All posts in category Mosiah

Overcoming Clutter through Charity

I recently read a book about hoarding. It was really fascinating. I was drawn to this book because I know and love someone that I believe to have a problem with hoarding. I know that this person is faithful, but I can see how their possessions have become a true disruption in their lives.

Going to the home of a hoarder is difficult. Whenever I go to this person’s house, I’m filled with shame, anger, and I have an extremely difficult time paying attention. The house is chaotic. There is no order, whatsoever. It is as if I feel the Spirit leave my body before I enter into the premises.

The interesting thing about this scenario is that the person I know who is a moderate hoarder is a faithful person. They go to church! They have a testimony. There is nothing, in particular, in the house that would drive away the Spirit. Instead, it is the number of objects, and the lack of order that makes this place feel like some kind of insane prison. I feel like I’m developing ADD when I am in the walls of this home. I can see that not only am I affected, but that there have been many ramifications to this person, too. They have been adversely affected by their “stuff”. In the home, there is no feeling of peace. Nothing can be nurtured in such an environment. Because of my relationship with this person, I often begin to feel overwhelmed by frustration and even anger when I think of the house and the stuff. It is no way to live.

Hoarding is becoming a more prevalent issue (especially in the U.S.). Perhaps it is because so many people have so much now. It is hard to let go of our stuff. For some reason, we attach meaning to it. We feel like if we give up something – even if it is essentially trash – we are giving up a memory, an opportunity, or a choice. We become attached to these things, and the stuff accumulates to the point where we have a hard time following Christ because his Spirit is drowned out by the chaos created by our stuff.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, we are given a piece of valuable advice:

“And if any man shall give unto any of you a coat, or a suit, take the old and cast it unto the poor, and go on your way rejoicing.” – Doctrine and Covenants 84:105

When we get something new, we need to let go of our old stuff. There is no need to keep accumulating more.

I love this pattern of advice, too. Because we can help other people amidst our own prosperity. This is the best way to be grateful. And, as far as being resourceful, when we give our old things (that are still in good shape, of course) to be used by someone else, then we are not wasting as much! The item is getting good use, and now two people can rejoice.

King Benjamin, likewise teaches:

“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.” – Mosiah 4:21

It seems to me that the key to overcoming clutter, and even hoarding is charity. It is simple, but maybe not quite as easy as it sounds.

I am reminded of the story of Christ and the rich young ruler.

Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler, Index of Armenian Art. (Click Image for source)

The story is basically about a guy – a faithful guy. He asked the Savior how to obtain eternal life. He was interested in the promises of the gospel. He knew that eternal life was something to seek after. He also recognized that Christ was the Son of God and would know how to obtain eternal life. So he inquired of the Savior.

Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. He reiterates some of them. The rich young ruler had kept the commandments his whole entire life. He was a good guy. Yet there was still something he needed to do in order to obtain eternal life:

“Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” – Luke 18:22

This advice isn’t easy for the young ruler to hear.

“And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” – Luke 18:23-25

It is easy to look at the rich young ruler and chide him for not being charitable. It is easy to judge him, and say, If I were rich, then I would give up what I had and follow God. It is always so easy to judge these people! Yet, I think about clutter – the things we are hoarding – and are we really that much different than this rich young ruler? Are we letting our “things” cumber us to the point where we cannot follow Christ?

When you think of this in regards to a hoarder, following the advice of the Savior will not only help you to inherit eternal life in the future, but will make your life infinitely better in the present. A hoarder lives in a prison – made up of stuff. Many of us, even if we aren’t hoarders, also imprison ourselves with our stuff. We imprison ourselves before we even own it by getting into debt. We become so worried about our stuff, and obtaining more of it, that it gets in the way of our charity and support of others. We begin to assign more value to the items than they are worth. They become symbols of opportunities, knowledge, and maybe even happiness, and we think that if we give the item away, then we are also giving away opportunities, knowledge, and happiness. We begin to fear that we will regret giving something up. This fear creates a shackle of lifeless goods: books, clothes, toys, papers, electronics, etc.

In order to break free from this pattern, we simply need to remember that our stuff is just stuff, and that Christ offers us so much more than what we have now. We need to remember that when we support others, we will both rejoice. We need to remember that our things aren’t truly opportunities, or happiness, but that they’re just things. Above all, as difficult as it may be, in order to break free from this pattern of fear and chaos caused by hoarding and clutter, we need to keep the commandment that has been given of us: to impart of our substance to the poor. It is when we give to others, that we begin to see the true source of happiness and opportunity in our lives. The Spirit sanctifies us as we give to others, which helps us to have a better perspective on our possessions.

How do you keep a good perspective on your “stuff?” What do you do to impart of your substance? What are ways that you keep your eye on the true goal: of inheriting eternal blessings rather than get sidetracked by the shiny things we accumulate in our homes?

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by chococatania on July 19, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Insights, Luke, Mosiah, New Testament
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Posted by chococatania on July 19, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/overcoming-clutter-through-charity/

Following the Spirit can Save a Nation (Mosiah 7:1)

You might already know this background, and if you do, then skip on ahead, but read on if you want the background that will help us to see how the Lord helps us save one another through the whisperings of His Spirit.

In the Book of Mormon, we learn about a few main groups of people: The Nephites, Lamanites, and (later on) the Jaredites. Throughout the Book of Mormon, these people migrate to various lands. The Nephites, somewhere around 279 BC, were led out of their land (the Land of Nephi). They escaped the Lamanites, and ended up being guided to a Land: Zarahemla.

At about 200 BC, a few Nephites, including a man named Zeniff, were interested in going back to the land of their inheritance: The Land of Nephi. So, while King Benjamin was king, a group of people left Zarahemla to the Land of Nephi – which was then inhabited by the Lamanites.

