FAIR's Rising Generation

Posts Tagged ‘Jesus Christ’

I’ve been trying to find things to write about that would concern people my age more. Although I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to get the whole “Great and Abominable Church” thing straightened out, or recognizing the brilliance of a child (both previous posts of mine) I realize that I’m not relating very well to other fifteen year old, Mormon girls. I hope to slowly become better at this, and at the moment, the following is the best I can come up with.

Something I’ve been working on lately is making things more meaningful to me. You know, like the scriptures, prayer or the Young Women Theme. I listened more closely in church and I would occasionally ask a leader or another youth, but I found that only certain things worked for me. What might make prayer mean more to one person might just frustrate me. So I’m not guaranteeing that what I did is going to fix everything for you, but it might help you a bit.

Probably the most drastic of my improvements lately has been to better understand the sacrifice my Savior went through for me to partake of the atonement.

I always knew that I wasn’t getting it all, and even now I’m sure I’m nowhere near truly understanding the pain he went through. I knew that if I really understood the agony he suffered I’d be beyond tears and at that point the most the topic ever got out of me was a clenched fist and a thought running through my head chastising me for whatever sin I’d committed most recently.

I felt bad because although I knew that he bled from every pore and I knew that he must have loved us (me) a whole lot more than I’ll ever be capable of loving anybody, I just didn’t feel it. If you know what I mean. I knew that I should have been feeling more whenever I thought of His great sacrifice, but like I said before, my reactions were minimal.

So I did what I always do when I’m struggling with something, I knelt on my bed (I kneel on my bed, to be honest with you I’m still terrified that one day there’s going to be something under it) and prayed. I realized that what I wanted was to feel sorrow for His pain. It might be kind of weird, but the way I know how much I love somebody is by how much it hurts me to see them upset or in pain..

About a month later I went to the second and last Seminary Morningside of the year and I got my wish during the testimony portion of the meeting. A girl who I knew only through her friendship with my friends and the fact that she yells whenever she wins a game during seminary (her class is right above mine) got up to bear her testimony. She said that she had been having trouble understanding the magnitude of the atonement and that recently, she’d had a thought. Jesus was her brother, her brother. That is to say, that Him bleeding from every pore so that she may return to their Heavenly Father was not that far from the brother she had grown up with doing the same thing.

Now I don’t have any real brothers. But my sisters all got married when I was around 8-9 years old, so I’ve known all of my brother-in-laws for a while, one of them since I was six. As weird as it might be, I do consider them my brothers, especially the one who’s been pushing me into lakes and making fun of my hair on windy days since I was in Kindergarten.

So when she said that, I immediately pictured one of my brothers sitting in Christ’s stead in the Garden of Gethsemane and tears started streaming down my face. I was tempted to scream in fact, the thought hurt me so much. Somehow, and I’m not sure how, that was the moment I realized that Christ is my Heavenly Brother and that he walked seemingly alone into Gethsemane, willingly and in a mortal body, just as if one of my brothers would if they had to. That’s when it really hit me. From that moment on, I’ve known that my Savior loves me, that I love him and that the sacrifice He made for me and everybody else was beyond that which I could ever bear. I finally realized that it hurts me to hurt him and in addition, the other way around.

That line is a bit I picked up when I recently rediscovered one of my favorite television series called Animaniacs. The show was written by Steven Spielberg and the plots are absolutely bizarre, but had me and my brothers laughing for thirty minutes every Saturday morning.  I watched it again at my brother’s house, but was disappointed to find that it really wasn’t as funny as I remembered it, however it reminded me of all the fun we used to have together as really young kids.  My elder brothers and sisters had a huge impact on my life and it definitely all for the better.  I owe an awful lot of people for giving me the confidence and satisfaction in life that I have today.  To all of you with siblings out there, take advantage of the time you have left with them to become closer to them because they can become the best kind of friends; treat them well and they will be there for you for the rest of your life!

Let me add a note about Rising Generation: this blog is only one of several projects we are currently working on.  Other FRG projects include YouTube videos, articles to help prepare young men for missions–many of which will also help prepare sister missionaries–, articles to help you deal with difficulties you may face at church like how to help a friend who is considering leaving the church, and we are working to support the community of LDS youth who want better places to hang out online with other members of their church.  This is not to say that we only support LDS youth, however they are our focus and we will do what we can to strengthen and fortify their testimonies.  If you share our passion for helping the youth, write us an email or comment on my blog post or in some way let us know that you want to help out.  You might be the next person to post on our blog.

I will affirm that I love our savior, Jesus Christ!  I love His gospel and firmly believe that it to be taught in its fullness by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I affirm that He cares about each of us and our needs; pray to Him and he will hear and answer your prayers.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Thank you for reading our blog.  Please have an uber awesome day!

