Knowledge

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (introduction to the Book of Mormon)

I was raised in a 'Mormon' family.  My mother is an adult convert to the Book of Mormon, and I might say that despite being raised in a Mormon family, my father is for all practical purposes a convert.  This because he went through a period of adolescence in the which he indulged a lifestyle that was antithetical to believing the Book of Mormon.

At around 19 years of age he decided that he wanted to know if he was making a mistake with his life or not and so he decided to pray about the Book of Mormon.  The logic was that if the Book of Mormon was truly what Mormons proclaimed it to be, then he was making a mistake and needed to repent.  But if it wasn't then he could indulge beyond his current lifestyle to do things that his conscience wouldn't at the time permit.

He actually struggled with this for years going back and forth on the issue.  Finally resolving that he NEEDED to know, he set out with what he described as real intent to know.  The result of that was something that he frequently recounted to me growing up.

I am not going to recount his experience because it is sacred to him and I don't feel that I have the right to mix up the details, as I most assuredly would; having not been there myself.

I only recount his part of the story so as to bring you now into mine.  Growing up, I never struggled with doubts about the Book of Mormon.  I have even tried.  I have read a lot of criticisms, debated with a lot of people -much smarter than I- about the Book of Mormon.  I feel like I understand any of the serious arguments against it.  Yet, they all have fallen back into disarray.  I find it impossible to seriously entertain these doubts.

This hasn't been due to social or peer pressures.  I guess it is more due to the love I have felt in my family.  I know that loving families are not an exclusive 'Mormon' property.  However, I have yet to see people as weird, nutty, offensive, and eccentric as those who make up my family, that can love each other as deeply, wholly and without reserve as can those in my family.

I believe that this is the result of lives lived in conformity with the truths contained in the Book of Mormon.  At least those fruits that my family has been able to find appealing enough to consume up to this point, (thus leaving the door open for even greater growth from the additional truths that as yet we still do not recognize.)



This isn't magic.  It's not: proclaim to believe the Book of Mormon to be the most correct book on the face of the earth, and you will have a guarantee to get the love that I am proclaiming is a result of doing so.  Rather it is a fruit of my fathers active, faithful exercise to go and get an answer from God, conform his life to the truth that was revealed and then raise his children up believing and living those same things.

At this point I should make something clear.  Despite my ability to not doubt the Book of Mormon, I have struggled deeply with my inability to replicate the experience my father had when seeking to know if the Book of Mormon is true.  I have believed that the promise contained in verses 3-5 of Moroni chapter 10, applied to securing from God a divine answer regarding the authenticity of the promise made by Joseph Smith, quoted at the beginning of this post.

Yet frequently I would wonder where my answer was.  On numerous occasions I would search, ponder and pray regarding this issue.  Yet nothing akin to what my father described, or really anything that I felt comfortable describing as giving me the power to say "I know" that statement is true, occurred.

This has caused me great stress in my own personal spiritual journey.  Largely because whenever I would read the scriptures and Joseph Smith's own account, the feeling would often come to me that, if so-and-so can do it, then so can I.  This contrast of reality vs. perception continued in spite of consistent counsel that significant spiritual manifestations were rare, and used by God only for 'special people in special circumstances.'

Perhaps these are the special people who get the special circumstances?

In August of 2011, I set out to read Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman.  Unique from the experience of many others who read that book, my faith was uplifted by that book.  Whereas I had spent my life comparing myself to Joseph Smith and the subsequent recognized Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and feeling wholly inadequate to ever be in the same room as them.  That book exposed many of Joseph's weakest personal attributes and characteristics.

This had an amazing effect on my spirituality.  It fortified my faith in God and my personal belief that I could approach Him.  It caused me to believe that certainly if Joseph could encounter angels sent by God, who told him to stop 'treasure seeking,' and yet in his weakness continued; then there was still a chance that God could possibly be patient with my weaknesses consistently performed before Him in my life.  And if that was the case, then there was still reason to seek for authentic, divine answers from God to me, that would give me power to KNOW things about Him, instead of mere supposition.

