Making Justice Work in Your Favor

When I was at Nogales High School in La Puente, California, few of the students there went to college.  I think for this reason, my fellow students would shake their heads at me when I told them I was going to medical school.  They would ask, “How long that will take?”
“Eleven years.”  (It actually took 15)
“Eleven more years!  You’re only half-way through school!  That’s crazy!  I would never do that!”
Now, however, the difference is obvious.  Having more education has given me many more opportunities in life.  I paid the price, and now I reap the rewards.

A song from the movie The Sound of Music has a line, “Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could...”  The Eternal principle of the justice, karma, or the law of the harvest can work against us, or for us.  If we are trying to take things, to get away with something, to get something for nothing, or we are lazy, we will have to pay later.  We must pay.  Payment is required.  There must be compensation for everything.  The Universe must balance in ALL things!  We can never get away with anything.  This law is simply one aspect of the greater law of justice.

Everything must be equal, and justice must be served, or God would cease to be God.  “What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.”  (Alma 42:25)  Justice is one of the two principles that God must obey, or He would no longer be God.  This is the reason that all things must balance among all the creations of God.  There must be good.  There must be evil.  The two must balance.  Evil is to take now and pay later.  Good is to pay now and receive later.

The law can work for us, or against us.  We can be sure that if we take now, we will pay later.  Or, we can know that if we pay now, we must receive later, we use the law in our favor.  In the big picture, all suffering is paid with joy and happiness in Eternity.  Likewise, all wealth, ease, and comforts that are not earned in advance must be paid in sorrow and suffering.

Everyone has his price
We are bought with a price.  Some are cheap, and can be bought with fake money, paper, or coins.  Others require the soul of another.  However, those who believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, are bought with His blood.  Their price is high, it is the price of the blood of the Creator.

Christ exemplifies the law of the harvest.  He suffered all things, and is paid by the Eternal gratitude of all he saves for God.  When the Nephites understood the word, Hosanna, and Christ came to them, they knelt at His feet and worshipped Him.  “And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.”  (3 Nephi 17:20)  He paid the price in advance, and now reaps the rewards by saving all those who believe in Him.  He has the power to gather all to Him.

Justice requires that the individual who made the decision to hurt another pay the price to bring balance back to the Universe.  I cannot suffer for the sins of my brother, he must pay the price for his own.  Amulek explains: “Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.  But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;
(Alma 34:11-12)

However, it also requires that those who suffer innocently receive recompense.  Both sides must balance. The Lord explained to Joseph Smith, the prophet, how the law of justice makes the atonement work in our favor.

Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.  (D&C 45:3-5)

His innocent sufferings and death require some sort of recompense.  The scales must balance, and He is owed a great debt by the law of justice.  How can He possibly be paid for such suffering?  He can take those who believe in Him, and repent, into Eternal Life.  They are spared of suffering the fate of their own sins because He must be remunerated, the scales must balance.  He cannot take sinners into Heaven, they must pay for their own, but those who change and turn from their sins are no longer guilty so they can be bought.

Pie-in-the-sky
Jesus Christ is our example in all things.  We only find happiness in following Him.  He gave us the perfect example of allowing suffering in the world, and receiving a recompense after.  He didn’t have a home.  He was rejected by His own people.  He was hated, smitten, beaten, and hung on a cross.  It was still inside His power to command the elements so He could have avoided such injustice -- but He allowed it so He would have the power to help us through our probation.  We can receive good for evil because of Him.  His suffering covers for our misdeeds.  Thus we can escape justice -- through Him.  There is no other way.  We must follow Him.

“Jesus, once of humble birth, Now in glory comes to earth.
Once he suffered grief and pain; Now he comes on earth to reign.
Once a meek and lowly Lamb, Now the Lord, the great I Am.
Once upon the cross he bowed; Now his chariot is the cloud.
Once he groaned in blood and tears; Now in glory he appears.
Once rejected by his own, Now their King he shall be known.
Once forsaken, left alone, Now exalted to a throne.
Once all things he meekly bore, But he now will bear no more.”
(Hymn 196:1-4)

When we realize the power in the law of justice, we can see that it is our only way out.  All things must be fair and balanced.  We must receive recompense in the next life for all our unjust suffering while here on Earth.  It requires that we have faith in God, that He is just.  Faith allows us to suspend justice, wait for it, be patient in suffering, and “suffer all things the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us].”

Suspend Justice
While we are on the Earth, we must give up our sense of justice if we are to reap a harvest of good things.  We are suspended in a world between Heaven and Hell, called time.  During this mortal life we are on probation.  All things are before us, but we cannot see those things that are in Eternity.  This gives us an opportunity to choose who we are.  We can decide that we are holy, meaning separate from the world, or we can become filthy and miserable.  Since this is outside of Heaven, it doesn’t require justice, or balance in all things.  We do make decisions, we hurt others, we are hurt by others, but the balancing of the scales will not happen until we’re outside of here.

For this reason, we notice that there is no justice in the world.  People who are “good” suffer.  The saying, filled with irony, goes: “No good deed shall go unpunished.”  We see those who trample on the lives of others getting wealth and the good things of the Earth, and wonder, where is justice?  There is none, yet.  There is a time for everything,

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

The time for justice is not yet.  We are still on probation.  We do not reap in this life, we only sow.  If we are sowing a life of ease for ourselves, we will have to pay later to balance-out what we have received.  If we are sacrificing, and suffering injustice, we will receive good things.  We still have time to repent, as long as we’re here.  However, we may leave this life without warning, and the time is done; we will then each “reap what we have sown” to exacting proportions.  Nothing will be left out, everything will be balanced perfectly.

Pay Now, Play Later
Part of following Christ is paying up front, with faith that every debt will be paid.  The more we give now, the greater will be our “harvest” when all things are made equal.  The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is instructive:

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”  (Luke 16:22-23)

The rich man is paying the price of his comfort to balance the scales.  Likewise, it is just that Lazarus receive a balanced recompense for his suffering.

“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”  (Luke 16:25)

The rich man then asked Abraham to send an angel to warn his kin.  He wanted them to repent before they die so they wouldn’t have to suffer the same fate.  Knowing that the Lord, Jesus Christ, paid for all our injustice makes all the difference in the world.  We will not be required to pay for all of the suffering we have caused others in the world.  If we turn to Him, and repent of all our wrongs, we get the most merciful injustice that could ever be given: we can reap the rewards of all our unjust suffering, but not have to pay for our errors.  He shifts the balance.  He tilts the scales in our favor.  Once we understand what He has done, we can take full advantage of it by changing our lives from selfish to selfless.  We will give, instead of take.  We will pay now, with a knowledge that we will receive only reward for our suffering.

Make Justice work in your favor
Our philosophy then changes to: “pay in advance.”  Give.  Sacrifice.  Give money freely.  Give time freely.  Give your efforts to others.  Give when nobody is looking.  Live to give.  Give to your enemies.  Do good to those who hurt you.  Do more than you are asked.  “We should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness.”  (D&C 123:13)  Forgive everyone of everything.  Give up your need for immediate justice and put your trust in God that He is just.  Pay the price now.  Accept suffering without complaint; revealing your suffering in life removes your recompense later.  Do all you can to make your life hard; “be not weary in well-doing.”  (D&C 64:33)  Don’t reveal any sacrifices you make.  Say nothing, just give the widow’s mite.  Give yourself into poverty.  Suffer more that others may have less suffering.  There is no bottom, there is no end, just give now.  The law of justice will then, through Christ, work in your favor.

The Power of Modesty

Last week I watched a video of  two women playing music.  One was dressed in tight-fitting pants, and the other had on a long dress.  As I watched, I realized that I could focus on one as a musician, and a person, while the other was focused on the body.  The woman in pants was very attractive, slim, and good-looking, which was how I characterized her.  The woman in the dress was also pretty, but my focus for her was on her music, her expressions, and her style.  In other words, seeing the shape of the body of the first woman took the focus off of her as a person, and on to her body.

Men are attracted to women.  Men want a woman.  Men are not complete without a woman.  This is a truth that is Eternal.  There is no way around that, it is immutable.  It has been around since there have been men and women.  The evolutionist sees this as simply the need to reproduce, but there is so much more.  The body of a woman represents salvation from loneliness.  Her form is attractive.  To look upon a woman who is attractive is just like a magnet.  A beautiful woman inspires awe in a man.  She is awesome!  This attraction represents an absolute truth: that it is not good for man to be alone, he is nothing without a woman.  The two of them together form a complete being.  He needs her to complete him; she is essential to his salvation.

A man sees an attractive woman as a potential mate.  The attraction makes him feel like she can save him.  She is his hope for fulfillment of the need for unity.  Her body represents that need.  His need is so strong that simply seeing her form creates desire.  Seeing her shape elicits the need.  Seeing her skin feels like intimacy; it’s so close he can almost touch it.  It instills need within him that he doesn’t even recognize, a need to possess what he sees.

