Honesty: You Better Believe It!

It is not always easy but it is always right!

I'm Just a Little Girl

When I was young my favorite Disney movie was Alice in Wonderland I loved the story of this little girl transported into a fantastical world of adventure, unique animals and eccentric characters. I always imagined myself as Alice going about on her quest and some how always getting herself into trouble. In fact that was me as a kid! So I felt very connected with Alice and her situation. However, there was one scene in the movie that always confused me. Alice is told by the caterpillar that one side of the mushroom will make her grow and the other-side will make her shrink. In a lack of proper instruction Alice takes a big bite of the one that will make her grow and shoots into the air. A bird that is nesting in the tree above is disturbed by Alice's sudden growth and starts shouting "Serpent, Serpent, Serpeeeeeeeent." In response Alice tells the bird "I'm not a serpent . . . I'm just a little girl." The bird does not believe her and begins attacking her. Was Alice a serpent? Obviously not! But this bird had in her mind that she was and wouldn't let go of that idea.

 Do we ever have the wrong idea of a person and cannot let it go?  "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged" (Matt 7:1-2). As we judge others we are placing that same judgement on our own heads. We have no understanding of where others are coming from. We have not seen the events that have led up to this moment. Only Christ can judge only he has seen all things. The bird had no idea how hard Alice's day had already been or would continue to be. Let us therefore judge not but instead love one another. "None of us is perfect. I know of no one who would profess to be so. And yet for some reason, despite our own imperfections, we have a tendency to point out those of others. we make judgements concerning their actions or inactions . . . Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for out fellow travelers in this journey through life" (President Thomas S. Monson)

Which Way Do I Go?

 When I was younger I can remember going to my father and talking to him about decisions that I felt I didn't know how to make on my own. He being the wise man that he is would have me do something like a pro/con list or would talk to me about the benefits of each choice. What I remember most however, is the poem that would always be recited at the end of these conversations. It is a simple poem be Robert Frost about two roads and the choice that is needing to be made.

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The man in Frosts poem had to make a decision. If he were to never choose he would be standing there forever with no progression or progress. However, both roads were good and perhaps another day he would come back and walk the first. I can still hear my dad quoting those last three lines to me each time I came to him. There are so many decisions to make and sometimes we need to choose the road less traveled.  We need to choose the path that our Savior traveled; we need to walk in his foot steps! Just as I turned to my earthly father for help in making decisions so can we each turn to our heavenly father in the life choices that we make. Choices can be overwhelming but if we remember the teachings of the prophet Moroni "that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God" we will be led to do the will of the Lord.

           

The Civility Experiment

Why Do The Good Have To Suffer?

Sometimes we wonder— why do the good suffer so much? Why do we who are living our lives to the best of our ability, doing all that the Lord has set forth for us to do, need to suffer? Are we not good? Well the answer to that is yes, we are good but we can always be better. There are a few examples in the scriptures of men that went through trials more than we can imagine and did all that the Lord asked of them for the benefit of others to the detriment of themselves. Paul is one of these men. In 2 Corinthians 11 he talks about the struggles that he has been though. "I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 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." In Chapter 12 the Lord responds "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Pauls response to the Lords simple word is, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Paul is not the only one that suffered for his faith. Joseph Smith a Modern Prophet went though many trials. He was poisoned, beaten, tarred & feathered, unjustly imprisoned, and once sentenced to die by firing squad. He and Emma seldom had a home of their own, and six of their children died in infancy. But he would not deny his faith. He said "I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God

knew it, and I could not deny it," (JS-H 1:25) However, in a moment of trial recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants  Joseph asks "O God, where art thou? . . . How long shall thy hand be stayed? . . . let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion." In response the Lord Counsels "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121:7-8) Joseph later recorded this statement "As for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all." (D&C 127:2)

Both of these men later suffered the martyrdom. But with their death was probably the only relief from the pain and torture that this life had to bare for them. They had lived to the best of their ability and yet had suffered. We also have struggles and sorrows that way heavily upon our hearts. Let me give one more example of a man that suffered even unto death. This man is our savior and redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. He suffered most abundantly in the Garden

of Gethsemane. He plead with the father "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matt 26:39) He bled from every pore, He was beaten, imprisoned and tried unjustly and finally He was crucified. But He did not have any comfort as these others did instead he cried "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46). "because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path" (Elder Holland).

