The Whisper of Temptation

One of Satan's favorite tricks is to constantly whisper bad things to my mind. He sends forth insidious suggestions, and then when I valiantly reject them time after time, he sends one more thought, more insidious than all the rest. My what a bad person you must be, he says, to be imagining such things! 

Get out of town, Satan. I don't listen to you anymore. "It is an enticing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones. It is neither hard nor discordant. No one would listen to Satan’s voice if it sounded harsh or mean. If the devil’s voice were unpleasant, it would not entice people to listen to it." (James E. Faust, The Great Imitator) 

The truth is, I'M NOT THE SOURCE OF THOSE THOUGHTS! Satan is the one constantly talking in one ear.

“For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil”
(Alma 5:40).

Being aware of the devil is so much better. He would like to operate in secret and have you think that all the gross stuff he suggests is YOU talking. Keep an eye on him. As Paul said, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11).

Satan tells you That YOU are naturally a fallen, perverted person who WANTS that sort of thing. The truth is the opposite! We are sons and daughters of God! I think the Lord is pleased with me, because I try hard to repent, and I keep His commandments.

It's refreshing that Satan is ALWAYS working on us, EVERY day. We can always expect there to be new tricks and traps. There's ALWAYS something to look out for.

So, what's to be done about these insidious, constant voices?

The great truth is, WE ARE IN CONTROL!

James E. Faust teaches that, "we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat."

Satan must grow frustrated if we persist in doing what's right, even in the face of powerful suggestions and temptations.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7)

Now, that's a comforting thought. Also comforting is James E. Faust's promise that "he cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them." 

"The humble followers of the divine Master need not be deceived by the devil if they will be honest and true to their fellow men and women, go to the house of the Lord, receive the sacrament worthily, observe the Sabbath day, pay their tithes and offerings, offer contrite prayers, engage in the Lord’s work, and follow those who preside over them."

What are some strategies for keeping the devil at bay?

We can determine not to heed him. Satan, fortunately, is currently only the enemy of our souls. He cannot physically terrorize us, unless we allow him access to our bodies, or he enlists the aid of a mortal servant. But like Lehi pressing forward towards the tree, we can heed them not. 

Notice what Nephi and the others were doing that gave them this option. They were partaking of the fruit of the tree! (the love of Jesus Christ.)

So, let's not spend the whole of our days FLEEING OMGOODNESS THE DEVIL WHAT IS HE UP TO NOW. Let us keep the Savior and our Father's Love firmly fixed in our minds. That will guide us through the mists of darkness which must surely arise.

Thoughts on the Creation Story in genesis.

If Satan "knew not the mind of God" and was seeking to "destroy the world" (Moses 5:6) by tempting Mother Eve and initiating the Fall, then how does that square with the fact that God revealed to us from the very beginning that the world was going to be a fallen place, necessitating a Savior?

Thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will. (Moses 5:9)

What incredibly encouraging words those are!

Also, Eve reveals her great spiritual maturity here, saying "Were it not for our transgression, we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." (Moses 5:11) 

Here we have Eve recognizing four great blessings of the Fall:

1) Seed
2) Known good and evil
3) Known joy (of redemption)
4) Known eternal life which God giveth unto the obedient

They literally would have lived forever in a bland, boring paradise, picking fruit like children for trillions of years. Just the two of them. Let's look at why each of these blessings was impossible without the fall.

1) Could a child be born in paradise? Have you seen what a birth looks like? The pain and blood needed to bring a child into the world could only happen after the Fall.
2) How can you understand good and evil if all you have known is good? How could you know red if the entirety of your existence is shaded in blue? (Then why was Adam able to make a good/bad distinction between following the commandments of the Lord?)
3) Very simple. How can you feel the joy of redemption, having no need to be redeemed?
4) And last of all, Eternal Life is God's ultimate gift to those who prove themselves able to be obedient, even when the opposition is fierce. With no opposition, and practically no opportunities to break commandments, Adam and Eve could never have paid the moral sweat that it takes to convince God you're ready for the Celestial kingdom. 

Opposing with Love

We have a command to stand against the rising tide of evil in the world. We as Christians ought to stand for what's good and right. But often, we turn into the very intolerant and hateful bigots that everybody accuses us of being. 

The devil loves to tempt us into the opposite error of the one we are trying to avoid. So, first he will tell you to take it easy on the homosexuals, on the sinners, on the adulterers. Just love 'em, wink, and turn a blind eye to their sin. 

And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. 

And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

~2nd Nephi 28:21-22

But that's not how Jesus operated. He tells us that "I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." (D&C 1:31) It's right there in the very first chapter of his Book of Commandments. 

So, we try to be brave. We take to heart the teaching that "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19) 

And oh, the devil loves that. Because then he tricks us into equating drawing fire with righteousness. So he appeals to our self-righteous pride, and we attack our chosen cause with gusto. We delight in wounding wicked egos and we figure the more hate mail we get, the more righteous we are.  

And then we become exactly what the world accuses us of being. Intolerant, hateful, close-minded bigots. 

C.S Lewis, as usual, has a clear perspective on the issue. 

“He (the devil) always sends errors into the world in pairs--pairs of opposites. He relies on your extra dislike of one to draw you gradually into the opposite one. But do not let us be fooled. We have to keep our eyes on the goal and go straight through between both errors. We have no other concern than that with either of them.”

