Shortly after President George Albert Smith was ordained an Apostle in the church (before he was president), he wrote out a list of 11 personal creeds. I’m posting them here because I think they are absolutely fantastic, and they made me think a lot about the personal creeds that I have and try to live by, and what creeds I would like to do better at living by. Anyway, here they are:

“I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.

“I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.

“I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.

“I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and a happy life.

“I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.

“I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.

“I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.

“I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.

“I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father.

“I would not be an enemy to any living soul.

“Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth.”

Wow. Wow. I love that he doesn’t say, “I will read one chapter of scripture everyday and hold FHE every Monday night, and pay my tithing.” While those are important things, it’s possible to do the “checklist” of gospel living with a grudging heart. What President Smith focuses on here is on his way of being, the state of his heart. He focuses on loving people and implementing in action that love according to his beliefs. The one word I keep coming across in reference to this great man is KIND. He was unfailingly kind to all people, and there are countless examples of that. I encourage you to read the rest of this chapter and the whole book for more great stuff! 

I hope that as we study out of this manual this year I will learn more and more about the life and teachings of President George Albert Smith. I hope that each day I will be a little more capable of living what I believe and of letting my Savior, Jesus Christ, change my heart and fill me with his pure love–charity. I know that Christ lives, that He is our Savior, and that because of his unfailingly mercy and grace we can experience a change of heart, we can love others, forgive them, and serve them. We can draw closer to Christ and share his love with others each day. I pray that we will do so.

“And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul. And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.” (Alma 38:8-9)

I love this. Alma testifies of the power of the Atonement in his own life, and shares that personal experience with his son. I think that in our world today even believing Christians are too afraid to share their testimony and experience of Christ with the younger generation. We are afraid of stepping on toes, of “brainwashing” and not giving youth a chance to decide what they believe for themselves. When in reality, we have an obligation from God to raise up the rising generation in truth and righteousness. We have a responsibility to share the light and truth and testimony which we have (however imperfect and incomplete it may be) with others, especially with children and those who do not yet know Christ. I am grateful for the example of prophets and people in the scriptures who share their testimonies and declare Christ for all the know. I too, know that the only way back to our Heavenly Father is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and loves us. I know that He is mindful of us. I know that He will deliver us and bring rest to our souls even in the chaos of our mortal lives. I hope that my future family will know of my own personal testimony, and that I will have many opportunities to declare and testify of Christ throughout my life.

“We may not know when or how the Lord’s answers will be given, but in His time and His way, I testify, His answers will come. For Some answers we may have to wait until the hereafter. This may be true for some promises in our patriarchal blessings and for some blessing for family members. Let us not give up on the Lord. His blessings are eternal, not temporary.” 

There are many experiences that don’t make sense to us right now. There are hard times that seem pointless or unfair. There are many blessings that seem like we should have them now. But often we get stuck in our mortal perspective. The Lord sees the end from the beginning. He sees the world and our lives with an eternal perspective. He WILL fulfill all of His promises to His children. I know that the Lord loves us. I know that His hand is in our lives, even when we don’t see it. I know that we can recognize it more as we express gratitude each day. I know that we don’t understand a great many things about this mortal existence, but that the Lord will answer our questions and give us understanding in His time and His way. God loves you. May we remember to keep a more eternal perspective each day. May we wait upon the Lord with faith and patience and learn to do His will even in the messiness of our fallen and mortal world.

Jesus comforting Mary

“I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”

She said that she always thought that it said “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” Realizing that in the King James Version it reads “which” instead of “who” she began to ponder if there was any significance. This is the conclusion that she came to: since “who” refers to people and “which” more often refers to things, we can think of the “which” here as referring to “all things.” So an alternative reading of this verse is:

“I can do all things that strengthen me through Christ.”

