Thursday, May 31, 2012

Liberty of one nation, Liberty of the world.

This past Sunday, before Memorial day, I was asked to give a talk in church. I was nervous and felt long winded since the other speakers did not take that long but I was grateful to speak on the subject of Liberty. Liberty in our US nation and the liberty that will come in the near future for others.

**These are my words and though influenced by the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ throughout my life, I am to be held accountable for every word.


A Life of Liberty...
Our history is made of constant conflict, of constant war and never ending deceit to bring down the children of God.

In a first presidency address given by President Gordon B. Hinckley, he says, “There is another war that has gone on since before the world was created and that is likely to continue for a long time. It is a war that reaches beyond questions of territory or national sovereignty.” That is the war in heaven.

President Hinckley continues to talk of the war as “so bitter, so intense, [and] never ceasing. It is the war between truth and error, between agency and compulsion, between followers of Christ and those who have denied him.”

We are on this earth because we chose to follow Christ and the plan of salvation in the pre-mortal existence. We stayed true to this and received a body where we could come down and spiritually grow. We were given agency to choose for ourselves and continue our path towards eternal life or to follow the desires according to the world and our second estate.

There is no question about it that we are on this earth for a divine purpose and have been saved for a certain time to help the work move along. I do not mean for my words today to be a history lesson or to tell you things you already know but to highlight blessings in our lives that give us our agency this day.

From the start, every man was given his agency from God but on this earth our agency can be impaired by the agency of others and those who mean to rule over us. I would like to interchange the word agency with the word “liberty.”

According to the New Oxford dictionary, “While independence is usually associated with countries or nations, freedom and liberty more often apply to people. But unlike freedom, which implies an absence of restraint or compulsion, liberty implies the power to choose among alternatives. Freedom can also apply to the many different types of oppressive influences [like to come or go as you please], while liberty often connotes deliverance or release.”

Especially as a US citizen, you are given many freedoms and are granted liberties daily. As long as you do not break the laws of the land you are free from possible imprisonment and to live life without question. This soil, we call home, has been blessed by God since the beginning.

Ether 2:12 states, “Behold, this is a choice land and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the Land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.”

The history of the New America in more modern times has proven this scripture in many ways. Is not this choice land free from all other nations? Are we not sought after when help is needed and aren’t we free from bondage and have freedoms unheard of throughout the rest of the world?

The price of liberty was given by so many before us, all directed by God. It would be unfair to give all credit to the work of the founding fathers and the work shown in America alone. Plenty of times before the actual freedoms were decided, people gave their lives to breaking away from corrupt religion being blessed with certain understanding of the divinity of God even in a time of apostasy. There was so much oppression that there was a need to reform. People were burned at the stakes for teaching that salvation was not obtained through money or the church leader. For example, Martin Luther dedicated his life to teaching that salvation is a free gift from god through faith in Jesus Christ as a redeemer for our sins. He was not blessed with full understanding but was given just enough to put movements in place. He surely was not the only one and true movement to look for religious freedom could not have been implemented by one man alone.

Another man dear to this country is Christopher Columbus. Though not the first to come upon this blessed land, he could not have come across it without the lord.

2 Nephi 1:6 says, “Wherefore, I, Lehi, Prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come upon this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.”

Even in an account given by Columbus himself, it says, “In the name of the holy trinity, who inspired me with the idea and afterwards made if perfectly clear to me that I could navigate and go… westward.” He was yet another helpmate in the plan to bring liberty to us all.

Great people were put upon this earth in their own due time. It is important to remember that without anyone of the first stepping-stones, we may not have had the Gospel like we have it today. It was expedient that everything happen in its own due time. If timing was off, or if Joseph was given his vision just 10 or 20 years sooner, he could’ve been stoned or burned before the work could even have mention. The Lord truly knows what he’s doing and has the patience to wait until the perfect moment.

This nation was built upon a constitution and just like everything else was divinely brought to pass by certain miracles and knowledge that would withstand many tests and trials to come. Have you ever actually pondered on how the constitution has blessed your own life? Do you know how divine the constitution truly is and the role it plays in bringing the world the truth of the Gospel?

Section 101 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a great resource to hear what the Lord himself has to say about the Constitution. In verse 77 it says, “According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles.”

In the preamble, you will find that the purpose of the constitution is to “form a more perfect union.” As a later-day saint, I know that this constitution had all means to be held in the hands of the Lord to bring about Zion in this dispensation. As professed in D&C 101:80, it is “by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.”

It was not only the sanctifying blood of the atonement but also the blood shed from the Nephites and the Jaredites that were “swept off” due to iniquity so that there was none left in the land. It’s the bloodshed for the liberty of slaves after the foundation of this country and those that fought for all civil rights. This is the lords nation and (as found in 2 Nephi 1:7), “if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity…but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.”

I came across a poem that read like this,

"We are ‘One nation, under God’.
Guided by his loving light,
But we’ll be a nation ‘without’ God
If we don’t stand and fight.

God gave us freedom in this land
To worship and to pray.
How can we idly just sit by
watching it be taken away?

There is a God in Heaven.
Let’s not let His light go dim.
How can He bless us from above
If we don’t acknowledge him?”

We are one nation under God made to serve and help bring to pass the salvation of man by spreading liberty. Our Constitution does not just affect us but it has been the template for almost all other nations in the world. All but save 3 countries in the world have a constitution today and it started with the United States of America.

Lastly, I would like to touch on a subject that’s on everyone’s mind in this time as Memorial Day comes and goes. That is the purpose and the sacrifice given in time of war. Especially in more recent war comes the question of whether or not we should be in the Middle East. Many will argue it’s not our place because it’s not our fight but there is a reason for war. And there is a reason we are led by certain presidents to help the work along whether or not they know it.

