Who is the Lord?

When King Noah heard about Abinadi the prophet preaching repentance and faith on the Lord, he asked the question on everyone's lips: "Who is the Lord?" (Mosiah 11:27)  Your lord is the one you obey, or the one to whom you submit.  If you obey God, then He is your Lord, but if you obey anyone else then God is NOT your Lord.  Some don't want a lord at all, and become "a law unto themselves."  The bottom-line of good and evil is: either God is your Lord, or not.  If God is not your Lord, then it doesn't really matter if it's yourself, another man, or the Devil himself, because you end up in the same place.  Mormon explains in the greatest speech ever given: 

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.  But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him."  (Moroni 7:16-17)

In other words, good is anything that helps you become subject to Jesus Christ, and evil is everything else.  There is no neutral; whatever doesn't lead you to Christ is bad.  It's that simple.  To believe in Him and serve Him is to make Him our Lord by relinquishing control, and giving it to Him.  The question of, "who is the Lord," is the same as, "Who is in control?"

The war between good and evil

From the very beginning of the travels of Lehi and his family in the desert, the issue was control.  Even after all the miracles and signs Laman and Lemuel saw, they didn't want to have a lord.  Nephi refused to allow his brothers to worship him, but told them to worship the Lord.  In spite of this his older brothers "did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people." (2 Nephi 5:2-3)  In order to avoid serving the Lord, they had to get rid of the one who taught this.

The question of who is in charge is the most basic question of life.  For this family, there was clearly one who had the knowledge and gifts to lead them all to the "Promised Land," but since Nephi was younger, Laman and Lemuel thought they had the right to be kings.  Because of his gifts everyone would look to Nephi for leadership so the older brothers would need to get rid of him entirely.  The family split up over this issue, and for most of their thousand years of history continued to fight over it.  The majority of the Book of Mormon is about wars over who is going to be in control -- the Nephites, who lead people to Christ, or the Lamanites, who don't.

This is the crux of the problem of life.  Each one of us is on the Earth outside of the presence of God to determine who we will obey.  We are here to choose a Lord, as Joshua tells the Children of Israel: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

Saul becomes Paul

Saul was a very orthodox man who wanted to cleanse the Jewish people of Christians.  One day as he was going to put down those who believed that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus appeared unto him.  Saul had only two questions: "Who art thou, Lord?" And then, "What shall I do, Lord?"  (Acts 22:8,10)  Saul immediately accepted Jesus as his Lord, and continued to serve Him for the rest of his life.  He told Timothy that Jesus "is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." (1 Timothy 6:15) Then at the end of his life he writes again to Timothy, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)  Jesus clearly was his Lord.

Atheism

The issue of the existence of God is central to our own.  If God exists, if He is our Creator, if He is the Lord of lords, then we must submit to Him and obey Him in all things.  This submission is what many people try to avoid.  Some of these describe themselves as "atheists."  They do not believe there is a God so they don't have to submit themselves to His will. 

Since most of my schooling is in the sciences, I have a lot of familiarity with those who do not choose God to be their Lord.  Moreover, I have read a great deal of atheist literature.  I have found that those who specifically state that there is no God are merely trying to avoid having Him to be their Lord.  They believe they are choosing "the null hypothesis," but don't realize that it's just ignorance.  It is the same war over good and evil, but they choose evil and want to justify themselves in ignorance.  When my son said he was atheist he said, "I'm not interested in knowing... ignorance is bliss."  Likewise, all atheists ignore the evidence for God and try to find other explanations for His works.  They form illogical conclusions such as all existence happened by random chance and call it "science."  They make ignorant statements such as "since Thor, Zeus, and Baal turned out not to be true gods then there is no true God."  One famous atheist even wrote that all of those who believe in God are delusional.

Ultimately, however, only ignorance can maintain such ideas, as Oliver Cowdery so eloquently explains:

"Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind." (Joseph Smith-History, Oliver Cowdery's account)

The blind remain blind until they see.  And God makes sure they don't see until they are willing to submit, and call Him Lord.

Saints

The saints are those who follow Christ and make Him their Lord.  These are the true Christians who submit themselves to the will of God.  They do as Jesus did: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38)  They are willing to give up the things of this world, as Jesus said, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25)  This is hard.  It is not easy to become a saint.  It requires strength of character beyond any other feat of mankind.  No accomplishment is greater than the humble submission to the will of the Lord.

