More Precious than Rubies

Ever wondered what the most precious gem in the world is? It is not a question I'd ever thought to ask before I stumbled on the answer yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I find gemstones very beautiful, particularly when artistically set in precious metal. It's just, that- well- they are, after all just rocks, and I react to most metals, and it costs so much to own them. I've never been independently wealthy, and what resources I do have seemed better spend on books, travel, chocolate, and people. But, as it turns out, throughout recorded history the "most valuable gem known to man" has been the same type, and if I wanted to pursue this "king of precious stones," I would seek to acquire a naturally made "clear, transparent, and faultless ruby of uniform color."  http://www.addmorecolortoyourlife.com/gemstones/ruby.asp

Seriously, did you know that in the 13th century Marco Polo wrote that Kublai Khan once offered and entire city for a ruby the size of a man's finger. And it wasn't just about rarity and prestige, anciently up through the middle ages, it was believed that possessing a ruby would bring good fortune, wealth, lasting love, and health. Yes, I have learned a lot about rubies, and it all began with my thinking about why Eve decided to partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

It has been many years since an article by Beverly Campbell about Eve came into my hands, and I first entertained the thought that the confusion and negativity with which her choice has been regarded was largely read into the text. It was one of those "exaltation" moments.(See "My How to Book") There was no curse placed on Adam and Eve, it is simply not in the text, but after they decided to partake, they were blessed with clothing, protection, and important information about what to expect as they embarked on this eternally pivotal mortal experience. (See MOTHER EVE, Mentor for Today Woman: A Heritage of Honor, http://www.kenningtons.com/kennington/campbell.htm)

This time, as I read the account of the fall, two words jumped out at me. Words that have been jumping out of the scriptures frequently over the last year or so; as if crying out for me to take notice of the Lord's repeated use, and come to better understand their significance.

And the woman saw that the tree was good for food…desired to make her wise. (Moses 1:12, Genesis 3:6)

First, "desired." The phrase "according to (your) desires" popped into my mind. Like, I wrote above, it (or similar phrasing) seems to have popped up repeatedly, so I did a scripture search and came up with 45 times in the standard works that exact phrase is used, and if you expand the search to include other phrases that use "desire" and/or talk about how important our desires are to the Lord- well there are hundreds of scriptures. No wonder it seemed to keep jumping out! To me, this quote perfectly summarizes the message of these scriptures:

What we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.( Neal A. Maxwell, “‘According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts’,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 21)

The scriptures frequently use a phrase I think equates to Elder Maxwell's "insistently desire" when it speaks of "desires of (the) heart." I think the point is we are not talking about fleeting thoughts or wishes, but the things we build our lives around, the things we are willing to sacrifice and even suffer discomfort to obtain. The type of thing that a person, living in comfortable circumstances, would willingly make a choice to obtain even if it meant exile from that comfortable state, estrangement from a father she loved, and even death. That is the choice Eve made.  And the thing she so insistently desired- to be wise.

This is where rubies came in. According to Proverbs 8:11:
Wisdom is better than rubies; and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."

Which made me wonder about where the ruby fell in the hierarchy of precious worldly goods- and as I explained above it is tops! Not only because it is rare and beautiful, but because it was thought to bring with it all the factors for a happy life. Which means that Eve- that wonderful courageous pioneer- chose the most valuable thing in eternity when she chose that which would give her the opportunity to learn wisdom. Eve showed what an insistent, deep desire it was for her by the way she, with Adam, was "obedient to the commandments of the Lord." This after what must have been a grievous shock of losing her comfortable life, being exiled from the Father, and suffering pain and sorrow. After her eyes were open and she could discern for herself between good and evil, she chose to hearken to the Lord as her source to learn wisdom. She exemplified the eternal pattern, described by Nephi, that we all must follow to gain that which is more precious than rubies:
For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. (2 Nephi 28:30)
Oh how I love Eve's words- the sense of wonder and joy she conveyed as she comprehended that the Lord was indeed giving to her "according to her desires!" (Alma 29:5, D&C 137:9)

And Eve…heard all these things and was glad, 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)

It is only a few verses after that verse that we are told of the tragic loss and heartache Eve's family suffered because of her son's choices. I've thought how important it was for her in the most intense moments of grief to remember what she had learned. It has been during some of those inescapable moments of grief in my own life when I've pondered her words, tested my own heart to see if I really believed them, and finding I did, thought about what words I would write. Though there have been slight variations and additions over the years it goes something like this:

I know that what Heavenly Father has in mind for me is so, so much more than I can imagine. If the veil could be peeled back and for just one moment and I could see the plan He has for me, I would catch my breath in wonder and with gratitude and amazement say, "yes, I stand with you- I stand for your plan."

