I am in the midst of a month of traveling right now. I spent a week in Nevada, I'm currently in Florida and next week I'll be in Hawaii. Eventually I'll be back in California (if it hasn't been completely covered in fire and brimstone).
Whenever possible we attend church while we are away, and with over 12 million members throughout the world, and lessons and conference talks available on lds.org it is nearly always possible. And it is wonderful to know that wherever we are in the world, regardless of language and cultural differences, we will always be welcomed and always feel at home when we attend church elsewhere.
Every ward in the world is teaching the same lessons, albeit not always on the same week our ward does, but I love knowing that we are able to hear the word of the Lord in the way He wants us to hear it regardless of where we are.
And knowing that no matter where we are, the Americas, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific or wherever, we are never more than a phone-call away from new friends, brothers & sisters, who are willing to help us if we find ourselves in need.
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the instant love and acceptance we share with one another. I love the fact that God loves us so much that he is constantly giving us opportunity to understand that all of us - everyone on Earth - are His children. He loves all of us and knows us by name - regardless. I find great comfort in that knowledge.
Can you imagine a world filled with such?
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Faith & the Pursuit of Spiritual Growth
My daughter-in-law, son and I were talking today about spiritual planes, specifically if it is part of the human condition to have difficulty visualizing how your own life would be different if you were at a higher spiritual plane than you are now. That got me thinking.
My first thought was to answer in the affirmative. When we are living the gospel the best we know how it can feel like we are at times overcome with the spirit. We tend to remember those moments as long as we continue to live the gospel the best we can. But if we allow ourselves to drift away from the influence of the Holy Spirit then those sacred, spiritual memories of basking in the light of Christ can be removed from our conscious thought.
When we look at others who we admire in the church it is often difficult for us to imagine that we will ever be as "good" or as "spiritual" as they are. But that is because we cannot see around life's corners. We cannot predict with great accuracy how we will grow spiritually over a given period of time. We only have our past and present life to help us to predict our future.
But God can see around our corners. He knows just what trials we need to go through in order to grow in the direction that will benefit us and our family the most. And that is where faith comes in. We not only need to understand that we have lot's of spiritual grow-room, but we need to trust that the Lord will provide us a path on which to pursue a higher spiritual plane.
Those who are perhaps older and more experienced in life may seem to be on a higher spiritual plane, and perhaps they are; but it is more likely that their life experiences have enabled them to evolved spiritually over time. They are not better than the rest of us, they have just had time to smooth out a few more of their rough spots. And all of us will be given opportunities to do the same.
My first thought was to answer in the affirmative. When we are living the gospel the best we know how it can feel like we are at times overcome with the spirit. We tend to remember those moments as long as we continue to live the gospel the best we can. But if we allow ourselves to drift away from the influence of the Holy Spirit then those sacred, spiritual memories of basking in the light of Christ can be removed from our conscious thought.
When we look at others who we admire in the church it is often difficult for us to imagine that we will ever be as "good" or as "spiritual" as they are. But that is because we cannot see around life's corners. We cannot predict with great accuracy how we will grow spiritually over a given period of time. We only have our past and present life to help us to predict our future.
But God can see around our corners. He knows just what trials we need to go through in order to grow in the direction that will benefit us and our family the most. And that is where faith comes in. We not only need to understand that we have lot's of spiritual grow-room, but we need to trust that the Lord will provide us a path on which to pursue a higher spiritual plane.
Those who are perhaps older and more experienced in life may seem to be on a higher spiritual plane, and perhaps they are; but it is more likely that their life experiences have enabled them to evolved spiritually over time. They are not better than the rest of us, they have just had time to smooth out a few more of their rough spots. And all of us will be given opportunities to do the same.
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