Endure to the End Jacob 7, Enos and 4th Nephi 1-22

Last night while walking I witnessed a display of mother nature's glory, an explosion of light. Brilliant flashes streaked the sky and at times was so bright that it lit my path. It filled me with wonder.

Above me lines and patterns of light emerged on the sky's dark palette. I marveled.

This display of nature reminded me of the patterns that God has placed in each of his creations.
The sun, the moon, the seasons, the weather, the plants - all of God's creations were created by a pattern of design that not only determines its beauty and shape, but also sets its purpose and time.  I thought how these patterns give us reassurance. We know that each day the sun will rise as a ball of fire in the east. And each month the moon will rise big and round and glorious. We know the birds will migrate each fall and again in the spring. God has instilled in each of his creations a pattern to live by- a pattern to ensure their existence on this planet.

But what about man? What pattern did he instill in us to ensure our survival? To help us endure our journey here?

Unlike God's other creations, man was given a higher degree of intelligence to choose his mortality- his morality -his own path. Unlike the migratory Robin who innately sings songs of gratitude, God has given man the agency to learn for himself of eternal joy.

Last night, in our class we read the stories of Jacob and Sheram, and Jacob's son Enos, and the people of 4th Nephi. We read and discussed how they took a pattern of life that God has given all men and put it to the test and found the joy and peace that comes through faith and repentance - God's pattern of life. We talked about how their lives exemplified a pattern of enduring to the end.

What is God's pattern for man? And why didn't God instill in us a programmed life - like he did the Goose, who as I write is flying overhead honking and squawking on his way? to where?

Man- like all of nature- can follow a path that will lead us to eternal life. For man however, it involves conscious choice. The ability to discern between good and evil. It involves faith not only in nature but first in the supreme creator Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and following the Holy Ghost.

As we studied the lives of Jacob and his son Enos we found adjectives that described what they did to discover the peace the gospel brings. When Sheram challenged Jacob's testimony, Jacob recounted his "many revelations," his ministering angels, the many things that he had witnessed, and how the voice of Lord had instructed and comforted him. Because of all these things, Jacob could not be shaken.  We considered Enos and his mighty prayer that released him from his guilt, and how the people of 4th Nephi were able to live in harmony for 200 years before time and pride erased the living memories of their experiences with the Savior Jesus Christ.

What I found interesting is that these men were given experiences that impressed upon their minds and their souls the eternal nature and love of the Savior Jesus Christ. The desires of their heart were to know of a truth that would guide them to peace. Their lives were not without danger, trial or discomfort.  Peace does not mean you will not have trial. True peace comes when while in the midst of trial you have the power of faith in a true and living Savior who will wind your sails and calm your soul.

God has sent us many heralds of peace. Each day is a miracle of his love. Each day reminds us that he has given all of his creations a pattern to live by. This pattern is sure; it is eternal; it is beautiful.

I believe that it is why - when I see the night sky display its artistic brush or experience the sunrise or hear the bird song - I am reminded that God's love for all his creations is sure and steady. But for man... we must choose.

And I am grateful for the lives of men like Jacob and Enos and the disciples of Christ who witnessed the resurrected Christ and showed by their lives that enduring to the end is a real possibility. It is not only a possibility it is what God wants for us. It is his pattern for our lives. It is what he promises in 2 Nephi 31:20:

20  Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.    2 Nephi 31:20

Even though we don't have a programmed migratory path we do have the law and the light of Christ for which we are promised eternal life if we will but endure. But for us we must look, we must endure, and then shall we know eternal life.

Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.
3 Nephi 15:-1-9

2 Nephi 2: 3-9 "and by the law"

Hobbes our Dachshund will not walk in the dark

The Place of Animals

Know this that every soul is free, 

To choose his life, and what he'll be; 

For this eternal truth is given 

That god will force no man to Heaven. 

He'll call, persuade, direct aright, 

And bless with wisdom, love and light---

In nameless ways be good and kind, 

But never force the human mind. 

Freedom and reason make us men;

Take these away, what are we then? 

Mere animals and just as well 

The beasts may think of heaven or hell.
                                                      anonymous

The morning had dawned hot and humid. Rather than face the heat I postponed our usual morning walk and waited for an afternoon shower. But now it was well past dinner and our Vizsla was antsy. She wanted to walk, even if it meant walking in the dark. At this time of the night we could walk the entire neighborhood and not feel zapped by the heat. The idea of walking under the veil of a night sky exhilarated us both. "Go get your leash," I encouraged her yelps and begging whines.

