But Whosoever Shall Do and Teach Them...

The title of this post refers to Matthew 5:19 when Christ is, in a way, introducing His Sermon on the Mount. He says: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Between these two groups of people that Christ presents, I want to be part of the latter group. Consequently, this means that I must know His commandments so that I can do and teach them. Here is a list of the commandments presented in the Sermon on the Mount:

1. Whosoever is angry with his brother...shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire...first be reconciled to thy brother...
2. Agree with thine adversary quickly...
3. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery...
4. Whosoever shall put away his wife...causeth her to commit adultery...
5. Swear not at all...
6. Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay...
7. Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also...Give to him that sketch thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
8. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
9. Be ye therefore perfect
10. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men...
11. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are...
12. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you...
13. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance....
14. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...
15. If therefore thine eye be sings, thy whole body shall be full of light.
16. No man can serve two masters...
17. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink...But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
18. Judge note, that ye be not judged...
19. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs...
20. Ask, and it shall be given you....
21. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them....
22. Enter ye in at the strait gate...
23. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing... 
24. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father... 

I noticed an interesting pattern in the Lord's teachings during the Sermon on the Mount. It seems as though he introduces the new commandments and/or changes to doctrine throughout the chapter, then near the end he gives a brief, one-sentence statement that sums up the new commandments he just gave. Those are highlighted in the list above. This is evidence of the Christ's teaching ability, and his complete understanding of the will and doctrine of the Father. He came, not only to show us the way through His perfect example, but also to teach us the way through His sermons and interactions with others.

The Lord's Financial Plan

I'm amazed at how the Lord seems to take care of finances. In my reading of the book Saints there are many times when the Lord counsels his disciples to "concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them." (p. 259). If anyone were to doubt the Lord's "power to pay them", let us remember how Christ himself paid his "debt" or tribute money in Matthew 17: "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou has opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee." (v. 27). Furthermore, Jacob taught the Nephite people: "But before ye seek riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God." (Jacob 2:18).

All that being said. I may be sending the wrong message. I don't think the Lord is telling us not to think about how we manage our money because He is just going to miraculously take care of it for us all the time. On the contrary, the Lord also has counseled us to have a house of order (D&C 88:119). Modern prophets and apostles have also counseled: "if there is anything that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet." (Gospel Standards: Sermons and Writings of Heber J. Grant, comp. G. Homer Durham [1941], 111). We do need to make sure that we are wise with our finances.

The main idea I would like to convey is that we need to let the Lord into our finances. He will support and sustain us in times of financial need. We can assuredly follow His counsel: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not," (D&C 6:36) even, and maybe especially, in our finances.



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (2018). Saints: The standard of truth. Salt Lake City: UT.

A Handful of Peanuts

An experience happened to me yesterday (11/28/2018) that causes me to reflect on our awareness and ability to brighten others' day. I was busily going through the day's commitments and to-dos as I was exiting the main entrance of American Heritage. I felt stressed because of the failures of the day and the long to-do list that lay ahead of me, and apparently it was showing on my face. I was approaching the car which I had parked in the front of the school when a mom of the school caught my attention. She said: "Hey! you're not smiling. I know that something is going on because, like me, we're always smiling." That comment made me pause and take inventory of my feelings about the day and my current mental and emotional state. Without me saying another word she asked: "would you like some peanuts?" She was holding a large canister of roasted peanuts, and gestured for me to take some.

"Yes, please." I said, feeling like some sort of weight had lifted. She dumped a sizable load of peanuts into my hands, and I walked back to my car, munching as I went.

A few things about this experience stand out to me. First, this mom (Mrs. Gerlach) recognized that I was in a not ideal state of mind. She wasn't afraid to help or feel silly if maybe her invitation would be rejected. She saw a child of God who wasn't 100%, and she acted to help immediately. Second, I was humble enough to accept the help and, however brief, and that 30 second interaction changed the course of my whole day. I feel as though because of that incident I was able to step outside of my to-do box and recognize the needs of others. Later that day, I bought donuts and dinner for Gavin and Vanny which they greatly appreciated. Third, it wasn't really the handful of peanuts that changed my day. It was the human connection, understanding, and charity that lifted my spirits.

Thank you Mrs. Gerlach, and may your life be brightened because of what you did, and who you are.

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

There is an eternal principle of rest that is present in almost every facet of our life. When training physically rest days are just as important as the days you work-out. All of our technological devices need periods of rest so that they do not literally burn out. The Sabbath day is an opportunity and a commandment that our loving Heavenly Father has given us to rest our bodies and spirits. Elder Holland says in the short video Upon My Holy Day - Rest and Renewal "we need time to reflect, renew, to pray..." We are foolish if we are not taking advantage of the blessings that come with reflecting, renewing, and praying on the Lord's day. 