If we choose the one true God to be our Lord, then we fulfill our existence and find peace, joy and happiness.  It requires not just believing, but rather doing the will of our Lord.  "But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come." (D&C 59:23)  The effort is worth it -- and so much more.  For all these reasons, as Joshua stated: "we will serve the Lord," the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all things that in them are.

The Deal

We all act based on faith. We have faith that our employer will pay us so we go to work. We have faith that the seeds will grow so we plant crops. We have faith that drivers will stop at a red light so we drive through an intersection. In one sense, everything we do is based on faith. We put our faith in those things we believe.  We only invest our time and effort into things that we believe will be worth it. In the big picture of life, what we do is determined by what we believe will pay off, or make life worthwhile. Whether we believe in Him or not, this is the covenant, or the "deal" we make with... God.

There is a progression of faith. Some have a little, and others have a lot. Looking at the two extremes we see that those with no faith require payment in advance, whereas those who have a lot of faith are willing to make a long-term investment. "Oh ye of little faith" want an immediate payoff, whereas those with infinite faith look to Eternity.

Worse and worse

Those who do not have faith cannot put effort into something that might pay later. It would be "wasted effort." People who seek an immediate payoff think only for now, or the near future. Rather than plant seeds, they will buy the plant already blooming. They tend to be impetuous. They spend their money immediately, eat for taste, work to play, gamble, and indulge themselves in feelings of the moment. Consequences and long-term benefits aren't considered in their daily living. They expect payment for every effort they make, and, like a three-year-old child they want it "NOW!"

My son has a T-shirt that says: "Hard work pays off in the long run, but laziness pays off immediately." It's true that the immediate compensation is good, but that moment is the end. More payoff requires more investment. The payment side of the account not only builds up, but increases with interest. Thus, over time, the deal gets worse and worse as the pay per amount invested declines to nothing. There are always side-effect and unwanted consequences to paying later. The abilities are decreased with time. Laziness causes weakness and the loss of ability. Gambling leads to poverty. At some point, there is no enjoyment at all in being lazy, only pain and suffering.

Those who choose to avoid the will of God look at the immediate benefits and not the long-term risks. They steal because they want things now. They commit adultery because it feels good now. They put all their time and efforts into their own comforts and feelings. However, those who choose this route find that the reward is all they get. The deal gets worse and worse over time. Once you have done something it loses its excitement.

The "deal" we make if we act in the short-term gives us immediate payment. It doesn't require faith because we can see the benefits; however, there is a payment to be made. Food is a simple and concrete illustration of this concept. Those who eat for taste or hunger get the immediate reward. The "payoff" is immediate, but doesn't last, they will be hungry again in minutes to hours. If they desire food for taste there is no satiation, or no end, and the side-effects bring only sorrow and misery. Over time they get more obese, sick, and are no longer able to function well. They feel bad, live with guilt, pain, and lack of energy. This same illustration could be made for drugs, sex, money, stealing, lying, cheating, or any other sin. There are immediate benefits, but the deal gets worse and worse over time. Whenever we seek the things that are temporal, we have no reward from above because we've made no investment.

Better and better

Those who believe in God can begin to exercise faith. The greater their faith, the more they can invest in their future. They come to know that God knows all things: "My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning." (Abraham 2:8) Rather than expecting immediate rewards, they sacrifice their own desires, expecting their only reward to come from God.

There were two different kinds of fruit mentioned specifically in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were able to eat from any tree, including the tree of life, except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as it was forbidden. It's interesting to note that the forbidden fruit tasted good, but the tree of life was a bitter fruit. "...the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter." (2 Nephi 2:15) However, elsewhere in the scriptures this fruit on the Tree of Life was described as, "most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted." (1 Nephi 8:11) What is the difference? The "Garden" is in the beginning, whereas the other is in the end. This is the "deal" in life that gets better and better. We start out with a bitter taste as we sacrifice on the altars of God all the things we want. It's the broccoli we have to eat in order to be healthy, but over time we get good health which is most sweet.