So, what's the happy medium here? How can we fulfill the Father's command to stand for our values, and yet still remain happy, pleasant people who have a functional relationship with the rest of the world? 

Someday that might not be possible. When Soddom and Gomorrah get too wicked, you don't compromise. You leave. But I believe that there's still good work to be done among the world's inhabitants. Here's the key of the matter for me. 

I want to be a shining light. But not an incendiary one. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

~Matthew 14:16

That's it. Stand up for what you believe in. State it firmly and unequivocally. But phrase it in terms of what you BELIEVE IN, and not what you don't BELIEVE IN. State that "I support God's plan for His children, which states that a man and a woman sealed together in the temple is the Lord's template for marriage, and will produce peace in this life and great happiness in the world to come." Let's avoid Westboro Baptist techniques. After all, you never got mad at a Catholic for stating "I love being Catholic! Here's all the good it brings into my life." But you would be plenty mad if a Catholic stated, "Mormons are brainwashed idiots. I can't believe they believe in a living prophet.... weirdos." 

Jeffrey R. Holland has urged us to be strong. 

"Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them." 

Stand up! But with compassion. Your daily modus operandi should be to defend your beliefs by building them up, not by tearing others down. 

And if the Holy Spirit instructs you to take a hard line on sin, then be fearless. Condemn the sin, but love the sinner. In the best spirit of D&C 121:43, remember that we are to be "reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy."

And most of all, when defending your beliefs, remember this final injunction delivered to Joseph Smith, who had, perhaps more than any modern American, good reason to be bitter, incendiary and scathing.

Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. (D&C 121:45) 

Earning the Lord's Protection

How do we earn the Lord's protection against temptation?
How do we strengthen our spiritual defenses? (These will turn into green light behaviors.)
How do we weaken our spiritual defenses? (These will turn into yellow and red light behaviors)

Here is a scripture that sums up my experiences with temptation perfectly.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 
~Matthew 26:40-41


This is often why we succumb to temptation. I am willing to obey the Lord's commandment, but the natural man's urging overcomes my resistance, and I transgress. My flesh is weak.

Nephi experienced this mortal tendency towards transgression. He lamented,

Why should I yield to sin because of my felsh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? 
~2nd Nephi 4:27

The flesh is fallen, and will always be weak. There will always be a pull towards laziness, impurity, and apathy. It is through strengthening the spirit that we gain power to do what is right.

Perhaps the best way to get spiritual strength is to ask for it. In D&C 62:1, we read that Jesus Christ is  "your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted." 

Braving the Storm

So, there's a storm against the faithful out here. Everybody is super upset one way or the other about DSB. It's a storm that's taking a lot of my childhood friends. Logan is homosexual. JD is a member of BYUGSA.

So, what's a faithful person to do in such crazy times?

Number One: Protect the Nestlings. 

In the wise words of President Packer: "we need to protect our nestlings."

In These Things I Know, he says that, "we will not always be safe from the adversary’s influence, even within our own homes. We need to protect our nestlings."

"We live in a very dangerous world that threatens those things that are most spiritual. The family, the fundamental organization in time and eternity, is under attack from forces seen and unseen. The adversary is about. His objective is to cause injury. If he can weaken and destroy the family, he will have succeeded."

In the inspired words of Jordan Mulder, "I think it has become apparent to many of us that dialogue is not the ultimate answer for restoring family values. There are few listening ears, and even fewer willing to actually consider every perspective."

So instead of talking about it, do what you must to defend your family.


Number Two: Stand Firmly and Kindly 

"Alma taught that “the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” (45:16)  We cannot endorse, support, or encourage these lifestyles at all.

"Tolerance is a virtue, but like all virtues, when exaggerated, it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the “tolerance trap” so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequence that is the result of the violation of God’s law of chastity."

And in the words of Jeffrey R. Holland, "Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them."

Number Three: Love all people 

"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them."
~Luke 6:32.

Realize that other people are just as confused, just as emotional, and just as anguished about the subject as you are. Choose to love them! Don't get angry! Be calm and kind and loving. 

Overcoming Weaknesses: A step-by-step guide

Nobody likes being that one guy who finally goes to bed at 2:30 AM after licking the ice cream carton clean and wishing he hadn't watched so many cat videos on youtube. We all have things we need to improve. Fortunately, this is a variable Heavenly Father accounted for in the pre-mortal life.

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble, and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." 

~~Ether 12:27

As some have pointed out, this doesn't necessarily say weaknesses. God does not prepackage your addiction to twinkies and insert it into your spiritual DNA (take that sucker!) but rather arranged through the Fall for mankind to operate from a base of weakness while in this life.

This is such a fascinating scripture that I think it deserves a line-by-line dissection. Let's take a look.

If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness: 

Well, there you have it. We are stupid and shortsighted, with beams stuffed into our eye sockets. We are quite equipped to deal with the day-to-day challenges of being nice to our neighbors, working at our jobs, and reading our scriptures. Often, we don't realize how weak we are until we try do the hard stuff in the gospel, like forgiving our enemies, living a consecrated life, or sharing the gospel, the real meat of what Christ wants us to do. But when a man actually tries to follow the Lord's commandments, it gets a little challenging:

 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

~~3rd Nephi 12:48

I give unto men weakness that they may be humble:

And not only that, we also get double-whammy sucker punched both by Satan and the Natural Man, neither of whom want us to change. They like our flabby weaknesses because it alienates us from the strict and uncompromising perfection of God. So, when we try to change, we often end up exposing just how far our weakness actually extends, and it can be a little bit surprising and very humbling.