When not walking with us the dogs enjoy resting.
They are always on alert 

But my Dachshund had other plans. When I asked him if he wanted to join us, (something he is normally eager to do), he tucked his tail and turned for his kennel. I laughed and thought he had misunderstood. So when the scene repeated itself the next evening, I began to see his obvious dislike for walking at night. I remembered how on previous evening escapades he had barked at every shadow, tugged on the leash in an effort to get me to turn back towards the house, refused to pass beyond our streets stop sign, and even once had to be carried out of the yard! By hiding under the covers of his kennel he was clearly showing his ability to make choice.

My dachshund knows what he likes and does not like.  Choice is not something known only to man.
Nature uses the ability to choose as a means for survival, to secure comfort and home.

Two weeks ago I became a student in Clemson University's Master Naturalist Program. It is a wonderful course that is meant to introduce me to the rich diversity of the natural world. As I learn the story of each of God's creations and their intricate role in maintaining a balanced ecology, my respect and awe for the laws of nature grew in ways I had never considered.

Dragonfly

Lacewing

Biology Taxonomy teaches us that all of life is divided into three Domains. These Domains are divided into Kingdoms, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus, Species. and even subspecies. The members of each kingdom are dictated upon by laws that govern their structure, their procreation, and their natural behavior. For instance I learned about a antlions more commonly known as lacewings or doodlebugs. Because of its four veined wings the mature doodlebug is often mistaken for the dragonfly. But that is the only similarity these two very different insects share.  Why? Because they belong to different genus and species. The field of taxonomy exists to study the different laws of each of God's creations and place it within the category of laws that best describe it.

So what does my dog and the laws of nature have to do with Lehi and his talk to Jacob? As I read about our Savior's mission of redemption, I wondered about God's creations and choice? I wondered why we alone seem to be able to make choices that dictate our eternal welfare? What about my dog's eternal welfare? If he can make choice where does the realm of his choice begin and end? And can he have joy like I have joy? (vs. 25) I wondered about the laws and the Kingdoms and what it all means.



Doctrine & Covenants 88: 36-38;42-43 

All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and seasons. And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the plants. 

Concerning laws, animals, and kingdoms I found the scriptures from Doctrine and Covenants 88 and from Byron R. Merrill, a professor at Brigham Young University I found the following:

In all scriptural accounts of the Creation, animals stand next to man in the order of their appearance on earth. Man was then given dominion over them (Moses 2:28, 5:1; Genesis 1:26), and President Kimball indicated that animals were created "for man's respectful use." 3 St. Francis of Assisi taught that all creation was brought into being "to praise the Creator; every species in existence praises God in its own special way." 4

Joseph Fielding Smith said that Latter-day Saints "do not take the view that animals have no reason, and cannot think. We have divine knowledge that each possesses a spirit in the likeness of its body, and that each was created spiritually before it was naturally." 5 

 He explained that while there is some measure of intelligence in members of the animal kingdom, the limited bounds beyond which they cannot pass are set by divine decree. These limits are not set on man, who is the offspring of God and has received commandments to become perfect like his Father. 

President Smith concluded that God "placed each [animal] in its sphere, gave it commandments commensurate with its position. They have been commanded to multiply, not to pray." 6 

 Latter-day scripture states that animal-kind will have part in the resurrection (D&C 29:24-25). 

Brigham Young indicated that animals abide the law of their Creator, unlike men and women who are the only creations of God that are disobedient. 7 

 Some refer to wicked acts as resulting from our "animal nature," but sins are really human failings, the result of evil choices, and not bestial at all.

Merrill, Byron R. "Behold, the Lamb of God : The Savior's Use of Animals as Symbols"

Men are bound by laws of nature too. Some men erroneously believe that our choice, like that of the animal world, does not carry eternal accountability.  They believe that what they do here on earth stays here on earth and this gives them justification to behave in a bestial manner.  But when men behave like animals they receive rewards similar to the beasts.  In contrast, when men act like the children of God that they are, they have the opportunity to access the atonement of Jesus Christ and lift themselves above the natural laws that bind. When we live eternal laws we receive the blessing of eternity. Lehi teaches Jacob how salvation is available to men(v3) and that the law has been given to men to know good from evil(v4). Does a beast know good from evil? Do animals become miserable forever? No. They live under a different law. Like the different laws that govern the different families of animals, they have no need for an atonement for they have not been given choice over their eternal welfare. They have a different gift. Our gift has been one of dominion and choice. (Genesis) As children of God, we alone are able to make choice that offers joy. We alone are able to make choice that brings us peace and frees us from fear. We alone are able balance the gifts of grace and truth and find eternal life. And we alone are able to comprehend truth and what it means in the realm of our eternal lives. Lehi taught Jacob that he had the gift of choice. As a young boy who was about to lose his father and was still impressionable to the influence of older wayward brothers, I believe that Lehi wanted to impress on Jacob the power he had to choose his own life. We too have the power of choice that has been given to all orders of God's kingdom, but none to the degree of man, who is free to choose his own destiny. 