Passing the Heavenly Gift

Within a month of reading that book, I was referred to another book by a close friend.  It was a book
that dealt with the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™, by an author who I was vaguely familiar with from another book -that dealt with a VERY different topic- that I already owned.  The book that I had owned dealt with man's right and obligation to come closer to our Lord, indeed even to come to Him face-to-face and to have an audience with Him.

I had perused that book and had not endeavored to read it, due to a feeling that I wasn't at a point in life to be able to dedicate the time necessary to study the points made in the book.  So I had put it on the shelf.

However, with this new book -the one that dealt with the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™, that was referred by my close friend- I had just got done reading Bushman's book, and was deeply interested in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™.  So I began reading it.

It was incredibly hard.  You should know that I was no slouch previous to this.  I had already read Michael Quinn's three book series on Church History.  I had even read some of Gerald and Sandra Tanner's material.  Yet for some reason, what I read in this book was incredibly much harder to deal with than anything before.

Here I should explain something.  What was hard about this book was not what I would call faith-challenging.  What I would define as faith-challenging is something that is deliberately bringing forth selective material for the intent to cause you to disbelieve central, core tenets of your current faith system.  Rather this book dealt with the hard issues associated with those who have been Mormons in the past, while exposing the doctrinal truths that required more diligent effort on the part of every individual Mormon.

I had never before considered that I wasn't living up to my part of the Covenant made by me, upon accepting baptism.  What I experienced in that book, was hard because it broke my heart about myself.  I had made SERIOUS logical errors about what I needed to do in this life in order to gain exaltation in the next.  This book had now exposed this personal dilemma.  I needed to be a better Mormon!

This book did something else as well.  The author testified, that he had met Christ.  Perhaps to a more sane person this might come off too weird.  Perhaps right then and there I exposed my own craziness by not claiming that, "God use to do things like that, but not anymore!"  However, being foolhardy, I was actually motivated by that testimony.

Once again, this declaration brought me back to believe even more than before that if miracles happened to others then I might be invited as well.  Perhaps God really did not have respect of persons.  To be clear, the author of this book was an attorney by profession.  He had held NO previous ecclesiastical authority other than as a father in his own home.  He had not even served an official mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints™!  So if our Lord could come and talk to a man who was nothing more than someone who believed the Lord -and an attorney to boot- then why should I not be invited?

I did consider that maybe he was lying.  Or perhaps insane.  Delusional?  He certainly wasn't dumb because the book that he produced was very meticulous in presentation of detail.

I decided that in order to get a better picture I needed to read more of what he wrote.  I wanted to find out what his slant was.  So I started reading the first book that he had written -which was the one I already owned.  I read it.  I was amazed at the doctrine contained!  The book was self-declared to be a manual on how to come unto the Lord, who is described as The Second Comforter.  If this wasn't totally preposterous it surely was presumptuous.

The Second Comforter

Yet despite the lofty claim by the author of the book to be a manual for such a thing, the principles were simple.  Nothing I had not heard or read before.  Just arranged in a manner to leave me with an even more enhanced sense that God not only left open the possibility of my coming to Him, but that He actually intended for that to happen.  God expected, while in this life for me to come into His presence and receive a remission of my sins! Just like Enos in The Book of Mormon.  (See Enos 1:1-5)

For me, this was unheard of.  Absolutely ground breaking principles that shattered my previous paradigm.  I decided then and there that I would not only read the rest of this author's books, but that more importantly I really did need to be a better Mormon.  With each book I read, Mormonism became more delicious to me.  Things I had been taught as a child now clicked in my head and heart.  Instead of finding it hard to do those things, they now became a delight.

Then love happened.  I began to love a lot more than I ever could previously.  Love for everyone.  People whom I normally looked upon with indifference or even disdain, now became people with whom I could completely empathize.  In some ways I became very liberally minded socially.  Even those who criticized me, opposed me, or ridiculed me could find no animosity in my heart to retaliate against.

I began to see King Benjamin's testimony of how I am a beggar being fulfilled.  This then caused me to love the beggars.  Even those I know/knew are/were gaming the system.  I didn't care.  I gave to them.  I tried to get to know them.  Their fears.  Their needs.  Their worries.  In whatever way I could I would help them.  Sometime this took on the form of donations.  Sometimes it was having a chat.  Other times it was giving a ride.  And sometimes it is nothing more than praying for them because I have nothing to give.

