The next part differs from the bread to the water. They both start out with the phrase "that they may witness unto thee." To witness is to observe or experience personally. When one serves as a witness in a trial, they are giving account of something they were present for, or saw, or heard. You cannot witness to something that you don't have first-hand experience with. So when we partake of the Sacrament, we are witnessing, or giving personal testimony, that we will do the things that follow.
This is where they differ slightly. The only difference is that in the prayer over the bread, we witness that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, in addition to other things. To take upon ourselves someone else's name is to identify with them, to take their creed upon ourselves, and to accept the consequences. When we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, we cannot do it lightly, because He did not do it lightly. Those who would criticize Him, will criticize us, and those who revile against Him will revile against us.
The rest of the promises on our end are the same in both prayers. We also witness to always remember Him. Here again is that all-important word, remember. If we would remember Him always, we would treat people differently, pray more fervently and act with more faith. That doesn't mean that other things aren't going to hold our attention, because that would defeat the purpose of this life; we came here to live and learn. But God isn't just in His Gospel; He is all around us, in all the beauty and creative minds that give us things to read and listen to. When we always keep in mind whether something is bringing us closer to the Spirit, then we are keeping Him in mind. And when we think of our fellow men as brothers and sisters, we remember Him.
Last of all, we witness to keep His commandments. I like to think that if we can keep the greatest commandment, then all others will follow. Christ Himself gave this commandment during His ministry. It is to love God with all thy heart, might, mind and strength. When we can truly do that, all others will fall into place, because when we love God, we want to show that love by following His commandments. When we love God, we can feel that those commandments are not to restrict or punish us but to bless and protect us. When we love God, we trust Him, fully and without any reservations. And that is true happiness.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Sacrament Prayers Part 4
The next phrase differs a little in each prayer, but only in minor verb usage. The emblems are being blessed to our souls, in order that we might perform this ordinance in remembrance of Him. Spencer W Kimball has said that the most important word in the English language is remember. The word appears 505 times in the Standard Works of the LDS Church, with 162 coming from the Old and New Testaments. Some of our favorite phrases that we shout at our kids as they run out the door contain this word: Remember who you are! Remember your lunch money! Remember I love you! Dictionary.com defines the word remember has "retain in the memory" or "recall to the mind". So we perform this act in remembrance of Him. By taking the Sacrament, if we do it properly, we remember Him, and His Sacrifice. We once again recall to our minds this wonderful gift. The Sacrament is the one time in the week that we can sit and think, specifically about the Savior. What a wonderful gift! Naturally, those of you who have children are thinking to yourselves that I haven't a clue what I'm talking about because the Sacrament is simply one more quiet moment in which the shrieks of your children become deafeningly obvious. But the Lord can make it a wonderful time for you, too. Just ask Him. He will answer because He loves you.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Second Chances
You just received a 40% on a test that is worth 30% of your grade. What is your reaction? Some of you would start to make a list of things you could work on, then come up with a plan, and get to work. Some of you would simply decide that this grade is a commentary on a fundamental flaw in your character, and simply give up, assuming you could never do better. The latter group might even think that there is no coming back from such a monumental mistake, that nothing you can do will ever make up for it. For you, there is no second chance.
But what if you could erase that grade? What if you could erase anything that might stand in your way of getting 100% on that next test? What if you could be assured that your hard work would pay off? There is such a second chance, you can erase all your mistakes and you can be assured that your hard work pays off. I know that because that is just what I have learned to believe recently, and it works.
This doesn't just apply to grades. I have struggled with friendships in the past, assuming that something I have said or done has ended all possibility of ever continuing that relationship. Part of that comes from experience and part of that comes from poor self-evaluations. But all of it is false.
The reality is that there is truth and there is error. And the truth of the matter is that one mistake does not do us in for life, let alone eternity. My failed relationships (we all have them, by the way), and my failed tests and my failed attempts at one thing or another are not footnotes in my book of life that read, "The moment Aubri screwed herself royally." They are moments when my emotions got the best of me, or when I didn't know something that would have been useful. They were moments of indecision or moments when a series of irritants blew up in my face to produce a wholly undesirable response in me. They weren't my finest moments, but neither were they my undoing. They weren't me. Who I am inside can change. I get to learn from my mistakes. I get to try to be better. I get to learn from the One who knows my heart as well as the hearts of those around me. I can't change other people or read their minds. But I can learn about myself.