Spiritual Sustenance

Imagine you have been working on an important project for work, or a big paper for school, or a massive cleaning endeavor at home. You are working effectively, and managing your time wisely. You continue for a few hours and start to feel a whisper of hunger. Remembering how important the project, or paper, or cleanliness is you keep working. Another hour goes by and that whisper of hunger has turned into a yell. You don't want to interrupt your flow of work even though you can feel your concentration starting to wane. Another hour goes by. Instead of yelling your stomach is now screaming at the top of its lungs: "FEED ME!" You are no longer as productive as you once were, and you realize things won't improve unless you do as your stomach directs. What do you do?

Our souls are made up of our spirit and our body. As much as our physical body needs sustenance our spirit needs spiritual sustenance to keep it healthy, strong, and productive. Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained the need for spiritual sustenance in this way:

"We all recognize the need for physical sustenance. Hunger and thirst remind us very strongly if we forget. But the spiritual need for sustenance is equally strong. It comes not in drinking water and eating food, but in our constant daily efforts of communion with God." (Daily Bread: Pattern)

There are many ways in which we can commune with God. I will highlight a few that Christ himself has commanded us to partake of.

Supplication
As Amulek taught a group of humbled Zoramites, who themselves had been searching for communion with God (Alma 32: 2-3, 5), he outlined how to receive the greatest spiritual sustenance from supplication.

"Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you." (Alma 34:18-27).


Service
Amulek continued his sermon, and gave us valuable council in regards to how and why we should serve:

"And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need--I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith." (Alma 34:28).

Before discussing this verse in detail I would like to present another idea given to Joseph Smith through revelation:

"God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institue laws whereby the rest could have a privelege to advance like himself." (Joseph Smith, King Follet Discourse, 1844)

We must understand that God has implemented laws that are for our benefit in this life, and salvation in the life to come. As we return our thoughts to the aforementioned scripture we should conclude that Amulek is stating a divine law. James testified of the same law using different words as he wrote: "faith without works is dead." (James 2:18). A supplication is an act of faith, and that faith is dead unless sustained by service. A person will die physically if not fed and and quenched, and a person will die spiritually if service and supplication are absent.


Scripture Study
Another source of spiritual sustenance comes from a study of the scriptures. One of the ancient prophets who understands a need to feast on the scriptures is Nephi. We have a first-hand account of the sacrifices he made to obtain the holy word. Travelling hundreds of miles in a dangerous desert he went with his reluctant brothers to retrieve a precious record. He encountered obstacle after obstacle, but he let his faith carry him as he said:

"it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers; And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto the present tim."

Nephi risked his life for the word of God because he knew his family needed the sustaining power it would bring as they continued through their mortal journey. Nephi also "labored diligently" (2 Nephi 25:23) to write his testimony of the importance of studying the scriptures: "Wherefore...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3).

Sacrament
The sacrament is truly a unique form of spiritual sustenance. It is unique in that it literally is food for the body by being bread and water, but more than that it is food for the soul. At times, because of the physical emblems that represent the spiritual sustenance, we are not as diligent in experiencing the sacrament as it really should be. Also, the sacrament differs from the other forms of sustenance because we partake of it once per week instead of daily. Thus, the sacrament provides a necessary renewing, and revitalizing power instead of a sustaining power.

Just as we renew our energy by partaking of food, we renew our spiritual "energy" as we partake of the sacrament. Elder Dallin H Oaks said: "Out of the seemingly small act of consciously and reverently renewing our baptismal covenants comes a renewal of the blessings of baptism by water and by the Spirit, that we may always have his Spirit to be with us." ("Always Have His Spirit", October 1996 General Conference). For us to renew our spiritual energy we must partake of the sacrament, and by so doing we will feel as the Nephites after the Savior administered the sacrament to them: "And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled." (3 Nephi 18:9).

Our spiritual selves need nourishment to remain healthy and strong. Elder D Todd Christofferson said:

"We ought not to think that we can go weeks and months without spiritual sustenance and not suffer and not have a deadening influence in our spiritual life. Acknowleding the reality of our need for a daily spiritual administration, or manna, helps us increase in our courage to do the right thing and to serve others more than we would have if we ignored God." (Daily Bread: Pattern)

To answer the question I posed at the beginning regarding what do we do when we are hungry and busy. There are two apparant options. First, continue to ignore the feelings of hunger until the body has become completely debilitated or even die, or feed the body the nutrients it needs to keep being productive. Our spirits will also cry out in hunger for spiritual sustenance. If we ignore this our spirit's need for food then it too will die, and we will be incomplete, and unhappy. Let us not disregard the need for spiritual sustenance. Let us fill our souls through regular service, daily scripture study and weekly participation of the sacrament.

Scriptures to Ponderize

1. Alma 5:14-16

 14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

 15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

 16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

2. 3 Nephi 9:20

 20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

3. 1 Timothy 4:12

12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an exampleof the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

4. Isaiah 55:1-3

 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

5. Isaiah 1:16-19

16 ¶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

6. Isaiah 53:4-5

4 ¶Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

7. Proverbs 3:5-6

 5 ¶Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

8. Moses 6:59

59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;

9. Moses 7:62

62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

10. Doctrine & Covenants 11:7-8

7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

11. John 15:13

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.