In the Name of Christ or in the Name of Bryce?

When I close a prayer or talk in the name of Jesus Christ, I am affirming that what I have said has been said in His name, meaning it is aligned with His will. In other words I have said and done what He would have said and done. This puts more responsibility on me to learn how to both know and do His will.

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves blessings which God is ready to give, but which are dependent on our asking for them. The purpose of prayer is for the child to bring his will into alignment with the will of his Father. I believe this is true both of individual prayers and of a lifetime prayer relationship with God. My purpose is to engage in a process of speaking, listening, feeling and asking so that I can become more familiar with the voice of God and the workings of the Spirit. I think the real purpose of prayer is to learn to recognize His voice.

When the Nephites disciples prayed, we are told that they did not multiply many words because it was given them by the Spirit what to pray for. We also know that because angels speak by the Holy Ghost, they speak the words of Christ. So when we speak, or pray by the Spirit, we are speaking and praying the words of Christ. 

We are taught that when we ask the Father in the name of Christ, we will be given whatsoever we ask. We might mistakenly believe that this means we say the name of Jesus Christ as we speak. In reality it means that we speak and pray by inspiration and ask for that which the Lord desires to give us and at the time He desires to give it. 

When I ask the Father in the name of Christ, He will always answer me. This is because the mind of Christ is one with the mind of the Father, so Christ will only ask for that which it is His Father's will to bestow. So every prayer is answered. He did not need to speak many words because not a single word was wasted.

He did not use the shotgun prayer approach, asking for lots an lots of different things hoping He might get a few of them correct. He used the sharpshooter approach, He only asked that which it was His Father's will that He ask. He never attempted a miracle only to find out that it wasn't God's will to perform. Never a wasted bullet because He didn't pray for that which was not right with the Father's will. 

Christ was known for His ability to do so much with so few words. He was not known for lengthy and sparkling orations, but for simple, understandable and penetrating messages that change hearts. "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Was the simplest response to a very complex and difficult situation. He did not multiply words.

When I become aligned with the will of Christ, everything I ask is granted. I receive the sealing power. Nephi had the sealing power because he never asked that which was not the will of God. He always prayed in the name of Christ. If this is the case, I too will have the sealing power when I learn to live and act in the name of Christ. Then everything I pray will be fulfilled because I will have learned to ask for what He is ready to give me. 

This requires that I come to know the voice of the Spirit so well that I can always speak in the Spirit. I don't think this means that we shouldn't ask for things we want or we should be scared to ask God because we might guess wrong. I think it means that we don't pray with the purpose of changing God's will, but of learning how to know it.

I have thought then, what about the times when I have prayed for what I desired and it was granted? This doesn't mean I changed the will of God, but that I had recognized an inspired desire. 

The explanation on the revelation of the priesthood points out that church leaders had been moved upon by an inspired desire to extend the priesthood to all worthy males. In other words, the Spirit prompted them to ask for it. 

When Alma and Amulek stood by the pit and watched the believers burn, Amulek sought to save them, Alma knew it was not in the Lord's will. He knew that, while Amulek's desire was borne of love, it was not in the name of Christ. 

I don't think it's wrong to pray for our desires, there is no other way to learn the difference between an inspired desire and  an uninspired one.

Once, after studying this topic, Tiah and I decided to try it. For fast Sunday, we decided to pray about what we should pray about. While we have struggled with the inability to have children and have often felt a desire to fast for children, we felt that this day we should fast for gratitude. To me it seemed like a waste of  a fast. If I was going to go 24 hours without food, I ought to be able to ask for something I wanted, like children. However, we decided to try it. Maybe there really was a difference between praying in the name of Christ and praying in the name of Bryce.

By the end of that day, we had had one of the most refreshing and fulfilling fasts I had ever experienced. The gift of gratitude had been given along with about 100 other subtle and powerful blessings. We almost laughed at ourselves near the end of the day when we realized that children, money, security and any other "blessing" would still leave us unhappy if we didn't have gratitude. With gratitude, happiness could be ours whatever our circumstance. We realized how foolish it would have been to continue asking for things to make us happy without first receiving the gift that is the heart and soul of happiness, gratitude. I believe The Lord made this particular answer very easy to recognize in order to reinforce to me the importance of praying in the name of Christ, not Bryce.

