Imperial March

Dun dun dun Dun dudun, Dun dudun!

You are watching a classic sci-fi film, and suddenly a familiar series of notes come on. You know what these notes mean; they are the sounds that accompany the main villain, the bad guy that sends shivers up your spine, the driving force of evil in the film. You can't do anything about it; you are a simple viewer, without impact to the way the story plays out. After all, the film has been filmed, the end was several decades ago, and you are there to enjoy events as they pass before your eyes.

Obviously, a movie is not what our life is like. We have the option of action, we are the self-controlled agents of our lives, and the end is yet to be seen. Also, we don't hear ominous motifs whenever something significant happens. Or do we? Is there something that can warn us of trouble, encourage us towards good, and change the mood of the scene? Have I led you in the right directions with questions yet?

There is definitely something (or rather someone) sent to help us in life. Our Father in Heaven loves us, and wouldn't want us to struggle blindly, so the Comforter has been sent to guide us. When he wants us to know that something is good we will be able to feel of the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, just as when the movie wants you to recognize the good guys. Likewise, the lack of these fruits or the presence of their opposites such as hate, misery, or confusion can warn us of bad situations just as the Imperial March warns us of the presence of Darth Vader. This concept is what Moroni asks us to listen to in Moroni 10:3-5, not just the words of well meaning yet human missionaries (like myself). Try it out!

An Answer to Every Question

I was reading in last December's Ensign and I found an article that I thought was interesting. The title is what caught my attention, An Answer for Every "What If".  It appealed to my desire for some universal statement that can cover all sorts of situations, and it certainly started to. The author uses the Atonement to answer questions about "what if [something bad] happened?" The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the most amazing and powerful event that has ever happened on this planet, and it covers every injustice and injury possible. The Atonement can, if you let it, answer every "why me?" or "what if...?" question bringing you down.

He will fix all injustices and uncertainties

However, there are also other questions we might have. We might not understand the "Why...?" or the "How...?" or any number of things. This is a fine place to be! Having a question is part of the process of gaining knowledge. If we have a question, asking an authority will get us the answer. For instance, if we want to know the amount $100 from today would be equivalent in 1801 we could ask a data-bank instead of asking a stranger or somebody not trained to know the answer. Questions are best answered from a trustworthy source. However, all human based information has the potential for error. Representatives might be biased towards their company, any human can make a mistake, and even data-banks could have erroneous information. I sometimes wonder, where can we go to find a trustworthy source?

This is something that I, as a stranger (or even if you actually know me) on the other side of the Internet, cannot answer definitively for you. You are currently reading the words of a representative of my church, and I said earlier that representatives might be biased. This is why I put so much emphasis on reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it's true. While I cannot give you perfect knowledge, the Holy Ghost can and will. Moroni teaches this very principle; in Moroni 10:3-5 he exhorts everybody to ask to receive knowledge (I talked about these scriptures in a series of posts a while back). I especially like the shortest of those three verses: "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." If there is anybody you can trust, it is God, who speaks through the Holy Ghost. He is the most trustworthy source of information possible, and if you sincerely desire, also the most available source. So, give it a try! What is there to lose (besides some time)? Or, more importantly, what is there to gain (measureless joy in this life and the next)?

The Choice of Faith

The topic on my mind lately has been an interesting one, and something that I think is rather difficult to talk about. It has to do with the thought "how do I know I'm right?" It stems from my natural tendency towards skepticism. When new information is presented to me, I first disbelieve it before accepting it. If I have a new idea, I second guess myself. If I see new research, I feel like it will be a while before it's useful. If I hear a conspiracy theory, I'll doubt it. And yet I present myself before the world, saying that I know the Book of Mormon is true. This brings us back to the previous question: "how do I know I'm right?"

Questions. I have a few.
But I don't let that stop me.

The skeptic in me would like to say that nobody can truly know of personal correctness. However, then I would dwell in an unfortunate state of not knowing what to trust, and that is not acceptable to me. The truth is, having faith is a choice, just as not having faith is a choice. This I can do. I can choose which influences that I receive, either internal (my thoughts, my doubts, my conclusions) or external (what I read, what I hear, what I feel), and I can choose which ones can convince me. I have chosen to place the highest priority on the spiritual witness I have received, or the powerful feelings of peace, joy, and certainty that I receive from following through with my responsibilities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because I've given these experiences priority, I don't let other things (such as controversial history, angry shouts, or moments of confusion) have an effect on me. Even my existential doubts have lower priority.