Those who choose God get troubles and trials. Worship is sacrifice; it hurts to make sacrifices. It's hard. People look at the sacrifice required by the Lord and question their choice. They believe it would be easier to quit. The depth of their faith can be measured by the magnitude of their sacrifice. It's hard at first, but the deal just keeps getting better and better. There is no end to how much better it can get. A hymn by Parley P. Pratt explains:

The works of God continue, And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter; There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit; There is no end to race.

There is no end to virtue; There is no end to might;

There is no end to wisdom; There is no end to light.

There is no end to union; There is no end to youth;

There is no end to priesthood; There is no end to truth.

There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.
There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.

(Hymn 284:3-5)

The key that unlocks the door to Eternity is faith. Endless growth and love requires the sacrifice of all things that are temporal, or temporary. There is no immediate reward. We must have faith in things we cannot see. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

True Religion

The object of true religion is to convince people that there is value in putting off our immediate desires. We bear testimony that there is a God, and that the only way we can be saved is to put our trust in Him, putting off the "natural man" and seeking an Eternal reward. We have to convince others that this "faith" deal is hard at first, but it just gets better and better.

True religion requires sacrifice, it always has. The altars of the Temple are all about the sacrifices we make of the things of the world. We give up what we want now, for a better life in the world to come. All our covenants with God are sacrifices we promise to make. We give our time and efforts to Him. We give our whole heart to Him so we can be His. We are no longer our own. We don't do what we want, but rather what He wants.

This is a process that takes a lifetime. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ, we trust in Him, we rely on him, and are willing to commit to Him. There are no shortcuts. "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6) The witness we receive is a wonderful reward of faith. But that is not the end. As we grow in faith the rewards are greater. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) There is no end, the deal just keeps getting better and better.

I know

We can't know anything until we know everything.  Philosophically-speaking there is no way we can be sure of anything because it's impossible to know what we don't know.   

When all of Europe was dominated by the Catholic Church they had an official tradition (from Aristotle) that all the celestial bodies were perfect spheres like crystals that revolved around the Earth.  They were simply lacking information that came when a telescope was invented that proved them wrong.  So what was "known" by all as absolute truth for more than a thousand years became falsehood in a moment.   

Previous to the late Nineteenth Century there was a perfectly logical explanation for the spoilage of food -- oxidation.  If food was exposed to oxygen there was a chemical reaction that took place.  Their observations were explained very well.  Removing all the oxygen by canning food prevented spoilage.  And if they used certain chemicals such as salt, vinegar and sugar they could prevent the chemical reaction.  Also, during this time it was thought that illness came from the cold, bad air, or evil spirits, among many other theories.  The invention of a microscope opened up a whole world of microorganisms that changed all of these theories.  Thus, though we can have a theory that explains all of our observations, we cannot know that we are able to observe everything.  We don't know what we're missing.  A small change in technology could give us new knowledge that could change what we think we know. 

Our current "scientific" theories are doomed to the same fate, in spite of all we "know."  Though "Natural Selection" or "Evolution" explains much of our observations of life on Earth, there is still a great deal we don't know so these theories are open to becoming falsehood with the discovery of just one bit of information.  For example, if it were found that there is no way DNA could be made without proteins, and there is no way for protein to be made without DNA; or, if random mutations could never make a useful structure or function, then the theory of evolution by natural selection would be impossible.  Also, the "Big Bang" theory of the beginning of our known Universe also has a number of gaps that we know, as well as infinite possibilities that we don't yet know.  Just one bit of information could render the whole theory invalid.  Every gap in our knowledge leaves us open to the infinity of possibilities that exist beyond our senses, technology, or understanding.  In order to be able to know what is missing we would have to know everything.  Thus, there is nothing that we could be sure of until we had a knowledge of absolutely everything.   

How, then, can we know anything? 

God knows everything; He is omniscient.  If He were to tell us something, we would know something.  Since God knows everything, then we could be sure of anything He tells us.  In fact, the only way we can know something is if the information comes from God.  If we are sure He knows everything, and is willing to share His knowledge, then we must experiment on the word of God. 

God is omniscient 

Multiple scriptures attest to the omniscience of God.  “O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.”  (2 Nephi 9:20)  If there was one blade of grass that came up without His knowledge he would not be omniscient.  There is no time with God, all things are present.  He knows every particle of the Earth and all things that have happened or will happen.  He is a God of truth, as the brother of Jared attested: “thou art a God of truth.” (Ether 3:12)  "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come."  (D&C 93:24)  Thus, God knows all things. 

