Sunday, November 27, 2011
My LAST Relief Society Lesson in the Wu Chuan 2nd Branch. (I think I managed to get rid of all the typos...)
The Holy Temple —A Beacon
to the World
Thomas S. Monson
April 2011 Sunday
Morning Session of General Conference
Matt 16:19
And I will
agive
unto thee the
bkeys
of the
ckingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou
shalt
dbind
on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven.
D&C 128:9
It may seem to some to be a very bold
doctrine that we talk of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in
heaven. Nevertheless, in all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a
adispensation
of the priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power
has always been given. Hence, whatsoever those men did in
bauthority, in the name of
the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful
record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be
annulled, according to the decrees of the great
cJehovah.
This is a faithful saying. Who can hear it?
Why do you think that temples are important?
The all-important
and crowning blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings which we
receive in the temples of God.
What are some of the blessings that we
receive by going to the temple?
Elder Robert D.
Hales said, “The ordinances and covenants of the temple are the protection for us in our trials and
tribulations in
our day and for what we will face in the future. Temples are the greatest
university of learning known to man, giving us knowledge and
wisdom about the creation of the world. Washings and anointings tell us who we are. Endowment
instructions give guidance as
to how we should conduct our lives here in mortality.”
Some degree of sacrifice has ever been
associated with temple building and with temple attendance. Countless are those who have labored and
struggled in order to obtain for themselves and for their families the
blessings which are found in the temples of God.
My brothers and
sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and
fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by
sacrifice and service.
What are some examples of sacrifice that you
can think of?
The first temple to
be built in this dispensation was the temple at Kirtland, Ohio. The Saints at
the time were impoverished, and yet the Lord had commanded that a temple be
built, so build it they did. Wrote Elder Heber C. Kimball of the experience,
“The Lord only knows the scenes of poverty, tribulation and distress which we
passed through to accomplish it.” And then, after all that had been
painstakingly completed, the Saints were forced to leave Ohio and their beloved
temple. They eventually found refuge —although it would be temporary— on the
banks of the Mississippi River in the state of Illinois. They named their
settlement Nauvoo, and willing to give their all once again and with their
faith intact, they erected another temple to their God. Persecutions raged,
however, and with the Nauvoo Temple barely completed, they were driven from
their homes once again, seeking refuge in a desert.
The struggle and the
sacrifice began once again as they labored for 40 years to erect the Salt Lake
Temple…
One of the temples
currently under construction is in Manaus, Brazil. Many years ago I read of a
group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the
Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in
São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful
Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries.
After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three
days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere
comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple
in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course
their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the
ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty,
they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with
gratitude for the blessings
they had received. Now, many years later, our members in Manaus are rejoicing
as they watch their own temple take shape on the banks of the Rio Negro.
Temples bring joy to our faithful members wherever they are built.
Why are so many
willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those
who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no
sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order
to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many
obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that
the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return
to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with
blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.
If you have been to
the temple for yourselves and if you live within a relatively close proximity
to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives
to visit the temple regularly. There is much to be done in our temples in
behalf of those who wait beyond the veil. As we do the work for them, we will know
that we have accomplished what they cannot do for themselves. President Joseph
F. Smith, in a mighty declaration stated, “Through our efforts in their behalf
their chains of bondage will fall from them, and the darkness surrounding them
will clear away, that light may shine upon them and they shall hear in the
spirit world of their work that has been done for them by their children here,
and will rejoice with you in your performance of these duties.” My brothers and
sisters, the work is ours to do.
If you have not yet
been to the temple or if you have
been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important
goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your
sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to
receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify
you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing.
Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend
and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.
Until you have
entered the house of the Lord and have received all the blessings which await
you there, you have not obtained everything the Church has to offer. The
all-important and crowning blessings or membership in the Church are those
blessings which we receive in the temples of God.
… Do nothing which
will keep you from entering [the temple’s] doors and partaking of the sacred
and eternal blessings there.
Great personal preparation is required for us to receive the
spiritual benefit of standing in holy places. Holy places and sacred space are
also distinguished by the sacrifice they require. Elder M. Russell Ballard has
taught that “the word sacrifice means literally ‘to make sacred,’ or
‘to render sacred’” (“The Law of Sacrifice,” Ensign, Oct. 1998,
8; Liahona, Mar. 2002, 13). The
words sacred and sacrifice come from the same root. One may
not have the sacred without first sacrificing something for it. There can be no
sacredness without personal sacrifice. Sacrifice sanctifies the sacred.
… To you parents, …
may I share with you some sage advice from President Spencer W. Kimball. Said
he: “It would be a fine thing if… parents would have in every bedroom in their
house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are]
infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of
[their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very
important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been
made.”
Ask for experiences, ideas on how to be
prepared to enter the temple either for the first time or for each reoccurring
visit
The world can be a
challenging and difficult place in which to live. We are often surrounded by
that which would drag us down. As you and I go to the holy houses of God, as we
remember the covenants we make within, we will be more able to bear every trial
and to overcome each temptation. In this sacred sanctuary we will find peace;
we will be renewed and fortified.
