Lessons in the Key of Life: April 2011

Apr

14

My Sister, My Friend

On Friday, 10 May 1963, a baby girl was born to John Wallace and Frances Mae Harmon Brown. The parents named her Sharon Christine Brown. She would be their third child. At the time of her birth I was only four years of age.

From the very beginning there appeared to be a very special bond between Sharon and I. As children we spent many hours playing together. And then the time came when I decided to join the military, and in March 1981 I left home having to say good-bye for a time. Even though the miles separated us physically, we still managed to stay in touch with one another. Before the days of the internet we communicated via letters and the occasional telephone calls home. As the years passed by and the internet became popular, we emailed one another on a regular basis. No matter where I was in the world Sharon would always find a way to stay in contact with me. She even had clocks set at home to the time zone that I might have been in.

Throughout the years we have shared many hours of creating special memories as we shared our hopes, our fears, and our dreams. She has always been there for me and I have always been there for her.

On Monday, 12 April 2010, Sharon was hospitalized after suffering major complications from a "routine" procedure that she was having done. Since then she has been in numerous hospitals and is now in a skilled nursing home, unable to communicate with her family, loved ones, and friends. A year has now come and gone. What follows is a letter that I recently wrote expressing my love for her - she who is not only my sister, but a true and dear friend.

Sharon,

No brother could be more blessed than I. What have I ever done to deserve a sister as loving and as caring as you? God has truly smiled on me by bringing you into my life. From the very beginning there has always been a special bond between us - a bond that neither distance, time, or circumstances in life has ever been able to sever.

You are the wind beneath my wings. When I am down you lift me up, always the one to turn my frowns into smiles, my tears into laughter, and my sorrows into joy. Whenever I feel that I cannot go on, you are always there encouraging me not to quit, but to push on and go just a little further. In times of distress, you are a welcomed comfort, turning my fears into bright hopes. Whenever I lose confidence in myself, you are always there ensuring me that you believe in me, and helping me to believe in myself. As long as I know that you are there cheering me on, I know that I can make it.

Through the years we have had our differences, but I thank God that we have never allowed those differences to come between us. By the end of the day we always manage to settle our differences and move on. Neither of us know what it is to hold a grudge, but we do know how to forgive one another for any trespasses that either of us may have committed.

You are my heart's song. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without you in it. You are truly a special daughter of our Heavenly Father, and you mean the world to me. While there are many brothers and sisters who literally despise one another, I can honestly say that one of the greatest blessing in my life is having you as my sister.

One year ago, on Monday, 12 April 2010, you were overtaken by an illness that has left you helpless and laying silent. How I miss our telephone conversations and the sound of your voice. How I miss the fun times that we spent together. How I miss your laughter and your smile. I do not know nor fully understand why this has happened to you, but God knows. You have always been there for me, and I pray that somehow you know that I am here for you now in your hour of need. Sometimes I wish that there were more that I could do to help you, but perhaps just being there, loving you, and praying for you is all that is needed. Only the Lord knows the final outcome of all of this. All I can do is watch and pray and take life one day at a time.

I am indeed honored to say that not only are you my sister, but you have always been, and continue to be, a true and dear friend. I love you very much.

Your brother,
Keith

Posted 14th April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Brothers Sisters Family Love
Apr

