sound reasoning for our obligation to care for each other. But besides all these reasons, the greatest reason is this…..by serving our fellowmen, we become like the greatest servant of all. King Benjamin assured his people that if they are ‘steadfast and immovable, and always abounding in good works’, that they will be called by the ‘name of Christ’ (Mosiah 5:9). In fact he mentions the importance of this 10 times in his sermon (Mosiah 5:7-12).

Why is this important? Because it guarantees that we shall in the end be found on the right hand of God (Mosiah 5:9). To be found in such a prestigious place for eternity means that we have to become like the man whose name we bear…..the Greatest Servant of all, the Christ. We can only become like Him, if we act like Him and do the works that He did. We are nothing without His example and His power to enable us to reach such heights.

I have always thought I would be on the giving side of service. I considered the giving part ‘noble’ but the receiving part ‘weak’…..until two years ago. I have an aversion to feeling weak but God thought He would show me otherwise. Since I have been sick and have become more and more dependent on others, I have realized one thing. Service cannot be noble in any way, if there is no one to receive. And if there is no one to receive, the givers miss out on becoming like the Greatest Servant.

Now when someone helps me achieve the smallest task I cannot do myself, I cry…..when strangers at the supermarket assist me with my groceries, I cry…..when someone makes me feel good about myself despite my incapacities, I cry….I cry all the time these days, from gratitude. I cry because of the givers.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

IN REMEMBRANCE

 

Have you noticed how often ‘remembrance’ is used in the scriptures? Remembering the history of ‘the fathers’ seemed to have been an ancient method of motivating people to obedience. Nephites were often prompted to remember not only the children of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt but also of Lehi’s journey to the promised land. Both of these events are depicted in the account of King Benjamin’s farewell speech where the people ‘sat in their tents’ during the renewal of their covenants to help them remember Israelites’ living in tents for 40 years and Lehi’s 8 years of tent living in the wilderness. Remembering was anciently the key factor in covenant renewal. King Benjamin speaks of ‘remembering’ 15 times in his speech to his sons and to the people gathered to hear him (Mosiah 1:3,4,6,7,17; 2:40 twice, 41 twice; 4:11,28,30; 5:11,12; 6:3).

What stood out to me this morning, as I read about the end of King Benjamin’s life, is that prior to his death, he appointed priests to teach the people ‘that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made’  (Mosiah 6:3). The oath, of course, was the covenant which they had made ‘to take upon them the name of Christ and that they should be obedient unto the end of their lives’ (Mosiah 5:8).

When I was growing up in the Catholic community of Croatia, I was stirred into remembrance of Christ constantly as every home, including my own, had pictures of Him in every room. I am not exaggerating here. I now paste pictures of Him in my journal and my planner constantly. I have done this for years. I think I have subconsciously wanted to continue that habit of visual remembrance.

There are of course many ways we can remember the covenants we have made here, the most obvious being temple attendance and weekly sacrament. More extensive ones are: reading the scriptures daily, daily consecration during prayer, and simple gratitude in recounting your blessings and God’s goodness to you. In that vein, of late I have acquired a daily habit upon rising. My first thought is: How can I honour the Saviour today?

I pledged my life into Thy hands

When by example You showed me how;

I promised my trials to endure

When I was with You and do so even now.

 

You dried my tears when I barely coped

And carried me when I could walk no more;

You fed me truths I needed to know

And nurtured my flight into the unknown.

 

As I promised to obey,

You promised we’d never part;

I remember, I remember

And carry it all

In the shadow of my heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Lamb of God by Greg Olsen)

BY HIS NAME

 

Imagine if we had no names. Imagine if we were known only by our physical description. What a chaotic world that would be. Being known by a name keeps order in our society. Names are very significant in many cultures and naming a child upon birth is a matter worthy of thoughtful consideration. The hope is that the child will grow up to fill the stature of its given name. Both Mary and Joseph were instructed to give the Saviour the name of ‘Jesus’ (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31) which is the Greek form of the Hebrew and Aramaic name of Yeshua which means ‘the Lord is Salvation’. But this is just one of the names He is known by. I am always on the look-out for His names when I am reading the scriptures. So far I have recorded 51 but I am sure there is more.

When we are born into this world, we take upon ourselves our father’s name. When we are spiritually born through baptism, we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. We become CHRISTians. King Benjamin explained this means that we become ‘the children of Christ’. He mentions the importance of having Christ’s name 11 times in 6 verses of Mosiah 5 (V 7-12). Why is this important? Because, just as we are genetically predisposed to inherit physical and mental traits of our earthly fathers, so we, when we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, and live his teachings, inherit His spiritual qualities. In other words, we become like Him by the virtue of our newly acquired parental bond (Moroni 7:48). This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘you’re just like your father’, does it not???

