Forgiveness

The Pride Cycle

The “Nephite Pride Cycle” is repeated through out the Book of Mormon.  It starts with a period of righteousness (Helaman 3:24-32, 4:15) that is complimented by blessings and prosperity (Helaman 3:25&32, 4:15) as the Nephites are keeping the commandments of the Lord.   The Nephites become prideful (Helaman 3:33-36, 7:23-24) and begin to forget who brought them their prosperity, which leads them into a period of wickedness (Helaman 3:33-36, 10:3).  This iniquitous time ushers in a period of destruction and suffering (Helaman 4:5, 11:4) from wars, famine and pestilence.  This, sometimes accompanied by a prophet calling them to repent, humbling them to repentance (Helaman 4:15, 11:4) and is followed by a period of righteousness.

            This serves as a warning to me that I need to put in place safeguards to help me avoid this cycle in my life.  I must always remember that the Lord is the source of my blessings and prosperity.  I need to stay close to my Heavenly Father, praying constantly and expressing my gratitude consistently.   I must always put out my best effort in keeping His commandments.  I know that as I regularly study the scriptures, I will have the strength needed to resist temptation and be better shielded from the fiery darts of the adversary.  Being aware of the signs of falling into this cycle will help me to break it in my life and hold fast to the iron rod. 

And the people of the church began to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world that they began to be scornful one towards another.

This same cycle occurred in the days of Helaman.  At one point Helaman describes his people in this way:  And it came to pass in that same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.  And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many were the blessings that were poured out upon the people that even the high priest and the teachers were, themselves, astonished beyond measure.  

It was not long until the full cycle was completed, however.  Within five years of the period just cited, Helaman makes this report regarding members of the church:  And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church.  Not into the Church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of god.  And they were lifted up in pride, even unto the persecution of many of their brethren.

These abrupt changes in the condition of the people led Helaman to lament.  "Yea, and we may see at the very time that he doth prosper his people, yea, an increase of their flocks and their herds and their fields, and in gold and in silver, and in precious things of every kind and in fine, all things for the welfare and happiness of his people, yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and they do forget the Lord their God."

It is one thing to look back upon the events of history.  It is another to regard our own time.  We have the Lord's assurance that he will bless and prosper his people if they will keep his commandments and remember to look to him as the source for their blessings.

--Dean L. Larsen, OCTOBER 1992 - THE LORD WILL PROSPER THE RIGHTEOUS

Enduring to the End

We have the charge to keep the commandment to endure to the end.  From dictionary.com, endure means, “to bear without resistance or with patience”.  When I was a child, enduring to the end meant to me trying to pay attention to the talks in sacrament meeting and not on what I wanted to do when I got home.  Until I studied more about it, I thought it meant to pay my tithes and go to church every week until the day I die.  I now know that it means to remain faithful to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout my life. 

President Dieter F Uchtdorf has stated that, “This belief distinguishes Latter-day Saints from many other Christian denominations that teach that salvation is given to all who simply believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ.”

D&C 14:7 And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

President Uchtdorf further declared, “Ours is an active religion, helping God's children along the straight and narrow path to develop their full potential during this life and return to Him one day. Viewed from this perspective, enduring to the end is exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one of hope, strength, and deliverance. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

So enduring to the end is more than my just hanging in there through life’s difficulties.  It’s doing my best to keep the commandments of the Lord, including but not limited to keeping my oaths and covenants, honoring my priesthood, being a good husband and father, paying my tithes, service and charity towards others, faithful church attendance, accepting and magnifying my callings in the church, ministering to others through home teaching and sharing the gospel to bring others unto Christ.

“We tend to think only in terms of our endurance, but it is God’s patient long-suffering which provides us with our chances to improve, affording us urgently needed developmental space or time.  Paul observed, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Such “peaceable fruit” comes only in the appointed season thereof, after the blossoms and the buds.  Otherwise, if certain mortal experiences were cut short, it would be like pulling up a flower to see how the roots are doing. Put another way, too many anxious openings of the oven door, and the cake falls instead of rising. Moreover, enforced change usually does not last, while productive enduring can ingrain permanent improvement. 

Patient endurance is to be distinguished from merely being “acted upon.” Endurance is more than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance; it is not only acceptance of the things allotted to us, but to “act for ourselves” by magnifying what is allotted to us.”

--Elder Neal A Maxwell, “Endure It Well”

More Meaningful Prayer

There is no limit on where, how often or what I pray about.  I want to become better at praying.  I would like to make it more personal, like a conversation.   I want to remember to pray for protection against the adversary.  I want to be more prayerful in my decision making.  I want to avoid being repetitive from prayer to prayer, putting more thought into what I want to say.  I want to express more gratitude, realizing more of my blessings.  I want to do better at praying for others, following through with impressions to pray for others more often.  I want to pray for my welfare and for those around me.  I want to set time aside each day to pray in my ‘secret places’, pouring my soul out to the Lord.  I want to invest more of my time praying and getting closer to my Father in Heaven.

Alma 34

18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.