Faith Always Faces Forward

In the midst of studying and teaching about Abraham I found myself dissatisfied and even a little depressed that I am not a more effective teacher.  I desire the ability to make a difference in their lives for good so much that my impotence to do so is very painful at times.  Isaiah and Jeremiah must have had such incredible personal struggles in their efforts with a people much more difficult than the youth I teach.  They are good here - just distracted and reckless sometimes.  I worry sometimes that they are not being prepared the way they need to be for the challenges that certainly lurk up ahead.
I found hope in a great devotional message and a subtle reminder.  The devotional was given by Jeffrey R. Holland at BYU in 2009.  It's title, "Remember Lot's Wife"  Among the many great lines was found the one I chose for the title of this post. 
Abram has been promised that he will be a father -- his name even means "exalted father."  This is obviously what he desires most.  The power, wealth, and land he has obtained leave him empty and still crying to his Father in Heaven for a son.  God promises and Abram believes him.  That's that...simple faith.  Yet Abraham must still wait nearly 15 years for its fulfillment - for the birth of his covenant son Isaac.  The name Isaac denotes both laughter and rejoicing in the Hebrew.  In my estimation, it must the laughter and rejoicing that comes as one stands speechless both amazed and overwhelmed at the great blessings that the Lord pours out upon them.  This is the emotion of Isaac - the lesson of the covenant son.  Sarah and Abraham share it nearly in disbelief.  They had hoped against hope, and now it was truly coming to pass - truly and solely through the power of the Only Begotten of the Father.  The reminder was simple - a scene from a dream that has brought me to teaching - a new understanding of the dream and it's message that have made me both grateful and have given me faith in the future.  Of a truth, it is as bright as my faith.  I see more clearly now the vision that is placed before me, and rejoice in He who wiped away the tears that obscured my vision.

Volunteer -- Take II

You know those times when you sit around with friends and talk about what you really "ought" to do.  Well I came away from one of those in April sometime convinced that we were serious.  The more people I talked to, the more excited I got.  So I did it - I submitted the sanctioning papers to the national governing body, I created a web site, I went out and contacted sponsors, set up the registration account, opened a bank account started a 501c3 not for profit corporation and (wait for it...) I'm directing a triathlon this weekend.  We have been in the paper three times, my wife is training for the triathlon, my supervisor is volunteering to help under me (a little awkward), and 70 people have signed up to date paying 65-75$ each.  We have raised around $4,000 for the local pool.  It will be neat to see what they can do with it.
This has been a big whirlwind of adventure for me - I feel grateful the Lord put me in position to step back and try my hand at these things.
These experiences have not only been exciting to me, they have blessed many of my relationships.  They  have also streamlined my views about volunteerism -- It feels wonderfully patriotic to seek to build your community.  It feels great to put your self to considerable trouble to make a difference.  Seeking to be anxiously engaged in a good cause has helped me come to know myself better and feel more connected to my community.     

"Hesed"

Recently I was made aware of a Hebrew word as part of my preparation to teach the Old Testament this year.  The word is "Hesed."  Hebrew terms, the teacher explained were more general than English terms usually - I found this one deeply personal nonetheless.  Hesed is translated in the Old Testament as mercy, loving kindness, or goodness in the King James Version.  In Hebrew it denotes, "an attitude of man or God which arises out of a mutual relationship."  It is shown in "the little things a person does in a covenant relationship to express love." 
As I thought about "hesed," my mind was drawn back to Elder Bednar's address regarding the "tender mercies of the Lord" noted by both Nephi and himself -- that God would have his favorite hymn sung in General Conference before his first address.  That sure beats unexpected flowers for my wife - it is certainly more personal - and more covenant focused.  Then I thought how many many more opportunities a person has to show love in little ways in a covenant relationship - I can show my wife and my God my love and loyalty today by pushing out any impure thought that may enter my mind.  I can show my love to my family by studying the scriptures with the intent to be led in my daily decisions in the home.  I can show love by praying silently for the welfare and happiness of my wife and children, these and countless others can fill my days.
What is infinitely more impressive though is the was my Father in Heaven shows his love to me.  What a wonderful thing it is to be alive another moment to experience his beautiful and powerful love.  What a beautiful concept is encompassed in the Hebrew word "Hesed!"

