Who Art Thou? "A Servant of the Lord"

Who Art Thou? “A Servant of the Lord”

JORDAN FALSLEV
19 April 2015
Newton 2^nd Ward

Good morning Brothers and Sisters!
I’m grateful to be here today, to speak to you.
It’ll be 2 months tomorrow, from returning from The Washington DC South Mission.
Time is definitely flying by; just as it always has been.

I’ll be focusing my talk on receiving the servants of the Lord in our homes.
I’ve always considered others, such as Prophets and Apostles, Mission Presidents, Temple Workers, Stake Presidents and Bishops, as well as the missionaries as the Lord’s servant’s but in all actuality, each one of us, members of Christ’s Church, are servants of the Lord.

My good friend Hannah even pointed out that the Holy Ghost should be considered a servant of the Lord. This has enhanced my perspective of a servant.

The dictionary defines Servant as: a person who is devoted to or guided by something or someone.

I’ve always been a man of questions. Here are a few I would like you to consider;

Do I support the Lord’s Prophets and Apostles by participating in General Conference by watching it or listening to it?
Do I study and ponder the words of the Prophets both in these last days and in the days of old?
What do I do to invite the Spirit into my life?
Am I truly devoted to serving the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength?

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In Joshua 24:2, 15 we read “And Joshua said unto all the people [of Israel], … choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

As in the days of Joshua, so must we today. 

Ammon, a great Nephite missionary, went to the land of the Lamanites to “declare unto them the word of God”. When Ammon entered the land, the Lamanites bound him and took him to the king. The king asked Ammon if he wanted to dwell in the land. Ammon asked the king if he could be his servant.

Ammon served the king with all his heart, might, mind, and strength. He showed love to the people. He used his power to protect the king’s sheep and servants. He used his mind to learn the gospel and share it with the king. He used his strength to be firm and steadfast in living the gospel. 

I love the words of the Primary song “I Will Be Valiant”(Children’s Songbook, 162);

The Lord needs valiant servants,

To do his work in the latter day,

Who follow the teachings of Jesus

And serve his people in a loving way.

I will be his servant

And keep my cov’nants valiantly.

I’ll stand for truth. I’ll stand for right.

The Lord can depend on me.

How do we receive servants of the Lord into our homes?

President David O. McKay counseled: “Home/Visting teaching is one of our most urgent and most rewarding opportunities to nurture and inspire, to counsel and direct our Father’s children. … [It] is a divine service, a divine call. It is our duty as Home/Visiting Teachers to carry the divine spirit into every home and heart.” 

President Hinckley said, “no calling in this church is … of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others. Whatever your calling, it is as fraught with the same kind of opportunity to accomplish good as is mine. … Our work is to go about doing good as did [the Master]”.

Home teachers and Visiting teachers are defintely servants of the Lord.

Each of us is an instrument in the hands of God.

Thankfully, we don’t need to be all the same kind of instrument.

So how do we do it? Amid the pressures of life, how do we become the most effective servants we can be in the hands of the Lord? There is a great deal about this that we can learn from the sons of Mosiah.

First off: Our own conversion must come first. The most important conversion for any of us is our own. If we are to bring the light of the gospel into others’ lives, it must shine brightly in our own. Once converted, the sons of Mosiah labored without ceasing to share the gospel with others, “for they could not bear that any human soul should perish”. Only when we are converted to the Lord Jesus Christ are we in a position to strengthen others. And only then do we begin to understand that our lives truly do have meaning, purpose, and direction, and that as brothers and sisters united in our devotion to Jesus Christ our calling is to be a light to the world.

Second: Like the sons of Mosiah, we must wax “strong in the knowledge of the truth”. These brothers continually studied the gospel. Through fasting and prayer and immersing themselves in the scriptures, they came to know that Jesus is the Christ, and they learned to hear His voice.

It is almost impossible to be an effective servants (Instruments) within our own families, with our neighbors, or at work, unless we can discern the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Ammon was able to perceive the thoughts of the Lamanite king because he was living close to the Lord.

Our ability to hear the voice of the Spirit is dependent upon our willingness to keep the commandments, for “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated”. If we want to experience the joy of gospel living and feel of Christ’s atoning mercies, obedience to all, and not just a select few, of God’s commandments is the only way.

President Hinckley repeatedly asked us to become better missionaries, and Elder M. Russell Ballard has indicated that if the missionary program of the Church is to accomplish all it must, we as members must join in the effort.

Whether we are serving as a home teacher or planning home evenings, meetings or teaching children in Primary or leading the youth, we can find ways to reach those who are new in the faith or whose faith has faltered or those who haven’t yet found the truth. We can be instruments (servants) in helping gather the Lord’s sheep back to the fold.

Will you think of specific ways you can be a more dedicated instrument in the hands of God? 

We can do as Samuel did. Remember the story of Eli and Samuel? Eli, the old prophet, had the boy Samuel to train. The little boy came to him and said, “Somebody keeps calling to me at night.”

The old prophet said, “What do they say?”

The boy said, “They just call my name: Samuel. I get up and look around, but there’s nobody there.”

The wise old prophet, teaching this young boy who himself would be a prophet one day, said, “When that happens again, your answer should be, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth’”.

If we could build that in our lives—”Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth”—then we would find ourselves among our own friends, families, and associates doing what we ought to do, living as we ought to live. 

Jesus leads His church through authorized servants, holy men, who dispense His power and His will to the Saints and to the world.

Jesus called others, commissioned them, and sent them to labor in the cause of truth with a statement of the greatest possible earthly honor and approval: “He that receiveth you receiveth me.” As it was true for His servants then, it is true for His latter-day servants as well; an eternal principle.

When Jesus told His apostles that they represented Him, he was expressing a principle that had been in force and had applied to the servants of God in every age. Jesus invoked that principle upon the Twelve in the meridian of time, just as He had done upon Moses centuries before and as He would do upon Joseph Smith centuries later.

I learned as a college student, that inspiration can come to any of us. When I took my first semester, I was taking a difficult class. Most of what was being taught went over my head. Perhaps I was not trying hard enough. The professor asked us something. I didn’t understand the question, let alone the answer. Right out of nowhere a response came into my mind. To my surprise, it was the right answer, but I knew it had not come from me.

So how can we recognize inspiration when it comes? Enos stated, “While I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind”.

The voice is not necessarily audible. The spirit of revelation comes by divine confirmation. “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart”.

We believe that all righteous people have the potential to receive inspiration from God. 

Many outside the Church have received revelation from the Holy Ghost, convincing them of the truth of the gospel. It is through this power that sincere investigators after the truth acquire a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the principles of the gospel before baptism.

However, those possessing the gift of the Holy Ghost can come to greater light and testimony. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth and impresses upon the soul the reality of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, so deeply that no earthly power can separate one from that knowledge. Indeed, not having the gift of the Holy Ghost is somewhat like having a body without a spiritual immune system.

I know that if you can learn to hear the whispering of the Spirit and be guided by your spiritual leaders, you will avoid many of the pitfalls and heartaches of the world. You will have a comforting feeling of your great worth as a choice son or daughter of God.
I also saw the opposite on my mission, those who did not know the voice of the Lord, or knew how to recognize it struggled through their day to day lives. They didn’t know how important and loved they were by God, and because they were too focused on their struggles and difficulties, they couldn’t be intune with the whisperings of the Spirit.
It is so important that we learn what God’s Will is for us.

In D&C 130 we read:

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. 

In D&C 132 we read:

For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.

I’m going to quickly review a couple of Heavenly Father’s irrevocably decreed blessings. The first is from section 62 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you. 

It is interesting that the angels in heaven record our testimonies and look upon them and rejoice over us for having borne them. It is remarkable that our sins are forgiven by the bearing of testimony.

Section 78 of the Doctrine and Covenants describes an exceptional blessing for the simple act of maintaining a thankful heart:

And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

I am going to focus the rest of my talk on one incredible conditional blessing laid forth by the Lord in section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants known as the oath and covenant of the priesthood. 

And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;

And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;

And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.

And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.

Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved. 

Did you notice it? Did you catch the simple qualification that we need to meet in order to receive the blessing of the Father’s kingdom and all that the Father has? It’s in there, and it is powerful. Sisters, I am completely confident that it is there for you to observe and fully receive as well as us Brothers.

Let’s go over it again: “And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord.”

And how do we “receive” the Lord? He tells us in the next phrase: “For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me.”

There it is. That is the qualification. Receive the Lord’s servants. If we receive the Lord’s servants, we receive the Lord. (In a more specific way, if we receive the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Ghost, we receive the Lord.) And if we receive the Lord, we receive the Father. And when we receive the Father, we receive the Father’s kingdom and all that the Father has.

Your key and mine to rising to our potential as servants, is to know our Lord and Master, to do for Him what we can, and be content to leave the rest in His hands. Let me give you an example that we will face in the days ahead. 

You will be torn between the demands to put bread on the table and a roof over your head, to take care of your family needs, and at the same time to meet the requirements of the callings you have accepted in the Church. When that happens, you will be sorely tempted to murmur, perhaps even to complain.

But remember that you serve a Supreme Being who loves you, who knows you, and who is all-powerful. He has created not demands for your service but opportunities for your growth. You can pray to Him with confidence and ask, “What would you have me do next?” If you’ll listen humbly and with faith, you will feel an answer. And you will, set about to do that which your Master has commanded. And you will leave the rest in His hands. 

As one of His many servants I promise you that you will find that some of those residual tasks you left will be done when you return to them. Others will have been prepared for you. And you will be the stronger for the task you already tackled.

Then, when you pray again, an answer will come again. And you will move on to the next task, at peace and not complaining.

Sometimes you may not feel an answer to your prayer because the Lord may not care which task you start next. (I’ve had many of these prayers) But He will care that you asked. And whatever you choose to do next, you will know that the rest is in His hands.

You will in time come to see that your Master is not using you but drawing you to Him. You will come to know that the scripture is for you that says, “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?”.

When you have long enough prayed, listened, and obeyed, He will no longer be a stranger to you and you will begin to know the thoughts and intents of His heart. Then you will come to know that another scripture can apply to you. This is what the Savior said to His beloved servants during His mortal ministry when they had begun to understand His heart and His mind and that of His Heavenly Father:

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

You may not be asked to die in the service He requires of you, but you will be asked to love and to sacrifice for a lifetime. And you will be blessed by your faithful and loving Savior beyond what you would have asked of Him. And, above all, you will, as a faithful servant, become His friend.

I know as you go forth to serve Him, you will be lifted up. And in the world to come you will find yourself in His exalted presence.

I really miss being a missionary.
But just a few days ago I was set apart to be a temple worker and I will be starting this coming Saturday and I am very excited.
I am so thankful I can continue to serve the Lord and truly we can constantly be serving the Lord as we are an example.
My Mission President counseled us to live our lives 6 months to 6 months.
I know that 15 men are especially servants of the Lord. We can gain much from every single talk as we listen to it and apply it into our daily lives.
My plea to you and to myself is to become a more dedicated and consecrated servant of the Lord. I know we will be greatly blessed and many of us will bless the lives of others.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Divine Direction

Divine Direction
JORDAN FALSLEV
22 March 2015
Smithfield YSA 3^rd Ward

Good morning! I’m Jordan Falslev and I recently returned from my mission serving in the Washington DC South which covers Northern Virginia. It was an amazing adventure! I’ve never learned so much in my twenty-one years than what I did in those two years. It is great to be back in this YSA Ward!

The events of those years taught me especially the need for revelation in the Lord’s work and personal revelation in my own life. Personal revelation is the way we know for ourselves the most important truths of our existence: the living reality of God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ; the truthfulness of the restored gospel and God’s purpose and direction for us. 

I love personal revelation! I could honestly talk forever about this principle.

Personal revelation is surely the word of God in its purest and simplest form: unfiltered, unedited, untranslated, pure, intimate, specific, and direct. I have total confidence in promising that anyone who grasps hold of personal revelation as his or her rod of iron, never letting go, obeying every prompting, will walk through the mists of darkness and arrive and feast upon the fruits of the tree of life.

The Lord wants to guide us in our lives, and actually does so. The problem is we fail to hear most of what He says. Only an occasional shout from the heavens gets through, while the quiet whisperings of truth remain unheard.

Revelation is very demanding. Even the most seemingly insignificant communication from the Lord must be acted upon courageously and without complaint. The Lord does not take revelation lightly, and neither should we. 

Personal revelation defines the straight and narrow path upon which we are to journey home. There is no other path or course of life by which we can reach exaltation. No one will accidently wander through life and find themselves exalted in the end. 

There are many forms of revelation: the still small voice, burning in the bosom when truth is presented, bursts of understanding, dreams, visions, patriarchal blessings, flashes of insight, prophetic words in priesthood blessings, and many others. All these are employed from time to time, but most often it is the still small voice which communicates the will of God. Even the prophets of God receive revelation this way. 

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
-D&C 8:2-3

Please sincerely answer the following question in your mind: When was the last time you remember really feeling the Spirit or having been inclined by the Holy Ghost?

            So when was it? How long ago was the event that you immediately thought of? What was the occurrence? Some common answers might be; “When I received my patriarchal blessing” or “I really felt the spirit on my mission”. However, it’s less common for us to answer this question by saying, “I really felt the spirit this morning when I prayed” or “About ten minutes ago when we sang the opening hymn.”

            Each week when we partake of the sacrament we are promised to “always have {God’s} Spirit with {us}.” Did you notice the word always? The promise is not that we will have the Holy Ghost with us sometimes, or just in Church buildings, or during key life events. No, we are promised that the Spirit will be with us always – in our homes, at practice, at school, with our friends, at work, and at play. Always. So why then do we sometimes have to search back months or years into the deep of our memories to recall the last time we think the Spirit influenced us?
            Elder David A. Bednar said, “Sometimes as Latter-day Saints we talk and act as though recognizing the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives is the rare or exceptional event” when the reality is that “the Holy Ghost can tarry with us much, if not most, of the time – and certainly the Spirit can be with us more than it is not.”

            Perhaps the problem is not that we aren’t being influenced by the Holy Ghost in our day to day lives, but simply that we don’t recognize it or are overlooking it.

            Let me explain a little better…

            Have you ever had an idea burst into your mind to do something? Maybe you saw your mom clear off the dinner table and thought, “I should help her,” or perhaps driving home from work and thought, “I should go visit Brother Collins.” Maybe you’ve had a clear warning voice of coaching in your mind, such as, “This movie isn’t good… turn it off” or “I should get out of this situation now.”

            The Lord taught us, “As often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit”. These instructions in our mind often come in the form of “Do this…” “Don’t do that…” “Go here…” Don’t go there…” “Look into this…”

            Elder Richard G. Scott testified that “sometimes the direction comes so clearly and so unmistakably that it can be written down like spiritual dictation.”

            The spiritual instructions that come to our minds will direct us to follow Christ, obey his gospel, and draw nearer to him. If we obtain an instruction in our mind to do something we know is damaging, we can know it is not of God.

            Have you ever been going through a hard time or having an awful day and then as you studied the scriptures, or prayed, or heard a gospel talk or lesson the thought came to you, “I’m going to be okay,” or “Everything will work out,” or “Stay confident,” or “God is aware of you and your situation. He loves us and will help us.” Comforting thoughts similar to those are another way the Lord speaks to our mind through the Holy Ghost.

Elder Parley P. Pratt described the extraordinary characteristics of this remarkable power,

             “The gift of the Holy Spirit . . . quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use . . .  It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feelings. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.”

We have been promised that the Holy Ghost can be with us always – each day of our lives, not just each huge event in our lives. I testify that this is true, and that we all can be spiritually influenced and led each day – multiple times each day. The next time somebody asks, “When was the last time you felt the Spirit?” you want to be able to respond saying, “Well, what time is it?”

President Boyd K. Packer was interviewed for a documentary and was asked the question, “How do you test the promptings and know whether they come from God or from yourself?” President Packer responded, “It’s a very fine line to determine whether the impression or prompting is revelation or just a personal thought. One of the tests is to ask yourself: Is it good? Does it make you happy? Or is it destructive? You can test.”

Another question that may come to your mind, as it has mine, “how should I act if I feel I haven’t received an impression or an answer at all?”

Elder Richard G. Scott said the following;

“We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act.

Most often what we have chosen to do is right. He will confirm the correctness of our choices His way. That confirmation generally comes through packets of help found along the way. . . . If, in trust, we begin something which is not right, He will let us know before we have gone too far. We sense that help by recognizing troubled or uneasy feelings.”

Once again, we have the awesome opportunity to soon hear from Living, Latter-day Prophets and Apostles of Jesus Christ. What a grand opportunity to be edified, taught and counseled by the Holy Spirit. I can’t think of a better opportunity for an outpouring of personal revelation. 

We are so privileged as Latter-day Saints! We have the current word of God right at our finger tips! Back in the Old Testament times, prophets were scattered and few in numbers. During the New Testament, Jesus and His Apostles could only be in one place at a time. Many never met them or heard them speak. In these ‘Last Days’ we have scripture from both the old and new worlds, revealed lost and new doctrine and the current will of God today; every month in church magazines, every six months in General Conference, and in many other avenues. We are so blessed and watched over. 

Are we truly using our resources? What did the Spirit speak to you last General Conference? What was God’s will for you? I invite you to have a pen and lots of paper this Easter Weekend! Show the Lord that you are ready and willing to be edified by His Spirit. I promise you, you will learn new truths and receive divine personal direction to where the Lord would have you go and experience.

Almost a year ago, I was watching General Conference at a member’s home in Ashburn, Virginia.  The conference speakers were marvelous, and I was enjoying an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

I remember well as one General Authority spoke about the Savior and His ministry and then bore a fervent testimony; the Holy Spirit confirmed to my soul that he had spoken the truth. At that moment I had no doubt that the Savior lives. I also had no doubt that I was experiencing personal revelation which confirmed to me “that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

As an eight-year-old child I was baptized and confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was a wonderful blessing then but has become increasingly important as I have grown and experienced the gift of the Holy Ghost in many ways since then.

Often as we grow from childhood to adolescence and then to adulthood, we have challenges and experiences along the way which cause us to know that we need the divine help that comes through the Holy Spirit. As struggles come, we may ask ourselves, “What is the answer to my problem?” and “How can I know what to do?”

I often reflect upon the account in the Book of Mormon about Lehi teaching his family the gospel. He shared with them many revelations and teachings about things to come in the latter days. Nephi had sought the guidance of the Lord in order to more fully understand the teachings of his father. He was lifted, blessed, and inspired to know that the teachings of his father were true. That enabled Nephi to carefully follow the commandments of the Lord and live a righteous life. He received personal revelation to guide him.

On the other hand, his brethren were disputing with each other because they did not understand the teachings of their father. Nephi then asked a very important question: “Have ye inquired of the Lord?”

Their response was a weak one: “We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.”

Nephi took that opportunity to teach his brethren how to receive personal revelation. He said: “Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.”

The way to receive personal revelation is really quite clear. We need to desire to receive revelation, we must not harden our hearts, and then we need to ask in faith, truly believe that we will receive an answer, and then diligently keep the commandments of God.

Following this pattern does not mean that every time we ask a question of God, the answer will immediately appear with every detail of what to do. However, it does mean that if we diligently keep the commandments and ask in faith, answers will come in the Lord’s own way and in His time.

Most often personal revelation will come as we study the scriptures, listen to and follow the counsel of prophets and other Church leaders, and seek to live faithful, righteous lives. Sometimes inspiration will come from a single verse of scripture or from a line in a conference talk. Perhaps your answer will come when you hear the Primary children singing a beautiful song. These are all forms of revelation.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught that “revelation and testimony do not always come with overwhelming force. For many, a testimony comes slowly—a piece at a time.” He further said: “Let us earnestly seek the light of personal inspiration. Let us plead with the Lord to endow our mind and soul with the spark of faith that will enable us to receive and recognize the divine ministering of the Holy Spirit.”

Elder David A. Bednar has taught us: “As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will ‘walk in the light of the Lord’ (Isaiah 2:5; 2 Nephi 12:5). Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually, and often so delicately you may not even consciously recognize it. But regardless of the pattern whereby this blessing is received, the light it provides will illuminate and enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding (see Alma 5:7; 32:28), and direct and protect you and your family.”

The Lord desires to bless us with guidance, wisdom, and direction in our lives. He desires to pour down His Spirit upon us. Again, for personal revelation we need to desire to receive it, we must not harden our hearts, and then we need to ask in faith, truly believe that we will receive an answer, and then diligently keep the commandments of God. Then as we seek answers to our questions, He will bless us with His Spirit.

I know God lives!

I know with all my heart and soul that Jesus is the Christ.

I have come to know a greater and deeper understanding of the amazing work and person Joseph Smith was. He truly is a prophet of God.

I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is meant especially for this day and age. 

I love going to the House of the Lord. What amazing places of spiritual insight we have. I testify that if we go there regularly we will find a greater happiness we have never experienced.

I know President Monson is a prophet today and does and will always lead this church in the correct path.

I know with all my soul that this is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A Tribute to George W.

 I was informed yesterday of the passing of George W.

The last area on my mission, was in Annandale, Virginia.
While serving there I had the dear privilege of meeting and teaching George W.
George was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He experienced a lot throughout his life and had challenges to work through, just as we all do.
He went away from the Church for sometime but the Spirit of the Lord worked upon him and he gained a desire to return to Church and began to activate the atonement into his life and receive the enabling power (grace) into his soul.

George came back to Church November 2, 2014.

Members extended love & friendship and we began to re-teach him the truths of the gospel.

He continued to apply the principles of 'true happiness' and George's glow and light began to grow stronger and brighter. 

George had not yet entered one of the Houses of the Lord.

So he became to work towards receiving a recommend to enter the Temple.

On the 27 of December 2014 George attended the Temple and performed proxy work for those that have passed onto the other side.

George was glowing so much and his smile was so bright during the visit. He loved being inside the House of the Lord and did not want to leave.

He instantly became eager to receive his Endowment.

 

On February 25, 2015 he had a massive stroke and never recovered; passing away on March 5th.

Death is not the end. Death is really a beginning  —  another step forward in Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. Our physical bodies will die. But our spirits do not die, they go to the spirit world, where we will continue to learn and progress and may be with loved ones who have passed on.

Death is a necessary step in our progression, just as our birth was. Sometime after our deaths, our spirits and our bodies will be reunited—never to be separated again. This is called resurrection, and it was made possible by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:22

 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

I am so thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ which provides us to return to Heavenly Father.
How often we should praise and give thanks for this outstanding gift!

Death is not an end. It is a joyous beginning!
I so testify!!

It was such a pleasure to be able to teach him and to hear of his powerful witness of Jesus Christ and especially of his love and understanding of the Holy Spirit. I learned a lot from him. Especially on the power and influence of God over the Adversary.

I truly believe his faith was renewed and strengthened and he is completely worthy and prepared to meet with his Eternal Family.

Life is so fragile and I am so grateful I was able to rub shoulders with such a reborn and dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ.

Until we meet again George.
God Bless.

 

Why I decided to name my blog; By and Through Grace

I recently returned from an amazing journey of serving a two year mission for my Savior, Jesus Christ by helping build up The Kingdom of God. My mission was The Washington DC South Mission which covers the Northern Virginia area. It was both a difficult and joyous adventure and I am so thankful, daily, for the experiences I had. It was truly the greatest learning experience I have had in my life!

So why did I decide to name my blog; By and Through Grace? Well, first, let me try to explain to you a little about the doctrine (a set of beliefs that are taught and believed to be true) of grace.

Grace: the divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

Throughout my mission my knowledge, understanding, and love of grace as grown dramatically!

I LOVE GRACE!

In our Church meetings, we don't often talk about grace, but we, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do believe in grace.

One of my all time favorite hymns (which sadly is not currently in our hymnal) is Amazing Grace.

Amazing Grace

1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
   That saved a wretch like me!
   I once was lost, but now am found;
   Was blind, but now I see.
2. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
   And grace my fears relieved;
   How precious did that grace appear
   The hour I first believed.
3. Through many dangers, toils and snares,
   I have already come;
   ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
   And grace will lead me home.
4. The Lord has promised good to me,
   His Word my hope secures;
   He will my Shield and Portion be,
   As long as life endures.
5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
   And mortal life shall cease,
   I shall possess, within the veil,
   A life of joy and peace.
6. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
   The sun forbear to shine;
   But God, who called me here below,
   Will be forever mine.
7. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
   Bright shining as the sun,
   We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
   Than when we’d first begun.

John Newton, pub.1779
v. 7 by Anonymous/Unknown, pub.1829

Grace is the power of God  from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I've learned to divide grace into four powers;

Resurrection

the reuniting of the spirit with the body in an immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death.
Redemption

an act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or the state of being redeemed.

Deliverance from sin; salvation

Healing

to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.

Strengthening

to make stronger; give to strength to.

to gain strength; grow stronger.

Elder David A. Bednar said some really wonderful things about how the Lord's grace affects our lives:

"The Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to live in us - not only to direct us but also to empower us."

"Individual willpower, personal determination and motivation, effective planning and goal setting are necessary but ultimately insufficient for us to triumphantly complete this mortal journey. Truly, we must come to rely upon the 'merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah'."

"The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity."

Brad Wilcox gave one of the most powerful talks on Grace titled; His Grace is Sufficient.
It is a powerful read and I encourage you to read it. 

In all, My life would not be possible without the power of Grace. I could absolutely not have completed a mission without the hand of Grace, and day by day I receive an abundance of grace every second, minute, and hour. Pray for a greater outpouring of grace. You will indeed receive it.

By and Through Grace I am who I am.

This blog is about my life and the journey I have and am currently adventuring!
It is by the grace of Jesus Christ that I embrace it, make it, and love it!

Jordan 

My Homecoming Address

22 February 2015

Good morning Brothers and Sisters!
This is crazy.

You are a beautiful sight.

I must express the great happiness that I have and am experiencing at this time. My words are very similar to the words of Ammon (Alma 26:11), "My joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I (will) rejoice in my God.

These past two years have been quite the adventure. I didn’t expect what a mission was going to be like but it was more than I expected. I didn’t know what I was expecting it to be but it was amazing. It’s going to be very difficult for me to express in enough words what happened in two years. It’s hard enough to get a topic to talk in church and you have about two weeks to prepare but of two years of such a learning experience, it hard to puts things into word and to grasp it all. So I am thankful to have a topic to have a focus on.

I’m so thankful for this Ward for your many prayers. I testify that prayers are amazing and that our Heavenly Father hears them. There is absolutely no way, that we as missionaries, 18/19 year olds could do the the things that we do. We are strengthened by prayers, and I’m thankful to be able to understand prayer at a greater depth.

I’m also thankful for my fellow comrades that served in the Washington DC South Mission as well that are here with me today, to support me. They were a great strength to me in the field and I’m thankful for them.

I’m thankful for a fellow family that is here, who have a fellow missionary still serving in the Washington DC South Mission. It is a wonderful mission to serve in.

There is such an abundance of the Spirit here today. I felt the presence of the Spirit a lot greater on the mission and here today. It makes me shake a lot, and so that is one of the ways I know I have the spirit because my heart is pumping very strongly and I feel like those people in the Book of Mormon who collapse because they feel the spirit so much. So hopefully I do not collapse. Each of you  carries a light and I’ve grown to recognize that light at a greater depth.  The scriptures teach us that light cleaveth unto light (D&C 88:40). So you are very beautiful and you have a power about you.

When I received the topic of what I was going to focus my talk on, I had a lot of things flood into my mind, and I still have many things flooding into my mind, and so I pray that the Spirit may edify you and me as well and that I may be able to say the words with power and boldness but not overbearing.

As I’ve mentioned many times, I served in the Washington DC South Mission and it covers the Northern Virginia area. Before arriving in Virginia I expected the people that lived there to be Virginians through and through. But those that have visited Virginia or have lived there you would know I was mostly incorrect about that. The District of Columbia and it’s neighboring States are very multi-cultured and I’m very thankful for the opportunity that I had to talk with and teach people from all aspects of life and through all upbringings.

On my mission, as many of you may know, I was given the opportunity to use social media and I was surprised as much as you were probably. I felt very into the world when they first let us onto Facebook. But it was an amazing tool that I could be able to use the ministry of two years to have a greater outreach and I was able to talk with a greater, wider group of people from all aspects of life. There are so many people on Facebook and all are in need of the gospel. We were also given iPads, which was very interesting. A scripture that is very famous to missionaries serving today is found in Doctrine and Covenants 88:73; “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.” The time has come and it is going on and one of the ways our Heavenly Father has hastened His work is through using tools to spread the gospel in a multitude of ways. There was a lot of people I could not communicate with in the English language. I never had the amazing gift of tongues BUT my iPad did and I was able to share videos in many languages that could touch the spirit of them and I am very thankful for that. When I first started my mission, there was about 58,000 missionaries and now there are nearly 90,000! And so the growth has been incredible. And I’m very thankful for Sister Missionaries, they are fantastic. They were a great strength to us Elders, they are high above and very close to the spirit and I’m thankful for their wonderful examples. 

If I was to ask you what this is (show pen) , I hope you would all say a pen. But in the words of my mission president; “This is a revelatory tool!” Some of the greatest things that we have is to come to church and also to attend the temple. And there is many reasons why we attend church and the temple, but one of the greatest is to receive personal revelation. And so I hope that you have a personal revelation tool and that you show the Lord that you are willing to be edified by the Holy Spirit and that you write the things down that impress you because it’s all different for the individual and I’m thankful for that.

I encourage you to reflect upon the following questions;

- Can we benefit by knowing about the gospel, being around it, understanding it, discussing it, or even feeling that it’s true if that is all we do?

- What do we need to do before the gospel can really help us?

Sometimes we as members of the Church may wonder, “I belong to the Church. I know the gospel is true and I even try to teach my friends about it. So what is wrong? Why am I unhappy?” Throughout my mission, I have come to fully know the following to be absolutely true: the blessings of the gospel do not come from just knowing about it or belonging to the Church. Blessings come from actually living gospel principles in our everyday lives.

Each of us are examples one to another, one way or another. Throughout my mission I met and talked with hundreds of children of God. Each of them have experienced life differently, they understand it differently, and they even see it differently. We can learn a lot from how people use their agency, to either improve the quality of their lives or not.

You and I, are all looking forward to eventually living with God again to be exalted and live in the Celestial Kingdom. How do we earn the trust of God? We gain the trust of the Lord through earning it and that is accomplished through our actual performance of living His gospel and keeping our covenants. In other words, we are to earn the trust of the Lord by doing His will.

In James 1:25 it reads;

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Now there are lots of fancy words in there but there is also an absolute; it says, “this man [or woman] shall be blessed in his/her deed” as we do as what the Lord commands us to do.

A scripture that goes well with this is, and I’ll try to explain it further; some of us often find us saying; “Why can’t the Lord just tell us exactly what to do? Why is there so much lenience or why do we have so much free will? ”

In Doctrine & Covenants 58:26-29 we read;
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

 27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

 28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

 29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.

Often it may seem that we have commandments that are overbearing and restrictive and unless we follow the commandments we are not going to be able to know of its truthfulness and how it can bless our lives.

I unfortunately worked with and taught with lots of people that were not willing to stretch, try something different and to overcome addictions.

A great vision that I want you to imagine is that Satan has a small thread and it’s very long and it’s a huge bundle (there are countless children) and each time he tries to get us to fall away from the straight course God would have us, we can get threaded slowly and it’s easy to clip off each thread, but slowly, if we don’t heed the words of the prophets, reading our scriptures and praying often, those threads can get tighter and thicker and we become bound.

I, as a missionary, could provide scissors but I could not cut the thread for them.

They have to do that for themselves. We each have to do/act for ourselves, we have to be our own agents and be willing to tell Satan to leave us, to align our will with God’s; it’s so important that we do this.

A scripture that is similar to having a thread wrapped around us is the scripture image of chains, that Satan has a great hold of the children of men.

In 2 Nephi 1:23, a prophet cries;

 23 Awake, my sons {and daughters}; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

While on my mission, I would talk to a lot of missionaries in my District Meetings or when I was talking with members, I would say; Shake of those chains of which ye are bound. There is such a relief and release when those heavy burdens come off of us. I testify that not only did Jesus Christ while He was suffering for our sins, but He suffered for our pains, our mistakes, the heartache we would have, and so those chains not only are our sins but they are our pains, our setbacks and those trials that we experience while we are in a fallen world. So we can shake off those chains but we have to, again, shake them off. No one else can do it for you.

My mission president taught a lot about the difference between those in the Celestial Kingdom and those in the Terrestial Kingdom. What is the difference?

In Doctrine & Covenants 76:79, the Lord explains the difference.

76 These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.

Both of those that will reside in those kingdoms have a testimony of Jesus Christ but being valiant is the key.

A definition for valiant is: possessing or acting with bravery or boldness.

And valiance: faithfully perform ones duty beyond the minimum requirement.

My thoughts are very similar to those of Elder Bruce R. McConkie.

He asked: What does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

I will read the following;

It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and
ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of
faith. The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness
is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to ‘come unto Christ, and
be perfected in him’; it is to deny ourselves ‘of all ungodliness,’
and ‘love God’ with all our ‘might, mind and strength.’ (Moroni 10:32)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and
His gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and
divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be
doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service;
it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the
Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness.
‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.’ (Matthew 7:21)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to ‘press forward with a
steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a
love of God and of all men.’ It is to ‘endure to the end.’ (2 Nephi
31:20) It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep
the commandments. It is the manifestation of ‘pure religion’ in the
lives of men; it is visiting ‘the fatherless and widows in their
affliction’ and keeping ourselves ‘unspotted from the world.’ (James
1:27)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions,
control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to
overcome the world as did He who is our prototype and who himself was
the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally
clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to
pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if
called upon to do so.

Actions truly speak louder than words. In fact, actions mean much more to the Lord than words. The Lord declared in the Doctrine and Covenants, “If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments” (D&C 42:29).

[ Hear ----  Remember ------ Understand ---- Do ---- Become ]

In order to become all that the Father would have us be, we must first hear of the gospel. And in order to show that we have heard right we have to remember. And then to show that we do remember we begin to understand what God wants us to do. And then we act/do and then we become.

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy spoke to our mission, he said the following that has provided me with greater drive for diligence and purpose in my life, he said: “You weren’t sent here to be average. You were sent here as a noble and great one, to come forth at this time. So never sell yourself short. Always progress. Put it in God’s hands. Let Him help you. Let Him help you understand everything you need to know.” 

Throughout my mission, many wonderful Christian people thought that if they just had a belief and didn't act upon that belief that they would all be well and dandy. But that is a deception of the devil {The idea that it is enough to hear and believe without acting on that belief}. Many prophets have taught us against this deception. The Apostle James wrote, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). King Benjamin taught, “And now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them” (Mosiah 4:10). And in modern revelation the Lord declares, “If you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you” (D&C 78:7).

Throughout my mission, when I was either tracting or street contacting, I would ask those who shared that they were Christians, “How has Jesus Christ blessed your life?”

And they would reply, “Oh He has blessed my whole life.”

It was very general and not specific to their individual self.

And so I encouraged them, to learn, to take the lessons from us missionaries, to learn more about Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for us and how He truly focuses on the individual.

In the very beginning of my mission, I expected those I served with and around and also those I taught to be on the same level of conversion and that was not a very good idea of what other people were or should be and it became very hard to work with them. And so I came to know that each of us is on our own level of conversion and that it is so important to love others as much as we can. We don’t fully understand their life experience, what they have gone through, their understanding, and so it so important that we love one another and set the example of our own conversions, because as we help those around us we help ourselves.

Another thing I have also learned, is that we have give all to the Lord. I've learned that many people have different giving their all to the Lord. Some can only give 5% with the experience and trials they are going through. Some can give 50% and some can give 98%. The Lord will take whatever you can give. As we give ourselves we become better able to align ourselves with the Lord.

It’s not easy, there’s definitely a lot more sorrow than there is joy, but that joy is much more stronger and more abiding.

Just as we cannot have one foot in the world and another foot out of the world, we have to either decide if we are going to be with the Lord or clearly by ourselves.

I’m thankful for the agency that we have as Children of God. But it’s also very disappointing when others choose not to be valiant in what they know to be true. I worked with those that were less active and they had lost their testimony by forgetting the truths of the gospel. I’m thankful that I was able to bring those truths of the gospel that bring me such happiness into their lives. I continued to invite them to read the scriptures and to pray but they still used their agency. Many did choose to shake off those chains which held them bound, and you could see a change in them and they had pure joy. But it’s also important to remember that we can’t just do it for a period of time and then let it go, or to do it for someone else, but that we need to gain our own convictions and truths of the gospel.

       Each year in my mission a Theme would be given to help motivate us and help us become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. The theme for this year is to Be All In! What does it mean for you to be all in? How can you be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I wasn't a perfect missionary. None of us are. The Lord is very merciful, very patient. I’m thankful that I have the ability to be refined, to shake off chains that have held me bound.

I know that it is so important that we understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has provided a way to share it with everyone. He is a very fair God. I’m thankful that as I knocked on people’s doors and talked with them, that that wasn't their only chance to accept the gospel, and they will have many opportunities (just as we do) to accept it again.

I know that this is The Church of Jesus Christ and that we as Latter-day Saints are all enlisted, it’s not just the missionaries that are set apart to proclaim the gospel (full-time) but each of us are examples and we can each be an example one unto another. Life is not going to be easy as you live the gospel; clearly you would know that. But as we endure to the end we can receive great blessings and joy.

I know that we are led by Prophets and Apostles. How thankful I am to know that we not only have living day Prophets, but to also have the Prophets that were before and with Jesus Christ. How privileged we are as Latter-day Saints today to have continued revelation. Not very many people, (while the Apostles were on the earth) ever heard of them, or only heard them once or twice and then they were gone. But we have them today, we can hear from them as often as we want. I know that they are men of God and I've gained a greater understanding of their role and how hard it is to share the gospel but that we are strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord. That His grace is ever present in our very lives, as we are willing to do as He commands.

I’m so thankful for my mission. There is definitely not enough time to express all that I have learned. I’m thankful that I was able to record every single day of my mission, and that I can read upon those, to reflect, and to have those memories to enlighten me.

I’m so thankful for the support you have provided and for the love and prayers.

I know that this is the Kingdom of God. Many people will say, “I know that the Church is true.” By that, they mean that this is the Kingdom of God. We are in need to prepare for Christ’s Second Coming. It’s closer than its ever been.

I’m thankful that the gospel provides the assurance… before my mission I was really afraid. There was a lot of distress in the world, just as there is today, but during my mission I came to know that I don’t need to fear, that I have full trust in the Lord. That although people’s choices can affect us, that we can definitely be strengthened by the Spirit.

I’m so thankful for the Spirit. In the beginning I was very nervous and flustered but now I am very comfortable. I’m thankful for the hymns, they truly are a prayer unto the Lord.

Will you be all in? Will you align your will with the Lord’s?

I promise that as you align your will to His, that the things that are bothering you now, that seem too heavy to relieve, you will be enlightened and you will feel just as Alma; that your joy is full and that your heart is brim with joy. I promise you that as we constantly pray more faithfully, we will align our will more with the Lord’s, we will in fact truly pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. In the beginning of my mission I got a hard copy of the Book of Mormon, I also got myself a blue ‘revelatory tool’ and as I read I highlighted verses that meant a lot to me, so through the first few readings there was just a few ‘blues’ and as I continued to read, my book continued to be filled and I received greater light and knowledge of the truths of the gospel. The Book of Mormon is truly the most correct book out there and it truly brings us to Jesus Christ. I know that the Bible is the word of God. But there is so much more that God has revealed to His Children.

Something that I have also come to know, is in the scriptures, in Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord tells His people, “Behold, I come quickly.” Although this revelation was over a hundred years ago, and the Lord hasn't come for His Second Coming… But I've come to know that this scripture has already happened to me. That Christ came quickly when I was in need. There were lots of difficult times on the mission and as I prayed for grace, and read the scriptures and read my patriarchal blessing, I knew that the Lord would come quickly to me and strength me. There is no way that I could have completed my mission without Jesus Christ. So He truly is our Advocate with the Father, He is our Dear Friend, who loves all of us.

I could go on and on…. BUT

I know that this really is the Kingdom of God! That we have to be valiant in our testimony of Jesus Christ. We've made covenants through baptism, and also through the temple, and it’s so important that we learn to understand them at a greater depth. That’s why we have to continually do these things. I want to be with you in the Celestial Kingdom, so please be valiant, that is my call for you, and from the Prophets, and from your Savior and Heavenly Father.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.