A Change of Heart

Preparing a talk: A Change of Heart

When I lived in Lancaster-- a city most would consider a desert city, there were many times I packed water in my bag-- even if I only thought I was going to be gone for 15 minutes.  As anyone who has visited or lived in the desert knows, water is the most important thing to bring with-- no matter how long you think you are going to be.

One hot July day, after drinking my water, there was a long space of time before I could get more.  With the desert heat surrounding me, I could feel myself drying out. I knew that if I ignored the situation, I would become seriously dehydrated, and in danger of heat stroke.  I decided to leave what I was doing and drive to the nearest store and grab more water.  I drove to the local grocery store, pulled a couple of chilled water bottles out of the mini fridge, and paid the requested amount.  As soon as I had paid for the water, I twisted a cap off, and drank.

The tingling that came about was marvelous.  It was a physical hydration reaction.

A Change of Heart can be the same thing-- but what is a 'change of heart'?

In his talk, 'Putting off the Natural Man' David Hellem stated:

"Spiritual rebirth as a separate experience 

that does not necessarily occur at the   time of water baptism or the laying on the hands, the changes that occur when   this rebirth takes place, and the necessary conditions that bring  about this transformation.

We recall that Nicodemus approached the Savior inquiring how one  might enter the kingdom of God. Although the Apostle John did not  record Nicodemus’s specific questions, he did record the Savior’s  response: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born  again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3.)Moments later, the Savior clarified what he meant: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5; italics added.) After Alma had been“born of the Spirit,” he announced that all mankind must be similarly “born again” or they can  “in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” (Mosiah 27:24–26.) Clearly, the rebirth experience is a necessary prerequisite to enter the kingdom of God."

There are many times where we 'dry out'.  One of the most recognizable is when we sin.

As humans, we all sin.  We learn, we grow, but the process can be messy.  And-- as humans-- we are bound to make mistakes along the way.

In President Benson's talk, ' A Mighty Change of Heart', given in 1989, we can learn some enduring principles.

"Violation

of the laws of God brings only misery,bondage, and darkness." 

Or, in other words, we 'dry out' when we don't obey God's commandments. 

 If we would be true members of the Church is that repentance involves not just a change of actions, but a change of heart.  

President Benson states:  "When King Benjamin finished his remarkable address in the land of Zarahemla, the  people all cried with one voice that they believed his words. They knew of a surety that  his promises of redemption were true, because, said they, “the Spirit of the Lord  Omnipotent … has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, [and note this] that  we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2.)

"When we have undergone this mighty change, which is brought about only through faith in Jesus Christ and through the operation of the Spirit upon us, it is as though we have   become a new person. Thus, the change is likened to a new birth.Thousands of you have experienced this change. You have forsaken lives of sin, sometimes deep and offensive   sin, and through applying the blood of Christ in your lives, have become clean. You have no more disposition to return to your old ways.You are in reality a new person. This is   what is meant by a change of heart."

Sometimes, if we are careful, we can 'stay hydrated', but it is a challenge.  

Elder Wilford W. Andersen stated: 

"Those who exercise faith in Christ by obeying His commandments, repenting of their sins, earnestly entering into the covenant of baptism, and then renewing that covenant weekly will experience the purifying power of the Holy Ghost unto the remission of their sins. They will receive and retain a mighty change of heart.... 

Alma taught that God grants unto men according to their  desires, whether they be good or evil see Alma 29:4).Our hope,then is not just to refrain from sinning but also to turn to the Lord,  who has the power to grant a remission of our sins, to purify our  desires, and to change our very natures (see Mosiah 5:2)."

There is an additional step, however, in the miraculous process of  the remission of sins. Nephi taught that after we receive the gift  of the Holy Ghost, we must endure to the end. When we exercise our   faith unto repentance, are baptized, and receive the gift of the   Holy Ghost, the miracle begins. But the cleansing power and   reassuring influence of the Holy Ghost will remain with us only if we “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ”(see 2 Nephi 31:19–20).

"Alma understood this principle, asking his people, “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of   heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I   would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26)."

"If after baptism we commit sin and lose the Spirit’s influence,what are we to do? The Savior has provided the answer. He has given us  the sacred ordinance of the sacrament."