My message is one of hope, and love. You are not royally screwed, no matter what you've done. You are still learning, still growing, and still capable of change. Anyone who doesn't understand or who is not inclined to wait around while you do, forgive them. It's not a commentary on you, or them, either. It simply is. The best way to begin is to let God in. If you need it, the Addiction Recovery Program of the LDS Church is available and amazing. You can find the twelve step manual, as well as other resources here: http://addictionrecovery.lds.org/?lang=eng. Let God in. Not just slightly or tritely, but completely and sincerely. Only then can you learn what to replace the negative beliefs with. For a long time I felt hopeless, I wanted to change but I didn't know what to change into. Now I know.
A long time ago, I wrote about armor, which is where the title of my blog comes from. We will, inevitably get chinks in our armor, because we are actively fighting this war. But they don't have to stay. We know an incredible Blacksmith, who can hammer them out and make our armor shiny and new again. By doing these things, what's how we do it. There is no other way, but there is indeed a Way.
But what if you could erase that grade? What if you could erase anything that might stand in your way of getting 100% on that next test? What if you could be assured that your hard work would pay off? There is such a second chance, you can erase all your mistakes and you can be assured that your hard work pays off. I know that because that is just what I have learned to believe recently, and it works.
This doesn't just apply to grades. I have struggled with friendships in the past, assuming that something I have said or done has ended all possibility of ever continuing that relationship. Part of that comes from experience and part of that comes from poor self-evaluations. But all of it is false.
The reality is that there is truth and there is error. And the truth of the matter is that one mistake does not do us in for life, let alone eternity. My failed relationships (we all have them, by the way), and my failed tests and my failed attempts at one thing or another are not footnotes in my book of life that read, "The moment Aubri screwed herself royally." They are moments when my emotions got the best of me, or when I didn't know something that would have been useful. They were moments of indecision or moments when a series of irritants blew up in my face to produce a wholly undesirable response in me. They weren't my finest moments, but neither were they my undoing. They weren't me. Who I am inside can change. I get to learn from my mistakes. I get to try to be better. I get to learn from the One who knows my heart as well as the hearts of those around me. I can't change other people or read their minds. But I can learn about myself.
My message is one of hope, and love. You are not royally screwed, no matter what you've done. You are still learning, still growing, and still capable of change. Anyone who doesn't understand or who is not inclined to wait around while you do, forgive them. It's not a commentary on you, or them, either. It simply is. The best way to begin is to let God in. If you need it, the Addiction Recovery Program of the LDS Church is available and amazing. You can find the twelve step manual, as well as other resources here: http://addictionrecovery.lds.org/?lang=eng. Let God in. Not just slightly or tritely, but completely and sincerely. Only then can you learn what to replace the negative beliefs with. For a long time I felt hopeless, I wanted to change but I didn't know what to change into. Now I know.
A long time ago, I wrote about armor, which is where the title of my blog comes from. We will, inevitably get chinks in our armor, because we are actively fighting this war. But they don't have to stay. We know an incredible Blacksmith, who can hammer them out and make our armor shiny and new again. By doing these things, what's how we do it. There is no other way, but there is indeed a Way.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Sacrament Prayers Part 3
Our relationship with God established, we proceed to ask for specific blessings. These blessings are quite possibly the most significant we could possibly ask, which is probably why it is done by the power of the Priesthood. The blessings are first, to bless, and second to sanctify, the bread and water to the souls of all those who partake of it.
To bless is to bestow favors. When we consider any blessing, whether it one we perceive as a personal blessing or a blessing that has been widely acknowledged, we are really recognizing God's hand in our lives. God bestows upon us blessings which we have deemed ourselves, according to our conduct, worthy to receive (D&C 130: 20-21). They can be anything from an extra bit of money that shows up when we need it, to the feeling of forgiveness that permeates our hearts. Thus, to bless is to give extra help. So what could possibly be meant by "bless...this bread (or water)"? I sincerely doubt that the Sacrament bread and water gives us any added nutrients or health benefits.
To sanctify, quite simply put, is to purify. We are sanctified by the blood of Christ, through the Atonement. Having paid the price, we are set free from the effects of sin, and our sins become as white as snow, as Isaiah so eloquently puts it. But, again, this is in regards to us personally, so what possible benefit could sanctifying the emblems have? Personally, I've never seen a fungus growing in my cup.
The key, then, is the phrase, "to the souls." That little two-lettered word denotes aiming toward something, or, in this case, someone. Specifically, you. The Sacrament is wrought with symbolism. The emblems remind us of something specific about the Savior's sacrifice. The bread represents His body, which he took again the third day in order to make possible the resurrection of mankind. The water represents His precious blood, which was shed both in the Garden and on the cross, during which times the Savior made possible our spiritual return to the Father. So, it is not the actual bread and water which are blessed and sanctified, but rather the actual sacrifice of the Savior. His sacrifice is blessed and sanctified to us, or given to us for our benefit. Those are the blessings that the Lord is already willing to grant, if we will only ask for them.