I have sometimes wondered that maybe I'm "drinking the Kool-Aid," or blindly following something I haven't completely proven to myself. If the fact that I choose in this world to trust something I've never seen before seems weird to you, I invite you to to consider the following. Consider the happiness that I enjoy when I think about Christ and His church on the earth today. Consider how you feel right now. If I, with all my skepticism and worry that I might be wrong, can say that this is true, that I have received more joy from following the principles and ordinances of the gospel, and that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom restored on the earth, what is to stop you? Do you want to have joy? I know you can overcome your doubts, your questions, your angst. I know because I have felt the Holy Ghost testify to me of truth and I have chosen to listen, and I have overcome my doubts, my questions, and my angst. The Bible says "by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:16,20). Well, this joy and peace is mine.

Satan's Viruses, Fighting Back

This is the final on a series of posts about malware. Here is the introduction and here is the previous one.

It is easy to see the huge amount of malware out there and the hold that Satan seems to have on the world and get discouraged. Fortunately, we have ways to counter both malware and Satan! First would be being smart and not placing ourselves (or computers) in places where we could easily be harmed. To do this we need to learn where bad things tend to linger. On the Internet, there are many sites that are put up with the desire to trap users and infect them with malware. The smart way to use the Internet is to avoid websites that you don't trust, know what you're going on for, and not to fall for ads that don't promise you anything needful. For more guidance on how to use the Internet, ask somebody that knows more than you through experience or study. In real life this guidance is found is such forms as "surround yourself with friends who desire to be [trustworthy]" (President Packer), "avoid unnecessary debt" (President Hinckley), or to "seek after the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). For the Internet you might ask an Internet-savvy friend, but with life you can ask God and listen through the scriptures and prophets.

Of course, we are imperfect and we might get caught through a clever trap or take a risk because we think we know what we're doing. This is where the second line of defense comes in. With the Internet, every connected computer should have an antimalware or antivirus program. This is a program designed to block access to malware, catch problems before they become too big, and keep a computer safe on the Internet. These programs function much like the Holy Ghost. He will guide us in our day to day lives as we allow him to, protecting us from Satan's attacks and help us change our ways before we become trapped. As long as we follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost we will not be vulnerable to the wiles of the devil.

Unfortunately, simply having the guidance of the Holy Ghost is not enough protection. We can still choose to ignore him, just as we can choose to turn off antivirus protection. At times it may seem tempting to do so, such as experiencing an earthly pleasure or visiting a particular site, but in the end it leaves us open to attack. When we are attacked, we will be placed in a situation that is beyond our control and we will often be without the help or guidance of our protectors (Holy Ghost or antivirus). Fortunately, there is still help. If a computer is badly infected, there are steps to either restore it to an uninfected state or go through and fix all the infections. For our lives, we have our Friend, our Brother, our Savior Jesus Christ. He suffered for us so that we wouldn't need to suffer the full pain of our sins. I know that Jesus Christ has accomplished the Atonement for us, and that through his interposing and infinite sacrifice we are able to be forgiven of our sins and receive his loving help in our lives.

Grace and Works

A previous post I mentioned a topic that I've heard much discussion about, grace vs works. Often, somebody will complain (erroneously) about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as requiring its members to work for their salvation. This idea comes from a misunderstanding of a verse in The Book of Mormon, which states that "we know it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). I know that it is through grace that we are saved, and that it is only through the infinite atonement that we can experience exaltation, resurrection, or even joy. I also know that many people misunderstand the idea of grace, and I hope to eliminate that misunderstanding today.

Joule, namesake for joules, SI unit
 for a different type of work.

First: what are works, and what is grace? Works (in this instance) are the actions we take in this life, and grace is the "help or strength given through the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ" (source). The entire disagreement can be solved by realizing that grace is not a magic moment that makes us perfect, but is instead a constant companion that helps us become better or strengthens us during trials. Since this is the case, of course we are going to do "works" in this life because we are applying the grace of Christ throughout our lives. It is not the grace that comes from works, but the works that comes from grace. It is not through donating a certain amount of time or money, nor is it only breaking a few commandments. It is through having enough faith to repent and apply grace to our lives that we receive exaltation. Does that make enough sense?

However, it is only sometimes that naysayers of works simply mean that all our sins are covered by grace. Other times what they are really attacking is the doctrine of baptism. This is a complex topic that can involve priesthood authority, modern day revelation, and a discussion of the Godhead; instead, I will deal with it simply and direct you to more devoted sources. Baptism is a commandment and an essential ordinance, and so just as with other commandments we won't be truly repentant until we follow it. This reason is good enough for me because of a simple word: testimony. I know through personal revelation that Jesus Christ restored his true church through Joseph Smith, so I know that our modern prophet is also the mouthpiece of God and only tells us the truth. I know this from my experience with The Book of Mormon. I know the true way to be happy.