I have wondered how the desire to have children could ever be uninspired since families are the heart of God's plan. I have realized that prayer is not only about asking for the right thing, but also aligning our wills with the right time, the Lord's time. He doesn't set His watch to mine, I must learn to set my watch to His. That, or always wonder why my trials are arriving early and my blessings always late.

John the Baptist had a role to fulfill in preparing the people for the coming of the Savior. Several of Christ's apostles were chosen from among the disciples of John. He could not have performed this role if he had been born 40 or 50 years earlier. He was born exactly on time, according to God's clock, although ridiculously late according to Zachariah's and Elisabeth's.

My purpose then is to learn to live in the Spirit, which will make me one with God and Christ. If I do this, I will be living in the name of Christ. I will have the sealing power, and not one word I speak will the Lord allow to fall to the ground. Until then, all I can do is practice.

Teaching moment: play go fish or a similar type of card game. On one round invite your child to come and play while looking at your hand from your perspective (so they can see what you have). Point out that when they can see things the way you do, they know very easily what to ask for. Discuss how when we become more familiar with the way the Lord speaks and sees things, we can know exactly what to pray for and exactly what to say.

Possible concepts: prayer, faith, recognizing the Spirit, unity, humility, repentance, inspiration, teaching, speaking, revelation, the Holy Ghost

Possible scriptures

Bible Dictionary: "Prayer"

3 Nephi 19:23-25

2 Nephi 32:1-9

Helaman 10:3-10

Alma 14:10-13

D&C 46:30-31

1 Samuel 3:19

1 Samuel 9:6,9

John 17:3, 21-23

Matthew 6:7-13

2 Nephi 4:35

James 1:5-6

Becoming Capable of Eternal Life

President Howard W. Hunter spoke of watching a longboat race in Samoa. 

"After the race, Elder Hunter walked to where the boats were docked and spoke with one of the oarsmen, who explained that the prow of the long-boat “is so constructed that it cuts through and divides the water to help overcome the resistance that retards the speed of the boat. He further explained that the pulling of the oars against the resistance of the water creates the force that causes the boat to move forward. Resistance creates both the opposition and the forward movement." (HWH manual ch. 3)

When I first read this story I thought it was strange that the purpose of this sport is to use resistance to propel oneself through resistance. I asked myself what could be the point. I realized that the point is not the boat, or the speed, or the water, it's all about the rowers. The resistance is necessary for the rowers to become stronger. Without resistance, the rowers could not be changed! There could be no muscle development or growth without resistance. 

The Lord's purpose is not so much to get the boat and its members to a certain destination, but for the rowers to become something divine. His work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This goal is about the condition of the man himself, not his location. 

In order to have eternal life, a person must be capable of eternity. His soul must be infinite or else he cannot comprehend or enjoy infinite joy or fulfillment. Immortality refers to quantity (how much life). Eternal life is quality (how good is life). I can only receive that which I am capable of receiving. As I live by celestial law, I become capable of feeling celestial things. 

Joy is not something we receive, it is something we create as our souls process our experiences. The more refined my soul, the more joy it is capable of creating. For the Lord to give us eternal life when we are not eternal beings would not be a gift. We would not appreciate it and we would not be able to use it. It is a useless gift unless I'm capable of enjoying it. It would be like giving binoculars to a blind man or new shoes to a man without feet. It would not only be useless, but even hurtful. It would be a constant reminder of what you cannot have or do. The Lord will bless each of His children with the very most they are capable of receiving.

Eternal life cannot be possessed, it is not handed from one to another any more than physical fitness is. Eternal life is who we become, not what we are given. 

Teaching moment: Give a child a gift he or she is not able to use or fully enjoy (clothes that don't fit, a book in a foreign language) or part of a gift but not enough to use it (wheels without a bike, a case without a phone, batteries without a toy etc). Explain that Heaven isn't just what you get, it is also your ability to enjoy it. If you don't become who you need to become, you will not be able to use or enjoy that gift. (After explaining this concept, it may be wise to give the rest of the gift and discuss how happiness is both having the gift and having the ability to use it). You could also discuss how opposition or resistance is the key to becoming who we need to be.

