No Coincidences

Tag: study

  • Who Will You Become?

    Who Will You Become?

    “You wasted it,” he said.

    I looked back, confused by what I was seeing. I considered a response. All that came was, “Who are you?” 

    “I’m all that you could have been,” he replied.   

    He looked just like me. I guess I couldn’t have been a bodybuilder. “What do you mean I wasted it?” I asked. 

    “You were given so much. So much opportunity. So much of a head start. You were raised to know God. You were raised to know Jesus Christ. You were raised to know why you were here and where you were going. And look what you did with it.” 

    I stared back dumbly. Ok, that was unfair. I got married late. Had one kid. Got divorced. Held down a decent job for most of my life. Maybe I drank a bit too much and I had a propensity to gamble. But my son loved me, despite my faults. My life wasn’t perfect by any means but a waste? This seemed over the top.  

    “I didn’t waste it. My life? It wasn’t wasted,” I finally said. I had no other defense than to repeatedly say it wasn’t a waste.

    “I’ve come to tell you that you did. I’m sorry,” the other me seemed to say with real compassion. Would I have been equally compassionate in his shoes? 

    “What did you do differently?” I asked. 

    A vision opened up to me. This must have been what so many near-death-experiencers describe as a life review, but this wasn’t my life. It was me I was seeing, but it wasn’t my life. It was my life for stretches. But then something changed. In a miraculous way I saw it all. The thoughts, the struggle, the fear, the doubt, and the triumph. I saw the grappling with faith.

    In my life, I’d never come back to God. It was too painful to feel like I’d let Him down. The focus of this vision was one critical moment.  A prayer to God begging Him to take this alternate version of me back. I’d never done that. 

    The vision flew through other minor and major events. The major events: Marriage, but not at the venue I got married at, this was performed at a beautiful white building. A temple. A wife he (the alternate version) was faithful to. Children that didn’t just “love” him but admired and adored him. Children that had their own faith that strengthened and guided them in a fallen world. A wife that appreciated him and stuck with him through it all. 

    Then seemingly minor but apparently important events: Service, church callings, prayers, books read, time spent studying, time spent writing, small discussions, small moments shared, smiles, gratitude, forgiveness, sharing, giving. I had to admit it was a much different life than the one I had lived. It sure had a lot less football on Sundays.

    Did I waste it?

    In 2021 when I wrote the above, I had heard the question, “If on the last day of your life you met the person you could have been, what would you say to each other?” 

    That inspired me to write the brief dialogue above. It’s what I thought that interaction could look like if I never turned back to God and reminded myself what is truly important about this life.

  • Lehi’s Dream

    Lehi’s Dream

    Some thoughts I had while reading about Lehi’s dream. I will not relate every detail of the dream so for those who are unfamiliar, it can be read in 1 Nephi chapter 8.

    The first thing I noticed is the location where Lehi starts in his dream. The people he sees later all start at the head of a fountain of water. It could be this is where they started or this is where Lehi first sees them. What seems significant to me is this: Lehi is wandering blindly through the dark and dreary wilderness (verse 4). It is then that Lehi encounters a man dressed in a white robe who bade Lehi to follow (verses 5, 6).

    What I find significant is that later in the dream Lehi beckons Sam, Sariah, and Nephi, along with others, to come to the tree. Where is their man in a white robe? I think what we’re learning here is the significance of prophets in God’s plan. Lehi was led to the Tree of Life, the fruit, the gospel of Jesus Christ by a man in a white robe. Let’s assume the being in the white robe is Jesus Christ Himself (Sidenote: Let’s be clear, in Lehi’s dream I don’t know that the man in the white robe is necessarily Jesus Christ. It could be someone Christ sent like Gabriel or Adam to lead Lehi. But the principle stands and for simplicity, I’ll refer to the white-robed being as Christ). So, Christ leads Lehi to the gospel. It’s then that Lehi guides others there. Not to say that others don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, just that if we follow the guidance of and heed the prophet, he will guide us to the Gospel of Christ and keep us connected to the iron rod.

    The significance of a prophet is further illustrated by verse 8. Lehi doesn’t encounter Christ and immediately show up at the Tree. He “traveled for the space of many hours in darkness.” I think this represents the trials and tribulations Lehi had to go through. He was scorned, threatened death, and ultimately had to leave his home for his testimony of Christ. Prophets don’t become prophets overnight. They’re often the most persecuted among us. Then Lehi “began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies” (verse 8). It was when Lehi humbly cried out that he beheld “a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (verse 10).