Plenty of drama surrounds this situation, but it isn’t important to really discuss right now. What is important is: Zeniff reigned as king. His son, Noah, inherited the throne, but was incredibly wicked. He led the people into wickedness. Their wickedness culminated in killing the prophet, Abinadi. Shortly after this, their life in the Land of Nephi became very difficult. The people rebelled against Noah, he was killed, and the people also were put under stricter rules imposed by the Lamanites. Limhi, Noah’s son, inherited the throne while they lived in captivity. He was not wicked, but the Nephite living conditions were difficult – they endured beatings, persecution, and they were required to pay a 50% tax to the Lamanites for nothing other than the promise that the Lamanites wouldn’t kill them.

Despite the difficulties they faced, they were slow to remember the Lord. Instead, they tried to rely on their own faculties – sometimes even facing the Lamanites in war, only to be beaten down, and further oppressed.

Eventually, the people humbled themselves and began to pray – pleading for the Lord to deliver them from their difficult circumstances. We learn:

“And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.” – Mosiah 21:15

The Lord did not quite deliver them from bondage. They couldn’t find a way out either. They sent a search party out to look for the land of Zarahemla, but they came up empty-handed. They had to wait until finally, one day, King Limhi ran into Ammon – while hunting – and learned that Ammon was from Zarahemla, sent to find the people of King Limhi.

So…here’s where it gets interesting…

“And now, it came to pass that after king Mosiah had had continual peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi, or in the city of Lehi-Nephi; for his people had heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with their teasings.

And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted that sixteen of their strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi, to inquire concerning their brethren.” – Mosiah 7:1-2

By this time, when King Mosiah is thinking about the people who had left Zarahemla, two generations had passed. At least 60 years had gone by. Why did he wait until this time to go and search for the People of Zeniff?

Meanwhile, King Limhi had sent a group of men out to search for Zarahemla. They wanted to petition the Nephites in Zarahemla to help them get out of bondage to the Lamanites. This trip was unsuccessful. Zarahemla and the Land of Nephi were far apart – to the point that neither land was easily found by each other. This group of spies returned back to Limhi, defeated, and they had to continue to endure the difficult captivity of the Lamanites.

Yet, King Mosiah was inspired to have a group go out and look for the land of Nephi. This group was led by Ammon and was successful. They found the people of Limhi, learned of the difficult captivity they were in, and helped to liberate them – bringing them back to Zarahemla.

I realize that King Mosiah was probably prompted by the Spirit – to think about these people. In the scripture it says that “they wearied him with their teasings.” The prompting to search for the people that had left with Zeniff didn’t seem to come to King Mosiah as a super-obvious spiritual message. Instead, it was a feeling – a teasing.

I have experienced this – little feelings that irritate me until I take some kind of action. I am starting to realize that these feelings are often the Spirit – or maybe a combination of my own spirit communicating with the Lord’s Spirit. It is good to pay attention to them – pray about them, and even take action on them.

In the case of King Mosiah, if he had done nothing, then the People of King Limhi would have continued to suffer and pray for help. King Mosiah thoughts, his teasings were the answers of the prayers given by those who were in captivity. It may not have been obvious to him at the time, but it is very obvious from our point of view – where we know the whole story.

This is just such a good reminder to me to always stay close to the Spirit and to learn how the Spirit of God works with my Spirit – so I can help be the answer someone’s prayers.

Have you experienced these kinds of promptings – teasings? What do you do to determine if they are messages from the Holy Ghost? How have you learned to fine-tune your spiritual ears?

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by chococatania on June 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Insights, Mosiah
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Posted by chococatania on June 28, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/following-the-spirit-can-save-a-nation-mosiah-71/

Parenting Tips from King Benjamin

Usually, whenever I think of King Benjamin, I think of his speech on the tower.

And that was great, no doubt about it. But lately, I’ve been considering the example that King Benjamin is to parents.

I) King Benjamin taught his sons to be men of understanding
This is a direct example of King Benjamin’s parenting abilities. He taught his sons the language of his fathers that they might be men of understanding.

First of all, we have to recognize the significance of understanding. It is more than knowing. Often, we hear about opening our ears to hear, our eyes to see, and our hearts to understand. Being understanding connotes humility and conversion to the message that we have received. It is more than knowing. It is an application of knowledge received.

Secondly, we need to understand what the “language of our fathers” are. In this case, the fathers of King Benjamin were righteous people. I think about my fathers, my mothers, my ancestors. I don’t know many of them. So I can’t really teach my children in their language. But there are good things I’ve learned from my parents. I want this information to be passed on to my children. Additionally, I want to teach them of my spiritual fathers – the heroes of the gospel that I look up to. The men and women who have helped to form my faith and testimony. When I teach my children of these “fathers” they will also become people who understand.

II) He admits his faults.
In Mosiah 2:10-16, King Benjamin accounts for his service as King. He admits that he is a mortal man. He doesn’t claim to be any better than the people in his kingdom. He is humble.

I think of myself as a mother – do I show this in my parenting? Do I act like I know that I’m a mortal, or do I act like I’m perfect and shouldn’t be questioned?

I have noticed, in life, it is easier to give “breaks” to the people who are free to admit their weakness. When someone acts perfect and isn’t perfect, it is a lot harder to be patient with them (even if they would like the break!). I know that I’m imperfect. I want my children to be patient with me because I happen to have no idea what I’m doing. This means that I have to fess up to my weaknesses. If I act like I’m some kind of domineering, omniscient force, I don’t think that they will readily accept my weakness.

It is so easy to respect King Benjamin because he is open about his intentions, his work, his limitations. He doesn’t say these things to win anyone over or be political. He is honest – even if that means he must readily accept his own faults.

