I think it's all about the charity study for me this week.

"The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming to Christ is how we treat other people." Elder Marvin J. Ashton Ensign May 1992, 18

One of the common themes Jesus taught was how to treat others better or more godlike.

In Matthew 5: 22 He says

“But I say unto you whosever is angry with his brother* shall be in danger of the judgment." *JST translation says to omit the words ‘without a cause’ because for pete sake, that’s what we have been talking about. Not getting angry with people, or forgiving now or immediately when someone has harmed/hurt/injured us. And if anyone had more reason to be angry with another it was the Savior as he was hung on the cross when he had done NOTHING wrong! But he said “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I don’t think anything anyone else has done to us can compare with that, and such is his perfect example.

In the Sermon on the Mount we’re told in Matthew
5:7, “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."
5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
5:10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The better we get at loving and serving those around us, the better servant we are to God.

Mosiah 2:17 “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” I think this applies to how we think of others as well.

Now think of that scripture upside down "When ye are exploiting or sinning against your fellow beings, you are only sinning against God” (Old Testament LDS Student Manual section 8)

Fascinating...

C.S. Lewis is rocking awesome. I love how clear he makes Christianity understood for me, and he has such practical applications for life.

He said

"When I come to my evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed. And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected; I was caught off my guard, I had not time to collect myself. Now that may be an extenuating circumstance as regards those particular acts: they would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate and premeditated. On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.
~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (1952)

I still have so many rats to take care of...

Charity part 2

The first time I really experienced how powerful charity could be was up at BYU-Idaho during a devotional. Elder Henry B. Eyring (an apostle in our church) was speaking. I luckily got into the auditorium he was speaking in and was just sitting and pondering in the packed room for about ten minutes before he spoke. I also remember praying in my heart for him and the words he was going to share with us. He was introduced and as he started speaking I felt this overpowering feeling of love enter my heart. I felt that he really cared about me, although he had never met me before. Then I had the prompting that this was part of the power of charity. You could truly love and care about those you had never met.

The second time I felt this type of charity was also during another devotional, and the speaker was Susan W. Tanner, the current General Young Women's president of the church. And again as she started speaking I got the feeling that she truly cared about me personally, and everyone else in the room. It was an incredible feeling, and very motivating to listen to a speaker you feel actually cares about you.

I didn't realize charity could extend to people you have yet to meet. I knew it could be extended to people you immediately meet, and people you had previously seen and/or met, but here were two people that I know loved me, and I don't know if they had ever even seen me.

And then the awe of that kind of power hit me. And I realized why Moroni said to "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love". This wasn't about love you could earn or just have on your own. This was love that extended mortal bounds. It was truly god-like, something we literally can't create on our own.

Have you ever had any experiences with charity before?

Charity part 1

I think forgiveness and charity go together. Of course charity and hope and faith are all connected like that three legged chair where you need all three or you can’t have any of them. But forgiveness and charity are also pretty connected for me. Which is one reason why I think Joseph responded so well to his circumstances, he had the gift of charity in his life. This can definitely help with forgiveness.

What are the words that go through your head when I say the word charity? A few that just pop through my mouth are pure love of Christ, not just doing alms, or good deeds, love,(obviously), Paul and 1 corinthians 13, and it’s more important than ANYTHING else.

O.k. so that’s my list, what about yours?

I remember back in high school my seminary teacher (a religion teacher for teenagers) challenged us to go home and study in the scriptures one principle or topic we didn’t feel we grasped very well. And on our way out the door he had us tell him what that topic was. I chose charity. All I knew was it was pretty important to have, but I didn’t know really what it was.

So I studied.

Go with me to 1 corinthians 13

4. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8. Charity never faileth…

That’s quite the list on its own, but then in Moroni 7:45-48, he repeats that list, tells us a little more about faith and hope and how they connect to that, and again repeats that charity is the most important.

However Paul also told us you can’t get charity by giving money to the poor, or moving mountains, or having the gift of prophecy and understanding all the mysteries of the universe. It’s not just thinking about others in a particularly loving way or reacting well to situations when people harm or hurt you.