God can and will give knowledge

Since God has this knowledge, He can teach it to us, His children, if we desire.  He promises to give to those who ask.  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  (James 1:5)  The promise that we will be given what we desire is repeated multiple times in the scriptures.   

We start with belief.   "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."  (Mosiah 4:9)  In other words, we must acknowledge that God knows everything, and we know nothing.  This puts us in a position to learn. 

How we know

When we do what God says, we can come to know things.  "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."  (John 7:17)  If it is of God, then it is always true. 

Keeping the commandments allows us to receive information.  "For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fullness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."  (D&C 93:20)  This is a succinct way of explaining how one can receive grace.  By keeping the commandments of God we are giving grace.  As we give grace we grow, learn, and thus receive glory from God.  We get grace as we give grace, thus receiving grace for grace.  The system is perfect.  We come to know the doctrine as we do His will, or keep His commandments.  How can we keep the commandments if we don't know what they are.  This is why "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."  (D&C 131:6)

Line upon line

We come to know all truth in the same way we learn anything, little-by-little.  We accept understanding from God, and this allows us to understand more.  If we wanted to be a mathematician we would have to start with the basics of manipulating numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, before we can do calculus.  This works the same with truth.  "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."  (D&C 50:24)  "The perfect day" refers to knowing everything, just as God does. 

Even Jesus Christ had to learn little-by-little.   "And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;  and he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness."  (D&C 93:12, 13)  "Fulness" means "everything."  As Jesus gained knowledge little-by-little so we do the same. 

Scientific testing brings knowledge

Alma explains it this way: "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."  (Alma 32:27)  We start with a belief, and if not that, then a desire to believe.  We take this desire and "exercise" it by "do[ing] His will."  Then we develop faith as we keep the commandments because we gain evidence that it is true -- we "know of the doctrine."  This is grace.  We cannot, however, receive this grace unless we put in the effort to keep the commandments, or putting in our own grace.  This system works with every commandment.  For example, if we want to know if God is true to His word we can test him.  He even tells us to "prove" or test Him on the principle of tithing.  "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."  (Mal 3:10)  If we pay tithing then we will come to know that the principle of tithing is true because the Lord will bless us by "open[ing] the windows of Heaven."  We have to put in the effort, or grace, first, then we can receive His Grace; thus, we receive grace for grace.  Once we receive that grace from God, we can say, "I know..."

Greatness

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." (Alma 37:6) 

James teaches us that the little things are what make a big difference.  "Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth." (James 3:3-4)  The little bit drives the big horse, and the little helm steers the big ship.  It's really the little things that make a big difference in every aspect of our lives. 

"Small" refers to the efforts of men.  All we do is "small" because we don't have the power to do great things.  "Simple" is just as it sounds, "not complex," or "easy."  "Great" Refers to the work of God, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)  What God does is great, however, man can, by small and simple means, bring about great things.  The greatest gift of all is available to man in the small and simple things he does, "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)  The small and simple commandments bring the greatest of all things, Eternal Life.  Jesus tells how: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  (John 17:3)  It is through a relationship with God that we obtain such "great things."  Relationships are built over time, little-by-little. 

Words

In his discussion on little things making a big difference, the Apostle James explains how much damage a little tongue can do.  On the other hand, our words can also build ourselves and others up to Eternal Life.  When we endeavor to speak a word by the Spirit of God, we can change lives.  How much good can a word do!  There are many who were in the wrong way until someone just said the right words that made them think and turn their lives around. 

The word "minister" is the use of words to build up, enlighten, and instruct.  Ministering angels are sent from God to give powerful words to men.  One of the names of Christ is "The Word."  The words we speak bring us to God if they are the words of Christ.  Words bring great things, if they are from the Holy Ghost: "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) 

Labor

It's not the big things we accomplish, but rather our little actions every day that make up who we are.  Some may point to their importance as a leader in business or government, how they wield power over others.  However, what is really important is not the multitudes who look to them, but the one person at a time that they can influence. 