The sacrament-- a time of bread and water. Hydration-- but for the spirit.  As we strive for that mighty change of heart, and to keep it, and endure to the end, we are not alone.  We can work towards this mighty change with the partnership of our Savior.

In Helamen 15:7, it states: And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth...and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the hol prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them---

 I know that change is possible.  I believe that this can be ours-- a new birth, a new heart.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  

Be Not Afraid..... And Be Not Offended

Ever have your faults thrown in your face?  Me too.  The funny thing (or seriously cool thing, depending on how you look at it), I wasn't offended by it. 

How in the world was this possible you ask?

Well, my character developmental journey this week started (and it's still going, so this may turn into a 'by stages' theme),  with a man named Moroni. 

Moroni was in charge of a great Nephi army.  He was young, smart, and very, very good at what he did.  He wasn't the conquering general that we often think of.  Instead, he was the epitome of a fantastic defensive general.  He believed in and had faith in God, was honorable, and acted with high moral courage. 

He was also rather protective of his army. 

When the government had failed to bring in support such as food and supplies, he wrote to his government's highest official, Pahoran.  This letter wasn't a kind, sweet letter.  Instead it accused Pahoran of neglect, mismanagement, and treason.

But behold, this is not all-- ye have withheld your provisions from the, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their lives... because of your exceedingly great neglect towards them.  (Alma 60:9)

It doesn't stop there. In Alma 60: 18 it states: ...For we know not but what ye are also traitors to your country.

How would you respond to these accusations?

Pahoran is one of the wisest, kindest, and least judgmental men I've ever read about.  This is only one small portion of his reply, but in it is a powerful message of temperance, kindness, and charity.

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. .. Alma 60:9

Turns out, Pahoran was under attack, had fled the capital, and was running for his life.  Yet, despite all his trials, he finds something positive to focus on, and gives Moroni-- the man who just accused him of neglect and treason-- a compliment. 

Pahoran was a man of integrity and kindness.  He didn't focus on the accusations-- he focused on the intent of Moroni-- and thus Pahoran was able to look past the hurtful words.  It isn't an easy thing to do, but I think it was possible because both Moroni and Pahoran were seeking the same end goal: the freedom of their people from the bondage and the bloodshed that was threatening them.

Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil...that we may retain our freedom...  Alma 61: 14


Freedom.

Free from bondage.  Free from bloodshed.  Free from anger.

Pahoran was a wise man.

I am trying to be more like Pahoran.  It isn't easy, but I think it's worth it.

Vainity Is All About The Empty Gas...Tank

I was off to a wedding reception a couple of weeks ago--a hundred miles each way-- when somewhere along the way, I realized: it was Saturday.  Now this may seem a rather silly realization, (especially given the reception invite in my purse), but for the past several weeks, I have been trying to make a point of filling my gas tank up every Saturday evening, so that come Sunday morning, I know all is well and good.  There have been times in my past where the excitement of the weekend activities are so distracting that I completely forgot to think about filling up my tank on a Saturday-- and then, being on empty, I need to put a few dollars in the tank just to get to church the next day.

Vanity is emptiness..... and in comparison to my Sunday worship, all my Saturday excitement really is small stuff.  And that's the point: no matter how busy my Saturday got, it really was leaving me with an empty spiritual glass....and an empty gas tank.

This time, as I had a hundred mile journey ahead of me, I looked down and realized that I only had a quarter tank of gas left-- not nearly enough gas to help get me there and back.  I couldn't fill up later, I would have to do it soon.  Google was leading the way, and so somewhere on a seemingly random exit in El Monte, I got off, turned into a gas station, and started to fill up my tank. 

I saw a family with backpacks walking around the gas station.  Three kids and a dad.  They didn't look too scruffy, but it was getting dark, and I began to wonder what was going on with them. As they got closer, I could hear what the dad was asking the other people at the gas station.  The dad was going around asking for money, looking for some cash to pay for the night's stay at the hotel next door. 

And all of a sudden, my nerves were tingling, and I knew .....  this was needed, and it was something in my power to help with.  I don't usually carry any cash, but earlier that day I had pulled out some cash by accidently hitting a button wrong at the check out at the grocery store.  Here was a chance to take a 'mistake' and create some good.  I handed the boy the money, and watched as this family walked over to the hotel, and started registering. 

