The Ministering of Angels

The ministering of angels can occur in different forms. Sometimes we feel as if someone we love who has passed on is present or is guiding us in certain situations. This is the ministering of angels. I have heard of people who are searching for names in their family history work and who feel as though they are being guided in the right direction by their loved ones from beyond the veil. I also know that there are times in the temple that we feel as thought the ones we are doing the work for are present. President James E. Faust in a talk titled, "A Royal Priesthood" said, "I would like to say a word about the ministering of angels. In ancient and modern times angels have appeared and given instruction, warnings, and direction, which benefited the people they visited. We do not consciously realize the extent to which ministering angels affect our lives. President Joseph F. Smith said, “In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.” Many of us feel that we have had this experience. Their ministry has been and is an important part of the gospel. Angels ministered to Joseph Smith as he reestablished the gospel in its fulness."

I also think that if we live worthily that we can be ministering angels here on earth for others who are in need. We can be the Lord's instruments here on earth and be the answer to someone else's prayers. I know that I have had times in my life when I've been having a trial and someone seems to show up at just the right time and place to fulfill a need that I had. I know that if we live worthy of the Holy Ghost and then act on the promptings that we feel, then we can be someone's ministering angel.

The Lord's Support System

D&C 29:30 “But remember that all my judgements are not given unto men; and as the words have gone forth out of my mouth even so shall they be fulfilled, that the first shall be last, and that the last shall be first in all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit.

“Gospel concepts as taught by the Savior are sometimes difficult for the mind of mortal man. You see, God’s ways are not man’s ways, and all of us need to learn that lesson well. I suppose some of what we have been talking about here today is involved in the divine truth that “the first shall be last, and that the last shall be first.” ( D&C 29:30.) There could be many surprises in the hereafter as we look up ahead and exclaim in our amazement, “But he was only a home teacher.” You know and I know that if he was the kind of home teacher that the handbook talks about and if he lived worthily, that man could likely stand eligible to inherit all that the Father has. And there is no greater blessing than that. It is also interesting to note that these brethren who sit behind me are bound by the exact same set of eternal standards as every other member of the Church. In that final judgment that is just and true, there will be one set of rules and one only—and God is no respecter of persons. And how significant that there is no private access to the scriptures. Holy writ is the same for the newest convert as for members of the First Presidency. “ Robert L. Simpson, “The Lord’s Support System,” Ensign, Nov 1976, 100

I love this quote from Brother Simpson. I sometimes feel so inadequate when I look around and see the great things others do. I know I shouldn’t compare myself, but sometimes I do. I see the sisters that are General Auxiliary leaders and think I could never possibly measure up to them. I watch our amazing Relief Society President and wonder how she does it all. I wonder how much room does Heavenly Father have in his house? Will there be room for all the great leaders of the church and still room for someone like me? This gives me hope that there is. We don’t all have to be great leaders in order to be loved by our Father in Heaven. He needs those of us who are good Home and Visiting Teachers. He needs us to teach our lessons in Primary or Relief Society or Sunday School each week and to do it well. He needs us to serve each other in small but simple ways. We all have the same opportunities to qualify for the blessings of eternity.

What Will a Man Give?

D&C 41:5 “He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you;

“So you see, what we do or fail to do determines our status before him. It is not Church membership alone that he asks. Nor is it reading the scriptures alone, nor paying tithing alone. It is wholehearted obedience and faithfulness of heart that counts. The choice is placed before us—worldliness or salvation. Which shall it be? There is no middle ground in this matter. Lukewarm obedience is spurned by the Lord. What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark E. Petersen, “‘What Will a Man Give?’,” Ensign, Jan 1974, 110

Wow. That’s pretty clear cut to me. We cannot just say that we are members of this church and go through the motions to please man. We cannot just go to church on Sundays and pay our tithing and call it good. We must actually live each day like a disciple of Christ in order to have salvation. It’s all the little things that count. It’s listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and acting on them. It’s taking care of our neighbor. It’s what we truly feel in our hearts that we will be judged on at the judgment day.

"If you are not one, you are not mine...."

