No Coincidences

Tag: holy ghost

  • Letter to a Sinner

    Letter to a Sinner

    I write this with as much humility as possible.  Fully knowing and understanding my weaknesses have given me perspective.  It is my faults and errors that make me feel like I can write this letter. 

    I remember when I came back to church I was asked to not take the sacrament for three weeks.  It was one of the more difficult things I had to do, although it doesn’t sound like much.  I think it was the moment I realized I had changed.  Something that in the past might not have affected me too much, really hurt.  It was difficult coming back and immediately feeling like maybe I’m not enough.  Maybe I could have gone the route of resentment.  Instead I realized how much I didn’t want to have to go through that again.

    I don’t in any way imply I’m better than someone who can’t take the sacrament and does feel resentment.  We all have our own paths.  Mine was of being completely away, coming back, and realizing I deserved my three weeks.  Some are never officially away so that state of probation seems unfair or not right.  I understand that.

    This is my letter to the sinner.  A reminder, that includes all of us.  This is the sinner who has made mistakes.  This particular sinner might come from a perfect family and part of their struggle is feeling like they don’t fit in in the one place they should feel welcome.  This sinner might feel judged by the very people that should love them the most.  It doesn’t matter if those family, friends, and caring loved ones are right or wrong.  It matters how the sinner interprets things.  We all live our own experiences and encounter the world in different ways.  We must, to the best our abilities, see the world in perfect light and perfect truth.

    Here is my letter to a hypothetical sinner:

    You will never be like the “perfect” people you see around you.  You won’t.  Your path has been set.  Your path has been set partly by different “luck,” different experiences.  Partly by your choices.  My life was set by very bad choices.  But now that I’ve come out of the other side, my joy is greater than I could have ever imagined.  You won’t be “perfect”, but you’ll be who Heavenly Father sees you can be.  You won’t be “better” than those who never made the mistakes you made, but you might be stronger.  Your path will lead you somewhere wholly different.  And if you decide you want to come through to the other side: to truly know your Savior, to know forgiveness, to know what being welcomed home feels like even if you don’t think you’ll ever deserve it – if you come to that other side with that relationship with your Savior, your testimony will be welded in steel, as hard as diamond.  You’ll have gone through the refiner’s fire and come out united with He who gives all strength.  This is no excuse to continue to sin.  You know the light.  You’ve seen and felt the light.  I knew the light and I turned from it.  I hope to help anyone not make the same mistake.

    You will make mistakes.  You will sin.  But no matter what, you have to remember Jesus Christ.  Because while the world will judge you and you’ll have to struggle with that, He will judge you with a perfect love and comprehension.  Remember that those around you are trying to judge you with love.  They’re trying to love you righteously.  Jesus Christ doesn’t try.  He is perfect love.  Don’t forget it.  Don’t forget that those around you whose points of view you can’t understand, they’re trying to be like Jesus Christ.  They may be falling short.  But that’s not for you to judge.  Just as they can’t judge you, you can’t judge their intentions or efforts.  Just love and do your best. 

    I’m sorry you have to go through trials.  But do not lose sight of Jesus Christ.  Do not.  He is the only person true peace can come from.  Whatever you do, whatever mistakes you make, do not forget HIM.  He won’t forget you.  I promise.

    At this point I must apologize.  Throughout this letter I’ve referred to you as “the sinner.”  I know that phrase hurt the whole way through.  I know it because I’ve felt it.  I did it throughout the whole letter to get to this point.  I want to remind you, “sinner” is not who you are.  It will never be who you are.  We all sin but that’s not what God and Jesus Christ see in us.  No matter how many mistakes we make.  No matter how many slip ups or downright wrong things you do, you are not a sinner.  You are a child of Heavenly Father.  You are growing.  You are learning.  I reiterate something I said earlier, this does not excuse your sin.  Sin is wrong, you know that.  Christ will see your sin.  What means much more to Him is your repentance.  He doesn’t see who you were but who you will be. 

    “God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming than about who we once were. He cares that we keep trying.”

    Elder Dale G. Renlund in April 2015 Conference talk “Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying”
  • Recovery Update

    Recovery Update

    Quick update on my recovery.  Nothing short of a miracle. The cover picture you’ve already seen is my head and arm today. It’s amazing. Read to the end to see the healing my head has gone through. Be warned, it is NOT pretty.

