THE WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD

 I come from generations of European peasants. Poverty is ingrained in my family's consciousness.  My grandfather was raised to till the ground and farm the land he inherited from his family. To him, that was the way of life. The oldest of five sons, my father, was meant to inherit and carry on the family tradition. He, however, and four brothers that followed him were not interested in taking over the land. My father went into trade to become a bricklayer. His father was outraged and told him in very clear terms that he would not receive any support from him during his apprenticeship or ever after. All the sons went their separate ways and perpetuated the poverty consciousness they grew up with but the second youngest dared to break free from the family mold. Not surprisingly he was the only one that succeeded in his efforts to carve a successful life for himself.  This uncle of mine was born with certain talents that he would not deny. It became very evident early in his life that he had a talent for art. He loved drawing so much that he would secretly go to his friend's house after school and spend a considerable time there unrestrained, drawing to his heart's content. When he would eventually come home he would receive a beating from his father who thought drawing was foolishness and wanted to punish him for not being there to attend to family chores. When this uncle grew up he moved to the city, educated himself and became a very talented architect. He didn't stop there however. He proceeded to accomplish everything in his life that he wanted to do. Besides a lucrative career, he painted, he raced cars, invested himself in archeology, wrote books on his finds and opened a museum for gems and crystals. I am guessing he did all this because he knew who he was and chose to believe in himself. Whenever this uncle would visit us, he would be very respectful to my father who was the oldest brother in the family, but the differences between them were startling. My uncle lived in another city and he very much behaved like an educated city dweller that he was. He spoke with a city dialect and carried himself with dignity. My father, on the other hand, turned to drink to silence his fear of poverty which he could not break away from to his dying day. In other words, he remained a peasant.

I guess my uncle felt in his heart that he was not a peasant, even though he descended from generations of such before him. I am guessing that he recognized who he really was and sought to change the course of his destiny. I consider him exceptionally smart because he believed in the possibility of change. We know through Epigenetics that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle can change gene activity in subsequent generations suggesting that DNA is not fixed, that DNA can be switched on or off and that we can change it by the choices we make: diet, lifestyle, thoughts, attitude, awareness and therapy. This means that we do not have to be poor, fat or sick like our progenitors. We do not have to follow those before us like blind sheep. Because we are all individuals, we all have different individual paths irrespective of our families before us. These paths are spiritually engineered and are individualized plans for mortality and beyond. The Saviour is a perfect example of this. Born into Jewish traditions and laws that His family had followed for centuries, He fulfilled the laws and changed the course of not only His family but the entire human race. The Saviour was true to who He was and to His mortal and spiritual destiny, no matter what the sacrifice.

We women of the free world have so much in this day and age. We have the ability and freedom to be whatever we want to be but more importantly than that, we have the freedom to be who we truly are. We are not stuffed into corsets, denied ownership of property or rights to an education. We have come a long way yet still many of us are forcing ourselves into molds created by others intent on proving that women are capable of anything and everything. The quest for equality has caused us to lose many womanly traits that are so badly needed in the world today. Many of us follow society's expectations at the risk of individuality and freedom to choose paths in mortality that will ensure our spiritual well being. Our ultimate destiny is to live with God forever. However, the path to eternal bliss begins here and now. It is our duty to perfect ourselves on this path of mortality employing our strongest capabilities and relying on God's assistance to get us to where we should be. There is a curse spoken by one tribe in Asia to their enemies that says "may you stay in one place for the rest of your life" or "may you stay where you are forever and may it torment you for the rest of your life". A life of regret would certainly be a curse we could carry upon us forever. We live in the most exciting and vibrant dispensation of all times. Joseph Smith stated once that "prophets, priests and kings have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung, written and prophesied of this our day...." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 231). Never before has the human race had the opportunities and resources we now have to polish ourselves and prepare ourselves for the golden age of the Millenium. Never before have we been given so much to ensure our spiritual destiny is obtainable. We stand at the threshold of another whole year of opportunities to repent, overcome, subdue, improve, and achieve.