Possible concepts to teach: opposition, trials, agency, choice, eternal life, becoming, repentance, faith, change, diligence, discipline, plan of salvation

Possible scriptures:

D&C 88:32-33

2 Nephi 9:14

Mormon 9:3-4

2 Nephi 2:10-16

Moses 1:39

2 Kings 4:1-7

John 17:3

"Total Freedom" can be Bondage

I think freedom means the ability to act. The whole point of the plan of salvation is for us to be free. Lately, Tiah and I have talked a lot about fitness, and on of my favorite ways to describe the value of fitness is "fit is free." Before I started getting fit, I was greatly inhibited in my ability to act as I pleased. My body could not perform the functions I wanted it to. Ironically, this was a result if my "free" diet. Being free to eat and do anything I felt like actually brought me into physical bondage. I always think back to a time before we started to change when I was playing in the area turkey bowl. I remember being so out of shape that I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I could see where a play was headed and know in my mind what needed to be done, but my body lacked the physical capacity to execute. Because I chose to live free of dietary rules, I lost my freedom. 

So many people respond to healthy eating, diet and an active lifestyle with the attitude that it is too hard and too restrictive. The don't like the idea of having to monitor what they eat. It feels like it takes away their freedom. In my experience, the greatest bondage we can bring upon ourselves comes from abusing "freedom" and refusing restraint.

To me, this is exactly what the plan of salvation is all about. Heavenly Father wants us to be as free as He is. This does not mean that we rise above the law, but that we obey the laws that govern freedom perfectly. We become perfect in restraint and it sets us free. Today's modern society hates the idea that God has rules and expectations. They see God, if He exists at all, as an indulgent, lasse fair type of parent who will support them in any wickedness they choose to uphold. They do not seem to understand that a parent who demands nothing of his children is not loving, but powerless, blind, and a failure. Why? Because he cannot see that the greatest good of the child is to make a choice and have the ability to act on it. 

I should respond to commandments the way I am learning to respond to new fitness information. I am excited when I learn something new about how my body works because I can then begin to obey that law and receive more freedom. Rules increase the level of freedom I am able to enjoy. 

I believe that the whole plan of God was for us to become as free as He is. Immortality and eternal life means eternal freedom. That's his whole work and glory. To set His children free forever.

Just as physical freedom requires the strengthening and maintaining of my body, eternal freedom requires the strengthening and maintaining of my soul. 

Teaching moment- have a child do a difficult exercise (like running, playing or doing push-ups) while carrying or pulling a very heavy weight. Explain to them that the laws of God are meant to set us free and that The Lord has identified those behaviors which will take away our ability to act freely through commandments. After sufficient time, have them repeat the activity without the weight and note the difference in ability to move freely. Point out that when The Lord invites us to eliminate certain behaviors in our lives, He is doing so in order bring freedom.

Possible ideas to teach: repentance, obedience, faith, commandments, law, love, parenting, LDS, Mormon, religion, freedom, agency, liberty, self-discipline, change.

Possible references: 

2 Nephi 2:16

2 Nephi 2:25-27

D&C 93:33-34

Why I'm Glad to be a Weakling

I think I've always had an overactive sense of shame and guilt. At times, my perception of the Lord has been that of a Father who is disappointed in me and frustrated with my weakness. I have come to understand that God does not see me as I currently am, but as the eternal being that I was, that I am, and that I will be. So it's me (and other humans), not Him, who is surprised or flustered when I fall short. While I see weakness as what's holding me back from growing, He sees it as the very thing that's helping me grow.

For me it was a stunning revelation to learn that God does not only have a divine tolerance for our weakness, it is actually one of His greatest gifts to us. After Paul be sought the Lord "thrice" to remove one of the "thorns" in his flesh. In response, The Lord taught Paul to stop looking at the weakness of Paul and start looking at the grace of God. "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10). 

He responded to Moroni's insecurity as a writer in a very similar way: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." 

(Ether 12:27)

I think if we slow down while we read this verse we will see something that can change the way we see weakness. I have always interpreted these verse more like this: "I understand that you are weak. I wish you wouldn't be but since you cannot really help it, I will tolerate your weakness and patch up your mistakes." What He actually said was "I give unto men weakness." He actually gave us weakness. It is a divine gift. Moroni later reminds us of a simple truth about all things that come from God: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil."

(Moroni 7:13-14)

If weakness is a gift from God and God only gives good gifts that invite us to do good, then we should remember that our weakness is not a roadblock or even an annoyance to His plan, but an essential ingredient. We must then be careful not to judge our weakness, which is a gift from God, as coming from the devil. In fact, the devil's tactic is for us to deny or hide our weakness. He must try to get us to believe that The Lord is disappointed in us for having weakness and so we ought to be ashamed to admit it. If this is our response to weakness, then, just as he does with all of God's gifts, satan can take a gift intended to turn us to God and try to use it to turn us away from Him.

