Talents and Treasures

To paraphrase the parable of the talents taken out of Matthew chapter 25: A man gave some money to his servants to take care of while he was away. To one he gave a million dollars, to another he gave a hundred-thousand, and to another a hundred, according to their abilities. When he returned he asked for an accounting, and the first was praised for making another million in trading the money. The second was also praised for making another hundred-thousand. The third, however, did not trade so he gave back the hundred he was given. The master, did a most unusual thing; he took away the money from him and gave it to the man with two-million, and then cast the servant out of his house.

"For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:29-30)

I would like to consider an interpretation of this parable.

What we start with

When people are dependent on the world they sacrifice Eternity. Everything in life is a trade. We trade the only thing of value we have on this Earth: effort or the exertion we make, be it mental, emotional, physical, and so forth, to accomplish our desires. In other words, we trade our efforts to get what we want. These are the choices we make every minute of every day, trading what we have for something we value more. We can refuse to trade, just biding our time without any effort on our part to improve our situation -- this is laziness. We may do this because we don't see the value in the trade. If we don't think college will get us what we want, then we're not going to put in the effort to graduate. If we see value in a healthy body, we will put in the effort to exercise.

Whatever we are doing at any time is the most important thing to us at that moment. Our efforts, then, reveal what we really desire. Sometimes, it is important to rest, sometimes it is important to talk, sometimes it is important to work, sometimes it is important to make money, sometimes it's important to play. Wherever we use our energy indicates what is most important to us, and will determine what wealth we gain.

If we trade our efforts for the things of this world, then we can have them. What we often don't consider is what we get in return. The Macbeth's put all of their efforts into becoming king and queen and found only wasted efforts, "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, And put a barren scepter in my grip." This is the common lot of all those who spend their efforts in pursuit of the things of the world -- fruitless and barren. With any of the things of the world into which we put our efforts, enough is enough, and more than enough is a liability. 

The riches of Eternity

The other option is to spend your efforts in pursuit of the things of Eternity:

1. Love -- the gifts we give to others to ease their burdens

2. Intelligence -- knowledge of truth

3. Wisdom -- the application of truth

4. Faith -- belief in and evidence of the power of God

5. Charity -- the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, pure love

6. Joy -- the connections with people, bringing others to God

All of these efforts connect us with God. In order to do this we must obey the will of God, submitting always to what He wants us to do, instead of we want to do. In order to do the will of God, we must first know his righteous will. In order to know His will we must have communication with Him. The beginning of the effort to gain the riches of Eternity, then, is to pray, and read the Scriptures.

The talent of prayer

Prayer is an essential communication that is learned over time. It is not easy, it requires great effort, as Enos relates in his own story: 

"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

...I did pour out my whole soul unto God...

...I was thus struggling in the spirit...

...and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings...

...After I had prayed and labored with all diligence..."

Enos 1:4-12

Enos gives us a good example of how much effort it takes to pray in faith, or "mighty prayer." This must be practiced every day, all day -- "continually," as the scripture says, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (Luke 18:1) Like any talent, it is leaned through practice. And also like any talent, the more it is practiced, the better one gets. This talent is definitely worth all of the efforts we can make, for it brings us the ability to earn the riches of Eternity.

The gift of tongues

It would not be possible to earn any Eternal wealth without the written word of God. This was so important that the "exceedingly young" Nephi was told by God to kill a very important man in Jerusalem: 

"Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause that I might obtain the records according to his commandments." (1 Nephi 4:15-17) 

The commandments of the Lord are written by the prophets. The Word of the Lord is in the Scriptures. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life." (John 5:39) Without this knowledge we would just wallow in ignorance. Without the "instruction book" of life, we can only guess. However, we also need to develop a talent to understand them: the gift of tongues.

Though Scripture is written in any Earthly language, they are not to be understood that way. People often argue over semantics of translation, or specific words used in one language compared to another, but this is an exercise in futility. The scriptures are written in the "tongue of angels," or the "language of the prophets," be it English, Spanish, or Chinese. The language we read is only the medium, the understanding comes from the Spirit. When we have the Holy Ghost, we can speak with the tongue of angels, and understand the language of the prophets. This takes a lot of effort, just like learning any foreign language. The effort to learn the language of Scripture has infinite value because it puts us in a position to know the will of God, or righteousness.

Eternal Increase

When we develop Eternal talents it lead to one thing: bringing souls to God. Those who spend their time and efforts improving their talents are able to give more. They develop something of value to give. If we have love, wisdom, knowledge, faith, hope, charity, or any other Godly talent it will help us to gain treasures in Heaven. 