And then I realize I don't have to have the veil removed to act upon this understanding. I can hope, and allow the warmth of the spirit and the joy of my redemption to fill me now. And that hope and joy testify that it is worth it and I will not only get through it, but be infinitely better for it. And that understanding, which I trust is the beginning of wisdom, is truly is more precious than rubies.

Let There Be Light

" Money and happiness get all of the ink, but living with purpose might be the truest and straightest line to health and happiness. " (Bob Condor, http://www.abc26.com/health/sns-health-life-purpose-happiness,0,7101337.story))
I have to agree with "cutting edge science."  It reminds me of this story:

There is the old story you have heard so many times of the question asked of three builders of St. Paul’s cathedral in London, “What are you doing here?” The first one answered, “I am working eight hours a day. I am putting in time. I am earning my living this way.” The second one said, “I am putting brick on brick and I am building a structure here.” The third, when asked, raised himself to full stature and said, “I am building a great cathedral.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “A Vision of Visiting Teaching,” Ensign, Jun 1978, 24)

I've thought about that story. It is very short, but you still can clearly see the difference in the men's feelings about their lives. They were going through very similar motions throughout the day, but the third- the third knew he was creating something of lasting value. I especially love the line "raised himself to full statures." He felt his life was being spent in a meaningful purpose, and the satisfaction and happiness he felt in that stood out. It resonates with me because as I came to really study the scriptures and received a witness of who I am and why I am here, I honestly felt that, for the first time, I grew a backbone- a feeling of purpose. I came to understand that the creation of the earth was only preparatory to the ongoing creative work of the Lord, and miraculously, I could have a part in that. Hence, the master creator laid out for me important information about how to successfully go about doing my part in our creative partnership.

First, consider parallels between the creation of the earth and the process we need to go through to be born again and accept the "challenge to become" (Elder Oaks). The earth is described as "void," "without form," -a little bit of purposeless matter until it heard and responded to the voice of the Lord. Because it responded with obedience to each of the Lord's commands, it eventually became a vibrant, beautiful, living creation, with great purpose- an instrument in the hands of the Lord in supporting and nurturing others.

Now look as us. The scriptures teach us that the Savior is the "light of the world."(John 8:12, D&C 88:5-13) And the Lord laments that " that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light." The Lord describes those who have rebelled, or been unable to receive gospel light, as "those that sit in darkness." (Psalms 107:10, Luke 1:79, Doctrine & Covenants 57:10) But He promises those who faithfully follow Him, who make it their work and their purpose to receive and act upon the light they do receive -literally obey as the earth did- they eventually will become full of light and truth. And, along the way they will become beings who are instruments in the Lord's hands in offering life and spiritual nurturing to others.

That which of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. (Doctrine & Covenants 50:24)

And if your eye be single to my glory (see John 7:18), you’re your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and that body which is filled with light compreheneth all things. (Doctrine & Covenants 88:67)

I particularly love the way the story of Alma and the Sons of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon illustrate. Shortly after painfully deciding he "lacked wisdom" and would turn to the Lord, Alma talked about his prior condition:

"My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God." (Mosiah 27:29)

Later, Ammon, one of the sons of Mosiah, reflects on the power of the Lord, and how, through His power, they have become joyful, purposeful instruments in the Lord's hands:

And this is the great blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about his great work….I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold my joy is full, yea my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God…Yea they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light…they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love….yea we will rejoice, for our joy is full….I cannot say the smallest part which I feel. (Alma 26:3-16)

Of course, if you are familiar with the story, you know that prior to that day of great rejoicing there were several struggles. The mission that ended with such success began with most of them being beaten and imprisoned, and the other becoming a servant assigned a duty calculated to end in his death. These men, and so many other examples from the scriptures, all follow the pattern we see in the creation. They continue to strive to faithfully follow the Lord commands through several creative phases. Learning, growing, becoming better able to discern light and darkness for themselves, and in turn, become instruments in the Lord's hands in offering it to others.