13

Choosing the Right

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. - 2 Nephi 2: 26
President James E. Faust taught, “A choice involves making a conscious decision. To make an intelligent decision we need to evaluate all available facts on both sides of an issue. But that isn’t enough. Making correct decisions involves prayer and inspiration.” In section 9 of the Doctrine and Covenants in verses 7 through 9, the Lord said to Oliver Cowdrey:
“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
“But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.”
There are many examples throughout the Scriptures of people that were faced with making decisions. In Genesis 2:16-17 for example, we find Adam being faced with the decision to obey God or to disobey God. He and Eve could freely eat of every tree in the Garden with the exception of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. For in the day that they should eat thereof, God had said that they would surely die. As we continue our reading, we find that later in chapter 3; Eve becomes enticed by the serpent and partakes of the forbidden fruit. Not only does she partake, but she also offers some of the forbidden fruit to Adam who also partakes. Several consequences resulted from their actions. One such consequence was that sin entered the world, and thus the beginning of spiritual death, or separation from God. For the first time Adam and Eve realize that they are naked and are ashamed, and when they hear God walking in the Garden, they run and hide themselves amongst the trees. God asked Adam and Eve three questions at this point: (1) Where are you? (And why are you hiding from me?), (2) who told you that you were naked? (And why did you believe someone else and not me?), and (3) what is it that you have done? (And are you ready to take responsibility for your actions?). Another consequence was that at this time Adam began to die physically. And so, God was true to His Word.
How many of us can remember when we were kids and our mothers sent us outside to play and warned us to not go near or tamper with a certain thing? However, being kids, our curiosity eventually got the best of us and before we knew it, we were exploring the very thing that our mother warned us to stay away from. Before long something would go wrong and when we would hear our mother coming we would try to run and hide. When she asked, “What are you doing?” we would quickly reply, “Nothing!” Then when she saw that we had disobeyed her and had tampered with the very thing that she had told us to stay away from, we knew that we were in serious trouble as there were definitely consequences to be paid for our disobedience.
Another example of decision making can be found in Joshua 24:14-18. Joshua knew without a doubt that he and his house were going to serve the Lord. Some of the Israelites chose to follow Joshua’s example and witnessed great blessings in their life. However, when we come to the book of Judges, we find that some of the Israelites chose to follow after foreign gods and thus they endured heartache and destruction as consequences of the decisions they had made.
Serving the Lord and being obedient to His will for our lives brings great blessings and unspeakable joy. When we hearken to the voice of the Lord we find that our way is made prosperous and we are blessed with good success. On the other hand, when we harden our hearts and seek after the things of the world rather than the things of God, we find that our lives become filled with heartaches and disappointments.
And then there is the story of the rich young ruler as recorded in Luke 18:18-23. Here was a young man that supposedly had it all, or did he? He comes to Jesus and asks, “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replies by reminding him to keep the commandments and this young ruler replies by saying, “All these things have I kept from my youth up.” Jesus hearing these things says unto him, “Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.” After hearing these things the young ruler became very sorrowful for he had many riches. How sad, for though he was rich according to the world’s standards, he was spiritually poor. His choice was his riches and the consequence of his choice was that he lost out on the best gift of all – eternal life.
How many of us have faced similar situations in our own lives? For example, a student has the opportunity to study hard, get good grades, get his name on the honor roll, and possibly receive scholarships to help further his education. However, being a good student may not be a popular thing at his school. And so, not wanting to be treated as an outcast, he chooses to forgo all of the opportunities that are afforded him. Instead he chooses to hang out with his “friends” and do the bare minimum of what is required in each of his classes. Studying hard and getting good grades could bring great rewards later in his life, but for now, to him it is much more important to be considered as one of the “popular” kids in the school.
When faced with having to make decisions, consider the following keys to help in making the right choices:
1. Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
2. Proverbs 3:6 - In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
3. Mosiah 2:21, 22 - I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
In closing, hear the words of President Thomas S. Monson when he said, “Life's journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say, 'No,' the courage to say, 'Yes.' Decisions do determine destiny. The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be” (Thomas S. Monson, "The Call for Courage," Ensign, May 2004, 54).
These thoughts I leave with you humbly in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 13th April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Choices Consequences
Apr