Waiting on the Lord Genesis 21:1-8

Isaac 

Second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah. He was the child of a miracle, for at the time of his birth his mother, hitherto childless, was ninety years old, and his father a hundred. By the command of God the child was named "Isaac" (; in poetical language  = "laughter"), because Abraham had, covertly, laughed in incredulity when, a year previously, he had received the promise of God that a son would be born to him by Sarah (Gen. xvii. 17); so also did Sarah as, standing at the door of the tent, she heard the promise reiterated by the angel (Gen. xviii. 12). Isaac was circumcised when he was eight days old, and at his weaning the parents manifested their joy by giving a great feast. As a solicitous mother Sarah urged Abraham to send away Ishmael, his son by the servant-maid Hagar, whom she had seen mocking Isaac. At first Abraham hesitated, but at the command of God he complied with the wish of his wife; Isaac was thus declared the sole heir of his father.

Dear Sarah. 

What joy you must have felt to realize the Lord's promise in your life, fulfilled. To give birth at the age of ninety, to see the miracle of birth restored to you, a woman whose time had passed, to understand the power of God is greater than the power of nature. What joy you must have felt as you felt your son's unborn life quicken within you. And how the women around you must have fussed over you, talked about you and your miracle. How it must have given them hope and taught them of faith in the God of Abraham. 

If I could have been there? If I could have been a fly on the wall, what might I have heard? What might I have understood about your faith, your willingness to cleave unto your covenants? And the joy received because of your strength of faith. 

I love Abraham's choice of a name for your son. Isaac. So strong and so joyful. A way for you to always remember how to rejoice. You must have known that it comes from the word Yitzhak, which in Hebrew means "laughing one," or as God's promise to you it also is a reminder of how your son is a "child of the promise." I suppose God could not allow you to call your son Yitzhak, laughing one because it has so many connotations, but Isaac, this means covenant and promise and rejoicing in the fulfillment of the promise. You are so blessed to be able to have a son you can call Isaac. 

And your family was the first we know of to establish the custom of circumcision. I wonder how you dealt with this? Did you trust Abraham? Here he was with the child you were promised would bring you seed as the sands of the sea and he wants to do what? Clearly as a new custom of less than one year, it had not been fully accepted.  I wonder if you understood? How much of your actions were based on faith and how much on reason. I wonder if Isaac's circumcision played a role in his reaching the age of three when he could be weaned? I applaud your faith. When my own sons were born I questioned it and did my own research.

According to our social custom, my sons were circumcised in the hospital within hours of birth.But I remember studying how important it is to circumcise at day eight because in days 5-7  a child experiences a rise in Vitamin K which then acts as a pain killer and prevents hemorrhaging. As proof that the medical community is aware of this my second son was born with a minor heart defect that  required heart-valve surgery but the surgeons insisted on waiting to day 8 to preform it. I think it is amazing how the customs that we practice today came from revelation given to you and Abraham as you awaited the birth of a very much wanted son. I wonder how circumcision in young boys during your time helped prolong their life in a world where cleanliness was not as well established as it is today. 

In today's world most women stop bearing children by the age of 45. And you were twice past this age? Abraham was one hundred. I think I have generational problems with my youngest? I am certain that you had housemaids help you teach your son. You had a network of family and servants to help him understand his social customs and his religious rituals. But there were no grandparents to help here because you had traveled away and Abraham's father had passed. There is no mention of your family being with you.  I am thinking of how at each of my births I too was a traveler and although I could share the news with my family they were not able to attend the birth. 

And you Sarah rejoiced at the birth of your son Isaac. You rejoiced at his growth and ability to thrive in a time when children rarely made it to their third birthday. You were able to wean your child and bring him to the table for meat and honey. What a joyful day. I read somewhere a while back that the Jewish celebration of weaning was put in place to celebrate the child's ability to thrive and survive. It was a very important day. And Isaac's weaning was significant because it proved the Lord's love once again. It showed how the Lord was not only able to keep to his promise of giving Abraham a son, but he would help him thrive and survive. 

I wanted to say also that as I read "who would have said unto Abraham that Sarah should have given children suck?" I realized that you didn't use a wet nurse, but you nursed the child yourself. Wow. Another miracle. What a powerful message for God to send to all the world. He is in charge of life and birth and the milk that flows from our breasts. Having nursed six children I am very much aware of the importance it holds in passing on immunity and vitamins and fat and all of the necessary nutrition to help a child survive. 

