The Only Good Fruit is Repentance

During family scripture study, we were reading about pruning the Lord’s vineyard and preserving good fruit. 

Then the servants went ahead and worked hard, and the lord of the vineyard also worked with them. And they obeyed the lord of the vineyard’s direction in all things. And original fruit again grew in the vineyard, and the original branches began to grow and produce abundantly, and the wild branches began to be cut off and thrown away. And they kept the root and the top equal based on their strength. This is how they worked with all diligence according to the lord of the vineyard’s commandments, until the bad had been thrown out of the vineyard and the lord had saved the good for himself, so the trees had again produced the original fruit. And they became like one body and the fruit was equally good; and the lord of the vineyard had saved the original fruit for himself, which was most valuable to him from the beginning. Jacob 3:27 [emphasis added] https://scriptures.info/scriptures/cc/jacob/3.27#27

The only way to guarantee you are not among those who will be “hewn down and cast in to the fire” is to bring forth sweet fruit. All of that is entirely individual. There is no group salvation, and never has been. Each person has the same opportunity and responsibility to bring forth good fruit. Chapter 6: I KNOW OF NO REVELATION, paragraph 57 (approx. page 128) 2007-10-31 Eighteen Verses  [emphasis added] 

John asked the family what it means to be good fruit or bring forth good fruit because it is easy to assume we are good fruit without knowing what that means. He found this explanation to help us understand what it means to be good fruit.

A true prophet’s message will produce repentance. The only good fruit which can be offered in this world is repentance. When mankind lays down their sins because of a message, that message comes from Him. All others are distractions and invite you to err. The fruit which gives eternal life is repentance and a return to Christ. When the message comes from a false prophet, you can know the messengers, along with those who listen to it, and the message itself will be “hewn down, and cast into the fire.” It will be purged.https://denversnuffer.com/2010/10/3-nephi-14-15-20/ [emphasis added] 

Those who desire to bring forth good fruit or be fruit worth preserving are continually repenting.

And Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests, one priest for every 50. He ordained them to preach and teach concerning God’s kingdom. And he commanded them to only teach the things he and the holy prophets had taught. To be clear, he commanded them to preach nothing but repentance and faith in the Lord, who had redeemed His people. And he commanded them not to have any heated arguments with each other, but to look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts bound together in unity and love toward each other. This is how he commanded them to preach. And so they became God’s children. [emphasis added] Mosiah 9:9  https://scriptures.info/scriptures/cc/mosiah/9.9#9

Repentance is a process not a destination. I used to be critical of myself when I made errors. I spent too much time regretting my mistakes. One day as I lamented my weakness, I heard a voice asking,  “Did you learn something?” I eagerly responded explaining the lessons I had gained from the experience. I then heard Him encouraging me to get up and move on and give the guilt and shame to Him. I realized God does not want to punish me. He wants me to learn and grow. My focus changed away from my mistakes and toward what the experience was teaching me. I saw value in the tailor-made experiences life was providing me and began to rejoice in the learning process in spite of my clumsiness. 

Our Heavenly Parents know their children are going to stumble and fall many times as they develop. The Doctrine of Christ teaches us to repent and become as a little child. When little children learn to walk, they fall over and over, but they also keep getting up until they learn to walk. Little children are eager to learn and grow. Our Parents are always reaching out to inspire us to keep going and growing until we learn how to navigate every situation . . .  until we become even as They are. 

The Lord's purposes for us are fulfilled as we learn, grow, and develop. It is not helpful for us to wallow in guilt, shame, and regret, yet sometimes we do. Our pain is beneficial when it causes us to cry out to the Lord. Yet, we should not expect the Lord to wave a wand and immediately relieve our distress. We should expect to be corrected and instructed. Every experience in life is specifically designed for our growth and learning. The pain can turn to joy as we learn from our experiences. Jesus knows how to lead us through the ever changing maze we are required to navigate. He is a good guide. . . the best teacher. 