Addiction
Last week I was in Las Vegas at a convention, and as I was going to the morning meeting a man asked for money for breakfast.  There was a Denny's nearby so I took him to breakfast and asked him about his life.  His name is Tommy.  He sleeps in casinos because it’s very cold outside, and they’re open all night.  He’s 61, a welder, but disabled, and has lots of family in Oklahoma City, but none in Las Vegas.  He came to the city 23 years earlier to make his fortune so he could go back and take care of his children.  He has over ten grandchildren whom he has never met, and a few great grandchildren.  He needs to go home with a million dollars, and is just waiting for his big break.  He has a perfect system to win on the craps table, but he just needs a thousand dollars to be able to work it.  He would then make his million, and go home to his family, being able to give them what they want, as he perceives it.  He just needs enough money.  It’s so close, he can taste it!

Women capitalize on the trait they all possess, this power they have over men.  They always have.  They use their body to extract what they want from a man, his money, his time, his attention, his efforts, without really caring about him.  Pornography is simply women offering their bodies for money, and then giving nothing in return.  Men only get the picture, the form, but they get no substance.  It’s empty -- a broken promise.  He gets nothing.  It’s like gaming to a gambler, it feels like it’s possible to connect with the dream, which are then shattered over and over again.  But, the dream persists, in spite of being broken.  The dream is beyond his power to crush because the need is real, and eternal, and achieving it seems so close.  Many men get caught up in this trap and lose what’s really important in life.

Relationships between men and women in our society are too often based on using each other to get what we want.  Women use men to get attention, and men use women for gratification of sexual desires.  Each has needs to fill, and each selfishly seeks to fill their own needs at the expense of the other.  At the core of immodesty, a woman is trying to use her body to attract a man.  This is just like pornography, only she isn’t necessarily looking for money, she does it for his attention. A woman needs attention, which makes her feel like a connection is possible.  Thus, the two needs fit like a hand in a glove, only it isn’t really love, it is really selfish, using the other to fill their own needs.

The power of revealing dress
Immodest dress takes the focus off the person who is the woman, and puts it on the object that is her body.  A woman doesn’t even need to say a single word, and she can be the object of a man’s desire.  Women complain when they get what they want, attention, that they are seen as objects.  Men look on a beautiful woman as something he needs, like money, a car, or anything in the world.  The woman is more than just a car, but she is still an object - she is her body when he sees it.  She is defined by what he sees.  The power of immodesty only gets her something that seems like what she needs, but never the real thing.

If a couple marries based on this attraction or dream, they often struggle.  As the object turns into a person over time, many couples realize that the other cannot fill the need.  They decide that they don’t need the other, and “fall out of love.”  Coming to know the person may split them apart, if they aren’t compatible.  He will see the body of another woman, and feel like she could be a better fit.  Thus, a man can go from body to body, never finding "the one" because he never gets to know the person.  This is just as addicting as pornography; it feels like it could fill the need, if he could just find the right body.

Modesty
On the other hand, modest dress hides a woman’s body from the man so he sees her as a person instead of an object.  If he doesn’t see her form, he may still be attracted to her, but instead of her body, he will see her, and get to know her, as a person.  The attention shifts from the body to the person.  The woman may then get a more desirable attention because to him she is a person, instead of an object.  At the same time, the man gets a more desirable connection with a woman, instead of just a body.  As he gets to know her personality, he can be very attracted to who she is, instead of what she is.  She is no longer an object to fill his need for connection, but a person who can fill his need for a connection.  They still fall in love based on their own needs, but the object of love is different, being “who” instead of “what.”

Modesty is an important part of creating relationships that last.  The couple that falls in love with each other as people instead of objects would seem to have a stronger foundation.  If they fall in love with the person, they would more likely continue to grow in that love.  In this way, the more modest a woman is, the less she reveals about her body, the more likely she is to form a loving and permanent connection.   She would only reveal her body to him after they are married, and he can continue to fall in love with her each time they come together, and in between, he still loves her as a person.  The man gets what he really wants and needs, a real woman to complete him, the whole thing -- body and soul.  And, the woman gets what she wants and needs, his continued attention, love and devotion.  Both become complete, finding fulfillment in unity and love.  This is the power of modesty.

The Greatest Goal of Life

You cannot change what is in the past, but, like “Groundhog Day” every day you wake up, you get to start over.  You don’t know where you’re going so I’m going to tell you.  There is only ONE reason you’re here:

I want to explain why you’re a member of this church, and not some other.  It’s because there is more information, more knowledge.  The bottom-line of what Joseph Smith, the prophet, did is restore lost knowledge.  What was lost?  Knowledge of the Celestial Glory of Heaven.

Everyone knew about “heaven” and “hell.”  Ask any religion throughout the ages what Heaven is and they will describe exactly what we know as the Terrestrial Kingdom, the “honorable people of the Earth.”  Ask about hell and they will describe the Telestial Kingdom – the “murderers, liars, whoremongers, and cheaters.”  What does it take to get into heaven?  Kneel and confess Jesus Christ.  It’s all true.  All are EXACTLY correct in that knowledge, but something was missing.  What was missing?  The higher glory, or Celestial Kingdom.  It was there all the time in the Bible.  The Apostle Paul spoke of the glory of the sun, moon, and stars – 3 glories.  He also spoke of the third heaven.  But, these were not understood, the knowledge of them was lost completely, until restored by God through Joseph Smith, Jr.

When we don’t understand the big picture, things change.  The requirement for entrance into this higher glory is baptism.  If you don’t know about the higher glory then baptism becomes unimportant.  And, indeed, as expected, Christians have argued for millennia over the need for baptism.  All you need is to live a good life and you can go to Heaven, and if you live a bad life, you go to hell.  And, since the ordinances were unnecessary, the priesthood authority was also not needed, and was lost.

So, here we are.  The Gospel is restored.  The authority and ordinances are back.  We now know the way back to God, our Father in Heaven.  We have a testimony.  We’ve been baptized.  We’re here.  Done.  Whew!  The Celestial glory is ours – if we can only endure, right?

Yes, that’s true too.  However, there’s more.  Much more.  As William W. Phelps wrote in the hymn, “If You Could Hie to Kolob”

“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.”
Hymn 284:3-5

As I was coming out of many years of “wandering in the wilderness” one thing that struck me is that existence is forever!  We never cease to exist!  It goes on and on!  Nobody dies forever, we are only here to choose HOW we will go on.  So, I decided to choose Eternal Life.

Above the door inside the chapel in Whittier, CA where I grew up there was a sign printed.  Because it was right in front of me during every sacrament meeting until I was nine years old I memorized it, and it has become a guiding scripture for me.  It is a verse from The Doctrine and Covenants section 14, verse 7: “And, 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.”

Getting on the "strait and narrow path"
Nephi explains the way very clearly at the end of his book, in 2 Nephi 31, where he repeats multiple times exactly what it takes to get on the path to Eternal Life:
“…for the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.  And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life;”  (Nephi 31:17-18)

Jesus said, “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14)  May I add that He is talking to His disciples?  Few of them will find the path to Eternal Life.

There is more.  There is no end.  Rest is not found in doing nothing, it is paradoxically found in constant growth.  We should not rest on our baptism, but start now to move forward on the path to Eternal Life.

Seeking Mentors
One essential part of growth is having an instructor, teacher, or mentor.  As we grow up, we have our parents to mentor our growth, however, once we become mature, we have to find our own mentors
One example is given of Philip in the book of Acts:

“…a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority... had come to Jerusalem for to worship…
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him…
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.  (Acts 8:27-35)

I currently have 5 mentors that I work with on a regular basis.  My mom was very intellectually mature, and my dad was a mechanical genius, so they helped me in those areas, but neither of them were very socially, emotionally, or financially mature so I didn’t get tutored as much in these as I was growing up.  Now, I need to learn so I need a guide.  So, when my business was floundering, I called Frank Hovey.  We went over our stuff, and he recommended a business coaching program.  This has been a BIG help to me.  Since I have seen the value of coaching, I now have:

• Business coach (Dr. Charles Webb)
• Life coach (Justin Jepsen)
• Emotional coach (Ann Ferguson)
• Heart coach (my wife  :)

I also have coaches for learning the Gospel.  Alma explained that one purpose of priesthood callings is to teach the commandments of the Lord.  “And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest.”  (Alma 13:6)  The prophets, apostles, and others with authority can be our mentors as we study their words, and live them.

Assemble your DREAM TEAM
In the book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill discusses a method he used to improve himself, finding teachers from the past including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Edison.  He later added many others such as Socrates and Plato.  He studied their lives, and their writings.  He counseled with them every night, asking them individually for wisdom on a subject.

A team of mentors that might help you achieve Eternal Life might include those who you know have achieved it, or have mastered a part of it.  I would suggest that you look for those people, past or present, who have what you want, or what you need to achieve your highest potential.  It may be a quality of character, or a gift, and study the life of those people, and add them to your “dream team.”

Do not form your personal council until you know what you want.  The wrong team will take you off course.

I know who I am; I know what I want; and I know my strengths and weaknesses so I am choosing a "dream team" to help me on my personal path of growth.  Some of the members of my council include: Abraham, Jesus Christ, and Joseph Smith.