12

Decisions, Decisions

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. - 1 Kings 18:21

Pythagoras is attributed as saying, "Choices are the hinges of destiny". Each day we encounter situations that require us to make decisions. Some of the things that we make decisions about on a daily basis are: what time to get out of bed, what to wear, what to eat, what time to leave for work or school, and what things to accomplish during the day. Brendan Francis said, "Some persons are very decisive when it comes to avoiding decisions." However, said William James, "When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice." Or, as someone has wisely said, "Indecision becomes decision with time."
Some decisions seem to be harder to make then others. Sometimes we will find ourselves having to choose between two alternatives which make it even harder to make a decision, especially if both alternatives seem favorable. There are also times when we may want to avoid making a decision altogether for fear that the decision we make will be the wrong decision. Roy Disney said, "It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." Someone has also said, "When one bases his life on principle, 99 percent of his decisions are already made."
There are three important things to remember when making decisions. First, we need to realize that every decision that we make will not necessarily be the right or best decision. Second, we need to realize that no matter what decision is made regarding a particular situation, there will always be someone who will be unhappy with the decision that was made. And third, we must realize that with every decision we make, there is a corresponding consequence, whether good or bad. The important thing is that we must be willing to take responsibility for, and be accountable for every decision that we make. For as Flora Whittemore has said, "The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."
Concerning making decisions, President Thomas S. Monson shared the following story in a BYU devotional on March 11, 1997:
In 1888, Benjamin Landart was 15 years old and an accomplished violinist. Living on a farm in northern Utah with his mother and seven brothers and sisters was sometimes a challenge for Benjamin, because he had less time than he would have liked to play his violin. At times his mother would lock the violin up until he had his farm chores done, so great was the temptation for Benjamin to play it.
In late 1892, Benjamin was asked to travel to Salt Lake City to audition for a place with the territorial orchestra. For him this was a dream come true. After several weeks of practicing and prayers, he went to Salt Lake in March of 1893 for the much-anticipated audition. When the conductor, a Mr. Dean, heard Benjamin play, he told Benjamin that he was the most accomplished violinist he had heard west of Denver. He was told to report to Denver for rehearsals in the fall and learned that he would be earning enough money to provide for himself, with some left over to send home.
A week after Benjamin received the good news; however, his bishop called him into his office and asked if he could put off playing with the orchestra for a couple of years. He told Benjamin that before he started earning money there was something he owed the Lord. He then asked Benjamin to accept a mission call.
Benjamin felt that giving up his chance to play in the territorial orchestra would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew what his decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were any way to raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.
When Benjamin told his mother about the call, she was overjoyed. She told him that his father had always wanted to serve a mission but had been killed before that opportunity had come to him. Now Benjamin could go in his place. However, when they discussed the financing of the mission, her face clouded over. Benjamin told her he would not allow her to sell any more of their land.
She studied his face for a moment and then said, "Ben, there is a way we can raise the money. This family has one thing that is of great enough value to send you on your mission. You will have to sell your violin."
Ten days later, on March 23, 1893, Benjamin wrote the following in his journal: "I awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long I played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim and I could see to play no longer, I placed the instrument in its case. It will be well enough. Tomorrow I leave for my mission."
Forty-five years later, on June 23, 1938, Benjamin wrote the following in his journal: "The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to serve the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it."
President James E. Faust said, “We do not choose wisely if we use our agency in opposition to God’s will or to priesthood counsel. Tomorrow’s blessings and opportunities depend on the choices we make today.” How many of us, when faced with decisions similar to those which Benjamin had to make, would have made the same choices? Benjamin loved playing his violin and the chance to play in the territorial orchestra was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him. But, he loved God even more, and he knew that even though choosing to serve a mission would mean having to give up that which he so dearly cherished, the sacrifice would be well worth it in the end.
President James E. Faust taught us a valuable life lesson when he said, “In this life we have to make many choices. Some are very important choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices. Making perfect choices all of the time is not possible. It just doesn’t happen. But it is possible to make good choices we can live with and grow from. When God’s children live worthy of divine guidance they can become “free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon.””
These humble thoughts I leave with you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 12th April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Choices Decisions
Apr

8

Those Were the Days!