When Joseph Smith said that prophets, priests and kings have looked forward with joyful anticipation to our day, he added that we are "the favoured people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory, the dispensation of the fullness of times", for of whom much is given, much is required, therefore, the obligation is two fold: to perfect ourselves and to perfect others. Do you feel weak or strong when you reflect on this responsibility? If you feel weak cast your mind on the humble beginnings of this dispensation and those who were commanded to lay the foundation of 'the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth' (D&C 1:30). In the words of one talented writer: "Who would lay the foundations of the Kingdom of God on the earth in the last Dispensation? Two simple farmers and a one-room school teacher would become the principle witnesses of the Book of Mormon. A potter, a glazer and simple carpenter would be called to stand firm by the Prophet Joseph. A twenty-three year old printer, who never joined the Church, would actually print and publish the Book of Mormon. A simple German farming family would provide a small 20 x 30 foot cabin as the first headquarters of the Church. A poor. unsuccessful homesteader who had never really been able to finish his payments on his land would be called off a canal boat to become of the great missionaries of these last days. The list could go on and on. And all of these led by a simple farm boy from western New York. And this would indeed be the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that will roll forth and fill the whole earth" (Scott Facer Proctor, "The Voice of Warning shall be Unto All People" Meridian Magazine).

How could such humble and weak men of the earth accomplish so great a work? The answer was given through Joseph F. Smith's vision of the spirit world where he saw Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum and others. He observed that they were "among the noble and great ones who were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God. Even before they were born, they, with many others received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labour in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men" (D&C 138:55,56). We are 'the others' who came to earth disguised as the weak and simple ones. We are the ones the Lord spoke of when he said 'the weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones...." (D&C 1:19). We are the ones crowned with nobility and greatness to accomplish the great work of bringing salvation to the souls of men.

Our destiny is our destination, being eternal life in the presence of God. May we strive to stay on the path that leads to this holy place, the place of our eternal home.

"Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, 

and called thee from the chief men thereof, 

and said unto thee,

Thou art my servant; 

I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee:

be not dismayed; for I am thy God:

I will strengthen thee; 

yea, I will help thee;

yea, I will uphold thee with the

right hand of my righteousness."

- Isaiah 41:9,10

BEFORE THE STORM

"If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen an unusual photo I posted recently of my return flight from our France ministry trip. While travelling from Paris to Dallas, we had an emergency landing in Iceland! After four hours of flying from Charles de Gaulle airport to Dallas/Fort Worth, we suddenly saw the flight pattern on the little TV screen make a giant U-turn and we started heading back in the direction we just left. It was already going to be a long ten hour flight and to add an unexpected emergency land to the trip was not a part of my plan. 

As we sat on the tarmac for hours in Iceland awaiting our approval for takeoff, I texted my husband and my daughter. I let them know everything was OK, and that I'd arrive later than planned....but I would eventually get home. As we sat grounded at the Reykjavik Airport unable to disembark, I was reminded of a message I taught a few years ago titled, "Where Were You Headed Before the Storm Hit?". When pilots are learning to fly, and they encounter unexpected storms, delays, or emergency detours, they have three words drilled into them.....are you ready for this? Fly. The. Plane. It's deep, I know. In other words, don't panic. Don't crash. Don't get distracted. Don't give up. Don't land somewhere and assume you're supposed to stay there. Fly the plane and you'll eventually arrive at your original destination. And it's the same with your vision, your plan, your life. When you encounter a storm, a letdown, a setback, or an unexpected delay, you've got to stay focused. 

Storms happen to all of us. Financial storms, family storms, marital storms, physical storms, career storms; it's part of life. When a storm hits your life, you have to ask, "Where was I headed before the storm hit?" You can choose to let a storm defeat you or let it drive you to the next level. Think about how a shepherd leads his sheep. He doesn't take them from mountaintop to mountaintop. He leads them through the valley to get to the next mountaintop. It's in the valley where we grow, we develop character, strength, vision, and the skills necessary to prepare us for the next mountaintop. 