All of our trials are things that can strengthen us. They are not fun or enjoyable, but if we will turn them over to the Lord in faith, they will become blessings in our life. And we can do them–we can do hard things that strengthen us with the help of the Lord. He will turn our trials into triumphs and our tears into smiles. He will make our weaknesses our strengths. He will heal our pains and help us to become the people he knows that we can be–the sons and daughters of God and the divine kings and queens we are destined to become.

My roommate and I have seen this particularly clearly recently. We faced a trial that pushed us to the edge. I have rarely felts as much anger and pain as I did at this particular time. Yet, standing on this side of my trial, I am filled with gratitude. It has strengthened me and blessed me more than I ever imagined. And it was only possible because of Christ. I turned to Him and tried to give my hurt to Him. Through Him, I was strengthened. And with Him, I was able to do a really hard thing that strengthened me.

I know that Christ is the Light of the world. He is the Redeemer and Savior, Healer and Deliverer. I know that with Him and through Him we can do all things, including (and especially) the hard things which strengthen us. I know that our burdens can become blessings because of the grace of Christ.

Why did Abinidi preach the gospel and testify of Christ? Why do we do missionary work? So that we can declare the salvation of the Lord to ALL people. EVERYWHERE. So that they can believe the words of the prophets, so that they can learn why and how to keep the commandments and experience blessings now and in the eternities. We declare the Christ because Christ explained “I am come that they might have life; and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Christ offers us an abundant life here in mortality and eternal life for forever hereafter.

These thoughts came together for me this morning like this: Often, we think, “well, it’s too bad that I didn’t share the gospel with that person, but at least I know that God promises that they will have a chance to hear it one day.” We justify not doing missionary work ourselves because God has promised to let all people have the chance to hear the gospel, whether in this life or in the Spirit world after death. So if we don’t get to it, that’s okay, because that person will have another chance.

But think about your life. What things increase the quality of your life? I personally can say without reservation that the single greatest determining factor in my quality of life and fulfillment is a knowledge and testimony of and relationship with my Savior Jesus Christ. That in and of itself carries me through trials, misunderstandings, relationships, service, good things and bad. I can say that I have an abundant life here and now because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that there are people who are happy, content and fulfilled without a knowledge or understanding of Christ. But I also know that their lives would be better with the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I also know many many people who are not sure where to find the good in life. They need the gospel of Jesus Christ as well.

The beauty of Christ’s gospel is that it allows us to experience many of the joys of eternity in the reality of today. Christ wants all of his children to feel his love and experience his mercy. He wants everyone to taste of the glorious fruit of his gospel and the joy of his message NOW. In mortality. He doesn’t want them to have to wait. He wants those of us who know to STAND UP and DECLARE the Christ, to “publish peace”, and to share with others that which will help them have an abundant life and will allow them to rise in the first resurrection.

May we all take a lesson from Abinidi, and declare Christ so that others might know of the joy of the salvation of Christ. I know that Christ lives. I know that He is my Savior and yours. I know that there is great joy to be had in coming to know Him and learning of Him. I know that this changes lives for the better both here and hereafter.

Enos tells of his “wrestle which [he] had before God” and said that he “hungered” and “kneeled down before [his] maker” and “cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication” because “the words which [Enos] often heard [his] father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into [his] heart” and he wanted to know, needed to know if they were true for himself. Enos prayer for forgiveness of his own sins, he prayed for the well-being of his own people, and then he prayed for his enemies. His prayers were “wrestles” before God, they were sincere, heartfelt, and full of desire. He prayed with faith and hope that there was a God and that God would answer his prayers. And God did. He let Enos know that his sins were forgiven, that he would visit his people according to their faith, and that He would preserve the prophetic record which later became the Book of Mormon so that future generations of his enemies would have the chance to know Christ and the gospel also receive eternal life and the joy of the saints. The Lord even covenants with Enos “that he would preserve the records; and he conventanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time” (16). For Enos, this must have been a spiritual uplifting, edifying and also exhausting experience. It lasted for more than 24 hours. After all of this Enos then says:

“And I Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.”