Thermite: Ignition

We've got the ingredients assembled, and we're waiting to see sparks fly. Something is missing; a pile of rust and aluminum shavings are just sitting there, and nothing has happened. This is where the ingredient is no longer in the control of the thermite mixer. This is the final edge, the last thing that's required for a thermite reaction, and needs to be special. A normal fire at the end of a match or a lighter won't light thermite. You need something hot enough to light the aluminum, such as magnesium. You need to be prepared for what happens next, since it will be quite the experience.

Just like with thermite, the final push for your "reaction" will be out of your hands. It needs to be extremely special, and it comes by the power of the Holy Ghost. No phony imitation will do. If you have a good thermite mixture, filled with good study and earnest prayer, the Holy Ghost will have the ability to ignite you and push you on your way to conversion. Be prepared; this is where the magic happens.

So how can you ignite the spiritual mixture you've been working on? As I said, it is through divine power that it will happen. All we can do is strive to be as receptive to it as possible. We know that the Spirit speaks in a still small voice (Helaman 5:30). How can we hope to hear if we are busy doing things that drown out his voice? How can we listen for the divine prompting if we are focused on an addicting or distracting behavior? You need to calm your environment and listen for the spark that can "pierce [you] even to the very soul" and ignite the preparation you've already gone through.

Another problem is that too many people don't realize that the revelation you will receive is rarely the 3000°+ burning of a strip of magnesium or a visit from an angel. It is quite often the gentle and calm "fruits of the Spirit" talked about in Galatians 5:22-23. The problem with not realizing this fact is that if you are searching for those visions and signs, it is quite possible that you will miss the small voice I've already talked about. If you are paying attention and notice these feelings, it is only because you have a suitable mixture of study and prayer. We know that the Spirit helps us "know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5) and we know that "God [can] not lie" (Enos 1:6). You will only feel the fruits of the Spirit if and only if you partake of truth; if you feel these fruits, you must know that the Book of Mormon is true. If true, it was translated by the power of God through Joseph Smith. If he was guided by God, then He restored his church through Joseph Smith as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This line of logic continues to all aspects of the Church. See how a small spark can ignite so many things?

You have successfully studied words of truth, and you have properly humbled yourself in prayer. The Holy Ghost has blessed you with the spark to ignite this work, and now you have the blessing of a sure knowledge of the truth! What do you do with it now? Now you watch as the thermite reaction rages forth in a mighty experience. You go forth with the knowledge that you have. You experience conversion.

Thermite: Aluminum

Onward to the next ingredient: aluminum. This is where the fire is, and this is what is actually burning. While the rust makes it possible to burn as long as there is heat by providing oxygen, the aluminum makes it possible to burn at high temperatures due to its high boiling point. It can be slightly harder to get, but it is also used in so many applications that it's seen more often than rust in some situations. For thermite, it needs to be untainted and a fine powder.

In my comparison, this is prayer. The reaction you'll be experiencing will be during or because of a prayer. You might not be comfortable just praying right off the bat, or you might pray every hour of the day already. Regardless of your previous experience with prayer, the prayer you'll need for this is special and focused towards a specific purpose.

The main purpose of your prayer will be to know if the studying you've been doing is good, or, in other words, if the Book of Mormon is true. Fortunately, we have guidelines to help us know how to go about praying for this specific purpose. It is found in Moroni 10:4, where we learn the key parts from each clause of the sentence:

1. "ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ,": Pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. I know that there are those that are uncomfortable doing this, but this goes along with testing the fruit to see if it is good. Give it a try, you never know what might happen.
2. "if these things are not true;": Have a question in your mind and in your prayer. Simple enough, right?
3. "ask with a sincere heart,": To get your answer, you must mean your question. Asking flippantly, asking because somebody is telling you to, or asking with a closed mind will not work as well as desiring to know if God really has restored his Church in this day.
4. "with real intent,": This is where things get more interesting. While it sounds like the previous bit, it actually relates to your willingness to act on the answer. If you want to know if the Book of Mormon is true for scholarly reasons, you are less likely to receive your answer than if you want to know if it is true to help you decide if you should join the Church that I represent.
5. "having faith in Christ,": For most Christians, this is easy. Otherwise, remember that faith is related to hope (Hebrews 11:1 see also Alma 32:21), so having a hope in Christ is the first step towards having faith.
6. "he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.": This is a promise. The previous 5 parts are the ingredients and instructions of the recipe; this is the result.

You have received a promise that you can know about the truth of the Book of Mormon yourself. It might not be easy to refine your prayer for such a specific purpose, but I know that it is possible and you will get your answer. I know that I have, and that it took many years before this promise was realized in my life. You can trust me and the millions of others that all promise that this knowledge has blessed our lives. Or you can take this recipe up and find out for yourself.


Now, if you've been following along, you have successfully gathered some studying and spent some time praying. You've created your thermite mixture; now you just need to light it and you'll have an amazing reaction.