    There has been real fear that I would have a permanent divot in my head.  Like a mini crater.  It was a likelihood that I would have a permanent bald spot.  There were concerns about it healing and sealing up properly.  There were many concerns. 

    I never concerned myself with much of this.  It was something Beth and others would discuss.  For one, I’m old, married, with a kid anyways.  I always thought a bald spot would bother me.  Once you get old, who really cares.  Secondly, I didn’t concern myself with it because I knew it would work itself out.

    Where I used to fear touching because there was a hole and I didn’t want to fully know what was going on back there, is now just a scab.  Where we thought I might have a permanent crater and baldness, you can’t even tell there is an injury.  My hair has grown long and now it blends in with the scab that has filled in my head.

    There was some concern about how my arm might heal.  I briefly had thoughts about whether the healing skin would tighten up and restrict movement.  It’s my shooting shoulder!  I set aside those concerns.  It would heal or it wouldn’t.  I wish I had the poetic ability to properly describe how it has transformed.  From extremely painful, you’ve seen the pictures, to basically looking like a scratch.  As of right now, it looks like I got a mild sunburn.

    The third thing aside from my head and arm that was a concern was the helicopter bill.  Our initial bill was for $46,198.50. You can imagine this would cause some amount of stress.  I can say that Beth was pretty stressed about it.  I say this with little pride, I like to think she was positively affected by my calm outlook.  This is more due to our different demeanors than anything.  It’s something I’ve written about before.  Where Beth is pragmatic and planning, I like to think God will take care of it.  See The Chance of Faith for more on that.  God is likely more on Beth’s side.  But I was not worried.  We would have to pay it, or we wouldn’t.  Either way, God was watching.

    Despite my lack of worry and naïve, innocent belief that all would work out, I was still not looking forward to paying $46,000.  For that reason, it was quite a relief when, after Beth’s work with forms and paperwork, our bill was dramatically decreased.  I won’t give the exact amount, leave some intrigue, but I will say the decrease was ridiculous.

    What’s the moral of the story?

    I’m lucky?

    Yes, I am.

    I mentioned when I was on the ATV my brother gave me a priesthood blessing.  I asked him 3 days after the accident what he said in the blessing.  He replied that I was blessed that I would heal, and Beth wouldn’t lose me anytime soon. Again, my healing has been nothing short of miraculous.  Anyone who has seen my head progress over the past 6 weeks is blown away.  It’s unbelievable. 

    Am I lucky?

    Yes, I am.

    When I was 25 years old, I was ordained an Elder and given the Melchizedek Priesthood.  I was so excited I invited every person I knew to be there.  I was receiving the power and authority of God, to act in the name of Jesus Christ.  I could heal, bless, baptize, and give the gift of the holy ghost.  It was the most important moment in my life at that point.

    Here is my testimony.  The priesthood is the power and authority of God gifted to His children here on earth.  When my brother laid his hands on my head and blessed me with health, it wasn’t the average prayer.  The power that coursed from his hands to my bleeding head, the authority I myself had given him just months prior, that power literally healed me.  That blessing was in affect and ordained by God.  My brother worked hard to be worthy to bless me in that moment.  That blessing came from heaven.

    The priesthood authority is not mythical.  It is not imaginary.  It is a real power to act in God’s name.  When I was blessed on that ATV, I was healed.  I know it as sure as I am still breathing and typing this. 

    It’s a miracle how I’ve healed.  I couldn’t heal like this without divine authority.  I couldn’t heal like this unless God intended it to be.  I was blessed by his power and authority.  Why was I at peace throughout this process?  Because 3 days in I asked my brother what he blessed me with that day.  When he said, “you’ll heal,” I knew it would be.  There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. 

    I can’t thank my Heavenly Father enough for what he has blessed me with.  Last week I was able to bless my daughter with the same priesthood authority.  I know the blessing I gave my daughter was ordained by God and will also be in full affect.  I can’t thank God enough for the priesthood He has blessed me with.  How it blesses my life and my family’s life every day.

    I know that the authority to act in God’s name must come by the proper channels.  I know that Joseph Smith was visited by Peter, James, and John and given the keys to this priesthood power.  I know the Church of Jesus Christ was restored and we are blessed by His delegating those keys to us, to simple, flawed man.  He has trusted us with power.  I am grateful to Joseph Smith for restoring the priesthood power and authority.  I’m grateful for every blessing I’ve received and given in my life. 

    I know that God has authorized this. I look forward to the day when I can kneel before him in humble amazement and ask how He could love us so much, that He would give us all He has.