“The temples, with “Holiness to the Lord” inscribed on them,
are among the most sacred of all places on the earth. They stand as evidence of
God’s love to all His children, past and present. The blessings of the temple
are intertwined and inseparable from significant sacrifice. The ordinances
performed therein provide access to the full expression of the Savior’s atoning
sacrifice. This alone would qualify the temple as holy and sacred. However,
personal sacrifice is also required. We sacrifice time in search for our
ancestors and time to attend to our temple responsibilities. We also strive to
live the highest standards of personal worthiness, which qualify us to enter
the sacred space of this most holy place. In holy places and in sacred space we
find spiritual refuge, renewal, hope, and peace. Are these not worth every
necessary personal sacrifice? My brethren and sisters, may each of us revere
and respect the holy and sacred in our lives. May we teach our children
likewise. Let us all stand in holy and sacred places of spiritual peace.” Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander
What does the temple mean to you?
I express my undying
gratitude to my Heavenly Father for… all of our temples, wherever they are.
Each one stands as a beacon to the world, an expression of our testimony that
God, our Eternal Father, lives, that He desires to bless us and, indeed, to
bless His sons and daughters of all generations. Each of our temples is an
expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as
certain as is our life here on earth. I so testify.
My brothers and
sisters, may we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and
to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes. May we follow
in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who made the ultimate
sacrifice for us, that we might have eternal live and exaltation in our
Heavenly Father’s kingdom.
D&C 128:19,
22-23
19 Now, what do we hear in the gospel which
we have received? A voice of
agladness!
A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of
btruth
out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living
and the dead; glad tidings of great
cjoy. How
beautiful upon the mountains are the
dfeet
of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion:
Behold, thy God reigneth! As the
edews of
Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!
22 Brethren,
shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward.
aCourage,
brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be
exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into
bsinging.
Let the
cdead
speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the
dKing
Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us
to
eredeem them out of their
fprison;
for the prisoners shall go free.
23 Let the
amountains shout for
joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the
wonders 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
brocks
weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the
cmorning
stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the
eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how
glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and
salvation, and honor, and
dimmortality, and eternal life; kingdoms,
principalities, and powers!
Labels: Church, Religion, Svithe
Thursday, November 24, 2011
(111) 3 Nephi 19:24 “And it came to pass that when Jesus had
thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did
still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply
many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were
filled with desire.” When we have the
Holy Ghost, we can know the things for which we should pray, which are right.
(112) 3 Nephi 22:14 “In righteousness shalt thou be
established; thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and
from terror for it shall not come near thee.” When you are established in
righteousness, you have no cause or reason to fear. Isn’t that a wonderful
thing? I think this is something that I, especially, need to remember more
often. If you feel fear, it is perhaps time to evaluate your standing with the
Lord, and decide if you are “established in righteousness,” or if, perhaps, you
may have wavered a little.
(113) 3 Nephi 27:24 “Write the works of this people, which
shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been.” It is important
for us to write down all the manifestations from the Father that we witness. It
is also important that we keep a record of our own works.
(114) Mormon 4:2 “And it came to pass that the armies of the
Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were
yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a
sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city
Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners.”
Remember that the Nephites no longer had the Spirit with them. I believe that the
Spirit will help to strengthen us and help to keep us from being defeated by
our enemies.
(115) Ether 2:25 “And behold, I prepare you against these
things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the
waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which
shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may
have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea.” It’s nice to
know that the Lord will prepare us to overcome every challenge that we face.
That is a pretty empowering thought, actually. I think we should also notice
that the word “if” is not present anywhere in this verse. There is no “IF there
are waves” or “IF the floods come.” They will
come, but the Lord will have already prepared a way for us to cross through
them.
(116) Ether 3:26 “For he said unto him in times before, that
if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things –it should be
shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he
knew that the Lord could show him all things.” We should remember that this
promise applies to us as well. If we believe in him, he can show us all things.
We just need to have that believe and the faith to have our eyes (and hearts)
opened.
(117) Ether 12:19 “And there were many whose faith was so
exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within
the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with
an eye of faith, and they were glad.” I think the last three words of this
verse are my favorite: “they were glad.” Our faith helps us to feel glad.
(118) Moroni 7:3 “Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are
of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have
obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord,
from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.” Note the word
“sufficient.” We don’t need to have a perfect amount of hope; we just need to have
enough.
(119) Moroni 10:31 “And awake, and arise from the dust, O
Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and
strengthen they stakes and enlarge they borders forever, that thou mayest no
more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made
unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.” Confounded means to be angry
or annoyed. When we make and keep sacred covenants, our ability to remain happy
increases and we are actually guarded against unhappiness.
The End.
Labels: Book of Mormon, Church, Religion, Svithe
Sunday, August 14, 2011
On Saturday, a few of my fellow teachers and I headed out to Ershui because we heard it was awesome and that you can see wild monkeys there.
True?
All of it.