As a young LDS missionary, I had a dream that changed the way I thought about repentance. At the end of the dream I was told, “The purpose of life is to get better as soon as possible and be happy.” Repentance brings understanding, freedom, and light. It is meant to change us and give us peace, joy, and hope.

I Am the Asshole in the Story

Most have a story to explain the events and circumstances in their life. Let me tell you the story of one sleepy-eyed traveler. [based on a true story]

It had been a long 48 hour day. Taxi cabs, trains, and now the airport. Thoughts raced through her mind as she listened to the boarding gate agent, “What? Airplane delayed again . . . for how many hours? . . . " She had been away from home too long, and was all too anxious to be safe at home.

She was dazed as she talked to the agent and knew she needed to concentrate to keep her wits about her. Her purse was slung safely over her shoulder, and she tucked her travel bag between her and the counter she leaned against. She didn’t want to lose track of the few essentials she still had. 

The agent was kind and helped her book another flight to replace the one she would miss because of the delay. She walked to the kiosk and took the opportunity to sign in early for the flight. There was a little time before boarding the plane, so she sat down and tried to get some rest. 

She reached down to put her hand on her bag, keeping it from walking off while she slept. It was gone! She’d been so careful to keep track of it, and now it was gone. Adrenaline kicked in as she looked around. In a panic, she frantically searched for her bag. As she scurried about, she thought, “Why would someone just take my bag with all the security cameras watching every move of every passenger?” 

She reported her loss to the security guard, and he seemed sympathetic to her predicament. He even helped her assess the situation, and together they determined that one of those asshole foreign tourists must have taken her bag. She carefully retraced her steps searching the area. The security guard even allowed her to leave the secured area to check the shuttle buses that were full of foreign tourists. 

The bag wasn’t impressive, but it contained the essentials she needed. She went back to her seat, cursing her stupidity and the unknown foreign tourist. She prayed and mourned as she sat in mental anguish waiting for her flight. Heroically she forgave her enemy and thanked God for her passport, cash, and credit card that were safe in the small purse she held at her side. Her favorite jacket and other essentials could be replaced. 

Finally, it was time to board the plane. As she walked with other passengers toward the gate, she walked by the check-in kiosk. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Sitting on a little bench between the wall and kiosk was her precious lost bag. It was right where she left it. No one had touched the bag during her panic-filled hour. There was no thieving, asshole, foreign tourist; just a tired, absent-minded woman who forgot where she left her bag. 

None of it was real. She felt like an idiot. All that fuss for nothing. She looked around, and no one seemed to notice her stupid blunder. No harm was done to anyone. As she sat back to consider the experience, she thought, “How many times have I convinced myself I am right when I am plainly wrong?”

People often make up stories to explain what’s happening in their life. We’ve all done it. The stories we tell ourselves may be true, but most often they are false. Our stories usually turn us into the good guy or the undeserving victim and make someone else the villain. Our opponent might also have a story to tell. It would be rare if these stories ever sounded like the same event. When we are disturbed by the events in our life, it is tempting to expand our audience by telling our stories to others. When we do, we feel better, and our story becomes more real. We feel validated. Like the sympathetic security guard, other people might even help us create a more convincing story. 

What would happen if we questioned our stories, noticed when we justify our actions, and paid attention to our defensiveness? What if these are actually signs indicating we are somehow wrong? What if an alarm was set to go off in our mind . . . ding! ding! ding!? I see I am defensive, I am justifying, I am making up stories, therefore, I might be wrong.

 

If we were to make ourselves look like the asshole in our defensive self-justifying stories, we would probably be closer to seeing the truth and could do something about it. 

I looked at a story I’ve been telling myself for over a decade. I blamed others, I blamed my state of mind, I blamed my circumstance. I had such a great story that I believed it myself. Well, I almost believed it. Then one day last week while I was at peace with myself, on a walk with my dogs, in an open meadow, I looked at my old story from a different perspective. When I could see clearly, I could only say, “I was wrong.” I don’t know what I can do to change the past, but there are no excuses. I asked the Lord to forgive me. I don’t ever have to tell that self-justifying story again, and if I do, it will be from the perspective, "I am the asshole in the story." 