III) King Benjamin was a peacemaker

“And now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days.” – Mosiah 1:1

This is what I want for my home and family. I have to admit, my home isn’t always a peaceful place. sometimes it is full of confusion. Sometimes there is an air of contention. I don’t like it when these things happen. I want to make my home a haven of peace – of countinual peace.

There are a few things that I contributed to the peace that he was able to establish

  1. He spoke the word of God with authority. – I need to have authority in my home. This doesn’t mean I need to exercise unrighteous dominion, but there does need to be order. As a parent, I need to be the one who is a voice of authority. If I give this up to my kids, I do them a disservice. They do not fully understand what they want or need. I can, along with my husband, rule our home with authority in a way that uplifts and inspires our children.
  2. He labored with all of his faculties. – I think that this is so important. There are many reasons that I need to work hard. In order for peace to reign in my home, I know that the conditions of my home need to inspire peace and tranquility. I need to work hard to maintain cleanliness and order in the home. It is impossible to feel peace in a messy or filthy house. And, as a parent, If I laze around and expect my children to do the housework, then I won’t be able to establish peace. It is better for me to work hard, alongside my children – therefore reinforching our relationship through work.
  3. He fought to protect his Kingdom. – I may not have to fight with the sword of Laban, but I do have a fight. There are forces that want to push their way into the walls of my home. I have experienced these. I was born out of wedlock. My parents were divorced. I was divorced. Satan used many tactics to do what he could to destroy my family. It has had far-reaching effects. If I don’t fight to protect my family, then I know that there is a good chance we will not make it. Everything is on the line. My children, my children’s children depend on my efforts to protect our home in much the same way the Nephites relied on King Benjamin.

IV) He did not tax or become burdensome to His people.
This is easy to see why not taxing the people would be good for a kingdom, but it also applies to parentings. Even though I’m not a king, I do have a stewardship. I wonder, do I ever “tax” my children – put undue burdens on them – because of my own refusal to work hard or repent?

I love the things we learn in the scriptures. What do you learn about parenting from King Benjamin? How do you think that you can apply his example to your life?

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by chococatania on June 4, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Family, Insights, Mosiah, Motherhood
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Posted by chococatania on June 4, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/parenting-tips-from-king-benjamin/

Charity Believeth all Things


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So…now we’re really getting to the good stuff. Charity has a strong connection with faith. I’m sure you’ve either noticed it in the scriptures or heard it a lot – faith, hope, and charity. Today, we are studying about faith – and what it has to do with charity.

There are a lot of good places to find definitions of faith or examples of faith. But I love how King Benjamin taught the connection between faith and charity.

“Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.

And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.

And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due.” – Mosiah 4:9-13

So…here’s how it works.

1. Believe in God
Here’s faith. We believe in God. We believe that He created all things, has all power, and that he may be a little bit smarter than we are.

Believing God means that we trust in Him.

As our trust and belief in Him grows we will begin to exercise our faith by doing a few things (good works).

2. Do Good Works
I don’t mean this in the typical sense – of serving one another. But I mean we need to do the work that only we can do. We need to give Heavenly Father the only thing we can give Him – our wills. We give up the natural man. We repent. We humble ourselves. We ask for forgiveness.

3. We Receive a Remission of Sins
When we receive a remission of sins, then we will know of His goodness and taste of His love. And – remember – God’s love is charity. It is His pure love – that never fails. We can experience charity – long before we do a single act of service – just by being faithful (through belief in Christ and repentance).

What I find interesting about this is how hard it can be to repent sometimes. Have you found it difficult? I have sinned, and continue to sin. When I approach the the Lord, I often feel ashamed of my sins because I want to be better. I love Heavenly Father, and I know that He loves me. I don’t want to disappoint him. The act of repentance can be hard; we must experience Godly sorrow in order to truly repent. Sometimes it is tempting to think that we would be better off to go without repenting – so we can avoid the shame and discomfort of such growth.

However, it is when we repent that we are filled with such Joy.

I love Alma’s experience -

And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” – Alma 36:20-21

As difficult as was the pain Alma experienced, he had to wade through the sorrow of repentance in order to feel the miraculous joy of God’s pure love.

Once we experience this, we need to retain it in our hearts. (Always remember Him).

4. Our Knowledge of God Grows
Here’s why knowing God is kind of a good thing for us:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3

Knowing God: knowing His love, commandments, and mysteries is the way that we inherit eternal life. Of course, we can’t know Him if we aren’t living worthy of His Spirit and revelation.

5. We will have charity for others
It is when we develop a love of the Lord and experience His love for us that we are able to share His love for others.

I have experienced this. I know it is true. Because I have felt the deep and abiding love that Heavenly Father has for me, I know that He loves all of His children. When I am close to the Lord, experiencing His charity, I’m filled with this idea, “I need to share this with others.” The only way that I can show my gratitude for the atonement and blessings that God has given me is by sharing the Love He has for others. I know that the Lord loves all of His children. The best way for me to help express this love is by supporting others.

Oh, and one more thing. When I experience the love of the God, my love for Him grows. I want to please Him. I want to make Him happy. And I know that when I sin against others, it hurts the Lord. Conversely, I know what King Benjamin has taught:

“…when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” – Mosiah 2:17

My love for others grow as my love for God grows. My love for God is strengthened as I show love for others. And all of this starts with the simple act of faith. It’s neat how that works.

We can develop true charity for others. We just need to take the first step: faith. What do you do to increase your faith? How have you felt faith strengthen your ability to have charity?

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by chococatania on February 10, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Charity Study Series, Insights, Mosiah
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Posted by chococatania on February 10, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/charity-believeth-all-things/

Charity is not Easily Provoked

I have to admit, “not being easily provoked” isn’t the first thing I think of when I consider the attributes of charity. It probably isn’t even the second or third thing. However, as I have studied this, I can see how important it is that we are not easily provoked.