We are told in the scriptures that we can ask for things.  We can ask for blessings for our families, our work, our homes, the very food we eat, and all sorts of things to be blessed.  As sons and daughters of Heavenly Father, we are divinely given that right.  However, it comes with a catch: we need to help the needy, the naked, visit the sick and afflicted, and impart of our substance with those who are in need of it--  whether this be a physical item, or an emotional lift.    To receive His Hands in our lives, means a willingness to be those hands if the need arises. 

In Alma 34: 28--29 we are cautioned: "...I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.  Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross..."

"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." Moroni 7: 47

The pure love of Christ can work miracles-- inside and out.  Oftentimes what we see on the outside isn't the whole story.  I don't know the backstory of the family.  I only know that my Heavenly Father gave me a chance to be somewhere on a Saturday night where our paths could cross, and I was supplied with the means to help.

Then He stepped back to see what would happen. 

Become

Becoming Project 2015: Charity


     There are times when we know God is watching over us.  We can feel His hand in our lives, in the events around us, and we know-- with absolute certainty-- that something big is happening.  The Becoming Project felt like an opportunity from my Heavenly Father to show me something wonderful, something unparalleled, and something I never suspected: inner strength, love, and peace.  The assignment was simple: pick an attribute of the Savior that I would like to further develop within me, write down some specific scriptures and goals associated with that attribute, and practice becoming more like that attribute.

     In Matthew 12: 28--29 it says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...learn of me..." 

     Although the assignment appeared simple, to implement it was not.  I knew immediately that Heavenly Father wanted me to work on a specific attribute: charity. In answering the question: 'Why did you choose this particular attribute?'  my response was, 'This attribute is important... it can be easy to forget to constantly have love in our hearts.'   Sometimes we can all too easily let an event, or a person bring us to a point where we allow hate or misery to overshadow everything else.  Our Heavenly Father loves us, and he wants us to learn, to grow, to become more like Him.  The Becoming Project was an opportunity to do just that.

     Whenever change happens, children have a tendency to slip through the cracks-- and I didn't want that to happen to mine.  Instead, I made them my focus.  In Mosiah 4:15 it states, ...teach children to love and serve one another'.  One of my goals was to take each of my children out for some one on one time.  Sometimes, with time being short, I combined our outing with an errand, but other times it was just me and them and some of their favorite food.  I've also helped them with their chores, sometimes doing it for them.  I've noticed that as I have chosen to spend time with them, and specifically spend time for them, they have chosen to open up about their own worries, offer help to one another more willingly, and a charitable love is felt for one another.

     In the beginning, my intermediate goal was to, 'integrate the love I feel in my heart [for my children] with the way I express that love...'  I loved sarcasm-- I loved the witty, the snarky, and the irony in my day-- but I knew that sometimes it came across as harsh, and unfeeling.  Not everyone appreciates it, and for my Becoming Project to be real, to really make a difference for me, I needed to focus on pure charity-- and that meant the sarcasm had to significantly decrease.  This, over time,  became an indicator of true change for me.  My words, my tone of voice became softer, more full of love.  At first it felt strange and unfamiliar, but as I focused on feeling the love of Christ in my heart, the words just came out differently-- and I felt differently when I spoke.

     Life didn't magically get easy-- although countless times I would kneel in prayer asking for things to become so.  Instead, things got more busy, and more hectic than ever. My days included driving my daughter across town as she had started religion courses, helping my sons' with their scouting and school activities as they became more complicated. I had to constantly re-affirm my decision to put my Becoming Project into practice, and work on keeping charity as a living, breathing, entity in my heart.

     Sometimes I chose spontaneous service to help me feel the love of Christ in my heart.  Other times I felt the love of Christ in my heart so strongly, I couldn't help but do something -- and those became the days when many beautiful things happened. * "I overcame many difficulties, and put aside things that on the surface may have seemed important, but in the eternities, will not have compared to keeping close to my children, and having them know without a doubt of my love for them."  These are some of the words I used in reporting my progress. Setting aside the 'busy' things, and focusing on the important things, helped me maintain an inner calm and peace of heart.  Although things were not getting easier, I was becoming stronger in my determination.  I was seeing change.

