Where Much is Given

This morning I was thinking about the scriptures and talks I studied about spiritual gifts last week. I can identify some of my spiritual gifts and am immensely grateful for the ones that I have been able to identify.

The thought came into my mind, "Where much is given, much is required." 

In September 1989, Rex E. Lee, then the president of BYU, gave a talk at the school where he reflected on the passing of two lives, one of a man that had attended law school was him and was much like him, and one on the passing of a BYU student of whom he was dear friends with the parents. After reflecting on these losses, he said, "The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that where much is given, much is required. Not expected, but required. What you have been given is life, and what is required of you is to live it to the fullest." ("Where Much is Given: Some Thoughts on Appreciation," BYU Speeches, 1989)

Our scriptures, our prophets (past and present), and our general authorities have given us direction and instruction beyond the scriptures on how and what that means to live it to the fullest. This year has been devastating to many but in those times of devastation, sorrow, and grief, we can also see the tender mercies of our Lord.

In October 2020, President Russell M. Nelson said in General Conference, "Now, I would love to know what you have learned this year. Have you grown closer to the Lord, or do you feel further away from him?" ("Embrace the Future with Faith," General Conference, October 2020)

I loved this question when I heard it in October and I love it now as I reflect on how I have lived this past year. I'm so grateful for these men and women that came before me, and the stories that were recorded in the Book of Mormon. There are hundreds of years where no stories were recorded, so we know that we are just getting little glimpses on the reel of the history of the world. I am lifted up by the power of the faithful and what they overcame. As we go into a new year, and begin our Come Follow Me study on Doctrine and Covenants, I look forward to renewing my study of the modern-day revelation that was given to Joseph Smith not so very long ago.

Thank you to those who have been following along with me and sending me private and public messages over the years. I'm grateful for your testimonies as we seek to honor Jesus Christ by seeking goodness, kindness, charity, and faith in our beautiful but sometimes tragic world. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year as we head into 2021.

The 2021 Study guide can be found here.

Moroni 10 - Come Unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him: Using Spiritual Gifts

Moroni finished the Book of Mormon with his last words in Moroni 10, building on the words of the books that he had compiled, the words of Ether that he had abridged, the teachings of his father (Mormon), and what he knew would be most important for us to know based on having been given a vision and seeing us what we would face in the. latter-days.

It is interesting then, to see what he felt was MOST important to highlight. We are reminded, too, of what President Russell M. Nelson said in the October 2020 General Conference talk, "Embrace the Future with Faith,": "No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most."

Some of the themes I saw emerge in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon were:

1. That we should remember "how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men." (Moroni 10:3)

2. That we should ask God if what we read is true so that "by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4)

3. That we should deny not our spiritual gifts nor forget that every good gift comes from God. (Moroni 10:8-18).

4. That faith, hope, and charity are bound together. (Moroni 10:19).

5. That we can "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him" and that if we "love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you." (Moroni 10:32).

I'm grateful for the grace of God in our lives and the opportunity to learn from people that were here on our earth long before us. I think about how amazing it is, and how much love went into making sure that these records were written and then protected until the day that Joseph Smith was able to bring them forth and translate them. 

 I taught in Sunday School today so am going to share some of the most relevant slides related to the scriptures about the Gifts of God in Moroni 10:8-18. You can click on each slide to enlarge the slide if it is too small to read. I have also linked to the full talk below the slides.

First, the verses that talk about the gifts of God:

Moroni 10

Dallin H. Oaks explains that the Spirit of Christ is given to all and is preparatory to spiritual gifts. 

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

I thought it was important that Dallin H. Oaks emphasized here that nobody is excluded from receiving spiritual gifts. I didn't include a slide for this, but in the same "Spiritual Gifts" talk (which I highly recommend), he quotes Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who said, "Where spiritual things are concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the Spirit ... in all matters that pertain to godliness and holiness and which are brought to pass as a result of personal righteousness in all these things men and women stand in a position of absolute equality before the Lord. He is no respector of persons nor of sexes, and he blesses those men and those women who seek him and serve him and keep his commandments." (Ensign, January 1979, p.61). 

