Looking on the inside or the outside?

So this week I had a testimony builder again. I was struggling to have a talk come together. I had been studying and pondering for the past 4-5 weeks about "cleanse the inner vessel" from Alma 60:23. Lots of good thoughts, lots of good things, just wasn't coming together. So on Sunday I emailed the bishop that I would speak at to see if there was anything he needed me to focus on. He actually did (they usually are good with the stake subject) and after he gave me that, I totally went down a different path and it came together so easy. It just made sense in my mind. We continue to be guided by revelation! 

So below is my talk for your entertainment and delight!

I also went out with Ty and the missionaries this week. We had a hallway discussion with a single mother and invited her to church again. She came before. She ended up. It coming but I did commit her to read Alma 32 about the seed. She had brought up planting seeds so I told her about it, got her to download the Gospel Library app, and committed to listen to that chapter. Then we saw a new family they had found out in their yard and stopped by for a few minutes. I invited them to church also. They too decided not to come but I know it will help them when they do come soon. 

The talk:

Cleanse The Inner Vessel

 

When I was in elementary school I had an experience I remember to this day. I had a favorite spot to go far away from the playground. It was near the baseball field they would use during the summer season. My friends and I would climb up a giant tree, way up to the sky it seemed, and go out on a large branch to talk and imagine. One day we went out and I was the first to hurry up to the branch. As I stood on it and held on the the smaller branch above I began to bounce like I often did. But today was not my day. As I did so the trusted branch cracked and down it went with me following right behind. This fall of about 20 feet left me on my back and before I knew it, I was unconscious and when I awoke, a few teachers and many students were right over top of me. They had come a considerable distance after the crash. By a miracle I was mostly unharmed and even though I had landed my head right on a rock I had no permanent damage (except some of my friends would say I am a bit "off center" sometimes:))

As it turned out what looked on the outside to be a strong and stable place to see the clouds was instead rotten inside and was unfit to do the job I requested of that branch. 

The Lord had a similar circumstance we learn about in the Book of Mormon. 

The time was perilous, and a favorite leader of many was working hard to protect the people. Moroni and his armies had proven to be exceptionally wise, but were severely out numbered. In his plea, and his general lack of knowing what was going on, he wrote to the governor of the land about the apparent neglect he felt from the lack of support. 

23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first (Alma 60)

And then Moroni continued to trash talk Pahoran, the chief governor. Listen to how he blames and accuses without having a full knowledge of what was really happening to Pahoran. 

28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss. (Alma 60)

Then Moroni explains where his heart really is. How would you take what he is saying?  A description of his inner heart, or a weak justification of his rude and inappropriate accusations?

36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. (Alma 60)

Now really think how would you feel?  How would you respond. Recall Elder Bednar's teachings about how someone cannot offend you, but only you can take offense when none may have been intended. 

Pahoran immediately just tries to explain the circumstance he is in, and reaches out to Moroni. 

2 I, Pahoran, who am the chief governor of this land, do send these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul.

3 But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions, yea, insomuch that they have risen up in rebellion against me, and also those of my people who are freemen, yea, and those who have risen up are exceedingly numerous. (Alma 61)

Next comes one of the most remarkable events in the history books I have read. One that has changed my life. One that exhibits a leadership and strength of character seldom matched in this earth's history. Pahoran responds directly to Moroni's misplaced accusations. 

9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free. (Alma 61)

Moroni showed exceptional grace in his response. As Pahoran forgave and forgot through his response to Moroni, Moroni then in kind just moved on and celebrated their joint love of freedom, their country and their God. 

19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, . (Alma 61)

1 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran, that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his country. (Alma 62)

This story is an example to me of epic proportions. Two men who were challenged by judgement of others, but rose above that. It illustrates the point that we cannot know another's circumstance and if we judge, we will miss key items that would change how we feel. 

It also shows that when we are filled with the spirit of God we can truly be clean at the innermost, and be right before God. 

As we think of this we can learn from the lessons of the bible. Jesus as he talked to the Pharisees related the following: 

41 ¶While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? (Matthew 22)

And as he asked that penetrating question, Elder Cook turned it around for us so we can inspect our inner vessel. Listen to what he said recently in general conference. 

Jesus asked the Pharisees, “What think ye of Christ?”2 In the final assessment, our personal discipleship will not be judged by friends or foes. Rather, as Paul said, “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”3 At that day the important question for each of us will be, “What thinks Christ of me?” (What Thinks Christ of Me?)

I repeat, What thinks Christ of me?  Of my inner vessel? How will we feel when we are brought before him?  Will we be clean inside and out?