"The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world."  We often think of those in high places as having great influence, but in reality it is those who have a direct relationship with others.  The mothers who choose to raise their children have much more influence on society than a king or a president.  The 2000 stripling warriors saved a nation not because they had Helaman for their leader, but rather because of the faith taught them by their mothers: "they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." (Alma 56:47) 

Thoughts

All day long the theater of our mind is playing.  The movie never stops.  We have control over it every minute of every day.  If we think about things that are untrue, fantasy, or destructive then we become that -- it's what we are.  It's not the one time that we sat down to figure out the meaning of life, like the Buddha, but rather the minute-to-minute thoughts that keep our minds occupied.  If we think about pain, evil, and hatred, that is what we are in our hearts.  However if we think only about virtuous thing we become virtuous.  "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8) 

Health

Our temporal salvation is dependent on our little daily habits.  It's not that we eat a vegetable occasionally that makes us healthy.  I notice that it's very common for people to remember the occasional "good" meal they eat, and not the constant high-calorie-and-low-nutrient snacks.  There are two ways to look at food: taste or nourishment -- it seems you can't have both.  Those who eat for taste are malnourished and get diabetes, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.  In my profession I find the most helpful thing is to help others commit to eating only nourishing foods.  Every little thing they put in their mouths should be for the purpose of nourishing the body. 

Moreover, those who exercise regularly a little bit are much better off than those who only occasionally put out a lot of effort.  The former marathon runner who now does no appreciable exercise is no better off than the one who never exercised.  The little daily things like using the stairs instead of the elevator, walking instead of driving to the store, and so forth, are what helps us maintain our strength and energy. 

Wealth

What makes us wealthy is not winning the lottery or getting lucky in any other way.  Rather it's the little things such as buying only things we can afford, or avoiding debt and interest and saving to earn interest.  Either way, the interest is a relatively small amount, but over time it adds up to a great deal of difference.  Those who earn interest become wealthy, whereas those who pay interest remain poor.  The little bits add up over time. 

Service

As we give to others we also come to know God.  "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)  Giving of ourselves, our time, talents, goods, money, and efforts to those in need is a requirement for coming to know God.  "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:8)  The sacrifice we make for the benefit of others is how we show our love.  Some will speak of a time when the gave much, but do not continue.  It is only in constant service that we continue to love.

Sacrifice

Some think that making a huge sacrifice can change them, but it's really the little, daily sacrifices we make that make up who we are.  We are changed little-by-little.  A mother sacrifices for her children on a daily basis.  She gives of herself.  She loses sleep.  She makes sure they are fed, clothed, clean, and taught on a daily basis.  It's not the one time she put on a perfect birthday party that makes the relationship, rather it's the daily acts of selflessness that shows her love. 

God requires sacrifice for us to come to know Him.  We cannot come to know Him without sacrifice.  Altars from Adam to the present day all represent the sacrifices that are required of us.  In ancient days it was literally "the firstfruits of the field and the firstlings of the flocks" that were burnt on the altar.  Now it is our best efforts.  We sacrifice our time, our desires, our needs and wants, just giving them over to God, which allows us to obey Him and serve Him and come to know Him.  Lots of little sacrifices over a long time give us great love for God. 

Prayer

It's not that one time we prayed a fervent prayer, even if it was answered in a miraculous way.  Seeing a miracle doesn't change who you are.  Rather, it's constant daily prayer that gradually changes the heart in each person.  Alma explains:

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

(Alma 34:17-27)

Prayer is the development of a relationship with our Maker.  We don't know Him.  We are so far from Him, as the Lord tells Isaiah: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)  In order to come to know him we must have experience with Him.  This is true of anyone.  We must spend time with people to get to know them.  We don't call someone we have never met a friend.  The more time we spend with a person, the better we know him.  Prayer is the time we spend with God.  Minute by minute we come to know Him. 

We cannot neglect prayer and think we have a relationship with God.  Constant communication develops our relationship with God over time.  It isn't automatic, it isn't a gift, it isn't earned, it is only experienced, just like any other relationship.

Scripture

The writings of the prophets describe their relationship with God.  Also, God tells prophets things that can help other people.  We can come to know him through others' experiences.  They tell us how God deals with His children.  Moreover, we can be taught by God through His Spirit as we read.  The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts and minds, creating a witness or testimony in us.  This can grow as we read the word of God.