I think the next time I take the Sacrament, I will think differently about it.
To bless is to bestow favors. When we consider any blessing, whether it one we perceive as a personal blessing or a blessing that has been widely acknowledged, we are really recognizing God's hand in our lives. God bestows upon us blessings which we have deemed ourselves, according to our conduct, worthy to receive (D&C 130: 20-21). They can be anything from an extra bit of money that shows up when we need it, to the feeling of forgiveness that permeates our hearts. Thus, to bless is to give extra help. So what could possibly be meant by "bless...this bread (or water)"? I sincerely doubt that the Sacrament bread and water gives us any added nutrients or health benefits.
To sanctify, quite simply put, is to purify. We are sanctified by the blood of Christ, through the Atonement. Having paid the price, we are set free from the effects of sin, and our sins become as white as snow, as Isaiah so eloquently puts it. But, again, this is in regards to us personally, so what possible benefit could sanctifying the emblems have? Personally, I've never seen a fungus growing in my cup.
The key, then, is the phrase, "to the souls." That little two-lettered word denotes aiming toward something, or, in this case, someone. Specifically, you. The Sacrament is wrought with symbolism. The emblems remind us of something specific about the Savior's sacrifice. The bread represents His body, which he took again the third day in order to make possible the resurrection of mankind. The water represents His precious blood, which was shed both in the Garden and on the cross, during which times the Savior made possible our spiritual return to the Father. So, it is not the actual bread and water which are blessed and sanctified, but rather the actual sacrifice of the Savior. His sacrifice is blessed and sanctified to us, or given to us for our benefit. Those are the blessings that the Lord is already willing to grant, if we will only ask for them.
I think the next time I take the Sacrament, I will think differently about it.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sacrament Prayers Part 2
Having established that the Sacrament Prayers are indeed prayers, one must consider the manner in which they begin. The very first words are an indication of who they are directed toward. Just as all prayers, they are meant for our Heavenly Father's ears. However, something very fundamental can be learned from what follows: "...we ask Thee, in the name of Jesus Christ...". Yes, we address Heavenly Father, but we do it in the name of Jesus Christ. The role of our Savior comes to light here. Christ is our advocate with the Father, and it is through His sacrifice that we obtain blessings from the Father.
No one can deny the existence of God's law. Adam himself was given this law and put under covenant to obey it. But Adam was not perfect, just as none of us are. And without obedience to the law, there can be no exaltation, no blessings of any kind. In short, we would be damned, or stopped in our progress. We wouldn't be able to become better, or learn new things, because the Spirit would cease to strive with us. Without the Savior's Atonement, this very existence would be utterly wasted.
But the wonderful, liberating reality is that He did perform the Atonement. He answered the very ends of God's law, He paid the price for when we have our imperfect moments. So that when we have them, we can turn to our Savior and obtain forgiveness once again, and the Spirit back. Anyone who has ever felt the loss of this gift can tell you, life is nothing without it. And once we have it back, we can continue to become more like the Savior.
Thus Jesus Christ becomes our advocate with the Father. This does not mean that God Himself does not hear our prayers, it simply means that we have someone standing next to us, to verify and give validity to our prayers, to say, "I have payed the price for their mistakes. Hear their pleas." So when, through the Priesthood, we ask for the blessings of the Sacrament to rest upon us, we can be assured that God will both hear and answer our prayers, because we ask in the name of Jesus Christ.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Sacrament Prayers Part One
I have begun to think in immense detail about the prayers that are said over the emblems of the Savior's sacrifice every week. They are short, sometimes even shorter depending on how nervous the Priest is who happens to be blessing it that week. Sometimes they have to be repeated. But they are always the same and they always make me think.
The first thing I realized about the Sacrament Prayers may sound fairly obvious. The Sacrament Prayers are prayers. There, I said it. But think about it. I have always thought of them as special words that are set apart from any others I send Heavenward. But they are prayers, just like the ones I say at my bedside. They may be said on my behalf, by the authority of the Priesthood, but they are prayers nonetheless. The Bible Dictionary says that "prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them." The blessings promised in these prayers are ones that God is already willing to grant. But God wants us to ask. Not for Him, He already knows our hearts. Partaking of the Sacrament and participating in those prayers is for us, so that we know that we indeed want what has been promised. We are also reminded of our part. Prayer itself is a form of work, and partaking of the Sacrament is quite possibly the most important work of our week. So the next time you listen to those words the Priest is saying, remember, they're not just words. It's a prayer.