King Benjamin closes his address admonishing his people to be steadfast and immovable and always abounding in good works for the greatest of all blessings depends on this: "....that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life..." (Mosiah 5:15)  The Saviour will hold us responsible for His name when we face Him at the judgment bar.  As his children, it is our duty to bring honour and glory to his name through the life that we live.  For this He will exalt us so that we can have all that He has and be all that He is. Alma spoke of being spiritually born and thereby receiving His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14).  Let us live so that this image will be recognized by all we associate with and that we will be known by His name more readily than by our own. What we do with Christ's name speaks volumes about our integrity and character. Being Christian means being like Christ and behaving as He would behave. It reminds me of that saying:  "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" 

When through the water’s gate

I was given the Saviour’s name,

His law was written in my heart

Forever there to remain.

 

I offered love, I obeyed,

I followed the paths He had me take;

I’ve endured all my trials

For His name’s sake.

 

And when in clouds of heaven He appears

And I stand in the shadow of His frame,

I want to hear the Saviour say:

I love what you have done with my name!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by Greg Olsen)

HUMILITY AMIDST GREATNESS

 

Mormon called King Benjamin 'a holy man' (Words of Mormon 1:6). It is not hard to perceive what a good and humble king he was when one reads his monumental address to his people on the temple grounds of Zarahemla. The setting of King Benjamin’s speech was the occasion of his son Mosiah's succession to the throne. This was however, a coronation with a difference. 

It was common practice anciently for a new king ascending the throne to be given as many as five names or titles by which he was distinguished among the people; to acknowledge his greatness and his achievements; and to establish him as the link between the people and the divine.  (See Scripture Central Post of October 17, 2019, KnoWhy 536). King Benjamin, however, did something extraordinary at his son's coronation. Instead of using this occasion to bring prominence to his son, he mentions Mosiah only twice. Once to announce him as the new king and once again to affirm that he will act under the direction of God for the benefit of the people (Mosiah 2:30,31).

Rather than proclaiming his son as the divine king as was expected anciently, King Benjamin solidified his people's reliance on The Heavenly King (Mosiah 2:19) by enumerating His endless goodness and honouring Him with names worthy of His station as the promised Messiah, such as: Jesus Christ, The Son of God, The Father of Heaven and Earth, The Lord Omnipotent and The Creator of all things from the beginning. But King Benjamin didn't stop there. He bestowed upon his people a new name that would bind them to the Heavenly King forever. He proclaimed that they be known by the name of Christ rather than by his son's name which would have been the usual protocol. Thus the subjects of Mosiah became known as 'the children of Christ' (Mosiah 5:7). What profound effect his coronation would have had on Mosiah, the new king who ruled and reigned in righteousness all his days!

King Benjamin’s words had such an impact on his people that they fell to the earth with fear and ‘viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth’ (Mosiah 4:1,2). Viewing yourself less than the dust of the earth is a humbling exercise which acknowledges your imperfection and rebellion before God. In the words of President Joseph Fielding Smith: “….the dust of the earth is obedient. It moveth hither and thither at the command of the Lord. All things are in harmony with his laws. Everything in the universe obeys the law given unto it, so far as I know, except man. Everywhere you look you find law and order, the elements obeying the law given to them, true to their calling. But man rebels, and in this thing man is less than the dust of the earth because he rejects the counsels of the Lord” (In Conference Report April 1929, 55). (see also Helaman 12:7,8)

The humility of King Benjamin’s people led them to accept his teaching that there is no other name given whereby salvation comes than the name of Christ (Mosiah 3:17). Viewing themselves as less than the dust of the earth brought acknowledgement of their sins which made them seek forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mosiah 4:2). This is the hope, the only hope. When you can see your nothingness and come to believe that there is a way to be lifted above hopelessness. This is what the Saviour offers us. We might be made of dust but we were conceived in God’s glory and within us are planted seeds of godhood.