The Psalmist wrote:

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51)

My family and I recently went on a road trip to visit family. We had a great time seeing family we rarely are able to spend time with. On the way back home my father in law sent us with a large amount of frozen beef. He does this for a hobby with his brothers who still ranch full time.  Everything went well and we arrived home. When we unloaded we found some of the beef had softened and the freezer containers it was in leaked. We worked hard to clean up the spill and to wipe everything out. 

The next morning we went out to go to church and were about pushed over with the terrible smell. We had obviously not cleaned deep enough. So we proceeded to clean more, and to clean deeper, and to spray the car to help take out the smell. But whatever we tried did not seem to make a difference. Finally we had to remove the seats, take out the carpet, and treat it with bacteria eating enzymes. After a couple more days and hard work, we finally removed the source of the problem. Only by cleaning the very inner parts could we clean the car. 

Just as our experience with the car, so it is with our hearts and minds. We have to clean the very inner part to become who our Father in Heaven wants us to be and knows we can be. And just like Moroni we can clean the inner soul first, and lead ourselves to Christ. 

No matter what we may have done, or how we feel inside, the Savior is the master cleaner. He can help anyone make clean hands and a pure heart. 

Bear testimony

I love you forever. That simply will not change. 

Dad

3 John 1:4

Week of Work

This week I paid the price for being gone on family vacation.  I know it always happens this way, but it is never a joy to return.  A vacation is supposed to refresh you and make you ready to work hard again, but it just serves to remind me that family is most important, and I wish I could spend all my time doing that instead of work each day.

Each day I would think I will get done on time, or a bit early so I could leave and get home.  I spent many days on vacation doing work and meeting so I knew I had time to leave a bit early.  But each day things would happen, situations that have been pushed off had to be addressed, and I ended up staying late.  Even on Friday I had some visitors from China in, and I had planned to end at 4:00.  I thought in my mind then if everyone is still talking we will still end by 4:30, and I could drop them off then head home a bit early.  But the discussions did not end until 5:30, then I had to drop them off, return to the office and gather my things.  All in all a long week for work but the family time the weeks prior were worth it.

The evenings were spent trying to figure out, clean, and then disassemble, clean and repair the horrific stench in the car.  The meat we brought home from Grandma and Grandpa leaked out of the freezer bags and into the carpet.  Then when we stopped and unloaded it began to rot.  And it was not long before it was unbearable.  Just gross, at it's core.  At first we wiped, cleaned, sprayed, and I even used bleach in the rear gaskets to get all we could find.  But it remained.  I then realized it was under one trim piece, so off it came (and as I write this I can still smell the stench in my mind as I did this) and we found a pool underneath.  Great, we found it!  We cleaned that and sprayed, then used an ozone treatment in the car.  Next morning......augh!  Stench remains.  So I had to take out the rear seat, the carpet underneath it and all of it had to come out, be cleaned, and the frame underneath sterilized.  It turned out to be the carpet piece and that took work to remove the offending bacteria and then use an enzyme to actual destroy the source of it all.  After all that each evening we finally can be in the car and it is fine.

The lesson in it all is that you have to clean the very source, the very core if you want to make things change.  Just like our lives, we have to clean the inner most part of us, our thoughts, our desires, out intents before we can truly change and become who He wants us to be.  Changing just the appearance will leave us stinking the next morning.  We have to change inside.

Love you forever, it's a great time to be alive.

Dad

3 John 1:4

Eternal View

I was talking with mom this week about how I came to see how it is so important to look beyond the world swirling around us and to the longer term in our actions, decisions, and thoughts.  It drives the way I act, the things I choose to fill my mid with and how I make decisions.

Many years ago I caught a very brief vision of what eternity really means and how long it really is (duh, forever), but it really was impressed upon my soul, not just my mortal mind.  it scared the daylights out of me to understand for that brief moment how long eternity really is and how short this life is.

That was the time it began the shift for me to treat decisions and what I really have as most important differently and more vital than the rest of what is around me.

I think it was one of those momentous times for me.

I was thinking of hit this week because I was 1. thinking so much of family, and 2. went through the temple with Gavin last week and that always is great to remind us of what is most important.

The drive back home was neat because of everyone's attitudes.  It was difficult at times, challenging, frustrating and all, but everyone kept such a great attitude and we had fun for the trip back. But it is a long drive.

I am worried about work this week because I have been out of the office for 3 weeks and I will pay for that, but that's life!  I had a great family vacation seeing everyone.

I had another great stake mission correlation meeting.  It is always neat to compare efforts and see what is making an impact.  Then to share challenges and what each side can do to work towards an improvement.  Everyone is always so positive to find solutions and make things better for all.  The zone leaders are so positive.  And it is really fun to watch President Porter and President Valencia work together.

Love you forever.

Dad

3 John 1:4