Temple

The depth of our experience with God is increased dramatically as we go to His House and spend time with Him.  "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." (Isaiah 2:3)  All of the rest of our experiences on Earth are to prepare us to go to His house and learn His ways.  We cannot walk in His paths until we learn what they are.  This is learned in the Temple.

It's not the one time we went and received a revelation from Him, but rather the frequency of our visits.  As we visit more often we learn more of "His ways," and come to know Him on a deeper level.  This happens little-by-little, "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little." (2 Nephi 28:30)  Frequent visits to the House of the Lord to spend time with Him is a wonderful way to come to know Him.  It is necessary for us to know Him.  Without the Temple, the house of the Lord, and the ordinances thereof we cannot have Eternal Life. 

 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.   Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.  And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

               Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.  (D&C 84:19-24)

 It's the small and simple things done continually that allow true greatness.

Fathers

There are many different concepts of the word "father," but the scriptures give an interesting twist on it.  We often think of a father as someone who creates us -- and we are not responsible or even aware of it.  However, the word of the Lord is that we choose our father, depending on whom we obey, or follow.  

Father of the body

We are born into a body by way of a mother and a father.  Everyone has a "sperm donor" to thank for their mortal life on Earth.  Nobody is born without one.  Adopted children often insist that they want to know their "real" father.  I think we attach too much importance to this father.  We assume we are "conceived in love" and came to be because we are wanted, but this may not be the case.  In fact, it's often a fantasy.  Some get very angry that the one who engendered them isn't interested in raising them because it destroys their fantasy of being loved just for being.  It is passive love, and therefore not really love at all.  Perhaps we attach entirely too much emotional importance to the father of our bodies because of our fantasies.  Our "real" fathers are really the men whom we choose to follow. 

 

Father of physical growth and maturity

The man who creates our body may be worthy to be called a father if he loves and cares for us, or if he helps us to grow and learn.  We then have a father who teaches us and raises us, giving us a chance to have an abundant life.  This father provides the necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, as well as instruction in how to interact with others.  We may also be taught how to function independently, providing for ourselves and others.  Most of the time this is the same father who engendered us, but there are other possibilities.  Sometimes the one who gives us life is not the one who raises us and teaches us. 

Many are adopted by a different father who raises them as his own.  Some children don't like the idea that they are adopted; there is a certain stigma attached to adoption, as if a child isn't loved by his biological father.  However, adoption is a reality of life since the beginning of time.  Adoption can be just as loving, or not, as any biological arrangement.  Some choose a father to adopt them, like my uncle Jack.  Jack was the product of my grandmother and her first husband, who was abusive so she divorced him and married a good man.  When my uncle was in his late teens, he took his stepfather down to the court in San Francisco and filed the adoption papers.  He wanted to legally have the name of his stepfather, and call him "father." 

Ultimately, it is the choice of each individual to find a father to raise them to maturity.  Neighbors, uncles, grandfathers, teachers, scoutmasters, or others who have close contact with a child can all help to teach the child how to grow up and be independent.  There may be more than one because there are many areas of growth.  All of those men who assist in the development and maturity of a child can be rightly called "father." 

It is the child, then, in the process of growing up, who chooses his own father by choosing whom he will follow.  He may choose any man, living or dead, to influence his maturity.  As a young man in college, I chose Benjamin Franklin.  After reading his autobiography, which is really just his instruction to his own son, I decided I would do as he did to become mature, trying to improve myself every day.  Ben Franklin is my father.  Later, I chose to follow others: Joseph Smith, Nephi, Mormon, and Paul, to name a few.  These are my fathers as well, as long as I continue to follow their example. 

Spiritual Fathers

We commonly recognize and use the term "father" for those who assist in our spiritual growth.  There are those in our lives who influence us, or bring us to God.  They teach us the spiritual side of life, allowing us to see what cannot be seen with the eyes, to hear what cannot be heard with the ears, to feel what cannot be touched, and to understand the mysteries of life.  From the beginning the term "father" has been used to indicate him who brings us to God.  For example, the term "rabbi" means "father," as do many of the titles of leaders of other religious traditions. 

