If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them

One of the basic principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that there are commandments. God has given us instructions for how to return to Him. When I was younger, I wrote this story as a parable of sorts about what commandments are for me:

I had grown, and now there was a mountain. My days of innocence had gone, and now I needed to go home-- the top of the mountain.

I wasn't completely certain why this  mountain was mine; after all, there were countless others to choose from. As I scanned my surroundings, I noticed that though the mountains were different, they all ended in the clouds.

Behind the clouds was light.

I looked to my side, to my friend who was going to climb this mountain with me. Her mouth hung open as she stared up at it.

"How will we ever make it?" she asked me. I pointed to the trail, "We just need to follow The Way."

Before we knew it we were climbing. The Way was steep and hard. Rocks moved and turned under our feet, creating bruises. Occasionally, we found water and food left for us. There were also signs and notes of encouragement left on the trees and always counsel never to leave The Way.

In time, we came to an overlook: a place in the shade with a seat, where we could see how far we had come, and look up to our goal. 

Then we started moving again. For a while, my friend and I were both optimistic. We both felt energized after the overlook. But when we came to the next deposit of refreshments, my friend refused to join me.

"I can wait," she said, "I'm still pumped from the overlook."

"Okay," I said. Worried for her, I ate thoughtfully.

As we continued, the trail grew harder. My friend insisted on only taking sporadic meals, and soon her strength started to diminish.

I helped her through the tough spots and she said she'd eat and drink more, but every time we came to some, she'd just nibble and sip.

She began to be despondent, and frustrated.

"Why is the path so hard?" she'd ask me, "Why must we only go 'The Way'?"

"The Way takes us home," I'd answer, surprised at her questions. "It's the only  Way."

"Well, what about that  path, over there?" with the arm I wasn't supporting, she pointed off into the trees where the ground seemed more level and where a crooked path wound its way.

Just then, we came to another overlook.

"C'mon," I tugged her over to the bench, "Let's rest, and get our bearings."

Once again, we sat on a bench, and I enjoyed the view. But my friend was jittery and anxious to explore the crooked path. When we stood again, she went straight into the trees and onto the path. She gasped, "You've got  to come and see this!"

I hesitated as I reached the edge of The Way.

"What about food?" I asked. "We'll starve."

"There's food here, too!" my friend yelled, "And this path takes the easy way up the mountain."

I couldn't let her go off by herself. Maybe I could go to convince her to come back and climb The Way with me.

Just then, a breeze blew a letter up to my feet.

No matter how hard it gets, no matter how long it takes, follow The Way. I have gone off onto crooked paths, but they only lead to danger. There is  a road back to The Way, but it is hard. Trust me, The Way is the only Way.

Hailey.

I didn't know Hailey. All I knew was that my friend was in trouble. I had to save her.

"Wait up!" I called, but she was already out of earshot. Following, I left The Way.

As I ran through the trees, I tripped on unseen roots and stones. Soon, I came to a fork in the middle of the road. Which way had my friend gone?

I shouted her name, but she didn't answer. Fatigued, I looked around for the food she'd mentioned. Finding some, I ate it-- it disappeared in my mouth like a breath. What had I done?

Then I saw a fork in the path. By one of the entrances was another note.

You've made a mistake, friend. But I've prepared this path for you. You've made it harder than it could have been, but you can still get back home. This Way will lead you home.

Love, Your Brother.

I went. This Way was  hard, but there were real food and water here and hope! Looking at the thick foliage around me, I knew that this Way had been forged with a  great sacrifice.

At last, I reached The Way again-- right where I had left it. I still had scars from my time off the path, but the wounds were healed. I went out to the overlook where I'd last seen my friend. I looked up the Mountain to where Home was and felt a renewed vigor and dedication to get there.

I started climbing once more. Although it was still difficult, I had faith that I was heading Home.

Occasionally, I could see the crooked path; but I also saw pits, cliffs, ledges, and dead ends. I hoped and prayed that my friend would make it back.