Unlike the wealth of the world, the advantage of this treasure is that more is -- more! It only gets better! "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:16) The jewels of Heaven are the children of God. These have infinite value because they go on forever. Thus, we would do well to trade our time on the Earth for these things, giving glory to the Master and doubling what we were given stewardship over.

To Sow and to Reap

Karma is not a Christian concept in any way. We do not reap what we sow. What goes around does not come around. Life is instead an all-or-nothing game with Eternal consequences. We don't have to suffer for our sins because Christ did. We forgive everyone and hope they don't have to suffer either. We can return to God in spite of our shortcomings and weakness because He has the power. We are given grace, or undeserved blessings, through Him who is mighty to save. We reap where others sow, and we sow and don't reap.

Even God does not get everything He wants, as illustrated in the Allegory of the Olive Trees.

"And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?

And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted, that they bring forth no good fruit; and these I had hoped to preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season, unto mine own self. But, behold, they have become like unto the wild olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and cast into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.

But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long," (Jacob 5:41,46,47)

I am impressed that the Lord nurtures the trees of His vineyard, but they don't always bear fruit. He works hard, sacrifices, fertilizes and gives them everything they need, but they bring forth wild fruit which is no good. He longs for good fruit, and He grieves over the loss in spite of all his hard work.

All of life is like that. We sow, but don't always reap. Farmers since the beginning of time have prayed for rain, good weather, and favorable conditions that they may reap what they sow, but, alas, all too often it didn't help. They would work hard, but have no harvest in the end. We give, but don't always get. We work, but don't always get paid. Our efforts are given, like God Himself, out of love, unselfishly, but love may not return to us. Ever! The fruit we produce may be bad, wild, and not very tasty.

The freedom to choose

Enoch also had this experience with God. He saw God crying and asked, "How can you weep when you have everything?"

"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;" (Moses 7:32-33)

This is the effect of the most important principle of existence -- agency. Agency is the freedom to choose. Each entity of life is given agency by God when they are created, or else there is no existence. Each has the ability to choose what they will be. Some choose not to follow the ways of happiness, growth, and love and have a poor outcome. They are lost, and the Heavens weep. God works hard to make sure all have an equal opportunity to find joy and happiness, they can, if they desire. But he never controls their choice, the outcome is purely in their hands.

In order to assure this He gave a plan to allow both agency and the opportunity of each to choose good or evil. Every child of God would be able to return to live with Him in His Kingdom and gain Eternal Life through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is as easy as looking at the brass serpent on the pole. However, the Devil gave an alternate plan that was preferred by many: "Here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." (Moses 4:1) Satan wanted to control the outcome, taking away agency, and losing individuality. 

These philosophies still exist today, though Satan's plan was rejected. Many want to take away individuality, controlling the outcome, and making everyone equal by eliminating the freedom to choose. People don't like the insecurity of unpaid work, unrewarded effort, or unrequited love. Karma seems more fair.

Reaping an Eternal reward

However, as our efforts are put towards doing the will of the Lord, and we don't give up, we will find that they are not in vain. Even if our immediate expectations don't pan out, we will find blessings in the long run. The fruit that does ripen sweetly is infinite. We cannot control the outcome of each, only the opportunity, so many will choose not to follow the path of righteousness. However, those who do bring forth abundantly, and eternally!

"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" (D&C 18:15)

Many years ago an elder who served a mission in the British Isles said at the end of his labors, "I think my mission has been a failure. I have labored all my days as a missionary here and I have only baptized one dirty little Irish kid. That is all I baptized."

Years later, after his return to his home in Montana, he had a visitor come to his home who asked, "Are you the elder who served a mission in the British Isles in 1873?"

"Yes."

Then the man went on, "And do you remember having said that you thought your mission was a failure because you had only baptized one dirty little Irish kid?"

He said, "Yes."

The visitor put out his hand and said, "I would like to shake hands with you. My name is Charles A. Callis, of the Council of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am that dirty little Irish kid that you baptized on your mission." (See The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1996), 602-3)

That little Irish boy came to a knowledge of his potential as a son of God. Elder Callis left a lasting legacy for his large family. Serving as a mission president for 25 years and in his apostolic ministry for 13 years, he blessed the lives of literally thousands.  (2001 April General Conference, "Them That Honour Me I Will Honour")

That one "dirty little Irish kid" turned into infinite joy for what the missionary thought was a failure. Elder Callis may have personally helped bring thousands to God, but the effects of his labors go on forever as each of those converted has children, grandchildren, and so forth. Each of those may labor in the vineyard, bringing more souls unto God, who then will continue the chain.