    Lehi is led to the gospel. In a way I think he is ordained a prophet in that moment. From there he beckons and leads others to the fruit.

    Another way this can be looked at is that anyone who leads others to the tree of life, like Lehi led his family, can be a type and shadow of Christ. If you are an example to someone of Christ-like love and lead someone to come closer to Jesus Christ, you are acting in the role of the white-robed person, or Jesus Christ. You become a Savior on Mount Zion.

    Another significant feature of Lehi’s dream is the river of water. It can become confusing what exactly the river of water represents if you read Lehi’s dream, then Nephi’s interpretation of it. In chapters 12 and 15 Nephi is clear, the water was filthy and represents the depths of hell (12:16). If you read 11:25 it reads, “the rod of iron…led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life.” I think the significance here is the water is “living water” as it approaches the tree of life. As the water distances from the Tree of Life it becomes filthy. Therefore, at the head of the river, away from the Tree of Life, it was filthy and represented hell.

    Those in the great and spacious building mocked those who sought the Tree of Life. I think one interpretation could be that those in the building were products of ignorance. They knew no better. They were deceived by the “wisdom thereof, the pride of the world.” Laman and Lemuel can not plead ignorance. They had seen an angel (1 Nephi 3). Their father was a prophet. They started from a different point than someone who ended up in the great and spacious building. When Laman and Lemuel denied what they knew and denied all the light they’d been given, they were swept away. To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). “He who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation” (D&C 82:3).

    1 Nephi 12:18 “the large and spacious building…is the vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God.”

    The gulf that separates the people in the great and spacious building from the Tree of Life is their ignorance, not always of their own fault. Their upbringing might have brought them to the building. They may have been more easily deceived by Satan because of their upbringing and experiences. They may have started with an unfair disadvantage that made them unable to accept the gospel, “a terrible gulf” that made it too difficult to understand “the word of the justice of the Eternal God.” If they only understood how kind and loving their Father in Heaven is, or even that He is their Father, they likely wouldn’t laugh and scoff at those who embrace this great truth and find comfort from this truth.

    That’s why it’s so important that this message is shared with the world.

    This, I believe, is also why we must never judge others. We don’t know the experiences of others. It may be that if we were raised in a certain house, with a certain culture, with a certain understanding, with a certain life, with certain experiences, we would be just like the individual who scoffs at the Gospel. We don’t know the circumstances of someone else. We don’t know why they are the way they are. In their shoes, we may be no different. This is why it is to our greater condemnation to judge others. Don’t judge someone. You can’t comprehend all there is to know about them. Only one person can do that. He will rightfully and righteously judge them.

    Back to Laman and Lemuel and the filthy water that sweeps them away – as said, they are worse off. This is also why those who partake of the fruit and are brought to be ashamed by the scorn of the world “fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.” They didn’t make it to the spacious building. They were lost to wander forbidden paths. Once you’ve tasted the sweet truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is no going back. You can try to go back to the world, but most find they are more lost than ever. There are so many examples of individuals who leave the church but can’t ever really leave it. They become lost, always seeking to find something to fill the void the Church of Jesus Christ left. They can’t fill the void so they end up attacking it.

    11:35 reads, “The multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

    Many of these people are deceived, and therefore they fight against God, unknowingly sometimes. The wisdom and pride of the world can be churches that look at the poor and needy and manipulate them. Or it can be individuals who look at any other church and scoff and mock. Oftentimes, these actions are done in the guise of defending God. More evil has been perpetuated under the guise of doing what’s right than just about anything. God needs us to defend Him by our kind actions and good examples, not by slandering, judging, or hating others. Many today of other faiths openly mock what they don’t realize is Christ’s true and living church. They have been deceived by the wisdom of the world. And in mocking “they never knew Him” (JST Matt. 7:33).

    These are just a few of my thoughts from Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life. I feel there is so much to learn from this simple story. As with all things in the Book of Mormon, this points to Jesus Christ and helps point me in the direction of trying to be more like Him.

  • Books in 2022

    Books in 2022

    It’s time for my annual list of books read last year. My 2022 list is down quite a bit due to some non-book reading and studying. I’ll rank the books from favorite to least favorite with a short description of what I remember about the book or what led to its ranking.