And my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me: 

But yet, there is hope. God has made man weak, but he does not intend for us to stay weak. God's grace can help us.

What is God's grace? David A. Bednar quotes the Bible Dictionary to help us find out.

"The main idea of the word [Grace] is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ…  It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts." 

I love that! Grace is the power, available in Christ, which allows us to "receive strength and assistance to do good works that [we] otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power." 

Power. To help us do the things we cannot do on our own. 

For if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them: 

So, how do we lay hold upon this grace? By coming unto Christ. We'll talk a little bit about what that means tomorrow in part II.

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

 

Feeling special

My whole life, I've struggled with having confidence in myself. I want to feel special, that is my deepest, most overpowering thirst.

I tried to be smart because it made me feel special. So, I ended up as a know-it-all.

I tried to be a good missionary, because it made me feel special. So, I ended up panicking and getting depressed when I encountered my weaknesses.

I wanted to find an amazing wife, (beautiful, outgoing, accomplished) so that people would think, "wow, he must be special to have attracted a woman like that."

I spent countless hours in the gym trying to pack on muscle, convinced that if I was fitter, people would think me special.

And now lately, I have been spending lots of effort and money on clothing, trying to feel attract...what? Girls? Attention?

And all the things I've ever suppressed in my personality, writing, fandom, singing, I've banished all that because people wouldn't approve.

In short, I want people to notice me and tell me I'm special, and I want them to be sincere!!! 

All my major sources of disquiet in life have come because I simply don't feel special and I seek for affirmation in  the wrong places. I am focused outward, not upward.

How could God possibly make me special, especially if everybody else is just as equally special as I am?

When I feel the Spirit, I feel special.

"For they that are after the flesh do mind things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." 
~~Romans 8:5 

God's Conditional Love

Tree of life: 

"God's love is not unconditional," Brother Bowcut announced in Sacrament Meeting. And we all perked up at this interesting bit of blasphemy.

"What I mean by that," he continued, "Is that many people get into a funk and assume God's love will come and find them and fix things for them. 'If God loved me, He would fix this," they assume. And then God doesn't fix it, and they conclude that God doesn't love them.

Not true!

In Lehi's dream, what is the symbol of God's love? It's a tree. Now, why did God pick a tree instead of a cart of fruit? Or why wasn't it a cloud,which floated towards you, bringing the sweet nourishing rain of God's love?

Brother Bowcut suggested that it's because trees are stationary. If you want God's love, you had better go and get it!

So often, I just go on sinning and making mistakes and waiting for God to rescue me. I assume that just because I'm angry, upset, or lonely, the automatic ubiquitous love dispenser will kick in, and God will come and make everything all better.

When I wait for God's love to come to me, I usually wait for a very long time. It's when I go to God that I find comfort, healing, strength, and peace. Feeling God's love is conditional on our agency, Brothers and Sisters!! 

Now that's not to say that God never reaches out to people. There are Saul---> Paul moments, and Alma-the-Punk----> Alma-the-Younger stories. But by and large, we feel God's love when we go to him. 

And the nice thing about trees? They will never run away from you as you approach. They will never retract their branches, or ward you off with their roots. They wait patiently and offer freely for all of God's children, and pay no mind to the state of the person partaking of the fruit. Trees will not chase you, but they will never abandon you. And neither will God.

Justifying

One of my biggest habits is justifying bad behavior. My justification comes in two varieties.

1. Variety Number One: "Oh, it's not really a sin." 

"It's not really that bad to play video games for seven hours!"
"It's not really against the commandments to overeat!"
"It's not really a sin to ____________."

Variety Number One Justification occurs when you do something you aren't proud of. It's not something Jesus would do, but it's not necessarily a hallmark of devilry either. And so we spray paint it.

My seminary teacher used to use an analogy with rotten bananas. "Even if you spray paint them yellow," he would say, "they'll still make you sick."

This reminds me of this great quote from the talk Why Am I Running? 

We cannot sow the seeds of slothfulness and poor effort and expect to receive the blessings of dedication and diligent effort. Each day of our life, through the choices we make, we determine whether we will augment the building of our eternal dwelling with Heavenly Father or whether we will slide along a path which deprives us of eternal blessings. 

The truth is, if you know better, it's a sin. Every time you surrender to the natural man and do the easier wrong instead of the harder right, you distance yourself from the Father.

2. Variety Number Two: "Oh, well I was _________." 

This can occur for smaller categories of transgressions when you do something you're really not proud of. But it is also handy when you do something positively bad. There's no way to paint the banana yellow, so you search for extenuating circumstances.

"Oh, well I was tired."
"I was hungry."
"I was half-asleep."
"It was a long day. I can't be expected to __________ after I just _____________."

Call 'em out, Samuel.

“And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free."
~~Helaman 14:30 

There IS no excuse for sin! Jesus was tired! Jesus was hungry! Jesus had long days! And yet he never submitted to sin.

Repentance: 

We justify in order to procrastinate repentance. Repentance is like ripping off a dirty bandage. It hurts. Rip, Ouch! But then it's off. However, if you leave it there because "I'm sure it's not too infected," or "It's just a little wound!" or "After all, it's not like I'm going to die of gangrene or something!" then it will fester right up until you have to amputate your arm.