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FRG needs more writers, regardless of age, who are interested in writing a guest post for us, so if you have a message to share you may submit a sample of your words to us via our web form at http://youth.fairlds.org/contact.php.  Chances are good that we’ll like what you have to say and set you up as a guest blogger on our site.

“[T]here was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people” (4 Nephi 1:15). This verse highlights what I think is one of the best kept secrets on becoming Christlike.

Love is obviously important. Staying away from sin is important. We know if we love someone we would never want to hurt them, but when we think of the best ways to avoid sin, does love jump out as the first solution?

Sitting at lunch one day, a few missionaries and I thought of all the ways we could become better people. Our sins and weaknesses were blared at us, and we desperately wanted to change. Despite our best efforts, none of us felt like we were getting anywhere.

One of the Elders found a talk in an old Ensign which revealed to us our solution. It said, “…Christ’s ultimate defense was not his supreme will-power but simply that, nurtured by the Spirit, he had no desire for Satan’s grimy alternatives. He loves the things his Father loves. Thus, as his desires became deeds, those deeds reflected a spontaneous righteousness that came from the very depths of his being.”

That was the answer. If we change our desires to “love the things God loves” then our desire to sin vanishes. The author goes on to say how making this change is possible, taking advice from the prophet Mormon:

What I wanted was charity, which was “the pure love of Christ.” And I could receive it if I would “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” And Mormon also included the promise I needed–”that ye may become the sons of God … that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Moro. 7:47–48; italics added).

We can’t overcome temptation through love on our own. We have to pray for it. Elder Bednar promises that with this intent in our prayers we will notice a difference in how we act. “[T]here are occasions where normally we would have a tendency to speak harshly, and we do not; or we might be inclined to anger, but we are not. We discern heavenly help and strength and humbly recognize answers to our prayer. Even in that moment of recognition, we offer a silent prayer of gratitude.” We will notice the change of our very natures to be more Christlike.

And as the final part of the process, Elder Bednar tells us:

At the end of our day, we kneel again and report back to our Father. We review the events of the day and express heartfelt thanks for the blessings and the help we received. We repent and, with the assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, identify ways we can do and become better tomorrow. Thus our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation of our morning prayer. And our evening prayer also is a preparation for meaningful morning prayer.

Praying with “all the energy of heart” is a cycle of morning and night prayers with conscious actions to improve in between them. When we follow the cycle asking our hearts to be turned toward Christ, our prayers will be answered. I know this is true. I love being in control of my life, with no desire to follow temptations I used to have, because now I view them the way Christ views them and love the things God loves.

-references-
The talk mentioned in this blog was Dennis R. Peterson, “To Love the Things God Loves,” Tambuli, Mar 1981, 17 which can be accessed on the lds.org website here

Elder Bednar’s article comes from David A. Bednar, “Pray Always,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 41–44 found here

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FRG needs more writers, regardless of age, who are interested in writing a guest post for us, so if you have a message to share you may submit a sample of your words to us via our web form at http://youth.fairlds.org/contact.php.  Chances are good that we’ll like what you have to say and set you up as a guest blogger on our site.

This is what Peter Priesthood doesn’t do: He doesn’t kill, steal, lie, drink, smoke, swear, do drugs, covet Ryan’s gf, commit adultery, fornicate, watch bad movies, listen to bad music, hang out with bad people, mistreat friends, abuse family members, take advantage of the less fortunate (or the more fortunate), break the law, gossip, judge, condemn, hold grudges, stay up late, sleep in late, blaspheme, drink coffee, drink tea…uhh, you get the idea.

If you’re more like me and less like Peter, you have a hard time keeping track of all the rules, and you’ve probably even broken most of them. Furthermore, if you’re like me, you have an even harder time understanding some of them. No tattoos? But how will I express myself? Only one set of earrings? For girls? Huh? But what about my death metal and gangsta rap? I haven’t heard the prophet talk about that very specifically or recently.

Forty years—no, I’m not changing the subject–that’s how long the Israelites wandered around after being rescued from Egypt by God. They had a lot of rules…too many, really, but luckily they were pros when it came to breaking the spirit of the law.

Again, if you are anything like me, you’re asking yourself, “Is there an out?” Yes, there is. Wow! And all this time you’ve been trying to find the big answers by thumbing through magazines at grocery store checkout lines.

Instead of defining Mormons (ie, Peter Priesthood) by what they don’t do, let’s define them by what they do do–again, I’m not changing the subject.
Being a Mormon means believing that if you listen, God will speak. It means believing that all things denote there is a God. It means believing that reason and revelation are not mutually exclusive, but complementary.

We aren’t afraid to ask, nor to receive. We are truth-seekers, and we’re hardcore, too; our goal is to have all the mysteries unfolded to us, partly as a Church, but moreso as individuals. Joseph Smith said that without the gift of prophecy, no one can be saved.