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families

"I Have a Work for Thee," by John C. Pingree, Jr.

"There Are Many Gifts," by Marvin J. Ashton

In "Spiritual Gifts," Dallin H. Oaks emphasizes that our gifts compliment each other. So read the list of spiritual gifts below, and think of them in terms of that relationship. For example, regarding the gift of testimony and the gift of faith, Oaks says, "Where it is given to some to know and to others to believe on their words, those who know must be responsible for sharing their testimonies. Only in this way can they give those who have the gift of believing on their words something to lean upon as they, too, move towards eternal life." 

"There Are Many Gifts," by Marvin J. Ashton

We can deny our spiritual gifts when we seek to use them in a way that is not focused on charity and humility. For example, the prophet Joseph Smith taught that we should not "speak in tongues expect there be an interpreter present." (Teachings, p. 247). What about trying to lift ourselves above others? This chapter of scripture is ultimately about coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him. We do this as we learn to identify our spiritual gifts and use those spiritual gifts to become more like our Savior.

"Becoming Like Him," by Scott D. Whiting

I thought it was fascinating to learn from a "modern day' leader that this advice came from 1894, but I also laughed at myself for having that reaction because of course, the Book of Mormon leaders are teaching us from a much longer time ago. However, in the quote below George Q. Cannon says that we can't excuse ourselves for our imperfections as justification, but that that the Lord has promised to "give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that eradicate them." 

"Seeking Spiritual Gifts," George Q. Cannon

Moroni 10

Our world this year has been filled with so much sorrow, grief, and blame. It has also been filled with kindness and love. It is with wonder that I am reminded that one of the spiritual gifts we can have are the gifts to allay contention and to promote righteousness. In the fairytales, the good fairies wave their wands and undo evil. How precious is it to know that we have great gifts given to us and that we can do great things that aren't just fairytales? That we can use our gifts to promote righteousness, to diffuse a "bomb" of unkind feelings, to help work miracles among our fellow men? 

"Sisters in Zion," by Henry B. Eyring

"Embrace the Future with Faith," by Russell M. Nelson

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

"Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives," by Russell M. Nelson

I have felt the great emphasis from our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, to seek personal revelation, that it is welcome to all who seek it, and that the more we seek it in an attitude of prayer, pondering, and following in the Savior's footsteps, that the more we will be blessed and be able to have truths revealed to us personally. I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can work to unlock our spiritual gifts to Come Unto Christ. We are five days away from Christmas, and as we look to that sacred day where we celebrate the birth of our Savior on earth, I am amazed to think about the other gifts we can "unwrap" as we diligently seek to have the heavens opened to us.

Moroni 7-9 "May Christ Lift Thee Up" - Faith, Hope, and Charity in a Difficult Year

After the Lamanites destroyed the last of the Nephites, and Moroni, the only survivor, said those poignant and heart-breaking words, "... for I am alone, My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go ..." (Mormon 8:5), what happened to him?

For one thing, he didn't die as soon as he expected. I think he found great comfort in reading the words of Ether, a man that was also hiding in the wilderness and recording the records of his people, just like Moroni. When we reach Moroni 7-9, and Moroni shares some of the things that his father Mormon had taught or written to him. Moroni had great faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. He had his own faith, and he had the faith of great men like Ether and his father Mormon to further bolster him so that he was alone but not alone.

Moroni Hides the Plates in the Hill Cumorah

by Tom Lovell

This year, I have spent time interviewing my parents and learning their stories. Most recently, I learned that my great-grandfather died after being drafted into World War II. I learned that as a boy, my grandfather's family lived in an area so remote that they had to move to a village when they decided to put him in school as a child. I learned about these generations that came before me, before my father became the first in his family to move to America, where he raised my family.

I think about how fascinating it has been to learn about my parents and their parents, and then I read the Book of Mormon and think about how this is our heritage too, that these records were written for us, that we could learn from them. And that they are written about their neighbors, their fathers, their brothers, and, though rarely mentioned, their mothers, wives, and sisters. 

