Cleon Skousen, Meaning of the Atonement

I’ve always been puzzled, as a boy, by the Easter story. I used to sit there in Sunday School, in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, and I used to sit there and they’d tell me how Jesus suffered on the cross and I’d, that just left a lot of questions in my mind. Now here’s a person, a beautiful, beautiful person. Son of our Heavenly Father and He’s up on that cross, got a crown on his head made of thorns, He’s got dried blood down his face, He’s been all lacerated with a cat-of-nine-tails, and He’s up there on that cross, He’s got spikes in his hands, and He’s got them in his wrists and He’s got them in his feet, and He’s just all sweaty and bloody, and he’s hanging there on the cross. And I want to know what that’s for. I want to know what that does. What does that help do? And who wanted that anyway?
Everybody said it’s necessary. I want to know why. I want to know what it accomplishes. What’s he doing up there? Romans crucified a lot of people, but, why the son of God? What was this for? Why did they prophecy? Why did Enoch say he would die on a cross? So I used to say that to myself every Easter. So when I got on my mission, age 17, I’m riding on a train with an apostle of the Lord. He’s sitting there like all mission presidents do - worrying about the conference that we’re going to have and the missionaries, I guess. He is very quiet and meditative and I said, “Brother Widtsoe, can I ask you a question?” He said, “Oh, oh, yes.” For I knew I had awakened him from a reverie of meditation on something. He was a very famous scientist, by the way, brother Widtsoe. I said, “I wanted to just ask you about why the Atonement was necessary.” I said, “I accept the fact that it is but I just wondered why? I wondered what would happen, or what caused it, to have the Father require the Son to go through this.” And he said, “Elder Skousen, who asked you to ask me this question?”“Oh,” I said, “well, I, nobody. It’s my question. Nobody asked me to ask it.”He said, “I’m not asked that question very often. Do you really want to know why the Atonement was necessary?”And I said, “Well, if it’s alright.”“Yes,” he said, “it’s alright. How badly do you want to know the answer?”And I said, “Well, I’ve - I’ve wanted to know it ever since I was a little boy.”“Alright,” he said, “You know, if people don’t ask questions, they can’t hear the answer. So, I’ll share the answer with you over a period of time.”“Oh,” I said, “I so appreciate that.” and I got out my pencil. I said, “If you’ll give me the verses and everything, I’ll write it right down here.”“Well,” he said, “I’ll tell you what to look for and I’ll tell you which standard work it’s in.”I said, “aren’t you going to give me the chapter and verse?”
He said, “I wouldn’t deprive you of the thrill of finding it.”
So he’d tell me, “Now this is what to look for. This is the source of God’s power and this is where you’ll find it in the early part of the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C). And here’s where Jesus asked if he couldn’t get out of it and this is in several passages in the New Testament and it’ll say these things. Now you look for that. And then you’ll find some very basic scientific truths located in second Nephi and this is what it will tell you.” Do you know it took me seven years before I had located all of those passages!
And each time I’d see President Widtsoe, both on my mission and after I returned home, I’d report in. And he’d say, “Well, you’re doing pretty good. I’ll give you the section of the Doctrine and Covenants - try 88 or 29 or whatever it was.” And so, I’d look and there it was, there it was. I’d read right past it several times and missed it. And finally, finally I wrote it all up and put it together and sent it to him.
“Alright,” he said, “now, we need to get some of these things back into the mainstream of thought because the Latter-Day Saints aren’t doing what Jacob said to do.” He said, “We ought to talk about the Atonement and why it’s necessary a little more.” So he said, ”Put that in your next book.” And so I did in “The First Two Thousand Years”, in the appendix-”Why Is The Atonement Necessary.”
Now you listen to the angels when they appeared to the shepherds. The fact that Jesus was born wasn’t the important thing. Just being born wasn’t important. He frightened the shepherds terribly. I mean they were just out - it was early in the spring - it was April. It wasn’t in December the 25th. That’s when the Romans were celebrating the birth date of Sol, their sun god. Christians didn’t have a birth date so they said, “Well we’ll, now that we’re adopting Christianity, we’ll take the birth date of [Sol], the sun god. That’s how it’s happened to be the 25th of December. There aren’t any sheep out on the 25th of December. They’re out in the spring when the grass is starting. It starts the second week in March so that’s why the shepherds were out there. So they’re watching their sheep - lots of wolves out there in those days. That’s why they are watching them. And all of a sudden it happened. Here’s this burst of light and a personage appears and he knew he had scared them. Joseph Smith said, “When I prayed and Moroni came, I was expecting something to happen but even so, when he came he comforted me. That was the first thing he said was not to be afraid, “It’s alright, it’s alright.”
So that’s what the angel said, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy. Which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find him wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.” And then the heavenly choirs couldn’t be held back and they just split back the veil and they sang until music just filled the skies. And they said one sentence over and over again. At least the shepherds were able to hear it enough times so they could remember it. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Now, I think maybe we were there. I’m sure the saints from Adam on down. Maybe those of us who hadn’t been on the earth weren’t allowed to be there. But a lot of people were there and they sang. It was exciting to be there in that great conference just before Jehovah, who’d appeared to Nephi the second just that day before and said he was going to come in the flesh tomorrow and tonight would be the sign. Remember that?
Now here he is and he is ready, He’s telling us all good-by and he’s about to go down into the amnesia of the second estate. So he won’t even know who he is. You don’t even know who you are. I don’t even know who I am. Isn’t that exciting?
By the time he was twelve he’d been ministered to by angels and they had told him who he was. He had seen enough visions and revelations so he could pick up Isaiah, he could take Jeremiah, Ezekiel and talk to the most learned scribes there in the Solomon’s porches on the temple square. And say, “Now this is what Isaiah really saw.” They were fascinated that a twelve year old boy - hadn’t even been to the school of Gamael yet - he knew all the answers to all these mystical scriptures that they had studied so hard trying to understand. By the time he was thirty he was ready for his ministry and had some marvelous experiences. He’s still learning about himself. In fact, when he’d get wonderful things like Lazarus rising from the dead, he would say, “Thank you Father, thank you.” And, he would cry. “You did it for me. Thank you, Father.” And He’d cry.
He was just kind of learning what it was like to be the Son of God and to have these wonderful powers. But, I’ll tell you as he approached that great final Gethsemane, that shook him. He thought he was equal to it. He was doing pretty good right up to the time that he saw Judas go out. He was pretty sad and he was looking around the table and He said, “One of you will betray me.” Peter said, “John, ask him which one.” So, John, the beloved, said, “Which one?” “He to whom I give the sop.” He took some bread, dipped it into the gravy and handed it to Judas and said, “Whatsoever thou doest, do thou quickly.” It was beginning to get to him. He had washed their feet already.
And as soon as Judas went out, he stood up in that seventeenth chapter of John and gives that great high priest prayer in which he said, “And now O Father, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on them through their words. That they all might be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee. That they also might be one is us.” That’s a great prayer.
Then he said to his disciples, “I must go pray. I must pray!” And so he went from the upper room and apparently across the temple square and down through the golden gate and across Brook Kidren where we’ve walked so many times - I visited it for the 23rd time here in October. Went on up into the groves of the olive trees and then something interesting happened. Eight disciples he had waiting sort of at the gateway, they immediately fell asleep. Went further up the hill and had the three remaining apostles (there were only 11 of them since Judas left) and had them wait. And apparently John was the only one that stayed awake, as far as we know. At least he’s the only one that recorded the details of what we know about what happened. And it says that Jesus went and threw himself full length - he didn’t kneel at a rock or at a tree. He just threw himself on the ground.
And now I’m going to ask you to take out a piece of paper, so that you won’t have to search for seven years for some of these choice, choice passages. You can put it on the back of your program or wherever is convenient.
I want you to put down first of all Mark 14:36. Where Jesus said to his Father, “O Father, all things are possible unto Thee.” In other words, “You are God. You can do anything. You have it within your power.” And then the petition, “Take this cup from me. Don’t make me do it. Work it out some other way. Please! Do it without my having to go through with this.” He was trembling.