As I take a look around my small, but humble apartment, I am absolutely amazed at how pampered and spoiled I really am. In my apartment I have all sorts of electronic gadgets that are used on a daily basis to help make my life easier. For example, I have a computer that I use for email to stay in touch with family and friends. I also use it for writing articles such as this one, and for storing files for future reference. With this electronic wonder I can also do a lot of my personal banking and bill paying right from the comfort of my own home. I am also able to explore many new and interesting places in different locations of the world, connect with old friends, meet new friends, and increase my sphere of knowledge, all via that amazing marvel called the internet.

In my living room I have a high definition television that I can tune to numerous channels to enable me to watch a variety of different programs. I can even watch some of those programs in Spanish. In addition, I have a VCR and DVD player/recorder that I use to record programs that I want to watch at a later time. I also have a radio and a CD player that I use for listening to and playing my favorite music. In my kitchen I have a microwave oven to heat my food in a matter of minutes. Also in the apartment building, located on the bottom floor, are machines that I use to wash my clothes, and dryers to dry those clothes after they have been through the wash cycle.

Now let’s take a step back in time to the days of yesteryear. When I was a young boy, we did not have all of the conveniences in the home that we have today. For example, there were no computers in the home. If we wanted to stay in touch with someone we either called them on the telephone, wrote them a letter using paper and pencil, or we paid them a visit. In the latter years of my youth we did have a typewriter in our home that we could use to type letters instead of having to write them by hand. If we wanted to have a copy of the letter that we were writing we would put a piece of carbon paper between two pieces of paper and insert all three pieces into the typewriter. The big problem arose when we made a mistake and needed to correct something which usually meant having to start over. If we wanted to store files for future reference, we would normally keep them in cardboard boxes, bags, shoe boxes, or whatever was available that we could use to keep important information in a central location.

As a young boy, I knew nothing of an internet. If I wanted to learn about different places in the world, I learned about such things at school or through reading encyclopedias and other books that were either available in the home or at the local library. In those days we did not have Kindles and eBooks like we have today. We had real books which became our best friends in the learning process. We did not have electronic gadgets that we could use to have our books, magazines, or newspapers read to us. Instead, we learned how to read and read those things for ourselves.

Even the telephone system in the home was much different than it is today. I remember the days of the old party lines when you had to wait your turn in the queue in order to make a telephone call and then there was no real privacy as it was easy for anyone connected to your line to pick up their receiver and listen in on your conversation, which they often did.

Entertainment in our home was also interesting. For many years we had an old black and white television set with rabbit ears and an antenna on the roof. Every now and then my father would have to climb up on the roof to reposition the antenna, especially after a storm or heavy winds, and then readjust the rabbit ears to try and get better reception. There was never a need to argue over what channel anyone was going to watch as there were only 3 or 4 channels to even choose from. There was no need for a TV guide because most of the time the television remained tuned to the one channel that was the clearest and everyone had the lineup of shows memorized, especially those shows that we always watched on Saturday and Sunday nights. In those days we were not concerned about being shocked at what we might see on the screen as the shows that were broadcast were “family” shows in the truest sense. Years later we got our very first color television set. Up until that time I was convinced that everything in the world of television was black and white. Imagine being able to see blue skies and green grass on television. What a concept that was. We also had an old radio for listening to music and news broadcasts, and we had an old record player for playing our 16, 33 1/3, 45, and 78 speed records. There were no CDs, thus no CD players, and there were no IPods. We did have cassette tapes and 8-track tapes. The closet thing that we had to an IPod was a walkman, and the first one of those was not released to the public until 1979.

We did have some toys when I was growing up, but nothing like the “toys” that my 12 year old nephew has for example. A lot of our toys and games were made up from our imaginations, but we still had fun nonetheless.