Some have told me that this is nonsense.  That I am doing more damage than good.  What they say I agree can be true.  However, the feelings that have come into my heart can not be changed.  I can not put them away now.  I believe I now know why.


Last night, after corresponding with a friend about these things, my wife and I read from Alma 32.  The words in that verse helped me see what knowledge is and that I had been missing the boat for a long time.

I want to share those verses with you, so that you can have knowledge too:

26 Now, as I said concerning faith-that it was not a perfect knowledge-even so it is with my words.  Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

Faith is not knowledge. 

 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

The Book of Mormon is exposing itself here and now as an interactive experience.  There is no use for you or I to read it if we are not going to interact with the designs of the book.  Here and now you are being taught how to know the truth of any proposition.

 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

For this interactive experience to work you have to go along.  To know the truth of a proposition, you have to be willing to allow it to plant it in your heart to see where it is going to take you.  If you allow your unbelief (not lack of belief but something that actually removes belief) to cast it out, then it does you  no good to think that you are truly finding out if a proposition is true.

Now the next thing that I want to discuss is the difference between how truth is defined in The Book of Mormon and how we try to define it contemporarily.  You may think that science discovers truth through a process of experiments that produce verifiable and quantifiable results.  However, this is not truth.  While one does produce results that then can be sustained and repeated through the scientific method, it however does not produce truth.  In fact the purpose of the Scientific Method is to demonstrate what is not true.  However, because in this world truth is a contradiction of itself, the Scientific Method can never arrive at truth; only explores the options of what is not true.

So the proposition of what is being described here in these verses (how to come to KNOW something) is inherently antithetical to everything you experience in this world.  Therefore it should not come as a surprise to you that like seeing in another dimension the things expressed will be counter-intuitive to everything else in this world.

The first step to KNOWING something is after having given room and planted the thing that you want to know in your heart, it will begin to swell.  Swelling enlarges.  This indicates the possibility of life.  All life is generated by Christ.  Life is truth.  The Word of God is truth.  But not all swelling indicates life.  However, this swelling in your heart is delicious to your soul.

 29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

Because not all swelling indicates life, just because you have swelling, does not indicate that you have truth.  In order to be truth it needs to have life.  If it has life it will grow past swelling (providing you don't or haven't cast it out by unbelief.)

 30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

Swelling, sprouting, and beginning to grow.  Now this indicates life.  If something causes your soul to stir, it is only moving.  That doesn't mean it has life.  However, if it makes itself manifest in this world, in a tangible, visible manner, then we now know that it has life.  This is sprouting.

For me this happened in the actions the Word gave to me, that changed how I lived my life.  I read something and it struck me as true, and as a result it became manifest in my actions.  

Beginning to grow is the step when it not only caused me to change the actions prescribed but also changed my heart.  Love for others grew as an outgrowth of the original sprouting.  

Swelling, Sprouting, and Beginning to grow.  IT IS BY THIS THAT ONE COMES TO KNOW!

 31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

 32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

If after swelling, it doesn't sprout and grow, then cast it away.  

 33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

Think about it: This is Knowledge.  This is how to know Truth.  Not by going through the things that you should disbelieve (scientific method.)  Rather Knowledge comes by believing.  Allowing a place in your heart for truth to be planted.  Letting it grow and watching earnestly for it to sprout and grow after it has been planted.  

Why do you think that so much emphasis was placed by Christ proclaiming that you must BELIEVE, during His mortal ministry? (see Matt 9:28; 21:22, 25, 32; Mark 1:15; 5:36; 9:23; 11:24; 16:16; Luke 1:20; 8:12; 8:50; 22:67; 24:11, 25; John 1:7, 12; 2:11, 22-23; 3:12; 16, 18, 36; 4:42, 53; 5:24, 46; 6:29, 69; 7:31; 8:24, 30, 45; 9:35; 10:25-26, 38; 11:15, 25, 27, 45, 48; 12: 11, 36, 42, 44, 47; 13:19; 14:1, 12; 16:27; 17:8, 20, 21; 19:35; 20:25,27,29,31.  I hope you realize that I didn't waste my time looking up these references just to show that I could list a bunch of scriptures.  You should really look at these references....at least a few of them.)  