All of the same kinds of fathers that help a child to become physically mature apply to spiritual maturity as well.  In fact, Jesus indicated that physical birth may have little to do with spiritual fatherhood.  "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  (Matthew 3:9)  Spiritual fatherhood is more of the child choosing whom he will follow, as Jesus further explained, "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father.  Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham."  (John 8:39) 

Jesus Christ, Father of salvation

Jesus is the Son of God.  He is the "Anointed One" who came to the Earth to fulfill the plan of the Father.  If we are also children of God, then we are the brethren of Jesus Christ.  As He has returned to God, He has provided the way for us to follow Him.  Paul explains: "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."  (Romans 8:17) 

Though Jesus is our brother, He is also our Father.  There are two ways that Jesus Christ is our Father, or that He has engendered, or saved, us.  The first is found in His resurrection.  He lives.  The tomb was empty because He was alive.  They went to "seek the living among the dead," (Luke 24:5) but He wasn't there.  He died, but is alive again.  And, because He was resurrected, we shall all likewise live again.  He is the Father of the immortal bodies of all of God's children.  All are saved from death so all can rightly call Him their father. 

The second is our choice to become His children.  Isaiah tells us that when Christ performs the Atonement, "he shall see his seed."  (Isaiah 53:10)  Abinadi expounds this concept beautifully.  After explaining that Christ is both the Father and the Son, he teaches how one becomes a son of God.  "Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea... all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.  For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?"  (Mosiah 15:11-12)  Those who believe in Christ and are saved from Eternal torment by Him are His children, and He is their Father. 

God, the Father of all

He who created all mankind is the ultimate Father.  He engendered all that live, have ever lived, or will live.  The inhabitants of all the worlds are begotten sons and daughters unto God.  It is His will we seek.  He is our goal.  Our existence is according to His plan.  He gave us life.  He loves us.  He provides for all of His children -- giving them everything they need to be able to return to Him.  The Earth is His plan, and everything was prepared in it for the benefit of His children.  He sent His only begotten Son so that we may have Eternal Life.  He is the Father of all. 

He is not an absentee Father.  He is with each of His children at all times.  However, we often don't feel, see, or understand His presence because we don't know Him.  We have left Him because of choices we made to disobey Him.  He lives in a kingdom where He is the King.  Those who don't obey the King are not allowed to stay in His Kingdom.  So, in that sense, we chose to move out.  In spite of our rebellion, though, He does not entirely leave us.  He continues to love and support us in all that we do. 

Moreover, He continually invites us to return to Him.  He tells us to "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you."  (D&C 88:63) And then He shows us how.  Every minute of every day we have the grace of God with us, though we may not recognize it.  He loves us, and keeps us out of the depths of Hell, but gives us our choice according to our desires.  If we choose to suffer, He will allow it only because He has given us the gift of agency, or the ability to choose. 

Multiple Fathers

The fathers who engender or care for us we owe a devotion for giving us life -- we don't choose them, they chose us.  They may be wonderful fathers who help us to grow, or not, but they give us the opportunity to choose whom we will follow simply because they give us life.  The fathers of our bodies are multiple, being called "father, grandfather, great-grandfather," and so on.  All are our fathers. 

The other fathers are those we choose, or the ones we obey and follow, whether physically or spiritually.  These are the really important ones in this life because this is how we determine our ultimate destiny.  These are our choice and not theirs.  Even if we live with our biological father, we are not obligated to follow him.  If he doesn't help us become mature because he isn't, we can find another.  Ben Franklin didn't choose to be my father, but I certainly owe him a debt of gratitude for providing information for me that has nurtured my growth.  I call him my father, though I don't believe there is any genetic connection.  I adopted him. 

Ultimately, the greatest choice we can make in a father is the Lord.  If we choose Jesus Christ to be our Father, then we also choose our Heavenly Father.  We only come to know our Father in Heaven through Christ.  This is how we come to find happiness and joy, peace and love -- or 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)

Why?

Jesus told His disciples, "Ask, and ye shall receive."  There are so many questions to ask, but the best question is "why?" because that's how we come to understand things.   Why was the World created?  Why does everything exist?  Why are we here?  Why did Christ suffer?   The answer to these surprised me.