As I was resting at another overlook, I heard someone running up behind me. I turned and cried for joy! There was my friend! Out of breath and scarred but happy and strong. I asked her what had happened.

"After I left The Way, I followed the crooked path to a river. I ate a lot of the food, but it was never enough. The crooked path led through a river, and there was no other way for me to go. I decided I could swim it. I never even got half-way. 

"The river pulled me farther and farther down; I struggled for breath! …" my friend shook her head as she stared at the ground. I put my arms around her and listened.

"I knew I would be taken all the way back down the Mountain. I didn't want that. I wanted to go Home again. I had forgotten that. But once I remembered and desired it again, the oddest thing happened. Someone gave me strength. I used it and swam as swiftly as I could for the bank. 

"When I finally got out, I was stained a muddy brown. I found another path, but it seemed different from the crooked paths. Following it, I came to a pond, with a sign that said "Malada." There was some strong soap next to it. I knew what to do. I took the soap, and washed up!"

I looked into my friend's eyes: sparkling, looking up at the Mountain.

"It felt so good to be clean again," she breathed softly.

"How did you catch up with me so quickly?" I asked her.

"I ran. I ran all The Way. I ate the food, drank the water, and stopped at every overlook I could," she stood, "And now I'm ready to begin again. Shall we go?"

So we did. We got up and climbed the Mountain.

 Through writing this story, I learned that commandments are instructions for the best path back to God and all His promises. Some of those promises are true joy, peace, being with your family forever, and in some cases "the windows of heaven will be opened." Who doesn't want happiness?

Nephi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, was commanded to build a boat. When his brothers mocked him, Nephi responded: "If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them." He believed he could do anything, as long as it was the will of God. I was thinking about this phrase, and wondered, "If God had commanded me to do all things, would I do them?" If He told me to study calculus, would I? If He told me I couldn't have children, would I still trust Him? If He told me to sell everything and move to Africa, would I? If He told me to study my scriptures every day before studying, would I?
I have faith in God, I know He can do anything and that through His power I can too. But would I?

I hope that I would. I know I don't a lot. But thankfully, God doesn't ask us to be perfect. He doesn't ask us to jump from the foot of the mountain to the top of it. He just asks us to keep climbing, keep progressing.
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." "(He) is the way, the truth, and the life."

Seeds of Faith

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Alma teaches about faith using the symbolism of a seed. When we receive the word of God, we should plant it in our hearts and nourish it (learn it, understand it, and act on it). When we do this, when we "nourish the tree ... it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
"And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, ... by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst."

As I was discussing this the other day, I thought about different seeds  I have planted (literally, in actual dirt). Growing up, we had a garden and I learned that it was very easy to grow tomatoes and pumpkins. You just need to give them dirt, keep them warm and watered, and then harvest what grows.
At one point I decided I wanted to grow an apple tree from seed. Now that is a much more complicated process. From what I remember, you need to first get the seeds from a couple of different apples, put them in a moist paper towel, and keep them in the fridge until they start to sprout. Then you put them in a planter and need to give them a certain amount of water and sunlight. At that point my seeds died so I never learned what happens next, but I think you see my point.

Certain principles and truths are easier to accept and have faith in than others. For me, it was easy to accept the Book of Mormon as the word of God. When I read it I felt the Spirit, it makes me want to be a better person. So it must be of God.
Other things--like if Joseph Smith was  prophet, why bad things happen to good people, etc-- were more difficult for me to learn and I needed to put time, thought, study, and prayer into discovering whether or not they were true.

I know that as we seek to grow our faith in the word of God, we will be able to begin to taste the blessings He promises us. We will be "filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst." We will be able to "hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men..." (Ether 12:4). Sometimes it will be a quick witness and sometimes it will take more effort, but it will always be worth the price.

Is Salvation Free?