Most of what we do is wasted effort. We spend most of our time on temporal affairs that are all lost in Eternity. We build homes, businesses, and empires, that crumble to the dust or evaporate when we leave the Earth. Even in the service of God most of our efforts seem to be in vain. However, though we are not guaranteed success for every effort we make, the parts that are successful become infinite treasures in our coffers. Though it may seem like we fail, in reality just the opposite is true -- we are rewarded infinitely for the smallest effort. The rewards of Christian service are so much better than Karma.

Dark Matter

There is no such thing as "space" per se; there is no emptiness. There is no vacuum. Everything is full because, "all nature abhors a vacuum;" that's why vacuums suck. Therefore, it stands to reason that something must be filling the vastness of space like water fills the sea, or air fills the atmosphere.

Photons

The study of physics tells us that photons fill the immensity of space, collectively known as "dark matter" or the "ether." We cannot detect individual photons unless they are charged or excited. Exciting a photon propagates a wave through the ether the same way dropping a pebble initiates a wave in water, or speaking causes a wave through the air, and we perceive it as light. This is why light has both "wave" and "particle" properties. The type and amount of energy that initiates the wave determines its properties, such as color and intensity.

Photons are matter, but they do not interact with the matter we detect with our senses. It only becomes detectable by our senses when it is charged or excited, such as the light we see. It fills all things, is in all things, through all things, and 'round-about all things. There is no empty space that is not filled with ether. It can only be displaced, as the fish displaces the water it swims in. This is why gravity exists. Photons can be made into what we detect as matter by changing its energy state, or becoming organized. These photons must come together in such a way as to create subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, and so forth. Thus, by a simple organizational change, matter can seem to be created where there was none. 

The joke is made that to a European, all Chinese people look alike. In the same sense, though they possess many of the same properties, there are infinite varieties of every particle of matter; no two are exactly alike. Each photon is an individual. Each has intelligence. Each is a separate being, but has no power to act. The power to act comes from organization. This is true on any level -- organization brings power. A single person has little power unless he can organize a lot of people to his cause. A single carbon molecule has no power, but putting it together with other carbons, oxygen, nitrogen and so forth can make it become an enzyme that has power to act. A single atom of iron has no power, but organizing huge numbers of them can create powerful springs, tools, cars, and so forth. These have power. However, just like tools, photons only have intelligence, but no power to act; they have no way of organizing themselves. There needs to be an outside source of power to organize and wield them. Nothing happens by itself, randomly, or by chance.

Power

The power to act can only be given through another who already has this power. For example, the gift of life can only be given by a man and woman who already possess it. Likewise, only an entity with power can organize photon particles into atoms, molecules, and ultimately life with the power to act. All other matter is acted upon. Photons can passively propagate waves of energy, the "electromagnetic spectrum," in their original state, or they can be useful tools in an organized state, such as electrons,neutrons, atoms or molecules. However, only when they are organized in a certain way can they become life. The more power one has to act, the greater the ability. The highest power is the ability to create, or organize, worlds where life can reproduce.

Each level of life gives more power to act. The "lower" forms have some power to move and reproduce. Higher forms can think and learn, deciding when and how to act. The highest forms have power over the lower forms of life and all matter. There is a hierarchy in all things. The Highest of all has power over all levels from the single photons that fill the immensity of space, to the creators of worlds. The entity with the highest intelligence knows all the rules of engagement. He knows all the ways to combine photons, he knows how to organize them, he knows what they can and can't do, and because he always plays by the rules the intelligences respect him. He respects their inalienable right to choose. He always motivates with love, acting in the best interests of others so they follow him. This is God. 

God

God is an organized being that has all power because of obedience. Being "one" with the Universe, is having power over all forms of matter, living or not, because each has intelligence. The power of God is His word because all the photons obey him. Obedience is the first law of power. A king has no power if he has no subjects to obey him; his subjects give him power. There is no power without obedience. God has infinite subjects -- the photons that fill all things and make up all things -- that obey His every word. Thus, God can speak and worlds can be organized, or He can speak and worlds can evaporate, becoming part of the "ether" that they are made of. He tells them what to do, and they do it. This is the ultimate power to act.