    Without further ado, here is my list of books from 2022:

    1. Marvelous Work and a Wonder
      • One of my favorite (and most important) books ever, so despite it being my third or fourth read, still has to top the list. This book lays out just how marvelous a work and a wonder the restoration of Christ’s gospel is.
    2. God Emperor of Dune (book 4)
      • This is the fourth book in the Dune series and comes ahead of Children of Dune and Dune Messiah.
    3. Children of Dune (book 3)
      • It’s hard to separate all these books, they blend into one in my mind, but I think God Emperor was my favorite after book 1, followed by Children of Dune. We’ll get to Dune Messiah later.
    4. 5000 Year Leap
      • This book was given to me by CJ Matthews and as you can see by its ranking, I highly enjoyed it. It resulted in a blog post which is a sign of a good book that made me think.
    5. Project Hail Mary
      • This was another recommended book, this one from John Safstrom. I loved this book, close call between this and the author’s other popular book turned feature film, The Martian starring Matt Damon.
    6. What a Difference a Daddy Makes
      • Yet another recommended book, thanks Mitch Waters who recommended this book after he heard my second daughter was coming. Must read for any girl dad.
    7. The Cuckoo’s Calling
      • J.K. Rowling is a modern marvel. I love her and her writing. While reading, knowing Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym, I couldn’t help but recognize her amazing writing style. This book was so good it made me continue on with the series and I’m currently on book 3, “Career of Evil.”
    8. Night Chills
      • Classic Dean Koontz, spooky and fast-paced. I recommended this to a friend along with a long Stephen King novel (Tommyknockers). The friend quit Tommyknockers and finished Night Chills.
    9. Dune Messiah (book 2)
      • This one drops a bit below the others because I think it was more of a transition book to keep the series going, at least that’s what Frank Herbert seems to have said about the book. It’s still ranked highly because the Dune series is so awesome and sometimes you need bridging books to make the next ones that much better.
    10. Eli’s Promise
      • Any book that makes me cry multiple times probably needs to be in the top ten. This book was a split between Holocaust and modern-day time lines, jumping around a bunch, which kept things interesting throughout.
    11. Herland
      • Classic book I never read in high school but when it was assigned reading for a class I took this year, I decided to actually read the whole book. Glad I did. Book is based around the idea of a women-only society.
    12. Ford County Stories
      • I really like John Grisham. This is a book of short stories focused around Ford County. You know an author is good when they take a topic you have zero interest in, like a small Mississippi town, and make you love it.
    13. Knees Over Toes
      • This book was tough to rank because it made huge changes to my daily habits and saved my Achilles, but can’t be rated higher as a book than the ones above it. Recommended to me by my brother Garrick.
    14. Simplified Husbandship Simplified Fathership
      • This was an impactful book overall but a notch below What a Difference a Daddy Makes (#6). Definitely made me think more seriously about being a father and husband.
    15. Silmarillion
      • I Enjoy the Lord of the Rings stuff, but the mythology can be a bit to keep up with sometimes. I really enjoyed the Silmarillion, but Lord of the Rings books in general are lower on my list due to their density. If I’m reading a fantasy fiction, I like to spend less time trying to understand geography.
    16. Book of Lost Tales Vol 2
      • See notes on Silmarillion, this one is more dense than the Silmarillion since the Silmarillion is like a mythological overview, which made it more enjoyable to me.
    17. The Book of Lost Tales Vol 1
      • The Books of Lost Tales are going way back in the Lord of the Rings mythology, farther than JRR Tolkien ever got published. They’re his son compiling his notes and other works to put together more stories. I enjoy them, but again, very dense and a lot of geography to try to understand sometimes.
    18. A Guide to Tolkien
      • This was basically an encyclopedia of Tolkien. Someday I’ll read the actual encyclopedia.
    19. Just to Illustrate
      • This was a collection of sayings from LeGrand Richards, thus the saying “Just to illustrate,” which apparently was something he was known for saying. Very much enjoyed this book. Though it’s low on the list, LeGrand is one of my favorite people ever.
    20. Faith in the Service
      • This book was all about members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that served in the military. As I review this list I realize I didn’t read many bad books this year. I really enjoyed this book, and it still falls near the bottom for the year.
    21. Mormon Reflections: The Path to Mountain Meadows
      • This was a fictional account of what could have led to the horrific events of the Mountain Meadows massacre. Made me think about things. Made me wonder what events could have led to people doing something so heinous.
    22. Joshua Man of Faith
      • This is from a series of books that details the ancient prophets. I read the Moses (# 24) one last year. I didn’t like this one as much as the Moses one. It’s hard to compete with Moses.
    23. Profiles of the Presidents
      • This was a biographical book of all the Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
    24. True to the Faith
      • Almost feels wrong having this so low, but it is essentially a textbook. A textbook on faith, but still a textbook. Weird having a book so low that I feel I should read at least once a year.
    25. What Da Vinci Didn’t Know
      • A book being this low basically means it didn’t stand out to me. I think this book was basically trying to get in on the Da Vinci Code movie hype. I don’t remember learning anything super interesting from this book besides that Leonardo da Vinci was “Leonardo from Vinci.”
    26. 40 Years and Marching On
      • Despite probably liking this book more than What Da Vinci Didn’t Know, I couldn’t for the life of me remember anything about the book until I found it on my shelf. A book that un-memorable gets demoted. It was a BYU studies book that was interesting but still bottom of the list for the year due to being forgotten.