It hurts to rip the bandage off. It hurts to change. But it hurts far less than the consequences.

The Lord has been so good to me. I can't even express. He has waited and waited for me to repent of my sins, patient for the time when I come humbly to repent. I'm going to go repent right now.

What can I live for?

You know why some people live for entertainment? Because it's entertaining. It's fun.

So, if we ought not to live for entertainment (Overwatch, I'm looking at you... I'll admit, that 7 hours was some of the most fun of my life) then what should I live for?

That's the point of my study today. What can I get excited about?

How can I get excited about life?

From Reflections on a Consecrated Life. 

“Life offers you two precious gifts—one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will. You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. You may invest it in greed. …Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction." 

Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for. And it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement. And your eternal reward will be according to your choosing. 

A prophet of God has said: ‘Men are that they might have joy’—a joy that includes a fullness of life, a life dedicated to service, to love and harmony in the home, and the fruits of honest toil—an acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—of its requirements and commandments. 

Only in these will you find true happiness, the happiness which doesn’t fade with the lights and the music and the crowds.”

What wages does the gospel offer in return for our willing obedience?

Men are that they might have joy. 
Only in these will you find true happiness. 

So, if you follow the gospel, you will be truly happy. I believe that. But just the thought of "Oh, good, I'll be happy," is not very motivating for me to be good. I like concrete blessings. Like, "you'll have a really cute, really sweet, really spiritual, really loving wife." Or "you'll be financially stable." But I don't know if the gospel actually helps with those things.

Well, of course it does! Those blessings flow naturally from living gospel principles to their fullest.

Interesting, also, that I equate happiness and spiritual reward nearly exclusively to finding a girl to marry.

So, let's see if Elder Christofferson has anything to say about what we can get excited about in our attempts to live the gospel.

Repentance---->Enduring Presence of the Holy Ghost
Hard Work----->Sense of Self-Worth, Survive Disappointments and Tragedies 
Leisure---------->Enrich one's life (Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics) 
Physical Body->(Free from physical problems, I suppose) 
Service--------->(Satisfaction from the Lord that you were on his errand.) 
Integrity------->(Avoid giving a painful accounting to God in the end)


A consecrated life is a beautiful thing. Its STRENGTH and SERENITY are “as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit” (D&C 97:9)

Look at Stresses, Not Behaviors

Just the other night, somebody I love and am close to was having a bad day. She was stressed and tired and under a lot of deadlines. Some of those in our environment got on her nerves, and she expressed some of her feelings in a manner that was shockingly rude.

But my first thought was not to judge!

My first thought was, "wow, she must really be tired to be acting this way."

Look at stresses, not behaviors. If somebody is behaving inappropriately, it's usually due to stress. Whether this stress was planted right now or long ago, it's still a stress.

As C.S. Lewis pointed out, when we get to heaven, we're going to be shocked to find out how much of our good humor was really due to good digestion and general comfort.

Some people when they're not comfortable turn to drugs. Others turn to comfort food, some to alcohol, others to pornography, some to smoking, some indulge in mean and little behaviors. When our lives are made uncomfortable, it's so much easier to be sin. And it's so easy to judge those whose lives are uncomfortable.

We all make excuses for our own bad behavior. We would do well to make excuses for others bad behavior as well! Don't justify the behavior. But love the person enough to understand that there is a root cause behind this behavior, and it's not that "this person is a complete monster."

Isn't that charity?

And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Moroni 7:45

Waiting on the Lord

Oftentimes, we treat the gospel like a machine. Effort in, result out. And since we know that God is required to bless us when we keep his commandments, that's not a bad metaphor.

But this is an incomplete view of the gospel. Oftentimes the blessings that we seek are a long, long time in coming.

For instance, I think of Sheri Dew. If there was ever anybody who deserved a loving, supportive marriage it's probably her. But she never got it. And so, the EFFORT--->BLESSING equation doesn't necessarily work.

Or does it? I submit it does. Read the following:

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

Holding out faithful to the end is what this life is all about. There is a saying verging on a platitude in the church. "This life is not the reward. This life is the test."

Platitudinous for sure, but completely true!

So, what we need to do is expand the of parameters of our equation.

EFFORT------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->BLESSING

It might take an entire's life worth of waiting! But the Lord keeps his promises. He wants to keep his promises. And so, serve on. Hope on. Continue to show great effort in the Lord for temporary blessings, for your love for him, and especially for the long-term blessing of being received into heaven!

And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
~~Mosiah 2:22

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
~~Hebrews 12:11



Amen! 

All the good advice

I've been sort of confused lately about dating and relationships. So, I'm going to make a giant spreadsheet of everything the PROPHETS AND APOSTLES have said about selecting a mate. Let it be your guiding star.

What factors should go into selecting a mate?

Elder Henry B. Eyring 

• Earnest searching
• Prayerful consideration 
• Person shares ideals for family 
• Person has a conviction of the Lord's purpose for marriage
• Person is someone you would be willing to trust with your children's happiness
• We should NOT seek for perfection before entering into serious courting or or marriage

Elder Theodore M. Burton 

• A knowledge of what kind of partner they would be 
• Character
• Interests
• Talents
• Abilities 

David O. McKay

• Some qualities of a prophet's wife: 
• Sweetness of disposition 
• Virtue
• Intelligence
• Unselfish Nature
• A reciprocation of affection 
• Her "perfect qualities" won his love
• Possessing one of the truest and purest of souls 
• Someone who inspires you to heroic deeds 

That's all great, but there's literally thousands of girls at BYU who are sweet, virtuous, intelligent, unselfish, and have varied interests, talents, abilities, and etc. Most, if not all, share certain ideas about what a marriage should be. These are instilled regularly in Young Women's quorums and in Sunday School classes. 

