Seeing God

Moses and Abraham both talked with God while in mortality on the Earth.  Abraham even argued with Him to save Sodom, where his nephew, Lot, lived.  (God made a win-win situation -- He brought Lot out before destroying Sodom.)  At the age of sixty-two Abraham said, "After the Lord had withdrawn from speaking to me, and withdrawn his face from me, I said in my heart: Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee."  (Abraham 2:12)  I have always thought it would be a great thing to see the face of God.  Apparently, many have had this blessing.  I am beginning to see how.

Seek and ye shall find

The injunction to "seek and ye shall find" is found in various forms throughout the scriptures.  If we seek for something we will find it.  In other words, whatever we look for we will find.  It's all available to us.  If we are looking for evil, we will find evil, but if we are looking for good we will find that.

In Heaven, there is no evil, and in Hell there is no good, but on the Earth, good and evil exist simultaneously.  At first the good on the Earth is hidden, while the evil is apparent.  It is easy to look around and see evil everywhere and in everything.  Change and decay is everywhere.  Entropy reigns.  For this reason, the default of our vision is evil -- it's automatic.

Since the good is hidden, we must actively seek it or we won't find it.  Hidden behind all that evil is good.  God is good.  This is a mathematical formula: God = Good.  Thus, it can be changed around and still be true: Good = God.  So if we want to see God, we must seek the things that are good.  If evil is everywhere, then where can good be found?  Everywhere! 

He is everywhere

There are many scriptures that tell us about the creations of God.  "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)  God is in all things.  All means all and all is all all means.  In other words, there is nothing that exists that isn't of God.  He created all things.  There is nothing that is created that isn't created by God.  "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."  (John 1:3)  There are things that are Eternal, that always have and always will exist, and then there are things that are made.  Everything that is made was made by God.

If God is in everything, that must include evil as well.  In one sense, all that is evil is good because without the evil we cannot understand good.  It is only in contrast that we experience anything.  Evil is an essential part of our existence because without the contrast of sorrow, pain, suffering, and wickedness we could never know the good, or God.  He allows evil because sentient beings created by Him have been given the ability to choose.  He loves them even when they don't love Him; they reject, or hate Him.  Though they oppose all that He is, He allows them to exist and function in their boundaries so that all of His children have the same ability to choose.  Without a choice, there is no agency.  As Eve said in making the choice to partake of the fruit: "It is better for us to pass through sorrow that we may know the good from the evil."

Sacrifice

In order to see the hand of the Lord in our lives, we must give up seeing the Devil.  "The Devil is abroad in the land" and we have plenty of opportunity to see him.  We can focus on all the pain, the evil of others, or the lust, greed, and general selfishness that surrounds us because there is plenty around to be had.  We can worry, fuss, fret, fight evil, and hate all that is bad in the world.  But, "For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one chopping at the roots."  (Henry David Thoreau)  "Hacking at the leaves of evil" by pointing out all that is bad actually makes the tree to grow -- like pruning.  Instead of seeing the bad things around us, we can choose to see the good and actually diminish evil.

The way to stop finding evil in others is to first sacrifice our own evil.  If our hearts are filled with wickedness, then wickedness is what we will see all around us because we can only see what we are.  The process of repentance removes the evil from our hearts and opens the way to see God.  As we repent and let go of our sins, our eyes are opened to see God like Saul when Ananias blessed him, "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith."  (Acts 9:18)  I think this can be used metaphorically to show how the process of repentance, or the "mighty change of heart" will open our eyes to good.

Moreover, we are not alone in the world and are influenced by others.  Some choose evil and cause death and destruction which hurts us, directly or indirectly.  Some of this pain affects our whole life, and is hard to forgive.  However, it is essential that we forgive everyone of everything so we can begin to see God.  All the evil that touches our lives must be gone and forgotten because it will cloud our vision.  We sacrifice justice, giving mercy to others, so we can obtain mercy and see God.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

The way to see God, then, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  These are step-by-step instructions on how to come to know God, and have Eternal Life.  "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  (John 17:3)  This is how the prophets Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, and all others, as well as many other people came to see God.  Jesus Christ is the way.  When Thomas wanted to know how to get to God, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  (John 14:6)  There is no other way.  Only by following the Savior into the depths of humility and doing as He did we can see God.