There is so much more to learn from the creation, but as I think about it, I think discussing those lessons fit better with specific examples we will encounter as we go through the Old Testament, so I'll save those notes for later. So I close with these words of encouragement:

I am asking you not to give up “for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.” That “great work” is you—your life, your future, the very fulfillment of your dreams. That “great work” is what, with effort and patience and God’s help, you can become. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “However Long and Hard the Road,” New Era, Sep 1983, 38)

Believe That He Is

Ever thought about "vanity?" Bet you have- after all we live in a society where millions spend billions every year hoping to attain or maintain a very narrow ideal of beauty. Although it is not the first definition, the one we most often talk of is to "take excessive pride in ones appearance or accomplishments." Our culture has long focused on a preoccupation with physical beauty being "vanity", and we have several indications that vanity no longer carries just negative connotations, but has blended with the ideas of beauty and taking care of oneself. Our area for daily grooming is called a "vanity." Those fun personalized licenses plates are called "vanity plates." Business dealing with beauty and fashion include the word "vanity" in their name as a selling point. With all this, it can be easy to lose the origin of the word and how the Lord frequently uses it through out the scriptures.

The root of the word comes from the Latin "vanus" which means empty and void of purpose. Most of the words used in the Bible agree with that definition: something empty, as insubstantial as air, without meaning or purpose. One of the Hebrew words for "vanity" expounds the meaning a bit. It literally means a "flowing away" and indicates a vessel that is "emptied of contents or usefulness." (Jeff A. Benner, Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible,p.67) In 100s of scriptures the Lord laments that we literally waste- throw away- the opportunity for our mortal experience of be filled with the growth, meaning and purpose he offers, and replace it with an endless variety of things that are empty.

So what does this have to do with the creation of the earth? Well, as part of the restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Christ, we had two additional accounts of the creation put into our written scriptures. And that is just the beginning of the repetition of the creation account we receive if we endeavor to faithfully follow the Lord's plan. As I wrote about before in "Patterns and Principles," when the Lord repeats, it is important to pay attention - the Lord doesn't do vanity!  So the question is what are the eternally significant reasons for us to repeatedly review and ponder the creation?

For one, pondering the creation is a key element in bringing us to an understanding of our true relationship with the Lord, so we will take instruction from Him. That is a key reason for the repetition- to help us avoid vanity.

“The purpose of God’s creations and of His giving us life is to allow us to have the learning experience necessary for us to come back to Him, to live with Him in eternal life. That is only possible if we have our natures changed through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, true repentance, and making and keeping the covenants He offers” (Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “Education for Real Life,” Ensign, Oct. 2002, 16).

Remember back in "Back to the Beginning" I talked about how in the scriptures show a link between being taught and reminded of the creation, and true repentance(the tool by which we lay hold of the atonement of Christ, and make the most of this mortal opportunity) and conversion(becoming what we came here to become). The many times that the earth's creation is mentioned in connection to repentance really began to jump out at me after hearing this:

The doctrine of repentance is much broader than a dictionary’s definition. When Jesus said “repent,” His disciples recorded that command in the Greek language with the verb metanoeo. This powerful word has great significance. In this word, the prefix meta means “change.” The suffix relates to four important Greek terms: nous, meaning “the mind”; gnosis, meaning “knowledge”; pneuma, meaning “spirit”; and pnoe, meaning “breath.”

Thus, when Jesus said “repent,” He asked us to change—to change our mind, knowledge, and spirit—even our breath. A prophet explained that such a change in one’s breath is to breathe with grateful acknowledgment of Him who grants each breath. King Benjamin said, “If ye should serve him who has created you … and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath … from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.”(Mosiah 2:21-25)  (Russell M. Nelson, “Repentance and Conversion,” Ensign, May 2007, 102–5)

Later in the same address, the same prophet, Mosiah, counsels his people how to stay on the path that would make the most of this earthy journey and lead to eternal life:

Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things both in heaven and in earth, believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth, believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend. (Mosiah 4:1 also Mosiah 5:15)

An Earlier prophet, seeking to leave his children with all they needed to not waste their life in vanity taught:

And now, my sons, I speak unto you these thing for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both heavens and the earth, and all thing that in them are…to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man. (2 Nephi 2:14-15)

And another:

For Behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, o then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hand upon the face of it…wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. (Jacob 4:9-10)

And another:

Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread for the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. (Isaiah 41:5)

Ok, I guess I need to go on, but there are many more examples. As I think about the effect coming to truly "believe that (God) created all things both in heaven and in earth" had on me, I am reminded of what Moses said when he witnessed a portion of what the Lord had created:

"Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."(Moses 1:10)