“An old rabbi once said that every man ought to carry two pieces of paper in his pocket. In times of self-satisfaction and complacency he should read the one that says: “I am dust and ashes”. When dejected and dispirited he should read the other that says: “For my sake was the world created”. And at all times he should remember: “I am made from the dust but it is in God’s image I am made”. (Author Unknown)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: El Rey Benjamin by Jorge Cocco)

HUMILITY AMIDST GREATNESS

Mormon called King Benjamin 'a holy man' (Words of Mormon 1:6). Certainly it is not hard to perceive what a good king he was when one reads his monumental address to his people on the temple grounds of Zarahemla. I think, however, that Mormon could see from this event what a truly remarkable and humble man King Benjamin really was. The setting of this address was the occasion of his son Mosiah's succession to the throne. This was however, not just any coronation.  It was common practice anciently for a new king ascending the throne to be given as many as five names or titles by which he was distinguished among the people; to acknowledge his greatness and his achievements; and to establish him as the link between the people and the divine.  This practice was especially observed in Egypt and King Benjamin might have become familiar with this practice from the brass plates that were engraven in Egyptian containing the history of old Israel and which were in his possession (Mosiah 1:1-4).

King Benjamin did something extraordinary at his son's coronation. Instead of using this occasion to bring prominence to his son, he mentions Mosiah only twice. Once to announce him as the new king and once again to affirm that he will act under the direction of God for the benefit of the people (Mosiah 2:30,31). Rather than proclaiming his son as the divine king as was expected anciently, King Benjamin solidified his people's reliance on The Heavenly King (Mosiah 2:19) by enumerating His endless goodness and honouring Him with names worthy of His station as the promised Messiah, such as: Jesus Christ, The Son of God, The Father of Heaven and Earth, The Lord Omnipotent and The Creator of all things from the beginning. Could there be truer names for the King of Kings? But King Benjamin didn't stop there. To remember their covenant, he bestowed upon the people a new name that would bind them to the Heavenly King forever. He proclaimed that they be known by the name of Christ rather than by his son's name which would have been the usual protocol. Thus the subjects of Mosiah became known as 'the children of Christ' (Mosiah 5:7). What profound effect his coronation would have had on Mosiah, the new king who ruled and reigned in righteousness all his days.

Some years ago I resolved to read the Book of Mormon with intent to discover Christ's characteristics as per Joseph Smith's instruction in Lecture Third of Lectures on Faith. As I discovered these characteristics I wrote them in the margins of the book. When I had completed the task I discovered two things on just about every page. One was that Christ was merciful which I already knew but the other one was that He always fulfills his promises. At the time it meant to me that He was reliable. Now I can see that this was Mormon's writing strategy. I think Mormon found a way to testify of Christ like King Benjamin did. He saw an opportunity.  Mormon ensured that every prophecy and promise in the Book of Mormon was tied to its fulfillment and he testified of this with such phrases as 'all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled' (Mosiah 21:4) and 'God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words' (Alma 37:16) . What an undertaking that must have been for him. This was his technique and his tool, his greatest opportunity, equal to that of the man he came to admire in King Benjamin. This strategy proves in a unique way that the Book of Mormon is his book for it would have been impossible for anyone else to chronicle such numerous promises and their fulfillments let alone an uneducated man like Joseph Smith. Mormon knew the history of his people well because of many records that were in his keeping for many years. And he knew God who led them to their land of promise.

Mormon had one objective and that was to testify of Christ. He too was 'a holy man'. I hope he knew that. And if he didn't, I am sure he knows it now.

- Cathryne Allen, Did Not Our Hearts Burn When He Opened To Us The Scriptures?

published 2021 by amazon.com

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

My patriarchal blessing cites two significant blessings connected with my name. In the first instance it says my children will grow up to bless and honour my name and in the second it says that my name will always be known among the faithful.  These two blessings are of course predicated upon my faithfulness.  I desperately want both of them.  The first one because it means my faithfulness will have an influence on my children and in some way be instrumental in their salvation and the second because I do truly desire to be known as a faithful follower of Christ.  When I read The Book of Mormon and come across Mormon boldly proclaiming, "Behold I am Mormon and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ...", my heart yearns to say this of myself with the same confidence and boldness with which Mormon did.  So when my patriarchal blessing tells me that I will be known as one of the 'faithful' I know that there will be evidence enough to that fact otherwise I would not be numbered among them.  

Whilst attending our new ward recently, my daughter was introduced on a number of occasions with significant reference to her grandparents who are well known far and wide for their faithfulness and Church service. Her grandmother, who has passed away,  is highly regarded in the Church in Sydney by many saints who knew her. I have heard her name mentioned often in different wards I have attended since her death. It makes me so grateful that my children are associated with her good name. I believe this is the greatest legacy she has left to her grandchildren.  It is my desire that I will leave a good name to my children also.   Adversely, I would be devastated if my name was an embarrassment to them in any way.  So much is associated with the name we bear: our reputation, what kind of life we created, the caliber of the person we have been, our good works, people's perception of us, how loved we are, how much we have helped others and how well we have treated them.  The influence, whether bad or good, is far reaching.