In finding faith in Christ and repenting of our sins, our hearts are gradually changed to good.  We then have the ability to see all that is good around us.  As we give up seeing evil and begin searching for good we start to see the hand of God in all things.  We see the wonder of the world and all its creations.  We see the stars and the infinity of the Universe.  We are awed by each life.  No two creations of God are exactly alike.  No two leaves on all the trees, no two blades of grass, no two snowflakes, no two animals, and no two people are alike.  All of Gods creations are infinite and wondrous.  He has provided every needful thing for the growth of His children.  Everything is planned.  Nothing is left out.  All is right.  All is good.  He truly is "in all things."  He really is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.  He is love; He sent His only Son so we could return to Him.  The whole plan is perfect!  How awesome is our God!

Pray Always

God has all things in His hands.  He knows the end from the beginning.  The Earth is His and all things in it belong to Him so He can give anything.  However, the purpose of prayer is not to "put in an order" to God.  Prayer is really about coming to know God.  As we communicate with Him, we can learn more about Him and eventually grow up to become like Him.

Dog training

If you want a good dog, you need to spend time with it so it knows what to do.  If you are with your dog, you can say, "no" to the things you don't want it to do, and "yes" to the things you want it to do.  Thus, the dog learns your will and becomes an obedient and good dog.

Children are no different.  If you want a good child, you need to be with him at all times and say, "no" to the things you don't want him to do, and "yes" to the things you want him to do.  Unless the child is completely rebellious, or unable to comply, he will become "the good son."  "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  (Proverbs 22:6)

In the same manner, as children of God, the more we spend personal time with Him, the more we can learn His will.  As we keep a prayer in our hearts, we can know His will through the Holy Spirit.  He tells us, "no" to the things He doesn't want us to do, and "yes" to the things He wants us to do.  Thus, if we are compliant we learn His will in "all things."  But if we don't listen, we will not hear His word or come to know His will.

Why we ask

As children first learn to relate to their parents based only on their needs, we first learn to relate to God based on our needs.  The infant is only interested in food, drink, diaper changes, sleep, and comfort.  He lets his mom know what he needs by fussing, whining, or crying.  As he grows his needs increase, but so does his ability to ask.  Parents ask him to "use his words" instead of crying or whining when he wants something.  The parents may comply with the request, or not, depending on their judgment of what is best for the child.

This concept is no different from how we come to know God.  We begin by asking for everything we want.  He may comply or not, depending on His judgment of what is best for us.  We learn to trust His judgment as we receive, not what we want, but what we need at His hand.  Sometimes He will say that He doesn't want us to do something, but we do it anyway.  When we discover the consequences of our sin we realize that when we don't obey Him, we suffer.

As time goes on, we begin to understand that God knows everything, and has our best interest at all times.  We always find wisdom in His counsel. When we do as he directs we find growth, and happiness, but when we don't we find pain and misery.  Because of our experiences we always to go to Him to find out what we should ask for so we can grow, seeking His will instead of our own. 

As we seek His will for us, and perform every word of command with exactness, we become reconciled to Him, submitting our own will to His.  At this point, growth is exponential.  His righteous will is for our growth and development so everything He tells us to do helps us to improve.  Though it is still hard, we have the comfort of knowing that the path leads to happiness, love, and Eternal Life.

Do not ask amiss

As youngsters in the Spirit, we recognize that all things come from God.  We know that He owns everything and can give us anything we want.  Therefore, it makes perfect sense that we should begin asking Him for what we want.  The problem is, we often don't want what is good for us, or what will help us to grow, but rather for the things that would destroy us.  We don't like to eat broccoli, spinach, carrots, and peas.  We want "fast food," restaurant food, and sweetened cold cereal.  If we get what we want, we will be in pain and unhealthy.

James explains this, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."  (James 4:3)  To "consume it upon your lusts" is a metaphor for the things that we want in the world that bring only temporary pleasure, but prevent us from growing in the Spirit.  Thankfully, God doesn't often comply with such requests.  However, James goes on to say that we had better be careful what we ask for, because if we continue to ask for things that aren't good for us, God will give it -- to our condemnation.  In other words, though it is a gift from God, it will hurt us.