    Additional reading:

    1. Book of Mormon
    2. Doctrine & Covenants
      • Finished Doctrine and Covenants sections 133-Official Declarations. Read alongside two student manuals.
    3. New Testament
      • Book of Matthew and started Book of Mark, reading alongside New Testament Student Manual.
    4. Come Follow Me lesson each week
    5. Did a semester of school and completed 15 credits.
      • Most memorable reading was Nietzche.

    Couldn’t pick my favorite for the cover photo, so keeping with tradition from last year:

  • Letter to a Lost Testimony

    Letter to a Lost Testimony

    Someone close to me once said, “I hope you never lose your testimony.  I’ve lost almost everything in life.  I’ve lost a wife, jobs, money, houses, cars, friends; but none of it, none of it, compares to losing my testimony.  I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.”

    This person, I’m very close with, I love him very much.  This person has completely “fallen away” from the Church, as we say. 

    He is a great person.

    I could have been him.

    I could have gotten confused by doctrine, church history, and the plethora of other things to get confused by.  I could have lost sight of the most important thing – Jesus Christ.  It could happen to any of us.

    I’ve long thought and pondered to myself ‘how can I help him return?’ Maybe I’m starting to learn I can maybe help him return, but I won’t be able to make him return.  I’ve thought about lectures on DNA, elephants, steel, and horses.  I’m prepared to discuss it all.  But in the end that doesn’t matter.  It really doesn’t.  The Book of Mormon will have its day.  Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ. 

    Getting into the discussions that led him away from the church – DNA, horses, elephants – that’s not going to help him return.  Only the spirit, which I know he once felt, can help him return.

    So, here is my letter to you.  This is to a particular person in my life, but I think it can apply to so many people, to so many lives.

    Thank you.  Thank you for that quote you told me once above.  I think about it often.  Thank you for your kind heart, thank you for being an example to me.  Thank you for reminding me that Christ’s Church is sometimes only as good as we make it.  Thank you for encouraging me to read, and study, and KNOW it’s true.  Your study of the gospel is legendary.  I’ve heard of it not just from others.  I know you studied.  At some point you were deceived.  No more flattering words or trying to softly deliver this message to your ego.  You were deceived.

    It’s not too late.  It’s not too late to remember.  It’s not too late to regain your testimony.  You talk as if a testimony, once lost, can never return.  As if you know too much and you can’t go back.  I’m here to remind you, as I know God has over the past decades, that you know nothing.  Try to read again, please.  That’s all I ask.  If only to prove me wrong.  I know where peace comes from, and I want to remind you.

    I know maybe The Church isn’t for everybody in this life.  Or maybe that’s something I think so I don’t feel as bad when I can’t help someone see what I see and find the peace I’ve found.  I know you’re happy.  I know you’re OK.  But I also know you can come back to so much more.

    Finally, you were and are a good dad.  You made mistakes.  Your children love you immensely, I know that.  Don’t ever confuse your mistakes to be unforgivable.  I know life as a father isn’t always perfect.  You have children as stubborn and as difficult as you are (I’m looking at all of you).  Another thing you said about my dad has stuck with me since you said it roughly 9 years ago.  I am lucky to have him, but I want to remind you that your family is lucky to have you too.  We’re all lucky to have you.