Paved roads

One of the things that I have had the opportunity to do while living here is to go into the woods to cut firewood.  My first trips were with my woods-wise colleagues from work.  Something that I soon learned was that the rougher the road seemed, the more likely it was that we would find the wood we were looking for along it.  There were times I was quite surprised that their little trucks could even get in to the places they did - yet they always came out again full of wood - for less turns of the tire too. 
As I've studied Church History and the Doctrine and Covenants this year I have found the same thing to be true of the lives of Church members early in this dispensation.  It seemed that the more they tried to stay on the right path the more difficult it became.  Many of those early members were driven from their homes two or three times, some were imprisoned, and nearly all faced sickness and exposure to extreme degrees.  The straight and narrow path is indeed steeper than it seems - and perhaps I hope from time to time that it were better paved.
There is one "Griffin" mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants who lived during that time and faced those difficulties.  I remember my disappointment when I discovered that he Selah J. had abandoned the faith because the way was too hard.  He left for the pavement I guess
Recently I have felt the Lord wrenching my very heart strings - not dramatically or in powerful display, but He has consistently called me from a way of comfort, success, and pleasure to a different path.  Somehow again I had expected that this different path would be more immediately rewarding than it has been to this point.  This week has in fact been more difficult than most.  Yet somehow, there is peace in the plain road.  Perhaps it is less passable - less paved - because it is meant for the travel of just a pair at a time - me and my Lord.

Embracing Technology

I have been impressed wit the sheer number of Church websites there are.  It seems as if many of them are quite new and have popped up in the last year or two.  Here is a sampling of those I am aware of:
lds.org (new church website)
youth.lds.org (youth website)
providentliving.org (food storage and emergency preparedness site)
combattingpornography.org (site name tells all)
familysearch.org (site name tells all)
vineyard.lds.org (service opportunities to assist the Church workforce)
ldsces.org (website for the Church education system)
apps.lds.org/LeadershipPatterns (leadership pattern website for the Church workforce)
store.lds.org (online materials distribution)
lds.netdimensions.com (workforce learning site)
josephsmith.net (resources on Joseph Smith)
mormon.org (introductory site/ profiles of members)
radio.lds.org (official church internet radio station)
A pretty good number I would say - and I'm sure I don't have them all.  This list doesn't include any unofficial sites that are also great resources either.  I am impressed with the recent way the Church has embraced the digital age and leveraged the internet as a tool to build the Kingdom.

Volunteer!

Though we don't volunteer for callings in the Church, in the case of Zion's camp it is almost seems as if they did.  Because they chose to volunteer for Zions camp many them were trusted in the highest councils of Church.  One might well ask, "What voluntary choices affect one's service in the Church today?"  I suppose that the choice of career may have something to do with it.  Not that some careers are preferred above others, but rather that the availability some careers provide for Church service allows for greater investments of time and effort.  Similarly choices involving hobbies and whether or not to magnify ones calling likely have a significant effect.  What if I had less hobbies and was able to magnify my service my service in the Church more fully?  I need and seek perspective on this one - not that I desire to attain a certain calling or position, but rather that I desire to be of better service where I stand.

The Standard of Zion

I was studying about Zions Camp recently.  It is an episode in Church History beginning in February of 1834.  The saints in Missouri had been forced from their homes and were in dire straits on the bank of the river and in neighboring Clay County.  Joseph Smith had received sections 101 and 103 of the Doctrine and Covenants directing the saints to organize and go reclaim the land of Zion.  Perhaps they had thought more upon the reality of their status as victims, than on the word of the Lord regarding the reasons why He had allowed them to become victims of such circumstances.  Like I have felt before, I can imagine the saints feeling more anxious to avenge their just cause than correct the faults that allowed it to be brought upon them. Zion's Camp ends up not accomplishing it's stated purpose of redeeming the land of Zion just as the Missouri saints had failed in their attempts to build Zion.  Ironically both failures have come of the same reasons - transgressions and contentions have stopped them.  The saints had been able to establish settlements both before and after the attempt at building the city of Zion.  Their failure comes when the standards for such a society are raised and they neglect the spiritual foundation upon which such a society should be built. 
When I consider the effect of Enoch's Zion, it isn't really any wonder that Satan fights so hard against the establishment of such a powerful force for good as Zion is - in community, in home, or in heart