Seeking His will

Thus, the true purpose of prayer is to know what the will of God is in any situation.  His word tells us what to ask for.  Those things that are written in the Scriptures tell us who we are and what our potential is so we can ask for those things that will help us reach it.  Thus, even the gifts we seek at His hand are those He wills for us, such as the gifts of the Spirit.  "Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; 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, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts."  (D&C 46:8-9)

Also, we pray for help in overcoming our weaknesses so we can have His Spirit with us.  The Holy Ghost reveals the will of the Lord so we can know what to do in all things.  There is no decision too big or small that we cannot ask to know what the will of God is.  As we learn the will of the Lord and do it, we align our will to His.

When considered in this light, it makes perfect sense that we are commanded to "Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof."  (D&C 19:38)

Substitution

Anyone can be in the covenant, and anyone can opt out.  The concept of substitution is Eternal.  It always was, and it always will be.  It is of God.  There is no absolutes until the end.  The end, the final judgment, or the resurrection seals all covenants made in mortality.  It marks the end of this stage of existence.  But, prior to the end everything is changeable.  Promises, or covenants are made, and God always keeps His promises, but each one is contingent on our keeping them.  Thus, until "the end" nothing is permanent, fixed, or Eternal -- except God, and the covenants themselves.

The Firstborn

We think of the "Patriarchal Order" as absolute.  The authority of a father, and all his wealth and power, are passed down to the firstborn son.  However, this doesn't seem to be universal.

As Lehi is giving his final words to his sons, he turns to one of his younger sons, Jacob, and calls him his "firstborn" three times.  The full term he uses is "firstborn in the wilderness."  He takes his first blessing away from his oldest sons and gives it to Nephi, but calls Jacob his "firstborn."  Now, if we look at the subsequent events in the lives of these, what we see is that for hundreds of years the children of Nephi are the kings of the faithful people of Lehi, but the children of Jacob are the prophets we read in the Book of Mormon.  We know of no children of Nephi for almost 400 years.  Jacob, has essentially become a substitute for the firstborn of Lehi, taking the role of the prophet, or patriarch, and passing that authority down through his generations.  He specifically states that his brother, Nephi, gave him that authority.

When Abraham was talking with the Lord and Ishmael was a teenager he said, "I wish Ishmael had an interest in knowing thee."  Apparently Ishmael wasn't interested in the things of the Lord as Abraham was.  The Lord told him that there would be another, born of his first wife, Sarah, who would fulfill the promise.  Thus, though Isaac wasn't the firstborn of Abraham, he was always called this because he fulfilled the covenant of the patriarchal order of Abraham.

Perhaps this is an illustration of things in Heaven.  Abraham represents the Father.  Ishmael represents Lucifer.  Isaac represents Jehovah. Let's say that Lucifer, a "son of the morning," is really the firstborn of the Father, but refuses the covenant.  Each apparently had the option of being the "Only Begotten" of the Father.  Lucifer contended for the position saying, "here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor."  (Moses 4:1)  But he was not chosen.  Jehovah, then, fulfilled the covenant of the Messiah by saying, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever."  (Moses 4:2)  He became the "Firstborn" by making and keeping the covenant of "the chosen One."

"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."  (Matthew 20:16)  Does this Scripture refer to Christ?  All of them do.  There are many who are called, who receive the promise and make covenants with God.  However, those who are selfish, self-seeking, wanting power, glory, and honor without actually fulfilling the promise are not chosen.  Only those who fulfill their covenants actually fill a position of glory in the Eternities of power, glory, honor, and Eternal Lives, forever and ever.  Jesus fulfilled His promise, the covenant, or as He said, "I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men."  (D&C 19:19)  He did the work of the Firstborn.

This concept is found throughout the scriptures -- Jacob is called the "firstborn" of Isaac, and Joseph is called the "firstborn" of Jacob, though neither of them really were.  Then, Jacob is renamed "Israel" and carries the promise with him that "all the families of the Earth will be blessed through his name."  This refers to the Messiah being born of his children, but also that everyone who makes a covenant with God becomes his child.

Families are forever

It turns out that the concept of "family" is so ambiguous in this world because the true family is the family of God.  People can "opt in" to the family of God through the covenants of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They can become His "children" and become the "firstborn" of Jesus, though they have no connection at all physically or genetically.  Conversely, those who are even in high position, the firstborn, can opt out of the "family of Christ" by avoiding the covenants, or failing to "endure to the end."