Alright, now the Father knew there wasn’t any other way. All things are possible unto God, but he’s a God of law. He’s a God of cause and effect. He’s a God of love. He’s a God of justice. But what the Son had been called to do is the way. There isn’t any other way. So he had to send an angel. I wish we had the conversation. We can only guess what the angel might have said. But he ministered to Jesus and he probably said, “You don’t have to do this. Everybody has their free agency. But the Father knew you would do it and that’s why you were ordained from the preexistence because He knew you would. But you don’t have to. If you don’t do it, everything in which your hand participated by way of creation will go back to outer chaos. The earth, the animals, the plants, the human beings, their bodies, all the other planets on which there are similar families that you helped create - they all go back to chaos. The only way they can be preserved and perpetuated and exalted is to have you do this.”
The angel probably said something like that. At least, he convinced the Savior that he must go forward if he wanted the Father’s will to be done. And so that’s when Jesus said, “Thy will be done.” And he sweat great drops of blood. Now let me give you the other passages that fill in the details. Matthew 26:39. “Let this cup pass from me.” Luke 22:43. The angel came and ministered to him. Luke 22:44. As soon as he had said, “Thy will be done” the terror of the assignment came upon him with such an overwhelming impact that the capillaries of his circularity system couldn’t even contain his blood. And it came through the sweat glands onto his skin as it were great drops of blood. That’s a kind of suffering you and I probably couldn’t even contemplate, let alone endure. But, He did. And then he said in Matthew 26:42, “Thy will be done.”
One of the things that you learn in studying the scriptures is to get all of the authorities who talked about the same incident - take all of the details that each of them have - and then piece them together so that you’ve got the whole picture. And that’s the one we have here. Now, Jesus describes his terror in D&C 19:15-19. I’m going to read that to you in a moment, not now.
In Acts 4:12 we are told that the Father could not have saved us. There is only one name given under heaven whereby you can be saved and it is not Eloheim. Now I don’t know whether that disturbs you or not. I thought God could do anything. Why couldn’t He save us after we had fallen? Does that question bother you a little? That’s the one I asked Brother Widtsoe. Doesn’t God love us as much as the Son? It’s his plan to have us come down. Why is there only one name given under heaven whereby we can be saved and doesn’t include the Father, only the Son.
Is there an answer to that? “Yes,” Brother Widtsoe said, “there’s an answer.” Seven years - you know, he didn’t tell me about that part. But, anyway, now I think that’s enough - just draw a line. That raises all the questions. Now let’s look for some answers.
Brother Widtsoe didn’t give me the answers the way I have lined them up here. He gave me some of the big answers first and I want to start with one of the fundamental answers, which is the bottom line of where it all happens. Would you write down 2 Nephi 2:14.
Father Lehi is on his death bed. He’s trying to share with his sons the last element of gospel testimony before he passes away. He’s pleading with his sons to acknowledge and recognize the great truths of the gospel. He said you must realize that there is a God and that he created everything either to act or to be acted upon. Now, there are two building blocks in the universe. One building block consists of an active ingredient. It acts. There is another thing that doesn’t act but it can be acted upon. Now, you’ve read that in second Nephi. I had read it. I’ve gone through the Book of Mormon as a teacher over a hundred times teaching it or studying it. Over a hundred times. It’s like President Mathiney said, “My brethren, people keep adding things to the Book of Mormon for me. I keep finding new things.” Well, that’s one that I finally found. I didn’t find it on my own. Brother Widtsoe said, “It’s there, now you look for it in the early part of second Nephi.” There it was, something to act and something to be acted upon. Put down D&C 93:30. “That which acts,” the Lord said, “is called intelligence or light.” Now, what’s an intelligence? No description, except that it’s like light. Everything that exists which is truth is filled with intelligence. Everything is filled with it. Now the best way for you to know about intelligence is to find out about it the way I found out about it.
I said Brother Widtsoe, “What’s an intelligence like?”
He said, “Well, look in the mirror and tell me. You’re an intelligence.”
“Oh! That’s right, oh, that good. I’m an intelligence, aren’t I?”
He said, “How big are you?”
I said, “I don’t know.”
He said, “Where are you?”
“Well, I’m right here.”
He said, “You’re not down there. Did you notice. Isn’t that down from where you are?”
“Oh! Yah, it is.”
He said, “Take ahold of your chin. Shut your eyes.”
So, I did.
Now, he said, “Is that below you or above you or is that right on?”
I said, “That’s below me.”
He said, “Take ahold of your ear. Is that besideyou?”
I said, “Yeh, that’s out there.”
He said, “Where is your little ‘I am’?”
I said, “It’s way in there, isn’t it?”
He said, “I think so. It’s way back in there. It’s a little tiny ‘I am’. It’s self knowing, it’s self determining, it’s anticipatory, it can learn, it’s a little intelligence. Fascinating! And it always existed as an independent entity. A little ‘I am’.” Oh, alright, that’s an intelligence, alright.
Now, D&C 93:29-30. Intelligence is eternal and it is independent to act for itself. That’s what the Lord said. This is the essence of reality that acts for itself. Alright, Abraham 3:19-23. The intelligences, see it talks about spirits and that some are more intelligent than others. Then it tells you that its talking about spirits which are organized intelligences. So, you’re really talking about intelligences that are one above another. This is the fact that intelligences are organized and graded. What the Lord is saying and we start out with the little ones and we come up and here you are some of my most magnificent intelligences that I gave bodies in my image. You’re real super - you’re special.
Joseph Smith described the graduated intelligences that are structured in nature. Documented History of the Church 4:519. And he says he gave this sermon to the apostles and their wives so that they’d know this wonderful, marvelous God science of graduated intelligence. But, then he didn’t say any more about it and then we have to go to the brethren, the early brethren who heard it to get more details.
That which is acted upon is called element. Now that’s D&C 93:33. Put down Journal of Discourses 7:2 where Brigham Young says these little bits of element are capacitated to receive intelligence. Now, notice what happens. You get a little piece of element and it must be extremely tiny. You attach a little intelligence to it and you can now talk to it and say, “Move that little fellow over here. You two combine together. Now bring in three more. That’s fine. Let’s get this thing going now. We’ve got ourselves a little atom here working around. We get enough of those and you’ll get a molecule. It’s a universe when you get through. I don’t know how many, maybe a million little intelligences and bits of elements all spinning around that little universe there. We call it an atom, it’s so tiny you can’t see it. We put a lot of them together and we get a molecule. And they’ll do certain things.
The Lord said in the 88th section how he gives them orders and he gives them a pattern that they follow. They’ll always follow that pattern, unless you want them to do something else. And so you get two little molecules that we call hydrogen and another little molecule that acts completely different, called oxygen, and you put them together and you got water. You see, isn’t that nice we got water. But, Jesus said, “Wine. You know what to do. High grade of wine, please.” And it happened. All of a sudden the mystery is gone out of the miracle. You and I perform things by playing force against force. That’s the way you make a motor go - you know you explode something and it’s force. The Lord talks to things. That’s a better way won’t you agree?
See, God doesn’t violate law. He sets things going. And so you’ve got H2O - it’s water. He said, “But, I need wine.” “Oh, Alright.” Now, that’s the universe in which we live. This is God science, and Brother Widtsoe said, “Isn’t that thrilling Elder Skousen?” and I said, “I never even thought of that being a possibility.” He said, “God has revealed so many marvelous things to us if we’ll just study it out and put it all together.”
Alright, just a little bit more here. Abraham 4:9, 10, 12, and 18 where you see intelligence responding to commandments of the Gods during the creative process. Watch what it says, “And the Gods commanded the dry land to come up. And they watched until they were obeyed.” Dirt doesn’t obey as dirt unless it had intelligence in it. Would it? I mean, if it’s just … stuff. It has no capacity to obey. This is one of the great revelations of God. These little intelligences are in everything. I can move a mountain. I just tell it to move and I can let my priesthood tell it to move and if it’s authorized, it’ll move.
Nephi the Second was told by the Lord, “I have declared before all my angels that when you speak all things are to obey you as though God had spoken it. And I know that I can share this power with you because you’ll never use it till I tell you to.” And he could say to the clouds, “Don’t rain. Go away.” Or he could say, “Clouds come in and let us have rain.” That’s the power of God. Jesus would come and say to the little cells of the eyes, “You have not functioned properly since the birth of this man. In your places, please.” The man says, “I can see.” “Crooked arm, straighten.” And it straightened. “Feet, walk.” And everything goes into its proper order. And we call these miracles. It is the science of God speaking to his creations and saying, “Straighten up and fly right like you were suppose to.” That’s what he is doing. Now there’s the key to the miracles. Now this is going to bring this closer to something else in just a moment.