    I love you and so does He.

  • A Scripture as important to Latter-day Saints as it would be to the Ancient Jews

    A Scripture as important to Latter-day Saints as it would be to the Ancient Jews

    One of my favorite scriptures of all time is 2 Nephi 25:26 which reads:

    And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

    A common criticism that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints receives from other sects of Christianity, often Protestant groups, is that the Church teaches works as a form of salvation taking precedence over faith.

    As I read the Book of Mormon with this criticism in mind, I’m struck by how clearly the Book of Mormon teaches this principle – that faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is (as far as I know, open to correction) the only church with an explanation on how faith in Jesus Christ alone can result in being saved. 

    Saved, or immortality, is different from Eternal life and salvation.  All of God’s children who choose to be saved, will be saved, for He loves us all.  You can be saved by simply having faith in Jesus Christ, no works needed.  To attain all that the Father has to give, eternal life and salvation in His Kingdom for eternity, you must follow Him, and do what He asks of you.  For without works faith is dead (James 2:26).

    Sometimes I think the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be benefitted immensely by reading verses 26 and 27 of 2 Nephi chapter 25 every single day.  I think if we each did this, it would help us to re-orient ourselves and never lose sight of what is most important – faith in the Lord, or Savior, Jesus Christ. 

    The below scripture is what I am referring to in the title of this post.  This scripture is as important to latter-day saints today as it was to the ancient Jews:

    Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.”

    2 Nephi 25:27

    I believe this scripture to be extremely important to latter-day saints.  The ancient Jews lost sight of Jesus Christ.  They looked to the law for salvation.

    I bear my testimony that I do not believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has lost sight of Jesus Christ.  His name is the name of our church, His prophet has implored us to use His name, our leaders preach of Jesus Christ, prophesy of Jesus Christ, teach of Jesus Christ, emphasize Jesus Christ.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints points us to Jesus Christ.

    It is we, the members, I think, that need to read verse 27 often.  What is the law without Jesus Christ?  I fear that sometimes church members become focused on the wrong things.  Temple attendance for temple attendance’s sake.  Church service because it’s their duty.  Serving in church callings to keep up appearance as a faithful latter-day saint.  Partaking of the sacrament in a rote, mindless manner, not considering what it really means.

    I know I am at fault when it comes to some of the things I’ve just listed.  Sometimes I lose sight of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes I lose sight of what this is all really about.

    I’ve been back in church activity for 5 years now.  My first couple years of returned church activity were so Christ focused.  They were Christ focused because it was all I had.  He was all I had.  He was my strength, and He was everything.  I felt His forgiveness so potently because I’d so recently experienced it with such power.  As my church activity has steadied and become consistent, I’ve found myself relying on church activities, social events, friendships, and making my appearance as a faithful member.  These things aren’t necessarily bad, but they can be.  If they distract from Jesus Christ, they distract from the point.  If I get distracted from Jesus Christ, I am missing the mark.

    What is the law without faith in He who the law points to?

    I think we could all benefit from a consistent study of verse 2 Nephi 25:27.

    Why do we do what we do?  Is it for love?  Is it to serve Jesus Christ?  Is it to remember Jesus Christ, worship Jesus Christ, thank Jesus Christ?

    When is the last time you thought about all your sins and what Jesus Christ did for you at Gethsemane and on the cross?  For me, it’s been far too long since I’ve been brought to tears considering that event.  I’m glad I’m writing this because in doing exactly that, remembering what He’s done for me, and feeling it in my heart, tears are inevitable. 

    Remember why we go to church, the temple, and serve.  It’s for Him.  Not because we have to but because we want to.  Not because it will get us into heaven but because we love Him.  Salvation is through Jesus Christ.  If we go to the temple 5 days a week without Him in mind, we are wasting our time.

    Without Jesus Christ, all of it: temple worship, baptism, sacrament, service; it’s all for naught.  All these things point to Him.  Without Him as our focus all the items listed above are dead works.  

    This is the misconception of other faiths, that we go to the temple to substitute for Jesus Christ.  That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  We go to the temple because of Jesus Christ.

    I think every once in a while, it’s important we re-center our focus and remember what it’s all about.

    I hope and pray that we continue to steadfastly talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ, and bring others unto Christ, that we always remember to what source we may look for a remission of our sins.