Those that don't obey God lose their powers and abilities. Each has choice. You might say that the ability to choose is the first law of the Universe because without agency there is no variety. Existence is found in contrast. You cannot know sweet unless you know bitter. You cannot understand warmth unless you've experienced cold. You might as well be blind if all things are exactly the same color, and deaf if everything makes the same sound. Variety can only be found in agency. Thus, nothing could exist without agency, or the ability to choose. Because of this agency, some of the photons, electrons, atoms, molecules, and living creatures may decide not to obey God. If they choose not to, he has the power to cast them out of His kingdom. They then just remain as they are without the ability to organize or control anything -- dead matter. They have no power to act, only to be acted upon. 

gods
Like all other forms of life, God is ultimately reproducing Himself. Those that continually obey, subjecting themselves to His will gain more and more power until they ultimately possess the very power of God -- power over the elements. Only those who prove themselves can have this power because the photons that make up all things will not obey them unless they have proven themselves worthy of it. Each must gain the respect of all the elements by learning, and obeying, all the rules. God tells us how so if we obey his every word, and subject ourselves to Him we can be heirs to all the Father has. We are his children. We are his heirs. His hope is in us. He loves us. He wants to give us all He has. He suffers for us. He sacrifices for us. He has prepared all things for us to choose Him; every single one of His children has this ability -- the ability to be gods! 

Our Father in Heaven wants us to grow up to be like He is. But... just like with every single entity in the Universe, it's our choice. Every moment of every day we are choosing to act, or to be acted upon. We can choose to learn, grow, and be powerful and full of light, or to become selfish and impotent -- like the dark matter. 

Treasures in Heaven

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Real treasures
I went to the Temple Tuesday and had a most unusual experience. I had been though an endowment session, and was doing my usual 5 initiatories. The last one was a man whose only known name was Pehr who was born in 1892. I remembered Heather telling me she could see the spirits who had their work done that day around her roommate after she got back from the Temple, and I wondered if I would have them to be with me as well. The instant I thought that, it was made clear to me that Pehr was now my friend, one of my "treasures in Heaven" because of what I had done for him that day -- he was so grateful.

I realized from this that assisting others to make and keep the required covenants with God is what constitutes "Treasures in Heaven." Bringing souls to Christ in any form -- a neighbor, friend, or colleague; those who have already died, even our own children -- is what makes us great in Heaven because "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." (D&C 18:10) Things are temporary; people are forever. Nephi counsels, "do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." (2 Nephi 9:51) and, "But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish." (2 Nephi 26:31)

Bear fruit
Laboring for Zion is working for the salvation of souls, the fruits of our labors. Jesus explains, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (John 15:1-2) We bear fruit when we help others to come to Christ in a myriad of ways: doing work for the dead, preaching the Gospel, teaching Sunday School, being "an example of the believers," or holding Family Home Evening. Our labors to perform in this life are those things that bring joy to the soul.

"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16)

The greatest service we can ever perform in the world is to bring others to Christ. Peter and John Whitmer were witnesses of the Golden Plates and otherwise assisted Joseph Smith to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, when they were independently praying to know what would be the greatest benefit, the Lord answered them in exactly the same way: "the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen." (D&C 16:6) After we are saved, we can then in turn help others to find salvation.

Some of the souls we bring to Christ will not even know us. I knew of one woman who was given a Book of Mormon and put it on the shelf. Many years later her daughter picked up the book and was converted to the Lord, but she never knew who gave her mom that book. God knows -- it's recorded. We also never know when our example is a shining light that helps people to see the Lord. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) What's more, children, grandchildren and descendents ad infinitum may never know who introduced their ancestor to Christ. What we start here is an Eternal work, it goes on forever, even after we die, and our treasures continue to increase.

We can also lay up treasures by helping to save those who have passed this life. The work done in the Temple is real. There are real people who want, need, and appreciate this work being done for them. They wait patiently for their work to be done so they can move on. They need this to progress in the next life because they are held back by not having the covenants with God. They love and help those who assist them by finding their names, submitting them, and/or doing the ordinances for them. We will find joy in serving them as our treasures increase.

Remuneration
In life we expect a return on any investment of time or effort. In the end of the third chapter of Malachi, the Jews are complaining that they get nothing for serving the Lord. They look around and see those who are selfish getting what they want, and are happy, while the Jews are making sacrifices and "walking mournfully before the Lord." The Lord tells them through Malachi: "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels... Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Malachi 3:17-18) Payday doesn't come in this life; the judgment isn't until after we die. We are here to work, not to get paid. The Lord will give us what we need to accomplish the work He has given us to do, but nothing on Earth can be considered payment for our work here. We will only really know in the end, when the work is finished. 

It is imperative to understand that working for the Lord doesn't save us. Is there anything we can do to earn or merit the Atonement of Jesus Christ? The answer from the Scriptures is clearly, NO! We avail ourselves of His grace by coming to Him, making covenants with Him, and being obedient to Him. We repent of all our sins so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell with Him, but Christ even gives us the ability to repent. Grace means "unmerited benefits." What we can earn by our own efforts during our lives are these very "treasures in Heaven." 