When God commands, they obey. Let’s take Helaman 12:3-18 where he describes all of the things that obey on God’s command. They obey just like they did during the creation process. Take Jacob 4:6 - add that also. And 1 Nephi 20:13. Why, Jacob says, “We can have the water obey us, trees obey us when we speak with the priesthood.” D&C 88:38-42 where the Lord says, “intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence” to do the things God has instructed it to do.
Now we come to a most interesting passage hidden away. It took me a long time - I read over it at least 10 or 15 times. Brother Widtsoe says, “You’re missing it. It’s in Section 29.” I said, “I couldn’t find it.” He said, “Read it again.” I still didn’t find it. He said, “I know. Read it again. You have to get the spirit when you read. Maybe you’ll get it this time.” Finally got it! D&C 29:36. God says, “My honor is my power.” Do you want to know where God got his power from? He said, “It’s my honor that gives me power.” Brother Widtsoe said, “This is a priesthood principle that often isn’t quite appreciated, You are ordained from above. Your power comes from that over which you have supervision.”
What makes a great bishop? His ordination? He’s ordained from above, isn’t he? What makes him a great bishop? It’s home teachers home teaching. It’s Sunday School teachers preparing their lessons. It’s people having Home Evening, paying their tithes, going to the temple. And people say, “My, what a great bishop.” Why? He is being honored in his calling. That’s what makes a great bishop. He was ordained from above. He was supported from those below that he supervised. Do you follow that? “My honor is my power.” “Water, wine.”
When God appeared to Moses - he was 80 years old when God appeared to him on Mount Sinai (which means “burning bush”). And the Lord said, “I’m now going to rescue Israel out of Egypt.” Moses said, “Oh! I think that’s just great because I’ve got Miriam, my sister is down there. Mother is still down there and Aaron is still down there. I’m so happy to hear about that.” And the Lord said, “And I’m going to have you bring them out.” Moses said, “Oh! No! … No! I’m a capital fugitive, no, they’d kill me.” Well, the Lord said, “I’ll go with you.” Moses said, “I’m still scared.” The Lord said, “What do you have there in your hand?” “My shepherd staff.” “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground. A serpent! A metamorphosis took place.
The Lord said, “Pick it up.” So he did. By the tail, of course. And it became a staff. Now, watch what the Lord said, “You see that hand. Do you want to see the miracle of God? See that hand? That hand is made of dirt. Isn’t that fantastic? That hand is made of dirt. The Lord said to Moses, “Put your hand in your bosom.” So he did. And the Lord talked to that hand and said, “Now my children. Don’t go all the way back. Let’s go back … leprosy - simulate leprosy. Moses, take your hand out.” Dripping with an incurable disease. “Moses, put your hand back in your bosom.” And the Lord said, “My children, as you were. Moses, take your hand out.” “Oh… !,” Moses said. Beautiful pink flesh. Isn’t that marvelous? And the Lord said, “And if you want to take water and pour it out and have it be blood, I’ll do for you. That they may know that you come to them not by your own strength only but by the very power of God.” So, Moses did it you remember. Finally he consented to go.
Now, once we understand some of these principles, we are beginning to comprehend a little bit about the God we worship. And that’s what the Lord says, “I want you to understand more about me. I want you to understand I’m not way off, a mystical being. I’m your loving Heavenly Father and I operate in an atmosphere of cause and effect and in a universe of law. There’s nothing magic about what I do. Everything is based on a science and I’m trying to teach it to you gradually.”
Alright now just a little bit more. We are told that God must maintain the confidence of these intelligences in order that they will sustain him and honor him. No other church has even dared to preach this doctrine. And no other scripture contains it save the Book of Mormon. That it is possible for God to fall. Now, he isn’t going to, because he knows how to avoid it. He just wants us to know that he walks a razor’s edge of necessity of having his conduct - as the great arbiter of heaven whom they all love and respect - absolutely immaculate in dispensing justice and truth and his love among them.
Now that’s a great discipline, is it not? Put it down now, this is Alma 42:13, 22, and 25 and Mormon 9:19. All of these passages say, “… or he would cease to be God.” Who dares preach such a principle? That God is under the necessity of maintaining certain conditions or he could cease to be God. He wouldn’t have power any more. How could he loose his power? By not being honored any more.
Now, you have the problem of the Atonement. Our Father wanted us to come into a laboratory where good and evil existed side by side. Where you and I could learn for ourselves. Not because Father said so, but we could learn for ourselves the difference between good and evil. And have you noticed, a little rubs off? In fact, you have to repent and erase it continually. It keeps rubbing onto us. You think you’ve just about got it whipped and the next thing you know, you’re doing it again. Or, you’re tempted to do it again. That’s life. And, that’s how we learn the difference between good and evil and the penalties thereof. You never went through this before. You learned how to be obedient in heaven because our Heavenly Father told you what the results would be if you didn’t. And sure enough it would happen. But you couldn’t quite understand. He gave you the criteria but you didn’t know for your self the Book of Mormon says. That’s why you came into this life. You’re really learning for yourself. So am I. Believe me I’m learning.
Alright, so the next passage is Alma 34:9 where “the Father cannot save us. The atonement is indispensable.” You have to have an atonement. But, what would happen if there hadn’t been an atonement? Would you like to know that one? Alright, it’s 2 Nephi 9:7-9. That’s what would happen if there hadn’t been an atonement. We all would have become subject to Lucifer and suffering the same consequences which the early brethren made very clear was total dissolution. Which means that they are stripped of their spirit body. They are stripped of all things that pertain to the organized kingdom of God and are cast back into outer darkness, naked. A naked intelligence. Unorganized! And the early brethren thought well maybe then they’ll get another chance - they’ll be scooped up again, you know, and come into another creation. The Lord said in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Don’t ever preach that they will be a second chance. I have never authorized that to be taught - that they get another chance.” So, we don’t preach that.
Now, how does the Atonement work? Alma 34:11. We can go quickly now. We have the problem. We have the basic ingredients for the solution. One person cannot pay for the sins of another. Now that’s Amulek, that’s not Alma talking. That’s a new convert to the Church, a missionary companion of Alma talking to the Zoromites - the name’s Amulek - that’s him talking. I hear people quoting Alma on this, no this is Amulek talking. He said, “One person cannot satisfy the demands of justice by paying for the sins of another.” You just stop and think whether or not this is true.
Let’s say I have committed a heinous offense, a capital offense. And this good elder loves me enough to offer his life on behalf of my offense for which I should die. Does that satisfy any of you? Do you feel good about that? Are you satisfied? Do you feel justice has been done? Has it satisfied your sense of justice? Amulek said no, it won’t. Now this is a very important thing to understand about the atonement. I hear people preaching for this much sin there had to be this much suffering and that’s what Jesus provided. No, that’s the law of quid pro quo.
Amulek says the Atonement is based on a completely different principle. It isn’t quid pro quo. It isn’t this much suffering for this much sinning. It’s a different doctrine entirely. That’s what Paul was so upset about when the Jews tried to preach that doctrine. We have it back in the Church being taught occasionally that way. Then what does Amulek say the key to the Atonement was? He said it was Jesus going on that cross. It had to be somebody, not you and me, but someone who is infinitely loved. Now that’s universally - infinitely means universally loved. Who would be so terribly tortured in his role as our leader that the sense of compassion in every little intelligence would be touched.
Now isn’t this interesting? You’re this same way. You are subject to compassion. Every intelligence can be reached. He has a sense of compassion. It’s necessary to somehow reach that sense of compassion sufficient to overcome the demands of justice. Because, when our Heavenly Father puts us down here and we try to repent the best we can, we’re still unworthy to come back. Are we not? It’s impossible to become perfect in this life. Right? Everybody agree to that? “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Does that sound familiar. Alright, you can’t become perfect in this life. Those little intelligences say, “Father, remember, you held us back.” You can’t overlook them. Our Father wanted us to learn the difference between good and evil and it’s impossible for Him, then, to bring us back. Everybody see the problem?