We took the train there, and the ride lasted for about an hour and 15 minutes. At one point, an old lady got on with two huge baskets attached to a pole that she carried. She smelled strongly of fish. After she sat down next to me, I could see why. In one of here baskets were 2 or 3 live eels! They were really gross looking. She also kept falling asleep... on my shoulder. That wasn't awkward at all.
When we arrived in Ershui, we took the opportunity to use some Western-style toilets at the train station there, and then we headed over to the bike rental agency that was located in the same square as the station. There, we rented 4 bikes, and then we headed on our way towards Monkey Mountain (I don't know what it's actually called, but I liked the alliteration).
Kendra and Kaylee rented a tandem bike. My memory of attempting to ride a tandem bike at girls' camp one year is not good, so I opted for your regular, one-seater bicycle.
After one or two wrong turns and being pointed in the right direction by a man on a scooter with limited English, we managed to find the right road to the monkey trail. (There were also a bunch of old men outside a store on a street corner that, when they saw us, got kind of excited and yelled "Monkeys! Yeah, yeah!" and pointed us up the road.)
Our group, minus Jenny who was taking the photo. Jessica, me, Kendra, and Kaylee
We took the path on the other side of this bridge on the way back down the mountain, just for a change in scenery. Bad idea. Why? The stench! OH MY GOSH IT WAS HORRIBLE! There was also a stray dog that was acting really nervous about us. We think maybe she had her puppies nearby. Stray dogs are, sadly, extremely common here. It's hard to go more than 5 seconds without seeing one when you're outside.
Speaking of stray dogs... this one was taking a nice nap in the shade.
Everything was so green in Ershui! And by everything, I mean the water, too.
I'm curious as to what the "correct ways to play" are.
First monkey sighting! They were doing flips, jumping to and from trees, screeching at each other... it was pretty amazing.
There were also these huge, polished rocks everywhere. I am not sure why, but it was fun to take pictures on this one. Don't even worry. I already had at least 10 mosquito bites at this point, and that's with bug repellent.
Loved the colors of these plants.
That is a butterfly, I promise. It landed just as I was snapping the picture.
Speaking of huge bugs, check out this spider. These nasties were everywhere.
Also, that black smudge on that giant leaf? Another spider. I told you! Everywhere!
A couple was there with their dog (not a stray!). The dog really liked the monkeys.
And then, as I was about to take the picture below, this little fella jumped into my frame. I am pretty sure he/she/it did it on purpose. Check out that stoic face.
Monkey family!
How many monkeys can you see in this picture?
Tianna, I took this for you. Wandering Jew seems to be native to Taiwan and was sure doing the wandering thing really well.
"Formosan macaques (Formosan rock-monkeys), belong to a specific wild and endangered mammals, come and go unexpectedly alongside this trail. Their appearance would be your most fortunate moement. Then if you wouldn't mind stop for a while to watch what they are doing, you will certainly find unexpected rewards and surprises." The "Note" is not as interesting, so I'm not transcribing it here.
Finally, the top of the mountain! My first look into the valley below
I was the last one to make it up all those stairs and I was definitely huffing and puffing the whole way. There were some Taiwanese people at the top watching me climb and one of them started cheering me along, "Jaiyo! You can do it! Jaiyo!" He asked us if we had come all the way from the bottom (yes) and how long it took us (about an hour). They all seemed to be very impressed, but I'm not sure why because we weren't the only ones coming from the bottom of the mountain... Maybe it's because we're Americans and Americans are lazy.
Jenny and I were thinking that this must make some pretty impressive waterfalls when it rains.
The temple at the top
There was a road back behind the temple and tons and tons of shops selling mostly tea. We explored for a little bit, and a few of us purchased some more water bottles, having completely finished off the ones that we'd brought with us.
We found this awesome statue. Jessica, Jenny, Kaylee, and Kendra
After we got back to our bicycles at the bottom of the mountain, we decided to ride around for a bit and explore Ershui some more. There is this wonderful bike path that we took for quite some distance (about 4 meters round trip). There were a lot of rice patties near the trail and, therefore, a lot of bugs (I don't want to go into it, but it was really gross and we had bugs in our eyes), but it was also very beautiful.
Cranes in the rice patty! I tried zooming in more, but they kept putting their heads down. I'm guessing they were eating.
Formosan Sunset
And, finally, "Watch our the incoming vehicles"
Ershui was such a cute little town. It was nice to get away from the city for a bit. We were all glad to get home, though, where we could take showers and get some rest. I don't think I have ever sweat so much as I did on Saturday! Very gross. But well worth it. Despite all the mosquito bites that I have that make it hard for me to even sleep.
------
Yesterday I gave a talk in church on Baptism and Covenants. Mom, Dad, I'm going to mail it to you (probably) instead of putting it up here on my blog. Jenny Phillips was in our branch and sang a musical number for us during Sacrament Meeting, too. She is doing a tour around Taiwan and a fireside last night in Taichung. After church, Sister Chang asked me to her home for some lunch and offered to let me take a nap in her spare room before taking me to the fireside. She also invited Kaylee along. Of course I accepted! (It was something of an answered prayer, because I knew I would be so tired Sunday and then still be tired today. Because the fireside was at the Stake Center, it would have been inconvenient for us to go to church and come home just to have to leave again, so we teachers all planned to stay in Taichung for the whole day.) Dinner was nice and we had a delicious chocolate cake roll for dessert. Also, I learned that nice beds do in fact exist in Taiwan, as Sister Chang's spare bed was almost as comfortable as the bed I have at home. I think that was the best nap I've taken since getting here!