Whatever you're facing today, God can use it to lift you to a higher level. In the Bible, King David would be known as Shepherd Boy David if it weren't for Goliath. Think about that. Saul didn't promote David to the next level God had planned, Goliath did. That giant, that obstacle, that massive roadblock wasn't meant to destroy him, it was meant to promote him! The resistance you're facing today is preparing you. It's strengthening your character. It's building your trust and reliance in God. It's absolutely necessary in order to handle the growth you're about to have! 

My question to you is this: Where were you headed before this detour, this distraction, this supposed setback? Where were you headed before the divorce, the unplanned pregnancy, the bankruptcy, the job loss, the diagnosis, the heartbreak? You may have to chart an alternate course to get to your destination. It may not be the route you planned or the time frame you anticipated but you're still successful as long as you keep moving toward your intended destination. Don't ever lose sight of where you were headed. God doesn't change his mind about your destiny. Nor should you! I love this story I heard from the late Myles Munroe who was having lunch with Dr. Oral Roberts and Corrie Ten Boom in 1976. Dr. Munroe asked Corrie what her secret was to having such stamina at 82 years of age. Boom replied, "Son, remember to live according to your vision; never according to your eyes."  (Terri Savelle Foy, 1 July 2016 Newsletter)

When Peter in his eagerness walked on water towards Christ one stormy night his only desire was to be safe in the Saviour's presence. No doubt when he started to walk, believeing that he could, his sight was very much fixed on the person he wanted to be with but then he made one crucial mistake, for one moment he looked at the boisterous wind instead and no doubt felt the angry waves lapping at his feet and he grew afraid as he began to sink (Matthew 14:30). What happened to Peter's resolve to be reunited with his Master? Peter lost focus as he trusted his eyes more than his vision. When the storms of life hit, it is easy to only see the calamity that is unfolding in our lives. As our plane lands in some foreign land we never intended to visit, it very often obstructs the vision of our true destination.

When we walk out of the baptismal font newly washed and clean; or walk out of the temple freshly wedded to the companion of our choice, we often feel that we have made it and are on our way to celestial kingdom. Never in our wildest dreams do we envisage encountering any storms. We do not plan on divorcing when we marry; or plan to bury a child when we enter the labour ward to give birth; or schedule chemotherapy when we commit to live the Word of Wisdom. When we commit ourselves to the journey that will take us to eternal life, we often than not feel that we should, by virtue of our obedience, have a smooth ride. Obedience, however, is not the teacher but the pilot that lands the plane at the chosen destination. The trials of mortal life, though making it a bumpy ride, make the destination once reached, all the more sweeter for the lessons suffered are lessons learnt. The challenge before us is to keep the eternal perspective and remember where we were headed before the storm:

"If we looked at mortality as the whole existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put into proper perspective. Are we not exposed to temptations to test our strength, sickness that we might learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified? If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected, and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. No man would have to live by faith."

(Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p 97).

Being consistent in our obedience to 'small things' in everyday life will ensure that our vision stays clear and our eternal perspective focused: "Is our journey sometimes impeded when we forget the importance of small things? Do we realize that small events and choices determine the direction of our lives just as small helms determine the direction of great ships? We need to have family and personal prayers, study the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon; hold family home evenings; follow the admonition of the Saviour to love one another; and be thoughtful, kind, and gentle within the family. Through these and other similar small and simple things, we have the promise that our lives will be filled with peace and joy" (Elder M. Russell Ballard, in CR Apr 1990 or Ensign May 1990, p 6,8). Once obtained, that peace and joy will see us through and past the storms of mortal life. It will become the governing force in our lives that will make the storms bearable and foreign lands memorable.

This is a false world and it will one day be done away with. You come with nothing into it and you go with nothing out of it. Except one thing - YOU. This world was constructed with obstacles, pitfalls, enticements and stumbling blocks. Your purpose while you are here is to learn to jump, push through, walk around, avoid and rise above. All this will be the making of the person you have to take back to eternity, YOU.

But learn that he who doeth

the works of righteousness

shall receive his reward, 

even peace in this world, 

and eternal life in the world to come.

D&C 59:23

A SAFE HARBOUR

"I am convinced that no soul has ever been whipped into this mortal existence, that each one of us came willingly, cheerfully, and gladly; even though we might have known that we were to inherit a body that was crippled, maimed and deformed, still we were glad to come....

