truth vs the world view

Eternal Truth  

By Elder John C. Pingree Jr.

"So, what is our understanding of truth in today’s world? We are constantly bombarded with strong opinions, biased reporting, and incomplete data. At the same time, the volume and sources of this information are proliferating. Our need to recognize truth has never been more important! . . . .

The Lord has taught us in scripture that “truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). It “was not created or made” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29) and has “no end” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:66). Truth is absolute, fixed, and immutable. In other words, truth is eternal."

This has been a conversation in our house this week. Some friends explained their views to my teenaged son. Their views are not based in truth. We talked about it being ok to have opposing views. It doesn't make anyone bad or mean we can't be friends. It is, however, important that we remain based in truth.

I love Sister Runia's dad's version of lehi and the tree of life. "Dad exemplified Lehi’s dream. Like Lehi, he knew that you don’t chase after your loved ones who feel lost. “You stay where you are and call them. You go to the tree, stay at the tree, keep eating the fruit and, with a smile on your face, continue to beckon to those you love and show by example that eating the fruit is a happy thing!” - Ronald E Bartholomew (Seeing God’s Family through the Overview Lens By Sister Tamara W. Runia. October 2023)

I found a quote from pres oaks this week too. It seems to be truth week, I guess.

"Love and tolerance are incomplete unless they are accompanied by a concern for truth and a commitment to the unity that God has commanded of his servants." Dallin H Oaks¹

We even ran across the concept of truth despite what others try to make you believe in our seminary lesson.  

²"In a worldwide devotional for young adults, Sister Kathy Clayton, wife of Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Seventy, shared her experience visiting a zoo in Argentina where she was able to enter the pens and interact with wild animals such as lions." She tells about these lions that were raised with dogs. The dogs were bigger when the lions were cubs. The cubs learned to be submissive to the dogs. "They were painfully unaware of their regal identity. They were stuck and limited by a mistaken notion of their potential. They thought they were small and weak, so they allowed pesky, persistent dogs to control and intimidate them." She then compares that to our divine identity and the world trying to convince us otherwise.

John 17:11,14-15

We can be in the world and accept the differing views of others without partaking of the world view ourselves.

Footnotes

1.Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall

Dallin H. Oaks

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dallin-h-oaks/strengths-can-become-downfall/

2. A Regal Identity

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2015/01/a-regal-identity?lang=eng

try try try

Jesus Christ Is the Treasure  

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

I felt like this conference lasered in on Jesus Christ. The message seems to be that we've started focusing on all the things to do and lost sight of why. The Israelites did the same thing. That's why they didn't recognize that Jesus is the Messiah they were waiting for.

Mosiah 13:28, 30

Doctrine & Covenants 27:2

2 Nephi 25:24

Jarom 1:11

Elder Renlund says,

"He is our mark. If we incorrectly imagine that there is a need for something beyond what He offers, we deny or diminish the scope and power He can have in our lives. He has claimed the rights of mercy and extends that mercy to us. He is the ultimate “source [to whom we should] look for a remission of [our] sins.” He is our Advocate with the Father and champions what the Father has wanted all along: for us to return to Him as inheritors in His kingdom."

I remember a conference talk (maybe multiple) where we are advised to ask if a thing / action will bring us closer to Christ. (I can't find it so if you know it or run across it, please share) It's a good measuring stick to judge by. Maybe, we need to ask ourselves something else, not just "will it bring me closer" but "am I focusing on Christ"?  

Christ is the center. Our mortal, carnal, imperfect selves are easily distracted. Life is full of shiny things🐦‍⬛ and squirrels🐕. Even if it's doing good things, am I allowing it to bring me to Christ? Fortunately, we get to keep trying. We get to refocus and strive again.  

Little purple pansies, touched with yellow gold, Growing in one corner of the garden old; **We are very tiny but must try, try, try** [Chorus] Just one spot to gladden, you and I. 

2. In whatever corner we may chance to grow, Whether cold or warm the wind may ever blow, Dark the day or sunny, we must try, try, try [Chorus] Just one spot to gladden, you and I.

Little Purple Pansies - children's song book #244

service and the Holy Ghost

Our Constant Companion  

By President Henry B. Eyring

"If you want to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you must want it for the right reasons. Your purposes must be the Lord’s purposes. If your motives are too selfish, you will find it difficult to receive and sense the promptings of the Spirit."

This reminded me of my youngest when he was about 3 years old. He hid the shovels at Kindergarten (pre-school) so he and his friends could have them. He then prayed that no one else would find them. They weren't there the next day. When he came home and told me about it, we talked about praying for selfish things instead of good and kind things.

Pres eyring then tells of a woman making some bad decisions. Her mother and home teachers were made aware of the situation through inspiration. He then says, "The Holy Ghost had been sent to those home teachers because they were willing to serve the Lord."

1 nephi 3:7

The willingness to act is essential. 

Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46

Power will distill upon you. It takes repeated action. Sometimes things seem to be moving very slowly or not at all. There's a reason patience is a virtue. It's difficult but necessary. 