Apologies

I’ve often wondered why apologies are requested. I’ve heard it said many times in many different circumstances, “You need to apologize!” I’m thinking that requesting apologies might be a learned behavior. After a disagreement, I’ve heard some adults say to children, “Now, say you’re sorry.” So, whether the children are sorry or not, they say they are sorry and move on with their day. What is the purpose of these feigned apologies?

I think it is better to model an apology to children rather than demand an apology when adults think children have misbehaved. As a parent, I make enough mistakes to have plenty of opportunities to sincerely apologize to my children for my poor behavior. I have found they also apologize for their poor behavior when they feel they have misbehaved. This is not requested by anyone, but they apologize when their conscience requires it. 

Apology - a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure.

Why would someone apologize for something they did on purpose for good reason, and they would do it again under the same circumstances? I can understand why someone would want to apologize for something they regret, but why apologize when there is no regret? If someone chooses to be angry or offended and demands an apology, should the other person apologize to appease them? How would this help?

There are many examples of when apologies have been demanded or expected but denied. There are also numerous examples of what true regret and repentance look like. Here are a few . . .

Apology Denied

Abinadi 

”And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast him into prison. And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he caused that he should again be brought before him. And he said unto him, Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men. And now for this cause thou shalt be put to death, unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people.

Now Abinadi said unto him, I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true. And that ye may know of their surety, I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands, yea, and I will suffer even until death. And I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me, ye will shed innocent blood; and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.” [emphasis added] Mosiah 9:2-3

Nephi

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold, they said unto me, Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than which we are able to bear. And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked according to the truth, and the righteous have I justified and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day. Wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth and say, Thou speakest hard things against us. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord. And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness. Now all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel. 1 Nephi 5:1

Jesus

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And behold, men brought in a bed a man who was taken with a palsy, and they sought to bring him in and to lay him before Jesus. And when they found that they could not bring him in for the multitude, they went upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. Now he saw their faith and said unto the man, Your sins are forgiven you. And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? But Jesus perceived their thoughts, and he said unto them, What do you reason in your hearts? Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power upon earth to forgive sins, I said it. And he said unto the man sick of the palsy, I say unto you, Arise, and take up your couch, and go into your house. And immediately he arose up before them, and took up that on which he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today. Luke 4:11

Joseph Smith

Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers . . .  I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior. He treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the Devil, that there was no such thing as visions or revelations in these days, that all such things had ceased with the apostles and that there never would be any more of them. I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution which continued to increase. . .  But strange or not, so it was, and was often cause of great sorrow to myself. However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had had a vision. I have thought since that I felt much like Paul when he made his defense before king Agrippa and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice, but still there were but few who believed him. Some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad, and he was ridiculed and reviled, but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under Heaven could not make it otherwise. And though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew and would know to his latest breath that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise. So it was with me: I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak unto me, or one of them did. And though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true. And while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart, Why persecute for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision, and who am I that I can withstand God? Or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision, I knew it, and I knew that God knew it. And I could not deny it, neither dare I do it, at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God and come under condemnation.   JSH Section 1, Part 2 (1820-1823):9

Denver Snuffer 

Compliance (So Far As Possible)

The problem with Passing the Heavenly Gift has not been its accuracy. The issue raised in the notice I received from the stake president does not say the book is false, contains errors or makes mistakes in history. Rather, it “contains content which must be withdrawn.” That is not an indictment of the book’s accuracy. It is considered subversive by those who want to control history to perpetuate a view of events that do not follow the pattern described by the Book of Mormon prophets, Joseph Smith’s prophecies, and Christ’s description of the conduct of the latter-day gentiles to whom the Book of Mormon would be given.