Now how does he get us back? He ask us to do the best we can. Then he says, “We’ve worked it out. We’ve found out how we could reach those little intelligences. So, when Jesus was on that cross that suffering has to be so terrible that it is infinite in it’s persuasive power. That we mean that much to Him so that when He pleads for us, He doesn’t do it because of our righteousness, because it wasn’t that good. We did the best we could but it still wasn’t perfect. He says, “They did the best they could now for my sake will you let them come up or I’ll be robbed of the reward of my labor. Will you let them come up? And they say, “Jehovah, not for their sake, because they were imperfect, but if they mean that much to you, let them come up.”
And so Amulek says, “That compassion that has been created in those little intelligences is enough to overcome the demands of justice.” That’s Alma 34. Let me give that one to you, Alma 34:15-16. So, the Atonement is not based on the law of so much suffering for so much sin. It’s based on mercy and love. That’s all it’s based on. It’s those little intelligences saying, “Alright, if they mean that much to you after all you’ve gone through.” How much did he go through?
When Jesus was dedicated as the eldest son in the temple, an old man came hurrying up named Simeon. The Holy Ghost had whispered to him, “Rush to the temple today, you’ll see the face of the Messiah as I promised you before, you would not die till you had seen him.” He came up and took that little baby out of the arms of Mary and said, “Now, O Lord, God, Jehovah let me depart in peace for mine eyes have beheld thy salvation. The glory of thy people, Israel, and a light unto the gentiles.” Then he handed the baby back and he said, “Because of him, little mother, one day sorrow will pierce your soul like a sword.”
Thirty three years later on Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, she saw that beloved boy of hers nailed to that cross. Spiked, crown on his head, blood on his face, lacerated, sweating, crying out in suffering. What do you think that did to that mother? It was so intense that the Father had to do one final thing to make it supreme. He had to withdraw his spirit from Jesus. And that had sustained Jesus as it sustains all of us up to a point because it’s in all of us. All of a sudden the Father withdrew his spirit from Jesus. As it left him, he cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani? My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?” Then the spirit came back and Jesus said, “Oh … I did it! It is finished. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And he died. At that moment, Jesus became the Christ.
You see, it’s since I came to understand this and the suffering of the Father - that was a terrible experience for the Father. When He had to tell his son that it was necessary for him to go forward with it in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he had to withdraw his spirit from him on the cross, that was a terrible experience. And the Book of Mormon says the reason that Abraham was commanded to slay his own son Isaac was so that one earthly father would at least know what it’s like to have the role of the Father and have to sacrifice your son. Abraham didn’t have to go through with it but he was reconciled to it because he knew it was for a righteous purpose that he didn’t understand. The Father just wanted Abraham, at least one father, to know a little bit what it’s like to be the Father on the night of Golgotha. And then Jesus became the Christ.
Since this began to clarify itself in my mind and I began to see what was the meaning was of Jesus on that cross, he’s become my personal Savior. I love Jesus. I love my Heavenly Father. I never realized before what they went through for me and my children and for you and all the rest of us. I’ve learned to love God with all my heart and feel closer to them. And I love to testify about them. I love to testify of their great mission to us and their great sacrifice. Both the Father and the Son–what they went through for our sakes.
Quite often I’m asked down here in Texas where I speak quite often, “Dr. Skousen, are you saved?” I usually reply by saying, “Thank you for asking that. May I bear you my witness?” They’re used to that. They want to hear my witness. And I say, “I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and I’ve asked my Heavenly Father to forgive my sins. I have made a commitment to my Heavenly Father that I will try to obey all his commandments by going down into the waters of baptism by immersion administered by one having authority. And then I have had hands laid upon my head by one holding the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood so that I could receive the great Gift of the Holy Ghost. Now I am endeavoring to endure to the end that I might have the great privilege of overcoming the very last hurdle, death, and being resurrected to glory and going back unto the Father. That’s my witness”…
Be valiant in your calling from morning until night. Be a good student. Mark your books. Study it out. Be prayerful. Try to understand God’s science of salvation. That’s all I’ve been talking about this morning - the real science of salvation. Why the atonement was necessary and it was. Why God, the Father, couldn’t do it. Why He said His Son is the only name given under heaven whereby we may be saved. So we will know that they have done their part. All we have to do is ours. So that is why Jesus makes such a plea to us.
Let’s read this in closing, D&C 19:15-19. “Therefore I command you to repent - repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, (You see he’s a God of love, but he also has to be a God of justice or the intelligences would loose confidence in him.) and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore–how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; (In other words, what we do is to repent in order to qualify.) But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; (Now notice how terrible it was.) Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit - and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink - Nevertheless, I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” “I did it! I did it! I was so frightened. I was so scared. I trembled. I asked the Lord not to make me go through with it and he said I didn’t have to but you know the consequences no doubt.”
He was just so thrilled about it. Now, he said, “Don’t let that be wasted.” Turn to D&C 45:3-5. “Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him–(See the Father loves us as much as the Son. It’s his plan, really! Because that’s what Jesus said in the preexistence, “Father, I will do it the way you want it done.” Lucifer wanted to do it a different way and take credit. The Son said, “I’ll do it as it’s been done before. I’ll do it. I will suffer.”) Saying: Father, behold the suffering and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.” Now turn to Alma 34 … beginning with verse 14, “And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, (Meaning the law of Moses.) every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. (It’s going to reach every corner of the universe.) And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of his last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about the means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircle them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice;” …this is the most profound principle of the whole gospel - the Atonement and why it was necessary…
Let me just give you an example now as I finish of Abraham Lincoln. I just want to show you how this happens every day in real life. If you want to see how intelligence overcomes the demands of justice, watch this. There was a boy fighting in the Union Forces. 19 years old. Went to sleep on guard duty. And the opposition broke through and wiped out a whole flank of the army. Several hundred were killed, including some of the best friends of this young man. But he survived. Court-martialed. Sentenced to die. He expected to die. He thought it was only just that he die. And president Lincoln was ready to sign his death warrant for his execution and a little mother appears on the scene.
She says, “President Lincoln, when this war started, I had a husband and six sons. First I lost my husband, and one by one I lost five of my sons. Now I only have one son left and he’s sentenced to be executed with a firing squad because he went to sleep. He feels awfully badly, he lost some of his best friends and he expects to die. President Lincoln, I’m not asking for the sparing of this boy’s life for his sake, but for his mother’s sake. He’s all I have left. For my sake could you spare him?” President Lincoln said, “For your sake, little mother, I will spare him.” And as far as I know President Lincoln was never criticized for that decision.
Does that touch the heart of compassion? Notice how that overcame the demands of justice. “For her sake, I will spare him.” And so that’s what’s happened for us. And the salvation of Jesus Christ is very real and the price he paid was very terrible. And you’re here to testify that Jesus is the Christ and that the Gospel has been restored to prepare for His second coming. Now that’s our mission. Now I went to the mission field thinking that testifying of the restoration was my whole mission. No! That’s incidental. The divinity of Jesus Christ is our main message. And the fact that He is now spoken to prophets and raised them up, they’re now walking the earth the priesthood is back - that’s our good news. We’re preparing for the second Christmas. Where there’ll be a thousand years of peace on earth, good will toward men.
I only pray that God will bless every one of us to fulfill our callings with valiance. That the Spirit can testify to thousands of His children that Jesus is the Christ. And if they can feel our testimony and they can enjoy the fruits of the Gospel… that’s my prayer… in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Today? Right Now?