There were no conveniences such as a microwave, dishwasher, or automatic washing machine and dryer for us to use. If we wanted to cook something we used the stove and the oven. Dishes were washed by hand in the kitchen sink and then dried by hand and placed back in the cupboards. We had an old ringer style washing machine for washing our clothes and after they were washed my mother would hang them on the clothes line to dry.

In school we did not have things like an IPad, notebook computer, or calculator to use. Instead we had such things as paper, pencils, rulers, and slide rules. We could not push a few buttons to get the answers to test questions. We had to learn the material that was taught, and at test time, we had to use our memories to help us answer the questions correctly. We did not have cell phones in those days, so our teachers never had to worry about us texting each other during class. Our “texting” consisted of passing notes to each other. If we were caught our teacher would not just confiscate the note like a teacher would confiscate a cell phone today, but we were made to stand up and read the note to the entire class.

Today’s generation would probably think to themselves that they are glad they didn’t have to live the way that we did back then. However, in retrospect those days were not so bad. Life seemed to be much simpler then. We did not live in a perfect world, but at least the world that we lived in did not seem to be spinning out of control like the world is today. In today’s society young people seem to have no respect for their parents, teachers, peers, or even themselves. Simple words like “Please” and “Thank You” appear to be nonexistent in their vocabularies, whereas in the days of yesteryear, some of the first words we learned to say were “Yes Sir” and “No Sir”, “Yes Ma’am”, and “No Ma’am”, “Please”, and “Thank You”. We were taught respect in the home, and if we were disrespectful at school, not only would our teachers and school principal discipline us, but our parents were notified immediately, and once we got home our parents disciplined us again. That same concept worked throughout the neighborhood. If, for example, you were at a neighbor’s house and you started misbehaving or were disrespectful, you would get disciplined at that neighbor’s house, taken home by that neighbor who then reported to your parents what you had done, and then your parents would discipline you again.

Perhaps those were the best of times. Maybe in some ways those were the worst of times. Nevertheless, there are times, even now, when I wish those days would come back again. In my humble opinion, those were the days!

Posted 8th April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Memories Yesteryear
Apr

7

The Blessings Of Giving

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. - Luke 6:38

My dear mother was one of the most generous, kind-hearted people that I have ever known. Many were the times as a young boy growing up that I would see my mother go into her purse and literally give the last bit of money that she had to someone in need. On several occasions I would ask her why she gave away money that she needed for her own needs and her reply would always be the same, “Don’t worry about me! I will be alright” Amazingly, even though she had given her last to help someone else, I can never remember a time when my mother did not have the monetary means to be able to take care of those things that she needed to take care of. She would always find money in one of her coat pockets or one of her old purses in her closet. On several occasions, after spending all that she had on groceries for her family, upon returning to her car and opening the car door, she would find five or ten dollars on the ground as if someone had placed it there for her to find.

There were other times when people would ask my mother for money, not because they really needed it, but as a test of my mother’s Christian character to see if she would give it to them. Of course, my mother being the type of person that she was, would always give them the money. I questioned her about this as well, and her response was the same as always, “Don’t worry about me!! I will be alright.” And somehow she always was. I would argue that the people she gave her money to were never going to pay her back, but that never seemed to matter to her. There was someone in need, regardless if the need were real or not, and she had done her Christian duty by helping them. Not only was my mother a generous giver of money, but many were the times when she would invite one of the neighborhood kids in to have something to eat, or she would offer one of them a cool drink on a hot summer’s day. It is no wonder that so many people lovingly referred to her as “mom”, as that is exactly what she was to so many people.

My mother was a joyful giver and from her generosity and righteous example, I have come to understand that joyful giving benefits both the giver and the receiver alike. I have also learned that the basic principle behind giving is that one’s return is determined by his investment. If he invests little, he will receive little in return. Luke teaches us this valuable lesson as recorded in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

Because of my mother’s loving, caring, giving nature, she always found that she was blessed in ways that she never could have imagined. She never had a lot of money or sustenance to speak of, but she was blessed to always have enough and some to spare to give to another. Because she had been given much, she knew that she too must give.