Enos gained a testimony of his own accord. It was, of course, the words of his father Jacob that made him want to know for himself. He had a genuine desire to know. He didn’t let his father’s belief simply dictate his life, but he searched, studied, and wrestled to find the truth. And what a beautiful thing he found — rest for his soul. There are many experiences, trials, and circumstances in life that cause us to feel anything but peace. However, I have seen for myself that if I remained centered on the truth, centered on Jesus Christ, my soul can rest, even if the rest of me isn’t quite there.

I was born to wonderful parents who did not tell me about God growing up. I had friends who through there examples and love helped me to realize that there is something more to life than what I already knew. I saw the peace in their lives that superseded the stress and chaos of everyday experiences. I desired to know truth for myself. I read the scriptures, I prayed ferverently and many many times. I studied the gospel and beliefs and visited with people of different faiths. And ultimately I found truth in the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I found truth in the testimony of living prophets about the Savior, Jesus Christ. I found truth through spiritual confirmations and help I received as I prayed and read the scriptures. I know that there is truth and that we can know it. I know that the promises (and covenants of God) are always kept on His end, and that we can rest knowing the sacred promised He gives to each of His children. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and I know that for myself, and not because someone told me that I should believe it. Honestly, the gospel of Jesus Christ requires so much of us, that it would be very hard to live it without believing it for oneself. I know that Heavenly Father loves us. I know that Jesus Christ lives and I know that you can know that as well.

[p.s. I need to add some references, and links, but I'm going to post it as it and update it in a day or two]

Я знаю что есть истинна и мы можем знать её. Я знаю что Небесный Отец — источник всей истинни. Я знаю что Небесный Отец меня любит. Даже когда я чувствую совсем одинака, я знаю что Он там и Он никогда не оставит меня одна. Я знаю что Иисус есть Христос, Сынь Бога и Спаситель всего человечества. Книга Мормона — священная свидетельство Иисуса Христа. Через её, я узнала кто Он, что Он делал, и почему это важно мне лично и сейчас. Благодарно этой книге, я знаю что у Бога есть план для меня и что Он всегда рядом чтобы помогать. Благодарно ей, я понимаю лучше смысль жизни и что наши трудности могут стать благословенями. Я также понимаю что мы не сможем понимать все, но мы можем все равно довеять Богу и пологаться на Него. Вера в Иисуса Христа изменила и измеияет мою жизнь к лучшему, и я знаю что она может всем вам помогать также. Бог вас любит. Он за вас заботится и на вас смотрет. Вы — его дрогоценный дети. Это я знаю.

I mention all of this because I know many people who feel uncomfortable around Latter-day Saints and think that they wouldn’t be welcome in our meetings or among our people. Even members who don’t keep the all of the commandments are afraid that we are constantly judging them. People think, “I smoke so I know they won’t like me” or “I am living with my boyfriend so I’m sure they won’t talk to me” or “I can’t go to their church because I drink coffee.” This makes me sad. To be honest, I know that unfortunately our high standards often lead to a lot of judging. But they shouldn’t.

My friend paraphrased a quote that she heard. I have tried to find the reference and I can’t, but it went something like this: “We want our sacrament meetings to be filled with the smell of smoke and alcohol.” (She attributed it to President Hinckley.) You might think: what?! So then, why? Because Christ said “they that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32).”

Especially as Latter-day Saints, we should be accepting of all people. We do not have to be accepting of other people’s standards, but we are not put here to judge. We are put here to lift and encourage and raise others up, regardless of their faith or belief or lifestyle. We are here to share the love of God and the light of Christ with the sick and the sinners (of which, we are each one anyways). We are not here to surround ourselves with perfect people. We are not here to exclude and gossip.