This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24)

The scriptures clearly demonstrate the worth of a soul; however, what is the worth of a day?

Before considering an answer, there are other ponderous questions to pose: in this moment, what do you worry about the most? What do you regret? Another question to follow these is: what obligations and opportunities to rejoice and be glad in today are missed because precious time and resources are devoted to yesterday’s lament s and tomorrow’s anxieties?

Each day’s magnificence can only blossom when not clouded under the shadow of a different day’s angst.

One day, a man crossed paths with the Savior. Upon meeting, Christ offered the greatest of all invitations, “Come, follow me.”

In reply, the man explained that he would love to accept the summons as soon as he could. First, though, he desired to go home and bury his father. Jesus replied, “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”

Naturally, any person seeks to settle current affairs before seizing the moment. Yet, hindsight shows us the great opportunity missed because tomorrow’s deeds dictated today’s desire. While home burying his father, this man missed witnessing the most paramount ministry ever: healings of the sick and lame; fulfillment of prophecy; the twice cleansing of the temple; the feeding of thousands with a few loaves and fishes; calming of tempests; events and visitations on the mount of transfiguration; and greatest of all, the sacrifice, atonement and resurrection of our Redeemer.

Another man received a similar Messianic invitation. In return he answered, “I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.” (Luke 9)

Imagine now as each man ponders the events of his earthly life from within the world of spirits. Each would likely respond differently if given another chance to do so.

Again, the question asks: what momentous glories are missed today because yesterday or tomorrow receives out of the ordinary priority?

Remember what the Savior taught while giving the Sermon on the Mount, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  (Matthew 6:34)

Recently I had a conversation with a friend on this topic. He expressed his tendency to worry and that he allowed stress to get the best of him. In response I suggested a technique I call “Calendar Your Stress.”

We all have issues that need prioritization and attention. Once I have recognized and listed my concerns, I set aside time on my personal calendar to deal with each individually. I might put my first concern in a time slot on Wednesday at 10 am, the next on the following Friday at noon, and so forth until all issues have individual “appointments”. Knowing each is documented and slated to be addressed specifically later, I feel liberated and am able to deal with life in the moment.

Now that we stand in the moment, how should our time be spent?

I had a dream recently.

I found myself standing alone at the gates of heaven waiting for an opportunity to enter. From somewhere unknown to me, an angel appeared. He stood before me with a stern but pleasant face holding several reams of paper—it looked to be about 2,000 individual sheets. Upon the sheets was a record of every social media posting I had ever made throughout my life time. The angel noted my distress when he said, “we will to talk about these here (his head nodded toward the stack he held), before we can ever begin to talk about you progressing toward those gates over there.”

I couldn’t force myself to wake up fast enough!

Previous to this dream, social media had been an opportunity to vent my sophomoric perspective on life and never would I have expected to give an accounting of all I had posted over the years. Now, though, I try to use it as a place of celebration, an area to share the joys of family and a means to express my inner beliefs.

The more I think about the greater purpose of social media and other technology, the more I am convinced that they have been brought about to hasten the spread of good tidings throughout the world. Radio, television, computers, internet, social media, text messaging, smart phones, etc, when viewed through gospel lenses are then understood as gospel tools rather than entertainment nodes.

A few nights ago, I struggled to fall asleep. In the past, I would have wandered to a comfortable place near a television and wasted a few hours in numb hypnotism. But now that we no longer subscribe to television services, I wandered to a quiet place in our home and ended up having a lengthy and wonderful conversation with heaven. I have never found happiness or received inspired revelation while sitting and absorbing television programming. More than ever, I am convinced that besides being a means of communicating the joys of life and of teaching gospel principles, electronic media wastes our time, our strength and diminishes our ability to rise up to any occasion when called upon to “Follow Him”.

This is the day that the Lord hath made; I will strive to rejoice and to be glad in it—come what may.

Testimony VS Tangible Comfort

Though the world says, happiness is fleeting. I firmly believe we create our own happiness.

As I study humanity’s pursuit of happiness, I see several theories proposed. The most common model used to demonstrate a pecking order of satisfaction is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Abraham Maslow proposes 5 levels of needs that need to be met, one after the other, which lead to an overall actualization of well being. The model, as described by Janet A. Simons in Psychology - The Search for Understanding (West Publishing Company, New York, 1987) is as follows:

“Physiological Needs These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the physiological ones would come first in the person's search for satisfaction.

Safety Needs When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the needs for security can become active. Adults have little awareness of their security needs except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure (such as widespread rioting). Children often display the signs of insecurity and the need to be safe.

Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are satisfied, the next class of needs for love, affection and belongingness can emerge. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belonging.

Needs for Esteem When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.

Needs for Self-Actualization When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.”

With Maslow’s proposal, a person generally needs to eat, feel safe, feel loved and have a certain self respect  before they are able to realize their role in life, experience enlightenment through inspiration, and live in a way that their Godly testimony is the foundation of every decision.

However, according to my reading in scripture, I propose that the opposite is true.

More often than not, when a person is well fed, comfortably housed and surrounded by friends and kin, that same person forgets about heaven, forgets the worth of the Bread of Life and of Living Waters, and in pride puts tangible comforts ahead of spiritual illumination. Unfortunately, that same person is moved to remember the true source of happiness only after trials of famine, pestilence, or some other challenge that leads to sore repentance.  ("All Things Work Together for Good," Elder James B. Martino, April 2010, General Conference is an article worth reading.)

1Kings 17 demonstrates a great example of putting testimony before comfort—which leads to greater comfort in the end.

Elijah, during a time of famine, went to the Lord in need. The brook that sustained him had dried up. In response, the Lord told him to go to a widow and ask her for food. Verses 10-16 tell the rest of the story.

“So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.”

I suggest a new hierarchy of need. When followed, first to last, it will show the way to a lasting and fulfilling happiness.

First, maintain an ongoing relationship with heaven—though bold in statement, I say that I have never seen a faithful person who relied on daily revelation and inspiration starve or have lasting thirst.

Second, foster your relationship with your spouse. Without your spouse, you are nothing and have nothing.

Third, cultivate your children.

Fourth, obtain a level of self sustenance through work, budget, food storage, etc. (www.providentliving.org)

Fifth, magnifying your church callings.

Sixth and finally, after all else is well, participate and contribute to your local and greater community.

When feeling unhappy, restless, or stressed, I challenge you to prioritize your efforts accordingly. As you do, you will see how the Morning breaks while the shadows flee and your ear will hear as  Jehovah speaks.

The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o'er the nations soon will shine.
The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov'nant people to receive.
Angels from heav'n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home.

(The Morning Breaks, Parley P. Pratt; LDS Hymns #1)

I Love to Read My Patriarchal Blessing

In a little over 20 years of church membership, I have personally noticed a decline in the use of a certain phrase, “according to my Patriarchal Blessing…” 

Why is that? As youth with heads full of hope and ideals, do we place more value on this spiritual parchment than we do once we become older and maybe grow jaded? I wonder if we place anticipated timestamps on each pronounced blessing.  Then, once certain life milestones pass, we either celebrate them as recognized and documented manifestations or grieve supposing we have already lived beyond a Celestial Father’s ability to provide certain opportunities.

Several years ago, my original military contract was due to expire, my wife decided to stop working, we had a new baby on the way and could foresee several opportunities forking paths before us. I had a desire to pursue a career in law enforcement but before proceeding, I read my Patriarchal Blessing. It reminded me to pray for guidance in a choice of vocation.