The fireside was very good and very crowded. There were not enough seats for everyone! Luckily we got there when there were still a couple rows of seats at the back of the room, but there were several dozen people standing around us for the whole thing, too. Kaylee and I left a little early because Sister Chang was worried about getting her children to bed and wanted to take us to the train station, which was extremely kind of her. We ended up getting home an hour before the other girls, despite the fact that the fireside was almost over when we left.
At the train station, Kaylee and I met three high school girls that wanted to talk to us. They have apparently seen us before at the train station in Feng Yuan, and on looking back, they did look a little familiar, so I believe them. When we arrived in Feng Yuan, they wanted to take a picture with us. So, somewhere out there, probably on two Taiwanese Facebook profiles, there is a picture of me that I'll never see. Awesome. Talk about feeling like a celebrity.
Well, another week of teaching begins. In another two weeks, I won't have AK on Tuesdays as Summer schedule will have finally ended. Now, if only the heat of summer would end, too...
Labels: Church, Taiwan, travel, weekend plans
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Sorry for two churchy posts in a row. Actually, I'm not really sorry. I just hope that you don't feel like I'm going all over-kill on the religion.
I had the opportunity to teach in Relief Society today, something that I haven't done for three months, but something that I've been thinking about since my last lesson. I think it was last Fast Sunday when I finally decided what I was going to teach on. Sacrament meeting was just starting, and the brother giving the invocation mentioned the phrase "a broken heart and a contrite spirit," and it just stuck with me. I thought, "That's it. That's what I need to teach on!" It took me 2 weeks of pretty heavy thinking (worst weeks EVER at work, actually) to really get the lesson down, and even then, it didn't turn out anything like I expected it to. I'm not even sure what I expected, exactly, but this was not it.
Anyway, what follows is, more or less, my lesson. This is, actually, how it started*, but I ended up moving a few things around, cutting a few scriptures out (due to time constraints. I'm still kind of annoyed that I had to cut anything out, but at least I was forewarned**), and, of course, none of the comments I received via participation are included here (had some really good comments, even if I did have to pull teeth to get anyone
to comment).
• What does it mean to have a broken heart? (To suffer extreme sorrow.)
• What does the word contrite mean? (Repentant.)
Write these definitions on the chalkboard.
Read
D&C 59:8 Thou shalt offer a asacrifice unto the Lord thy God in brighteousness, even that of a broken heart and a ccontrite spirit.
3 Ne. 12: 19
19 And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a abroken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the blaw is fulfilled.
Ps. 34: 18
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and asaveth such as be bof a contrite spirit.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalms 51:17
What does it mean to sacrifice?
To sacrifice is to give up something valuable or precious, often with the intent of accomplishing a greater purpose or goal. Sacrifice has always been a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a reminder of the great atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all who have lived or will live on earth. Before the ministry of Christ, animal sacrifices were offered for this purpose. After the Atonement of Christ, followers of Jesus Christ—by His direction—began to offer instead a "broken heart and contrite spirit" (3 Nephi 9:20),
• Why does Christ want us to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?
As in all things, the Savior’s life offers us the perfect example: though Jesus of Nazareth was utterly without sin, He walked through life with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, as manifested by His submission to the will of the Father. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). To His disciples He said, “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). And when the time came to pay the ultimate sacrifice entailed in the Atonement, Christ shrank not to partake of the bitter cup but submitted completely to His Father’s will.
The Savior’s perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ’s example teaches us that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness. When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master. (Bruce D. Porter)
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) defined a broken heart and a contrite spirit this way: “Godly sorrow … is a deep realization that our actions have offended our Father and our God. It is the sharp and keen awareness that our behavior caused the Savior, He who knew no sin, even the greatest of all, to endure agony and suffering. Our sins caused him to bleed at every pore. This very real mental and spiritual anguish is what the scriptures refer to as having ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit.’ ”
When we sin and desire forgiveness, a broken heart and a contrite spirit mean to experience “godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10). This comes when our desire to be cleansed from sin is so consuming that our hearts ache with sorrow and we yearn to feel at peace with our Father in Heaven. Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead. In such a condition of submissiveness, the Atonement can take effect and true repentance can occur. The penitent will then experience the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, which will fill them with peace of conscience and the joy of reconciliation with God. In a wondrous union of divine attributes, the same God who teaches us to walk with a broken heart invites us to rejoice and to be of good cheer. (Bruce D. Porter)
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985), who gave such comprehensive teachings on repentance and forgiveness, said that personal suffering is a very important part of repentance. “One has not begun to repent until he has suffered intensely for his sins. … If a person hasn’t suffered,” he said, “he hasn’t repented.”2
Why is it necessary for us to suffer on the way to repentance for serious transgressions? We tend to think of the results of repentance as simply cleansing us from sin, but that is an incomplete view of the matter. A person who sins is like a tree that bends easily in the wind. On a windy and rainy day, the tree bends so deeply against the ground that the leaves become soiled with mud, like sin. If we focus only on cleaning the leaves, the weakness in the tree that allowed it to bend and soil its leaves may remain. Similarly, a person who is merely sorry to be soiled by sin will sin again in the next high wind. The susceptibility to repetition continues until the tree has been strengthened.