“In the early years of the Restoration, new members gathered to create Zion. Zion was both a place and purpose—a spirit. We no longer gather in the same way. Our branches and wards are now our Zion. But they take on the spirit of Zion only when members care for one another. Sadly, we sometimes hear of women and men who have had their feelings hurt and become alienated by other Church members. If you are on either side of this dilemma—the offender or the one who has been offended—seek forgiveness; see your own part in the fault. Remember Christ’s admonition to us: “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” D&C 38:27 Kathleen H. Hughes, “What Greater Goodness Can We Know: Christlike Friends,” Ensign, May 2005, 74

I know for me, I feel at home in my own ward and stake. It’s my comfort zone. I feel like we care about each other and watch out for each other. We have moved many times in our married life and I have found this to be true everywhere we have lived. I think that Zion can exist wherever you are. We have chosen to be happy no matter where we are living. We have found that when it’s time to move, we think we will never live in a better ward or love the people as much. But by the time it’s time for the next move, we feel the same way again. I am not one who is easily offended. I know that I am not perfect and might have unknowingly offended someone in the past. When I do hear words that might cause offense, I try to give the person the benefit out the doubt. I would rather get over something, than carry the burden of being offended. I like to say that I live in my own little bubble, where everybody likes me and my family, no one judges anyone else, the sky is always blue and the sun is always shining. :) Having an attitude like this, helps me see the positive in others and feel more love towards others. I think love is the key to feeling “one” with Christ and his purposes.

God Lives!

In discussing D&C 38:1, Henry D. Taylor said, “We declare to the world that God is not dead, but rather that he is "the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made." I bear solemn witness that God does live and that the first principle of the gospel is to have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and in God, our Heavenly Father. We further declare to the world and bear witness that we are the spiritual offspring of heavenly parents.” Henry D. Taylor, Conference Report, October 1970, pp. 18-20

It’s hard for me to comprehend all that God and Jesus Christ are and all that they have done and continue to do. Even though my feeble mind may not be able to fully understand everything of an eternal nature, I do know that I have had a witness that they live. I am reminded of that every time I see a beautiful sunset or sunrise, which happens a lot around here. I am reminded of that when I have the opportunity to be in the mountains and feel of their majesty! I am reminded of their existence when I hold one of my children in my arms and marvel at their existence! I am reminded of this when there is a rainbow or even a double rainbow that seems to start or end at my house. I am reminded of this when I enter his Holy house and feel of his presence there. How grateful I am for the knowledge of a loving Father in Heaven who sacrificed His son, so that I can have the opportunity to return and live with them again.

One Line Sermons

In our class, as we study each unit, we search for "One Line Sermons." These are basically short scriptures or parts of scriptures that have meaning in our lives. I'd like to share the ones I've been studying. The first one is D&C 38:30 "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." I know we hear this scripture a lot. I think of being prepared in spiritual aspects as well as temporal and physical aspects. If we are out of debt and have our food storage stocked up, then if we have financial troubles, we will be better equiped to make it through. If we take care of our bodies by following the Word of Wisdom and exercising, then if an illness comes upon us, our bodies will be better equiped to heal up more quickly and fight off disease. If we prepare our homes and families for natural disasters, then if something happens we will be better equiped to protect our families. I think of winter blizzards in particular here in Idaho. We have had to use a propane heater at our house before because our propane ran out and the gas company couldn't get here. I was very grateful that we had that. I also worry about house fires ever since my parents had one. We now have fire ladders in our upstairs bedrooms and have fire drills with our kids so they know how to use them. I hope we never have to use them, but feel better knowing we have a plan in place. On the spiritual side of things, we must be keeping our covenants and following the commandments. Then when tough times come, we will be more deserving of help from our Father in Heaven. For me, I feel like family prayer and scripture study is a daily requirement before we send our kids off to school and we all go our different directions. When we have done these things, I feel like I have helped our family put on our "armor of God" before we face the world. It helps me feel more prepared to to face the day and I hope my kids feel the same. Ultimately, we want to be prepared to meet our Savior when our time on earth is through. We must study the scriptures, repent and get to know our Savior so that we will know Him and how to be more like Him. Then we shall not fear the day we meet Him.

The next One Line Sermon I found was D&C 31:11 "it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go." It's important to remember that we have the Comforter to guide us in life. I think sometimes, we get so busy going about our daily routines that we forget to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost and we rely on ourselves when making decisions. I know that when I have a big decision to make that I take it to the Lord and seek guidance from the Holy Ghost. What about the not so big decisions? What about the daily promptings from the Comforter? I know that sometimes I will have a thought come in to my mind of something I should do, or someone I should call or visit. Sometimes I listen and act upon those impressions and can see why I was supposed to. Other times, I ignore those promptings and later can see why I should have listened and acted. I know that we are the Lord's instruments here on earth and that we must listen to the promptings we receive and act upon them in order to be effective. I've been grateful in my life when someone has listened to a prompting that has been an answer to my prayers. I will try to be better at listening and acting upon impressions that I receive.