This is not a negative, self-deprecating thing, but an eye opening wondrous thing. Pondering the creation, asking for confirmation that these accounts are given by a loving Heavenly Father for our benefit, and exercising faith, allows the spirit to teach us the truth that God is and that He did create all things. This in turn renews and illuminates within us a depth of awe and gratitude for all we have been given. We get an expanded perspective of all that has been done for us- how endless are the gifts that have been created for our benefit. (Even something as natural as breathing feels more like the blessing and miracle it is.) And with that gratitude comes a softness, a realization like unto what Moses described and Jacob encouraged his people to realize. And then we are more teachable and willing to receive the Lord's tutelage. And He teaches us that we are His children and if we will follow the path He defines we can become like Him. We can become beings that have His capacity to give and create- something we can begin to practice right now. Which is why reviewing the accounts of creation has so much more to teach us- it is what the Lord has presently given us explaining how he creates- but that is a topic that, at the very least, deserves a blog all its own.

Choose Your Parent

My brothers and sisters, the longer I examine the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more I understand that the Lord’s commitment to free agency is very, very deep! So much deeper than is our own. The more I live, the more I also sense how exquisite is his perfect love for us! (Neal A. Maxwell, “Patience,” Ensign, Oct 1980, 28)

This quote keeps running through my mind as I am considering what it means that the Lord addresses both Moses and Abraham as "my son." (Moses1:6, Abraham 3:12) It is not the first time I have considered and studied within the scriptures how the Lord addresses his children and tries to teach them of their Heavenly Parentage. The list of scriptures is extensive: (Psalms 82:6, John 10:33-36, Hosea 1:10, Romans 8:16-17, Acts 17:29, Galatians 4:6-7, Hebrews 12:9 for starters.) One thing that is very much a pattern in these scriptures is that the ability to recognize our true spiritual heritage is dependant upon a desire to learn and willingness to be taught by the spirit.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16)

And because ye are sons, god hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)

The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been since the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy spirit… and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ and becometh as a child…willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19)

But there are also several scriptures which affirm that if we choose, we can use this mortal opportunity to sever our paternal tie to our Heavenly Father and literally choose a different father- we can forgoe His plan for our eternal welfare. Seeing the sorrow giving us agency has brought to the Lord, we begin to understand the importance being able to choose plays in the opportunity to become like our Father. It is breathtaking to think of the depth of love and sacrifice involved in giving us this mortal opportunity. For instance, as part of the vision shown to Moses, the Lord showed Enoch, Noah, and the flood. Moses witnesses Enoch's conversing with the Lord, and the Lord weeping over the choices his children have made.

Behold these they brethren…,I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment that they should love one another and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection…. There has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren….Satan shall be their father. (Moses7:32-37)

What does that mean- "Satan shall be their father?" What do we know about Satan and about what, through his choices he has become? In Revelations 12:10, he is identified as the "accuser of our bretheren." So it was no surprise to discover that is exactly what the title "el satan" means in Hebrew- "the accuser." It indicates a person who accuses as an adversary, with an eye, not towards justice, but towards the destruction of the person they are accusing, so slandering and lying are perfectly acceptable to bring about the desired end. The word "devil" has a similar meaning. In fact, the same Greek word can be translated "slander." No wonder he is identified as the "father of lies" and the "father of contention." (Moses 4:4, 3 Nephi 11:29)

Now lets look at what we learn of how Satan became who and what he is from the accounts of the council in Heaven we received as part of the restoration.(Moses 4:1-4, Abraham 3:27-28) In them the key difference between the Savior's response to the Father's plan and Satan's is a pretty heavy accusation. Satan accused the Father of making a plan that was not the best for His children. Satan claimed his plan was better. In making that accusation Satan is literally claiming that the knowledge, perspective, and wisdom he has is sufficient for him to consider himself equal to the Father. His definition of the word "son" seems to be that the Father should use His power according to Satan's self proclaimed knowledge and wisdom. He claims that he has no room for growth.