The first thing I realized about the Sacrament Prayers may sound fairly obvious. The Sacrament Prayers are prayers. There, I said it. But think about it. I have always thought of them as special words that are set apart from any others I send Heavenward. But they are prayers, just like the ones I say at my bedside. They may be said on my behalf, by the authority of the Priesthood, but they are prayers nonetheless. The Bible Dictionary says that "prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them." The blessings promised in these prayers are ones that God is already willing to grant. But God wants us to ask. Not for Him, He already knows our hearts. Partaking of the Sacrament and participating in those prayers is for us, so that we know that we indeed want what has been promised. We are also reminded of our part. Prayer itself is a form of work, and partaking of the Sacrament is quite possibly the most important work of our week. So the next time you listen to those words the Priest is saying, remember, they're not just words. It's a prayer.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Confessions from the Gym
I went to the gym the other day, which in and of itself was a triumph after over two months of avoiding it. The movie that was playing in the Cardio Cinema was Forever Strong. I love that movie, for many reasons. As I sat watching it, I thought about what it would be like to be part of a team that loves me as those boys loved Rick. He was an outcast, by all accounts an enemy, having previously played for the rival team. He was in their neck of the woods due to erratic and irresponsible behavior. They didn't have to show him the love and respect they did. But they did. And I started to wonder why. It was then the words to one of my favorite songs popped into my head. It's called Perfect Love, by Felicia Sorensen:
Perfect love, purest love
Breaking through my anguish
Precious love, endless love
His love never fails me
And I realized that kind of love was what those boys were exhibiting. How often do we get to experience that? Love in spite of our faults. Love that causes us to want to be better. Have you ever experienced that kind of love? I realized that day that I have, and that I am. Eight months ago I started attending meetings for the Addiction Recovery Program, sponsored by LDS Family Services. And I have never felt love like that before in my life. The women I am privileged to meet on a weekly basis love me. I don't understand why or how, but I now know that they do. They love me because they understand something very fundamental about life: nobody is perfect, but we can all strive together to become so. Theirs is a perfect love. And so, I echo Alma, "If ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now (Alma 5:26)?"
I never thought to be able to say that I have done just that. But I submit to you now that I have sung the song of redeeming love for the first time. I may have felt a fraction before, but I never comprehended the full import of what it means to be loved by Heavenly Father. His love is all-reaching, all consuming and all-encompassing. All other love stems from this love. When we feel love for our fellow men, it is only by the grace of God.
Christ Himself taught us how to love, both those who accept it and those who don't. It is He who payed the ultimate price, making it possible for us to feel love. Without His great, last and everlasting sacrifice, we would know nothing of love.
This wonderful gift came from God. It came on His terms, in words I would understand and at the right time. He also gave me a quiet place to enjoy and contemplate it. Once again, all these things worked for my good.
I know that Christ lives, that He loves us, and is waiting with open arms to show us, as soon as we open our hearts. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, that he restored these wonderful truths to bless our lives. I know that if we strive to do what is right, we can't go wrong.
Perfect love, purest love
Breaking through my anguish
Precious love, endless love
His love never fails me
And I realized that kind of love was what those boys were exhibiting. How often do we get to experience that? Love in spite of our faults. Love that causes us to want to be better. Have you ever experienced that kind of love? I realized that day that I have, and that I am. Eight months ago I started attending meetings for the Addiction Recovery Program, sponsored by LDS Family Services. And I have never felt love like that before in my life. The women I am privileged to meet on a weekly basis love me. I don't understand why or how, but I now know that they do. They love me because they understand something very fundamental about life: nobody is perfect, but we can all strive together to become so. Theirs is a perfect love. And so, I echo Alma, "If ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now (Alma 5:26)?"
I never thought to be able to say that I have done just that. But I submit to you now that I have sung the song of redeeming love for the first time. I may have felt a fraction before, but I never comprehended the full import of what it means to be loved by Heavenly Father. His love is all-reaching, all consuming and all-encompassing. All other love stems from this love. When we feel love for our fellow men, it is only by the grace of God.
Christ Himself taught us how to love, both those who accept it and those who don't. It is He who payed the ultimate price, making it possible for us to feel love. Without His great, last and everlasting sacrifice, we would know nothing of love.
This wonderful gift came from God. It came on His terms, in words I would understand and at the right time. He also gave me a quiet place to enjoy and contemplate it. Once again, all these things worked for my good.
I know that Christ lives, that He loves us, and is waiting with open arms to show us, as soon as we open our hearts. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, that he restored these wonderful truths to bless our lives. I know that if we strive to do what is right, we can't go wrong.
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