The first demand is that I cease publication; a task that would involve violation of agreements between me and others. To compensate me for that potential liability and permit me to violate the agreement, I was offered money to cease publication. Offering money to help me violate agreements is not a satisfactory course of conduct. Therefore, I declined; but not before asking those with whom I have contracts if I could be let out of the publishing agreement.

The second demand is that I tell blog readers that the book “contains content that needs to be withdrawn.” I will say this: The church believes very much the content of the book needs to be withdrawn. . . Therefore, to make what concessions I can, I will state for all you blog readers: Passing the Heavenly Gift contains content that will make your appreciation and acceptance of the efforts of the institution now and in the future to bend its teachings to conform to social, political and legal trends much more difficult to achieve. You will be happier if you don’t read the book. You will be more inclined to sleepwalk along with what is progressively distant from the original restoration. You will not detect that these changes mark the downfall predicted in the prophecies of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants. While I cannot withdraw the content, you should not read it if it will upset your worldview.

True Regret, Confession, and Repentance

Alma and Sons of Mosiah

Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma after his father. Nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man; and he was a man of many words and did speak much flattery to the people. . . while he was going about to destroy the church of God . . the angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and he descended as it were in a cloud. And he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood . . . Alma, arise and stand forth! For why persecuteth thou the church of God? . . .  Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant Alma, who is thy father. . .  I come, to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith. . . Therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father. . . And it came to pass, after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength. And he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort. For, said he, I have repented of my sins and have been redeemed of the Lord. Behold, I am born of the spirit. . . And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them: traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them. But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the commandments of God. . . they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them. And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer. And how blessed are they, for they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good, and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth. Mosiah 11:25-29

People of Ammon

. . . Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their brethren . . . I thank my great God . . . we have been convinced of our sins and of the many murders which we have committed. And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of these our many sins and murders which we have committed, and took away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son . . .  for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stains . . .  let us retain our swords, that they be not stained with the blood of our brethren . . . And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood. And this they did vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren, they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother. . . the Lamanites made preparations for war and came up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of . . . destroying the people . . . when the people saw that they were coming against them, they went out to meet them and prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them and began to slay them with the sword. . . Alma 14

Saul/Paul

And it came to pass that as I made my journey, and had come near unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from Heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they that were with me saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. Act 12:15

. . . But watch yourself in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry; for I am now about to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day — and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 1:10

A Nefarious Demon aka Paco

Last year, we watched Nefarious as a family. It was a great way to teach our teenagers and young adults what they are up against [parental discretion advised].

We are surrounded by demons and devils that seek to destroy us. Much of what Jesus did and does is to cast out devils. 

Naming the Devil

Several years ago, my niece and I were talking about the devil and how he takes himself way too seriously. Good natured humor is good medicine. Learning to laugh at ourselves can be very healing.  

Names are important in giving power, and so we decided to give the devil a new name. We had fun naming this humorless fellow. . . We ended up naming him Paco. He hates the name. I think he was listening to our fun and play because I soon heard in my mind, “My name is NOT PACO!!! It's SATAN!!!” 

I responded, “Okay Paco;)” 

I had the distinct impression Paco was disgusted with us. But he doesn’t have a choice about that, does he? Ya know, come to think of it, I don’t like what he does either. He doesn’t seem too eager to benefit and bless me, so why should I be eager to respond favorably to his demands and complaints? 

Conversations with Paco

Yes, I have conversations with Paco. Not because I particularly like those conversations, but because he just shows up and starts yapping. 

What is the point to all this chaos and commotion? I don’t know. Nothing intelligent ever comes out of Paco’s screaming, yelling, and criticizing. It is just a bunch of noise. 

In contrast, when the Lord calls me to repentance, His chastisement is always intelligent. I know exactly what I did wrong, and what I need to do differently. It makes sense. I think about the Brother of Jared being chastised by the Lord for three hours. He knew exactly what he needed to change and immediately got to work. The Lord corrects and redirects. His message is informative and enlightening even when it cuts me to the center. 

