Becometh as a Little Child

The scriptures have always taught about how we need to emulate the attitude and nature of children.  Lets take a look and what these two passages say:

Mosiah 3
18For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink ^adamnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and ^bbecome as little children, and believe that ^csalvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the ^datoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

19For the ^anatural ^bman is an ^cenemy to God, and has been from the ^dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^eyields to the enticings of the Holy ^fSpirit, and ^gputteth off the ^hnatural man and becometh a ⁱsaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^jchild, ^ksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Matthew 18

1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the ^agreatest in the kingdom of heaven?

 2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

 3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little ^achildren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 4Whosoever therefore shall ^ahumble himself as this little ^bchild, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my ^aname receiveth me.

The Fine Print

"There once was a man whose lifelong dream was to board a cruise ship and sail the Mediterranean Sea. He dreamed of walking the streets of Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. He saved every penny until he had enough for his passage. Since money was tight, he brought an extra suitcase filled with cans of beans, boxes of crackers, and bags of powdered lemonade, and that is what he lived on every day.

"He would have loved to take part in the many activities offered on the ship—working out in the gym, playing miniature golf, and swimming in the pool. He envied those who went to movies, shows, and cultural presentations. And, oh, how he yearned for only a taste of the amazing food he saw on the ship—every meal appeared to be a feast! But the man wanted to spend so very little money that he didn’t participate in any of these. He was able to see the cities he had longed to visit, but for the most part of the journey, he stayed in his cabin and ate only his humble food.

"On the last day of the cruise, a crew member asked him which of the farewell parties he would be attending. It was then that the man learned that not only the farewell party but almost everything on board the cruise ship—the food, the entertainment, all the activities—had been included in the price of his ticket. Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges." (Your Potential, Your Privilege.  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Apr. 2011 GC.)

That story brings to light all kind of memories and examples in our own lives.  Many times I don't think we read the fine print.  If we slow down and contemplate more upon what we have been enabled to do, we'll see that the lord has given us many more privileges than we think.

Understanding the Scriptures

I was studying this morning in Jacob 7 this morning and I came across a scripture which said this:

 Jacob 7

10And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea.

 11And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the ^aprophets have written, nor ^bprophesied save they have spoken concerning this Christ.

This is the Prophet Jacob speaking to Sherem, whom the later was trying to overthrow the church.  It is interesting how many people say they believe the scriptures and really don't (not just when they deny Christ).  Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke somewhat about this concept:

"In a complete reversal from a century ago, many today would dispute with Alma about the seriousness of immorality. Others would argue that it’s all relative or that God’s love is permissive. If there is a God, they say, He excuses all sins and misdeeds because of His love for us—there is no need for repentance. Or at most, a simple confession will do. They have imagined a Jesus who wants people to work for social justice but who makes no demands upon their personal life and behavior. ² But a God of love does not leave us to learn by sad experience that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10; see also Helaman 13:38). His commandments are the voice of reality and our protection against self-inflicted pain. The scriptures are the touchstone for measuring correctness and truth, and they are clear that real happiness lies not in denying the justice of God or trying to circumvent the consequences of sin but in repentance and forgiveness through the atoning grace of the Son of God (see Alma 42).

"Scripture tutors us in principles and moral values essential to maintaining civil society, including integrity, responsibility, selflessness, fidelity, and charity. In scripture, we find vivid portrayals of the blessings that come from honoring true principles, as well as the tragedies that befall when individuals and civilizations discard them. Where scriptural truths are ignored or abandoned, the essential moral core of society disintegrates and decay is close behind. In time, nothing is left to sustain the institutions that sustain society." (The Blessing of Scripture, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, April 2011 GC.)

And along with that for an example.  While I was out here on my mission I was tracting and met a woman.  She told me that my church would not accept her and that she went to another church that did.  On further investigation, I discovered she was lesbian.  She told me in affect, "That Jesus loves everyone regardless of anything that they do or say."  She was a perfect example of what both previous scriptures are conveying.  We are again taught many times to love the sinner and hate the sin; so I told this woman that we wouldn't reject here if she came to our church service.  We all need to remember to continue to study and be sure we understand the commandments from the Lord.

Do you ask for a sign?

This last General Conference President Uchtdorf spoke on those that wait for miracles or fantastic signs to show them what to do:

"Nevertheless, there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s or Joseph Smith’s, they cannot believe. They stand at the waters of baptism but do not enter. They wait at the threshold of testimony but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. Instead of taking small steps of faith on the path of discipleship, they want some dramatic event to compel them to believe.

"They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus."

(President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Waiting on the Road to Damascus."  April 2011 GC.)

I suggest we all make a closer examination of the talk because we can all learn from it.http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/waiting-on-the-road-to-damascus?lang=eng

Because I care, a poem

Here is a poem that I wrote while in the MTC.  It reflects thoughts that all of us have at some point, and the answer that the Lord has given us throught the scriptures.

Because I Care

"When weary you fall,

I lift Thee up.

When tears blur thy face,

I weep with thee.

When clouds of Darkness hang o'er,

I break the storm."

But when in distress, I sink,

And hope for thee,

When thou return I ask thee,

Where was thou in my distress?

And thou answered, "On a cross."

Then I ask, Why die for me?

And then thou answered,

"Because I care."

Matt. 14:24-31; John 11:32-36;

Atonement: Bible Dictionary; Luke 8:22-25

Heb. 12:12; Mark 4:37-41; D&C 19:16

Isa. 35:3; Isa. 53:3-5