Husbands and wives are easily substituted in the covenant of marriage.  The “New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage” is the highest covenant in mortality.  It links people together forever, sealing them in the family of Christ.  However, those who do not fulfill the promise are taken out of that triangle, while the faithful spouse remains.  The faithful spouse is then “given to another” who is also faithful and they automatically form a new couple in the covenant, though they never actually knelt across the altar.  Their original covenant with God continues, and the new spouse just fills in the empty space left by the unfaithful one.

The children can also be substituted.  Those children who keep the covenant can be adopted into a faithful family, becoming children of parents to whom they have no mortal connection.  Those who are "born in the covenant" are tied to their parents as long as their parents are faithful; if not, they are still sealed to Jesus Christ and can be substituted into any family with faithful parents.  Adoption is "as if" they were born to those parents.  There is no distinction, genetically.  Children can also "opt out" of a faithful family by not keeping their covenants.

Because of this, the spiritual concept of "family" is very different from the mortal "mother, father and their children" we commonly think of.  The family of the flesh is only a temporal institution that has a purpose of raising children physically to maturity.  It is temporary.  It is not by birth or genetics that a "forever family" is determined, but rather by covenants and faithfulness to them.  The only family that is "forever" is the one with a faithful man, a faithful woman, and their faithful children.  This forms a permanent "welding link" of the family of Christ throughout all the generations of the Earth.  Thus, He is the Father, as well as the Son.

On the Lord's errand

I have a apersonal assistant whom I send to do all the things I cannot do because of time and other constraints.  I delegate responsibilities to her and give her authority to act in my name.  For example, I send her to take care of problems the business is having with the phone bill, I have her send flowers to my sweetheart on special occasions, and I tell her to deal with the webmaster to fix the web site the way I want it.  She has to go and do all of these without me being there.  She is on my errand, and represents me. 

Because of this, I would expect everyone I do business with to respect her as they would me.  I expect them to listen to her and do as she asks them.  When she is on my errand, doing my will, it is as if I had asked in person. 

In the name of the Lord

Likewise, those who are servants of the Lord are on His errand.  They are sent by Him to do His will.  When they speak, they are speaking His words.  When they command they are giving His commandments.  They use His name because they are doing His will.  This ability and authority is a gift that must be developed by first keeping His commandments as given by others, and then learning His will for us.  As we come to know Christ and learn His will we are given tasks to perform and the authority to perform them in His name.  We then become His servants on His errand and can speak His name in Spirit and truth.

Those who are on His errand speak for God.  They are doing His will and He expects everyone to respect them as if He were there in person.  The people with whom the servants of the Lord have contact should treat them with the same reverence they would treat God Himself.  This includes being obedient to their words.  The Lord said, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."  (D&C 1:38)  This is how they, too, can learn to speak in the name of the Lord.

Obedience is the first law

When Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden he built an altar and offered sacrifice.  Later, an angel came to him and asked why he was doing that, and Adam said, "I know not, save the Lord commanded me."  Then the angel explained that it was a type or shadow of the sacrifice of the Son of God.  Adam was told, "Thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son."  (Moses 5:8)  The sacrifice on the altar was done in the name of the Lord because He commanded it.  Adam first was obedient to the commandment of the Lord before he learned why and received another commandment to do everything in His name.

This illustrates a pattern of obedience in faith before we understand why.  We follow the same pattern to learn the will of the Lord.  We must believe in His word and do it, being obedient to "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"  (Matthew 4:4) before we gain the understanding to be his mouthpiece.

In our Rotary Club the minister who asked the members to pray before the meeting told them not to pray in the name of Jesus.  This was Club policy so as not to offend those who didn't believe in Christ.  My bishop was in the same club and was asked to pray, he agreed, but closed his prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.  I have often thought about the arrogance of asking a person to pray and tell him he can't pray to his God.  This is especially true of Christians because we are commanded to "Pray always in His name."  As Peter and the other Apostles told the Sanhedrin, We ought to obey God rather than men."  (Acts 5:29) 

Growing in the Word

Because of this commandment, we do everything in the Church in the name of Jesus Christ.  Every prayer, talk, or other message is automatically closed in His name.  However, it often seems that members of His Church use His name in vain, or without His authorization.  We do it without thinking. I heard of one instance of a Mormon news anchorwoman who closed her broadcast (accidentally) "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."  We get up in church and speak our own words in His name.  We bless the obviously unhealthy refreshments to our health in His name.  We ask for our own desires in His name.  We lay hands on the heads of others and give our own blessing in His name.  We even curse others in His name.  Like all children, we make these mistakes until we grow up, understand and repent.