We are told in Moroni 7:48 to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we have have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen”

We are told here charity is a gift. A gift given from God to love like the Savior. That’s why it’s called Christ-like love. But we have to ask and pray for it- with ALL the energy of our hearts. That’s a lot of energy, and that’s some amazing love to love like Christ.

What does that mean to you to love like that Savior?

I know as a high school student that was pretty overwhelming for me to read about. I can only get this charity stuff if I pray and ask God, and he might not give it to me, but it’s one of the most important things to have!?!!?

Well at least I knew more of the basics now, charity was love. A love I couldn’t get with only my little ole mortal self. God probably wanted me to have this gift, and there are a whole bunch of traits I can strive for to try to show him I’m working hard on becoming a more loving person in general. And I can pray a lot more for these gifts.

CHARITY TRAITS:

Suffereth long

Is kind

Envieth not

Seeketh not her own

Doth not behave herself unseemly (Footnote 1 cor 13:5a Greek translation: indecently, unbecomingly.)

Is not easily provoked (footnote to 1 cor 13:5c says self mastery)

Thinketh no evil

Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth

Beareth all things

Believeth all things

Edureth all things

Tomorrow, my first real life charity encounter...

Joseph in Egypt and forgive now

Joseph is a good person to look at during Easter time. Why in the world would that be might you ask? He's an amazing type of Christ for us to study, in more ways than just one. I really like this layout of scriptural connections between Joseph of Egypt and the Savior straight from the lds Old Testament Student Manual. Cross reference and check them out if you haven't done this before, or in a long time. It really helps me see how ALL things testify of Christ.

1. Joseph was the favored son of his father; so was Jesus (see Genesis 37:3 ; Matthew 3:17 ).

2. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, the Israelites, as was Jesus (see Genesis 37:4 ; John 1:11 ; Isaiah 53:3 ; 1 Nephi 19:13–14 ).

3. Joseph was sold by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles, just as Jesus was (see Genesis 37:25–27 ; Matthew 20:19 ).

4. Judah, the head of the tribe of Judah, proposed the sale of Joseph. Certain leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ day turned Jesus over to the Romans. Judas (the Greek spelling of Judah ) was the one who actually sold Jesus. (See Genesis 37:26 ; Matthew 27:3 .) Although Judah later offered his life in return for Benjamin's- showing some of his change of heart.

5. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, the price of a slave his age. Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave His age. (See Genesis 37:28 ; Matthew 27:3 ; Exodus 21:32 ; Leviticus 27:5 .)

6. In their very attempt to destroy Joseph, his brothers actually set up the conditions that would bring about their eventual temporal salvation—that is, Joseph, by virtue of being sold, would become their deliverer. Jesus, by His being given into the hands of the Gentiles, was crucified and completed the atoning sacrifice, becoming the Deliverer for all mankind.

7. Joseph began his mission of preparing salvation for Israel at age thirty, just as Jesus began His ministry of preparing salvation for the world at age thirty (see Genesis 41:46 ; Luke 3:23 ).

8. When Joseph was finally raised to his exalted position in Egypt, all bowed the knee to him. All will eventually bow the knee to Jesus. (See Genesis 41:43 ; D&C 88:104 .)

9. Joseph provided bread for Israel and saved them from death, all without cost. Jesus, the Bread of Life, did the same for all men. (See Genesis 42:35 ; John 6:48–57 ; 2 Nephi 9:50 .)

Now all of these things are great, but one great principle I see here in Joseph as well as the Savior is forgiveness.

Joseph had some pretty hard things happen to him.

His brothers all hated him. (well, besides Benjamin.) They actually wanted to kill him, but decided to sell him as a slave instead. He works hard in a new country/land with no one around that he even knows, and gets thrown into prison back down at the bottom for something he didn't even do. And for standing up to unrighteousness and sin. Then he's there a few years, works his way back up, helps interpret some dreams and probably thinks, great those people can now help me get out of this place, when again they forget about him again, and he hangs out there longer.

This isn't a story of a few months hardship or even one or two years. This was over 13 years of being a slave and in prison for much of that before he became second in command to Pharaoh.
That's half of my lifetime. That's a long time.

Where are you like Joseph? Where are you hated or put in bondage by people close to you? Where have you helped someone and asked for help in return and was forgotten about? Where have you actually done the right thing and gotten in worse trouble or so it seemed than if you had just done the wrong thing?

