Good Sabbath, everyone! I hope whatever you've been doing have been enjoyable to you and fulfills you well. My Sunday was wonderful. It was Fast and Testimony Sunday. So we sat in the chapel for Sacrament with empty stomachs and professed our faith to each other. I didn't go up to bear my testimony this month, but I'm thinking about doing it next month as February is my most important month. I'll elaborate on that next month.
In Relief Society this year we are studying the Teachings of President George Albert Smith, our 8th president of the Church. I am so glad to be getting back to the teachings of the Prophets. I had the pleasure of studying the Gospel Principles manual for the last two years. It really shaped my understanding of our fundamental doctrines. However, I have always loved learning what our previous prophets taught while they served and more importantly learning from the way they lived their lives.
Today we started studying the manual with Chapter 1 which is called 'Living What We Believe'. I think this is an important lesson for many reasons, but most of all, I think the title itself is packed with a moral that I have heard preached in many Christian churches. We all know it as "Practice What You Preach" or "Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk". I'm going to touch on this quite a bit in this post, but I hope you'll pardon my candor.
The line under the title states the following: "Our religion must find expression in our everyday lives." I've been thinking about this all day. What does this mean? Why is religion so important? Why is it something that must be present in our daily lives?
President Smith gave us some extremely wonderful points. When He was 34 years old he created a personal creed that he has lived by his entire life:
1) "I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor."
2) "I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed."
3) "I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind"
4) "I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and happy life."
5) "I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right."
6) "I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy."
7) "I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends."
8) "I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend."
9) "I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father."
10) "I would not be an enemy to any living soul."
11) "Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth."
That's quite a creed. I have read through these points several times and I have thought of memories of where these would be in my life.
1) "I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor."
How many of us have ever felt lonely or friendless? I know I have. In High School I often sat by myself in the Cafeteria or in one of the corridors. Sometimes, I wanted to be alone. Other times, I just did it out of habit. It always made my day if someone said hello or even sat next to me and started a conversation. I'm very thankful for those that showed me that simple act of kindness.
What are your first thoughts when you see the word "poor"? Lack of wealth? Lack of health? Lack of.....well anything? I think there are several forms of being impoverished. Sometimes, it's on a monetary level. Sometimes, illness robs us of good health. And even on an emotional level, we can become "broke". I think we each have a duty, as Christians (and yes I am putting Latter-Day Saints in that category) to cater to those needs. It doesn't even have to be anything monumental, sometimes a shoulder or a comforting word is all it takes.
2) "I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed."
"Faith to be healed." How many of us have ever witnessed a miracle? How many of us believe in miracles? I used to be skeptic when I was a teenager. Sure I believed the story of Jesus Christ, the creation and the things you can read in the Bible. But modern "praise Jesus" miracles? Not so much.... I think watching a few Televangelists kind of took the starch out of my belief at a young age.
But when I was 15, I knew a family whose newborn son was on life support. The doctor eventually told the parents that the life support would be shut off on a certain date, which happened to be a Sunday. I asked my parish to pray for the child. My brother and I both prayed fervently for the child to be spared. I fond out a few days later that not only was the child not only no longer on life support, but was breathing on his own, feeding on a regular basis, and would be going home in a couple of days. I've seen a few miracles since then, but never again have I doubted that miracles do exist.
I have talked to survivors of various cancers whom have told me that their survival in itself was a miracle. I once asked a Breast Cancer Survivor that's close to my family what she think attributed to her beating it, she told me that it was her faith in Jesus Christ that brought her through. I can't even begin to convey the feelings that entered my heart. All I could do was embrace her.
President Ezra Taft Benson said the following for President Smith: “I shall never cease to be grateful for the visits he made to my home while I was [away] serving as a humble missionary. … Particularly I am thankful for a visit in the still of the night when our little one lay at death’s door. Without any announcement, President Smith found time to come into that home and place his hands upon the head of that little one, held in her mother’s arms as she had been for many hours, and promise her complete recovery. This was President Smith, he always had time to help, particularly those who were sick, those who needed him most." (pg 2, pp 3)
I think we can check this part of the creed off for President Smith.