So when I hear noise noise noise . . . name calling, screaming, yelling, fear mongering, scolding, temper tantrums . . . I turn to that voice and say, “Do you have anything intelligent to say? Or are you just going to yap and yell and throw a fit?” When Paco stutters and stammers, I nod my head and say, “That’s what I thought. Nothing intelligent, so be on your way!” 

I’m really not interested in giving heed to the rebukes of Paco. He doesn’t have my best interest in mind. 

Anger, a TellTale Sign

When I find myself angry, triggered, and in turmoil, I see it as a sign that I must repent of something even if I don’t know what it is. When I ask Jesus to show me my error, I have 100% confidence He will reveal my sin in a way I can understand. He doesn't want me to mourn, but wants me to understand my error, so I can repent. 

Those who become angry at the truth have “the spirit of the devil” in them. That is, they are under the devil’s influence and are deceived. Nephi understood this principle because of his older brothers’ reactions (see 1 Nephi 5:1). When someone becomes angry at the truth, they are in darkness. Christ gave this as one of the signs of the deceived. They argue against the truth and become angry (see 3 Nephi 5:8). Those who are Christ’s, however, join with Nephi in glorying in plainness, even if it cuts or requires repentance. They appreciate the plain direction which allows them to follow in the true path. They appreciate truth, even when it condemns their acts and requires them to change. They glory in Christ, preferring Him over unbelief, traditions of men, or the arm of flesh. Anger - Glossary of Terms

Repentance sets me free.

My Conscience Brings Repentance

 

For some time now, I have been thinking about my conscience, repentance, God, and myself. Below are some of the questions and thoughts that I have received, though not polished, without much order, and just words that have come to me. At first this was for me … Now I am sharing with my family and whoever wants to participate.

What if repentance is a needed and an important practice for all people, me included?

Does repentance include total submission to God?

What if “to repent” means to fully reconcile my ideas, desires, and actions to my sincere current understanding of what is best?

Could what is best be defined as righteousness?

Could deviation from what is best be called sin?

What if sin (for me) is simply the act of knowingly doing less than my current understanding of what is best?

What if righteousness is the act of actually doing what I currently understand is the best?

What if my allegiance to God is measured by my outward alignment with what I currently believe is right?

On the other hand, what if my loyalty to God is measured by my outward alignment with traditions, rites, rituals, ceremonies, peers, leaders, organized religions, authorities, policies, rules, government, society, mandates, or men who neither know nor follow Jesus Christ? If so, what would my consequences be?

Is a disciple of Jesus Christ known by his vernacular and social status or is a disciple of Christ one who acts, desires, and thinks like Jesus?

Is there a difference? Why or why not?

What if righteousness is the opposite of sin?

What if repentance is the process by which anyone, even I can become righteous?

Does repentance mean making the changes necessary to bring my thoughts, desires, and actions into complete alignment with my sincere, present understanding of what God would do in my place?

When someone is already living in a state where they constantly think, desire, and do what they sincerely understand to be best, is there any sin?

Therefore, is there any need for repentance in this case?

What if sinlessness could be my state of being reconciled to what I presently understand to be best?

Does sinlessness require me to do things that are beyond my capacity? Or does it simply mean that I do not excuse myself when I am capable of not sinning but choose to sin anyway?

Can I ever justifiably use the argument of “no one is perfect” to cover my willful choice to do less than my actual best?

What if the rewards of righteousness are only available to those who are actually righteous and without sin?

What are the rewards to the righteous, who consistently keep His commandments given to them?

What is the meaning of, “And no man receives a fullness unless he keeps his commandments. He that keeps his commandments receives truth and light until he is glorified in truth and knows all things.” (T&C 93:9)

Is that a reward worth seeking? Am I willing to pay the price required?