We know that it meant sorrow, pain, and ultimately, death, and yet we rejoiced in the prospect to come.

We saw beyond the valley of the shadow of death, with all of its pain, with all of its suffering, the grand vistas of the eternities, providing for man's eternal and endless progress, on, up and up, until we should attain unto what God is. Yet we knew that we could never ascend until we had descended and had been given a mortal tabernacle, and the union of the spirit and body had become an accomplished fact.

So by the attraction of it all we came gladly and willingly, for our eyes were not so much centered upon the sorrows and troubles of life as upon the grandness of that which lies beyond."

(Melvin J. Ballard, Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, p. 179)

A somewhat adequate similitude of the journey of this life would have to be the found in the early pioneers of this Church who trekked across the plains, mountains and rivers in an effort to arrive at a home that promised a valley of peace and liberty. It can be supposed that they too began their journey with enthusiasm and purpose, knowing that the home they sought was a quest that could not be left unconquered. So strong was their commitment to arrive at their destination that they risked all facing 'sickness, heat, fatigue, cold, fear, hunger, pain, doubt and even death'. So many of us look back at the pioneers and exclaim that we could never have endured what they did. Such extremes are unfamiliar to us for very few of us experience extreme physical hardships. Instead we bask in comparative prosperity of modern day living and technology which 'shower us with security, entertainment, instant gratification and convenience' (President Dieter F. Uchdorf, All Is Well, Ensign July 2015). However, equal to the physical hardships of the pioneers are the spiritual ones we of the final hour face today with many of us standing on thin ice trembling with gripping cold hoping to make it to the safety of the shore. Surely the pioneers are looking down on us exclaiming they could never endure the challenges and stress we live with each and every day. The pioneers acquired many attributes on their fated journey which kept their fires of courage burning but none sustained them like their trust in God for whom they sacrificed their all. It is this trust which brought success for no one but He could enable them to swim to the safety of the shore.

"Many today feel troubled and distressed; many feel that, at any moment, the ships of their lives could capsize or sink. It is to you who are looking for a safe harbour that I wish to speak today, you whose hearts are breaking, you who are worried or afraid, you who bear grief or the burdens of sin, you who feel no one is listening to your cries, you whose hearts are pleading, 'Master, carest thou not that I perish? To you I offer a few words of comfort and of counsel. Be assured that there is a safe harbour. Your Heavenly Father - who knows when even a sparrow falls - knows of your heartache and suffering. He loves you and wants the best for you. Never doubt this. While He allows all of us to make choices that may not always be for our own or even others' well-being, and while He does not always intervene in the course of events, He has promised the faithful peace even in their trials and tribulations." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, 'Finding a Safe Harbour', Ensign May 2000)

To whom will we liken God and where else will we find refuge from the raging storms but the Creator of the ends of the Earth? He who gives power to the faint, and to them who have no might, He increases strength. For we that wait upon the Lord will renew our strength; we shall mount up with wings as eagles; we shall run, and not be weary, and we shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40)...... He shall wipe all tears from our eyes (Revelations 21:4).....and encircle us in the arms of His love (D&C 6:20) for there is no end to His compassion, mercy and love and no end to His understanding. For 'He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before Him, and all things are round about Him; and He is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by Him, and of Him, even God, forever and ever' (D&C 88:41). The promise is sure, if we draw near unto Him, He will draw near unto us; if we seek Him diligently, we shall find Him; if we ask, we shall receive; if we knock, it shall be opened unto us (D&C 88:63). Who else then can we trust and where else can we turn for peace but the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) for He alone has the might and power to calm the troubled seas so we can reach the shore. The sight of it should ever be before us, even as we are buffeted by the storms of life, for as we so long ago longed to ascend, we agreed to first descend; as we eagerly left, we promised to return. Armed with the power of God, the icy storms can never prevent our fingertips from feeling the edge of the shore.

"Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God and beside him there is no Savior. Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doings none can find out. His purposes fail not, neither are there any who can stay his hand. From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail. For thus saith the lord - I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory" 

(D&C 76:1-6)