But the Savior, with perfect faith in the Father, said, "Father they will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (Moses 4:2) The Savior led out in showing what it truly means to be a "son of God" and "submit in all things, even as a child doth submit to his father." He was the creator, under the direction of the Father, of heaven and earth, and yet he came to earth in very humble circumstances, and "he received not fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fullness. And thus he was called a son of God, because he received not a fullness at first." (Doctrine & Covenants 93:13-14)

So he not only is our advocate, pleading our cause and paying the debt for this mortal opportunity we do not have capacity to pay; but he, himself obediently submitted to the Father's plan for celestial growth. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him." (Hebrews 5:8-9) He was the first to fully become what the Lord wants for each of us to become through consistently affirming (never accusing- in full faith- even in the midst of bruising opposition) the Father's perfect knowledge, wisdom, love, and plan. He was the first, in the words of Elder Oaks', to accept the "Challenge to Become:"

In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something…. We are challenged to move through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal life. This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason—for the pure love of Christ. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 32–34)

So, when Jehovah talked with Moses and Abraham, and called both "my son," it was not only an affirmation that they (and we) are literal spiritual children of our Heavenly Father, but more specifically it was an affirmation of what Moses and Abraham have desired to gain through this mortal experience. That they have chosen to do things the Lord's way, be born again through Jesus Christ, follow his commandments, and "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that (they) may be filled with his love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are the true follower of his Son, Jesus Christ; that (they) may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him." (Moroni 7:48)

Incredible what this means for each of us! One of beauties of studying the Old Testament is the opportunity to see how this promise was fulfilled in the lives of many of the people we will study. Over and over, not only do they testify of God with their words, but their stories and life experiences themselves become types and similitudes that testify of Christ and his mission. We literally see "his image in (their) countenances." (Alma 5:12) They did become "windows to his love." That is what being born again through Christ, and choosing our Heavenly Father means.

Patterns and Principles

I"ve been thinking about apples- well one apple in particular. The one that Isaac Newton observed in his orchard all those years ago and inspiration struck. How many millions, perhaps billions, of individuals had observed a falling piece of fruit before that day? What Newton observed was a common, oft repeated phenomenon. Both the question he asked and the mathematics he expressed his theory in were not original. So what made the difference? Why did he see in this oft repeated phenomenon a key to dramatically improving our understanding of the laws that govern gravity?

I think I just asked a question that is more than a little debated- and I am certainly in no position to answer it definitively, but letting Newton answer it, is, I think, permissible.

When the young Cambridge-educated clergyman Richard Bentley was called upon in 1692 to deliver the first Boyle Lectures for the defense of Christianity against in fidelity, he buttressed his natural theological arguments for the existence of God with support form Newton's Principia. While revising his lectures for the press, he wrote the author of the Principia to determine if his deployments of physics would meet the approval of the great man himself. In his first reply to Bentley Newton confirmed: "When I wrote my treatise about our Systeme I had an eye upon such Principles as might work wth considering men for the beleife of a Diety & nothing can rejoice me more then to find it usefull for that purpose." Newton went on and asserted that "ye diurnal rotations of ye Sun & Planets as they could hardly arise from any cause purely mechanical… they seem to make up that hormony in ye system wch…was the effect to choice rather than chance. (http://www.isaac-newton.org/pdf/Snobelen%20Isaac%20Newton%20Encyclopedia%20of%20science%20and%20religion%202003.pdf)

In *Optiks*, (Newton) writes that the business of science is to "deduce causes from effects, till we come to the very first cause, which certainly is not mechanical." In Newton's eyes, the major benefit of science is religious and moral. It shows us "what is the first cause, what power he has over us, and what benefits we receive from him," so that "our duty towards him, as well as that towards one another will appear to us by the light of nature." (http://faithwellgrounded.org/apologetics/isaac-newton-creationist)

These statements, among many, illustrate that according to Newton, the perspective from which he investigated the world included a certainty that there was a God, that He was the same today, yesterday and forever, and he wanted us to learn the laws and principles upon which He governs the world and space, so that it would bring us back to Him. Like most of the fathers of modern science, Newton believed that the scientific method, and studying cause and effect, would lead to understanding and truth, precisely because there was a supreme creator who governed according to consistent and unchanging laws or principles. Even now, scientists (even scientists who claims to be atheist) continue to discover more about our world and universe by assuming that there are unchanging laws at work, that the working of those laws will result in repeated patterns of cause and effect, and that those patterns help us to discover an understand those laws.

This little foray into the history of science came about because I've also been thinking about the Lord's method for teaching us about eternal laws and principles, and the great effort He puts forth so we can learn His ways. I started thinking about that because of a comment a friend made, which in turn, brought to mind other comments and my own past feelings about studying the scriptures. I haven't always enjoyed it like I do now. In fact, I thought of it, at best, as a timed duty - read my scriptures for 10 minutes today, and I won't have to feel guilty. I remember, during my teenage years, thinking that I had been taught the gospel my whole life, knew it pretty well, and being bored as talks and lessons seemed to cover the same material over and over again. There was a whole world of interesting information and truth out there that I had yet to discover! I thought I should spend my time and energy on that.