However, moving forward on the path to Eternal Life always requires only one coach -- the Holy Ghost must be your personal mentor.  No matter what other counsel you are given from Earthly or Heavenly beings, you must always run it by the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is your personal guide – everything else is counsel, or opinion.

“Counsel with the Lord in ALL your doings…”  All means all and all is all all means.

Ultimately, the greatest mentor we could have is the Holy Ghost.  After baptism, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by those who have the authority, which gift  is a simple commandment to receive Him.  The gift is essential before starting on the path to Eternal Life.

How to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
1. Memorize the 4th article of Faith
2. Then read: 2 Nephi chapter 31
These two will tell you exactly how to receive the Holy Ghost, and get on the path to Eternal Life.

Staying on the path
Read 2 Nephi chapter 32 – this chapter is how to stay on the path, it tells you exactly what you should do, including:
1. Feast upon the words of Christ
2. Pray always

Temple worship
Once you take the Holy Ghost as your guide, feasting daily from the Scriptures, and praying continually, those who desire Eternal Life need Temple Worship.  The word “worship” means to seek a close, or intimate relationship.  When we go to “The House of the Lord” we can seek a close relationship with Him through our service to others.  Moreover, we have the opportunity to sit in the Celestial Room and counsel with our Father in Heaven where He symbolically dwells (the Celestial glory), without any disturbance, because evil spirits are not allowed in there.

In the Temple we find the ordinances required to reach the Celestial Kingdom.  From there we step up into the sealing room to receive the highest ordinance -- Eternal Marriage.  Without receiving and LIVING this ordinance, we cannot receive the gift of Eternal Life, the greatest of all the gifts of God.

I’m not sealed to anyone.  My first wife had her name blotted out, and my second wife is sealed to my best friend.  Those of us who aren’t sealed to anyone can still go to the temple and act as proxy for others, knowing that God will not deny ANY blessing that we desire.

Getting Started
If this seems difficult – may I also suggest simple ways to get started?
Improvement doesn’t come suddenly, it takes time.  There is a simple principle for change that applies to all of life.  How long does it take to physically grow up?  We make little changes over a long time.  By the same method, we can gain Eternal Life.

Make small changes
If we save $1 a day in an interest-bearing account, at the end of a year we have very little money.  However, in a few decades it becomes a tremendous amount.  Even with no interest you would have $15,000 in 40 years.  With 10% interest, it goes up to $211,000.

The two most important parts of this equation are:
1. Consistency
2. Time (If you need patience, then ask Job to be on your dream team)

This is the path to Eternal Life.  It only takes a tiny amount of change in the things we already discussed to stay on the path:
1. Read one verse daily in the Scriptures.
2. Pray morning and night.
3. Find a mentor, get together, ask questions.
4. Go to the House of the Lord once a month.

If you save $5 per day you would have $1M in 40 years.  Likewise, if your read more, pray always, meet with your mentors, and visit the House of the Lord more frequently, you will grow faster, and more. … but it still takes:
1. consistency
2. time.

Start now.  Make small changes daily.

What could you change today to help you on the path to Eternal Life?

I have done this, and I know it works.  I have gained tremendous knowledge, such that “my cup runneth over.”

The path to Eternal Life, restored by Joseph Smith, is hard to find because it is straight and narrow.  We have been given an amazing gift to have it spelled-out plainly.  The path is simple, everyone can do it, if we desire.  God will give no commandment to us unless He has already prepared the way for us to accomplish his commands.  Jesus Christ has “marked the path, and led the way, and every point defines…”  That we may all follow Him all the way to Eternal Life, I pray.

As a Little Child

“Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14

I have always thought this command to His disciples applied to a certain age group, but now I see it in a broader perspective.  In order to come to Christ, everyone, no matter what age, must be born again and become as a little child.  He also clearly states that it is His doctrine that all should become as little children.  In fact, one of the requirements for entrance into the Kingdom of God, or kinship with God, is to spiritually become as a little child.  When Jesus visited the people of the New World after His resurrection, he repeated himself several times in declaring the requirements for receiving an inheritance in the Kingdom of God.

“And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.”
3 Nephi 11:37-38

The progression happens in the order that we see in the physical world.  We are born, and then we are little children, and we grow up through time and instruction from those around us who have already been though childhood.  They teach us to walk, talk, and grow up in every way.  They guide us along the path by both word and example.  We follow those around us, imitating what we see, assuming that adults know, and we don’t so we do what they do.

Repentance and baptism are things that we can do, but becoming as a little child is “becoming,” or changing, being different than we are.  These changes are not easy.  Prophets have used the same terminology.  King Benjamin actually explained what it means to “become as a little child:”

“...and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
Mosiah 3:19

I like to see this in a list form:
...and becometh as a child, 

• Submissive- Instead of fighting against authority, children submit themselves to obey and learn from parents, teachers, and other leaders.
• Meek - Not using power for personal gain.
• Humble - Children recognize that they have no power.  Understanding our place, without delusions of grandeur.
•  Patient - Waiting, always waiting, without instant gratification, children are always being told to wait for dinner, birthdays, treats, or anything they want.
•  Full of love - Innocence of heart allows children to “love like you’ve never been hurt.”
• willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Alma also uses this terminology in teaching how to repent.  He was probably familiar with the words of King Benjamin, and added some of his own:

“But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;  Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.”
Alma 13:28-29

Submission to all authority is the hallmark of little children.  A contrite spirit is a spirit of submission.  Patience and long-suffering are part of that.  To be lead by the Holy Spirit comes through constant prayer.  The analogy is beautiful!  I see little children with a will of their own, but being at all times in submission to all of the adults around them.  I see little children understanding that they don’t know what things mean, always asking for clarification, definitions, or understanding.  I see the curious child continually learning, seeking knowledge, and growing in every way.

Since I was recently born again, I am a little child, spiritually.  Becoming, spiritually, as a little child is as simple as a change in attitude.  The way is clear, and because I have a lot of experience with children, I know what to do:

• Pray always - being a child, I will only grow up if I’m around adults.  Spiritually being with my Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Prophets means I would pray continually, read Scripture, and look to them in every thought.
• Submit to all authority, not just God, but also governments and all those God has placed over us.  I will obey every word of command with exactness.
• Wait patiently with faith that God can and will give me all I need to grow up and be spiritually mature.  I have to put in the time, receiving “line upon line, precept on precept, here a little, and there a little.”

I will be as a little child and follow those who have become spiritually mature, imitating what they have done.  I will especially take Jesus Christ as the perfect example, the way He lived in submission to His Father, so He will be my Father.  I will put my full faith and trust in Him, believing that He will help me grow up and become spiritually mature -- like Him.  This is how I can become as a little child to God, or how I can have Him as my Father.  ...and this is exactly what I’m going to do.

How to Marry a Princess

Men and women are different, and as the French say, "Vive le difference!"  We are not the same.  Men are like the body.  They have the role of physical achievement.  Men need to work in the world with things all the time.  They need to make money, create things, provide for the needs of the body, and deal with all of the physical things of the world.

A woman is like a spirit.  She is all things spiritual.  She has the connection with God.  She has spiritual qualities of faith, hope, charity, and love.  She has a heart that is not hard, but is soft and pliable.  The woman is the heart.  She is a man's connection with God.  Without her, he is nothing, and cannot come to God.  Men don't realize how utterly important a woman is to his salvation.  Without her, he is just a servant, but with her, he can become a king, the two together make a whole being.

A Perfect Soul

"And the spirit and the body are the soul of man."  (D&C 88:15)

The man and woman together make a complete soul.  There is no competition for control, nor is either going to fill the role of the other.  Both must be in agreement, they must become one.  This unity is necessary for them to come to God.

"Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord."  (1 Corinthians 11:11) 

The completion of a man is his wife.  She is the heart and spirit of the couple.  The body cannot survive without the spirit, but the spirit continues to live without the body.  The body gives power to the spirit, but the spirit gives life to the body.  Likewise, the man gives power, but the woman gives life.  Because we're in the world, the man is the head of the woman.  He has the duty to be the eyes, ears, and mouth of the couple in the world; he faces the world, while she faces God.  Together they make a whole person, a soul.  He is the flesh, and she is the spirit.  

Marrying a Princess
Each time we look at a woman -- any woman -- we are looking at a princess.  We men are all of the world, the workers, the flesh.  We are crude, rude, and unfit for the kingdom of God.  We need a connection with all that is spiritual.  Every woman is a daughter of the King, and by marrying her a man can become an heir to the throne of God.  Without her he can only at best be a servant in the kingdom of God.  Without a woman, he will die.  She is that important to him.  Without her he is only a corpse -- a body without a spirit, not animated, not quickened, not alive in God.  He needs her.  He needs her for life.  His Eternal salvation is dependent on her.

Because of this relationship, she has the option.  The woman decides if she wants her man.  If she doesn't want him, then he has no option for exaltation.  A man may be the leader and make the rules, but his woman has "veto power," she can decide if she wants him to rule over her.  If she doesn't want him, she remains a princess, and can receive another, while he may be left desolate.  The true role of a man is to convince a woman to stay with him when she has complete agency and can choose anyone.  In other words, he needs to become the kind of man to whom she would want to be married forever.  If no woman wants him, he remains a pauper, an illegitimate heir, and cannot sit on a throne.  He needs to love her enough to earn her trust, and to win her heart so she will desire to remain with him forever.