This a concept that is beginning to make more sense to me. Weakness is not a curse, it is a God-given gift. If it were not for weakness, I could not understand the power and mercy of God. It isn't easy to see our weakness as reason to rejoice. It seems counterintuitive to rejoice in weakness. It is difficult to celebrate falling short. I think it requires a shift in attitude. We are prone to focus on the fact that we fell short of the mark rather than rejoice in the courage it took to jump and the peace of having one who is both willing and able to catch us. To focus on my weakness can cause me to forget the one who gives me strength. If all I'm worried about is that I didn't jump high enough, I forget what a gift it is to be able to jump and what a gift it is to have Savior to save me. 

It seems to me that too much of life is spent focusing on our failures and maybe not enough on rejoicing in our freedom. The Atonement of Jesus Christ has set us free forever. Free to run and jump and fall and try and fail. Because of Christ we need not fear to stumble or to fail because we have one who is mighty enough to heal and save us. 

I think too often instead of enjoying the freedom which has been bought for me, I sorrow in my weakness and essentially handcuff myself. Why bother living freely when I know I'm just going to fail again. The atonement of Jesus Christ paid my ransom, unlocked my prison cell and opened the door. 

Unfortunately I often remain in my cell, mourning my failures and my weakness. I pull the door closed and bemoan the fact that I feel so helpless. I think to myself that The Lord is so disappointed in me that He must surely expect that I remain in prison. When He tells me the price has been paid and all that is required is that I stand up and walk out, I think He must be kidding. Doesn't He know what I've done? 

Rather than focus on my weakness, I think it's time I start focusing on His strength. Rather than focus on my failures, I need to start focusing on His victory. Instead of focusing on how good I am at breaking things, I need to remember how good He is at fixing things.  Like the great and good in story, if we fail we fail with glory! Understanding God's gift of weakness will set me free forever to fail with glory.

True freedom then is to trust the atonement enough to rejoice in my weakness. Without my weakness, I could not know His grace. I would take a life full of "failures" that leads me to Christ over a life of "security" that keeps me isolated. He is the One who overcame all failure so that He could have the power to redeem us. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

Teaching Moment: Teach a child how to change a car tire. Have a child try to lift a car alone. When they are unable, talk about how a car jack works (or use one). Discuss how their inability to lift the car led them to seek something with more power. Point out that our weakness is meant to help us turn to the Lord for help and to rely on His strength. You could also point out that there is no shame in being unable to lift a car. Everyone has been given weakness, no one can succeed without seeking help. 

Celebrate weakness! Help a child or youth to develop a proper perspective on failure by congratulating them when they fail. Discuss how failure is not something to fear, but a divine gift. Turn their attention from the shortcoming of failure to the great blessing of trying again. Losing an athletic contest, or doing poorly on an assignment might be the perfect way to for their hearts to be prepared for a discussion about the Lord's great gift of weakness and a perfect opporunity to bear testimony of the strengthening power of the Atonement of Christ.

Possible ideas to teach: repentance, addiction, the Atonement, endure to the end, faith, fear, grace, strength, confession, sin.

Possible scripture references:

Ether 12:27

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Moroni 7:13-14

Galatians 5:1

2 Nephi 2:26-27

Possible Discussion Question:

What are some of the scary things The Lord has helped you to overcome in your life?

Thou Shalt Not Hurry

I have often wondered why Alma said he sinned in his wish to be an angel who could cry repentance with a loud voice. It seemed to me like to desire to be an angel was a righteous desire, not a sin. As I have continued to study, I have had the realization that even a righteous desire can become a sin if it robs us of our gratitude and blinds us to the blessings we have received. 

I think that true contentment is for mind, heart and body to all be in the same place at the same time. D&C 93:33-34 says that the body and spirit inseparably connected can receive a fulness of joy. D&C 138:50 says that disembodied spirits looked at their separation from their bodies as bondage. I believe that true happiness is to be fully present. If my body is here but my heart is somewhere else or somewhen else, I am dissatisfied, or in bondage.

Alma recognized that he ought to be content with what The Lord had given him to do at that time. 