Then came that time in my life- a time that seemed dark and joyless. I don't want to take the time to share details about that now, but eventually I came to the conclusion that possibly, maybe, I "lacked wisdom." I had this sinking feeling that all my energetic pursuit of knowledge was, well kind of like what I later found illustrated in this story told by Elder Oaks:

Two men formed a partnership. They built a small shed beside a busy road. They obtained a truck and drove it to a farmer’s field, where they purchased a truckload of melons for a dollar a melon. They drove the loaded truck to their shed by the road, where they sold their melons for a dollar a melon. They drove back to the farmer’s field and bought another truckload of melons for a dollar a melon. Transporting them to the roadside, they again sold them for a dollar a melon. As they drove back toward the farmer’s field to get another load, one partner said to the other, “We’re not making much money on this business, are we?” “No, we’re not,” his partner replied. “Do you think we need a bigger truck?”

We don’t need a bigger truckload of information, either. Like the two partners in my story, our biggest need is a clearer focus on how we should value and use what we already have….

With greatly increased free time and vastly more alternatives for its use, it is prudent to review the fundamental principles that should guide us. Temporal circumstances change, but the eternal laws and principles that should guide our choices never change. (Dallin H. Oaks, “Focus and Priorities,” Liahona, Jul 2001, 99–102)

Similarly, when I went to the Lord with my admission that I knew I "lacked wisdom," I was impressed by an understanding of how little I knew the scriptures. I had the impression I was like a person who claimed a desire to understand how to fly, but who had steadfastly avoided courses in aerodynamics and the laws of physics, opting instead for courses on pottery and jumping off high objects. Despite seminary and college courses, I had never approached the scriptures with the same inquisitive intensity I approached other educational books. I determined to do it, and set a goal to work my way through the standard works, with the aid of the institute manuals. Among so much it can't be covered in a 1000 blogs, I discovered that I hadn't been wrong about there being a lot of repetition. However, my reaction to that repetition was very different.

Perhaps it helped that I was now a parent and knew a bit of what it takes to teach independent little souls. But when I reached a passage of scripture and felt it was, more or less, a repetition of something I'd seen elsewhere, I saw it as an exclamation point. As if the Lord was saying, "this is something important- pay attention!" The very passages I'd formerly tuned out, because I had felt "been there done that," began instead to "rivet (my) attention." (Henry B. Eyring, “Safety in Counsel,” Liahona, Jun 2008, 2–7) The repetition not only emphasized important things, but as I paid attention patterns began to emerge, and these patterns led to a growing understanding of the underlying eternal laws and principles. Laws and principles, that as Elder Oaks pointed out, didn't change despite the fact that the people involved in the scriptural accounts lived in widely varying "temporal circumstances." The scriptures are the key to our understanding that a host of every day, oft repeated, experiences (including those that wrench our hearts) testify of eternal principles, and when we respond by living our lives in accordance to those principles it becomes the meaningful, eternally pivotal experience it was meant to be. Elder Boyd K. Packer described it perfectly:

If (you) are acquainted with the revelations, there is no question--personal or social or political or occupational-- that need go unanswered. Therein is contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel. Therein we find principles of truth that will resolve every confusion and every problem and every dilemma that will face the human family or any individual in it. ("Teach the Scriptures," in Charge to religious educators [3rd ed,] p.89)

Moses 1 - Patterns

When I was young, my mother tried to teach me how to sew. I found it tedious, and soon decided sewing was not  for me. I did learn valuable lessons that came in handy. I could mend rips and do basic fixes for my family and gained sufficient skill to sew a strait line for curtains. But, a few years ago, when my daughter really wanted a renaissance dress for Halloween, I came to appreciate what I now think of as the "parable of the renaissance dress."