The next factor is very inspiring for me, and I like it a great deal. Here are some words of David O. McKay.  

“Do you know that since I truly loved, I can better understand why the gallant knights of old always had a lady love to fight for. The very thought of pleasing her would nerve their arms, steel their swords, and make their courage dauntless. Each one would try to develop the best strength and activity that he could possibly reach that he might be the more worthy of the approbation of his lady."

You see how necessary it is to look for the characteristics of honesty, of loyalty, of chastity, and of reverence. But after having found them—“How, then,” you ask, “may you tell whether or not there is any consanguinity [or close connection], that something which will make you at least congenial in each other’s company?” “

Is there,” you ask, “some guide?” Though love is not always a true guide, especially if that love be not reciprocated or is bestowed upon a surly creature or a brute, yet certainly there is no happiness without love. “Well,” you may ask, “how may I know when I am in love?” 

That is a very important question. … In the presence of the girl you truly love you do not feel to grovel; in her presence you do not attempt to take advantage of her; in her presence you feel that you would like to be everything that a [great man] should become, for she will inspire you to that ideal. And I ask you young women to cherish that same guide. What does he inspire in you … ?

This is the single most important bit of advice I think I can apply. It's more important than long lists of qualities. It's more important than defining so-called "deal breakers." It's the simple thought, "in the presence of this girl, am I willing to put forth great effort to be better than I was, without feeling like I am inadequate or unworthy?" That's the guiding principle. And don't be afraid to wait. Good, good things come to those who wait. 

The Sacrament

I had a fantastic revelation while listening to Elder Bednar's talk Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins. 

Sometimes Latter-day Saints express the wish that they could be baptized again—and thereby become as clean and worthy as the day on which they received their first saving gospel ordinance. May I respectfully suggest that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son do not intend for us to experience such a feeling of spiritual renewal, refreshment, and restoration just once in our lives. The blessings of obtaining and always retaining a remission of our sins through gospel ordinances help us understand that baptism is a point of departure in our mortal spiritual journey; it is not a destination we should yearn to revisit over and over again.

~David A Bednar

The revelation pertains to the Sacrament. We are taught that the sacrament performs the same function as the baptismal covenant. 

“When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life. … “Each week in sacrament meeting we promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of our Savior as we renew our baptismal covenant. We promise to do as the Savior did—to be obedient to the Father and always keep His commandments. The blessing we receive in return is to always have His Spirit to be with us.”

~Robert D. Hales

When we partake of the sacrament, we are renewing our baptismal covenant. So then why is the sacrament rarely accompanied by as much spiritual joy as the initial baptism? 

I believe it has to do with the amount of repentance involved. Prior to baptism, most people perform an exacting spiritual account of themselves, searching their conduct and behavior for every misplaced thought and deed. They bring them before the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit of the sincerest type. Prior to the ordinance, they prepare. 

Rarely do we approach the sacrament with similar gravity. A quick prayer prior to church is a good start but insufficient. If we expect the same sweet outpouring of the spirit and the same burning conviction that our sins are forgiven us, we must prepare with as much fervor as the sincere baptismal candidate. We must truly have a broken heart and a contrite spirit. 

One thought is so important it bears repeating. PRIOR TO THE ORDINANCE, THEY PREPARE. 

This is true not only for the sacrament, but for temple worship, scripture study, nightly prayers, and indeed, any real attempt at bringing heaven's power into our lives. For the Spirit to truly descend and dwell in our hearts, we must not treat these opportunities casually.  

Thomas Paine expressed this truth succinctly. I will quote him, and replace the word "freedom" with the word "forgiveness." 

“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as [forgiveness] should not be highly rated.” 

So, if you want an inner fire of the spirit to bring you to tears, you must work for it. If you want an absolute assurance of God's love for you, then empty your heart so that He may fill it. No man who has done this has ever said, "it is easy!" But neither has any man so doing ever said, "it was not worth it." 

Ups and Downs and Faith

I've had a FANTASTIC semester, and a few challenges are finally starting to show their heads. As usual, they're tied with dating (Hee hee!) and finances.

I'm not very good at forecasting my finances. I would like to change that.

But anyways! So, here's a study about expecting good things to come, and having faith that things will work out.

Faith: 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 
~~Hebrews 11:1

Faith is hoping for something you can't see. You want it to be true with all your heart, so you "keep up the good work" as I say, and keep trying even if you're not sure how it's going to work out.

I just need reassurance that my future is going to be as wonderful as I hope it will be. I mean, I've lived 23 out of my 90 years. That's about 20% .

Am I on the right path?
Will XXX want to date me?
How can I save more money?
Wwen will I take the LSAT?
How can I keep up my goodness on a regular basis?
Where will I work over the summer?

How much good can I create, and what sort of rewards do I notice in order to be motivated to continue doing that good?

Jarom: You are focused too much on people's resumes! Find somebody you like, not somebody you approve of!

What is a gospel marriage supposed to look like? And what advice can we seek from God, who is surely as eager to help us in this endeavor as he is in all others??