Would it be wise for me to always obey all of the commandments from God that I currently know?

I have God's promise in scripture that I can obey any commandment that I receive from Him because He shall prepare a way to accomplish it. It doesn't appear to me that I can ever justifiably say to God, “This one is too hard. I can't do it.”

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of my father. And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying, Behold, I have dreamed a dream in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem. For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of thy forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban and seek the records and bring them down hither into the wilderness. And now behold, thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold, I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord. Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord because thou hast not murmured. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceeding glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.” (1 Nephi 1:10)

“...Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness. And if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ. And if, by the grace of God, ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again if ye, by the grace of God, are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. “ (Moroni 10:6)

Could being “perfect in Christ” refer to the concept of complete reconciliation to my present understanding of God in thought and action?

What is the meaning of my conscience is informed by my knowledge?

“Therefore, to him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin.” (Ep Jacob 1:18)

In my view, what qualifies as sin? In your view, what qualifies as sin?

Is sin different for various people? In other words, could an act committed by one individual be considered a sin, and the very same act committed by another be not a sin?

At any given point in the future, is it possible to know more than I do presently?

Would it be possible to gain an improved and developed understanding of good and evil, based on new or different knowledge than I had before?

Should I expect that my perception of who Jesus was and is will change over time as I learn more about Him and who He really is, His character, and His attributes?

Could this change my conscience along the way?

Could my value of things also change?

What about my considerations of what is good and what is evil? Could that change as well?

If these things are not changing within me, at least in some fashion, would it be reasonable to conclude that either I am not learning more about God and myself or I already know it all?

As I learn more and different commandments from God, does my conscience become altered? Does it expand to broader applications or progress to better accuracy?

When I acquire new instructions from God or learn things that change my previous understanding of His commandments, does my conscience become more accurate and comprehends a greater increment of reality?

Should it surprise me if I were to receive a commandment from God today, of which I was not aware yesterday?

If, today, I become aware of something new, receive additional light and knowledge from God, or obtain truth that I did not know yesterday AND LIVE EXACTLY THE SAME both days, would it be possible to have NOT SINNED yesterday and to have SINNED today due to the fact that my perspective, light, and current understanding of what is best increased?

What rings true to my conscience?

Is my conscience a guidance system that will show me the way towards God, as far as I presently understand him, as often as I am willing to “look” at it?

Is it through my conscience that God shows me what he would do in my place, given my degree of understanding of His character, attributes and person?

Is my path to becoming like God comprised of consistent emulation of how I presently understand Him to be, coupled to a successively more accurate understanding of how He is?

What limits the growth of my conscience, my relationship with God, and my greater understanding of Him? Could it be the degree of my willingness to obey what I already have and my diligence and effort to obtain more?

What is the price to have a clear conscience with peace of mind, contentment, and freedom from guilt?

Is it possible for me to have a clear conscience all the time, at least by repenting and moving forward from here? It is possible for me to be completely and permanently free from guilt and becoming “a just man made perfect”?

Imagine the peace of having a clear conscience.

What happens to my conscience if I choose to disobey and defile it?

What happens to my conscience as I obey and honor it?

Does my conscience incrementally grow? Does every choice I make in accordance with my conscience naturally make the next right choice more plain and unmistakable?

As I do what I know now, does it seem reasonable that I will know more in the future than I know now?

Is it sensible and wise for me to continually obey all the commandments of God given to me, never violating my own conscience day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, and enduring consistently and faithfully until my last breathe?

What are the pros and cons for me when I choose to obey? When I choose disobedience, what are the consequences I experience?

Is this life before death the time for repentance, being true to my conscience, heeding all the commandments of God given to me, reconciling myself with God, and preparing myself to meet Him?