We first looked to purchase a dress. We couldn't find one she liked, and the ones we did find were prohibitively expensive. I thought back to the times when my mother had created dance costumes, prom dresses- all made specific to my taste and for much less than they could be bought- and felt a desire to give that kind of gift to my daughter. But a dress? That sounded way too complicated! I had long ago accepted that I was not seamstress material. But, my mother had repeated often, as she sewed clothes for us, that it wasn't hard, if you were just careful in following the pattern. I decided to entertain the idea she was right, and my daughter and I went to check out the possibilities found in the fabric stores. We found a pattern we loved, marked for beginners, and the perfect materials. I remember trying hard to hide my nervous trepidation as I paid for the materials. The amount was very reasonable- provided we actually got a dress out of it! This time, I carefully followed the pattern and instructions, and although it took a week, my daughter had her dress. As I have remembered her in that dress I have thought, "What a difference it makes when you want to learn and are ready and are willing to follow the pattern designed by one who has already succeeded and mastered what you are trying to do."
Moses 1 is one of the chapters of scripture that turned this experience from a life lesson, to a personal parable of eternal significance. In Doctrine and Covenants 52:14 the Lord promises, "I will give unto you a pattern in all things that ye many not be deceived." And that is what this first chapter of Moses is all about. I find it so remarkable, such a testament to the Lord's love, and the careful preparation of His instructions to us, that as part of the restoration, we were given the Book of Moses. In the church curriculum, when the Old Testament is studied, it begins with Moses 1. And Moses 1 is a perfect, compact, information packed example of what I have come to call the "Lord's pattern for growth and learning."  And it is not limited to Moses.  It was while reading this chapter that something clicked- I realized that what Moses experienced in this chapter paralleled a pattern seen in the lives of other righteous individuals including- but certainly not limited to- Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Isaiah, Lehi, Joseph Smith, Peter, and even the Savior. It is, among other things, the Lord's tutorial on how to approach this mortal experience and the study of His word to really learn.  Here is my take on that pattern:

Step 1: I believe this step is most eloquently phrased by James, "If any man lack wisdom."(James 1:5) Before the Lord can teach us anything, we have to choose him as our teacher. I mentioned a handful of men above, and for each of them, the scriptures also provide and example of someone who chose to maintain that they did not "lack wisdom." For example, both Moses and Pharaoh witnessed the miracles of the Lord, but their responses, and where those responses led them, were very different. The same can be said of Peter and those who plotted the Savior's death, of Nephi and Laman, and the list could go on.

I think my favorite insight from Moses 1 with regard to this step is that we don't have to be perfectly humble and teachable for the Lord to answer our prayers and tutor us. It is after he has the first marvelous teaching session recorded in this chapter (which verse 17 tells us was sometime after Moses' initial call) that Moses says, "Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."(Moses 1:10) Moses' experience illustrates the remainder of what James taught. The Lord will "give liberally" and "upbraideth not." The key is to "awake and arouse you faculties, even to experiment upon (the Lord's) words." (Alma 32:27) Which brings us to step 2.

Step 2: Inquire (or search, ponder, and pray). As Moses' experience shows us, this is not an idle asking, but an active, deeply involved inquiry. Like most words used in the Old Testament, the word translated inquiry denotes active involvement and could also be translated as "seek" or "search." It indicates an intense desire to find and obtain something. I have come to believe that this life boils down to an opportunity to discover for ourselves what we most desire, or as the Savior put it, "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 6:21) And where our heart is usually dictates what we do with our time.

One thing my children have taught me is that questions are not always inquiries. For example "Why can't I….?" from the lips of my teenagers is usually not an opening for me to explain or teach. Rather, from their perspective it is the beginning of trying to show me why they know better than me. Although there lips ask a question, they are completely uninterested in the information I have to offer. In retrospect, I can see that the times I have felt frustrated and doubted the Lord was there, I've approached Him with a similar agenda. It is asAlma described:

It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. (Alma 12:9-10)

Step3: Manifestation (or spiritual experience): I think this is the Lord's favorite part of this mortal growth regime. Think how many times in the scriptures he laments that we will not gather to Him, learn from Him, and receive the gifts he has prepared for us. (Matthew 23:7, Doctrine & Covenants 29:2, Exodus 14:13-14, Isaiah 48:2, Doctrine and Covenants 88:33- there are lots more.) "Truly the Lord delights to bless those who love and serve him". (See D&C 76:5.) (Spencer W. Kimball, “Becoming the Pure in Heart,” Ensign, May 1978, 79) Our obedience, or searching and inquiring of him - these are ways we exercise our agency to "authorize the Spirit to teach (us)." (Elder Richard G. Scott, "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance", Ensign, November 2009, p8.)