When a person has gone through the process that results in what the scriptures call “a broken heart and a contrite spirit,” the Savior does more than cleanse that person from sin. He gives him or her new strength. That strengthening is essential for us to realize the purpose of the cleansing, which is to return to our Heavenly Father. To be admitted to His presence, we must be more than clean. We must also be changed from a morally weak person who has sinned into a strong person with the spiritual stature to dwell in the presence of God. We must, as the scripture says, become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19). This is what the scripture means in its explanation that a person who has repented of his sins will forsake them. Forsaking sins is more than resolving not to repeat them. Forsaking involves a fundamental change in the individual. (Dallin H. Oaks)
When we have received a forgiveness of sins, a broken heart serves as a divine shield against temptation. Nephi prayed, “May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!” (2 Nephi 4:32). King Benjamin taught his people that if they would walk in the depths of humility, they might ever rejoice, “be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of … sins” (Mosiah 4:12). When we yield our hearts to the Lord, the attractions of the world simply lose their luster.
There is yet another dimension of a broken heart—namely, our deep gratitude for Christ’s suffering on our behalf. In Gethsemane, the Savior “descended below all things” (D&C 88:6) as He bore the burden of sin for every human being. At Golgotha, He “poured out his soul unto death” (Isaiah 53:12), and His great heart literally broke with an all-encompassing love for the children of God. When we remember the Savior and His suffering, our hearts too will break in gratitude for the Anointed One.
As we make the sacrifice to Him of all that we have and all that we are, the Lord will fill our hearts with peace. He will “bind up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1) and grace our lives with the love of God, “sweet above all that is sweet, … and pure above all that is pure” (Alma 32:42). (Bruce D. Porter)
Repentance is a continuing process needed by all because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Repentance is possible, and then forgiveness is certain.
President Kimball said: “Sometimes … when a repentant one looks back and sees the ugliness, the loathsomeness of the transgression, he is almost overwhelmed and wonders, ‘Can the Lord ever forgive me? Can I ever forgive myself?’ But when one reaches the depths of despondency and feels the hopelessness of his position, and when he cries out to God for mercy in helplessness but in faith, there comes a still, small, but penetrating voice whispering to his soul, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee.’”4
When this happens, we have the fulfillment of the precious promise that God will take away the guilt from our hearts through the merits of His Son (see Alma 24:10). How comforting the promise in Isaiah 1:18 that “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” How glorious God’s own promise that “he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).
*By "started" I mean: this is how I had my lesson planned to go when I got to church this morning. It ended as a color-coded.... thing with notes arrows and lines all over the place, but I think you can still get the gist of things in what I've posted here, anyway. P.S. I hope you realize that not a single phrase^ in my lesson is something
I came up with. Everything I used was found on lds.org, with quite a bit of it pulled from a talk by Elder Porter of the 70 and Elder Oaks of the 12. I also pulled a few things out of an Aaronic Priesthood manual (found online, of course).
^Actually, this is not quite true. I did add in the question "What does it mean to sacrifice?" all by myself. My idea. Also, the title of this post? That was me, too.
**in the night. Seriously. I was having all kinds of hinky^^ dreams last night, and in the midst of one of them, I dreamed I was at church, in Relief Society, waiting to give my lesson, but the Stake Relief Society President decided that she wanted to "take a few minutes" and ended up teaching an entire lesson, not even leaving room for testimonies at the end, and I just kept wondering when she was going to stop talking so that I could get to teaching. Luckily this isn't
quite what happened to me, but it was one of the councilors in the SRP, and I was wondering when she was going to get to the point, just spit it out already and let me teach! Yes, I am impatient.
^^If you don't know what "hinky" means, then you need to go watch some more NCIS.
Labels: Church, Religion, Svithe
Friday, August 14, 2009
Where I'll be when this posts:
But, don't worry, I'm not getting married.
Purpose of Temples (click here)
Labels: Church, Religion
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I taught Relief Society again this week. Below is my lesson outline concerning Gifts of the Spirit. See
here for the manual.
Lesson 33: The Spiritual Gifts of Healing, Tongues, Prophecy, and Discerning of Spirits
“We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.”
D&C 46:7-9, 11-12
7. But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil sprits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.
8. Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;
9. For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me…
11. For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.
12. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.
1. The phrase “that all may be profited thereby” is a very important concept to understand about the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts given to each individual are given not only for the one who receives, but also for those who can benefit when the gift is shared with others.
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
(Page 382) The sick may be healed through faith and the exercise of priesthood power, according to the Lord’s will.
Vs. 19-20
To some it is given to have faith to be healed; and to others it is given to have faith to heal.