    This my testimony in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.

    ________________________________________

    I will provide some picture evidence of the miraculous nature of my recover.

    *****WARNING*****

    Please don’t keep scrolling if you get queasy easily. These are pictures I refused to look at until today. You can call me a wimp, but I had to step outside for some fresh air after seeing them. You’ve been warned.

    2/1/21:

    2/3/21

    2/8/21:

    2/16/21:

    2/18/21:

    2/24/21:

    3/3/21:

  • Lectures on Faith – Lectures 3 and 4: The Character and Attributes of God.

    Lectures on Faith – Lectures 3 and 4: The Character and Attributes of God.

    These two lectures are combined because they are so closely linked.  They were also combined into one video in the series I’m watching that teaches about the Lectures on Faith.

    Lectures 3 and 4 are about the unchanging attributes of God and why understanding those attributes is necessary for our faith.

    The points made in the video were so good I’m going to just list the character traits and attributes of God given in these lectures and then give points from the video.  All the points from the video I believe inspire some thought-provoking ideas.

    Character of God:

    1. He was God before the world was created and continued to be God after.
    2. He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness, He was from everlasting, and will be to everlasting.
    3. He is unchanging, there is no variableness with Him, His course is one eternal round.
    4. He is a God of truth and cannot lie.
    5. He is no respecter of persons.
    6. He is love.

    Attributes of God:

    1. Knowledge
    2. Faith or power
    3. Justice
    4. Judgement
    5. Mercy
    6. Truth

    It is obvious why these two lectures go hand in hand as there is a lot of overlap between the character and attributes of God.

    I’ll now go over some interesting thoughts from the video.

    1. Pretty obvious but worth saying, this is not a finite list of attributes.  It’s meant to help our minds to understand who God is so we can put complete faith in Him.
    2. Unfortunately, this has become less true in our day, but most of us don’t have a problem believing in God, it’s what He’s like where we have an issue – and so much disagreement.
    3. The first attribute listed is mercy.  One of the first attributes of God Nephi mentions in the Book of Mormon is mercy.  In Moroni’s last chapter, the concluding chapter of the book of Mormon, mercy is mentioned again.
      • 1 Nephi 1:14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!
      • Moroni 10:3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
      • It is important for us to understand the mercy of God.
    4. If we have the idea that God is easy to anger it makes it harder for us to have faith in Him.  In the parable of the talents, why did the servant bury his talent?  Because he was afraid.
    5. The fifth and sixth attributes can be combined.  God is a God of love because He is no respecter of persons.  He loves us all. 
    6. God doesn’t stop loving people when they sin.  The difference is God is not able to bless people when they sin.
    7. Where there is doubt faith cannot exist.  Questions are different from doubts.

    I’ll conclude with a statement directly from lecture 4:16 because I think it is extra relevant to us today.

    “And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea of the existence of the attribute truth, in him. For, without the idea of the existence of this attribute the mind of man could have nothing upon which it could rest with certainty: all would be confusion and doubt; but with the idea of the existence of this attribute in the Deity, in the mind, all the teachings, instructions, promises and blessings become realities, and the mind is enabled to lay hold of them with certainty and confidence.”

    We see the fruits of this today.  If no one knows for sure what truth is we become so shaken and confused, thrown about by any wind, blown about on the sea like a boat without paddle.  That’s how we are today when we try to understand truth without putting our faith in the truth of God.  One expert disagrees with another expert.  No one knows how to fix anything.  It is all confusion.  We don’t know who to listen to or who to trust.  Trust God.  His attribute of truth allows us to put our complete confidence in Him and know He will never lead us astray.

    To read the lectures yourself you can find them HERE.

    For the videos about the lectures you can go HERE.

  • Rameumptom

    Rameumptom

    It’s amazing to read the Book of Mormon and compare those people to our day.  One story from the Book of Mormon that recently stood out to me was the story of the Zoramites and the rameumptom.

    The Zoramites were a people who corrupted religion in many ways.  They built a large tower.  This tower was called a rameumptom and it was used for prayer.  People would go to the top of the tower and loudly proclaim a rehearsed prayer.  In the prayer they would thank God that He chose them.  They would thank God that He had enlightened them and saved them while He would damn all the others to hell for their false beliefs.  They would say their prayer, leave the tower, and go about their week without another thought towards God.  They would use their week to serve no one but themselves. 