Growing in the Spirit is the process of repentance.  We gradually learn to hear the Spirit of God as we let go of our own desires and seek His.  There is a specified process of learning the will of the Lord called "the Gospel of Jesus Christ."  It starts with faith in Him, and then we repent and make covenants such as baptism and we can receive the Holy Ghost.  It is by His Spirit that we learn His will.  If we speak only as the Spirit directs, then we can rightly speak in His name.  This is the spirit of prophecy, or the testimony of Jesus Christ.

With authority

When we know the will of the Lord for ourselves we can use it to bless the lives of others.  At the time of Jesus the religious leaders of the day spoke from the words of other authorities.  When Jesus taught, however, He spoke the Word of God on His own authority.  "On the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes."  (Mark 1:21-22)  We are given this same authority today, the Priesthood.  Those who have this conferred upon them can speak in His name when they are doing His will.  But if they try to use this authority to force their will upon others they lose it entirely.  This is why we must first repent and have the Holy Ghost before we can receive the Priesthood -- so we understand His will.

The Priesthood of God is organized to assure that everyone understands who has the authority to speak in His name.  There is only one man on the Earth today with the authority to give the word of God to everyone on the Earth -- the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He is the Prophet of God on the Earth today, and is authorized to speak for God.  The President of the Church delegates the work of the Lord to other authorities, who have jurisdiction over their individual stewardships.  For example, a bishop can speak in the name of the Lord, but only in the congregation over which he presides.  In turn, the bishop delegates the work to others; each is given his own duties, and is qualified to speak in the name of the Lord in his calling.  "And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation."  (D&C 68:4) 

When we are doing our duty as given to us by the proper authority we are doing God's work, and are thus entitled to revelation from Him to fulfill it.  Then we can speak in the name of the Lord, or with authority, as Jesus did in His day and as the Prophets do today.  Thus, "every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world" (D&C 1:20) when we are on the Lord's errand.

Eternal Life

Moses was taught by God about the creation of the world.  He was shown every particle of it and every person who ever lived on it, and then he asked, "Why do you do all of this?"  The Lord answered, "For behold, this is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  (Moses 1:39)  In other words, the purpose of all this creation, the world, the stars, the planets, and the people was to help these, His children, to have immortality and Eternal Life.  "Immortality" and "Eternal Life" sound redundant, but they aren't.

Immortality literally means "not being mortal," or subject to death so those who are immortal live forever in their body, or in the flesh.  This is a gift given to all who are born; there are no contingencies.  Because Jesus Christ was resurrected all who live on this Earth will once again receive their bodies again, never to die.  Immortality is the negative -- you cannot die. 

Eternal life, however, is the positive; life goes on forever.  It is more than just not dying, it is being part of creation, reproduction -- or life.  God has a purpose to create, or reproduce Himself, and those who have Eternal Life take part in this, and continually live and grow.

But, we cannot have life alone.  It is only in coming together in unity that we have the power to create.  Growth on every level requires uniting with others.  Single atoms serve no function in life, they must be united with other atoms to become a molecule.  Single molecules have no function in life unless they come together to form a cell.   A single cell in a body is nothing without all the other cells that make up the body.  Though a cell may be extracted and not die (immortality), it has no power to be anything more without the others.  Each level of unity creates another form of life, and continuing forever is Eternal Life.

The gift of Eternal Life

Immortality is a gift no matter what, but Eternal Life is a gift that must be sought after, and accepted.  We prepare ourselves to receive it by growing up.  Responsible parents don't give their little children gifts fit for adults, like cars, guns, and chain saws; they must grow up and be responsible before receiving such things.  In like manner, God gives the gift of Eternal Life to those who prepare themselves to receive it by growing up in the Spirit.  The path of this growth is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

All those who desire it can receive the gift of Eternal Life.  God has done all the work of planning and providing.  All we need to do is accept what He has given.  He gave us a world and step-by-step instructions on how to return to Him.  He gave us agency, the ability to choose His plan -- or not.  Most of all, He gave His only begotten Son to provide a way for us to receive immortality and Eternal Life.  All we need to achieve the greatest happiness and fulfillment is given, if we accept it.