I think this can be really frustrating because, while mind and heart can travel to past and future, the body is stuck in the moment. So we spent so much energy trying (in vain) to speed up time so that our bodies can be where our hearts are. We speed when we drive, we walk extra fast, we take shortcuts. All without realizing that rapidly changing location does not in fact change time at all, time passes at the same rate, and if my heart is set on some future event, no amount of hurrying from place to place can get me to where I desire. The most ironic thing of all is how often we finally reach that place in time only to realize that our heart is now behind us and we long to be where we already were.

We can easily get caught with our hearts and minds in the future or the past. This is bondage. We never actually are where (or when) our hearts want to be. 

I think that is what Alma recognized. If my heart is on being somewhere or something else, I am neglecting the gift I actually have before me. 

I have recently tried an experiment to remind myself to stay in the moment. I have tried to always go just under the speed limit. It has been amazing to me how tempted I have been to speed up, either thinking it will "save time" or fearing that those around me will be angry. It has been helpful because each time I am tempted to speed up, I am reminded of why I'm not. I will probably spend about 1,000 times more time traveling to my destination as I will actually spend arriving at my destination. If this is the case, I must learn to make traveling its own destination. Journeying should not be the chore between life's moments, it should be it's own special type of moment. It has been an interesting experiment and I'm thinking of adopting it permanently. It may be my little way of reminding myself the futility of fighting against time.

If I want to be happy, I must learn to be content with my current situation. True happiness comes when I am fully present. My mind, heart and body are in the same place at the same time.

Teaching moment: while watching a movie, reading a book (or a scripture story), eating dinner, riding in the car or sitting in the family room, try to identify 5 or 10 (or 50) things you had not noticed before. Discuss how slowing down allows us to see and experience things that we miss when we are in a hurry. Discuss the dangers of trying to rush through things that are important.

Possible Concepts to teach: gratitude, joy, love, peace, Spirit, contentment, calm, agency, happiness, worship

Possible scriptures:

Alma 29:1-4

D&C 59:14-21

D&C 88:15

D&C 93:33-34

D&C 128:50

2 Nephi 2:25

Matthew 25:14-29

A New Creature of Light

Why would Alma say we need to become new "creatures?" Why would He use that phrase instead of saying that we must all become new "people?" 

(Jan 29, 2015)

February 4, 2016

I wonder if new creatures is a reminder of who is behind this change. Becoming a new person might be attainable through will power and personal discipline. By definition, a creature must be created by some power outside itself. So my attempt to become a new creature, born again, does not depend on my effort alone. It will be the result of my surrendering the old creature to God so that He can create a new creature of me.

I believe that I must not just be born again, but I must be born again and again and again. I must not only become a new creature once, but over and over. Each time the Lord re-creates me, I should be a better creature than the one I was before.

I love the way Alma describes the change in him. He went from the darkest abyss, depression, and despair to light, joy, relief and peace. I know this feeling. I have felt it many times. Each time the dark abyss is replaced by the marvelous light of God, I too am reborn and become a new creature. There is a level of depth and certitude that wasn't there before. 

I think life is a process of walking through the dark and then seeing the light. Physically we go through these cycles. Night, day, night, day. Sometimes nights are longer, sometimes days are hazier. I think the longer we allow ourselves to be converted through this process, the more we are able to take the light of summer with us through the winter. We must become creatures more capable of producing light because our circumstances will bring light or darkness outside of our control. 

God wants us to become independent of our circumstances. Jesus Christ is the light of the world, He did not draw light from the world, but produced it. Because His light source was internal, even a stormy sea could not remove His peace. He slept calmly as His disciples frantically trembled. He walked on the water His disciples fought all night against. He stayed true to His purpose and His Father through the long night of the Atonement. He walked through darkness so that He could be a light to others. 

Light, like peace, must have its source in our hearts. Without the internal light no amount of external sunlight will be able to truly warm us and give us sight. With the internal light, no amount of external darkness can dim us. After writing about this this morning, I went to church and we sang "There is Sunshine in my Soul Today." I was amazed at how the words related. 

There is sunshine in my soul today

More glorious and bright

Than glows in any earthly sky

For Jesus is my light.

Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine

When the peaceful happy moments roll.

When Jesus shows his smiling face,

There is sunshine in the soul.