2. There have been times when I have laid hands upon one who was ill and felt their spirit and their faith so strongly that they would be healed that I felt a surge of the power of their faith.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the faith to be healed is one of the greatest gifts an individual can have.
On the other hand, I have seen the faith of parents when fathers and mothers desired their children to be healed. Through great faith, their children have been blessed.
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
Pg 382
“Sunday 28. –Meeting was held as usual…. I spoke, and admonished the members of the Church individually to set their houses in order, to make clean the inside of the platter, and to meet on the next Sabbath to partake of the Sacrament, in order that by our obedience to the ordinances, we might be enabled to prevail with God against the destroyer, and that the sick might be healed.
Pg. 381
“We crossed the public square, and entered Brother [Elijah] Fordham’s house. Brother Fordham had been dying for an hour, and we expected each minute would be his last. I felt the power of God that was overwhelming his Prophet. When we entered the house, Brother Joseph walked up to Brother Fordham, and took him by the right hand. … He saw that Brother Fordham’s eyes were glazed, and that he was speechless and unconscious.
“After taking hold of his hand, [the Prophet] looked down into the dying man’s face and said: ‘Brother Fordham, do you not know me?’ At first he made no reply; but we could all see the effect of the Spirit of God resting upon him.
“[Joseph] again said: ‘Elijah, do you not know me?’ With a low whisper, Brother Fordham answered, ‘Yes!’ The Prophet then said, ‘Have you not faith to be healed?’
“The answer, which was a little plainer than before, was: ‘I am afraid it is too late. If you had come sooner, I think I might have been.’ He had the appearance of a man awaking from sleep. It was the sleep of death. Joseph then said: ‘Do you not believe that Jesus is the Christ?’ ‘I do, Brother Joseph,’ was the response.
“Then the Prophet of God spoke with a loud voice, as in the majesty of the Godhead: ‘Elijah, I command you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, to arise and be made whole!’
“The words of the Prophet were not like the words of man, but like the voice of God. It seemed to me that the house shook from its foundation. Elijah Fordham leaped from his bed like a man raised from the dead. A healthy color came to his face, and life was manifested in every act. His feet were done up in [cornmeal] poultices. He kicked them off his feet, scattering the contents, and then called for his clothes and put them on. He asked for a bowl of bread and milk, and ate it; then put on his hat and followed us into the street, to visit others who were sick.”
Pg. 382
Many of the righteous shall fall prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
(page 382) The purpose of the gift of tongues is to teach the gospel to others.
D&C 46: 24-25
And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues; and to another it is given the interpretation of tongues.
Pg. 383
As to the gift of tongues, all we can say is, that in this place, we have received it as the ancients did: we wish you, however, to be careful lest in this you be deceived…. Satan will no doubt trouble you about the gift of tongues, unless you are careful; you cannot watch him too closely, nor pray too much. May the Lord give you wisdom in all things.
3. Many of you who have gone to foreign lands have been given the gift to speak with tongues and to translate, or have the interpretation of tongues.
We are told by prophets in this dispensation that revelation for the direction of the Church will not be given through the gift of tongues. The reason for this is that it is very easy for Lucifer to falsely duplicate the gift of tongues and confuse the members of the Church.
Satan has the power to trick us as it pertains to some of the gifts of the Spirit. One in which he is the most deceptive is the gift of tongues. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young (1801–77) explained the need to be cautious when considering the gift of tongues.
“You may speak in tongues for your own comfort, but I lay this down for a rule, that if anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be received for doctrine” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 229).
“Speak not in the gift of tongues without understanding it, or without interpretation. The devil can speak in tongues” (Teachings, 162).
The gift of tongues is used by missionaries to teach the gospel to the nations of the world.
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
Pg. 384
Do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present; the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence, let them speak to such in their own tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their place, but when they are applied to that which God does not intend, they prove an injury, a snare and a curse instead of a blessing.
We have also had brethren and sisters who have had the gift of tongues falsely; they would speak in a muttering, unnatural voice, and their bodies be distorted…; whereas, there is nothing unnatural in the Spirit of God.
Faith comes not by signs, but by hearing the word of God. … If anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be received for doctrine.
4. “The human family are very apt to run to extremes, especially in religious matters, and hence people in general either want some miraculous display, or they will not believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost at all. If an Elder lays his hands upon a person, it is thought by many that the person must immediately rise and speak in tongues and prophesy; this idea is gathered from the circumstance of Paul laying his hands upon certain individuals who had been previously (as they stated) baptized unto John’s baptism; which when he had done, they ‘spake in tongues and prophesied.’ [See Acts 19:1–6.] …
“We believe that the Holy Ghost is imparted by the laying on of hands of those in authority, and that the gift of tongues, and also the gift of prophecy are gifts of the Spirit, and are obtained through that medium; but then to say that men always prophesied and spoke in tongues when they had the imposition of hands, would be to state that which is untrue, contrary to the practice of the Apostles, and at variance with holy writ. …
“Chapter 9: Gifts of the Spirit,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007),114–24
(page 384) Though only one man speaks as the prophet of the Church, the spirit of prophecy enables all to testify of Jesus Christ.