To do this we must be obedient to the word of God, make sacrifices as commanded by God, live the Gospel, live the law of chastity, and be consecrated  fully to the Lord.  We are to follow Christ.  "He marked the path and lead the way, and every point defines."  By following Him, we arrive where He is, and are qualified to receive the gift of Eternal Life.  Every covenant, every sacrifice, every ordinance, every work is intended to bring us there. 

An Help Meet

Those who live by every word of God become eligible for Eternal Life, but cannot get there alone; we must be united with others, beginning with marriage.  "The Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."  (Genesis 2:18)  The man and the woman are to become one in order to multiply and replenish the Earth because separately and singly they have no power to create, live and grow.  Woman was the final act of creation so she is the "why," the crowning end of all that exists in the Universe.  She is created to "help" the man "meet" his purpose of Eternal Life.  Paul explained, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord."  (1 Corinthians 11:11)  Only together can they have life. 

Thus, the ordinance of sealing a man and a woman together for Eternity is the most important event in all the world.  The acts of kings and rulers, wars between nations, atomic weapons, business conducted in the largest corporations, travel to the moon, or any other event of man or nature pales in comparison to that covenant.  The very purpose for which the world and all that is in it was created is to this end.  It is the reason why -- why we live, suffer, repent, are baptized and remain faithful.  He created the world for this.  He created life for this.  And, He sent His only begotten Son into the world to suffer and die for this: a man and a woman receiving Eternal Life.

This makes a wife very important to a man.  Nothing he can do, own, or be; no job, money, home, land, car, or other possession could bring him more joy and fulfillment than his wife.   She is the end-all and be-all to him. Everything he does must nurture his relationship with her because she is why he lives.  Likewise, a woman gives her all to her husband.  As they are true and faithful in all things they are enabled to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and receive the greatest of all the gifts of God -- Eternal Life.

Naked

Before Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil "they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."  (Genesis 2:25)  They didn't know they were naked because they didn't know they needed clothing -- they weren't ashamed.  They didn't even understand the concept of clothing because they had nothing to hide.  They were married, living together as one, without separation or conflict.  They lived in a perfect paradise.

Paradise lost

When they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they were exercising their independence, making a choice to go against the commandment of God.  Though it was an innocent choice, like a three-year-old looking directly at his mother as he eats the chocolate she told him not to eat, they still had to suffer the consequences.  They became subject to evil, and needed to hide their guilt.  Satan told them to put on fig leaves to cover their nakedness and hide from God.

In like manner we put on the fig leaves as suggested by Satan, only to be cast out of Heaven.  In trying to hide our sins from God we hide ourselves from Him.  In fact, it is because we have guilt that we feel the need to hide from everyone.  We put up a facade, that we are OK, but know deep down we are not.  This brings insecurity to our lives.  We clothe ourselves with fear to protect us from discovery, and in doing so shut ourselves out of love on Earth, and in Heaven.  Being cast out into the lone and dreary world, we can connect with neither God nor man.  Upon sensing the loss of innocence some try to go back by exposing their nakedness, as if to say they had nothing to hide, such as joining "nudist colonies" in an attempt to pretend they are back in Eden, innocent and free of sin.  We can try any way we want, but we have no power to undo what has been done -- we cannot go back or ever become innocent again.

It's not God who is keeps us away, it's our own awareness of our unworthiness to be in His presence.  Mormon explains this: "Ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.  For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you."  (Mormon 9:4-5)  We hide because we don't want Him to discover us.  My friend Eddy Hughes had a saying when we were in college, "If you feel far from God... who moved?"  He never leaves us; He knows us intimately because we are naked before Him.  Those who cry, "judgmental!" are merely convicted by their own conscience.

When we metaphorically put on the fig leaves to hide from God, we are only pretending to hide.  We cannot hide our sins from Him who knows all things.  Like the little child who thinks he has successfully hidden his rebellion, but has chocolate smeared all over his face, we come to the Lord naked, as He told the rebellious church in Laodicia, "thou sayest, I.. have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art... naked."  (Revelation 3:17)  Though you have all things of this world, you are still naked before God.