Christ taught

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” – 3 Nephi 11:29-30

When we have the spirit of contention, we align ourselves with the Devil – the father of contention. And, something more – even when we don’t have the spirit of contention, the devil is trying to stir up our hearts to contend with anger.

Obviously, when our hearts are filled with anger, there is no room for charity. In fact, it seems like there isn’t room for anything other than anger. And I don’t know about you, but when I’m angry, I don’t think logically. I only think about hurting whomever I feel anger toward.

AHH! Totally not Christ-like! Totally not loving.

We get a good example of a bad example of charity in the Book of Mormon. I won’t go into the whole story. Instead, I just want to get right down to the point.

King Noah, by Chris White

Just to quickly catch you up, King Noah was a wicked king. Under his rule, he taxed his people heavily, reveled in sin, put priests (who were also wicked) in power, and corrupted the entire country and government. Things were bad and getting worse, so the Lord sent Abinadi to warn the people – repent or be destroyed.

The people didn’t care for Abinadi’s message. They took him to the King. The King and Priests hated Abinadi’s message. (For the most part. Alma listened, but he had to flee for his life.) The other priests decided to put Abinadi to death.

Upon hearing his death sentence, Abinadi said:

“Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.

Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.” – Mosiah 17:9-10

Abinadi was brave and bold. In fact he declared this with such boldness that King Noah was getting afraid. Even though he didn’t believe in God, King Noah feared his life and feared the judgments of God. Noah was pretty selfish! He didn’t want to suffer in the way that Abinadi had prophesied.

It would have been a smart thing for Noah to end everything there. Even if he didn’t listen to the prophet, it would have been smart for him to at least let him go. But, here’s the problem…Noah was easily provoked.

“But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king. Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain.” – Mosiah 17:12

So…King Noah let his anger get the best of him, and he decided to have Abinadi killed. Just as Abinadi warned, Noah was later killed in a like manner (by his own people! – See Mosiah 19:20). Things didn’t turn out well – at all – for Noah. Because of his anger, he killed a prophet, lost his own life, and – basically failed on every account.

I love this example because I often think – how do people get deceived? How do we remain steadfast in a world with so many voices trying to sway our opinions? And I’ve come to learn that it has a lot to do with the condition of our hearts.

When our hearts are soft and open, we can have the Spirit with us. Then, our hearts are fertile ground for charity. We are blessed with love and discernment. When we work hard to qualify for the Spirit, we overcome natural tendencies such as selfishness, pride, and anger. Instead, we fill our hearts with sacrifice, humility, and patience. And, when we do this, we overcome temptations – like evil priests goading us to kill prophets. (Well, maybe not that extreme, but you get the idea!)

I can’t say that I’m the best at being slow to anger. Over time, my road rage is improving, but there are times when I still yell at the car in front of me, next to me, or maybe even behind me. I’ve also got problems with yelling at my kids.

In fact, I have recently been prompted by the Spirit that I’m not being the best mother I can be. I realized that I’m having a negative effect on my children because I’ve been yelling more than usual. I’ve been quick to anger. There may be reasons for it (it’s winter and I’m a little depressed…), but they aren’t worth the loss of the Spirit. I know that charity begins at home, and it starts with my choosing to be slow to anger.

How do you keep from being easily provoked?

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by chococatania on February 7, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Charity Study Series, Insights, Mosiah
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Posted by chococatania on February 7, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/charity-is-not-easily-provoked/

Recognizing our Own “Nothingness” (Mosiah 4:4-5)

This is taken from King Benjamin’s address to his people…

“And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak unto them, saying: My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto you.

For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—” – Mosiah 4:4-5

Okay, I know that I stopped this quote in the middle of a thought, but as I read it, I wondered, do I really recognize my own nothingness?

Do we recognize our own nothingness???

This statement by King Benjamin reminds me of when Moses declares,

“…Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” – Moses 1:10

In a way, I take this scripture for granted. I figure, of course man is nothing. But I realize that it is thanks to Moses (and King Benjamin and other prophets) that I truly know this. I have been trying to really ponder what this means lately.

And I’ve realized that I am nothing.

Have you ever been to the desert?

Sedona, AZ

If you have, then you know that it is vast. I remember the first time I went to the desert. I went to Moab, UT. Even driving down there, through Central and Eastern Utah, I started to get amazed. I could see for miles and miles and miles. There was nothing obstructing my view. There were no trees, buildings, or people. I just saw miles of rocks, crags, and buttes. It was thrilling, yet I also became distinctly aware that I was nothing. I was only a spec on the land. When night fell, this realization became even more jolting, as the desert sky is bigger than any other sky and full of bright stars. Even though the landscape is dimmed, I felt even smaller, knowing that there were millions, billions, or trillions of stars, planets, and creations out in the expanse of space.

Yet, there I was, little me, sitting in the desert. I am nothing.

Do we as a society truly understand our own nothingness? I’m not sure. I mean, especially now – instead of gazing up at the sky or across the land, we spend a lot of time on facebook, or on blogs (I’m guilty of this) gazing at our own navels. Because we have been blessed with so much intelligence and technology, it is easy to forget how small we are, how powerless we are. It is easy to forget what the Lord asked,

“How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.” – Doctrine and Covenants 121:33

So…we need to remember that we are nothing.