Pg.384
John the Revelator says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Now if any man has the testimony of Jesus, has he not the spirit of prophecy? And if he has the spirit of prophecy, I ask, is he not a prophet? And if a prophet, will he not receive revelation? And any man that does not receive revelation for himself must be damned, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. For Christ says, ask and you shall receive; and if he happens to receive anything, I ask, will it not be revelation? And if any man has not the testimony of Jesus or the spirit of God, he is none of his, namely Christ’s. And if not his, he must be damned.
5. Of the sacred gifts of the Spirit, one that I believe has impact on each of our lives is the gift of prophecy or revelation. This gift is different from the priesthood office of prophet. The gift of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should “desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy [meaning to testify of the Savior]” (1 Cor. 14:1).
President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) taught, “All members of the Church should seek for the gift of prophecy, for their own guidance” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:201).
Every Church member, if faithful, has the right to receive revelation for his or her personal blessing. Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
6. Too often people feel that answers to their prayers and their pleading for guidance and direction will be given in dramatic manifestations or through a direct voice giving specific directions from a heavenly host. My personal experience and my observation of the Brethren as they guide and direct the Church and solve problems has taught me that the answers come oftentimes over an extended period of time with almost a natural solution whereby people take actions on the feelings of their hearts—which bring them peace and comfort—rather than through dramatic revelation. Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
(Page 385) The gift of discerning of spirits allows the faithful to distinguish between the influence of good and evil spirits.
7. We can have the gift of discerning of spirits. George Q. Cannon has called the gift of discerning of spirits “a gift that is of exceeding value and one that should be enjoyed by every Latter-day Saint. … No Latter-day Saint should be without this gift, because there is such a variety of spirits in the world which seek to deceive and lead astray” (Gospel Truth, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols. in 1 [1987], 156–57).
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
Pg. 386
There always did, in every age, seem to be a lack of intelligence pertaining to this subject. Spirits of all kinds have been manifested, in every age, and almost amongst all people… All have their spirits, all have a supernatural agency, and all contend that their spirits are of God. Who shall solve the mystery? “Try the spirits,” says John, but who is to do it? The learned, the eloquent, the philosopher, the sage, the divine –all are ignorant…. Who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries of the false spirits that so frequently are made manifest among the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of the laws by which spirits are governed; for as “no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God,” So no man knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his devices.
Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God.
8. How does one distinguish between manifestations of the Spirit and counterfeits? One might ask these questions:
Is the manifestation edifying? Spiritual gifts are not given to satisfy one’s lusts or curiosities, but are given as a blessing and benefit to those who love God and keep His commandments
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
Pg 387
A man must have the discerning of spirits, as we before stated, to understand these things, and how is he to obtain this gift if there are no gifts of the Spirit? And how can these gifts be obtained without revelation? “Christ ascended into heaven, and gave gifts to men; and He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers.” And how were Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists chosen? By prophecy (revelation) and by laying on of hands: -by divine communication, and a divinely appointed ordinance –through the medium of the Priesthood, organized according to the order of God, by divine appointment.
Pg 388
Lying spirits are going forth in the earth. There will be great manifestations of spirits, both false and true…. Every spirit, or vision, or singing, is not of God…. The gift of discerning spirits will be given to the Presiding Elder. Pray for him that he may have this gift.
Conclusion
To find the gifts we have been given, we must pray and fast. Often patriarchal blessings tell us the gifts we have received and declare the promise of gifts we can receive if we seek after them. I urge you each to discover your gifts and to seek after those that will bring direction to your life’s work and that will further the work of heaven.
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
During our time here on earth, we have been charged to develop the natural gifts and capabilities Heavenly Father has blessed us with. Then it will be our opportunity to use these gifts to become teachers and leaders of God’s children wherever they may be found on earth. To exercise these gifts, we must develop a purity of heart.
Robert D. Hales, “Gifts of the Spirit,” Ensign, Feb 2002, 12
Labels: Church, Svithe
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘He Is Not Here, but Is Risen’,”
Ensign, May 1999, 70
But of all the things for which I feel grateful, I am most thankful this Easter morning for the gift of my Lord and my Redeemer. This is Easter, when, with all of Christendom, we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This was not an ordinary thing. It was the greatest event in human history. I do not hesitate to say that.
“If a man die, shall he live again?” asked Job (Job 14:14). There is no question of greater importance than this.
Those of us who live in comfort and security seldom give any thought to death. Our minds are on other things. Yet there is nothing more certain, nothing more universal, nothing more final than the closure of mortal life. No one can escape it, not one.
...All who have lived upon the earth before us are now gone. They have left all behind as they have stepped over the threshold of silent death. None has escaped. All have walked their way to “the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns” (Hamlet, act 3, scene 1, lines 79–80). Shakespeare so described it.
But Jesus the Christ changed all that. Only a God could do what He did. He broke the bonds of death. He too had to die, but on the third day, following His burial, He rose from the grave, “the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20), and in so doing brought the blessing of the Resurrection to every one of us.
Contemplating this wondrous thing, Paul declared: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55).
...