This topic is close to home for me; being what some would call a “military brat” I have seen truthfulness in the necessity of war. War is devastating and not all lives are spared. With war comes separation and hardship. Even the lucky ones that are spared to come home are dramatically effected. Sometimes by post traumatic stress disorder some by severe dementia but there is need for them and they are in the Lord’s hands in all cases.

Both of my brothers have joined the Army as if it were a family business following my father’s path. In talking to one of them recently he had great knowledge in true purpose of sacrifice for countries we don’t really have a part of and that’s missionary work. First we fought for our country and it’s rights and then we help others. We fight because others are not blessed as we are and need freedoms of some kind to progress physically and spiritually.

As if it were a soldiers’ creed I heard my brother spout off words of Joseph Smith better than any other scripture I’ve thus heard. It went like this,

“The standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, wept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

I’ve seen first hand that the freedoms that are being challenged in the Middle East will help with the work of the Lord. We cannot proselyte in these countries but the movement has been made and will soon come to pass. While in Egypt many years ago I saw a peaceful attempt to help the work with missionaries. No, they could not proselyte but they could serve those in need. Humanitarian missionaries are doing work just as soldiers; the gospel will be brought to all different countries in all different ways.

In the end, this is still the continued war in heaven to bring the whole world the liberation that comes through Christ. Our purpose is to save our brothers and sisters and to fight off and withstand the powers of hell. It’s to liberate ourselves from the natural man and return once again.

I know the Lord has brought the work forth in ways he saw fit that would last until the second coming. He has his hand in all things so the earth will not be totally wasted. He is with our leaders of the church and of this country that good things might come forth. Even our presidents that have been elected by our own votes have been saved and appointed to do great works no matter how hard situations or imperfect they are.

We are a nation saved and blessed by God. We are to serve Him and we will not be swept away like unto those in Book of Mormon times. I hope we all know or come to know the divinity of Christ and our purpose in this time. Whether we be American citizens or not, the gospel is still in our hands to find out for ourselves, to testify of Christ and to bring the world His truth that all of his children might experience liberty from their enemies and the powers of hell. We can become a Zion people.

-Ani

Sunday, May 27, 2012

The Worth of Souls

May has been a funny month, I've felt every emotion known to man.You know when you wake up in the morning you could be happy or sad with what life throws at you so you better just accept it and do all you can to make the best of it. I'm a lucky one blessed with great roommates, family and really great friends to remind me that I'm loved and have great worth.

I've contemplated serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints for sometime now. It's been over two years since the words came out of my mouth as just a thought of what I wanted to do but now it's more than just words. I do not know what the immediate future has for me or if I will get another answer but this one thing I do know is that it's a privilege to share the joy I feel with those around me. With or without a specific call to go to another place for 18 months, I know sharing the gospel of Christ is what I want to do.

I'm a young woman making this decision and I've heard it all from, "don't go, you're too young," to "you shouldn't think twice about it!" I enjoy hearing advice from those around me but the intent of my writing today is not about me and my decisions but of what I know to be true and my feelings I've felt so strongly. This is my testimony to the world:

Life is not perfect and it never goes according to plan. Sometimes hurtful things are said and we feel like we're being attacked as individuals. It's no new news that confidence can be lower easily and self-esteem is diminishing among all different cultures and walks of life. Everyone just wants to be loved, right?

In the Doctrine and Covenants, a book usually found in accompaniment with the Book of Mormon, we find divine truth about the worth of souls. In chapter 18 verses 10-13, I am comforted with knowledge that every soul is of high value in the eyes of the lord. The Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ suffered the pains of death that I might not have to bear the burden on my own. What human being could actually take upon their own pains and still live through it or bring themselves to heaven in the end? It's a common phrase that I've heard it everywhere in reference to embarrassment, pain, sadness and just about everything else, "I just want to die." Well, I have news for the world! Someone did die that we might be comforted, that we might live again in peace after all of our trials and pains are through. He is, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ may not be a physical being in my life but he's still a great influence to me. In the bible we find Christ himself talking of us as friends. St John 15:15-16, "I have called you friends." The ultimate friendship is given to us and with nurturing and commitment to live up to the call, we can live face to face with our friend again. When all the world has no more material value, I will see my friend again.

Surely the Lord would not call us his friends if we had no worth or had no potential to rise up with him. Even in our trials no matter how "unfair" they may be, they are not for nothing. Our trials give us opportunity to prove ourselves and to grow to be better. I was told today that trials come to all people. What makes the difference is how we've prepared ourselves before the storm. In St Matthew a parable is given two houses, one built on a rock and another built on the sand. The houses are us and how we weather storms. Storms will come to all people, righteous or not but we can survive if we stand strong.

I know that life is not fair. We get sick, we do not live forever and bad things simply happen and the righteous are not always spared. When obstacles stand in our way, our testimony will shine, spoken through our reactions. I know it will be better if just endure to the end.

To those who are alone, you will find comfort and companionship. To those who've lost loved ones, you will see them again. To those in pain, relief is soon at hand. To those I love, thank you. To the whole world, I know these things are true.

Never lose hope. 1 John 3:3, "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." The Savior will make you whole and he is mindful of you. He can heal us because he has the power over physical things, mental things and over all elements we know. Do not doubt your worth or your place in this world. You deserve the best and can rise above whatever your past has been. Even the good can get better and the wounds will heal with time.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints and I believe in Christ. We will live again and can live forever with our families through righteousness. We have modern day prophets on this earth and the hand of God is in all things. You are never alone.

These things I am held accountable for and hope it's enough to convict me of being a believer.
Stay strong
-Ani