Gordon B. Hickley, "Make yourself worthy of the loveliest girl in the world. Keep yourself worthy through all the days of your life."

I guess the choice has come to me now. Do I believe in a marriage relationship that can be that amazing? Do I believe in miraculous love stories, where I meet Cinderella, and joy of joys, Cinderella loves me? The course of true love never did run smooth. So be brave! Don't give up! You are a solid, sharp young man. And remember: You are worthy of any girl in the church. The only thing you need to worry about is whether or not the girl likes you. So, make sure she feels special. Which you tried to do last night.

In order to make a girl feel special, I need to be confident myself. Admire her, let her know how much you admire her.

Write BXXX a thank-you card. That's classy.  :) 

Some thoughts

It may be time to ask for some trials in your life, Jarom.

Call Laura: I need to talk about life: I need you to be really wise and listen to the spirit: How not to lose somebody? Role of physical attraction? Just feel like life is empty? Asking for trials? Is it my mindset?

What is God trying to do with America. What is he trying to do in my life?

If God has all things in His great hands, don't you think He has you?
Out of all the great works which you could build in your life, don't you think he's trying to make THIS one?

But what about tall that advice that they give us about "not seeking for someone perfect?" Isn't it better to get married than give up all your chances, waiting for the "right one." 

Judge Not That Ye Be Not Judged

I want to study judging today. Because you know what? I (quite literally) have a huge problem with judging.

Case in point: I value fitness. I think it's better to be trim than to have excess fat on you. And medically, doctrinally, and culturally, I am right. But I take this to an extreme degree. I look at small children and the thought crosses my mind, "wow, they're chubby." SMALL CHILDREN. JAROM, DO YOU REALLY WANT THIS? 

But that's the point of repentance, right? How can I look with charity upon people, even when they're doing something I don't approve of?

FROM THE TALK: "Judge Not" and Judging, by Dallin H. Oaks 

There are two sorts of judgments:

1) Final judgments which we are forbidden to make. Do not make assumptions about somebody's final assignation to heaven or hell.

This isn't the sort of judging that I struggle with, though. I struggle with making assumptions about somebody. They're fat--hey must not be a very good person? They must have a weak will? They must somehow be inferior to a similarly-disposed person who is fit and healthy?

Here's an answer that just occurred to me: 

Think about all the reasons why you CAN value that person. For example: 

"This person is a child of God. The Savior saw fit to perish for them on the cross. They have unlimited potential. They probably have many good qualities about which I am not aware." 

As Abraham Lincoln said, "I don't like that man very much. I shall have to get to know him better." 

2) Intermediate judgments, which must be made upon correct principles.

We are taught that we must judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

Here are some amazing steps from Elder Oaks to help us make righteous intermediate judgments. 

1) It will be an intermediate judgment and not a final judgment. 
"This person's actions are against the commandments." 
"I don't think what she's doing is right." 
"That's an incorrect assumption." 
2) We must judge with the spirit of the Lord.. Mean-spirited or angry judgments are against the rules.
3) Do not judge unless you have a correct grasp of the facts.
Some things to remember:

The Lord does not look on the appearance:
"Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 
~~1 Samuel 16:7

But yet also, sometimes a beautiful face CAN have a beautiful soul!

"And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he."
~~1st Samuel 16:12

A beautiful quote from Joseph Smith:
“While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; … He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, … ‘not according to what they have not, but according to what they have,’ those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that law”
~~Joseph Smith

And remember that wonderful principle in John 3:17!!

" For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." 
~~John 3:17

In short, GIVE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT!!!

Choose to believe good about people, and not bad!

Yes! 

Filling the Empty Place

Every person has an empty place and everybody needs to fill it with something.

Most of the time,  the hole is manageable. We try to fill it with food, video games, movies, music, purchases, possessions, relationships hobbies, interests and such. If the hole is considerable, we may fill it with pornography or gambling. For some people, the empty place is gaping. They pour in alcohol and drugs trying to fill it up. For some people, there is more empty space than life and they take their own lives.

But we know that space can't be filled up

What is the only thing that can fill up that empty place?

Right off the bat, we read Jesus' great promise.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 
~Matthew 5:6.

Sort of mysterious. Filled with what? Something satisfying, presumably. Something which will give permanent rest to that hunger we seek to fill.

Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water,

~John 4:13-15

All our distractions can curb, but not satiate our hunger for the Spirit. "Give me this water," says the woman, and if we too hunger and thirst after righteousness we shall likewise be filled. But again, what are we filled with? Jesus clarifies his sustenance in the parallel Sermon on the Bountiful Temple Mount.

And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. 
~3rd Nephi 12:6

Occasionally, I just feel the Spirit so strongly that I don't want or need anything else. Mainly this has to do with very special experiences involving Christ.

I suppose the answer is simple. We're all seeking pleasure and a minimum of pain. The greatest pleasure of all is being loved. And the greatest love of all is Christ's love. And the best way to minimize pain is through Christ's Atonement. Christ is literally the best way to fill your whole.

But this promise is even greater than that. We are promised not only satisfaction in this life, but even ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come.

 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
~John 6:51

What are my mechanisms for coping with emptiness?

• Looking at young women (not in a pornographic kind of way, but in a window-shopping sort of way. That's got to stop. You're looking for a напарница not perpetual eye candy. 
• Video games (ESPECIALLY LWG) 
• News 
• Writing in my story. Imagining myself in a different situation. 