You don't need to believe in men.  You don't need to believe in an institution.  You need to believe that He is capable of clearing the way before you.  All of this if you will #1-) clear a place in your heart for the seed to be planted #2-) let it grow #3-) believe the results!

 34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.

Your faith is dormant!  This because Knowledge supplants faith.  Swell, enlighten, expand.

 35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?

This is as real as this world gets.  You may enter into different realms above that of the plane upon which this world resides, but for the here and now, this is real.  It may be anecdotal, but it is nevertheless real.  At the day in which you go to meet God, you will not be able to deny that it wasn't.

Whatsoever is light, is good.  That because it is discernible.  From what?  The darkness which surrounds you.  This world is full of darkness.  Light swells.  Light brings life.  Therefore it grows.
   

 36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.

 37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

Nourish the plant.  The garden of Eden was a place where food grew spontaneously without labor on our part.  We are in the process of returning to that condition.  In order for that to happen, there must be a garden full of trees that produce fruit.

In the world to come I doubt there is a need for food to give energy to the physical body.  However, there will be need to feed that which is spiritual.  If you do not have the tree, you do not have the fruit.  Nourish the plant that it may get root, grow up and bring forth fruit.

 38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

 39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

Is your ground barren?  Do you refuse to nourish the plant?  Regardless of whether your ground is barren, it can be made fertile if you will just nourish it.  This requires care.  Do you care?  Or do the cares of this world overrun and choke out the plant that grows to be the tree?  

Alma has been speaking metaphorically.  However, this is real.  It is a real tree that produces real fruit.

 40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

The Tree of Life that was in the Garden of Eden is guarded by a super ninja angel with a flaming sword!  When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  When God cuts your path off to just walk up and eat of the Tree of Life, grow a new one!

Don't think that you are circumventing Him or His plan.  This is His plan.  This Tree is the Tree of Life, because it comes from Christ, the only One who has life!  He has made it possible for you to do this.

However you are circumventing His plan when through your disobedience or through the traditions of your fathers, you refuse to allow the seed that He freely gives out to grow!

Look forward with an eye of faith to the fruit that will one day grow in abundance due to your diligent labor in nourishing and caring for the tree.  Believe that it can and will happen!

 41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

 42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

This is not nor will it ever be easy.  It requires faith, diligence, patience and long-suffering.  The tree is the Mother of God.  (1st Nephi 11:9-15)  She produces children for God.  Children with Life!  That is what Christ came to do for you: to give you the opportunity to have life and that eternally!

He will do this if each of us will individually allow Him to do what He came to do.  What is described above is HOW I know.  I have shared this with you because it is part of my plant sprouting and beginning to grow.  I wanted to share with you, because the change in my heart compels me to do so.  I know it is so.  You can too.
God bless you!

Light And The Absence Thereof

In the heavens, the Sun is the only source of life sustaining light as far as we are concerned.  The Moon and the planets receive their light from the Sun and are not able in and of themselves to produce light; only reflect the true source.  

The light reflected by the Moon can illuminate a pathway sufficient enough to give direction, but who would want to live solely by it?  

All light illuminates.  It originates from Christ.  

God associates His power with His word.  This typology is given to John in John's documented revelation of Jesus Christ, as a sword that issues forth from Christ's mouth (Revelation 1:16; 19:15.)  Additionally we find this type in the men who are given His power in their word, to "kill the wicked with the breath from [their] lips." (see Isaiah 11:4)

God's Power is His word.  God's word is truth.  His truth is light. (see D&C 84:45)

God's Power is therefore also typified by the visual light we see.  God's power -the authorized version of it given to man- is expressed in the term, Priesthood.  

Therefore Priesthood is typified in light.  Through the Sun's light reflected by the Moon, the lesser priesthood is typified.  It points to the true light at night.  It stands as a nearly invisible, side witness during the day; fulfilling the calling given it for serving as a sign and processing through the seasons.  