Could Joseph have become bitter and angry from his life? Yes he easily could have said, well my life is harder than most. Check- Joseph's life is definitely harder than my life has been. Just like I know some that are bitter and angry because they were put in an abusive home. Some that have been denied or lost jobs over standing up for what they believed in. Others that have gotten taken advantage of because of a gift they shared that was not returned when they were truly in need.

But Joseph chose the better path. He chose to let God take charge, even at those SEVERAL low points in his life that could have turned him the other way. He chose to forgive his brothers for selling him as a slave and Potipher and his wife when he was thrown into prison. The butler when he forgot to try and help him after he interpreted his dream. And he was probably above this, but he even forgave God for having him go through such hard experiences. Maybe it was that he didn't blame God, or ask how God could do this to him when he had done no wrong, or was trying to do so much good.

Forgive Now

We had a talk given on Sunday that spoke on forgiveness and the speaker instituted a concept in his family called Forgive Now. It's a pretty simple concept. When someone hurts or offends you your choice is to dwell on that and forgive them later, dwell on it and never forgive them, or just forgive immediately meaning as soon as it happens. They talked with their family and decided that things are going to happen that will upset us. We're not perfect or where we can be that others' imperfect actions don't bother us yet, so we can't just say we'll never get upset. That doesn't work out so well. But we can choose to forgive as soon as we feel that upsetness rise in our chest.

I have been working on that this week, and it is amazing how much more free you feel when you can let things go immediately. I have to say I am pretty good at this with little kids. Working with them so much I have learned how to love and forgive children very easily. Adults however I don't do as well with this concept.

That's also why this concept is so great to review at Easter Time.

The Savior obviously loved those that hurt him, and eventually killed him. He didn't falter when spit or slapped in the face or had a crown of thorns placed on his head, even when he remembered he had just suffered for those very sins in the garden of gethsemane. He never stumbled in his mission even at the end while suffering on the cross saying to our Father "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) Knowing how much our Heavenly Father loved his only Begotten Son, and how much any father would want justice for someone mocking/torturing/killing their son, Jesus remind the Father that he understood his mission and that the atonement was necessary, and they had no idea what they were doing. Again always our advocate with the Father.

We cannot forgive or apply any of this lesson without the atonement. The Savior is the one that will wipe away our tears and pain from injustice and bondage. The Savior is the one that can right our heart again to someone that has hurt us deeply, and not let that bond weigh us down anymore in our life. Truly I don't understand how the atonement works, but I do know I have felt it's power, and the resulting freedom that comes from doing all I can and then letting him cover the rest. Peace. That is the residual blessing that comes from repentance through the atonement.

So this week. Do as Joseph, and forgive now. Know that God has greater things in store for you than you can even imagine, and if you put your trust in him, he will put you where you can do the most good, and become most like him.

And so it begins

Scripture Cravings. Do you ever have those? I find myself going in and out of scripture cravings in my life. Sometimes I really do crave to hear and drink from the word of God- and other times I nibble at the scriptures because my appetite seems to have dwindled. I know when I am studying to teach something my appetite also correlatingly increases, so that's what blog is for. A scripture notes/online class group/spiritual and scriptural uplifting thoughts blog for me.

Just so you know, I also hate writing. Many of my siblings have been so blessed with writing that they write something once and shazam it's exactly how they want it for the final draft. (And that's why two of them went into the field of journalism) I usually have to write and rewrite and edit and revise 100 times and I still don't like the final cut. However, when I teach I love to revise and rewrite all the time- just in my head, not on paper.

So if you will excuse me- I'm going to just write what's in my head. If you can't handle grammatical mistakes or someone making up words, then stop reading this blog now. I'm not going to try to make it perfect on paper- that's not my gift, but I love teaching- partly because I love learning, and I hope despite my weakness in writing that love of teaching and the scriptures will shine through.

Also, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You may have heard of us as the Mormons or Latter-day Saints or LDS- all of these are the same church, and I love my religion and the gospel we teach. I am here to post uplifting and inspiring thoughts for all though, so please join in even if you aren't affiliated with this religion.