I would like to add that this is a two-way street. I find that often, because people are afraid that we are judging them, they judge us. Why is it so often the case that people think that it is okay to judge someone because they do not agree with your lifestyle. I do not agree with living together and having sexual relations before marriage. I strongly believe that that is a perversion of God’s Plan of Happiness for individuals and for families. But I also know (and love) many people who do not hold that standard. It makes me sad, but it does not make me love them less. It does not give me the right to think that they are not worthy of God’s love or that they shouldn’t come to church if they want sometime. And yet, they are quick to get upset with me and tell me that I am judgmental. I just have a different opinion of how we should behave. I don’t embrace the behavior, but I can still love the person. I think this is a common problem with the gay marriage debate. I do not agree with gay marriage, however, I do not necessarily oppose it. I do however oppose it when people use it as an excuse to judge and discriminate against me. Don’t force me to agree with you. You have your own opinion and I have mine. And you know what? God love us both anyways.

This is a long post (they all end up that way), but I want to end with sharing a few scriptures that I really like. These come from the prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon who is sharing his testimony of Jesus Christ. In 2 Nephi 26:24-27, Nephi testifies:

(24)He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him.

Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

(25) Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

(26) Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

(27) Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

Isn’t that beautiful? God’s love and blessings are for all of His children. Every single one of us, sinner and sick alike. We are all experiences the trials and difficulties of this mortal journey, and we don’t need anyone else to try and push us down. We need people who will encourage us and love us despite our differences and despite our problems. I hope that we will all strive to be blessings instead of burdens in other people’s lives. I hope that we will all choose to come unto the Savior, to partake of His salvation, and then to share it with others. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and it testifies of Christ. I know that God loves you and I know that Christ died for you. He is waiting to give you His greatest blessings.

I have personally experienced this several times before. I remember one trial in particular that was overwhelmingly painful. I knew that what had happened was the right thing, but it still hurt more than I imagined. But you know what? Now I look back on that trial with a great deal of gratitude. It is one of the more sacred experiences of my life, because I had to rely on God for everything. I remember praying one morning and basically saying, “I don’t think I can get out of bed this morning. If you want me to get up and do something, you’re going to have to help.” And He did. And I relied on Him everyday. I constantly kept a prayer in my heart.

I have also experienced a change in perspective as I prayed for someone who I had been hurt by. At first, I couldn’t do much besides say “Heavenly Father, please bless so-and-so.” I couldn’t even come up with specifics. Just a simple mention in my prayer. And slowly, over the course of several months, this changed into more specific prayers for the person. I started to genuinely care about the welfare of this person. It didn’t mean we had to be best friends, but it did mean that a hurt was healed in my heart and in my life. My perspective changed about this person. I no longer felt anger when I thought of her, because I thought of her as a child of God with trials and issues in her life that she was working through. Praying changed my perspective.

I think this also happens in smaller ways. If we are worried about a test, or upset about an unkind word, or struggling to make sense of a new trial, we can humble ourselves by praying. We can express gratitude instead of fear. As we pray, we can tell Heavenly Father we are grateful for the chance to gain an education, that we are grateful to know our worth as a child of God not based on the words of others, and that we are grateful for a trial that is helping us to come closer to God, if nothing else. I believe praying helps to solidify these perspectives so that they become our true perspectives. I believe that prayer has the power to lift worries and replace them with trust in the future, and trust in God.

Here is a scripture from the Book of Mormon that I like. It reminds me of the point and power of prayer:

“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” –Jacob 4:10

I think this verse teaches us a lot about prayer: Prayer is not about telling the Lord what we want, it is about humbling ourselves to accept His will. If our faith is strong enough, we will recognize that even in situations that we don’t like or welcome, God’s ways are higher than our ways and He has a grander plan of wisdom, justice and mercy. We might not see that now, but I believe that with an eternal perspective, we will be able to recognize His love and mercy in all things.

And as a final thought: of course Christ is the perfect example of humility and prayer. He is our perfect exemplar of using prayer to accept Heavenly Father’s will, and He showed us that by uttering the words “thy will be done” (see 3 Nephi 13:10, Matthew 6:10)

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. … Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.”

He is God, and I have come to know that for myself, and it has made all the difference.

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