Moses was up on the mountain and God showed him everything.  He saw the Earth and its creation, every particle of it, as well as the plants, animals and every person who ever lived or will live.  He was also given to understand that this process has been repeated indefinitely, that there is no beginning, and that there will be no end.  After understanding all of this he inquired, "Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so?"  The Lord answered, "This is my work and my glory: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  (Moses 1:30, 39)

God has a purpose in everything.  He does everything for His glory.  His glory comes through His children so His work is to help them to have two things: immortality and Eternal life.  Now, at first glance these concepts may seem to be redundant because  "immortality" and "Eternal Life" both mean to "live forever."  However, they are actually very different. 

There are two kinds of life.  The first is living forever as an individual and never dying, and the second is continually growing and increasing.   Everything living is constantly changing and growing.  Life doesn't stop.  The point at which we stop growing we are dead, though the body and spirit still function just fine.  There are lots of dead people walking around in the world, who don't increase in knowledge, wisdom, or glory.  Glory is your posterity -- your children and theirs and theirs and so on.  There is no end to increase.  There is no end to improvement.  There is no end to glory.  When your glory never stops, you have Eternal Life.  This is what God the Eternal Father has -- Eternal Life.  So, "immortality" is that you cannot die, but "Eternal life" is continual growth and improvement.  We can now consider each one of these separately in terms of the work of God.

Jesus Christ brought about "the immortality of man" through His resurrection.  He was "the firstfruits of them that slept."  (1 Corinthians 15:20)  Immortality is a gift given to all no matter what, as Amulek told the people of Ammonihah, "Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust."  (Alma 12:8)  Everyone who is ever born in this world will be saved from death and will live again never to die.  This is a gift to all who are ever born, because of their righteousness before coming to Earth.  There are no more contingencies for this gift.  Those who did not obey God in the pre-Earth life remain spirits, the angels of Satan, and are never born.  They are stopped, damned if you will, because they can never increase.  They're done -- forever and ever.  But even those who are "unjust" in this world will be resurrected to stand before God and be judged. 

Eternal life, on the other hand, is dependent on our faithfulness.  All who are born on the Earth have choices and tests to pass in order to continue to grow and progress Eternally.  If we desire it, Eternal increase and glory is available to all, but unlike immortality, Eternal life isn't automatic.  Those who seek God in this life are promised Eternal life, but there are always contingencies until the final judgment.  We must seek the Lord and "endure to the end."  Jesus also gives us this gift, but it is one we seek.  We must be prepared to receive it.  We must follow Him because He is the only One who actually made it from this world to Heaven and Eternal life.  There is no other way.  It takes the sacrifice of everything in the world in order to find Him.  Those who do are able to go on and live Eternally.

There is another contingency to Eternal Life: marriage.  The Apostle Paul explained, "Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord."  (1 Corinthians 11:11)  Without a spouse there is no increase.  Glory only comes as a couple, man and woman because neither can reproduce alone.  A single person cannot glorify God because he cannot increase.  Thus, though each must find God through Jesus Christ alone, it is only in coming together as husband and wife in unity that Eternal life, glory, increase, and growth can be achieved.  After we prepare ourselves for our individual salvation: resurrection, faith, repentance, receiving the Holy Ghost, and sanctification, the last step is to have two sanctified people, a man and a woman, come together in unity forever.  This is Eternal Life.  

The work and glory of God is to give His children immorality and Eternal life.  The first purpose of God, immortality, is entirely fulfilled by Christ since all will be resurrected.  The fulfillment of the second purpose of God, Eternal life, can only be fulfilled by a sanctified man and a sanctified woman married for Eternity.  In one sense, then, the purpose for which God created all things: the Heavens and the Earth, and all things that are in them is for a man and woman to be together.  All of the other parts of the Gospel lead to this end.  This is why God creates "worlds without number."  This is why the Earth exists.  This is why life exists.  This is why God sent his only begotten Son into the world.  This is the reason Christ suffered -- so we could be married forever, thus having Eternal life.   

Knowing this truth gives me a different perspective on marriage and family.  Creation is not about "me," but rather "we."  My wife, then, must be the most important thing in the world to me -- bar none.  Nothing in the world even comes close to her in importance.  She is the answer to the question, "why?"  Without her I am nothing because I cannot glorify God.  With her I can fulfill God's purpose for me, my ultimate destiny, even Eternal life.  Now I know why Eternal marriage is so important, above all other things.  I also understand on another level the love of God -- and why.