While heeding the advice and praying, I felt strong promptings to avoid law enforcement and was presented other ideas as viable replacements. Each idea of vocation provided lucrative and honest opportunities that matched skills I already had—essentially I was a desired commodity in a growing market that sought for people with my specific skill.

Rather than accept the gift as presented, I rose from my knees, drove to the local State Highway Patrol and applied for a job. Fortunately, they had just posted positions for immediate hire and I was ushered into a series of entrance tests. Unfortunately, the hiring criteria consisted of a series of physical, mental, emotional and psychological tests—all this to just gain admittance into a series of much more demanding training.

On day one of testing, we had to demonstrate physical aptitude. Because I had applied to a specific specialized team within the department, our test required more rigor than an average candidate. We had to traverse a timed obstacle course, swim, run, do push-ups, and do sit-ups. Each category had timed criteria and expectations. If a person wanted to progress from one event to the next, the candidate had to complete the assigned task before time expired. If the candidate was unable to complete the task, he or she was eliminated from the rest of the events and from hiring eligibility. Physically, I excelled and ended the day with many others who started it with me.

Day two of testing was a written exam. We had 8 hours to complete the test. It contained a series of hypothetical scenarios that tested mental aptitude, awareness and reaction. We were presented with opportunities to answer based on multiple choice questions, fill in the blank, completion of mathematical formulas and essays.  After two hours, I completed the test (I’ve always been quick with tests) and presented it to the proctor. Before accepting it from me, he reminded me that I had been given 8 hours to complete the test, that I had better use my time wisely in reviewing my answers, and that no tester—in his personal experience—had ever completed the test in less than half of the allowed time.

I thanked him for his reminder and left him with the test. Upon leaving, he told me to expect my results in 4 to 6 weeks.

The next morning, the department called and asked for an interview. I accepted.

When I arrived for the interview, an officer ushered me into a room set up for a panel-to-one interview. I took my seat and opposite of me sat a group of stern looking interviewers. Though they were pleasant, they couldn’t accept that I had completed the test in such a short time and had attained such high marks. Because of this, they had decided to give me the test again verbally and take notes as I responded. After 90 minutes of grilling, they eased and warmed up to me. For another hour, they spoke to me as though I had already been hired and took time to offer advice on how to navigate a successful career.

After the interview, I felt I had solidified my new job and went home to pray with gratitude. As I prayed, I felt stronger than ever that I should choose a different career. Rather than heed the prompting, I continued my chosen course.

A few days later, I was invited to another round of interviews. They were scheduled at a location that required a 90 minute drive. As I rose early to prepare for the day, a nearly audible voice spoke within me suggesting that I should stay home and forgo the rest of the interviews. I ignored the voice and proceeded with my plan.

As I drove, a freak snowstorm hit the area and driving became precarious. Several times during the first hour of the drive, and as the snowfall thickened, promptings grew and stirred within suggesting that I should stop the interview process and go back home. My wipers and window defroster could not keep pace with the weather. Everything, including my inner conscience, clouded.

(Hindsight showed me how stubborn I was. I really wanted to prove to myself that I could have some measure of success without the caveat that it had come by my riding on the coattails of spiritual blessings. If I had a time machine, this is one moment that I would return to and slap myself.)

The drive took me across a wide river. The bridge I had to traverse measured almost half a mile long and stood hundreds of feet above the surface of the water. Two lanes of traffic crossed the bridge in each direction.

As soon as all four tires rolled onto the bridge, a sideward gust of wind blew me out of my lane. In reaction, I overcorrected. The snowy and iced bridge provided no traction. Driving southbound, I veered left and crossed over both northbound lanes of traffic. Once across, my left two wheels slammed into the protective shoulder curb and my right two wheels left the ground. My truck tipped up so high that my body’s weight pressed against the driver side door and I clearly saw that I would soon fall over the side of the bridge to my death. Time slowed down and looking out of the window I remember seeing the brown swirly river current flow hundreds of feet below me. I wondered if I would die on impact or if I would be knocked out on impact and later drown in the freezing water.

The truck jolted, pulling me out of my thoughts and slammed back down on to all four wheels. Once down, I slid across all four lanes of traffic until the right two tires slammed the opposite curb and the left two came up into the air. The weight of my hip ached against my seatbelt. I reached out with my right hand and pressed it onto the passenger side window. Somehow my left hand clung onto the neck of the steering column and I held tight. I saw the water passing under the bridge a second time.
Again, the truck shook and all four wheels came down to the frozen road. Once they touched, the truck began to spin—the steering wheel probably turned as I hung onto it both from the left and from the right. After three full spins, my truck straightened out and I drove off the icy bridge onto safer pavement.

As soon as I felt I could, I pulled over and turned the truck off. Leaning my head onto the steering wheel, I felt my body shake. From deep within, a primal cry escaped and tears soaked my face. I lost control of my breathing, coughed, cried violently until I threw up. I don’t know if the whole scene lasted 5 or 20 minutes, but once settled, I cleaned myself up and continued to the interview.

A well-dressed older gentleman greeted me upon my arrival and escorted me to a small room. The furniture was plain and reminded me of movie scenes that involved psychologists and patients.  Once seated, the older man introduced himself and asked if he could attach me to polygraph equipment. I accepted and he did.

After everything was set up, he turned my chair away from him and directed me to look at a certain dot on the wall before me. He would ask me questions and I would only answer yes or no. I was directed to never look away from the dot and I was never to say anything more than yes or no.
In a soft tone, he began to question me. He asked if the address on my application was correct, if I was married, if my birthdate was on such a date, etc. Some questions were obviously true and some were not. These plain types of questions warranted no physical, emotional or mental stress; however, less than an hour had passed since I saw my life pass before me, twice.

My body continued to shake and I couldn’t stop sweating. Each question, though easy and obvious, required some mental strain. After 20 or so questions, the examiner stopped talking. He took a long pause, excused me from the test and sent me home without further explanation.

Later the same day, the department called to terminate the interview process. When questioned why, they explained that not only had I failed the polygraph test, but that they would have to put me on a federal register that disallowed any legal testimony obtained from me while polygraphed. Stunned, I heard the call abruptly end. (Later, in the military, I went through what I would call “legal systems training” and have since been removed from the federal register of polygraph offenders.)

At home and finding myself back at where I began, I fell to my knees and sorely repented. Once humble, I sought for guidance in choices of vocation and have done so ever since. I don’t know why law enforcement may or may not have been good for me, but I have never tried to enter the field again. I have moved on to other paths and have loved each one.

Every career and company change has led me to my knees. To this day, I pray with gratitude that God is still willing to guide me and also pray that I will have the strength to listen.

I love to read my Patriarchal Blessing.

Removing the Thorns

The apostle Paul testified of a thorn in his flesh—a weakness that he struggled with. Three times, he sought help from the Lord that it might depart from him. However, after great effort, he learned that through enduring and triumph over weakness, he drew nearer to Christ. In his own words he exclaims, “I take pleasure in... distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12)

Each of us struggles with our own thorns of weakness.

As I study renowned persons of history, both within and without the church, there is one common theme: people often lay down at night with a reoccurring regret. “I wish I hadn’t… (insert your struggle here: gossip, tell a lie, lose my temper, drink that drink, smoke that cigarette, give into lust, abuse that prescription, steal, gamble…) again today. Everyone faces temptation, and everyone gives in. And after reliving the weak moment in the mind’s eye, we promise ourselves to never do it again. Yet, on the morrow, we do it anyways.

What is to be done?

At the end of one day, after giving myself a guarantee that tomorrow would be different, would be better, that I had learned my lesson--because I had failed again, I turned to the scriptures.

At a glance, my eyes fell upon a clumping of words in Alma chapter 33, “Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old?” Although I recognized this simple question, I let my mind wander for an answer.

Profound feelings rose.

“Yes,” I affirmed, “I do believe.” I continued to read Alma’s teachings about Christ.