Step 4: Trial (Hold on). In 2 Nephi, Lehi teaches his son: "For there must need be opposition in all things" so that through experiencing opposition we could come to know righteousness, happiness, and joy. (2 Nephi 11:11,13,25) In other words, life is hard. No matter where you are born, not matter what your race or religion, life will hold difficulty and pain. Believe it or not, it is part of what we came here for. It is not comfortable or fun- and I am in agreement with President Hinckley, that I'll take as little of that opposition as the Lord deems necessary for me. But the question is not whether we as mortal beings can escape adversity- we can't- it is whether that adversity will be wasted suffering or through the miracle of the atonement become an important part of building our eternal muscles. In keeping with the muscle theme, I like to remember when things are not as I wish, that I have accepted the services of the master trainer and I am now in midst of a "celestial training experience."

One of the things I love about this chapter is the way that the Lord's allowing the adversary to come and add "resistance training" to Moses' growth regimen, is smack dab in the middle of two remarkable, wonderful manifestations from the Lord. Most of us learn "line upon line,here little and there a little."(Isaiah 28:10) And our oppositional moments are also not always this intense. Nor can we always see the interconnectedness between are difficult moments, and how the Lord has prepared us so they can be times of important growth. So the way Moses successfully hung on and got through this visit from Satan is very helpful. He was afraid- he was very afraid. I've thought of how easy it would've been (because I've let it happen) to allow that fear to lead to questions like: "Why is the Lord allowing this?" "Didn't he promise, when he called me out of the bush that He would be with me?" (Exodus3:12) Where is He?" Which in turn could lead to thoughts like, "I can't stand against this powerful being." "I regret it, but the Lord isn't here and I have no choice but to bow, or he will destroy me."

But Moses thoughts seemed to take a different tract all together. One that affirms a pattern we see over and over again- he remembered what he had already learned and what it felt like to feel the Lord's presence. He did what Paul counseled and "cast not away…(his) confidence,trusting in the Lord's recompense."  (Hebrews 10:35) And in looking to what the Lord had given him, he found himself prepared- for instance he relied upon the knowledge that he is "a son of God, in similitude of his Only Begotten." And he remembered it with gratitude: "Blessed be the name of my God for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is they glory, for it is darkness unto me…I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him." (Moses 1:13,15,18)

That last line brings to mind Peter's experience in John 6. At the end of the chapter many who had thought the Savior was the promised Messiah, left from following Him because what he taught in that chapter didn't make sense to them or fit with what they thought the messiah should be doing and saying. The Savior asks Peter if he will also go and Peter replies, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the word of eternal life."

Mormon reacted in the same pattern, as we can see when he wrote his son about the destruction and pain brought about by his peoples' choices. These choices deeply impacted Mormon's life in horrible, painful ways, and he doesn't in anyway deny that, but he also wrote," My son, be faithful in Christ, and may not these things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up….And may the grace of God the Father,…be, and abide with you forever." (Moroni 9:25-26)

His son, Moroni, in turn, described this faith, this holding on to the promises of the Lord as an "anchor to the souls of men." (Ether 12:4) Doesn't that just describe what we sense in Moses' words?- An anchor that held him through this storm?

Step 5: Greater Manifestation (Witness). Again, I love this fairly compact chapter because we can see that not only did Moses receive more, but the very opposition he struggled through- the Lord allowing Moses to literally meet Satan and have personal knowledge of him- means that Moses was able to gain so much more from what the Lord then taught him. Out of 84 times the title Satan is used in our standard works, 34 are in the Book of Moses alone. (So I have two things to remember here: 1) Adversity works the same way in my life, and 2) having realized that learning about Satan and the way he works is a repeated theme in the next chapters, I can ride on Moses' coattails a little bit and learn a little more what he learned as I go through the rest of this book.)

Finally, (really!) we need to realize this is a pattern of growth that is never over, never at a standstill, and never done. The last step is: repeat. But not in a futile, running like hamster on its wheel kind of thing. No this is a taking it to the next level kind of thing. I particularly love the way President Eyring explained it while acknowledging that one of the oppositions we face as we grow is the call to greater service:

The tough part of that reality, however, is that for Him to give you that increased power you must go in service and faith to your outer limits.

It is like building muscle strength. You must break down your muscles to build them up. You push muscles to the point of exhaustion. Then they repair themselves, and they develop greater strength. Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give (Henry B. Eyring, “O Ye That Embark,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 57–60).

Doesn't that just describe what happened for Moses? Remarkable what can happen when you willingly follow a pattern established by one who has successfully completed the project and who promises you all that you need to do likewise.