Knowing that Moroni was all alone, and that the was reflecting on the words of Ether and of his father Mormon, and that at this point, he was surprised to still be alive, makes what he focused on in Moroni 7 all the more meaningful, as he talks about faith, hope, and charity. 

Regarding charity, Moroni 7:8 says, "For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God."

Those words are harsh but think of it as the spirit of the law vs the letter of the law. If your neighbor offered to help you with a project, but you learned that the entire time they were helping you, they were railing against you in their head, judging you, and thinking poorly of you, would you still want that help? Isn't part of what feels good about that help believing that someone cares about you and is gladly helping you to lift a burden? And having their company with you? When you take away the heart and leave only the mechanics, it doesn't feel like a service or a kindness. In fact, if you see what they were thinking, you would feel worse after receiving help than better. Thankfully, that's a worst case scenario but it's one to think about as you are "anxiously engaged in a good cause."

Sharon Eubank, in the talk "By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God," from October 2020 General Conference, said: "Jacob 2:17 reads, 'Think of your [brothers and sisters] like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.' Let's replace the word substance with mercy - be free with your mercy that they may be rich like unto you. We often think of substance in terms of food or money, but perhaps what we all need more of in our ministering is our mercy.'"

Moroni 7:45 says, "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in inquity but rejoiceth in truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 

I've see a lot of sickness around me this year. Not just from Covid-19 itself but from people more focused on being angry about how they are being personally inconvenienced by the pandemic. These struggles are real and I fully recognize that but everyone has been struggling in one way or another, we have all been impacted in one way or another, and how we choose to internalize these scriptures, how we choose to find empathy and charity in our life, will change our perspective on how we handle our trials.

In the talk, "Wounded," from October 2018, Neil L. Anderson said, "The wounded who nurse the wounds of others are God's angels on earth." 

Henry B. Eyring, in the talk, "Tested, Proved, and Polished," said, "... we must notice the tribulation of others and try to help. That will be especially hard when we are being sorely tested ourselves. But we will discover as we lift another's burden, even a little, that our backs are strengthened and we sense a light in the darkness."

Although I have seen a lot of sickness around me this year, I've thankfully also seen a lot of healing. 

Some examples:

• Near the beginning of the pandemic, a restaurant (Magleby's) that suddenly found business was slow was able to afford to keep paying their employees, and had them go serve other businesses in the hospitality business that had been impacted by Covid. So, they kept employees employed, and rather than benefiting themselves, they tried to help other struggling businesses. They could have been upset that they were suddenly leaking money everywhere but instead, they looked around, saw that they had enough, and went looking for who else they could help.
  
  
• My sister took her two oldest children and playing music for a woman that had become a widow right before the pandemic began, and was now being isolated right at the time when she needed people around her the most. The widow watched from her open door while my sister and her kids stayed more than 6 feet away, with large instruments (including a cello) that they had lugged down the street to set up in front of her house. Not only did this widow appreciate the music but the widow's children, who worried about their mother, felt encompassed by an action that was based on mercy and love. I share this example because I personally read the notes that this widow's family posted on Instagram, but I know this isn't an isolated example of kindness. 

Moroni said it perfectly in Moroni 8:16: "for perfect love casteth out all fear."

Moroni promises in Moroni 7:16, "the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil" and in Moroni 7:12, "in Christ there should come every good thing."

Moroni 7:29 promises us, "have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men." 

In the talk, "I Believe in Angels," by Carlos A. Godoy, he says, "The Lord is always looking for willing volunteers to be angels in other's lives."

There are angels in heaven, and angels on earth. As we work to have faith, hope, and charity, may we be an angel on earth for others, may we be "faithful in Christ" so that we can lift others up as Christ lifts us up. (Moroni 9:15).

I'm thankful for this Christmas season and for the gifts we have been given. I'm thankful that through my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I can have hope and that I can follow him and be both the giver and receiver of charity.