     Love for those around you-- even in difficult times, is hard.  '...be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming patient, full of love.'  Alma 13:28  The more I focused on my Becoming Project, the more I found I could more easily discern how my children were doing, and how those around me were doing.  I was also noticing opportunities for me to show love for others through service in other ways too.


    "Just as faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, love and hate cannot exist in the same heart, at one and the same time.  Love can push out the hate and fear, but we must be willing to give it the power to do so by listening and obeying the Holy Ghost.  When we do, we become patient, full of love, and we draw closer to our Heavenly Father." I still believe these words that I wrote months ago.  I know that as I have focused on becoming more Christ-like, I have felt the love and peace in my heart increase.  Charity is the pure love of Christ.  'Charity is everlasting love...' 2 Nephi 26:30     When I read this scripture, I know what it means.  It means that focusing on having love-- pure love-- in our hearts means that as it dwells in our hearts, it can remain there despite any obstacles or difficulties we may have.


    Becoming more like Christ isn't for the faint of heart.  It is not easy.  I have had my hard days.  I have also had days when my heart sings with pure joy and love.  Change-- true, internal change, cannot be contained.  It slips through the cracks of the surface, and soon that change is everywhere in our lives. It can permeate the very air around us.  I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Becoming Project.  Through this unusual assignment, I have had my heart lifted and carried.


"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30

Become someone better.

Become. 




*Events soon to be posted in 'A Christmas Surprise'

A Living Parable: The Good Samaritan

I've decided to write up a few experiences that I've had over the course of my life that closely resemble various parables, or other experiences in the scriptures.  Names will be changed, because these are true.....


I was pregnant with our first child when my husband had this idea to take me to Vegas.  I had never been, we were both bored stiff, and there was about  $200 sitting in the account begging to be spent. Something was mentioned about swimming with the penguins in Vegas-- and even if I didn't want to do it myself, it did sound interesting.  At the time, we lived in Glendale, California, so Vegas wasn't all that far from us-- so we gathered some things and hit the road.

Things were going well all the way up until we got about 40 miles past Barstow-- and that's when the car started acting up.  The car was barely chugging along, and we were on a deserted section of the freeway.  We could see an exit ahead in the distance, and we slowly made our way to it.  We were hopeful when we got off, because we could see a garage just off to the side.  We made our way there, knocked on the locked door, and an older gentleman, with a white beard, came out asking us what we wanted.  It turns out he owned a tow truck, and would be willing to take us, and the car, back to Barstow-- for $300.

Well, that was out of our price range.

So, driving as fast as we could (a steady 11 miles per hour), back to Barstow, we dodged big semi-trucks, and cars-- oftentimes having to resort to driving on the shoulder of the road to avoid being hit. Forty miles is a long way if you can only go 11 miles per hour.  We did the math, and figured we could be home again by the next day in the evening.....if the car was willing.  We passed Barstow, and started our way homeward.

And that was the moment we got pulled over by a cop.  Apparently it is illegal to drive on the shoulder, and also illegal to drive 11 mph on the freeway.  For our safety, we were told to turn around, and head back to Barstow-- via a tiny, little, dark road.

Once we got to Barstow, we had to figure out what to do next.  This was before cell phones, so we looked around for a payphone.  When in doubt, make a call.

But who?

Here is where my story really begins......

The first phone call went to my husband's best friend Bob.  We made the call, and learned that that Bob was actually going to be headed up the 15 freeway, because he was helping a friend (Mike, another high school buddy of my husband), move with his widowed mother up to Utah-- and they would be driving into Barstow in just a few hours.  The cavalry was on its way.  So we waited.

Unfortunately, when Bob pulled in, we discovered that neither Bob nor Mike were in charge of the expedition-- Mike's uncle was.  Mike's uncle had looked over the lease of the moving truck, and despite the truck having chains that could potentially be used to tow our car-- he saw the fine print where it stated no towing.  And so they all continued on their way north leaving us behind.


The next call went to a family where the husband was currently serving in a strong position within the church.  It was evening at this point, and when we got a hold of him, we were sure we would be rescued.  These were great people.