I think that when we do this, we can have one of two outcomes. (Maybe there are more, but I’ve only pondered these two)…

One – Recognizing our own Nothingness without Knowing God
When we come to recognize our own nothingness without knowing God, I think that it would fill us with a sense of despair. I feel like this quote explains exactly what I mean:

““Hot and tired I stop in the shade of an overhanging ledge and take a drink from my canteen. Resting, I listen to the deep dead stillness of the canyon. No wind or breeze, no birds, no running water, no sound of any kind but the stir of my own breathing.
“Alone in the silence, I understand for a moment the dread which many feel in the presence of primeval desert, the unconscious fear which compels them to tame, alter or destroy what they cannot understand, to reduce the wild and prehuman to human dimensions. Anything rather than confront directly the antehuman, that other world which frightens not through danger or hostility but in something far worse—its implacable indifference.” – Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire, p. 91

When we notice our nothingness, and we don’t know God, we are filled with dread. Life seems like a coincidence or a joke. We notice our nothingness, but there is nothing to fill us with love. We may think that the world and nature is indifferent to us, that we are just biological accidents–That we are a blip on the screen of the history of the world. Suddenly, everything we may find important about ourselves seems silly. We lose hope and purpose.

Nothingness – without God – conjures a kind of humility with no hope – dread or despair.

Two – Recognizing Our Nothingness and Knowing God
When we recognize our own nothingness, and know that God loves us, we become overwhelmed with humility, hope, and gratitude.

My experience in the desert was similar to Edward Abbey’s (as quoted above), but with one striking difference. Instead of feeling dread, I felt overwhelmed with Love. There I stood, in the desert, small. I knew I was small. The desert was so big around me. Yet, despite my smallness and insignificance, I knew that God loved me, and knew exactly where I was. I remembered the scripture,

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7

Even in this world, among all of the creations God had made, he is aware of me. And He loves me.

How do I deserve that? How can I be anything but grateful?

Not only does He know us and love us, but he blesses us – specifically and personally.

Yesterday, my dad was leaving to go to my sister’s house in OKC. He had visited me in Boston. We all went out to Mimi’s Cafe for brunch, and then my sister and my dad were heading out. At Mimi’s Cafe, my dad noticed that his driver’s license and ATM card were not in his wallet. He figured that they were in his coat pocket – from when he was traveling on the plane. I insisted that he check the coat pocket before he left for OKC. After brunch, we got to the car. He checked his coat pockets and found they were empty. He checked his laptop-bag, his luggage, his pants pockets. He checked everything, and they were nowhere to be found.

This was disconcerting – as he would need identification to get on the plane again. So, we went back to my house to check for the missing cards.

We searched everywhere. I suggested we say a prayer, and we did. We began our search again. They started calling the airlines to see what the procedure would be for lost ID. I received the impression to go outside and look for the cards.

The Lord directed my path, and I found them in the leaf pile. We celebrated finding the cards, and then offered a prayer of gratitude.

I thought about that – and tried to think of it in the “big picture” – in God’s perspective. His scope is so huge. He is aware of all of his infinite creations. And, in the scheme of things two cards for my dad are pretty small. In fact, even in the scheme of our own lives, of my dad’s life, those cards are pretty insignificant.

Yet the Lord, despite our nothingness, chose to direct our paths, and we found the cards. Even though we are less than specs in His eternal view, He loves us. He cares about us. He finds important what we find important.

I can’t help but be filled with love as I consider that despite my nothingness, God loves me.

What helps you to remember your own nothingness? How do you feel God’s love despite your nothingness? Why do you think it is important to recognize both?

3 Comments
by chococatania on January 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Insights, Mosiah
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Posted by chococatania on January 3, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/recognizing-our-own-nothingness-mosiah-44-5/

Joy and Thanksgiving: Compare/Contrast Those who keep the Commandments

In today’s Joy and Thanksgiving assignment, we are comparing and contrasting two groups of people described by King Benjamin. This is kind of a long scripture block…just so you know.

“And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—

I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples.

Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.

O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.” – Mosiah 2:41

Here is how I mark scriptures that compare and contrast.

When we compare and contrast, we look for what the items being compared have in common and how they differ. Usually, we can learn something from this comparison!

Commonalities between the groups

  • They both had been taught the things of the gospel.
  • They both had known the things of the gospel.
  • They both make choices based on what they have been taught and what they know.
  • They both experience consequences based on their decisions.

Differences between the groups
The First Group

  • The first group chooses to sin. As a result, they withdraw themselves from the spirit of God.
  • The Lord can no longer guide, bless, or prosper them.
  • Come out in open rebellion against God – listing to obey the evil Spirit. – This is open rebellion because they knew better.
  • An enemy to righteousness.
  • Is an unholy temple, so the Lord will not dwell with them.
  • If they die before repenting, then they die an enemy to God.
  • Bound by justice, and because they refused to repent, cannot receive mercy.
  • No Lord, No Righteousness, No Mercy → guilt, pain, anguish, fire.

When I think about this first group, I realize that King Benjamin doesn’t tell us these things to “scare us into righteousness.” These verses aren’t a manipulation. They are the facts. When someone refuses to keep the commandments and come unto Christ, then he cuts himself off from the atonement of Christ. He cuts himself off from the Spirit and the happiness of God. It is what it is – simple.

The Second Group

  • Keep the commandments.
  • Blessed and Happy
  • Blessed in all things: both temporal and spiritual
  • Received into Heaven
  • Dwell with God in a never-ending state of happiness.
  • Keep the commandments → Never ending happiness

As I write this, I keep getting impressed by the fact that a part of keeping the commandments is repenting. We aren’t expected to be sinless. We are expected to keep the commandments. Because this is the expectation, then we are allowed room to sin – as long as we repent.

If we refuse to keep the commandments, then we refuse to repent.

I don’t mean this to be an excuse for sinning and breaking the commandments. We need to do our best. However, we’re human, so we will sin. Also, if we could perfectly keep the commandments, then there would be no need for Christ. Which is ridiculous. We need to keep the commandments – which means we need to repent. Which implies, that the Lord knows that we’ll sin, he just wants us to change it when we do.