What are some better mechanisms for coping with emptiness? 

• Family history 
• Listening to sacred music 
• talking with loved ones
• Memorizing scriptures 

You know what some of my favorite words ever are? 

Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

~2nd Nephi 26:25

SEARCH NOT FOR EYE CANDY BUT FOR A НАПАРНИЦА 

Happiness

Is happiness guaranteed? Does it say that anywhere in the Scriptures?

Why do some people find happiness elusive?
Why is it easy for others?
Can we guarantee happiness for ourselves?
If I'm not happy, can I do something about it?
Am I responsible for my own happiness?

My question here is not if the gospel brings happiness. It does. My question here is if we can guarantee happiness for ourselves by living the gospel.

I'm in Alma 42 today, and Alma frames the question quite nicely.

 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery.
~Alma 42: 1

In other words, Corianton is worried that our emotional state is the inevitable product of our choices. This works for our purpose, because if sinners get misery, then non-sinners must get happiness.

Sin--->Misery

~Misery---->~Sin

If we're not miserable, we must not be sinning.

Does God mourn? "Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love." says Russell M. Nelson, which leads me to assume that yes, even God mourns. Even Jesus mourned. He wept when Lazarus died, even though he knew that within a manner of minutes Lazarus would be restored and everyone would be happy.

Jesus and God DO NOT mourn because of their own wickedness. They absolutely mourn for the pain that others are experiencing. And I suppose that there is nothing to prevent them from mourning their own pain. Did Jesus weep for himself when the pain from the Atonement became too intense?

Righteousness guarantees PEACE in this life and HAPPINESS in the world to come. If it were not so, GOD WOULD BE AN UNJUST GOD. If he consigns the wicked to a state of misery, to do the same for the righteous would make him a respecter of persons, which we know He is not. 




REPENTANCE AND DEATH

For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

If Adam lived forever, he would have not been able to repent and the great plan of Salvation.

Why is death necessary in order to to repent? Well, for one thing, no death would have meant no Atonement from Jesus Christ. That makes sense, I suppose.

1. Man gained one characteristic of God, the ability to tell Good from Evil.
2. If he had partaken of the tree of life, Man would have gained immortality, another characteristic of God. 
3. But being a Fallen Being, he would not have had Glory, which is the third characteristic of God. 

Thus God subjected man to (2) physical death and (3) spiritual death and gave them a chance to exercise (1) the knowledge of good and evil in order that they might repent.

What would it be like if we gave man 1,2.

Man has the ability to know right from wrong, but lives forever. I don't see why this is a problem. We know God can give people glorified bodies capable of re-entering his presence. (John, Elijah, Alma, Joseph Smith was enabled to endure God's glory, etc, etc.)

I don't understand why death is necessary for repentance.

Russell M. Nelson explains: 

Death is the separation of the spirit from the body.

We have a yearning for eternal life. "The only length of life that seems to satisfy the longings of the human heart is life everlasting." 

Elder Nelson uses the analogy of a "Return Journey" to explain the necessity of death. Just as birth gives us entry into a physical body, so death guarantees us an exit from our physical body. This justifies death because it makes it a necessary evil. To return to our beloved God we must die. Painful, but worth it.

But the return journey analogy breaks down for me because we do end up seeing God in our bodies again! So death (our spirit leaving our body) is not a necessary pre-condition to seeing God again. Nor is it the only option of getting a new body. Moroni, John, etc.

So why do we need to die in order to repent?

Pondering, and you know what?


Gospel > Family > Health > Money > Career

Yes, I was surprised to find that career is so low on the list!


I would rather be righteous than have a peaceful family

I would rather have a peaceful family than be healthy and strong

I would rather be healthy and strong than wealthy

I would rather be wealthy than have a noticeable career

The nice thing is that they are all sort of interrelated!! :) 

Accumulating Light

OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE THIS TALK

The Light of the Perfect Day




Larry R. Lawrence likens our spiritual progress to gathering light.

"Our physical bodies grow bigger when we feed them nourishing food. Our spirits grow brighter when we feed them light. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Our Father in Heaven was once a mortal man who gradually progressed until He became a being with a fulness of light. He wants the same for you and me because a fulness of light means a fulness of joy."

Aside from just being a cool metaphor, it's extremely helpful as we make decisions about what to do.

Should I watch this movie? Play this video game? Date this person? Eat this food? Do this activity? If you make the decision based on whether or not it's going to bring you light, then decisions will be easier.

It's not always apparent why you SHOULD do family history work rather than playing video games, but this helps explain why. One will help you gather light. The other will squander your light.

Sources of light in my life:

• Temple worship 
• Family history work 
• Studying the scriptures
• Exercising 
• Eating healthy food 
• Service
• Spending time with friends and family 
• Diligence in achieving worthwhile goals 

Sources of darkness in my life: 

• Spending large amounts of time on the internet (idleness) 
• Spending large amounts of time alone entertaining myself (idleness) 
• Succumbing to physical appetites for food, ogling young women, etc, etc 
• Listening to loud music 
• Going to bed too late 

In looking at my life I see that I need more of the following.

MORE scripture study. 

LESS idleness 

ORE getting up early

LESS eating unhealthy food 

All right! Sounds good. 

Larry R. Lawrence suggests 5 ways for us to get more light. 