3) "I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind"
I don't know about anyone else but this sounds like missionary work to me! Ever since Jesus and his 12 Apostles began proselyting to the Jews and Gentiles, we have adhered to the call in St. Matthew 24:14 which says that the Gospel will be taught to the entire world will be the witness of Christ for all the nations; we have been progressing in teaching the message of Christ. President Smith served in the Southern States Mission, Southern Utah, and eventually serving as President of the European Mission. That's a lot of missionary work.
Any readers have any favourite mission stories that they want to share?
4) "I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and happy life."
How many of us have seen someone we care about greatly make wrong choices? It's a really painful sight. Parents question their parenting abilities, friends question their guidance. Then comes that strong desire to get them to see the error of their ways. I've always been at a lost on the right way to go about it. But I think the next point really covers it well.
5) "I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right."
I once asked my Facebook friends if there's a there was a difference between being judgmental and being steadfast in one's faith. Everyone that replied agreed that here is a difference. I think this ties well with the last point. You can't force someone to repent, but through Christ-like love and good example, you can soften their hearts and turn them to repentance.
6) "I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy."
This one especially struck a cord with me. I'm the kind of person likes to help people with their problems. Sometimes, however, I'm so busy looking for a solution that I miss that what is really needed is a listening ear. Am I the only person with this problem? I wish I could make everyone happy, but I hope that good service will help in some measure.
7) "I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends."
Here's a tricky one. What is the difference between simple compliment and idle flattery? Is it an honesty issue? It would seem so to me. I once read the following in a book when I was younger: "Beware the candied tongue.....and through its sugary slime conceals the black heart." I find a lot of truth in this admonition. I've seen people use idle flattery to get something they want, I've been tempted to use it myself. But I am reminded of Daniel 11:21 which warns us against those who use flattery.
8) "I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend."
Aha! Here's one that I really need to work on. I found that I can forgive someone for their offenses against me....sometimes. But because of bruised pride, I have a really difficult time making friends with them. It's on my long list of things to improve before the Second Coming.......oy.....
President Smith really put his money where his mouth is with this account by President Spencer W. Kimball: “It was reported to [President Smith] that someone had stolen from his buggy the buggy robe. Instead of being angry, he responded: ‘I wish we knew who it was, so that we could give him the blanket also, for he must have been cold; and some food also, for he must have been hungry.’”
When I read this I was reminded of a story that I read, via my friend, JB's page (to whom I am much grateful for his amazing posts. It is a prime example of not only forgiveness, but of true Christian charity. It's quite similar to President Smith's action, but in a more modern and very turbulent time.
I hope that this will inspire anyone who reads this post. I think it's an action that will bring us closer to Christ.
9) "I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father."
How many of us have ever felt jealous of other people? I'm guilty of it. More than once. Then creeps in other emotions such as greed, hatred, bitterness..... until it bounds you. I think that's what Satan tries to use to capture us. Make us hate others for their successes, when we should be happy for them. I am thankful that this was brought to my attention. Because now I can add it to the list.
10) "I would not be an enemy to any living soul."
My first thought? Easier said than done...... How many of us have enemies? Perceived or otherwise? I know I do. Many I made, as wrong as that is. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were no enemies? I'm not suggesting a world wide hand holding, singing Kumbaya session. But if there was no wars, no hate, no fear of those different from you. That's one thing I am looking forward to in the Second Coming.
11) "Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth."
I agree with President Smith on this point. The Plan of Salvation is the one that will make us better people, not only in the life, but the next. It's what makes life meaningful, as well as death. I also hope to spend the rest of my life teaching my fellow beings about it. There's a reason why it's also known as the Plan of Happiness. It truly makes people happy. I know it has brought such joy into my life. I know it to be true.
I have one more account of President Smith that I really was touched by: “His religion is not doctrine in cold storage. It is not theory. It means more to him than a beautiful plan to be admired. It is more than a philosophy of life. To one of his practical turn of mind, religion is the spirit in which a man lives, in which he does things, if it be only to say a kind word or give a cup of cold water. His religion must find expression in deeds. It must carry over into the details of daily life.”
Which brings us to that over all question......what are we doing? Are we walking the walk of faith? Or are we just using words? I think that's the biggest question. I hope that I walk it more than talk it. After really looking at myself, I know I need to repent of a lot of things. I need to act on my beliefs. I need to incorporate my beliefs into my daily life so that the following could be said of me by those I leave behind: “(S)He was one of those few people of whom you can say (s)he lived as (s)he taught.”
ke7ejx.