Then, when we repent, we are blessed. We are blessed through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We are received into Heaven, thanks to His infinite Mercy, and we are able to dwell with God in a state of Never-ending happiness.

It’s a really good deal for us.

***
For tomorrow’s assignment, click here.

1 Comment
by chococatania on November 16, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Compare and Contrast, Insights, Joy and Thanksgiving, Mosiah, Scripture Study
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Posted by chococatania on November 16, 2011

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/joy-and-thanksgiving-comparecontrast-those-who-keep-the-commandments/

A Pattern to Effective Gospel Teaching (Mosiah 4:1-3)

I have been thinking about gospel learning and teaching a lot lately. I’ve been thinking about how the gospel has been presented to me and how I’m sharing the gospel with those I must teach (like my children, etc).

I have to admit, I’m not always very receptive when the message of the gospel is given in a gloomy-lectur-y way. I wish I could say that I was always better at being receptive even if the message is given in a way that seems to rub me wrong. But it takes me a lot of journal-writing and prayer to sift through a message that seems full of doom and criticism to finally get through to the Spirit of what was being taught.

I have been thinking about this because I know that those who give these messages don’t mean to give them in a dooms-day way. I think that they mean to be motivating the listener to understand the need for obedience and the gospel. I also know that as a teacher – and especially as a teacher of children and youth – I think that I need to make sure my approach is hopeful without being “sugar-coated.”

Today, I came across the following scripture, and learned the pattern that I’ve been searching for! (yay for scriptures!)
Pattern for God-like Gospel teaching

  1. Make sure that your teaching is done with the Spirit and with purpose – King Benjamin delivers a message to the People – as prompted by the Spirit. He begins his address to the people
    “And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.” – Mosiah 2:9

    – at this point, the people know exactly why King Benjamin is addressing them. I admit that this may not always be necessary…I mean, if you are teaching a class, the students already know why you are speaking to them. However, remembering your purpose will always help you to keep the Spirit when teaching.

  2. Take the time to relate to the people you are teaching. – King Benjamin is such a great example of this. Even though he is the king, he recognizes, genuinely, that he is no different than many of them. His assignment may be different, but his value and status as a Son of God is the same as the value of any other man or woman. He shares:
    “I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

    But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me. – Mosiah 2:10-11

    As I think about why King Benjamin would express this so explicitly, I think that it is because his admission – helps to let the message of the gospel go to the People undistilled. He is as reliant on the mercy of the Savior and the blessing of God, even as king, as any of the other people. How on earth can the people be expected to recognize their own “nothingness” if King Benjamin doesn’t do so.

    When we preach the gospel, we need to remember that our talks or lessons are to be given – not in a prideful or hierarchical way, but we should be giving these messages as humble servants of God.

  3. Be receptive to the Spirit – understand the message that you need to give. King Benjamin continues in His address, bearing testimony of the Savior, and delivering a message directly from God.
    “For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.” – Mosiah 3:4

    While we may not see an angel and get express instruction on teaching people, we may still have this responsibility or charge. For example, as a mother, I am responsible for teaching my children the gospel – I need to declare the gospel so that my children can be filled with joy. Additionally, I have been called and set apart as a leader to the Young Women. It is my duty to declare this message to them – as prompted by the Holy Ghost. And, if I’m living worthy of the Spirit, then the Holy Ghost will direct me. I have many opportunities to teach -through formal assignment, precept, and example. And the message we teach is the Lord’s. It is His gospel. His good news.

  4. Let the Spirit do the work. Sometimes this takes a lot of faith, but we need to let the Spirit do the work of delivering the message we give to the hearts of the listeners. After King Benjamin gives the first part of His address, the Spirit begins to work on the listeners. They begin to understand their weakness. They begin to understand that they are natural men – enemies to God. They realize that they need the Savior. Their reaction is recorded as follows:
    “And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

    And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. – Mosiah 4:1-2

    – the people “fear” the Lord – or, in other words, they “reverence” Him. They begin to understand their dependence on Him, but they also feel the Love and mercy that He has for them.

    I have experienced this. The amazing thing about the gospel and Jesus Christ is, when we feel the humility that God would have us feel, it isn’t degrading. We recognize our weakness, we recognize His blessing and mercy to us, and we are filled with overwhelming humility – Wow! He really loves me. I will share one experience:
    When I was single, I was praying a lot. I wanted to be married. I wasn’t desperate to be married. I wouldn’t marry just anyone. But being a single mother to two children was extremely difficult. There was too much to do. There were lonely nights. There was pain and grief.

    Over time, I started to date this guy. Things started off well, but they ended quite sourly. I didn’t always conduct myself in a way that was worthy of the companionship of the Spirit. Dating after you’ve been married can be pretty…difficult.

    Anyways, I repented, and moved forward. I broke up with that dude. I realigned myself with the Lord with a fervent promise to fight to have the Spirit every single day.

    Life went on.

    Not long afterwards, I met another dude – “homey.” And he was a blessing like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I love my children. I love my family. But I’ve never felt love and companionship like I did as I started getting to know and courting Homey. It was completely amazing. We started making plans to get married, and I knew, through the blessing of meeting Homey, that the Lord was approving my repentance, my life, and my dedication to Him.

    I had a meeting with my Bishop, and he asked me to look at this picture of the Savior.As I looked, he asked me if I had a testimony of The Savior; If I knew that Christ loved me.

    I will never forget that moment. As I looked at the picture, I felt like the woman, who washed Christ’s feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. My sins, which were many, were forgiven (see Luke 7:47).