Our "treasures in Heaven" bring joy to the soul both in this life and in the next. Thieves can steal our money, land, homes, cars or any possession we have, but there is no way to steal knowledge, priesthood, or covenants. The connections we make with God and others can never be corrupted, lost, or stolen. These are treasures beyond compare. Long after everything in the world has crumbled to dust we will enjoy the treasures we earned by working for the Lord.

He who dies the the most souls -- WINS!
There is a hierarchy in Heaven; some get more treasures than others. There are houses and mansions; there are greater and lesser things. There are also greater and lesser people. God is the greatest of all, and everyone is somewhere on the scale between Him and Satan, the lowest of all. How do we claw our way to the top? How do we earn a bigger mansion? How do we become "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ?" (Romans 8:17) Jesus tells us, "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant... and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:11-12) So, the question becomes, How do we humble ourselves to be greater?

First, we must sacrifice all we desire in the world: money, power, control, lands, pleasures, food, houses, cars, husbands, wives, children, and so forth -- everything we want, need or desire must be burned on the altar of the Lord (at least symbolically, or in our hearts). 

Next, we do all the Lord tells us to do; we must "obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness." (Alma 57:21) 

Lastly, "men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." (D&C 58:27-28) The reward is given for services rendered to God; "and the labourer is worthy of his reward." (1 Timothy 5:18) Bringing people to Christ is the best cause to be "anxiously engaged" in.

The first two prepare us to do His work. The better we are prepared, the more our time is worth. Those who have little education get little pay, whereas those who make a larger sacrifice and are more obedient are more valuable. The highest-paid people in Heaven are those who have the greatest faith and ability to save others. They develop gifts of the Spirit that help to "bring... unto Jesus many souls... because of the convincing power of God which is in them." (3 Nephi 28:29) 

The last one is where we actually earn our Heavenly gifts (yes, GIFTS!). We use the time, energy, means, and spiritual gifts God gives us to assist Him in His work, "to bring to pass the... eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) As noted above, the actual payment is infinite for the smallest effort -- and it goes up from there (it is truly a gift). There is no end. It isn't like money were enough is enough and more than enough is a liability. More is just... more! It only gets better and better with no upper limit. This why it's better to spend your time and efforts to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven!"

Wickedness and Happiness

Alma, in speaking to his son, Corianton, was reprimanding him for leaving his missionary work and going after a harlot. He tells his son that "Wickedness never was happiness." With a greater understanding of the meaning of these two words, I can understand what he was saying. "Wickedness" is doing what I want. "Happiness" is reaching my full potential as a son of the most high God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. A modern translation of this phrase could be: "Doing what I want cannot help me reach my full potential."

Wickedness
We are "born in sin" because we have wants, needs, and desires which are not in accordance with the will of our Father in Heaven. "The natural man is an enemy to God..." (Mosiah 3:19) As we seek to fulfill these we are living in sin. Wickedness is not always evil, it is merely doing what comes naturally and trying to get what we want. Any sort of selfish or self-seeking behavior is wickedness. Our parents do things a certain way; we grow up with these traditions as if they are the right way to do things. Often, however, they aren't the will of God so they are "the wicked traditions of our fathers." (Alma 23:3) Our society has norms that we follow because we want to be accepted by them, but any behaviors that go against God's will are also "wicked traditions."

Remaining in our wickedness is not limited to "evil" things. It's true that we must give up all our evil, such as lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and so forth, but we may also be asked to sacrifice that which we consider to be "good." Having a family is good, generally, but not if it is not the Lord's will for us. Many people go against the will of the Lord because they don't want to give up their own desires. The Pharisees felt that they kept the Law of Moses with exactness and therefore had no sin. The Rich Young Ruler told Jesus, "All these I have kept from my youth!" But they still remained in wickedness because they weren't actually doing the will of God -- they were seeking after their own desires.

People often follow the Lord as long as they get what they want, but as soon as their own needs aren't being filled, they quit. They think that life is all about getting their needs met. They believe in God, but see Him as a filler of needs. Many pray sincerely for God to give them what they want, in essence asking Him to keep them in wickedness. At some point, though, He may say, "No" to help them out of their lost and fallen state, and they get angry and bitter that they didn't get what they wanted, thus remaining in wickedness.