Christ and the Church
The way this happens is given by the example of Jesus Christ.  Paul explains that the husband earns the love and trust of his wife in the way that Christ earns our love and trust.  This analogy is used frequently in the Scriptures -- Christ is the husband, and the Church is the bride.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."
Ephesians 5:25-31

A man needs to sacrifice himself for his wife in the way that Christ sacrificed Himself for the Church.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ was for the Church, or those who are obedient to Him.  He gave everything for us, sacrificing His flesh and blood.  A man earns his wife's love in the same manner.  She will love him after he loves her, and gives himself for her.

"We love him, because he first loved us."  (1 John 4:19)

A man must sacrifice his own desires for his wife.  His sacrifice earns her trust, the way God earns our trust through His Great and Last Sacrifice.  Thus, the man is required to be the leader as Christ is our leader; he is to set the example to follow.  He needs to be trustworthy, and earn his wife's trust.  He needs to sacrifice himself out of love, for her benefit, giving her what she needs to live.  She needs to feel that she can trust him, and feel safe in his presence.  He earns her trust in the same way God earns our trust, by being loving, kind, patient, and giving.  He needs, most of all, to be unselfish.
By loving her, he earns her love, and she will desire to be his wife.  He, then, is brought into the family of God.  He becomes an heir by marrying the princess.  She connects him to God, and gives him the chance of kingdoms, thrones, principalities, dominions, and all things in the possession of God.  He inherits all of this, as an heir, because of her.

The Royal Family
God can give his daughters to whomever, but will not go against her will.  When a man learns that the woman's agency is never violated in the slightest, he will understand that she must choose him with her whole heart.  If she doesn't, and desires another, he will be left out of Exaltation.  She decides his fate in a very real sense.  She has options to go with another.  She is the princess.  She has the connection to God directly because she is His daughter, and He will give her to whomever she desires.  The man, on the other hand, must prove himself worthy of a wife, he must be worthy to marry the princess.  He must love her in a way that she will trust him, and develop a bond with him so she will desire to remain with him when she is given the choice.

When all is said and done, and we are before the bar of God, we do not hide anything.  What we are is so apparent, every thought is seen and understood in the context of our whole life.  All things are revealed.  If we have anything that our wife doesn't want to deal with forever, she may refuse.  A man needs to become clean, without spot, in order for the princess to desire him.  She has no obligation to just take him as he is; she isn't his mother.  She can decide that a flaw is unacceptable, and give him up for another.

"Do I love her?"
This understanding changes my perspective about my relationship with my wife.  It is I who needs to earn her trust.  She is my ticket to receive all I desire in Eternity.  Without her I'm nothing.  I need to be patient, kind, and loving.  I need to sacrifice for her.  I need to be such a man that she will want to be with me.  It is her choice.  She can be with me, or be given to another, whomever she desires.  She's the princess.  I'm the pauper.  I need to work hard to become a prince worthy of the princess.  It's my responsibility to love.  I never ask the question "Does she love me?" with any form of manipulation, rather "Do I love her?"  If she doesn't love me, then I need to work harder to love her.  She still has the option, and doesn't have to accept me as I am.  I need to change.  I need to earn her love and trust.

This is not to discourage men, but rather encourage each man to earn the love and trust of his wife so she will desire to be with him.  Men need to change their attitude about marriage, seeking to love instead of being loved.  Each man should stop trying to manipulate his wife to love him.  He should stop being selfish, seeking his own needs and wants.  He needs to, instead, work very hard to find out what her needs are, and sacrifice his own for her, always asking the question, "How can I love her more?"  Knowing how much we need a wife in order to be complete and whole gives us perspective on how to treat her, and love her.

Newfound Faith

In the past, I have written about the similarity of gathering knowledge both by study and by faith.  Science, in all ways is what we call the knowledge of the things of the world, physical things, while faith is the process of gaining the knowledge of God, or spiritual things.  While there are a lot of similarities in coming to know both areas of knowledge, a long conversation with my scientist boys the other night has opened my eyes to the differences.

Faith is a process, not an event.  There are three main aspects to faith:

• Believe in the experiences of others
• Seek to know what they know, gather evidence
• Persist in the search with patience

Believe
The knowledge of the world comes through things that we can perceive with our senses.  They have weight, mass, color, sound, and so forth; they can be seen, heard, and felt.  Because of this, they can be demonstrated to others.  Chemical reactions can be demonstrated, and work every time; a whole class in college can observe the demonstration, and try it out themselves in the lab, and learn about what is happening, gaining an understanding of chemistry, physics, and biology.

Spiritual knowledge, however, is very different.  There is no demonstration to others because it's all internal.  It is hearing voices that nobody else can hear.  It is seeing things with your spiritual eyes that nobody else can see.  It is speaking to a God that nobody around you knows.  All of the knowledge is very personal, and cannot be given to others.  The only way we understand spiritual knowledge is by personally seeking, asking, and knocking on Heaven's door.  Others may tell us their experience, but that doesn't give us the experience -- it cannot be given.  But, it can be shared when each has the same experience.

Seek
On August 29, 2016 I had an experience that completely changed me.  For forty years I had "wandered in the wilderness" not knowing where I was going.  I believed that God lived, that Jesus was the Savior of the world, but in reality I didn't even know that I needed salvation.  I didn't know I was lost.  Against all odds, with little to go on, I persisted in seeking the Lord.  I studied, prayed, and pondered daily on the things of God.  I read the Scriptures, and the words of any who said they had experience with God.  I took them as honest men, and believed in their words.  I had to sacrifice many things on this quest.

The process of gaining spiritual knowledge, in a sense, is opposite from the knowledge of the world.  Science starts with a tangible, observable fact, and works backwards to answer the questions of "what?" and "how?"   Spiritual knowledge starts with only a word, a testimony, or the experience of another, and works forward to have that same experience.  I read about so many others who found peace, love, and a connection with God.  I wanted what they had, and persisted in seeking it.  After many years, I have finally had the experience of forgiveness.  I have been born again.  I have a connection with God.  I understand all the words of all those who worship the Lord.  I understand the Halleluiah chorus, why people would sing praises to Him.  I understand the Hosanna shout, why there is such joy in God and the Lamb.  I understand why Christians, and even Christ Himself would be a martyr, suffering all manner of pain in the world.

All of the things I have heard others experience, and believed that they really did experience them because I had no cause to doubt them, I now have also experienced.  I understand their experience because I have felt the same.  "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see."  I get it only because I have heard and read the experience of others so much, and now I have had the same experience and finally understand what they were talking about.

Faith is gathering information that nobody in the world can give me.  I go to church to hear the words of others, but they can only tell their own experience, and cannot make me see what they see.  In order for me to actually see it, I would have to seek that knowledge directly from God.  He gives us the experiences of the spirit in His own time, and in His own way.

Patience
We cannot demand anything, or even expect immediate cause and effect.  In science, it's easy because every time I put bicarbonate in the acid, I'm going to get an immediate, observable reaction.  Spiritual knowledge, on the other hand, requires patience.  Faith is patience, or waiting for the light to come.  It is believing, and waiting.  Abraham waited for many years to say, at the age of 62, "Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee."  (Abraham 2:12)

Because we have no control over the acquisition of spiritual knowledge, it seems random and arbitrary, but it is not.  The reason for this is that we are in the dark, and don't know what we don't know.  Children often over-estimate their understanding and abilities, thinking they know everything, and are able to walk close to the edge of a cliff, ride a bike, light the fireworks on the forth of July, cross the street, or drive a car.  When I was young I asked my mom about having children, and she told me, "When you get married, you'll know how to make babies."  I never got "the birds and the bees" lecture.  Our Father in Heaven knows our abilities, and when we are ready to receive any knowledge, it is given immediately, the same way any parent would teach their children.  I often told my children to be patient, that when the time was right, they would get what they wanted -- and they did.

He is the Light of the world
Science starts with an observable fact that is demonstrable to all.  Spiritual knowledge starts with only a word that nobody else can understand.  The process of seeking to understand that word is called faith.  I wish with all my heart that everyone in the world would seek the knowledge of God by faith -- by believing in my words, that I have experienced a mighty change of heart, and have seen for myself, and know by experience, that the words of the prophets are true.  Jesus Christ is the Lord, the Savior of the world.  Only through Him can we have any hope of salvation from death and suffering.  He can, and He will, take upon Himself the consequences of our disobedience, if we desire.  Even if you don't know you need salvation, you do.  Believe me, you do.  And, all it takes is to come to Him, repent of all your sins, and ask for mercy.  His grace is sufficient for all, no matter who you are, or what you've done.

I will add my word to the many testimonies that have been given of Him.  I have seen.  I know for myself that He lives.  Believe me.  I have no reason to lie.  Everyone must be "born again" through faith on His name.  The longer you wait, the longer it will take, the more patience you will need.  Faith in Him is knowledge, light, mercy, grace, and love.  This is truth.  Discover it for yourself:

• Believe in Him.  
• Seek Him.  
• Don't give up!  