    I knew that the blessing that I was experiencing – meeting Homey, and ultimately marrying him were miracles. I knew that Christ had made every good thing in my life possible. I knew I was nothing without Him. I knew that even though I wanted to do what was right, I was weak and imperfect. I knew that I needed the Lord. It was the Spirit that taught me this truth. The Bishop may have helped be the vehicle to this message, but he couldn’t “force me” into learning it. He patiently let the Spirit do His work.

    When we let the Spirit teach, it always goes a lot better. King Benjamin didn’t manipulate the people. He didn’t spell out what they needed to do, specifically, to put off the natural man. He didn’t tell them how to dress, what time to show up to church, or what they should study for FHE. He taught them correct principles: Be meek, Be submissive, Be patient, and Be full of love. The Spirit brought this message to the hearts of the listeners and instructed how each of them could apply the principles taught personally.

    Because they had this experience with the Spirit, their love and reverence for the Lord grew. They understood their need for Him. Because the Spirit was teaching them, King Benjamin could give a general address that would effect each listener personally If we follow this pattern when we teach, then our children and those we are called to serve will also receive specific tutelage from the Master Teacher through His Spirit.

  5. Remember that this is Good News! Gospel teaching doesn’t stop at the recognition for us needing the Savior. In fact, the most important step comes last! Gospel teaching is complete when we convey the message of hope and joy.

    The people of King Benjamin, after hearing the words of King Benjamin and covenanting to come unto Christ have the following experience:

    “And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.” – Mosiah 4:1-3

    The people were filled with peace and joy. These are the fruits of the Spirit! They did not leave this situation dwelling on their nothingness. They didn’t feel hopeless, miserable, or good-for-nothing. They weren’t consumed with guilt. They understood that they fell short, but they also truly understood the role of the Savior in their lives – that He would perfect them.

    This had also happened in my life. Because of the blessings of the Savior, I was filled with peace and hope. I was also blessed with a physical blessing. I knew that Jesus Christ loved me, His atonement was accessible, and I felt so much joy. Courting Homey was one of the happiest times of my life. The Lord, through His mercy, worked a miracle in me and my life.

    This is the kind of result we should strive for when we are teaching the gospel. Those who are faithful that hear the message should be filled with hope and vigor. They will recognize their need for the Savior, but won’t dwell on their shortcomings. Instead, they will dwell on the hope of our Savior – on His mercy and atonement. They will know that, despite their nothingness, God will turn them into something. While we can’t force a person to come unto Christ, I think that we should dwell on the hope of the gospel, rather than our natural state and imperfection. It is important for us to understand our need for a Savior, but the fact that perfection is possible through the atonement is the hopeful message that really motivates us to choose the Right. The gospel message is good news: glad tidings. When we teach, we cannot forget this part!

    6. Super long post, I know…but I hope it is helpful to someone (other than me).

4 Comments
by chococatania on November 7, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Family, General tips for home, Insights, Mosiah, Motherhood, Single Motherhood
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Posted by chococatania on November 7, 2011

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/a-pattern-to-effective-gospel-teaching-mosiah-41-3/

For All the Saints

So – today is “All Saint’s Day.” Traditionally, it is a Catholic holiday – not celebrated by Mormons, but I like thinking about it – and what it represents. – All Saint’s day commemorates those who have seen God…

St Stephen

Image Source – Olga’s Gallery

We, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a different definition of what a saint is.

King Benjamin teaches that a saint is what we become when we put off the natural man.

” 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.” – Mosiah 3:19

We learn that we can become a Saint through Christ’s atonement.

Nephi explains how to follow Christ

” 13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.” – 2 Nephi 31:13

– So, we follow the Savior by following Him into the waters of baptism…There, we are cleansed and take upon His name.

Through the baptismal covenant, we, as King Benjamin taught:

  • Become like a child
  • show submission to God’s will and Christ’s power
  • Show meekness by readily admitting we are natural men and need Christ to cleanse us.
  • Show humility by doing as the Lord has instructed and putting off natural instincts.

The baptismal covenant also blesses us with the Holy Ghost, and it is the Holy Ghost that purifies us. We are then able to continue our refinement and ability to become saints and finish obtaining the qualities outlined by King Benjamin:

  • Patience – I know that it is the Gift of the Holy Ghost that has comforted me in times of trial and has helped me to be patient. Whether I need to be patient with afflictions, circumstances, my kids, or even myself – I know that I cannot be patient without the help of the Spirit.
  • Full of Love (or Charity) – It is my opinion that we cannot be charitable without first feeling God’s love for ourselves. We feel God’s love when we covenant with Him and keep His commandments. I don’t know how to describe it, but I have felt God’s love in my life. His love builds my confidence and gives me support. As I feel His love, I’m prompted to share that love with others. I know that Heavenly Father Loves me, and I know that He loves all of His Children.
  • Willing to Submit to all things – It is interesting that submission is listed twice. I think that submission happens over and over again – true discipleship, or becoming a saint, is all about putting our wills on the altar of the Lord – daily. That is hard to do.

I love that we can all be saints. It is a lot to live up to. When I think of the examples of the righteous people I have known; when I think of the prophets of old, I wonder if I am up to the task – to be a saint. Yet, I’m also filled with confidence – If the Lord thinks that I can be a saint, then I know I can. Above all, I know that cannot do anything alone. I know that I can only become a saint through Christ. But I feel pretty excited – knowing that Heavenly Father sees my potential, believes in me, and blesses me so that I can one day be what He sees in me. I just have to follow the pattern taught in the scriptures.

Anyone Can Do It...Even Me!

So…All Saint’s day – a really cool time to remember the saints who have gone before us and how we can become saints through the atonement of Christ.