Doctrine & Covenants 64:32-33

*Our Constant Companion

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/47eyring?lang=eng

the prodigal in all of us

The Prodigal and the Road That Leads Home  

By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Luke 15:18-32

"It wasn’t just an empty stomach that troubled him. It was an empty soul."

We watched a broadcast for the youth/ysa's of central Europe today. Some of the things they said fit perfectly with elder Uchtdorf's talk.

Elder newman said to make the decision to follow Christ and then don't stop. When you stop or look around, you feel the pull of the world more fully. Don't stop striving.

The prodigal son seems to have stopped and looked around. He was drawn away.

Elder Steven Lund asked why people leave the church and why do you stay? This could go back to Elder Newman's statements.   

Elder Lund then talks about missionary work. He said good missionaries aren't asking if they can teach someone. They are asking how a person's life is going. We can then offer them peace from the stress and chaos in their lives.   

Back to Elder Uchtdorf :"Who among us has not departed from the path of holiness, foolishly thinking we could find more happiness going our own self-centered way?"

Maybe sometimes we need to ask ourselves how we're doing. Like in elder Joni L Koch's talk, the taxi driver asked if he had done all he could to solve the situation. We might ask ourselves if there is pride, bad habits, etc that need rooted out. Then, we have to leave things in the hands of God. That's hard sometimes. We might worry or fret about something even though we've done all we can do. I think that's another way satan distracts us. We have to offer ourselves peace sometimes. 

Hebrews 4:6

Doc & Cov 6:36

Alma 58:32-33

"Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal." - Come Ye Disconsolate, hymn 115

dance into joy

Be Peaceable Followers of Christ  

By Elder Quentin L. Cook

"In Doctrine & Covenants 136, the Lord emphasized two principles that continue to be applicable today. 

First, He encouraged them to “praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.” 

Second, the Lord counseled if they were “sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful.”"

Doctrine & Covenants 25:12

Psalm 66:1-2

We learn the dance steps with our minds, but we hear the music with our hearts. The dance steps of the gospel are the things we do; the music of the gospel is the joyful spiritual feeling that comes from the Holy Ghost. 

The Music of the Gospel By Elder Wilford W. Andersen (April 2015)

I've found that tired, depressed, worn out, frustrated, etc. often coincides with times I haven't been playing music during the day. The music is just the catalyst. It's the dancing that really makes a difference. 

"You've got the music in you

Don't let go, you've got the music in you

One dance left, this world is gonna pull through

Don't give up, you've got a reason to live

Can't forget, we only get what we give"

- You get what you give by New Radicals

Connect to the music. Dance until you find joy.

define missionary work

Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions  

By Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella

“taking the Savior’s name upon us includes declaring and witnessing to others—through our actions and our words—that Jesus is the Christ.” - Russell M Nelson 

I'm teaching sunday school on dec 3. One of the topics is "Joy comes as we help others “walk in truth.”"  

I love that this redefines missionary work. "Help others walk in truth"

3 john 1:3-4

What are some other things that define missionary work?  

Elder Parrella say, "our conduct will be a living testimony of our Redeemer and His name. Moreover, we witness of Christ in word by sharing with others what we believe, feel, or know of Jesus Christ."

"Your role is to share what is in your heart and live consistent with your beliefs....Our role is to share, and it is the role of the Holy Ghost to testify of Jesus Christ."

Five Reminders for Sharing the Gospel  

By Victoria Alliaud

Isaiah 55:10-11

Let the Lord fill your mouth. It will fill His purpose. It doesn’t matter if you see the end result. Your part is just to open the door. Missionary work is planting seeds, not hosing people down with doctrine.

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. 

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Kintsugi or broken people mended though Christ

Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ  

By President Emily Belle Freeman

"When the Lord called Enoch to journey through the land and testify of Him, Enoch hesitated. He was just a lad, slow of speech. How could he walk that path in his condition? He was blinded by what was broken in him. The Lord’s answer to what hindered him was simple and immediate: “Walk with me.”"

Moses 6:31-33

Matt 11:28-31

I've felt broken many times. Broken isn’t as much of a problem as it sometimes seems.  

1 Nephi 16:18, 23, 30-31

Exodus 4:10-16

Luke 15:11-20

Like a Kintsugi Bowl 

Elder Ifanomezana Rasolondraibe describes the art of Kintsugi or mending broken bowls with gold mixed into the mending compound. The belief of kintsukuroi is that the piece is more beautiful for being broken.

He then tells of a time he felt "broken" and was simply hanging on to what little faith he had left.  

He continues, "And then occurred the magic touch of the Master, demonstrating His infinite love and unfolding His immeasurable redeeming power. Figuratively mending each area of breakage of my heart, mind, and soul with His “golden lacquer of love” and resulting in my becoming a far more valuable “piece of pottery” — the very scars of which having come from that “experience, and [being] for [my] good.”"

Job 23:10

I feel like my broken pieces that have been mended or "made strong" (Ether 12:27) have made me a better person and a better disciple of Christ.