The Most Important Thing

In the early 18th century scurvy was a plague.  Thousands died of this horrendous disease.  Symptoms of scurvy include:
Fatigue, irritable and miserable all the time
Severe pain in limbs and joints
Easy bruising
Swollen, bleeding gums
teeth fall out
Shortness of breath
wounds fail to heal
Jaundice
Edema
Fatal heart disease

The worst epidemic was among sailors.  Ships would go out to sea and return with half to only a third of the crew, the rest having been buried at sea when they died of scurvy.  For example, during the Seven Years War the British Royal Navy reported 134,000 out of their 185,000 enlisted men died of disease, mostly scurvy.  Scurvy killed over a thousand times more sailors than cannon fire.

In 1753 a British naval surgeon, John Lind, published a book about curing scurvy with lime juice.  The establishment doctors rejected his ideas, and continued to prescribe:
Mercury
Purgatories
Laxatives
Malt
Smoke in the colon
Elixirs
Bury the patient up to his neck in hot sand
Alcohol
Herbal concoctions
Patent medicines

People continued to die of scurvy.

Forty years after Dr. Lind's book, a few admirals required lemons aboard their vessels to prevent scurvy, against the advice of the naval doctors.  From there, people started using fresh fruit and vegetables to cure scurvy, while the doctors continued to prescribe false treatments.  It wasn't the establishment that cured scurvy; it wasn't "science," but rather the common man's quest for truth.  When people stopped listening to the doctors, and started looking at the evidence, they came up with the cure.  It took another half-century before the doctors accepted the truth!

Truth is all that matters.  You can blow smoke up a patient's butt until the cows come home, but it won't cure scurvy.  Burying the scurvy-ridden sailor in hot sand for years isn't going to help.  For every true treatment, there are a thousand false ones.  But the true ones are all that matter.  Falsehoods are a waste of time, at best, and mostly do more harm than good.

Nothing has changed in the 21st century.  Doctors are recommending crazy surgeries and patent medicines of all sorts with toxic results for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer -- the three biggest causes of death, and people still die.  All the remedies and surgeries in the armamentarium of the physician are a waste of time, at best, and kill at worst.  There are thousands of treatments, but none are true.

All of the false beliefs of the "scientists" easily become accepted and established because of politics.  It is a requirement that the government enforce all false beliefs because otherwise we would have too many independent thinkers seeking practical solutions to problems.  This would solve all the problems, and the establishment would fall.  Who would go in for heart surgery, the number one most common surgery, if he knew all he needed to do was a simple change in diet?  Former President William Jefferson Clinton figured this one out -- the hard way.  Who would take toxic drugs that sap energy, libido, and brain power if he knew that hypertension is a fake disease?  It is essential for science to hide behind several bastions of power:
Government
Peer pressure
Bandwagon
Money
Statistics
Published "facts"

The problem with government interference in science is taking control.  Because of the power of a strong central government to enforce the rules, people will not be allowed to dissent.  Those who are not in agreement are ostracized and discredited.  They aren't allowed to voice their opinion in printed science journals because it is contrary to what is being taught.  "Peer Reviewed" only means "status quo."  Also, they aren't given positions of authority so they cannot make changes.  Only those who are "yes men" are allowed into the upper levels of established doctrine.

Money is the biggest driver of false science.  "You get what you pay for" applies equally to scientists.  When the marketing department of a drug company wants a certain outcome, they pay for a study, and find a statistically significant result.  Those who pay to publish journals expect to get what they pay for, and don't allow anything that would hurt their business to be published.  "Science" is just a tool of marketing.  When the California Raisin Board wanted to quell the rumor that raisins caused tooth decay, they paid for a study, and published: "a chemical found in raisins might inhibit tooth decay."  The "science" is sound, except for the fact that raisins cause tooth decay.

The way to truth, then is not more government money in science, nor can it come through large donations by foundations or corporations.  Truth will always be found in the lowest levels of practicality where nobody cares about statistics, nobody gets paid for a specific outcome, nobody reads journals, and there is only pressure to bring results.  Scurvy was cured by the common man, in spite of doctors.  Truth is found in the practical wisdom of the ages, or in new solutions to problems that are found by those in the trenches, who deal with it regularly.  Those who are looking for money or notoriety are going to give false information so professionals can never be expected to bring truth to a society.  The fact that it happens occasionally is a credit to those who are not sullied by the system.  Whether in or out of the establishment, only those who are seeking practical solutions will know truth.

This principle applies to all knowledge.  Science, law, art, religion, teaching, health care, and all professions and institutions are more likely to find truth when there is no establishment or dogma.  Nobody can be an expert; everyone must become a humble seeker of truth.  Power to learn, grow, and progress in all areas of life comes from the individual.  Institutions maintain falsehoods more than they could ever establish truth.  All forms of regimes, installations, or establishments exist to promote a status quo, and halt progress.  Truth comes through independence.

Truth is the most important thing.  There is nothing more important.  If we learn all there is to know, but it's all false, then we are still just ignorant.  All the concoctions and surgeries in the world aren't going to cure scurvy until the patient gets vitamin C.  There is no way around the truth.  In spite of all the oncologists in the world, people die of cancer at the same rate.  Because of peer pressure, only a precious few see the futility of the treatments offered by "science."  Truth is found in the common man, not in the pillared halls of institutions.  The truth is simple.  Eating an orange is so much easier than being buried up to the neck in hot sand; improvement happens instantly, and cure comes in a couple of weeks.  Ignorance is in establishment, while freedom brings truth.  We look back in scorn at those stupid doctors of the 18th century blowing smoke, but often don't consider that because we also have an establishment that purports to be able to cure our epidemics, we are as ignorant as they were.  As Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Carr so aptly stated:

plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

We All Need Justification

Guilt is a fact of life.  Everyone feels it, and there are a variety of means to deal with it.  Some blame others, while others seek self-justification.  Many try to ignore it, or explain it away, but it is always there.  Since I am a sinner, and feel guilty, I have looked for salvation mostly by trying to justify myself.  There are four primary ways I have done this, not always explicitly, but always assuming I could be justified by:

1. Heritage, or ancestry, family ties, the faithfulness of my forefathers -- because they were faithful, and I was born into a faithful family, I am saved with them.  I'm standing on their shoulders; I carry the torch they started so I'm going the same way.  I know the traditions, and keep them well.
2. Good works -- if I do a lot of good works, then weighed in the balance, I'm basically good, and saved!  I try to help people, and not injure anyone.  I have done a lot of good in the world, I think.
3. Knowledge -- If I know stuff, I am more worthy.  I'm smart, smarter than others.  Knowledge is power, I believe it even has the power to save me, or justify me.
4. Ordinances -- baptism, and other ordinances have been performed that bring salvation.  I have done all of the outward rituals to put me in the right way, and therefore should be justified by this obedience.

However, in reality, none of these can save me.

1. The works of my ancestors don't apply to me.  The Pharisees thought they were saved because they were children of Abraham, but Jesus told them,

"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)

2. A million good works cannot erase one single infraction of the law.  Every infraction must be paid-for independent of all other acts, good or bad.

"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever."  (2 Nephi 2:5)

3. Knowledge cannot save me, it only condemns because of doing things I know better.

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation."  (D&C 82:3)

4. Ordinances must be fulfilled in order for them to bring salvation.  For example, baptism is only getting wet if we don't repent, and we remain guilty and not washed clean just because we went into the water.  If we don't do our part, if we don't take upon ourselves the name of Christ, we are performing the ordinance in vain, and are not forgiven.

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."  (Exodus 20:7)

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is just eating and drinking unless we are repentant, remembering the gift of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Moreover, we are not saved by doing it, leading to damnation.

"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."  (1 Corinthians 11:29)

All ordinances bring damnation if we don't fulfill our part of the covenant.

"...the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood."  (Mosiah 3:15)

Only Christ can save.   There is no other salvation.  All of the other ways are either just false, or worse.

Other Myths of Justification
Besides the justifications I have used, there are others that people commonly use.  For example, a nurse I work with was listening to a conversation I was having about immortality and exclaimed, "I don't want life to go on!  I just want to live my life, doing what I want to do, and be done, disappearing forever when I die!"  Many believe existence ends at death in spite of all the evidence to the contrary.  Salvation for them is erasure of their lives and all they have done.  They never have to account for their choices in life.  This is false.  Every person who ever lived will stand before God and judge their lives.  There is no way out of this reality; nobody is going to disappear.

Another common theme in salvation is that everyone is saved, that there is nothing we have to do.  Life is like children playing in a sandbox, we play, we fight, we destroy each other's sand castles, and build them up again, then mom calls us in for dinner, and everything is forgotten and we're all friends again in Heaven.  Children are not accountable for their actions, and we are children to God.  But, this is a lie!  We come here for the purpose of being tested, to find our place in our Father's house so we will account for every word spoken, every deed, and every thought.