Lesser priesthood is that of a fellowship among men or a 'hood' of priests. It serves only to allow men to point a mind to Christ by those to whom it will be 'received', (Jacob 4:5.) 

However, despite the lesser priesthood being a fellowship of men, they -like the Moon- wholly derive whatever light that they reflect from the true and only source of light in our darkness.  If the conditions by which the light is governed is not obeyed, then the light is cut off.  

In order to reflect light the Moon must face the Sun.  When through the process of only operating in the lesser/reflective light the Moon steps into the shadows and seeks to become a light unto itself, simultaneously with that action the light is taken away.  

Isn't this an interesting testimony that we have in the heavens?  On April 4th there will be a lunar eclipse.  Creating a display that cuts the light off to the Moon which is a type of the fellowship of men.  Instead of the usual illuminated semblance of a full moon deferring glory to the Sun from which it derives it's own light, that would be in effect otherwise;  there will be a symbolic display of blood which comes from a cutting.

The testimony of the heavens set there from the foundations of this world by God can not be changed, only disregarded (Jeremiah 31:35-36.)  It makes me want to be more aware of all of His works.  I wonder what other neat stuff is happening on the 4th of April?

Understanding The Truths Restored In The Book Of Mormon

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents.  Therefore having been taught somewhat in all the learning of my father.



Nephi equates being a good parent with teaching children in ALL of the learning that an individual may posses.  The children may not retain all of this learning, but if our desires are to live according to the definition that Nephi gives of being a "good" parent: we will teach them.

This principle was emphasized in the days of Joseph Smith.  On May 6, 1833 The Lord explained, "I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth."  A commandment given to all Latter-Day saints to bring up your children in light and truth.

Previously in the same discussion the Lord told Joseph, "The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words light and truth."  

A few months earlier He explained, "The Word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

So the first truth restored in The Book of Mormon that we encounter is the reality that all parents have a command from God to bring up their children in light.  Whatsoever is truth, is light.  Whatsoever is light, is the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  Which is His glory.  Which glory is intelligence.  

Earlier in the process of the restoration came a warning, however.  The Lord explained to Joseph's brother Hyrum that, "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."  This warning is puzzling in our day.  We are not familiar with a process of how to obtain the Word of the Lord unless it means simply to purchase scriptures.  Hyrum did have scriptures available to him at this point.  However, not the Book of Mormon as it had not been published yet...   

So on one hand we are commanded to teach our children after the all of our learning.  While at the same time we are warned against declaring the word of the Lord until we have first obtained the word of the Lord.  

-What does it mean to obtain the Word of the Lord?  
-What does that look like?
-Why the warning of not declaring before first obtaining?

Going back to the discussion the Lord gave to Joseph on May 6, 1833 He stated, "that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers."  The warning of declaring before first obtaining is given because we don't/shouldn't want to be responsible for passing on disobedience to God to anyone, especially our future generations due to the traditions of our fathers which traditions we are not adequately trained to differentiate from the Word of the Lord.

In speaking of faith, Mormon explained, " ...so great was [The Brother of Jared's] faith in God, that when God put forth His finger He could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of His word which He had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith.  

And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, (because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith) the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore He showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil."

If we go back and read the Brother of Jared's account preserved within the Book of Ether, we find that -after praying that he, his family and friends not be confounded- he later petitioned the Lord to know whether it were His will to lead the Brother of Jared, his family and friends out of the land where they currently resided and into a new land of promise.  

He received a promise that the Lord would lead this group to such a place.  As a result of obtaining this promise, the quote cited above indicates that the Brother of Jared was able to posses the faith necessary to enter into the presence of the Lord; to see not only His finger but His face and whole body; and to commune with Him there.

Obtain is not a passive verb.  It is an action verb.  It requires effort from the person doing the obtaining.  If effort is not exerted then the appropriate word to use would not be obtain but rather received.
  
We have a commandment to bring up our children in light.  We are warned against the folly of declaring God's word when we have not obtained it.  

The Book of Mormon has restored the light to understand the escape from this conundrum.