But instead of help, we got a 'well,..... let me think if there is anyone I know out that way....nope, can't think of anyone-- wish I could help'.  So no help would be coming from that quarter either.* Sigh.


It was getting late at this point, and we were starting to feel desperate.  We just wanted to get home. Our last call went to a man who had once served as a Young Men's leader in Sunnyland, California. We made the call--  it was close to ten o'clock at night at this point-- and Brett picks up the phone.

He listens to our story, and tells us he is on his way.  He also mentions that if this is a prank, and we are not in Barstow-- well, I'm going to leave out those details ;)


When he gets to Barstow, he is driving his wife's van.  I begin to drift off to sleep in the passenger seat.... but I hear snippets of an incredible story.....

That day, when Brett arrived at his office (he is a doctor), the whole office was flooded in two inches of water.  He had cancelled all his appointments, and spent the day getting everything dry.  He arrived home extremely late, and extremely tired.  His head had literally just hit his pillow when we called him.

And yet he came.


There are all sorts of times when what we hope for doesn't happen.  I never did see penguins in Vegas.  Instead I spent the day worried, cold, and feeling deserted.  The man who was robbed in The Good Samaritan, was robbed, wounded, and left alone to suffer.

How many times have we been-- symbolically even-- in that situation?   All too often.  Sometimes it is of our own doing, (I might have left out the 5 quarts of oil my husband had put into the car the day before).  Sometimes it has nothing to do with what we have done (flooded office, anyone?).

In either case, we are going to have to make the decision: what will we do?  Do we pass by?  Do we stop?  Do we make the call and reach out?

Life is full of surprises-- and our willingness to help after a long day, just may be the most neighborly surprise of all.





*This all happened March 31-- so the phone call could have been seen as a pre-April Fool's joke.

One Tree, Two Trees, Three Trees

It's December.

It's time for sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, no-bake cookies, wreaths indoors, wreaths outdoors, presents in wrapping paper, presents with string, presents in stockings, and presents of time, and presents of service, making turkey, baking hams, mashed potatoes, and trees.

It's time for a sanity check.

When did Christmas become so.......so BIG?

Does it really need to be?


Today I was the recipient of an act of kindness.  Yesterday I had purchased from a store, a small box that contained two small flocked Christmas trees.  After opening the box last night, it was discovered that one of the trees had a broken base.  When I called this morning, an employee told me to bring back the broken tree, but I could leave the good one here at the house.  After arriving at the store, I was asked to wait while someone went and brought forward another box.  I used the time to rock in the chair provided (they had it on display, and I was happy to check out its rocking abilities), moving my feet when ever someone would pass by.  In just a few minutes, a new box was brought to the front, and I went to the desk.  The employee opened the box, lifted one tree out, and then gestured for me to take the  box.  I told her that the box contained two trees, and I had only returned one.  She looked confused-- and then the manager who was standing a few feet away, called to her, and told her to give me the entire contents of the box-- two new trees.  My jaw dropped-- kindness in the mad rush of a Saturday in December?  Kindness-- more true than he could possibly imagine-- indeed.  


My first thought was: Are you serious?  Really?  And then my eyes began to water-- because I've have become accustomed to the brutal, unfeeling, and rather bored people that surround us during this time of year.  It's what the days leading up to Christmas have become.  Ask any mom to describe in only a few words, this time of year, and 'stressful' is bound to be one of them.  But in the blink of an eye, my day changed and became full of gratitude for a man (Thank you Ben!) who took the time to make someone's day a lot brighter.


"For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God..."  -- Alma 5:40.


As I sit on my couch, and look around me, I see a small tree, I see my grandmothers rocking chair, and I see my life-- symbolically nestled around me into a small sphere.  My children have just left the room after joining me for a short scripture study.  We've offered a prayer to our Heavenly Father. The lights of the tree shine down on the little baby wrapped in an old tablecloth symbolizing the swaddling clothes.  There are no gaily wrapped presents there-- not yet anyways.  For in this quiet, perfect, moment, all is well.   For now, all is calm-- and Peace is found in a basket of hope.


When did Christmas become so........ so personal?


Answer: Whenever, wherever, and in whomever the Light of Hope is shining forth.

Pass it on.