He walked the dusty roads of Palestine. He had no home that He could call His own, no place to rest His head. His message was the gospel of peace. His teachings were those of generosity and love. “If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy [cloak] also” (Matt. 5:40).
He taught with parables. He performed miracles the like of which were never performed before or since. He healed those whose sickness was of long standing. He caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk. He raised the dead, and they lived again to speak His praises. Surely no man had ever done such before.
A few followed Him, but most hated Him. He spoke of the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites, as whited sepulchers. They plotted against Him. He drove the money changers from the house of the Lord. They doubtless joined those who planned to destroy Him. But He was not deterred. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).
Was not all of this enough to make His memory immortal? Was it not enough to place His name among, and even above, those of the great men who have walked the earth and who have been remembered for what they said or did? Certainly He would have been ranked among the great prophets of all time.
But all of this was not enough for the Son of the Almighty. It was but prelude to greater things to come. They came in a strange and terrible way.
He was betrayed, arrested, condemned to death, to die in awful agony by crucifixion. His living body was nailed to a cross of wood. In unspeakable pain, His life slowly ebbed away. While yet He breathed, He cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
The earth shook as His spirit passed. The centurion who had seen it all declared in solemnity, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matt. 27:54).
Those who loved Him took His body from the cross. They dressed it and placed it in a new tomb offered by Joseph of Arimathaea. The tomb was sealed with a great stone at its opening, and a guard was set.
His friends must have wept. The Apostles He loved and whom He had called as witnesses of His divinity wept. The women who loved Him wept. None had understood what He had said about rising the third day. How could they understand? This had never happened before. It was totally unprecedented. It was unbelievable, even for them.
There must have been a terrible sense of dejection and hopelessness and misery as they thought of their Lord taken from them in death.
But that was not the end. On the morning of the third day, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary returned to the tomb. To their utter amazement, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was open. They peered inside. Two beings in white sat at either end of the burial site. An angel appeared to them and said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?
“He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
“Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5–7).
These simple words—“He is not here, but is risen”—have become the most profound in all literature. They are the declaration of the empty tomb. They are the fulfillment of all He had spoken concerning rising again. They are the triumphant response to the query facing every man, woman, and child who was ever born to earth.
The risen Lord spoke to Mary, and she replied. He was not an apparition. This was not imagination. He was real, as real as He had been in mortal life. He did not permit her to touch Him. He had not yet ascended to His Father in Heaven. That would happen shortly. What a reunion it must have been, to be embraced by the Father, who loved Him and who also must have wept for Him during His hours of agony.
He would appear to two men on the road to Emmaus. He would converse with them and eat with them. He would meet with His Apostles behind closed doors and teach them. Thomas was not present on the first occasion. On the second occasion, the Lord invited him to feel of His hands and His side. In utter wonder he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). He spoke with 500 at one time.
Who can dispute the documentation of these facts? There is no record of any repudiation of the testimony of those who had these experiences. There is abundant evidence that they bore witness of these events throughout their lives, even giving their own lives in affirmation of the reality of the things they had experienced. Their word is clear, and their testimony is secure.
Men and women by the millions through the centuries have accepted that testimony. Countless numbers have lived and died in affirmation of its truth, which has come to them by the power of the Holy Ghost and which they could not in truth deny. Surely no event of human history has been tested more widely as to its validity.
And there is another witness. This biblical companion, the Book of Mormon, testifies that He appeared not only to those of the Old World but also to those of the New. For had He not at one time declared, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd”? (John 10:16).
To those of this hemisphere He appeared following His Resurrection. At His descent through the clouds of heaven, the voice of God the Eternal Father was heard again in solemn declaration: “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Ne. 11:7).
Here again He called 12 Apostles, who would become witnesses of His name and divinity. He taught the people and blessed and healed them as He had done in Palestine, and peace reigned in the land for 200 years as the people sought to live by that which He had taught them.
And if all of this is not enough, there is the testimony, sure and certain and unequivocal, of the great prophet of this dispensation, Joseph Smith. As a boy he went into the woods to pray seeking light and understanding. And there appeared before him two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above him in the air. One of them spoke to him, calling him “by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JS—H 1:17).
This same Joseph declared on a subsequent occasion: “We beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; …
“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (D&C 76:20, 22).
And so on this wonderful Easter morning, as the servants of the Almighty, as prophets and apostles in His great cause, we lift our voices in witness and testimony of our immortal Savior. He came to earth as the Son of the Everlasting Father. He did as Isaiah prophesied He must do. He bore “our griefs, and carried our sorrows. …
“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).
In everlasting immortality He arose the third day from the rock-hewn grave. He spoke with many. His Father repeatedly affirmed His divine sonship.
Thanks be to the Almighty. His glorified Son broke the bonds of death, the greatest of all victories. As Paul declared, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).
He is our triumphant Lord. He is our Redeemer, who atoned for our sins. Through His redeeming sacrifice all men shall rise from the grave. He has opened the way whereby we may gain not only immortality but also eternal life.
As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bear witness and testimony of these things this Easter day. I speak in solemnity and reverence and gratitude, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
Labels: Church, Holiday, Svithe