One of Alma’s messages referred to an Old Testament story from the book of Numbers. Moses and the children of Israel had left Egypt and wandered their way through the wilderness. When they traveled close to Edom, Moses decided to circumvent the area and walk a longer route to the Promised Land. In response, his followers groaned.

“Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?”

“Where is the bread?”

“Where is the water?”

Not only were the people disgusted with Moses, they loathed their daily Manna and echoed verbal complaints against God. Numbers 21:6 reveals what happened next. “And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.”

Then the people had a change of heart. They went to Moses and asked him to pray to the Lord for relief.  

Verse 7 says, “And Moses prayed for the people.”

The scriptures continue, “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

To this story, Alma added his own testimony in chapter 33, “But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?”

While wondering why some of the people refused to do something as simple as look upon the brazen serpent to be healed, I began to pray. I told the Lord that if I had been there, I would have looked. Then I remembered how frustrated I felt as I stumbled with my own weaknesses. Wasn’t there something, I wondered, that I could look upon and be cured of my ailing ways?

A quote that I had read recently came to mind:  In 1986 October General Conference, President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “There is a power in the Book of Mormon which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called ‘the words of life’, and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.”

After rehearsing the quote in my mind, the Spirit spoke to me. “Looking upon a page or two of scripture every day is as healing to the soul today as looking upon the brazen serpent was to the body in Moses’ day.”

That was it!

I had been so bold to say that I would have looked upon the serpent, had I been offered an opportunity, yet I wasn’t taking advantage of the power within the Book of Mormon that was right before me every day. A variation of Alma’s question came to me. “O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes--UPON THE SCRIPTURES--that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly?”

Once I understood this, the answer to my original question became clear. If I wanted to overcome the thorn in my side, and let the grace of Christ turn my weak things into strong, I could never let a day pass without “looking upon” the scriptures.

Though an apple a day may keep the doctor away, a page or two of scripture cures all.

Like Nephi taught, daily study will allow us to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.”

“Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

Travels of the Plates in the Book of Mormon

Here is an interesting chain of events that I found in the Book of Mormon. It describes the path of written history on the plates as handed from one author to the next. (There is a detailed explanation in the Words of Mormon about how the historical and spiritual plates were dealt with.) Go through your Book of Mormon with this. Tell me what you think.

Nephi (1 Nephi 6)

Jacob (Jacob 1:2)

Enos (Jacob 7:27)

Jarom (Jarom 1:1)

Omni (Jarom 1:15)

Amaron (Omni 3)

Chemish (Omni 8)

Abinadom (Omni 10)

Amaleki (Omni 12)

King Bengamin (Words of Mormon 10)

Mosiah (Mosiah 6:3)

Alma the Younger (Mosiah 28:20)

Helaman (Alma 45:2-9)

Shiblon (Alma 63:1)

Helaman II (Alma 63:11)

Nephi (Helaman 3:37)

Nephi II (3 Nephi 1:2-3)

Amos (4 Nephi 1:19)

Amos II (4 Nephi 1:21)

Ammaron (4 Nephi 1:47-48)

Mormon (Mormon 1:2-6; Mormon 2:17)

Moroni (8:3-5)

Plates sealed in the Earth (Moroni 10:2)

Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith History 1:59)

Letter to Parents of Aaronic Priesthood Holders

Dearest Parents,

The Lord declared, "There are, in the church, two priesthoods...the second priesthood is called the Priesthood of Aaron...the power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments." (Doctrine and Covenants 107)

Each Sabbath, members of the Lord’s church congregate worldwide in commemoration of the Atonement of our Savior. The ordinance of the Sacrament provides worshippers an opportunity to witness to our Father in Heaven their willingness to take upon them the name of His Son, to always remember Him, to keep his commandments and to have His Spirit to be with him. Holders of the Aaronic Priesthood play a key role as they provide outward services while each member renews inner commitments.

Sacramental emblems prepared, blessed and passed by our Young Men act as symbolic tokens that remind each soul of baptismal, priesthood and temple covenants. As ministering angels, they provide the weekly means for each member to strengthen ties with Heaven, to enjoy the enduring presence of the Spirit and to mingle with angels both seen and unnoticed. No other priority offsets or replaces this weekly Aaronic Priesthood commitment and occasion. Weekly, all Young Men are invited and obligated to participate in this sacred ordinance.

As parents, who must teach our youth to walk uprightly before the Lord, we are also responsible to ensure each Aaronic Priesthood holder does his duty. Learning how to stand in ordinances like the Sacrament today prepare our youth to arrange and provide additional ordinances tomorrow. Likewise, now is the time to sow seeds of gospel administration into the lives of our children. Few are the days we have to nurture and organize the next generation of Zion. 

The Church needs each Deacon’s, Teacher’s and Priest’s early attendance before Sacrament Meeting; and wants their service throughout the entire administration of the ordinance. We encourage each Young Man to seriously consider how to magnify his calling, and invite each family to agree to an arrangement that will allow for it.

We love you, pray for you and have great hopes for you. May God always bless you and may you always be founded near Him.

Angels Among Us

The following quote made me think about all of the unseen help we receive from angels.

“Whoever seeks to help those on the other side receives help in turn in all the affairs of life…Help comes to us from the other side as we give help to those who have passed beyond the veil.” John A. Widtsoe, Ensign, May 1980.

Here are some other quotes to ponder. They come from LDS General Conference talks that have been given since 1970.

Boyd K Packer “Angels will coach you.”

Jeffery Holland “Ask angels to help you.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Though it may seem that you are alone, angels attend you.”

Elder Tad R. Callister “It seems so hard to believe in [angels in] modern times. To those honest searchers, we lovingly respond: Were there not angels and visions in Christ’s Church in New Testament times? Did not an angel appear to Mary and to Joseph? Did not angels appear to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration? Did not an angel rescue Peter and John from prison? Did not an angel appear to Cornelius, then to Paul before he was shipwrecked and to John on the Isle of Patmos? Did not Peter have a vision of the gospel going to the Gentiles, Paul a vision of the third heaven, John a vision of the latter days, and Stephen a vision of the Father and Son? Yes, Joseph Smith did see angels”

Julie B. Beck “Angels will be our associates and we will be participants in amazing miracles”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf “I testify that Joseph Smith…truly looked into the heavens and communed with God the Father and the Son, and with angels."

Jeffery R. Holland "From the beginning down through the dispensations, God has used angels as His emissaries in conveying love and concern for His children. Time in this setting does not allow even a cursory examination of the scriptures or our own latter-day history, which are so filled with accounts of angels ministering to those on earth, but it is rich doctrine and rich history indeed. Usually such beings are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes their assignments are very grand and have significance for the whole world. Sometimes the messages are more private. Occasionally the angelic purpose is to warn. But most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times."

Henry B. Eyring “I know that the promise of angels to bear us up is real.”

Elaine S. Dalton “He may even send His holy angels to tutor you. Now the challenge is this: Will you be in such a place that angels can enter?”

Gordon B. Hinckley ”You cannot afford to do anything that would place a curtain between you and the ministering of angels in your behalf.”

Carol B. Thomas "You may never see angels descending out of heaven, but I can promise you as you bear testimony and pray in your families, unseen angels will minister to you. As you share your talent for spirituality, you will feel the warmth and power of the Spirit governing your life."

Robert D. Hales “I also learned that I would not be left alone to meet these trials and tribulations but that guardian angels would attend me.”

Dallin H. Oaks “The ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind. President John Taylor described "the action of the angels, or messengers of God, upon our minds, so that the heart can conceive . . . revelations from the eternal world"

Jeffery R. Holland “Do the best you can through these years, but whatever else you do, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones.”

Dallin H. Oaks “The veil is very thin in the temples, especially when we join in worshiping through music. At temple dedications I have seen more tears of joy elicited by music than by the spoken word. I have read accounts of angelic choirs joining in these hymns of praise, and I think I have experienced this on several occasions. In dedicatory sessions featuring beautiful and well-trained choirs of about thirty voices, there are times when I have heard what seemed to be ten times thirty voices praising God with a quality and intensity of feeling that can be experienced but not explained.”