This was an interesting question in my class. It took some thought, but I think I understand it better now. I thought I'd share for any who were curious or confused.

What does Lehi mean when he says that “salvation is free” (2 Nephi 2:4)?

When Lehi says "free," I don't think he means it comes without a price. I think he means that "unto every one of us is given grace" (Eph 4:7). A lot of modern Christian churches teach that grace comes without a price, that it only takes an acceptance of Christ and then we're good. But in Ether 12, we learn at least one thing is necessary for us to receive this grace: "and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me;..."

In Alma 5, it says "Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;" Yet Alma also asks "now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved?" So we can drink of it freely as we are meeting the conditions of repentance. Some things he mentions are belief in the prophets, faith in Christ's atonement, works of righteousness, being "stripped of pride," etc.

Now, I don't believe that we have to be perfect to partake of Christ's atonement, but we do need to be making an effort. His grace isn't an opportunity for a free ride into the Celestial Kingdom, but it is an enabling power that can help us as we try to get there.

The Book of Mormon; a divine testimony of Jesus Christ

Hello! Sorry it's been a while. School can be pretty overwhelming :). Thankfully, one of my classes now encourages posting on my blog, so I can remember to do it more often.

Today I'd like to share my thoughts on something very sacred and very important to me.
In my darkest times, times when I've felt lonely, scared, stressed out, or just plain sad, the Book of Mormon has been a light that I have been able to turn to. It's helped to bring me closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

This book of scripture was written by ancient prophets in America who knew and testified of Jesus Christ. It was translated by Joseph Smith (a modern day prophet) through divine guidance. (If you haven't come into contact with this book before, here are links to the introduction and a place where you can request a physical copy).

Another modern day prophet said this about the importance of the Book of Mormon to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: How important is the Book of Mormon? ... Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The enemies of the Church understand this clearly. This is why they go to such great lengths to try to disprove the Book of Mormon, for if it can be discredited, the Prophet Joseph Smith goes with it.

Like Pres. Ezra Taft Benson says, there have been many attempts to discredit the Book of Mormon and many articles by church members who have supported it with logical arguments and historical evidence*. While I love reading those articles and learning from their insights, I don't have the scholarly experience necessary to write something like that. Thankfully, I don't need to.

I have read and still read the Book of Mormon. I have come to know my Savior through the verses and have also come to better understand the Holy Bible.
One of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon is Alma 33. A missionary-- Amulek-- is using the example of Moses and the Brass Serpent to testify of Christ.

19 Behold, [the Son of God] was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly...?

 Christ really is the one to turn to for healing. He loves us and wants to help us with our daily challenges. One way to come to Him, to "behold (him) quickly," is by reading the Book of Mormon.

I know that the Book of Mormon was brought to me by the power of God. He inspired ancient prophets to write it, prepared Joseph Smith to receive it, gave him the tools to translate it, and guided missionaries who taught my ancestors about it. He also blessed me with a love for it, with a desire to read it, so that I already know that it's His word to me.

Earlier I mentioned that the Book of Mormon has helped me through some tough times. One of those times was when I was preparing to be a missionary myself. I left home, traveled to Argentina, and was with a group of other young adults who were preparing. I was homesick and trying to learn Spanish. One day, I zoned out the teacher and just opened up the Book of Mormon I was holding. I was praying to know that God still loved me and was there to help me through this. The scripture I read said, "Behold, I know my sheep, and they are numbered." As I read it, I felt like the person who had written it had reached through time and seen where I was at and had put those words on the page for me.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I know that "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (Joseph Smith, Introduction). Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ saw our difficult times and gave us an added help to get through them. If we read the Book of Mormon, we'll be able to feel Their presence in our lives through the Spirit and will be able to return to Them in the end.

*(For example: "Profile of a Prophet" Hugh B Brown (a lawyer)
                     "Book of Mormon and DNA Studies"
                     Hugh Nibley (a professor) also wrote books and articles about the Book of Mormon)