2 Comments
by chococatania on November 1, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in 2 Nephi, Book of Mormon, Insights, Mosiah, Reflections, Testimonies
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Posted by chococatania on November 1, 2011

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/for-all-the-saints/

Children and Baptism (Mosiah 3:16)

A few years ago, I was in a Relief Society Lesson, where we were discussing Baptism. The thought, that we get baptized to wash away our sins, came up. Of course, for the most part, everyone agrees that this is the reason we are baptized. Or at least it seems so. At least, during the lesson it seemed like everyone was in agreement. A friend in my ward leaned over to me and asked (rhetorically, I guess), “If baptism washes away our sins, and children under the age of 8 are incapable of sinning, then why are they baptized?”

Of course, I know that we, Mormons, believe that children are not able to be held accountable for sin before the age of eight, but based on her question, I was still stumped. I said to her, “Good question.” I know that she didn’t question the reason for this mandate – as it had been set forth by God. I, too, had faith that there was good reason and even an answer for this question, but it would take me a little bit of time to figure it out. She had a good question!

Finally, about six years later, I think that I can answer the question. I was reading the following scripture:

” 16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.” – Mosiah 3:16

We know from modern revelation that children, when eight, need to be baptized:

” 27 And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.” – Doctrine and Covenants 68:27

In some ways, these scriptures seem to be at odds – children can’t sin, but they need to be baptized for the remission of sins when they are eight. Here are a few things that I think may help to make clearer understanding of this covenant, and the need for children to be baptized at the age of eight.

We are Fallen People.
Children are, in a sense, conceived in sin. I don’t mean to say that we are held accountable for Adam’s transgression because we are not (see Articles of Faith 1:2). Although we are not accountable for Adam’s transgression, He did fall, and we all feel the effects of his fall. We are all natural men – and we exist in a mortal fallen state. Even children, who are not able to sin, are fallen. Without Christ’s atonement, even children, who are not able to sin, would not be able to make it back to Heavenly Father. Even children, who are not able to sin, need the infinite sacrifice and resurrection of Christ in order to overcome the effects of the fall.

All of us, including children, have been cut off from God by the nature of the fall and no fault of their own. Children are not able to commit sin, so, before the age of eight, the full blessings of the atonement are available to them – without covenant or baptism – solely based on the merits of the Savior and His atonement (see Doctrine and Covenants 74:7).

Baptism is a sign of our covenant.
When a child is eight, he doesn’t need the “remission of sins” (other than overcoming fallen man) in the same way a man baptized at the age of 32 (or any age over eight) does. However, baptism is essential in the life of an eight year old in that he/she is ready to covenant with Heavenly Father through Christ. It is impossible for him to take on Christ’s name without the ordinance of baptism.

The Doctrine and Covenants teach,

” 7 But little children are holy, being sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean.” – Doctrine and Covenants 74:7

Before a child is eight, he is holy. Once reaching the age of accountability, a child is then able to sin, based on his fallen nature (See Moses 6:55). At this point, we need to be made holy through the atonement of Christ. In order to be made holy, we need to covenant with God – by being bapitzed and then receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through Baptism and Confirmation, we are cleaned and sanctified – made holy and again able to enter into the presence of God (See Moses 6:59-61). So, an eight year old, though not plagued with the sins that an older person may have, needs to be baptized in order to enter into a covenant with God – in order receive the Holy Ghost and be made holy.

The Baptismal Covenant and Remission of Sins will be Renewed through Life.
This makes sense in my head, and I hope I can explain what I’m thinking well here, too.

When I think of “baptism for the remission of sins,” I think that we kind of get this idea that our sins are washed away at that moment, during baptism. And often, this is true. My daughter would say, “the sins go down the drain.” I think that this concept is true in some cases, but this is also the concept that gets a little misunderstood. As my daughter was baptized at the age of accountability, she didn’t have any sins that needed to go down the drain. Instead the baptism was a symbol of her covenant with God. Yet, she was still baptized for the remission of sins.

When we are baptized, we can renew our covenants weekly through partaking the sacrament. In this way, our sins are remitted every single time we worthily partake of the sacrament. So, baptism is for the remission of sins – sins past if you are baptized later than the age of accountability. And for sins future – any time you are baptized (as long as you continue to repent).

So, in some ways – my daughter was right, her sins washed down the drain that day she was baptized. As long as she continues to repent and live worthy of the Lord’s atonement, every sin will be washed away.

Baptism is necessary in order to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
All in all – children need not be baptized, until the age of eight. Personally, I think of what happens when we are baptized, we enter into a covenant with God, and then we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. I was baptized when I was eight. There are a few things that I remember about the day. I remember that it was a peaceful experience. I felt happy. I knew that I was choosing the right. I wanted to choose the right. I wanted to stay close to the Lord.

Of course, over the years, I have sinned. Sometimes my sins were more serious than others. No matter what sin I committed, each sin, in some degree, cut me off from the Lord. I am grateful for the miracle of forgiveness – that I can repent and renew my baptismal covenant each week.

Above all, I cannot imagine my life without the companionship of the Spirit. It took me a while to figure out how the Spirit spoke to me, and often, I feel like I’m still trying to learn. However, if I hadn’t been baptized when I was eight, it would have taken me a lot longer to learn – as I wouldn’t have had the right to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

I feel like the covenant of baptism is one of the greatest gifts that the Lord gives us. In this way, we can have the exact tool that we need in order to return back to Him. We can have the Spirit – which will testify and sanctify. I’m grateful to have been baptized when I was eight – as I had this miraculous gift throughout my life.

***
So – yeah, baptism when a child is eight is a great idea…what do you know!? ;) I’m grateful for the omniscience and mercy of God, and that He has enabled us to covenant with Him. I’m also grateful for Jesus Christ who makes this covenant possible.

4 Comments
by chococatania on August 15, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Book of Mormon, Children, Family, Insights, Mosiah
Tagged , ,

Posted by chococatania on August 15, 2011

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/children-and-baptism-mosiah-316/

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