As Church members we are largely known by two significant names: Mormons and Christians.  Some members of the Church resent being called Mormons because more often than not, this name overshadows the fact that we are Christians to the rest of the world.  However, the rest of the world doesn't know Mormon like we know him.  Mormon is my favourite prophet of the Book of Mormon. The obvious reason being is that he is a writer. The other reason is that in my opinion Mormon was one of the most Christ like people to have ever graced this earth. For that reason, being called Mormon to me is just about the same as being called a Christian.  

Mormon was faithful to the latter in one of the most evil societies that have ever existed. A people who were so wicked that the Holy Ghost was entirely withheld from them (Mormon 1:14); who 'willfully rebelled against their God' (Mormon 1:16); who, in their extremities 'cursed God and wished to die' (Mormon 2:14); who were consumed with revenge (Mormon 3:9-10); who forcibly deprived women of their virtue, killed them, and 'devoured their flesh like unto wild beasts' (Moroni 9:10).  After much unsuccessful effort to turn the society of such evil doers around to repent and trust in God you would think Mormon would be justified in wishing God's justice to come upon them.  But this was not in Mormon's nature.  Mormon knew God and how merciful He is and therefore he never stopped hoping that his people will repent and once again become a righteous people.  Instead of smugly sitting on his housetop and recording their destruction, punctuated with frequent "I-told-you-so's", Mormon continued to urge the Nephites in their battles  and inspired them to consider their wives and their children and their homes. (Todd A Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9)  Not only did Mormon continue to love and serve the Nephites despite their lack of willingness to repent, he fought along side them knowing they were doomed and when the Nephites went down to complete destruction, he went down with them.

In writing The Book of Mormon, Mormon's one purpose was to bring us 'unto Christ'.  If you asked a classroom of people who wrote The Book of Mormon, everybody would hesitate to answer trying to figure it out.  This is so because when you read The Book of Mormon, you do not hear Mormon's voice, even though he occasionally offers editorial commentary.  The voice we hear when we read The Book of Mormon, is the voice of God.  Mormon makes himself transparent as the writer of this book and succeeds gloriously in helping us draw closer to God.  (Todd A. Knowles, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 43, Mormon 1-6,9)

Mormon lived by an eternal perspective that enabled his life long service among his fellowmen. : "...for we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness...." (Moroni 9:6)  I often quote this scripture during my lessons as a means of inspiration to help us be focused on winning the battle that we began so long ago.  The more I know about Mormon, the more I want to be like him.  It makes me feel good to say that I am a Mormon, to be associated with his name.

In Mosiah 5:7-12, the word 'name' occurs 11 times.  These particular scriptures contain King Benjamin's address to his people who were willing to enter into a covenant with God 'to do his will and to be obedient to his commandments in all things....all the remainder of our days' (Mosiah 5:5).  What is interesting is that King Benjamin responds to their willingness to enter into this covenant by talking about the importance of taking upon ourselves Christ's name.  He specifically says that:

• our hearts are changed through faith on his name (verse 7)
• there is no other name given whereby salvation comes (verse 8)
• whosoever enters into this covenant shall be known and called by the name of Christ (verse 9)
• whosoever is not called by the name of Christ shall be found on the left hand of God (verse 10)
• His name will never be blotted out of our hearts except through transgression (verse 11)

By virtue of our covenant to be obedient to His commandments, we become Christ's, his sons and his daughters and thereby we take upon ourselves His name, much like we take upon ourselves our earthly father's name when we are born into mortality.  In this instance however, Christ becomes our spiritual father and we thereby become Christ-ians. What we do with Christ's name speaks volumes about our integrity and character. Being Christian means being like Christ and behaving as He would behave. It reminds me of that saying:  "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" 

King Benjamin closes his address admonishing his people to be steadfast and immovable and always abounding in good works for the greatest of  all blessings depends on this: "....that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life..." (Mosiah 5:15)  The Saviour will hold us responsible for His name when we face Him at the judgment bar.  As his children, it is our duty to bring honour and glory to his name through the life that we live.  For this He will exalt us so that we can have all that He has and be all that He is. Alma spoke of being spiritually born and thereby receiving His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14).  Let us live so that this image will be recognized by all we associate with and that we will be known by His name more readily than by our own.  Does He not deserve this? 

For "behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands...." (1 Nephi 21:16)