“And now, my brethren, I would that after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, come forth and bring fruit unto repentance. Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer. For behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation. And therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God. Yea, behold, the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end. For after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say when ye are brought to that awful crisis that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this, for the same spirit you hearken to obey while living in the flesh shall, upon your death, have the same power to influence you to hearken unto that spirit in the next life. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the Devil and he doth seal you his. Therefore, the spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you and hath no place in you, and the Devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. And this I know because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell. Yea, and he has also said that the righteous should sit down in his kingdom to go no more out, but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.” (Alma 16:37)

If I have not reconciled my life to the commandments that God has provided to me and have violated my conscience, will I be reconciled to God when I die and remain in my sins?

“… But O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit which was spoken of by my father, Mosiah. For behold, there is a woe pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul, for he receiveth for his wages an Everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge...” (Mosiah 1:10)

After a sufficient period of time of sincere knocking, consistent seeking, faithful asking, determined obedience, becoming more like Christ, and having been found true and faithful, would it be natural to have the veil parted, receive Him and His ministry, and be made clean?

Would it be sensible to fully expect myself being made perfect through Christ? Becoming a just man made perfect? At least have perfect intent in this life? A perfect heart? Becoming perfect before God?

“That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (T&C 36:4)

Does God’s sacrifice make it possible for bad people to become good people? For sinners to become saints? For mortals to become more like God?

Is my acceptance or rejection of the sacrifice of Christ and his offering to me regulated by my choices? What choices?

Does it matter if I am true to my conscience or not? How about yeilding to the enticings of the holy spirit? Does being meek, humble, patient, full of love, or submissive to God actually matter?

“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be for ever and ever but if he yields to the enticings of the holy spirit, and putteth off the natural man, and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child: submissive, 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.” (Mosiah 1:16)

What if God’s sacrifice doesn’t make me free to sin without consequence, but rather it is meant to make me free from sin?

Is just “trying” not to sin, good enough for me? Is it good enough for God? Is that true repentance?

Does God require my obedience even unto death? How about my willingness to submit to everything that He finds necessary to inflict upon me?

Am I expected to obey Him at all inconvenience, pain, and suffering? Even when it is out of my comfort zone, causes trouble and difficulty, and requires a sacrifice and offering? I suppose He knows much better about suffering, sacrifice and inconvenience than do I, and certainly understands the necessity of it all to a much larger and magnified order.

“Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life, and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.” (Lectures on Faith 6:7)

Would it be helpful for me to have a good attitude about this whole situation of mine?

Repent ... Not Repent

Throughout the scriptures, the Lord repeatedly commands us to repent and to keep His commandments. Christ clearly states the associated consequences attached when we either choose to repent or to not repent. In the following scripture, Christ specifically addresses us gentiles and lays out a list of our wicked ways, from which we are commanded to turn, and evil doings of which to repent.

“Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying: Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.” (3 Nephi 30:1-2)

“Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., in my name; And it is by my almighty power that you have received them; Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.” (D&C 19:13-20)

It seems to me that choosing the option of not repenting and thereby rejecting Christ's atoning sacrifice in my behalf would cause me sufferings that far exceed what I presently understand. Logically, it becomes a “no brainer” … repentance is by far the better option!

Here's a link on:  Repentance

Angels

“There is a system by which men learn the mysteries of heaven and are saved. That system is set out in Alma 12: 29-30:

-First, angels are sent to prepare men/women.

-Second, they are allowed to behold the Lord’s glory.

-Then they converse with the Lord, at which point they are taught the things which have been prepared from the foundation of the earth for their salvation.

-All of which is driven by the man/woman’s faith, repentance and holy works.

This is in keeping with Joseph Smith’s revelation about those chosen to become a member of the Church of the Firstborn. They are chosen by the holy angels to whom the keys of this power belong. (D&C 77: 11)

If this isn’t happening, then faith does not exist on the earth any longer. (Moroni 7: 37)

Ministering angels are an indispensable part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why those keys were restored so early on in this dispensation, and are so widely disseminated into the Church membership. (See D&C 13 and D&C 107: 20)”

(DS 3-6-10)