    A Zoramite man prays on the Rameumptom in the land of Antionum.

    Let’s compare the many false beliefs of the Zoramites to our society today.

    First, praying on the rameumptom.  What good deed is done today without proclaiming it to the world?  We’re all guilty of it.  Social media is our modern day rameumptom.  It is where we proudly shout our greatest deeds for the world to see.  Prayer and good deeds should be done in private.  Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.

    Second, the Zoramites had a temple that only the rich were able to go to.  Churches today have become much more about prestige and power than about humility and kindness.

    Third, rehearsed prayer.  The Zoramites used a rehearsed, scripted prayer to talk to God.  There are many problems with this.  It takes any effort from the procedure.  The prayer has no thought or feeling to it, it’s like reading in class.  There’s no genuine questions, no genuine requests, no genuine gratitude. It is a script.  We see this in many churches today.

    Fourth, prayer without action.  This is a byproduct of rehearsed prayer.  What does prayer without effort lead to?  Life without effort.  The Zoramites loudly spoke their prayers from their tower, stepped down, and that was the extent of their worship.  They wouldn’t speak to God again until the next week when they would give their five minute rehearsed prayer and move on with their life.  This is the worship of our society today.  With all God has given us we can’t even give Him a day of worship in return.  Most don’t go to church at all.  Many who do go, go on Sunday, listen for an hour, and the rest of the week don’t do a selfless act.  Christ was our example.  He taught us to pray always, serve others, and love others.  If we aren’t doing that, we aren’t of Him, no matter how loud our prayer.

    Fifth, the Zoramites thanked God that they were chosen by Him.  They thanked Him for enlightening them and turning them away from the foolish traditions of their fathers and neighbors.  They were selected by God and would be saved.  All others were fools who would burn in hell.  Sound familiar?  Many churches today believe you will only be saved if you follow their beliefs or belong to their church.  What kind of selective God is this?  It spits in the face of a loving, caring Heavenly Father who is no respecter of persons. This is a blasphemous and poisonous teaching that goes back to the pride and selective nature of churches.  God loves all His children and will provide a way for all of them to attain as much glory as they desire.  The doctrine of Jesus Christ taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that there are many mansions in heaven and God’s wonderful plan has provided a way for a vast majority, almost all of His children to go to Heaven.  All that repent,  follow His commandments, and believe in His Son will find a place worthy of their righteous hearts.  This is truth.

    I have a close friend of a different Christian faith.  We have many good religious conversations.  One day the topic of heaven came up.  He told me that surely I didn’t believe he would go to heaven as he wasn’t a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my church.  This made me so sad.  I told him with complete sincerity and 100% certainty that I knew he was going to heaven.  Whether he joined the Church (my church) or not, I knew he was a good person.  I knew he loved Jesus Christ.  I knew he tried every day to seek Christ and to do good.  I knew he sought God with all his heart.  I knew he was kind and liked to help people.  I know, without a doubt in my mind, that there is a place in heaven for him.  I know this because I know God.  I know he loves all of us.  I told this to my friend, and I’ll never forget the look on his face.  A little shock, a little awe.  I know that he believes I am going to hell, he has told me so.  He believes I have been fooled and I will have to pay for my ignorance.

    I know that God loves him, and I know that God loves me.  I know that Jesus Christ is the perfect judge.  We will be judged perfectly.  Even those who are fooled will be given mercy and love from God.  That’s the God I know.  I feel sad for those who don’t know that same God.

    False teachings have corrupted and destroyed religion.  False teachings have turned many away from the truth and light that religion should provide.

    I have an invitation to anyone who read this and thought “I do hate how churches say everyone who doesn’t do this or that is going to hell,” or “I’ve never understood rehearsed prayers,” or “I can’t stand the hypocritical church goers who are the meanest people during the week.”  My invitation is to come and see.  Come and learn of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Come and learn what Christ intended for us.  Come and learn true principles and ordinances of Christ’s gospel.  Come serve with us, come worship with us, come pray with us, come be with us.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not perfect, not yet.  Not until Christ returns.  We can still be hypocrites but we’re trying.  Christ’s Gospel is perfect and we’re working toward it.  Come and see.

  • The Rock Christ would Build His Church Upon

    The Rock Christ would Build His Church Upon

    In a book called The Forerunners by Mark E. Petersen, I was introduced to an interpretation of a scripture that I’d read and heard quoted a thousand times.  The truth of the interpretation was so clear I couldn’t believe I’d lived so long with such a clear misunderstanding of the meaning of that important scripture.