Many believe they are saved by their gifts and talents.  By comparing themselves to others they feel justified because they are really good at something.  If they are smarter than others, more spiritual, have more children, or are able to run businesses, then they can be justified.  Andrew Carnegie isn't justified for giving millions of dollars for universities and libraries.  Mother Theresa doesn't get a pass because of her gifts of working with orphans, she must repent like everyone else, "relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save."  (2 Nephi 31:19)  There is no justification outside of that given by Christ.

Real Justification
The only real way out is through the Lord, Jesus Christ.  He has paid the price, and if we are willing to rely on Him, instead of justifying ourselves, He can deliver us from all we have done.  He can justify us.  He can wash us clean.  He can make us whole.  He can heal all wounds and remove all guilt.  It's not that we never did the evil, but rather we are forgiven so we don't have to pay the price for what we have done.  This is why we must repent in order to be forgiven.  If we are still filled with evil thoughts, words, and deeds, then we're just going to do it again.  However, once our nature is changed so "that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually," (Mosiah 5:2) we can be forgiven through His Atonement -- there is no other way.

"And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."  (Mosiah 3:17)

The end of justification
So, I was baptized on October 2, 1971 at the age of eight.  I hardly remember the day that I was symbolically born again, washed clean from my former life, and born into the life of Christ.  But it wasn't until August 29, 2016 that I was actually "born again."  As noted above, baptism is just a metaphor until it is actually fulfilled through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Until I actually have faith in Him and repent of my sins, weaknesses, and rebellion, and turn to Him I have not fulfilled the covenant.  As soon as I do my part by turning away from my weaknesses, His part is already done -- just waiting for me to fulfill my part of repentance.  All those years I put off repenting because I was too busy justifying myself has kept me from Him.  It took me over 44 years to see my folly, and finally take the plunge.

Now, I am born again, of the water and of the Spirit.  I have finally found what I was looking for all my life.  I have no need for self-justification because He has given me a remission of sins.  Like Enos, "...my guilt was swept away."  (Enos 1:6)  He is quick to forgive.  Salvation is free, instant, and retroactive.  I don't have to pay the price, or even try to justify myself.  It's already done by Him!  It is amazing and wonderful to be forgiven!  I'm free!  I have peace of conscience!  I have hope!  I am in awe and wonder that He could take away my sins, in spite of my years of neglect and rebellion, and that He would be willing to justify me.

I hope I always remember His gift of justification.

Discipleship Test #1: Injustice

On August 29, 2016 I became a disciple of Christ, I was born again; I received a remission of sins through the grace and mercy of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He has forgiven me of my sins and has allowed me to enter into the Kingdom of God even though I have sinned.  I am guilty of a huge crime, but I don't have to pay the penalty because He already paid it for me.

On September first I received my first test of discipleship -- a bill.  The test is to see if I will be likewise merciful to my fellow-men.  Jesus taught:

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.  (Luke 6:30)

If I am to be a disciple, I would welcome the opportunity to give and not receive.  One test of being a disciple of Christ is to sacrifice our sense of justice.  The things of the world are play-toys, and the more we can give away without getting in return, the more we can be blessed.  Blessings don't come from justice, fairness, and equity in our dealings, but rather from allowing others to take what we have -- and giving it to them, in mercy and grace.  This is what the Lord has done for us many times over.  Our little bit of injustice is only a metaphor to show that we are willing to follow Him.

A few weeks ago, I asked a local man to wash my windows and clean the outside of my house.  He gave me an estimate for that work of $375.  When he came a week later, he said that he wouldn't honor the estimate and would only do the windows for $375 because the estimate didn't show the full price because the carbon copy didn't come through.  I didn't look and said OK.  So he only washed the windows, which I thought was really expensive.  Later, when I looked at the estimate, it clearly had wash the house and do the windows with $375 in the "Total" line in ink, no carbon, no copy, so I made a copy and wrote that he should come back and finish the job.  He lied about the "carbon copy not showing through."  I had felt that the price for just doing the windows was too much, and he should have washed the house as well, that was our agreement.

On September first he came back to the house without contacting me and washed the house down and left a bill for $525!  I just saw that bill last night, and was filled with indignation, and adrenaline.  It wasn't fair.  There was no fair way to handle this.  There is no win-win because he had already done the work, and I didn't agree to it.  I would never have agreed to that, because I wouldn't think it was worth that much.  I was arguing in my head, I couldn't sleep.  I would argue that I shouldn't have to pay because it was part of the original estimate.  I would just not pay anything, and throw away his "invoice," keeping the original estimate only; that's what we had agreed.  I had a hard time going to sleep.  My heart was pounding.

I knelt down before the Lord and prayed for guidance.  The Spirit said to just pay the bill, but that wasn't the answer I wanted.  It wasn't fair.  I thought I could make a compromise, taking out the $375 I already paid from the $575 he billed.  But I still felt cheated.  That was still too much!  There was no way out.  Either he would lose, or I would.  The answer came this morning in the scripture, "Give to every man that asketh..."  The Lord is teaching me to be a true disciple.  This is an opportunity to be merciful, to take upon myself the consequences of the sins of another.  The man is asking for mercy and grace for his oversight and subsequent lie about the original estimate.  He doesn't want to pay for his mistake so he gave me a bill.

I am reminded of the parable given by Jesus of the wicked servant found in Matthew 18:23-35.  The servant owed the king 10,000 talents (a billion dollars), and when he begged for mercy, he was forgiven, but subsequently had a fellow-servant thrown in jail for a hundred pence ($10,000).  When the king found out what he had done, the wicked servant was turned-over to the tormentors.  I don't want this to happen to me.  I want to keep the forgiveness I have received so I will be as merciful as possible -- no compromise!

I will pay for his mistake, and pay the full invoice, not as a "holier than thou" gesture, but rather for Christ, because I am a disciple of Christ I will give to anyone that asks.   "...the Lord do so to me, and more also..."  (Ruth 1:17)  It is a tiny fraction of the thanks I feel in my heart for His grace and mercy towards me.  He has forgiven infinitely more than this.  This is easy.  It is small.  It is really nothing, in reality.  God gave the money to me in the first place.  I can certainly share with others, being merciful, kind, and giving.  Thus, I will pass the first test of discipleship.  Giving mercy instead of justice.

08/29/2016 Born again

I have finally found what I have been searching for all of my life.  I am a new man in Christ.  I am a son of Christ.  I have taken upon me His name.  This day He has spiritually begotten me.  I am born again.  After so many years of seeking, asking, and knocking, I have finally found salvation through the Lord, Jesus Christ, and I can feel to sing the song of redeeming love.  I know Him.  I know He lives, and I know He has to power to save me from all my weaknesses, rebellion, and sins.

In my heart I never knew the love of God before.  It was all in my head.  I studied and prayed.  I learned many things.  I could define all the words of the prophets, for I knew them well.  I read the scriptures frequently, and was taught from on High as the Spirit of God bore witness to my soul of their truth.  He enlightened my understanding and gave me knowledge.  I could even speak the Tongue of Angels!  However, I had never tasted of His goodness.  While I could define the words, I didn't possess them in my heart.

One day I was driving on the freeway near Diamond Bar.  The car in front of me was only going a little faster than the speed limit so I pulled into the "fast lane" to speed past him.  I was going pretty fast.  Just as I was passing him on the left, I saw blue and red flashing lights in my rear-view mirror, coming up fast behind me.  My heart sunk.  I was caught!  My heart was pounding as I let off the gas and applied the brakes to bring the car into compliance with the speed limit.  Then, I realized that my wallet was back at home -- I didn't have my driver's license!  I was going to get it.  I felt so bad.  I was guilty, and would have to pay.

Last week an officer of the Medical Board of California came to my office.  He said he just wanted to know how our office ran.  The experience of sitting face-to-face with someone who could judge me and condemn me is very revealing.  I saw all the ways I wasn't keeping the rules.  I know their job is to administer justice to those who aren't keeping the rules.  Suddenly realizing all the ways I had not been obedient to the rules, I wished I had been more compliant and careful, but, it's too late.  I'm caught.  I'm guilty.

As the flashing lights get closer,  knew I was going to have to justify my actions, I started to think of all the things I could say to get off.  Maybe he will just give me a warning.  Maybe I could lie and say I was a doctor and had an emergency (that never works anymore, they call us on it... literally!).  I could explain that I was late, and just needed to pass the car in front of me.  I looked for a way out, could I run?  Could I hide?  How could I get out of this?  I wish I hadn't been speeding just then!  I needed some justification for breaking the law.

In my office, the officer said there were some complaints that he had to follow-up on, and needed to talk with me on Monday.  He didn't say why, specifically, so of course the whole weekend I was imagining all the ways I could be crucified.  I knew the possibilities because I had seen colleagues go through these audits.  One of them, who has a similar type of alternative practice, had his license revoked, was fined a large sum, and went to federal prison for five years!  That was me.  I do mostly alternative medicine, and the Board doesn't like that.  They would know I was a rebel.  Surely I would find no mercy.  I was scared!

The effect of this fear is realizing for the first time that I am not innocent.  I'm guilty.  I had let everyone down by not living by the rules.  I wasn't some "high and mighty" or "better than everyone else," in fact I was worse!  I was supposed to be a good example, but instead I became the bad example.  "Don't do what he did... that's why he's in prison!"  I felt in a very deep and real way that I was guilty, and there was no way out of the consequences.  I couldn't run.  I couldn't hide.  In only a few days, they would know, and I would have to hire lawyers, go to court, face my rebelliousness, and go to prison.  I was bracing myself for the worst.

I pictured myself pulled over on the side of the freeway.  I didn't want the ticket.  I didn't want to pay the price.  In my own mind, I justify myself by averaging my life.  If I could tell the officer that I always go the speed limit, and just this once was in a hurry.  Yes, I was guilty this one time, but it's alright because of all the times I had obeyed the law, as if all the times I was good could make up for a single infraction.

As the officer told me about my practice, and the things we were doing wrong, I searched for a way out.  There must be some justification.  I've spent most of my life justifying myself.  "Look at all the good things I do!"  My weaknesses are minor, compared to all the good I do.  I have helped all these people!  I have cured diseases!  I have done all these good things!  Surely they make up for my infractions and lack of respect for the rules!  But this time was different; I saw the absurdity of this thinking, a million good acts cannot justify one infraction.  If I am obedient to the law, even an officer of the law, lawmaker, or advocate of the law, but break the law just one time, I'm guilty of that infraction and must pay the penalty.  Good works cannot justify guilt.  I was guilty!  I was lost, and had no hope.

Then, I remembered the Lord, Jesus Christ.  He can save me from my sins, but would He?  I was guilty.  I deserved the full measure of the law that I had broken.  I felt the guilt so deeply, and knew I would have to pay the price of my actions.  How could I even ask for mercy when I did it all so knowingly?  I thought I had to "be good" in order to receive forgiveness.  I was guilty and didn't deserve any clemency.

On the other hand I was in such need, with no other hope, that I fell to my knees and begged for forgiveness.  I needed mercy.  I was willing to repent of all my sins and do anything.  I would pay anything, or suffer anything, if I could only be let off with a warning -- just this once.  I would bring the office into compliance with all the rules.  I would keep the rules.  I would obey every rule and law with exactness and honor.  I would be an advocate for the law, instead of a detractor.  Please!!!

I fasted and prayed that weekend, and began to understand on a spiritual level all that I was experiencing.  I had seen myself, for the first time, as less than the dust of the Earth.  I was weak.  I was lost.  I needed help.  I had been given the gift of humility.  Also, I had a contrite spirit; I was willing to be obedient on His terms, instead of my own.  I had lost the "holier than thou" attitude that had filled my heart since birth.  I truly felt the weight of sin.  I went to see the bishop, to confess all my sins and to receive counsel on what to do.  I was open to counsel because I was in such need of it.  I promised to keep all the rules and obey all the laws with exactness.  I was repentant.

Those I shared my feelings with were very supportive.  The bishop said it would be well, and recommended that I don't give up my recommend, but rather go to the temple and work.  "If we all had to be perfect to go to the temple, it would be empty all the time!" he said.  My wife said that the officer would not be able to see those things I worried about.  My daughter said she felt that it would be fine, that I wouldn't go to prison, get a huge fine, or even lose my license.  Each time the Spirit bore witness to me that they spoke the truth, but I had a hard time believing, knowing that I was guilty.

This morning at our office huddle I apologized to the staff for not being a stickler for detail.  I told them that from now on we will keep every rule, no matter what, and asked them to inform me if they felt that any laws or rules were being violated.

As the cop car came up right behind me, I put on my blinker and pulled into the lane on the right.  But, as I was looking to get into the next right lane, the flashing lights whizzed past me on the left.  I watched the blue and red lights go off into the distance for a few seconds before breathing a sigh of relief.  I started laughing!  I had been spared.  I wasn't going to have to pay any fines.  How lucky I felt!  Wow!  What a relief!

The officer came back today and asked a lot of questions.  I'm a horrible liar, and have a terrible track-record of defending myself so I had determined that I would only tell the truth.  I braced myself, but nothing happened.  I had the Spirit of God with me because I could feel His presence, and He told me what to say.  The officer never asked about the things I was worried about.  In the end of the interview he said he was finished with his investigation, and told me he would recommend a "letter of reprimand" for allowing an unlicensed person perform IV treatments, and the Board would probably require me to take an ethics class.  That's all.  I'm free!  No fine.  No loss of license.  No jail time.  This is truly a miracle!

This harrowing experience has changed my life.  It's a physical metaphor for a spiritual reality.  I knew immediately that the Lord had blessed me.  I was spared.  I know Jesus saves!  I know He lives!  I know that I don't have to suffer the consequences of my weaknesses, sins, and even my rebellion because of Him.  He saved me from my sins.  I am a new creature in Christ.  I know His love.  I've been saved!  I'm born again!  I have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.  I'll keep all the rules.  I'll obey all the laws with exactness!  I will do this because I love Him.  I want to do it, for Him.  He has done so much for me!  I could never express the gratitude I feel in my heart.  I know what it means to be saved from sin, to be guilty but not have to suffer the consequences.  It is wonderful, and awesome in the real sense of the word -- it fills me with awe!  I feel to sing the song of redeeming love!  To know that He has already paid the price is amazing!

What has changed is that, to me, He is no longer just the Savior of the world, and all mankind, but rather my personal Savior.  I feel a sense of awe and wonder.  I feel peace.  I feel reverence.  I feel gratitude.  I love the Lord, with all my heart!  I will thank Him and praise Him forever!

No Excuse

It doesn't matter why.  We like to give ourselves a break because of how we feel, what we think, or because of our special difficulties in life.  We think we can excuse ourselves for our sins, shortcomings, and weaknesses.  We can't.  There is no excuse.  We can find all the reasons why we were unable to complete our mission, fulfill our purpose, or do good, but in reality, it doesn't matter!

Excuses don't excuse us from obeying laws.  If we don't obey the laws, we're going to get hurt, there's no way around it.  We will fall if we lose our support.  We'll be poor if we don't work.  We will remain ignorant if we don't study.  If we don't exercise we aren't going to have muscles.  If we walk off the edge we're going to fall.  We don't learn without experience.  Everything happens for a reason, based on laws and principles.  If we don't obey them for any reason, then we don't get the benefits.  It doesn't matter why.

Doing Good
I often try to excuse myself from doing things I know I should do because I'm so busy doing other good things.  All too often I find the most important things are at the mercy of urgent, but unimportant, things.  I don't meet a deadline for an article because I'm cooking dinner, or cleaning the kitchen.  I find so many other things to do when I really need to be doing the most important things that are hard and I don't want to do them.

Likewise, I see people try to excuse themselves from taking care of their bodies because they are too busy to cook good food, or exercise daily.  They have so many other things to do that they end up with illnesses from disobedience to the laws of health.  It doesn't matter at all why they fail to take care of themselves, they get sick anyway, there is no excuse.

Handicaps
Handicaps don't give you any benefit, or excuse us from doing right.  It doesn't matter that you're blind if you walk off a cliff.  The cliff, and gravity, don't care.  You don't get a pass because of your handicap.

Being lame doesn't excuse us from the benefits of exercise.  Being hungry, or having a sweet-tooth doesn't excuse us from dietary laws of health.  Being blind does not excuse us from crashing the car.  There is no handicap that laws will allow a pass.

We like to give a pass to people because of their handicaps.  We give children a pass because they are ignorant.  We give sick people a pass because of their illness.  We give them benefits they don't earn.  We give the poor money that they didn't work for because they are lazy, or ignorant.  We automatically feel like mercy is giving others the benefit of laws they do not keep.  But, it doesn't work in the long term.  We may be able to skirt the law for a short time, but allowing a blind person to drive can only end in disaster -- it's the law!

Safety and Growth
There are two kinds of laws -- those that if we obey we grow, and those that keep us safe from harm.  These are at odds with each other.  Safety laws are needed for the ignorant.  These rules keep us safe from harm that might happen when we disobey the laws of physics.  A child with a key will first try to put it in something he can reach -- like an electrical outlet, causing disasters to happen.  We "childproof" the house, keeping all chemicals and dangerous substances out of reach so they cannot hurt themselves in their ignorance.

It doesn't matter that the child was young and ignorant -- the laws of physics will still apply, so we protect them in their ignorance with random and arbitrary rules.  These are not the laws that govern the Universe, but rather just rules to protect and preserve those who are ignorant of such laws.

However, the rules of safety also keep us ignorant.  Growth doesn't come from obedience to the rules of protection, they are only there to protect us from harm.  Most don't realize that the commandments of God are given to protect us in our ignorance -- they are the rules of safety.  Adam and Eve broke the rule in order to learn and grow.  It is only by breaking the rules of safety that we learn as we suffer the consequences of our actions.  Electricians know what it's like to be shocked with varying voltages.  Engineers need to break the rules to find out the laws of material strength.  Surgeons needed to break the rules of cutting living people open, and killing lots of them, before they could understand the laws of living physiology and anatomy.  Very often, a parent will stand by and watch their little child step off a curb and fall so he can learn the laws of physics.  It is by breaking the rules of protection that we learn the laws.

Intelligence and Ignorance
The greatest benefits in life come from knowing the laws.  Facts does not equal knowledge, only truth is useful.  Laws are always true no matter what.  An engineer knows laws of physics and the use of materials to create useful things.  The doctor, knowing the laws of biology, is able to repair the body.  The farmer is able to produce ten, or a hundred, times more food by knowing the laws of the plants he works with.  Laws make life better.  Life is hard when we don't know the rules, and becomes so easy when we do.

Lack of intelligence doesn't excuse the engineer for building a faulty bridge when it collapses.  It doesn't excuse the doctor for killing his patients.  Nor does the farmer get a pass for not knowing how much water his crops would need.  People will starve, die, or get hurt because of ignorance.

The purpose of life is to learn and grow, gaining intelligence.  It is to gain knowledge and wisdom through our experience.  It is to experience as much as possible so we can have more knowledge, and thus more power.  If we fail, we don't get a pass.  Staying in the safety zone may keep us safe, but doesn't bring intelligence.

The laws are fixed, and we fail to follow them at our own peril despite our ignorance.  Ignorance is the only evil, and doesn't excuse anyone.  It doesn't matter why we're ignorant, we'll suffer the consequences just the same.  If we don't understand the rules of business, our business will fail.  If we don't understand the laws of physics, our bombs won't blow up.  There is no excuse.  However, if we do understand the laws, and abide them perfectly, then we will gain tremendous wealth, knowledge, wisdom and power.  Eventually knowing all things.

Heaven and Hell
Heaven is those who know all the laws, or all truth.  They are free from rules because they don't need protection.  They can perform all "miracles."  It is easy to create galaxies, stars, worlds, and life with all knowledge.  Knowing everything gives complete power, the power to organize and understand.  An engineer organizes his bridge in a certain way to take advantage of the materials he has chosen.  He knows the properties of each material, and knows how to put them together to build a strong bridge.  Knowledge is the only power.  Two thousand years ago a miracle happened -- an infant was born to a woman who had never had a sexual relationship.  Now we have the knowledge of biology that allows us to perform this miracle every day.  It's simple.  Today, we have institutionalized many "miracles."  We make the blind to see, the lame can walk, and the deaf hear every day.  We have power because of knowledge.  Continuing on will bring all knowledge -- and all power.  This is Heaven.

There are two ways to end up in Hell, or permanent ignorance.  We can remain ignorant by being "safe," or simply by failing to seek knowledge.  The first group are those who would do good by preventing failure.  This is the plan of Satan -- safety.  People who seek safety remain ignorant because they fail to discover the laws of the Universe.  The rest are just lazy, seeking gratification of desires instead of knowledge of laws.  Without understanding of the laws that govern the Universe, all things appear to happen randomly and magically.

Those in hell are severely limited by rules to protect them in their ignorance.  There is no power because there is no knowledge.  It doesn't matter why we fail.  Wasting time on entertainment such as movies, television, and video games doesn't bring knowledge.  There is no excuse, we just don't have knowledge.  Nobody gets a pass for any reason.  We are what we are irrespective of how it happened.  It doesn't matter why.  There is no excuse.

The Ultimate Gift

There are two kinds of gifts in the world, those that are given to us to help us to grow, and those that are given to us that we may help others grow.  Not that there is no overlap in all things, however, there is a primary purpose for each gift.

Those gifts that we call "strengths" are the ones we have to help others to grow.  We bless the  lives of others with our "strengths" such as knowledge, wealth, administration, cheerfulness, and love.  Our service to them connects us with them.

Those gifts we call "weaknesses" are primarily to help us to grow.  We gain humility, wisdom, understanding, compassion, and charity as we suffer through our weaknesses.  The stress of our weaknesses strengthens us, and helps us to grow.  Suffering within ourselves connects us with God.

Jesus Christ had all strengths.  He had all power.  He was strong in every area such that He could bless the lives of all.  He had the gift of healing, knowledge, wisdom, discernment, angels, prophecy, revelations, tongues, and so forth.  He had all He needed to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."  (D&C 81:5)  He gave freely to all who desired, Jew or gentile, rich or poor, male or female.

Jesus Christ also had all weaknesses.  He suffered pain, temptations of every kind, loneliness, despair, hatred, rejection, and so forth.  These taught Him.  The Apostle Paul explained this concept to the Hebrews, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;"  (Hebrews 5:8)

However, in all of this, there is one gift that is superlative, charity.  Charity is the gift of Christ.  It is the essence of Christ, and is all that the Word, the office, and the mission of Christ entails.  It is all strength and weakness.  It is all gain and loss.  Charity is the spectrum of life, the gift of Eternal Life.  This is the one gift that is required by all who would take upon themselves the name of Christ, to become Christ.

The term "Christ" is the center and circumference of all things.  It is pure love.  It defines creation and all that exists, because without Christ there is nothing.  Growth, happiness, and all that defines life is found in this one word because without love there is no good, only evil, darkness, loneliness, and loss.  Pure love gives meaning to all things.  There is a general term, and a specific person called Christ.  Generally, it is a name given to all those who receive the gift of charity, the pure love of Christ.  Specifically, there is One who is the Christ because He encompasses all that is Christ.  He is our example to follow.

The prophets assure us that there is one gift that we must seek if we are to become one with God.  This gift is not given lightly or easily.  It is the gift of Christ, called charity.  It is given to those who take upon themselves the name of Christ and suffer the will of the Father in all things.  They give their heart and will to God, letting go of all things of the world.  These are they to whom the following scriptures apply:

"...believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world;"  (Jacob 1:8)

"...come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end;"  (Omni 1:26)

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"  (Matthew 5:44)

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."  (Matthew 16:24-25)

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."  (Matthew 10:37-38)

"And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."  (Matthew 19:29)

The gift of charity comes with a price -- to follow Jesus Christ into death and hell, rejection and hatred, loss and mourning.  The heights can only be reached by those who are willing to go into the depths.  This brings balance to life.  We cannot have compassion on what we don't experience.  Only those who are true followers, who do as He did, who become as He is, can take His name and receive His gift of love.  While all are loved equally, no matter what we do, charity is reserved for those who are true followers of Jesus Christ.

Receiving the gift of charity makes us one with Him.  We possess His name, the name of Christ, being born of Him, or born into His family.  We are Christ.

Of necessity, all prophets are a type of Christ.  They are HOLY prophets because they are, in at least one way, like Him.  In order to be with Him, we must be like Him, as they are.  We are holy as He is holy.  We are set apart from the world.  We take upon ourselves the sins of the world.  We take up our cross and bear the shame of the world.  We do not complain, we do not even flinch.  We have been called to weakness, to humility, to meekness, to loneliness, to loss, to mourning, to suffering, and to pain.  We allow it all.  We take it all in as He did.  We remember Him in all things, taking upon ourselves His name, following Him into whatever we are given by the Father.  Our path is set.  We accept our calling.  We focus only on our mission that must be performed by us.  By so doing, we suffer (allow) the will of the Father in all things.  We love the Father more than the world.  We love the Lord whom we follow into the depths of death and hell.  We saw Him do it, and we follow Him -- willingly, lovingly, hopefully, and happily suffering the will of the Father as He did.  We take Him into ourselves.  We eat His flesh, and drink His blood.

The flesh is the pain and suffering all manner of deprivation, loneliness, and a broken heart.  All that we hold dear in this world is given up, sacrificed on the altar.  The flesh is burned, and discarded.  The flesh is lost.  All of the desires of the flesh are given away, sacrificed, lost, and wasted.  Opportunities to satisfy the flesh are ignored.  The focus is entirely on the mission, and nothing can deter or distract from that.  He was offered food for His hunger, satisfaction for His soul, and glory for His ambition, but paid no heed.  He was focused on His mission, and nothing could tempt Him to turn from it.

The blood is death.  We must die, as He did.  We must be willing to die the death, both spiritual and physical.  If we are to follow Him, we must be willing to allow our blood to be shed a martyr for Him.  We must also be willing to face spiritual death and hell in order to bring out those who have strayed, wandered off into forbidden paths, and are lost.  Some are lost to all that is righteousness, and have no light.  These must also be gathered with the elect.  They must be given the option, and we are willing to face their death with them in order to bring them to life.  We have compassion, to suffer with them, as He did for us and all others.

Those who are willing to follow Him are given weaknesses to bring them into the depths of humility.  They willingly take their cross and follow Him.  After they are proven through patience and long suffering, they are given the gift of charity -- and the name of Christ.  It is a possession worth more than all the riches, honor, glory, and love of the world.  It is necessary, and sufficient.  It is eternal.  It fills, and fulfills all needs.  It is our purpose, our all.  It is life Eternal.  It is connection with God and all people.  It is compassion.  It is true love.  It is light.  It is clarity.  It is peace.  It is joy and happiness.  By following Him we become like Him and receive all that He has.  It is a gift, the gift of Charity, the gift of pure love, or the gift of Christ.

Mormon implores the faithful: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."  (Moroni 7:48)