Perhaps in her mind she asked herself the same question that King Benjamin asks in his powerful sermon as recorded in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 4:19, “For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?” King Benjamin continues in verses 20 and 21 by saying, “And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy. And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.” And in verse 24 he exhorts us, “And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.” And so, perhaps in all of her giving to others, my mother realized that she could not stand idly by and see another’s lack and not share some of that which she had been given.

In Proverbs 11:24 we read, “There is that scatterth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” The word “scattereth” in this verse means to be generous in your giving. Generous giving can lead to prosperity, but miserliness can lead to poverty. Our Lord taught His disciples in Acts 20:35 that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The joy is in the giving – giving of our money, our time, our talents, our abilities – in order to help others in any way that we can.

However, we should not give simply for the sake of giving or for the purpose of gaining recognition from our fellowman. For if we give only to gain recognition and favor of our fellowman, then we have received all the reward that we shall ever receive for our acts. True giving is done in the spirit of humility and love. It is not something that is done out of obligation nor guilt, but rather it is genuine – it comes from the heart. On the subject of giving, President Marion G. Romney once said, “Only by voluntary giving, out of abundant love for his neighbor, can one develop the charity characterized by Mormon as the “pure love of Christ” (Ensign, November 1981, pp. 92-93). In Moroni 7:47 we are counseled that “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” In our daily lives we must come to realize that when we give out of love to our “neighbor”, we are in reality giving to our Heavenly Father. Hear the Savior’s words in Matthew 25:40 as he teaches us “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Speaking further on the subject of giving, President Marion G. Romney said, “There is an interdependence between those who have and those who have not. The process of giving exalts the poor and humbles the rich. In the process, both are sanctified. The poor, released from the bondage and limitations of poverty, are enabled as free men to rise to their full potential, both temporally and spiritually. The rich, by imparting their surplus, participate in the eternal principle of giving. Once a person has been made whole or self-reliant, he reaches out to others, and the cycle repeats” (Ensign, November 1982, p.93).

What type of giver does God love? He loves a cheerful giver as we are taught in 2 Corinthians 9:7. God loves the giver that has a willing heart and a desire to give of that which he has to share with others. Paul, in this verse, is not so much interested in the amount of the Corinthians’ money. For that matter, God is not so much interested in the amount of money that we possess either as the passage in Proverbs 22:9 indicates: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” The expression “hath a bountiful eye” literally means “he that is generous”. In Proverbs 19:7 we read, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Again we see that the joy is in the giving, but let us keep in mind that when we speak of giving, we are speaking of more than giving money, we are speaking of imparting anything that we have been blessed with to help others.

The Greek word that is used for “cheerful” in 2 Corinthians 9:7 is the word HILAROS – propitious, signifies the readiness of mind, that joyfulness, which is prompt to do anything: hence, cheerful. This is the same root word from which we get our English word “hilarious”. This is not to signify that giving is a joke. It is serious business, but at the same time, it is a delightful experience.

In closing, let us be reminded of the words of President Spencer W. Kimball on this matter of giving when he said, “Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in his life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did he give shoes, horse, or a vehicle; never did he give perfume, a shirt, or a fir wrap. His gifts were of such nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing. His friends gave him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of himself, his love, his service, his life. The wise men brought him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should strive to give as he gave. To give of one self is a holy gift” (The Wondrous Gift, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978, p.2).

These humble thoughts I leave with you this day in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 7th April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Giving Blessings Life
Apr

2

Do Unto Others

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. - James 2:8; Matthew 7:12

My mother used to make all of her cakes from scratch. That is, she would take a mixing bowl and add all of the necessary ingredients for making a cake into the bowl and then use a mixer to blend all of the ingredients together. Afterwards she would empty the contents of the bowl into a cooking pan and then place the pan in the oven and allow the ingredients to bake. Though she may have started with several ingredients such as eggs, milk, flour, and sugar, at the end of the baking process, she had one cake that consisted of all those ingredients.