Boyd K. Packer “The Lord reveals His will through dreams and visions, visitations, through angels, through His own voice, and through the voice of His servants.”

Jeffery R Holland “My testimony today is of the angels and ministers of grace who will always defend us if, as the prophet Alma commanded us, we "take care of ...sacred things," we "look to God and live" (Alma 37:47).”

Neal A. Maxwell “All over the world, faithful Latter-day Saints are protected from the powers of the evil one and his servants until they have finished their missions in mortality. For some the mortal mission is brief, as with some valiant young men who have lost their lives in missionary service. But for most of us the mortal journey is long, and we continue our course with the protection of guardian angels.”

Brigham Young "May thy holy angels and ministering spirits be in and round about this habitation, that when thy servants are called upon to stand in these sacred places, to minister unto thy people, the visions of eternity may be open to their view, and they may be filled with the spirit and inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the gift and power of God; and let all thy people who hearken to the words of thy servants drink freely at the fountain of the waters of life, that they may become wise unto salvation."

Gordon B. Hinckley  “Holy angels have again communed with men on the earth.”

George Q. Cannon "Now, this is the truth. We humble people, we who feel ourselves sometimes so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God's love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are children of God and that He has actually given His angels . . . charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping."

Ezra Taft Benson “I promise you, dear children, that angels will minister unto you also. You may not see them, but they will be there to help you, and you will feel of their presence.”

Neal A. Maxwell “The process of revelation typically involves angels and prophets (see Alma 12:28-29). Several times in the closing period of his life, Joseph Smith noted the fourteen years of particularly intensive revelation which he had experienced, including angelic visitations.”

Robert D. Hales “I bear you my testimony that we live in a dispensation of time when there have been ministering angels.”

Mark E. Petersen "Many people no longer believe in the ministry of angels. But God does! He has used this means of communication from the days of Adam. Is there any reason why He should not continue the procedure in our day?”

Boyd K. Packer “I know that angels minister unto men.”

Mark E. Petersen “If you believe the Bible, you must believe in angels.”

Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire

Marvin J. Ashton once testified, “Very often over the years I have had peace and patience knowing that Heavenly Father is there and will not forsake me even though some prayers are going unanswered. What a joy and strength it would be in all of our lives to have the childlike faith and complete trust to know that he is there and that we can cry out unto him under all circumstances...Perhaps it would be good for our souls to build the relationship and understanding that he is there, even our loving and eternal Father, and that ofttimes delays to our urgent pleas can be best for us. Who is to say it isn't more important to know that he is there than to receive immediate answers?” (10 November 1992, BYU Fireside)

No time is better in the life of a Christian than being in the exact moment an answered prayer manifests.

I cherish opportunities to pray; however, I regularly face two obstacles in prayer.

First, I spend too much time, as if I know best, negotiating with Heaven. It happens in a few ways:

If I am prompted to do one thing, I propose an alternative.

If I have an expectation, I carefully craft the words in my prayer as though I can convince God to strike a deal with me.

If I desire to commit a sin, I try to “pre-repent” or excuse myself beforehand to avoid a feeling of guilt later.

When I foresee a challenge, I propose something less difficult or less painful as a means to avoid an anticipated situation.

Unfortunately, I have also approached many prayers with an attitude of “If I do this, you do that,” or worse, “I won’t do this, because you have yet to do that.”

Doctrine and Covenants Section 19 provides powerful insight, "Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ"

On one occasion, the Word of the Lord came down to a prophet named Jonah. He was asked to preach repentance to the great city of Nineveh. This was neither a simple task nor an ordinary city.

Nineveh was populated by Assyrians, but was likely founded by Nimrod. The city operated as the capital of the Assyrian empire, was home to King Hezekiah, was a target of much of Isaiah’s testimonial work and prophecy, and brewed as a hot-bed of sin. The city was so formidable, that it took a person three days to journey around it; and was the home to 120,000 persons and much cattle.

In response, Jonah, rather than accept the task, fled from the presence of the Lord on to a ship at sea.

Seeing the His Word unravel, the Lord caused a great tempest and fierce wind to come upon the sea and Jonah’s ship. All of ship’s crew panicked, tried to lighten the ship by casting off its cargo, sought various gods for help and even tried to row the ship to safety. Through all of this, Jonah hid and slept. Upon being discovered, Jonah described his flight from the Lord. In response, the crew cried out, “Why hast thou done this?”

Before continuing the story, I pause to reflect and also ask, “Why do we likewise flee from the Lord, especially at times when we know beyond doubt what His will is?” It’s a human mystery that frequently takes a person a lifetime to appreciate and react to.

After some discussion, the crew cast him into the sea; where “the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.” Finding himself in the belly of the fish, Jonah repented, cried mightily unto the Lord, was freed and taught repentance to the city of Nineveh. How much better for him if he had just done his original duty!

Like Jonah, when our hearts and minds are not united with Heaven, we afterward have to put forward sore repentance from undesirable circumstances until we are freed and once again aligned with the Lord.

My second obstacle is that I tell Heaven more than I listen. My prayers have regularly echoed the excited Christmas-like desires of a child sitting on Santa’s lap. “I want… I want… I want…”

Jedediah M. Grant, on October 12, 1856, taught the following: “While paying attention to the prayers of some persons in their family devotions, I sometimes notice that they often stop praying without breaking through the darkness and obtaining the Holy Spirit. If I found that it was necessary to pray three hours I would keep praying for that length of time, or until I got the Spirit, unless I remembered that I had neglected a special duty, when I would go and attend to that duty; after which I should want to return and pray until I got the Holy Ghost; I would keep praying until I broke the ice and obtained the Holy Ghost.”

Prayer is bilateral communication.

I offer some thoughts toward effective prayer:

Be a person who prays. As scripture teaches, “believe in God. Believe that He is.” “Pray always.”

Be thoughtful and organize yourself before kneeling in prayer. We have all seen careful preparations before job interviews, first dates, presentations to superiors, meetings before dignitaries, etc. Why then do we rush and give drive-thru dialogue to God?

Be clear. Are you seeking help or inspiration? Do you seek for the blessing or care of the afflicted? Do you seek knowledge or light? Do you seek to overcome sin or temptation? Do you offer gratitude? Do you offer praise? Do you desire the comfort of being in the presence of the Lord? For what purpose do you pray?

Be a listener. When communicating with Heaven, your silence and attentiveness conveys a readiness and willingness to learn and receive instruction. Successful communication requires active listening.

Be in the right place. Though Amulek reminds us to cry unto the Lord from our fields, houses, closets and secret places, we should pray from a place that is safe from distraction. Many of the prophets in scripture testify of locations that they return to often for prayer. We too should have a physical location designated and set apart as a place we can retire to and commune with Heaven.

Be timely. There is a right time and right place for everything. Decisions about heavy laden topics probably should not be crammed into a before-bed-time prayer. I have benefited from morning or mid afternoon conversations with God that have allowed subsequent pondering, or application of heaven-sent inspiration.

Be grateful. A thankful attitude allows you to realize the good behind everything that happens. Without gratitude, we dwell on the bad events and misfortunes of others around us. Gratitude allows us to be observant of the good, simple and pleasant things of life. Appreciation lends to being forgiving and merciful (those that show mercy shall obtain mercy). Allocate regular sessions of gratitude in prayer. Undesirably, a soul void of gratitude is filled with worry, sorrow, spite, fear or hate. Freedom from many woes blooms from being thankful.

In the book, Treatise on Prayer (1818) James Montgomery published this wonderful poem which later became a Christian hymn:

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains
That reach The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters Heav’n with prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

The saints in prayer appear as one
In word, in deed, and mind,
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.

No prayer is made by man alone
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus, on th’eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.

O Thou by Whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray.