The Physicality of Zion: Question Two: How will Zion be governed?

Light version:

At any point in history, men and women gathered themselves together – either for protection, or commerce, or simply because their families got really, really big.  In doing so, leadership over the group always seems to form.  When Zion is formed, there will not be an election.  God will choose, and His choices for leaders will fulfill His purposes.  In this there is peace – why?  Because there is no hidden agenda and no hidden cost.  The leadership of Zion will be the best men and women for the job, and they will not be swayed by greed, power, or glory.  They will be working with one end in mind – the betterment of all men.


Full version:

Okay, so the entire topic of the Physicality of Zion arose from the fall out of the last few elections.  The first question: How will Zion be governed? might take a couple weeks to cover.  This is probably a post that will get me into trouble, since I’m combining the two most divisive topics under heaven – politics and religion.  However, in spite of it being a big no-no, I’m going to talk about them anyway.  Eat your spinach first and get it out of the way as it were.

At any point in history, men and women gathered themselves together – either for protection, or commerce, or simply because their families got really, really big.  In doing so, leadership over the group always seems to form.  The leaders were chosen either through their charisma, innate wisdom, strength of arms, or the size of their flocks.  Some were good.  Some were not.  Some were a mixture of both depending on the direction of the wind.  But good or bad, the people demanded that someone take up the lead.  Why?  Lots of reasons, probably; comfort, security…personally though, I think people wanted leaders so that they could have a scapegoat to blame when the crops failed or when things didn’t go the way that the group thought they should.

Whichever the excuse, by nature and spirit, we are beings of order.  We crave guidance and structure.  These desires are leftovers from the lives we lived prior to coming to mortality.  Our collective history has shown us good leaders and bad.  It has shown us where government has worked, and obviously where it has failed miserably.

I will confess that this last election was both, very disappointing and very disheartening.  Not so much for the outcome, but for the content of the campaigns.  For months we watched, listened to, and read about the various candidates.  Here in Jackson County, Missouri, the mudslinging between parties and candidates was harsh.  Likewise, I listened to and watched as vicious attacks unfolded in other states.  More and more, the issues are falling by the wayside and are being replaced by an unhealthy focus on personality and personal failures.

I am not disputing the need for leaders of integrity but, truthfully, I feel that our government has almost completely lost its integrity.  And that is what made me so depressed about this last election.  I no longer feel represented by the candidates that run for office.  And I doubt that I ever will be again.  It is a pessimistic mindset, I know.  Yet, I feel that the current criteria set forth, in order to simply qualify for an accepted candidacy are to blame for the poor choices running for office these days.  The standards for qualification are not leadership and moral integrity.  They are a stocked bank account, the number of powerfully influential people you know, and the ability to tow a party line.  To my mind and heart, it is literally a choice between the lesser of two evils each and every time I cast my ballot any more.

Some will criticize me for my cynicism.  “If you don’t like the system, change it!”  That’s the default, right?  And if one were to look at the recent meteoric rise of the Tea Party Movement, you would think that idiom was truly viable.  Yet, even this political movement, for all of its rhetoric, does not represent my ideals.  To be heard, you need money; lots and lots of money.  And it is in the gathering of that money, that so much compromise is made.

“I’ll endorse you, but I’ll expect you to represent my interests at a later date.”

“I’ll donate to you, but I need you to listen to what this lobbyist has to say first.”

“Here’s a contribution check, now let me introduce you to so-and-so.”

It is how the game is played: you give a little to get a little.  Yet, in complete contrast, that is not how God’s kingdom is run.

Christ, during his mortal ministry, did not go to the wealthy to bank his campaign.  Neither did He seek out those who were deemed wise, or the popular people of the time.  The men he chose were those of integrity, loyalty, and they had high standards.  In each of them, I suspect even Judas in the beginning, there was a reverence for Heavenly Father and His purposes.  The scripture is true: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)

The leadership of Zion will be chosen not by man, but by God whose city it is.  There is confidence in that.  When our last Bishop was selected from our congregation, I felt comforted.  I knew the man hadn’t aspired to the position.  There was no campaigning, no empty promises, and no embellished speeches.  There was just a man, chosen by God, who quietly bore his testimony and through his actions promised to love us all and do his best for us.  That is the foundation of the leadership of Zion – love God, love his children, and a commitment to do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

There are many reasons why our government fails, but I think the two greatest reasons are its size and the lack of serious integrity and reverence for the commitment within our leadership.  That’s a pretty harsh criticism but, in the defense of our leaders the system has become the proverbial stone, cut from the mountain.  Our governing leadership cannot hope to fight against the sheer momentum of the social, economic, and political structures of power that are currently rooted in the governments of the world.  Some have quietly tried, and have been consumed by it.  True change can only come through a conscious unification between the men and women in leadership; but there are so many different voices and unique interests vying for their attention, how can they possibly draw together under one banner?
The sad fact is: they can’t.

The people of our nation, no…our world, are too divided on how they want to be governed for that to happen.  The early history of the United States is rife with social experimentation and reform.  Emerson was noted to have commented on the fact:

“We are all a little wild here with numberless projects of social reform. Not a reading man but has a draft of a new community in his waistcoat pocket.”

(From a letter to Carlyle in 1840, as cited in Sydney E. Ahlstrom, “The Communitarian Impulse,” A Religious History of the American People, (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1972), p. 491.

The desire was to see a perfect community built, but how could it be with so many disparate visions?  Now, like then, some want to be told how to live and others want to be left alone.  Some want their government to take care of them, and their neighbor wants as little government in his life as possible.  To some, financial security is all important.  To others, the concern is where their next meal is coming from.  The point is, man governing man doesn’t work.  It never has.  Why?

Simply because man does not have the vision to do so; their hearts are not one.  Neither one with each other, nor with God.

If we could see the Big Picture and love, as God does, then we would have a government that works.  Sadly, we get too caught up in our own issues for that to be a viable case.  It’s why every attempt at a utopian government has failed, and it is why they will continue to fail.  The difference between Zion and any other man-made attempt (socialism, communism, or otherwise), is the fact that the leadership of Zion answer to a higher power – a true King.  That King cannot be swayed by greed, anger, vengeance, or fear.  His purpose is perfectly pure, and we know up front that He is working for our joy and benefit.  He has no other ulterior motive.

In this, when he chooses someone to fill the hot seat, we can take comfort in the knowledge that that man or woman is the right person for the job.  There is a reason for them having the position.  And they, as leaders, will not place their faith in themselves.  They will be as Nephi of old:

2 Ne. 4:34
O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

Zion will be governed by its Lord and King, Jesus Christ, who in turn takes his direction directly from the mouth of His Father.  When we place our trust in that more perfect system, we will have an abiding government that is truly successful.  Health care won’t be driven by capitalism, for what need does Heavenly Father have for money?  There will be no homeless or destitute, for with God all men have a purpose and a place.  There won’t be any more hidden agendas or lobbying.  There won’t be any need for anarchists, because our freedoms are assured by the highest power in the universe.

That brings me comfort.  That brings me peace.  I look forward to Zion, if for no other reason than I’ll be free from the mudslinging.

Until next week,
Jeffrey

The Physicality of Zion: Question One: Is Zion real?

Light version:

Okay.  In my research and meanderings, I came across a particularly frank criticism of the LDS and RLDS faiths; specifically their belief in a truly physical Zion here in the United States.  I won’t name the source here, simply because I found it terribly biased and negative.  It did bring to the forefront of my mind, the fact that a truly physical Zion here in Jackson County, Missouri (or anywhere for that matter) is going to be seen and judged as a fairy tale.  This is mainly due to the fact that so many other attempts at utopian societies have failed miserably over the course of time.  There are other reasons though.

One such reason is that a true Zion, here on the North American continent, is literally a slap in the face of the modern establishment.  The government “for the people and by the people” cannot coexist with Zion.  Zion is God’s city, not man’s.  He makes the rules and He is the ultimate authority.  The semblance of freedom that we enjoy in America and other Democratic states throughout the world will be sacrificed in Zion, for a much better way.  Do not misunderstand, Zion will be a place where freedom is sacred, more so than any other place on Earth.  However, the laws that govern her will be God’s laws, not man’s.  Those who shelter behind her walls, actively choose to live by those tenants.  Those who do not wish to live there, may freely leave at any time they desire.  Heavenly Father asks us to do what is right.  He tells us the benefits and the consequences of the choices laid before us.  He will never force anyone to live His laws.  However, the citizens of His Zion will live by those laws with exactness, because they love their God and choose to abide by His standards.

So, the questions before us are:
•    Is Zion real?
•    Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter day prophesy says it must?
•    What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?


Full version:

Okay.  In my research and meanderings, I came across a particularly frank criticism of the LDS and RLDS faiths; specifically their belief in a truly physical Zion here in the United States.  I won’t name the source here, simply because I found it terribly biased and negative.  It did bring to the forefront of my mind the fact that a truly physical Zion here in Jackson County, Missouri (or anywhere for that matter) is going to be seen and judged as a fairy tale.  This is mainly due to the fact that so many other attempts at utopian societies have failed miserably over the course of time.  There are other reasons though.

One such reason is that a true Zion, here on the North American continent, is literally a slap in the face of the modern establishment.  The government “for the people and by the people” cannot coexist with Zion.  Zion is God’s city, not man’s.  He makes the rules and He is the ultimate authority.  The semblance of freedom that we enjoy in America and other Democratic states throughout the world will be sacrificed in Zion, for a much better way.  Do not misunderstand, Zion will be a place where freedom is sacred, more so than any other place on Earth.  However, the laws that govern her will be God’s laws, not man’s.  Those who shelter behind her walls actively choose to live by those tenants.  Those who do not wish to live there may freely leave at any time they desire.  Heavenly Father asks us to do what is right.  He tells us the benefits and the consequences of the choices laid before us.  He will never force anyone to live His laws.  However, the citizens of His Zion will live by those laws with exactness, because they love their God and choose to abide by His standards.

So, the questions before us are:
•    Is Zion real?
•    Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter-day prophesy says it must?
•    What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?

There are more questions, many more, but for now I’m going to focus on these three; and we’ll take them in reverse order.

First: “What do the ancient scriptures say about Zion?

Within the King James version of the Bible, there are one hundred and fifty three references to Zion.  David is particularly fond of mentioning Zion in his Psalms (he mentions Zion thirty seven times), and Isaiah refers to it heavily throughout his work as well (forty seven times).  Other ancient prophets from the bible, such as Jeremiah, Micah, and Joel, touch on Zion too.  I do not claim to be a biblical scholar.  I do not understand the nuances of the history, culture, and language that ancient scripture represents.  What I do see represented in these ancient scriptures is a decisive acknowledgement that the concept of Zion was understood and celebrated by the old prophets.

Three scriptures that plainly, at least to my mind, distinguish Zion as a true place are:

Micah 4:2
And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 59:20
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:14
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Now, if we were to only reference the Old Testament, it would be plain that Zion is a real and physical place.  The Zion of the Old Testament references the City of David, which is Jerusalem.  It is the consecrated City of God, and a holy place, but I ask you this: is it the only City of God?  If there is one, can there not be more?  The answer is a resounding yes!  A city dedicated to God can be built up anywhere, by any of His children.

This is the entire focus of the New Testament.  Jesus Christ taught us how we were supposed to live our lives, in order to qualify for Zion.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the law that will govern the Holy City.  It is the standard by which men will live, and the entire reason why Zion will succeed where all other attempts at a utopian community have failed.

Thus, established by ancient scripture, we know that Heavenly Father expects His children to build up a city to Him.  The next question: Can Zion exist here in the United States, where latter-day prophesy says it must?

The establishment of Zion in the heart of the United States seems offensive to many.  How could anyone have the audacity to build up a city to God, in a country built on the tenants of religious freedom for all?  Wouldn’t we be infringing on the rights and freedoms of men and women, just contemplating such an enterprise?  I say yes, and I say no.  Yes, we would be coming together to build a community that believes in living the Gospel of Christ to its fullest expression.  Yes, that would most likely be offensive to various people.  However, as stated above, there is no requirement that states an individual must live in Zion.  The very thought of it may turn the stomachs of some, and they would likely not appreciate the environment growing around them.  Some will fight against it, but I suspect that the majority would simply choose to live elsewhere; someplace that conforms to their ideals.

But that still doesn’t answer the question of whether Zion can exist in Jackson County, Missouri.  The answer to this query hinges on one thing and one thing alone: Was Joseph Smith a prophet of God?  If no, then there is no worry, for such an endeavor is destined to fail, regardless of intent.  God would not support it, and without that support then Zion could never be built.  If yes, if Joseph truly was a prophet of God, then the city must be built, for it was prophesied to happen.

I subscribe to the latter over the former, as do millions of others.  So how, in a country where religion is becoming more and more a bothersome hobby, will such a community be built up?  Line upon line, precept upon precept.  There are many instructions and prophesies concerning the building of Zion in the Doctrine and Covenants.  In D&C 101:17, it states:

Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.

The Saints were driven from Missouri, and scattered across the face of the continent.  Yet, Zion remains dedicated.  In the next verse (D&C 101:18) the Lord goes on to qualify that there will be a return.

They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion—

I find this scripture to be interesting, mainly because of the imagery in the last part of the scripture.  The pure in heart, and their children shall return “to build up the waste places of Zion…”  Now, I will freely admit that I am speculating here, and my interpretation may not be certain, so receive this in the spirit it is given.  No city is built overnight.  It takes time to build up a community.  Some believe that there will be some great cataclysm that will come and lay waste to the city, and it will be the Saints that rebuild it.  That very well may be true, but I have an alternate theory; one that can coexist with this point of view, or stand on its own.

It is my interpretation that God will gather together his children, those of like mind and pure hearts, slowly over the course of years and generations.  I submit He has already been doing so, for many years now.  The community of the Saints will continue to grow as the Lord needs and, as it does, the spirit of that community will slowly build to become more unified with God’s needs and spirit.  The undesirable “waste places” will be transformed into a beautiful community.  The laws and interests of the community will shift with the hearts of the people, and Zion will gradually blossom like a rose.  Such a gradual change requires the leadership of the priesthood, and an intimate trust in God’s purposes.  It requires unifying ourselves underneath God’s banner, setting aside personal desires and tired traditions.

But what of the opposition to such an initiative?  How can we justify supplanting an entire community?  Isn’t that what got the Saints driven from Missouri in the first place?  I find myself asking these questions a great deal.  Currently, I don’t really have any hard answers to these questions.  I have ideas, but no hard facts.  There has always been opposition to God’s work, and there likely always will be.  It is a necessary thing; otherwise the achievement of Zion would be meaningless.

The second question has always worried me yet, as I sit here and write this, the Spirit whispers that there need be no justification, because there will be no displacement.  Zion will be built by like-minded and like-hearted people that God has gathered from the four corners of the Earth.  They won’t all be LDS, (not at first ;)…) but they will be people who desire the same thing: a place of peace and safety.  From there everything will build and grow until the true Zion comes to fruition.

Heavenly Father alone knows how Zion will be built.  Whether the United States needs to suffer some calamity, just as the Nephites did prior to the visit of the Savior to this hemisphere, or Zion comes to pass slowly, in a gradual evolution – it doesn’t matter.  What does matter is the last question: Is Zion real?  I submit that Zion is as real as we desire it to be.  Some will scoff and deride Joseph Smith for even dreaming of such an idea, but I counter their defamation with the question: Why not?  What more laudable goal can mankind aspire to, than to build a city of such beauty and perfection that God Himself would feel welcome and comfortable walking its streets?

Is Zion real?  Yes.  Resoundingly, YES!

Until next week,

Jeffrey

The Physicality of Zion: Introduction

Light version:
In my studies of Zion, I came across a very interesting fact.  I stumbled upon it in passing and it shocked me to a great degree.  Did you know that Zion must be established before the second coming of the Lord?  In fact, the Lord will not come until it is founded.  Here’s the reference:

Doctrine and Covenants 49: 24-25

24  But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.

25  Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.

I know I’ve run across this reference before, and yet it didn’t have the same impact as it had on me recently.  Think about it.  The Lord cannot return until Zion is built.  That’s a prophesy, just as real as any other in the scriptures.  It brings new light to the mission of every prophet that has come after Christ’s resurrection.  Everything that they have done, everything that they have worked towards has been in fulfillment of that goal.

So, I set myself to pondering and dreaming some more over the last month.  The question: “What does Zion look like, physically?”


Full version:
In my studies of Zion, I came across a very interesting fact.  I stumbled upon it in passing and it shocked me to a great degree.  Did you know that Zion must be established before the second coming of the Lord?  In fact, the Lord will not come until it is founded.  Here’s the reference:

Doctrine and Covenants 49: 24-25

24  But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.
25  Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.

I know I’ve run across this reference before, and yet it didn’t have the same impact as it had on me recently.  Think about it.  The Lord cannot return until Zion is built.  That’s a prophesy, just as real as any other in the scriptures.  It brings new light to the mission of every prophet that has come after Christ’s resurrection.  Everything that they have done, everything that they have worked towards has been in fulfillment of that goal.

The latter day prophets, especially Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, have made this a singular focus in their lives.  Joseph’s Nauvoo, Far West, and Kirtland were all predecessors…physical attempts at laying the practice of Zion, preparing the saints for the day that they would create God’s City in Jackson County Missouri.  Likewise, Brigham Young did the same when he used Joseph’s plans for Zion to layout the City of Salt Lake.  And those plans were used to build many other communities by the saints over the years, fulfilling the first part of the prophesy in Doctrine and Covenants section 49:25:

“Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains…”

Yet, it is the latter part of the prophesy that has settled so heavily on my heart.  “…and [Zion] shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.”  The language used is interesting when you break it down.  Take the words “assembled together” – it brings to mind an idea that Zion will come together like a three dimensional puzzle, piece by piece.  While pondering it, the image of an engine – car or otherwise, came to my mind.  Zion is the force from which the Gospel of Christ flows, and it must be assembled carefully with each part taking its place in order and perfection, for the Kingdom of God to flourish.

The second set of words that jumped out at me were: “unto the place” – this implies that these pieces will be gathered together from different places.  This brings me to believe that these “pieces” are in reality people.  People who have perfected or excel at certain tasks – leadership, organization, missionary work, teachers, doctors, and the list goes on and on.  Yet, the one common factor that will bind all the disparate parts together is the desire to see Zion built physically. Lastly, is the phrase “which I have appointed” – meaning that Heavenly Father has reserved a physical location for this all to take place.  My lovely wife pointed out that Zion is as much a state of mind as it is a physical place; which I feel the first half of the scripture focuses on specifically.  Zion will be built in many places all over the world – in the “hills” and “mountains” and “wilderness.”  However, there is a place reserved for the City of Zion, the New Jerusalem:

Doctrine and Covenants 57:2-3

2  Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.
3  And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse.

This is the focus of my studies.  We amy build Zion in our homes, and within our hearts; and this is the first step to seeing God’s City becoming a reality.  Everything that is built in reality, is first built within the hearts and dreams of men.  Building Zion from the spirit of a dream and breathing life into it requires a solid commitment.  It also requires us to be educated in what Zion needs to become. 

So, I set myself to pondering and dreaming some more over the last month.  The question: “What does Zion look like, physically?”  This inevitably led to other questions:

•    How does it differ from other communities?
•    What is the governing body look like and how is it organized?
•    What of its economy?
•    Would there be industry and a modern infrastructure like we enjoy today?
•    What about technology and technological advancements?
•    How would education work?
•    What will our children learn?
•    What about higher studies?
•    Would education be geared towards careers, as they are in today’s world?
•    And what about the community of Zion?
•    What will our houses look like?
•    Will we have policemen to keep the peace?
•    What about social interaction and entertainment, will there be holidays or movies?
•    What about dating?
•    Will there be medical insurance and other institutions like it that impact the community?

So many questions…and more besides.  Over the next few months, I’m probably going to explore a number of these questions.  They may or may not be organized in any particular order, but I feel that it is a good mental exercise.  As I said before: In order to make Zion a reality, we must first visualize and understand it before we can apply it.

I will be looking to the scriptures, and the documented words of the prophets as my study guides.  And encourage those who read this to do the same.  Help me out by checking my facts.  Toss out your own discoveries, and ask your own questions.  Let’s see if we can paint a picture of God’s Zion, and then begin to assemble it piece by piece by recognizing our place in this massive multi-dimensional puzzle.

Until next week,

Jeffrey

The alluring power of....Lunch?

Light version:

God gave us a world filled with all of the requisite necessity for our survival.  He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.  He then commanded us to work hard and be industrious in our endeavors. Not long after that, Satan comes along and perverts and distorts everything so much, that we are now competing for the plentiful resources and opportunities.

This is contrary to God’s plan.  We must learn to have and exercise a little more faith in the idea that God will provide for our needs (not necessarily our wants).  We will need to practice a bit more compassion for our neighbors, and forget about the competition.  We can share a little more of ourselves, knowing that we have enough to give – acknowledging that God will provide more energy and resources to cover the expense we put out.


Full Version:

October is one of my favorite months.  It is the Month of Leaves here in Missouri, where all the trees begin preparing for winter.  The colors are amazing and the temperature is wonderful.  It is also, (for me at least) one of the only quiet months of the year.  It has a fun holiday at the end of the month, and there are no major birthdays for our family.  And at the beginning of the month we have the wonderful experience with General Conference.  For those non-LDS readers out there, General Conference is a bi-annual, two day meeting where the leaders of the LDS church address its membership throughout the world.  Speakers are chosen to talk on spiritual topics, report on the growth of the church, and sustain new leadership while expressing gratitude for the service of those leaders that are called to other service.  To my knowledge, it is a unique event in religious spheres.  I know of no other faith that collectively gathers so regularly, or puts out the effort to organize such a complex occasion.

It’s been a few weeks now since Conference, and for those who watched it…well, we’ve all had time to let things settle a bit.  It is probably a common thing, but I always tend to walk away from General Conference with a desire to make massive changes in my life.  In preparing for Conference, I step back and try to guess, based on the trends and events of the last six months, what messages the General Authorities of the Church will present.  As I looked back, I saw that one of the great and pervading issues of the last six months (and even the last few years), throughout the world, has been the overwhelming specter of the economy.

With whole countries fighting to stay financially afloat, the very real potential of financial institutions failing, and whispers of another Great Depression, there is a growing fear about when the other shoe is going to finally drop.  Talk of another stock market crash, governments scrambling to prop up failing businesses, raging credit card debt and vicious housing loans, and the global impact of an imperfect economic system…it all adds up to a very unnerving situation for families and individuals.  And it’s all going according to Satan’s master plan.

As a stay-at-home-Dad, it falls to me to get the kids ready for school each day.  The hustle and bustle of making sure that homework is done and accounted for, shoes are tied correctly, and appropriate clothing is washed and available for wear; remembering special school events, acting the chauffeur to and from said events, and more.  When taken all together, it’s all rather exhausting.  One of the duties I dread has always been fixing my kids their sack lunches.  Yet, all I have to do is take a look at the prices of the food that the school provides, and I feel much better about those nice little brown paper sacks.  This is, of course, about the time when I exert some executive authority as Dad and delegate the onerous task to the boys.  I figure that if they are going to eat it, then they might as well put the effort into making it.  This way they can’t blame me if their food doesn’t taste good.

Isn’t it a strange thing that, in today’s growing unrest, we can worry about something as common as…lunch?  I mean, it’s not just lunch.  We’re preoccupied with so many other things; things like car payments, water and electricity bills, internet and cable services, and cell phone plans.  All of these things, while seemingly vital to our survival, aren’t really meant to be worried about.

I must admit, this idea isn’t mine.  I read about it in Brother Hugh Nibley’s super awesome book: Approaching Zion.  Brother Nibley addresses the issue so much better than I could ever hope to.  To paraphrase his idea: God gave us a world filled with all of the requisite necessity for our survival.  He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.  He then commanded us to work hard and be industrious in our endeavors. Not long after that, Satan comes along and perverts and distorts everything so much, that we are now competing for the plentiful resources and opportunities.

Nibley presents the concept better than I, but the idea is fairly straightforward.  Satan, in his diabolical cunning, has created a very logical system that requires us to spend all of our time, talents, and considerable focus on the irrational need to make enough money to buy the necessities that God provides to us for free.  As with all that he does, our eternal adversary takes something godly and perverts it so thoroughly that it becomes profane.   In this instance he’s selected to taint the commandment Heavenly Father gave Father Adam:

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…”
(Gen. 3:19 – see also: Moses 5:1)

Now Heavenly Father, in his infinite wisdom, gave us the responsibility to work hard for our food.  There are a number of reasons for this, but the main one (to my understanding) is the lesson that hard work gives birth to deep and abiding gratitude.  There are other benefits as well: confidence, wisdom, intelligence…the list goes on and on.  Satan on the other hand takes this lesson and turns it on its head.  His initial whispered communication to us is terribly logical: “You need to eat.”  His second is even more logical:  “That guy needs to eat too.”  Both are true and without further influence, the two parties might pool their efforts to feed one another.  However, Satan doesn’t stop there.  His next line is a supposition that inspires the first seeds of doubt: “Dear me!  That certainly doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough to feed the both of you, does it?”

Thus is introduced the concept of rivalry, which in turn leads to hoarding, which inevitably leads to greed and covetousness.  The system was built slowly and subtly, and then at key intervals it was inflamed – at which point the system became self-perpetuating.  Now, we move forwards in time, to present day.  The system has mutated, pervasively expanding into all walks of life.  The concept of “Lunch” is still at the foundation of all that we do, and our needs are exploited by vast corporations in an effort to control more of the resource pie.  In order to be competitive in our careers, so that we can have a larger and better “lunch”, we have to begin preparing at younger and younger ages.  We learn to “distinguish” ourselves in academics, sports, and other activities – all for the express purpose of telling our prospective schools, colleges, and employers that we are more worthy of “Lunch” than that other schlep vying for the same position.  The competition becomes contentious, and we find ourselves at war with our neighbors over the most inane things.

Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection, which I believe was a divinely inspired concept that was again perverted for Satan’s pleasure, has become a self-fulfilling, man-made, prophesy.  Allow me to explain my take on Natural Selection.  If we look to nature, we see a divinely organized eco-system that is complex and balanced.  It is self-correcting, and self-sustaining, with no need for overly invasive outside guidance from man.  At least it was established that way at the beginning.  Left to itself, nature works to ensure propagation and balance.  Man misinterpreted the lesson to mean “Survival of the Fittest” instead of “Survival of All.”

There will come a day when Satan’s plan will implode.  All imperfect plans do, regardless of how many times it is nudged or corrected.  When it does, we will be faced with some very hard times, but at the same time we will finally be free of the massively overbearing societal machine that forces us to compete with one another for our necessities.  Zion will be built on the concept that there’s more than enough to go around.  The ideal of sharing that we are taught as children, will be revived and perfected, and nature will correct the imbalance that Satan has imposed upon it.  Will it be easy?  No.  But in order to make that shift, we must learn to have and exercise a little more faith in the idea that God will provide for our needs (not necessarily our wants).  We will need to practice a bit more compassion for our neighbors, and forget about the competition.  We can share a little more of ourselves, knowing that we have enough to give – acknowledging that God will provide more energy and resources to cover the expense we put out.

There is no doubt that we’re still subject to Satan’s system; however, as citizens of God’s kingdom, we can readily draw hope from the knowledge that such a flawed system cannot hope to sustain itself.  Take a moment this week to look at some of the ways that Heavenly Father has provided for you.  Not just financially, but in all aspects of your life.  The moments are there, were providence and serendipity meet your needs and your desires.  Look for them.  Celebrate them.  Take comfort in the knowledge that even though life is difficult, Heaven has provided more than enough lunch to go around.

Have a good week!

Jeffrey

The Farmer and the King

There once was a young man.  He was modest and pure, and largely content with his life.  He worked the fields of his family without complaint or discontent.  One evening, while weeding his crop, a man dressed in fine clothes came to him and begged water to quench his thirst.  The young man fetched the water readily and gave the man to drink.  Not only this, but he fetched the man a loaf of bread and block of cheese to eat.  When his thirst was sated and his hunger appeased, the older man looked to the younger and complimented his generosity.  He handed the young man a few coins in payment, but the young man pressed them back into the older man’s hands.  When asked why he refused payment, the young man smiled and simply said:

“What you have received was not mine to give, but the gift of Heaven.”

The man was astonished at the young man’s humility, and sought to question him further.

“To what do you aspire?”  He asked pointedly.

“I have been taught to be a good steward of all that I have been blessed with.  To that end I desire naught but to be a good son, a good worker, and someday a good husband and father.  And when it is time to inherit all that my father has, I pray that I am half the man that he has been.”

The older man was further astonished by the youth’s words, and he marveled greatly as they stood in borders of the field.

“Such a rare man, I have found in you.”  He told the young farmer.  “In you I have discovered kindness, and charity.  In you I have uncovered humility.”  He spread his arms wide.  “I have travelled the width and breadth of the world, and in every corner I find nothing but greed and the desire to hoard.  In every city they buy and sell of every commodity, and the worth of man’s souls are measured in the weight of gold and silver.  Why are you so different?”

The young man thought for a time, and then pointed to the setting sun.

“Can you create for me such a wondrous gift as that?”  He asked.


“No.”  The older man admitted.  “It is beyond me.”

The young man pointed to a tall fruit tree that cast long shadows against his small home.

“Can you make for me the seed that can blossom a tree, in this moment, as splendid or as bountiful as that?”

“I cannot.”

“What treasure then, could you give me that is the equal of the wealth that surrounds us?  And in turn, who am I to charge for that which has been so freely given?”

The older man smiled, and thought to confound the boy’s argument and teach the boy some worldly wisdom.

“Alas, your youth shines through, young son.  This land can be bought with gold and silver.”

The boy smiled and nodded, then pointed back to the trees and the majestic sky.

“Pray, good father, who is the author of such beauty; Man or God?”

The wealthy man weighed his words carefully, but could not deny the truth he knew to be in his heart.

“Surely, it must be God.”

“And did he sell it to the kings of old as property?”

“No.”  The man bowed his head in shame.  “It was gifted freely.”

“If it was a gift, then who are we to lay claim on that which was freely given to all?”

The man, who in truth was the king of the kingdom round about, left the young farmer with heavy thoughts.  But his arms were not empty, for the boy had further shared of his field and of his home to ensure the man’s comfort in his journey.  His heart was heavy with the boy’s message, and he kept the meaning of it within his soul all the rest of his days.  And his rule was just and generous.  When his sons grew, he taught them the lesson; and his kingdom prospered unlike any other from that day forth.

The young man grew to be an old man, and upon his death the sons of the king gathered round about his humble home.  They were received openly, and generously gifted of everything that the farmer’s family had.  And they spoke freely of all that the man had taught their father.  And on that day there were no princes or farm boys.  There were only men, and they saw eye to eye and were one family.

OooooO0OooooO

There are morals to be found in all things and all places, but when we look into the beautiful sunsets and round about this magnificent world we live in we must remember that it is not ours to own.  We are but stewards of all that we have, whether it be physical wealth, rich talents, an abundance of knowledge and wisdom, or the simple beauty of testimony.  Recognizing the fruitful blessings that Heaven has poured out upon us, how can we not share as freely as God has given?

Have a wonderful week!
Jeffrey

Endurance

Looking To Zion Lite
(The Condensed Version for Super Busy Moms)

Life requires us to constantly stretch beyond our comfort zone.  There are many times where we want to throw in the towel and give up.  Yet, the whole purpose of this life is to prepare us for life with God, in the Celestial Kingdom.  We cannot hope to endure the spiritual purity of that place, if we do not first purify ourselves.  Zion is going to be much the same.  In order to prepare for it, we must align ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally with God.  Such an endeavor takes time, personal sacrifice, and constant effort.


Here’s the challenge:

    Take ten minutes each morning to feel God’s spirit.  It doesn’t matter how you do it: prayer, singing, reading the scriptures, going to the temple, listening to uplifting music.  Whatever way that you connect with God best, do it.  When that becomes a habit, increase it by ten minutes until you reach the point where the majority of the day is spent in the company of the Holy Ghost.

 ________________________________________

Looking To Zion Not-So-Lite
(The “Everyone” Version)

It never ceases to amaze me, the lengths that Satan and his armies go to in order to undermine the great work of the Lord.  Yet, what amazes me more is the fact that their efforts are so very fruitless!  They know they cannot win.  They know that they are fighting a losing battle.  All their efforts are frustrated at the end of the day.  What is it that makes them hold so steadfastly to their course?  What is it that drives them, in the face of such a hopeless cause?  And yet, on the flip side of this metaphorical coin; how is that we, the children of God Almighty, can falter so easily when we are backed by such an unstoppable, unassailable force?  Considering the amount of opposition that we are flooded with, I feel our faltering comes more from a lack of spiritual endurance than anything else.

I can only speak for my own family in this thing but, in looking back over the last three months, the opposition we have faced has been rather fierce.  To give you an idea, I’ll list just a few things: Unexpected bills, our basement flooded, Janell was exposed to and had a serious allergic reaction to, poison ivy (she’s had it going on three weeks now, and still hasn’t been able to get rid of it), illness, new callings in church, and an increase in the activities outside of our home.  The pace has been horrendous, and the new challenges seem to constantly ride on the coattails of the old.  There is no time to breathe, and scarcely time to think.  Our attention is pulled in a myriad of directions at once, and each direction is necessary.

When I think about life, I liken it to any sport or physical activity that requires us to exert a serious effort over a prolonged amount of time.  In my youth, my sport of choice was running.  At just under five foot six inches, I was the shortest hurdler on the track team.  It was a challenge for me, racing against my peers who had longer legs and longer reach.  For those not familiar with the event, there are several obstacle runs: the short 110 meter high (39 inches) hurdle, the midrange 300 meter intermediate (36 inches) hurdles, and the long distance steeple run where heights and distance vary.

Coach Parker, the Head Coach of the track team, was of the opinion that the hurdlers should be the most adaptive part of the team; therefore we were encouraged to cross train in almost all the other running events.  So I ran cross country, long, short, and mid distances.  It was grueling, and I must confess to you that I was average at best.  Competitive running of any sort requires dedication.  There is a point in all events where your body tells you quite emphatically: “I’m done.  This is as far as I go.”  This is the point of the event where your mind, as the mediator between body and spirit starts to waffle too.  In the moment of agony, when your lungs are burning, your muscles are screaming, and your mind is telling you it’s time to stop, that is when you’re faced with a choice: give into their demands or let your spirit step forward and push you through to the finish line.

How often have you been faced with overwhelming opposition, or life itself seems to set an insane pace for you.  How often have you thrown up your hands in the air and said: “No more!  I can’t do it?”
It seems to happen to me about once a month.

Life requires endurance.  It’s mentioned frequently in the scriptures too: endure to the end, endure all things, etc.  Yet, physical and mental endurance aren’t the only forms of endurance that we need.  Let me ask you a couple of questions: Have you ever been to or experienced a particularly spiritual event?  When you walked away from that incident, did you feel happily drained or tired?

Like our bodies and minds, our spirits are subject to overwhelming stress and fatigue.  Our spirits require a training regime to build up our fortitude and durability.  Our spiritual self needs just as much attention as our bodies, in order to go the distance.  We have spiritual weights and exercises that need to happen on a daily basis if we are to see Zion established.


Life already requires us to constantly stretch beyond our comfort zone, just to survive.  We are already doing the work, but often times we forget where the finish line is.  And there are many times where we want nothing more than to throw in the towel and give up.  Yet, we must remember one thing: the whole purpose of this life is to prepare us for life with God, in the Celestial Kingdom.  We cannot hope to endure the spiritual purity of that place, or the immensity of our Heavenly Father’s loving presence, if we do not first purify ourselves.  Zion is going to be much the same.  In order to prepare for it, we must align ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally with God.  Such an endeavor takes time, personal sacrifice, and constant effort.

How else can we expect to live there, amongst all that purity and goodness, if we are still tied to a spiritual junk food diet and a wastefully meandering lifestyle?

Likewise, how are we going to be able to endure God’s presence, or withstand the excessively pure daily life of the Celestial Kingdom, if we don’t prepare ourselves in this life to do so?  In order to meet Zion’s, and Heaven’s, entry requirements, we will have to stretch our spirits slowly and carefully, over the whole course of our lives.  Such an endeavor cannot happen overnight, nor will it be very easy.  We must pace ourselves to avoid burn out and the naysaying voices of Satan and his armies.

We must give ourselves a solid and visual goal, one that will drive us during those times when our spirit cries out “No more!” and yearns to throw in the towel.  Satan knows he’s lost.  I suspect all that drives him now is the desire to see how many souls he can take down with him.  It’s a spiteful and petty desire, but what does he have left to hold to?  On the flipside of the coin, we know that God will win.  And in this race, it doesn’t matter what your finishing time is.  This race is simply about finishing as best you can.

So here’s the challenge:  Take ten minutes each morning to feel God’s spirit.  It doesn’t matter how you do it: prayer, singing, reading the scriptures, going to the temple, listening to uplifting music.  Whatever way that you connect with God best, do it consistently and frequently.  When that becomes a habit, increase it by ten minutes until you reach the point where the majority of the day is spent in the company of the Holy Ghost.


Until next week.

Jeffrey

The top ten things that I look forward to not having to deal with, once Zion is built.

My wife, Janell, has a seriously bad poison ivy rash covering the majority of her arms, neck and face.  We’re talking big time misery – large and nasty weeping blisters, terrible itching, and achy skin.  All in all, she’s feeling miserable.   So, rather than write a long winded post this week, I’m going to take care of her needs instead.  Therefore, I’ve come up with the “Top ten things that I look forward to not having to deal with, once Zion is built” list.  Drop me a note and tell me what your top ten are…or at least whatever annoying issues that will become extinct when God’s City is built.

My top ten:

10. Election Campaign Idiocy
09. Billboard Advertising
08. Pornography
07. Taxes
06. Unwieldy government
05. Health Insurance
04. People texting while driving their cars
03. Secondhand smoke
02. Banks in general and Money in specific
01. Telemarketers

See you next week!
Jeffrey