Cover your nakedness

The only way out of this dilemma is through the Lord, Jesus Christ.  The Gospel is the step-by-step instructions back to God: believe, develop faith in Him, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit.  As we are in this process we need to repent continually.  In the meantime He gives us a covering for our sins, allowing us to have the guidance of the Holy Ghost.   As we follow His plan we can eventually be forgiven, sanctified, and have no more to hide.  We can then "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16) because there is nothing to inhibit us.  We will feel comfortable in the presence of a just and holy God.

The "clothing" the Lord gives us to hide our stains as we repent are the covenants we make with Him.  For example, baptism for the remission of sins doesn't immediately make us clean, but rather the covenant allows for a covering while we repent.  "Remission" is a term that means our sins still exist, they are just in remission, covered or invisible, so nobody sees them -- not even God.  With this covering for our sins we can "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16) in His name.  This is why Adam was told, "thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.  (Moses 5:8)  We cannot go to God in our own name, because we aren't worthy, and we can't cover our own sins.  We must do everything in the name of Jesus Christ.

Endure to the end

Those who continue in repentance receive the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, cleansing them of sin.  If they endure to the end they are clothed with power and authority, and "are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies."  (D&C 84:33)  They become the "elect" of God.  The Lord has said, "if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."  (D&C 14:7)  To "endure" means more than just "suffer through," but rather indicates staying in the covenant, or keeping the commandments, until you are finished or as Jesus says "perfect."  "I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."  (3 Nephi 12:48).  Paul says, "they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize."  (1 Corinthians 9:24)  In the Lord's race everyone who finishes gets the same prize.  No matter how long it takes, all we need to do is finish, like our Lord.

The end is the final judgment, or the resurrection.  The Prophet Jacob tells us that when we come to this point, "we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness."  (2 Nephi 9:14)  The wicked are naked, whereas the righteous are clothed with "the robe of righteousness" or the garment of Christ.  We can't cover our own nakedness; in the end either we are clothed by Him, or we will stand ashamed and naked.

No Collateral Damage

For over two thousand years Christians have speculated on the end of the world. Even before our Lord carried-out His great Atonement His apostles were asking about the end. Jesus explained: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:7-8) He went on to say how the world would be in turmoil, that life will go on like before the flood when everyone was "marrying and giving in marriage" and didn't see the signs -- and died.

These words were repeated to the Prophet Joseph Smith in our times: "a desolating sickness shall cover the land... among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die. And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another." (D&C 45:31-33) These are times to be feared. Much damage will be done by man and nature.

Whenever the Lord describes the terrible events of that day He also tells them not to worry. To those who believe in Christ, the severe trials are just a sign of the times, and they should be joyous because they will know that the coming of their Lord to the Earth is near. He told His servants in the Latter-days, "My disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved."

There are two reasons the disciples of Christ are not moved by all the turmoil. The first is preparation. The Lord said "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30) If you know what is going to happen, and you're prepared to whether the storm, then there is no need to fear. Those who believe in Christ will listen to the prophets and prepare themselves.

The second is because they believe in His word. Those who believe in Christ are promised that the desolations of the last days won't touch them. Jacob explains, "None will he destroy that believe in him. And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed." (2 Nephi 6:14-15) Those who believe in Christ are separated from the world and are not affected by the wickedness around them. They will "stand in holy places" and will not be harmed by the scourges that will affect the wicked. Mormon explains, "the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished." (Mormon 4:5) The righteous do not punish the wicked, nor are they affected by their punishment.

Some Christians worry about being caught up in the disasters that are going to be a part of the last days. Those who fear are not righteous because "the fearful... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8) But those who believe in Him will be protected by their obedience. They will prepare, and trust in Him.  He has the power. The righteous need not fear. The righteous shall not fear. The Lord knows each one of His sheep by name, and "none will He destroy that believe in Him!" There is no collateral damage.

Intimacy with God and Man

Our society, as all degenerating societies in the history of the world, is obsessed with sex. We teach in our schools, from our pulpits, and in our media that sex is entertainment, or fun. We use it to titillate others to buy products. We encourage children to use their bodies for pleasure. The largest use of the internet is pornography -- by far! Our television shows are filled with sexual jokes and innuendo. Homosexuals entirely define themselves by their sexual desires. Like a teenage boy our entire society focuses on sex. There is nowhere to turn in public and private that doesn't contain sexual content.