The Holy Ghost is your out. It does not elevate through passion, but knowledge. That is, it lifts you up to a broader sphere of knowing. If you want to cry, I don’t mind. If you’d rather do a little dance, go ahead. Personally, I’m quite prone to laughter when the Holy Ghost speaks to me, but remember that the Holy Ghost doesn’t make you cry, dance, or laugh…that’s just you making a spectacle of yourself–your response to the conversation so to speak. I say go for it.

The Holy Ghost has one job and one job only—to reveal truth: It lays out the Plan of Salvation, testifies of Jesus Christ, and imparts wisdom. It is the gateway to Christ, who is the Second Comforter.

Is Pepsi against the Word of Wisdom? I don’t know–bear with me; I’m not trying to change the subject. Are you trying to feel the Holy Ghost but can’t because you’re just dying for a caffeine/sugar/fizz fix? Then stop drinking it…or maybe drink less. Whatever works. The age-old debate has been solved; the Holy Ghost can do that. Wisdom trumps rules; it builds upon their foundation and transcends them.

I think I’ll also tack this one on: Listen to the General Authorities, but remember that they don’t replace the Holy Ghost, nor do they want to. Trying to abide the Prophet’s counsel without the Holy Ghost is like trying to jump on a trampoline while standing underneath it. Try to do it the other way, and you’ve lost the trampoline. Oops.

This is when Jacob throws in the towel and says, “O be wise; what can I say more?”

Let me attempt an introduction.

I’m your Sunday evening blogger. Recently, I returned from my mission in Sydney, Australia and am now at BYU-Provo pretending to study ancient biblical history (because it would be a joke to say I understand it). Apart from my mission, I’ve been involved with FAIR’s Rising Generation’s parent organization (FAIR) since I was 16. My passion for defending the faith is as much a part of me as my toes. Getting rid of either would cause me discomfort.

As interesting as my life story is, I’ll spare you any more. Instead I thought you’d prefer something a little more insightful. I want to highlight a few benchmarks on the common path every Latter-day Saint must take.

What common path am I referring to? Within the realm of the God’s big plan for us, there’s a part called life on earth. Truth is, we’re living it right now. Life hands us vastly different circumstances, and each obstacle is unique. My challenges aren’t your challenges, and your challenges aren’t mine, but we live on the same planet, and we want the same goal: To return to Heavenly Father. To do this right, we have to embark on the path of perfection. Some parts of the path are common to all of us.

First, we have to build faith in the Savior. If we don’t trust Jesus Christ, He can’t help us (much like you could never help me if I didn’t trust you). We get our faith in different ways, but we all need faith to become perfect.

Another step on the path is baptism. While we treat baptism as something sacred, it turns out there’s nothing magical or mysterious about the process of being baptized. First, we step into the water. Then, someone with authority (a man holding the priesthood in our Church) says a prayer, immerses us fully into the water, and lifts us out. It’s that simple. Our name goes on Church records as a new member and we get a certificate.

What makes baptism so significant is it’s symbolism. Just as Christ died, was laid in a tomb, arose, and came forth resurrected, we go under the water (“buried” in it) and rise out as a symbol showing we want to follow Christ. Baptism is a contract (covenant) with God showing our seriousness. What makes it a miracle is that Heavenly Father dismisses all our sins to that point and lets us start over again, morally clean. It’s partly His show of support for our new life. We’ll go into more detail about baptism another time.

For now we’ll go over one more event on the path to perfection which is often ignored and rarely treated seriously. On the path to perfection, every member of the Church will confront anti-Mormonism. Trials of faith are essential to our growth, and we can’t be perfected without them.

Not all anti-Mormonism is the same. It may come from pamphlets distributed from other churches, it may be a friend accusing you or your parents of practicing polygamy at school, or it may be an atheist on the Internet mocking Christ. However frequent, and with whatever level of intensity, you will have to face it, and knowing what to say will help when it comes.

The reason I dedicate so much time to defending the faith is to help you and for you to help others. As Elder Christofferson said, “We need strong Christians who can…defend the truth of Jesus Christ against moral relativism and militant atheism” [1]. Physically we are strangers, but our spirits make us family. And if we want to be successful on the path to perfection, we have to do it together–you and I, our friends, relatives, and even our enemies. May we not be persuaded by what the critics say. Instead, may we be bold and firm, “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) in defending what we know is true. Let’s lift each other up.

—footnotes—
[1] D.Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” Ensign, May 2009, 19–23. In addition to this, C.S. Lewis said, “To be ignorant and simple now–not to be able to meet the enemies on their own grounds–would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.”
C.S. Lewis, “Learning in War Times”, The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses, 1965, 28