Teaching Moment: View a sunrise or sunset together. Discuss the pattern of day and night as a pattern for light. Discuss the difference between external light and internal light. One shines on us, one shines in us. Explain that with Christ, we can walk in the light even when external light disappears and we are surrounded by darkness. Without Christ, even sunlight isn't enough.

Possible concepts to teach: trials, conversion, testimony, faith, hope, Jesus Christ, Holy Ghost, growth, born again, baptism

Possible Scriptures:

Mosiah 27:24-29

3 Nephi 1:13-15

Alma 19:6

D&C 93:2

Living in the Valley by the Map you Made on the Mountain

I think we are supposed to learn how to be transfigured. Transfigured means to "transform into something more beautiful or elevated." When we are elevated, we can see more and more clearly. From the top of a mountain, I can see the whole valley. So to be transfigured means to become a seer. The way we often talk about being transfigured is that a person is changed so that he or she can endure God's presence. If the Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, then to have His presence would require transfiguration. That means that if the Spirit is present in me, I must have been changed to a higher state. Therefore each experience I have with the Holy Ghost is at least partially a transfiguration. I am momentarily changed from a natural man with natural eyesight to a spiritual man with the gift of seership. Like Nephi and so many prophets, I am carried away by the Spirit into a high mountain.

From this mountain I see the world differently and many of the blind spots, questions, and challenges that I struggled with down in the valley become clear to me from my mount of transfiguration. I can see the solutions to the problems I have been facing.

The Lord says that while I am on this mount, I must make a map of the valley below and make commitments to follow my markings. When I return to the valley, my eyesight will again become dim, I will not see things so clearly and life will become more confusing once again. I have to trust the map I made while I was a seer. I believe this is how covenants work. We see the valley from the mountain, then we bind ourselves to act in certain ways based on what we see. For example, each week we go to sacrament meeting to be transfigured by the spirit. While there we bind ourselves to take His name upon us, always remember Him, keep His commandments and have His Spirit to be with us. That is a covenant we make in an edified setting, having sung, prayed and pondered together. 

I think that in addition to the saving ordinances and covenants, we can also make personal specific covenants. Studying the scriptures, praying, family home evening, service. All these are opportunities to climb the mountain on a regular basis so that we can see the day or week or hour more clearly. From this position, having my bearings straight, I can live an inspired life because I have seen it from above. 

So the challenge of life is to live life in the valley based on the vision you had while on the mountain. I think President Packer said that we go to the temple to make covenants and we go home to live them. I heard someone the other day mention Elder Bednar's teaching that our morning prayer should be a Spiritual creation of our day and that our evening prayer should be a review and report of how well we created what we had envisioned from the mountain top.

I may not have the same feeling of clarity that I did when I made the commitment, but that's exactly why I made the commitment. I knew I would be returning to the valley with its confusion and blinding fog. I knew when I returned that I would doubt my own memory of the mountaintop view. This is why I made a clear and direct commitment to follow the map I made when I could see more clearly. 

We must learn to live by what we have seen even when the clarity of seeing it has passed. We must live based on the power we have felt even when the feeling of power is no longer with us. As we do, we will strengthen our faith and our independent will and become better able to act on our surroundings based on true principles rather than have our surroundings act on us.

Teaching Ideas: take children, youth, students to a mountain peak, high building or other high place.  Help them recognize how much more they can see. Have a discussion about the Spiritual principles.

Possible concepts to emphasize: the Holy Ghost, edification, spiritual vs. natural eyes, prophets/seers, the purposes of covenants, church meetings, scripture study, prayer, temples, FHE.

Possible Scripture References

2 Kings 6:16-17

1 Corinthians 2:14

D&C 43:8-9

D&C 93:24-31

Moses 1 (or any story of prophets in mountains)

Please respond with additional insights, experiences, connections and references.

Introduction

I am a guy with a tie. I am also a teacher, a student in grad school, and a husband. 

We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This is not an official site of the church, but you can check out LDS.org and mormon.org if you're interested in learning more about what we believe. We share what we believe because we find peace and hope in the gospel of Christ and His teachings. His words and love have helped us get to where we are today. We know that God loves all of His children. We want to share the gospel with others because it brings peace to our lives in a troubled world.

My purposes for this blog are really just to supplement my gospel study, have a way to precipitate my thoughts into something concrete, and maybe spark some thoughts and discussions in others. My hope is that those who read will be generous with their own thoughts, ideas, correction, insight and experience so that I can learn as much as possible.