Learning to love yourself

In all of this focus on sex our culture teaches us to love ourselves, producing only loneliness. We live in "the lone and dreary world" where we are all alone, but we need others so we all search for intimacy. We all have an innate need for love -- to love and to be loved. We want to connect with another in a very meaningful and deep way. Because of the need for a connection we believe that a sexual relationship will provide that, but it's not true. There is a big mistake in our culture that the physical act of sex is equated with love and intimacy.

Instead of building trust, unity, and intimacy degenerating societies focus on gratification. We make barriers, or put up walls to protect ourselves from rejection, but this also prevents us from connecting with others. We marry and are given in marriage to have someone available for our needs, but never come to know one another. My friend called me saying that his wife is depressed and stays in bed all the time. She isn't pulling her weight in the relationship; she isn't taking care of business. She says she will go shopping, but never does it. She never wants sex. "I'm getting really tired of this," he whines. This is purely selfish. The majority of divorces are based on "I'm not getting my needs filled," as if that were the purpose of marriage.

The greatest love of all...

Intimacy is far more than sexual intercourse. Becoming one with another is a metaphysical relationship that requires total commitment. There is one relationship on this Earth that can fulfill our need to become one, marriage. We marry for life, or forever, so that we can gradually break down those barriers to intimacy and develop unity. This is the most fulfilling of all experiences we can have in mortality. In a marriage where both are committed exclusively to each other each can safely let down the walls that protect their very tender hearts. We can allow ourselves to be understood, and to understand another. We can forgive the things that hurt and give compassion. Unity cannot happen without trust. Trust is not given, it's earned. When we have experienced the heart of another we can begin to trust them with our own hearts -- we give our heart to our spouse knowing that he or she will keep it safe.

Moreover, the unity in a marriage is so much greater than sexual fulfillment. It is also a necessary part of coming to know God. In the Scriptures the most common euphemism for sex is "to know." "Adam knew his wife and she bore a son." This process of coming to know another in such a deep and intimate way must go hand-in-hand with our coming to know God. In fact, the intimate human relationship is directly connected to an intimate relationship with God. Actually, they are one in the same because as one goes, so goes the other. Illicit sexual relationships are so destructive because they preclude, and prevent, intimacy. All too often even married couples have disconnected sexual relations that are devoid of intimacy. Without the human intimacy -- all of it: need, vulnerability, trust, as well as the physical and spiritual connections -- the ability to have an intimate relationship with God is impaired, or impossible.

If this is true, then complete obedience to the law of chastity must include not only abstaining from sexual relations outside of marriage, but also the obverse of having true intimacy in marriage. We connect with the Savior on an intimate level when we connect with our spouse on an intimate level. They are equal. Or, in other words, we connect with the Savior on the same level of intimacy that we connect with our spouse. To become one with God, we must become one with our husband, or wife. The greatest love is the closest relationship. The couple must become one because, as Jesus said, "If ye are not one, ye are not mine."

...Is easy to achieve

This unity is achieved in a stepwise fashion. The goal of unity, an absolute connection, a perfect (complete, whole, or finished) love, is only achieved through the Lord, Jesus Christ. The reason we hide, the reason we build walls that prevent this connection is the same reason Satan told Adam to make an apron of fig leaves to hide from God -- because of his transgression. By sin came insecurity or a sense of unworthiness, along with the need to hide. The only way out is to be forgiven of our sins, and the only way to achieve that is through Christ. This is the program of the Gospel, the "good news" that Jesus Christ suffered for our sins and we can be made whole and forgiven.

Each member of a couple must individually follow the Gospel starting with building faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, then repenting of all their sins ("all" means "all" and "all" is all "all" means!), they can then be baptized as He was for the remission of sins and receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. The Holy Ghost can then sanctify us and cleanse us of all sin -- the baptism of fire. It is only at this point that each can begin to let down his or her guard and trust. The fear goes away when the sins are forgiven; and when the fear is gone, love can thrive. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) When both have individually received the baptism of fire, then they are ready for the next step -- love.

Thus, intimacy with God and man is intricately intertwined; they cannot be separated. We cannot be truly intimate with our spouse, or any other, without having an intimate relationship with God. However, by the same token, we cannot have an intimate relationship with God unless we have a connection with our spouse. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth [rejects] his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21) The marriage relationship is the epitome of intimacy in all Earthly relationships and is thus the beginning of our quest for unity and intimacy with God and man.