1. Love others (he suggests that service is the ideal way to love our fellow mortals.) 

Service-->Love-->Light 

2. Study the Scriptures (he suggests memorizing scriptures is a good way to get additional light.) 

Pray-->Study-->Apply-->Light

OR

Memorize-->Recall-->Light

3. Keep the commandments (this is closely related to step 2) 

Study-->Obey-->Light

4. Hearken to the Holy Ghost

Expect-->Act-->Repeat-->Light 

If the Holy Ghost asks you to do something that is difficult (like break a bad habit), and you listen and obey the prompting, you will experience a spurt of spiritual growth and a big infusion of light.

5. Serve in the Temple 

Attend-->Light 

Interesting Comments on Light on which I want further clarification: 

• "According to the Doctrine and Covenants, truth is just another name for light (see D&C 84:45)."
• “The people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple).” Joseph Smith
• “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
• “The Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world” (D&C 84:46).
• “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24).

Well, as far as weeks go, this week has not been a terrific one.

Triage time!

1. Step One: Stop using the internet to relax: You can use a good book, good music, or writing something creative. 
2. Stop eating unhealthy foods. Main culprit, Taco Bell/too much processed meat. 
3. Start making scripture study more meaningful. Take an hour instead of 40 minutes. Read from the Scriptures every day, even if you go to the temple that day. 
4. Start adding in daily steps to prepare for your career. LSAT prep and work on your paper every day. 

Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo? O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you? It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.

~Helaman 7:16-18

HERE'S ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT


Jarom, what are you doing to change the world?

How do you measure a life? 

Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire-- Alma 5:35

Loyalty

Even if it's only a dating relationship, you can never be truly at peace in a relationship if your thoughts are constantly wandering and wondering about possibilities with OTHER people. Be loyal. Be FIERCELY loyal. If you are planning on dating XXX, you need to BE LOYAL to her. That's the price for a relationship, and without paying the price, you will never feel comfortable. 

REPENT YE.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?

And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying: Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

Helaman 5: 40-41 and 46-47

Repenting is not just about resolving to do better. There has to be a conscious moment when you ASK for forgiveness and ask that the Atoning Blood of Christ might come down upon you.

Elder Klebingatt (in his marvelous October 2014 Conference address) makes an interesting divide between righteousness and spiritual confidence. 

I would like to share six practical suggestions that, if heeded, will dissipate these evil voices [of Satan's minions telling you lies about your standing before God] and restore to you the kind of peaceful assurance and spiritual confidence that is yours to have if you only want it. 

Notice, that he advocates these steps as a way to silence the disconcerting voices of Satan's minions.

1. Take responsibility for your spirituality
2. Exercise and eat well
3. Embrace 100% obedience
4. Become an expert repenter
5. Become an expert forgiver
6. Embrace trials as learning experiences


REMEMBER
You can’t watch a bad movie and expect to feel virtuous because you did not watch a very bad one.

 Faithful observance of some commandments doesn’t justify neglecting others.

Things to repent of: 

Eating too much
Spending too much money
Not being loving enough to those around me
Thinking too much of girl(s). Even if you have completely pure thoughts, they still can be a distraction from what's truly important.
Being proud of my body (I mean, really, Jarom, what's there to be proud about?  :)
Not being diligent in attending to my sources of Spiritual strength. (Attend FHE, Attend Institute, Family History work, Fasting, Temple, etc, etc.)

Agency

Why would Heavenly Father give us all agency? What is agency for? How can we enhance the use of our agency?

As I walked into the chapel, my heart leaped as I recognized the back of my father’s head. He had come to visit me, unannounced. I slipped in beside him and sat down. He looked at me and smiled. Then, putting his hand firmly on my knee, he leaned over and whispered a message with meaning far beyond words: “I knew I would find you here, Son.” Simultaneously, Heavenly Father whispered the same message to my soul. I can’t adequately describe the love and joy I felt at that moment.
--Elder Craig Cardon

Others began lives of uncontrolled appetites that continue to enslave them today....says Elder Cardon, expressing the thought that we are free to choose our behaviors, but not our consequences. I so want to be strong! I so want to be good. Hopefully, Heavenly Father helps me to accomplish this in everything that I do.

It takes a certain kind of courage to stand back rather than leaping forward, foolishly allowing someone else to make our choices for us. We can more readily take firm stands when we have a clear idea of our identity as sons of God and bearers of the holy priesthood, having a bright potential for a meaningful future.
~~Elder James E. Faust 

Love her

Well, I have a quandary. It's a good quandary, and an amusing one. So, I prayed about a week back that Heavenly Father would help me to find a girl who was interested in dating me, and in whom I would be interested in dating. Boy, did he ever answer in grand style (as he usually does when you are doing everything that is required of you.) 

I found a girl all right. We met on Tuesday and I've already spent about 5 hours talking on the phone with her. And she's spiritual, kind, ambitious, cultured, and beautiful. 

But she seems way more excited about this than I do. She's bringing up all the marriage questions already. "I like the name for this child, how about you? I think this is super important in a relationship, how about you?" Etc, etc. 

In short, I don't know what to do. 

But I think the above answer is pretty good. 

I prayed and that's what came into my heart. 

“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other”

~Marvin J. Ashton 

Well, let's pray for charity. This girl and I, we're different, but I can accept that. I won't be offended because she's handling the relationship a little faster than I am. And I will NOT use her obvious enthusiasm against her. 

Most importantly, remember this as you conduct this relationship: 

Jesus loves this person. So should you. Have compassion, etc, etc.