In the same way, the world in which we live can be compared to the mixture of ingredients in a mixing bowl. We live in a world that is made up of a diverse group of individuals that together form a society. There are those who strive to live peacefully with their fellowman, and then there are those who seem to live at peace with no one, not even themselves. There are those who are wise enough to understand that there is a time to speak and a time to remain silent, and then there are those who feel that they must speak what is on their mind no matter the consequences. They take no thought of how what they say may be taken by those who hear, for they have never learned how to bridle their tongue. As a result, at times their tongues can become venomous and often sting like that of an asp. There are also those who feel that it is their duty and responsibility to be the rulers and judges of the world. These are they who are able to find fault in everyone else except themselves. And then there are those who seem to get enjoyment out of life by maltreating others.

In Hebrews 13:1 we are admonished to, "Let brotherly love continue." And we are also reminded in 1 John 4:20, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

With those thoughts in mind, how then should we treat another? Should we always be on the defensive to ensure that we are the first one to get our punches in before someone has a chance to throw any punches at us? If someone has mistreated us, should we be resentful of that person and hold an eternal grudge against them? Should we look for ways to retaliate against our enemies?

To all of the above questions, the Apostle Paul would answer with a resounding "NO!" Instead his counsel to us is recorded in Romans 12:17-21: "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." In his letter to the Galatians, Paul further reminds us that, "all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Galatians 5:14).

The Savior Himself taught us, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44; 3 Nephi 12:44). He further taught us in Luke 6:29-36:

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

As a young boy growing up in my parents’ home, many were the times that I would hear my dear mother remind her four children of the “Golden Rule” which simply states, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” This very valuable life principle can be found in the Scriptures in Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”, and in Luke 6:31, “as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

My mother knew that this was a very valuable life lesson that her children needed to learn as it would guide them in their future dealings with people whom they would meet. She taught us well that: (1) if we want to be loved in this world, we must first demonstrate our love towards others, (2) if we want to have friends in this world, we must first prove ourselves to be friendly, (3) if we do not want to be hated, despised, and rejected by others, we must avoid hating, despising, and rejecting others, and (4) if there are things that we would not like others to do to us, then we should not do those things to others either. In a nutshell, she taught us that love is a reciprocated process – love others and we would be loved in return – never return hate for hate, but if at all possible, live peacefully with all men, loving even and especially those who reject our love. Today, at 52 years young, I have never forgotten that very valuable life lesson taught to me by beloved mother. I shall forever be grateful for her love for me and my siblings, and for teaching us, both through word and example, what it truly means to “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.”

In the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, in verse 10, we read that “the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.” This principle puts a new light upon the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, and should convince us that it is not something that should be taken lightly. This principle should also help us to better understand the Golden Rule: “Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets” (3 Nephi 4:12). If we hope to enter His kingdom, we cannot regard these basic commandments as being optional, for He has said, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isa. 30:21.)

We all recall these familiar words: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven” (3 Ne. 14:21). If we are hypocritical and appear holy and righteous when indeed our hearts are evil, we throw our hope of salvation to the four winds, unless we truly repent. If we have not obeyed the weightier matters of the law, dealing justly with our fellowmen, He will surely say to us: “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (3 Ne. 14:23). Further explanation is given to us in Alma 34:29, “If ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.” This also helps us to better understand the words of the Apostle Paul as recorded in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 when he said, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

And so, what manner of men ought we to be? The Savior Himself answers the question, “Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). In all that we do in dealing with our fellowmen, may we take heart and follow the example set before us by the Savior. As we do, the Golden Rule to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, as well as, all other weightier matters of the law, will become more meaningful to us.

I leave these thoughts with you humbly in the sacred name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Posted 2nd April 2011 by Anonymous

Labels: Life Choices Fellowmen "Golden Rule" Example Christ

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