Repentance

I have lived my life as a Pharisee, not understanding the meaning of "repentance." I sinned such as lying, cheating, and stealing to get what I wanted. I thought repentance was simply to stop doing these. I thought I was to obey the "Thou shalt not..." commandments. It was understood that I could, or should, continue to seek my own desires, but without lying or killing. However, I was wrong. Living the Ten Commandments, of course, is an imperative part of repentance, but is only half. The other half is to actually give up my selfishness. Repenting of all my sins means that I no longer do my own will at all. My dreams, wants, desires, appetites, and passions must all be sacrificed on the altar of God.

The story of Jonah is about a servant of God who decided not to do as the Lord asked. The consequence of his wickedness was to be thrown overboard into the water, and swallowed by a fish. But the Lord had mercy on him and he was still chosen to do that work, if he was willing. He did, and was blessed. He was a prophet, he was a servant of God, he had received a calling from the Lord so he knew the language of the Spirit and the Gospel. He was able to teach. His only need was to repent of doing his own will.

I have found that my feelings tell me when I am against the will of God. If I am angry, frustrated, scared, confused, depressed or anxious, I need to repent. Anger comes from unmet expectations, but rather than pray for what I want, repentance tells me to accept the will of the Lord and ask Him what He wants. I have to continually and consciously let go of what I want. The Lord helps by telling me what is important and what I can let go of.

For example, a large family has a certain amount of disorganization. People, especially children, are individuals and are inherently self-centered so bringing them together is difficult. As I cleaned the kitchen after people had left their dirty dishes all over I was getting frustrated. I wanted to yell at everyone to clean up after themselves, but the Lord softened my heart, telling me that I would damage relationships which are more important so I let go of my need for order, justice, and predictability. I don't believe anyone can repent without the help of the Lord.

Righteousness

After we have repented of all our sins and wickedness we are on "the straight and narrow path." We must be guided by the Holy Ghost in all things. Because we are no longer seeking what we want, we have to know the will of God in all things. This is the definition of a "righteous man." Living in righteousness is doing all things according to the Spirit of God. We must be able to know the will of God by studying the words of Christ. Nephi tells us that "the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)

The second thing a righteous man must do is pray. Nephi explains: "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Nephi 32:9) Prayer is how we come to know God's will for us.

Our righteous desires are those things God wants us to do. When we have fully repented of all our sins our will matches that of the Lord. He is our guide and stay. He gives us all things, and we simply do His will, no matter what it is. There are many examples in the Scriptures of commandments given that go against other commandments. "Thou shalt not kill" Is one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, but the Lord makes exceptions. Abraham was commanded to kill his son, Isaac. The Children of Israel were commanded to kill every living thing as they conquered the Land of Canaan. Nephi was commanded to kill Laban with his own sword. The point is, whatever the Lord commands is righteousness, and everything else is wickedness. Living a righteous life is simply living "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

Happiness

The world of the wicked is narrowly defined by their needs, but they always find that getting what they want in life does not make them happy, in fact, on the contrary, they become bitter and angry. Parents who indulge their children in all their wants create very unhappy children, who often become indulgent and unhappy adults. Happiness is found in getting more than you want, which can only come by giving it up and becoming righteous.

Since they give up their own needs, the righteous are free from worry; they have no insecurity, anger, malice, or fear to cloud their enjoyment. They can love fully. Their hearts are pure. They can enjoy a connection with others and with God. They have all power because He does, and they are connected to Him by a bond that cannot be broken because they obey Him in all things. They can enjoy the light of day fully and completely. As David said, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm 23:6)

This happens to all those who love the Lord, doing His will instead of their own, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) The Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) The consequence of loving God is so good we couldn't even know what to ask for; it's better than anything we can even imagine -- happiness beyond compare. Those who remain in wickedness can never know this degree of happiness.

Stress Relief

As a physician I see perhaps 100 people per week with a wide variety of maladies.  One common thread running through a majority of them is stress.  I have been asked to give a talk on stress-induced illness so in the process I’m going to reveal health secrets that people pay me thousands of dollars to know.

Stress
Defining stress is very difficult because life is different for everyone. 

An ongoing study reported by Dr. Kabat-zin and colleagues at Cambridge University is very revealing on the sources of stress.  Periodic blood samples are taken for the purpose of measuring stress hormones.  People tend to stay within a certain range, and whenever there is a spike, they are asked what happened.  The answers are not surprising, “my dad died,” “I was in an accident,” “I lost my job,” and so forth.  All of them are significant life-changing events.  What’s interesting is that using the stress hormones as a measure of the amount of stress, there is little difference in how the person feels about the event.  The birth of a baby is about the same as the death of a loved-one.  Marriage is about the same as divorce.  Whether the experience is happy or sad, the amount of stress on the body is the same.  Stress is more simply defined as CHANGE!

There is one other aspect of stress.  I have a picture of two of my children going down a steep incline on a roller coaster.  One has her hands in the air and a smile on her face, obviously having fun.  The other has the most horrifying grimace with white knuckles clenching the safety bar.  Though these two are in the exact same environment, or the same change in altitude, they are obviously having different experiences.  One is joyful, the other stressed.

Stress is not entirely relative to our experience.  There is nothing in life that is intrinsically stressful.  All stress comes from within.  It’s not what happens to us, but what it means to us that creates the level of stress.

So, there are two ways to prevent stress:
1) Avoid all change.  Don’t allow any change in employment, death, marriage, births, technology, injury – any joy or sorrow.  Or,
2) Learn to enjoy the roller-coaster!  Since the first is technically impossible, I’m going to discuss the second.

Repentance
Avoiding stress creates a dilemma for those who desire to follow Christ because the second principle of the Gospel is change -- The word, “repentance” is synonymous with “change.”  Listen to the word of the Lord:  Mosiah 3:19

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, 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.

What could be more stressful than changing your very nature?  Everything that comes naturally to us must be sacrificed, burned up on the altar, and yielded to God.  I love the way King Benjamin says it because I can relate to “put off the natural man.”  Letting go of everything we want, need, desire or love is the heaviest of burdens to bear.  This is what is meant by “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”

How?
How do we change?  How do we deal with the incredible stress of a broken heart?  How can we possibly bear this burden?  Jesus Christ tells us:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Hidden in this is the key to joyful, stress-free change.  It is found in verse 29.  Jesus tells us He is “meek and lowly of heart” and this brings rest to the soul.  I have hundreds of patients seeking rest – they just can’t get enough sleep to feel rested because it never works.  Rest actually comes from humility, the ability to accept change with gladness.

The Apostle Paul was a great example.  He took a dramatic change from persecutor of Christians to being their strongest advocate.  Lest you think he had it easy, when Ananias said, “I can’t bless him – he’s a bad man…"

But "The Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake."  Acts 9:15-16

Paul later recounts to the Corinthian saints some of those things he suffered:

2 Corinthians 11:24-30

“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches...

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.”

Paul wasn’t complaining, but rather gloried in his sufferings for Jesus Christ.  This is humility.

I’m going to tell you how to have a stress-free life – like Paul!

1)    King Benjamin tells us how: “Yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.”  Do what God wants you to do instead of what you want to do.  This makes you “meek, humble, patient, [and] full of love.”

2)    Make and keep commitments.  Working towards goals gives a sense of accomplishment, and moving forward keeps stress down.

3)    Keep a schedule – a predictable routine maintains our stress hormone levels.  Whatever else is going on around you, there are habits you can maintain:

a.     Pray three times per day on your knees, like Daniel

                 b.     Search the scriptures every day, like Lehi

c.     Exercise regularly

d.     Eat only nourishing foods

e.     Write in a journal 

If you will be humble and prayerful before the Lord, “Willing to submit to all things the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [you],” then you will have a stress-free life in spite of all the changes that go on around you.  Change will happen.  You will encounter problems.  You will have burdens, but they don’t have to weigh you down. As noted by Helaman: 

Helaman 5:12

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” 

I testify that Jesus Christ can lift your burdens and make them light.

Wickedness never was happiness

Alma, in speaking to his son, Corianton, was reprimanding him for leaving his missionary work and going after a harlot. He tells his son that "Wickedness never was happiness." With a greater understanding of the meaning of these two words, I can begin to understand what he was saying. "Wickedness" is doing what I want. Happiness is reaching my full potential as a son of the most high God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Wickedness
I am "born in sin" because I have wants, needs, and desires which are not in accordance with the will of my Father in Heaven. As I seek to fulfill these I am living in sin; I am a sinful man, or a wicked man. Wickedness is not evil, it is merely doing what comes naturally and trying to get what I want. Any sort of selfish or self-seeking behavior is wickedness.

Seeking what we want, living in sin, or remaining in our wickedness is not limited to "evil" things. It's true that we must give up all our evil, such as lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and so forth, but we may also be asked to sacrifice that which we consider to be "good." Having a family is good, generally, but not if it is not the Lord's will for us. Many people go against the will of the Lord because they don't want to give up their own desires. The Pharisees felt that they kept the Law of Moses with exactness and therefore had no sin. The Rich Young Ruler told Jesus, "All these I have kept from my youth!" They had repented of the evil, not doing that which was destructive, but they remained in wickedness because they weren't actually doing the will of God -- they were still seeking after their own desires.