The third One Line Sermon I found was D&C 29: 5 "Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst." Sometimes life gets hard and we can get frustrated with things. I think it's important to remember that our Father in Heaven wants us to be happy. That's why he sent his son for us. He didn't send us to earth and expect us to be miserable. Even when things get tough, we can still find happiness. Trials are how we grow and learn. They are to be expected. It all depends on how we react to the things that come our way. I'm always touched when I see someone who has been through a tough trial who keeps their spirits high and has a good outlook on things. They are those people who you know have turned to the Lord for help and comfort in tough times. I love to be around optimistic people. It's contagious and it spreads quickly. It's hard to be around someone who is always down and seems to never be able to find happiness, no matter what the situation. I think having a positive attitude and being happy attracts more happiness into our lives! That's what our Savior and our Father in Heaven want for us. I'm going to remember this scripture when I start feeling overwhelmed.

Word of Wisdom, both Temporal and Spiritual

Anther example of a temporal and spiritual law is the Word Of Wisdom. We are given this temporal law to follow, which when followed helps us have healthier bodies and minds. In a talk by Roy W. Doxey, speaking of the early saints, he said: "Those faithful saints who endeavored to live this law—though old habits were difficult to discontinue and a belief apparently was held by some that it was not a commandment—were bounteously blessed, as is the faithful saint today. They not only realized temporal salvation (health, economy of funds, etc.) and spiritual salvation (“wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures”), but they recognized that the will of the Lord is sufficient for obedience. Their acceptance of the will of the Lord, as it is today, was tantamount to a commandment. (D&C 89:2.)

If you want to read Brother Doxey's talk, you can find it here.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=a19447f765adb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Temporal laws or spiritual laws?

This morning I was studying the following questions. In D&C 29:34 the Lord says that not at any time has He given unto us a law which was temporal. What does that mean? What are some examples of this?

The first thing that I thought of was the law of tithing. Tithing is an example of a law that would appear to be a temporal law, yet really is a spiritual law. We are asked to give 1/10 of our income to the Lord in the form of tithing. For some people this is a temporal "sacrifice." In a talk titled "Tithing: A Test of Faith with Eternal Blessings," Elder Hales says the following:
"To those who faithfully and honestly live the law of tithing, the Lord promises an abundance of blessings. Some of these blessings are temporal, just as tithes are temporal. But like the outward physical ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, the commandment to pay tithing requires temporal sacrifice, which ultimately yields great spiritual blessings.
The temporal and spiritual blessings of tithing are specifically tailored to us and our families, according to the Lord’s will. But to receive them, we must obey the law upon which they are predicated.¹¹ In the case of tithing, the Lord has said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
http://new.lds.org/general-conference/2002/10/tithing-a-test-of-faith-with-eternal-blessings?lang=eng

We are told that if we struggle with the law of tithe, to basically test the Lord and see if he won't pour out the blessings that he promises us if we faithfully pay our tithes. If we don't pay our tithes, we are unworthy to enter the temple and receive the great spiritual blessings that come from attending the temple.

I know that the our family has been greatly blessed by following the law of tithing. It has never really been something that I have struggled with, because I have always been so blessed by paying my tithing. We have never been wealthy, but we have always had enough for our needs and then a little. Sometimes in our lives, I don't know how that was. When my husband was in school and we were just starting our family, it seemed like we were never going to get our bills paid and have enough to buy groceries. Somehow, we always did. I am so grateful for the blessings that come from paying our tithing.

What is the purpose of this blog?

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have always loved the picture above of Jesus Christ knocking at the door. If you notice, there is no door handle. This tells us that Jesus is always there, knocking at the door, but the handle is on our side. We must open our lives to Him and He will be there. I have been very blessed in my life in so many ways and I'm so grateful for all that my Savior has done for me. Lately, I have been taking a Doctrine and Covenants class and have been learning much about the gospel. The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of divine revelations and inspired declarations given to Joseph Smith, the prophet. I hope to share what I have been learning through this blog. You can read the Doctrine and Covenants online at http://new.lds.org/

Our purpose on this earth is to learn to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. In D&C 41:5 it says a disciple is "a follower of Jesus Christ who lives according to Christ’s teachings." This tells me that we can all be disciples of Christ if we learn of Him and follow His teachings. Even though we cannot be perfect in this life, as He was, we can still strive to be more like Him. I will post things I learn that I feel will help me to become a disciple of Christ.

We believe that the Heaven's are open and that God still speaks to His prophet on the earth today. The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of such modern revelations. We were fortunate to have just heard from our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson at General Conference a couple weeks ago. I love him and always look forward to hearing him and his apostles speak to us. How blessed we are. Please watch the video below of Jeffrey R. Holland that explains this further.