Sarah so much is lost in your story of how you gave birth. So much is not considered because words can only tell us what happened. As a woman I am aware of your pain, your joy and your rejoicing because you chose to cleave tight to your covenants and believe in a God that promised you more than nature could itself provide. 

With love 

Your spiritual granddaughter

A great band of robbers Helaman 11: 24-38

The weather has turned just a bit. Its finally cool enough in the morning to be outside (low 70's). The humidity has shown signs of mercy and I can once again enjoy being outside with nature. Here in Summerville we enjoy combining nature's beauty with sculptured art. In recent years Sculpture in the South has sponsored the placing of various works of art throughout the Summerville Parks. I love to walk the green landscapes and admire the beauty that several bronze statues bring. I love the spirit of playfulness, creativity, beauty, freedom, and the closeness to God and community that I feel when I see these works of art and soul.

So it was with great dismay that I learned of the recent stealing of not one but two of these beautiful statues. A few years back (2007)someone stole and vandalized the statue of a small

baseball boy, and Monday night someone stole the little conductor (the fourth one back) from the line of children statues on the wall (see above picture).

I am at a loss as to why people behave this way? In my family when something turns up missing it is the spirit of fear that screams inside my head, "so and so took it." Or when something is misplaced it is the spirit of fear that begs to ask others in an accusatory tone, "Did you take it?" When robbers ply their craft they take much more than the objects they plunder. They spread the disease of fear.

But fear can be combated with faith. Just last night when my cell phone was misplaced rather than allow the tone of fear to escalate inside of me, I chose to sit quietly and ponder its possible whereabouts. Eventually I found it outside on our front porch. I am so glad I did not give into the insecurity inside of me that wanted to accuse a loving member of my family.

When we don't live in faith, we live in fear.

There are forces of nature that work in opposition to one another. They balance one another. If you take a ball and bounce it, it will go high and low with equal succession until it finds its equilibrium ( a place somewhere in-between). The force of gravity is needed to create this equilibrium.

Faith and fear appear to be opposites, but unlike the forces of nature, they do not balance one another. If you bounce your fear off of your faith, you (with the force of love) can find yourself closer to your life balance. But if you bounce your faith off of your fears, there is no force of love for love does not live where there is not faith, you create greater fear. Fear can be balanced by faith, but faith cannot be balanced by fear. They are not opposite. They do not balance one another. They are two separate forces that direct us into two separate directions.

When we face fear we need love to help us rediscover our equilibrium. The love of God within each of us works to equalize this destruction. The love of God can be expressed in sculptured art, in kindness, beauty, and words of faith. The love of God works with faith to repair destructive behavior.

If we choose to live by faith, we can eradicate all fear from our lives and find peace. If we choose to not live by faith, by default we live by fear. When we (either by default or by choice) choose to live in fear, we become dissenters. Dissenters argue, fight, war, rob, plunder, and murder. They know no boundaries, no respect, and no faith.

The "robbers" who stole our statues were most likely young dissenters, a young voice crying out for relief from life- frustration. They know not who or what or how to believe in something larger than themselves. They have begun a downward spiral of fighting fear with fear. It is a fruitless path and one that Nephi speaks of in these verses. Today I will say a prayer for those who hurt so badly that they believe the thievery of art will somehow patch the whole that fear has bore into their soul.

Words and Phrases

vs. 24 dissenters from the people - dissenters are those who do not feel loved, do not have a place, have been driven out because of social standing. Where there are so many dissenters it is a sign that there is a great social division in the land. The people love their possessions more than they love their fellow man.

vs 24 stirred up to anger- fear breeds anger. Anger breed war

vs 25 murder and plunder- it is a downward spiral

vs 25 retreat and secret places when we live in fear we have need to hide.

vs 25 addition to their numbers great numbers are a sign of social unrest

vs 26 great band of robbers I wonder if there was such a distinction because of the disparity of wealth in the land. It is easy to say these people were wicked, but I believe you have to understand what caused them to be driven to living in the wild mountains. Was it because they could not find place in the community of their birth?

vs 27 great havoc great destruction fear breeds havoc and destruction. Fear within us or within our families breeds destruction.

vs 33 did visit many parts of the land- they grew bold in their robbery. Bold in their lifestyle of fear. Many would have died in fear, died because of fear, lived in fear of death, of life, of having whatever they cherished. Fear is not a way of life. Fear is a way of death.

vs 36 they did not mend their ways- even as they faced being murder, havoc, and destruction these people who were being driving by fear chose to love their possessions, to believe in their own strengths, and to love their lifestyle of fear more than faith. I guess it became a habit.

vs 37 was stronger and stronger in their pride - Pride breeds fear... pride teaches us to believe alone in our own strength, and in our own ability. Pride stands alone. Pride separates through fear.