People often follow the Lord as long as they get what they want, but as soon as their own needs aren't being filled, they quit. They think that life is all about getting their needs met. They believe in God, but see Him as a filler of needs. Many pray sincerely for God to give them what they want, asking Him to keep them in wickedness. At some point, though, He may say, "No" to help them out of their lost and fallen state, and they get angry and bitter that they didn't get what they wanted, thus remaining in wickedness.

Repentance

I have lived my life as a Pharisee, not understanding the meaning of "repentance." I would lie, cheat, and steal, committing all sorts of sins to get what I wanted. I thought repentance was simply to stop doing these. I thought I was to obey the "Thou shalt not..." commandments, but that I could, or should, continue to seek my own desires -- without lying or killing. This, of course, is an imperative part of repentance, but is only half. The other half is to actually give up my selfishness. Repenting of all my sins means that I no longer do my own will at all.

The story of Jonah is about a servant of God who decided not to do as the Lord asked. The consequence of his wickedness was to be thrown overboard into the water, and swallowed by a fish. But the Lord had mercy on him and he was still chosen to do that work, if he was willing. He did, and was blessed. He was a prophet, he was a servant of God, he had received a calling from the Lord so he knew the language of the Spirit and the Gospel. He was able to teach. His only need was to repent of doing his own will.

I have found that my feelings tell me when I am against the will of God. If I am angry, frustrated, scared, confused, depressed or anxious, I need to repent. I grew up without feelings. I thought the feelings were bad so I did my best to rid myself of them. The problem was that I could feel nothing: neither anger nor peace, neither sadness nor happiness. I was without feeling, chronically depressed -- just hopeless. Moreover, I could not feel the Spirit to receive revelation from God. What changed was love. I found love when I married the second time and a whole flood of feelings came to me, good and bad. I really enjoyed the "good" feelings of love, but what do I do with my anger and frustration over not getting what I want?

I found that anger comes from unmet expectations, but rather than pray for what I want, I am to accept the will of the Lord and ask Him what He wants. I had to consciously let go of what I wanted. The Lord helped by telling me what was important and what I could let go of. For example, a large family has a certain amount of disorganization. People, especially children, are individuals and are inherently self-centered so bringing them together is difficult. As I cleaned the kitchen after people had left their dirty dishes all over I was getting frustrated. I wanted to yell at everyone to clean up after themselves, but the Lord softened my heart, telling me that I would damage relationships which are more important. I know I was raised with the emphasis on doing everything right and I missed-out on the close relationships so I let go of my need for order, justice, and predictability. I don't believe anyone can repent without the help of the Lord.

Righteousness

After we have repented of all our sins and wickedness we are on "the straight and narrow path." We must be guided by the Holy Ghost in all things because we are no longer seeking what we want; we have to know the will of God in all things. This is the definition of a "righteous man." Living in righteousness is doing all things according to the Spirit of God. We must be able to know the will of God by studying the words of Christ. Nephi tells us that "the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)

Our righteous desires are those things God wants us to do. When we have fully repented of all our sins our will matches that of the Lord. He is our guide and stay. He gives us all things, and we simply do His will, no matter what it is. There are many examples in the Scriptures of commandments given that go against other commandments. "Thou shalt not kill" Is one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, but the Lord makes exceptions. Abraham was commanded to kill his son, Isaac. The Children of Israel were commanded to kill every living thing as they conquered the Land of Canaan. Nephi was commanded to kill Laban with his own sword. The point is, whatever the Lord commands is righteousness, and everything else is wickedness -- even if it is one of the Ten Commandments. Living a righteous life is simply living "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

Happiness

Those who are living in wickedness are selfish and their world is narrowly defined by their needs. People always find that getting what they want in life does not make them happy, in fact, on the contrary, they become bitter and angry. Parents who indulge their children in all their wants create very unhappy children, who often become indulgent and unhappy adults. Happiness is found in getting more than you want. Isaiah explained the connection between righteousness and happiness, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways." (Isaiah 64:4-5) 

Before I can "work righteousness," remembering Him in His ways, or doing the will of the Lord, I must let go of what I want. That is how I love the Lord. The Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) This is more easily understood. Those who love God, do His will instead of their own, and are unable to even fathom the rewards. We don't know what we don't know so we can't even ask for it. It's better than anything we can even imagine.

The righteous have no insecurity, anger, malice, or fear to cloud their enjoyment. They can love fully. Their hearts are pure. They can enjoy a connection with others and with God. They have all power because He does, and they are connected to Him by a bond that cannot be broken because they obey Him in all things. They can enjoy the light of day fully and completely. As David said, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm 23:6) Those who remain in wickedness can never know this degree of happiness.