Wise Men Still Seek Him: A Christmas Post

This is an "extra" post, not part of my weekly Come Follow Me so make sure you didn't miss my last lesson overview!

Did you know that we don't actually know how many wise men looked for Jesus? And that we don't know how old Jesus was by the time the wise men found him?

I recently started a new blog related to my work as a professional author and writer. I just posted about how we, in modern day, still seek the Savior just like the wise men did. This is a three-minute read. If you've been enjoying my blog, I'd love your support by having you click to check it out on my new blog here: https://www.estheryusumner.com/post/wise-men-still-seek-him

It goes with why I made this piece of art:

Moroni 1-6: To Keep Them in the Right Way

The Come Follow Me study for last week was Moroni 1-6. 

I am sharing a few of my slides from today's lesson. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, I actually wasn't able to share any of my slides with the class. However, I have picked out some things to share here.

The first thing that struck me about Moroni 1 was his surprise that he was still alive, and thus his desire to share some messages with the Lamanites. He wrote for the benefit of those who had slayed his people because he recognized that we are all children of God, and that both the Nephites and the Lamanites had turned away from God. I think he may have had some comfort, as he finished abridging Ether's records of the Lamanites, in knowing that Ether had gone through the same thing as him, of being the last man standing of his people. I hope he was bolstered by Ether's fate, as he also hid, alone.

The Come Follow Me Manual for Individuals and Families states:

After finishing his father’s record of the Nephites and abridging the record of the Jaredites, Moroni thought at first that his record-keeping work was done (see Moroni 1:1). What more was there to say about two nations that were utterly destroyed? But Moroni had seen our times (see Mormon 8:35), and he was inspired to “write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth … in some future day” (Moroni 1:4). He knew that widespread apostasy was coming, bringing with it confusion about priesthood ordinances and religion in general. This may be why he gave clarifying details about the sacrament, baptism, conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the blessings of gathering with fellow believers to “keep [each other] in the right way, … relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of [our] faith” (Moroni 6:4). Precious insights like these give us reason to be thankful that the Lord preserved Moroni’s life so he could “write a few more things” (Moroni 1:4).

What a blessing, that we know that Moroni witnessed our times, and knowing what he knew, wrote these chapters. We get to know what he felt was most important for us to know, based on what he witnessed both in his own time and in our day. Knowing that, what scriptures stood out to you?

For me, it was Moroni 6:4-9. I have highlighted some of my favorite passages.

How do we "meet together oft" and "speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls?" I love this example of support for one another:

Today, my lesson did not go according to plan. Due to technical issues, I was not able to share my slides. I tried to adjust quickly and teach the lesson without slides. This meant skipping over areas I had meant to discuss and really changing the discussion. At one point, I also lost signal and dropped out of the meeting entirely for probably a full minute. The lesson continued and it was fine in the end but of course it was disappointing because I put a lot of work into the lesson. (What you see in my blog is a scaled down version. I also remove most of the images if I'm not sure because of potential copyright issues.) I am only sharing this story now because immediately after class, I received texts and emails from several of my neighbors that were in the session that were extremely kind, reassuring, and supportive of the effectiveness of the lesson, even without the visuals. It reminded me of the story above (that I did not share with the class) about the rest of the boys getting up to express their love for him. We need more kindness in the world, more love and support. We need the ministry of angels. Thankfully, when we have the light of Christ, we can spread our light, and in doing so, teach others how to spread their light, so that the light of Christ continues to overshadow the darkness. 

I recently shared this post on my social media account, that I friend send to me. She has gone through a divorce and other trials, but through it all, she has been surrounded by dear friends, essentially, angels on earth:

Although we individually need to remember that we can plug into the power of Christ, when we minister to others we are expanding the glow and teaching others how to turn on this light.

I'd like to close today's thoughts with this quote. Moroni 6:4 talks about being "nourished by the word of God." This has been a difficult year for many people all around the world. Yet, every day we can be be NOURISHED, we can be comforted, by the light of Christ and the good word of God.