    The verse is Matthew 16:18 which reads:

    18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

    Let’s give some context to this important passage.

    Jesus was with His apostles and He asked a simple question:  Who do the people say I am? (verse 13)

    They responded with some of the rumors out there – Some thought Jesus was the returned John the Baptist, some thought Elias, others thought Jeremias or another of the prophets.  (verse 14)

    Jesus asked, who do you say I am? (verse 15)

    Peter, Jesus’s first apostle responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (verse 16)

    Christ responds, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (Peter): for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

    Which leads us to our important verse and the part I always misunderstood.

    Christ says to Peter, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”

    One more quick review to make the point clear:

    1. Christ says who am I?
    2. Peter answers – you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
    3. Christ responds – blessed are you, for flesh and blood (man) has not revealed this but my Father who is in heaven has revealed this to you.
    4. Christ, in responding to Peter stating properly that He is the Christ, says “thou art Peter.”
    5. Then, adding to what Jesus said about the truth being revealed to Peter by God, Jesus says, “and upon this rock I will build my church.”

    Christ wasn’t saying the church would be built on Peter.  Christ’s Church couldn’t be built on anyone’s shoulders but His own.  Additionally, Christ is adding that the testimony of Him could only be received by man from Heavenly Father, more specifically the Holy Spirit.  The rock of Christ’s Church would be Christ Himself, and the testimony of Christ only comes by revelation from the Holy Spirit.  Not by flesh or blood, but by Heavenly Father and personal revelation.  Thus, the rock of Christ’s Church would be personal revelation that Jesus is the Christ.

    I was always so confused by this scripture.  Why would the rock, the sure foundation of Christ’s Church be on anyone but Christ?  How could Peter be the foundation?  He is not.  There is only one foundation.  There is only one name by which we can receive salvation, there is only one person who can save us.  That is Jesus Christ.  The Son of the living God.  Our Savior and King.

    My foundation - $Christ ministries$

    This scripture, when properly read, emphasizes the importance of coming to a personal testimony that Jesus is the Christ.  We’re reminded that the testimony of Christ does not come from man.  It comes from personal revelation.  It is unfortunate that personal revelation has been removed from much of modern Christianity.  Modern Christian churches say the heavens are closed and God speaks to us no longer.  He only speaks to us through His ancient word.  But what of today?  How do we come to a testimony of Jesus Christ but through revelation from heaven and the Holy Spirit?

    If God no longer speaks to man then man can no longer receive testimony of Jesus Christ.  But men receive testimony of Jesus Christ daily.  Every day millions worship Jesus Christ.  Every day thousands come to the realization that only through Christ can they be saved.

    Revelation is alive.  The Holy Spirit talks to us daily.  He reveals the testimony of Christ to the hearts of man.  God speaks to us;  through scripture, through prophets, and most importantly through the Holy Ghost.

    A quote from William Barclay of the Church of Scotland:

    “The rock is the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.  To Peter that great truth had been divinely revealed.  It was God Himself who had opened Peter’s eyes to that great discovery.  The fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is indeed the foundation stone of the Church’s faith and belief.  On that great truth the Church is founded for ever and ever.  This explanation holds that the divinely revealed truth that Jesus is the Son of God is the only foundation on which the Church is founded.”

    The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.

    It was restored to point men to Christ.  His name is in the name of His Church.

    Jesus Christ still is actively interested and engaged in the affairs of man.  Under the direction of His Father, our Father, He sent an angel named Moroni to reveal an ancient record to his modern-day prophet.  He, through the Holy Spirit, directed and guided Joseph Smith through the translation of a record that would make clear His doctrine and the saving ordinances of His gospel. Not to replace the Bible, but to add a second testimony to it.

    The testimony of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and my testimony is this: Jesus Christ lives.  He directs His church.  He loves all and wants us all to return to Him.

    This is the foundation of His Church.

    “Build firmly upon the rock of your Redeemer. Treasure His life and teachings. Follow His example and commandments. Embrace the powerful gifts of His Atonement. As you do, I promise you that you will see the [challenges of life] for what they are, [and] the spiritual rock under your feet will be solid and secure.” From #ElderAndersen’s pinterest.com/pin/24066179229002852 inspiring #LDSconf facebook.com/223271487682878 message lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/spiritual-whirlwinds #ShareGoodness