This path that we are on is not always an easy one but I know that it is a necessity Our Father is perfecting us through our trials. He knows what He wants us to become and is working to get us there. As we go though our trials remember that there is always one there to uplift. Christ understands us perfectly and is always willing to help.

Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration

Take and hour and watch this amazing movie you will love it!

Lead Me By The Hand

As we go through life we attempt to do things on our own. Can we? I know that I try, but when comes down to it I have very little capability. In Alma 26 Ammon says "I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I...will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things." I know the truth of this speaks to all. How can we accomplish the things that are set before us without His help? He lends us breath that we may live and move (Mosiah 2:21), how can we believe that we may accomplish the tasks of this life without Him? 

"Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power." (Mormon 5:23) Yet we as the stubborn people that we are, we "kick against the pricks" and continue on the path that we began without turning to the Lord. Let us therefore change our ways let us turn back to the hands of the Lord.

 "To be in the hands of God would suggest that we are not only under His watchful care but also that we are guarded and protected by His wondrous power. . .The great plan of happiness includes a proverbial roller coaster of challenging times along with the most joyful times. Yes, we all have our moments of difficulty and heartbreak. Occasionally, they are so difficult for us that we just want to give up. There are times when our steps are unsteady, when we feel discouraged and even reach out in desperation. . . Every one of us needs to know that we can go on in the strength of the Lord. We can put our hand in His, and we will feel His sustaining presence lift us to heights unattainable alone." (W. Craig Zwick)

Elder Scott has recently counseled: “Trust in God … no matter how challenging the circumstance. … Your peace of mind, your assurance of answers to vexing problems, your ultimate joy depend upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.” We can accomplish all things there is nothing that is withheld from us if we will but put our hand in the Lords and be led by him. I know that as we do this our sojourn in mortality will be one of joy and happiness. Where we endure the trials of life with patience, accepting all the will of the Lord.
Now this will take a great deal of humility! Remember how we think we can do it all on our own? That is because we are a prideful people we don't want to appear or seem week or incapable. We want only to show our strength and ability. The thing is, the Lord already knows all of our weaknesses and all of our failings, and has already paid for them. So, why not take his hand and let him lead you through this life to life eternal.

And None Were With Him

In this Easter season we remember the death and Resurrection of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that He Lives and that he has atoned for all of our sins and suffered all of our sorrows "that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:12)

He Will Give You Help

Work Work Work

The Lord is directing our lives he wants the best for us. But we have to be willing to work for our own benefit. I know that the Lord is working through me as long as I am working. If I sit and do nothing can the Lord work through me? No! He can't make me do anything but I know that when I am doing something, anything he will bless that to make it work better, have a better outcome. The Lord wants us to succeed but can't make us.Dieter F. Uchtdorf said “When our wagon gets stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer—no matter how eloquent the oration.” When we "get out to push" we are showing God that we are willing to put in effort. The Lord can't do it all for us that would take away the gift of agencey that is so precious to us.

I know that sometimes our work seems in vain that we are going nowhere, perhaps the Lord has some thing different in mind for you. There is a great story of a man, he was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: "you have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved." Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this?" "Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." That's what he planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

Lastly we cannot compare your efforts to those of others. "The Lord doesn't expect us to work harder than we are able. He doesn't (nor should we) compare our efforts to those of others. Our Heavenly Father asks only that we do the best we can—that we work according to our full capacity, however great or small that may be." Dieter F. Uchtdorf