;;;ENSIGN JUNE 2007 VOLUME 37 NUMBER 6 ON THE COVER Front: For She Loved Much, by Jeffrey Hein. Back: Jesus Said to Her, "Mary," by William Whitaker. ;;;CONTENTS MESSAGES FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE 4 An Unending Conflict,a Victory Assured PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish. VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE 49 Standing Strong and Immovable FEATURE ARTICLES 10 A Firm Foundation in a Shaky World ADAM C. OLSON Members in Lisbon, Portugal, share how their testimonies of the Savior help them stand resolute in their faith. 18 Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times ELDER HENRY B. EYRING When we feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, we also can feel that our natures are being changed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 25 On Your Own but Not Alone KIMBERLY WEBB Eight tips for finding joy while living on your own as a young single adult. 28 The Robbery SHERRIE MACKELPRANG My mother had prayed for us for as long as I could remember. One night I discovered the power in her regular pleas. 30 The Quest for Spiritual Knowledge ELDER ROBERT S. WOOD The understanding we receive from the Holy Ghost has three key aspects: it concerns the most critical and transcendent truths, it is definitive in its certainty, and it changes behavior. 36 Teaching and Being Taught RICHARD G. MOORE When students are moved by the Holy Ghost, their comments often help clarify the gospel principle under discussion. 39 Signs of Friendship MELINDA RIDDLE KOWALSKI Because Iam deaf, Iworried about being able to communicate with people at church. But I had faith that the Lord would provide a way. 40 "For She Loved Much" Women of the New Testament depicted in art. 50 An Honored and Invited Guest NAIDA STEPHENS TIMS We had allowed the spirit of contention to trouble our home. Our stake president taught us what we could do about it. 52 Eight Japanese Brothers TADASHI KINA Our house was isolated, surrounded only by sugarcane fields and a graveyard. Few people ever called on us, but two visitors would change the course of our lives. 56 Supporting Your Bishop JOSEPH STAPLES A bishop's calling is challenging, but we have a great opportunity to assist and sustain him. 60 New Religion, New Life ELDER GARY J. COLEMAN, WITH ELDER JOHN M. MADSEN Something in my heart moved me to weigh celibate life in the clergy against life as a husband and father. I longed for clarity and purpose in my future. 64 It Made Us a Family RAQUEL M. GARCIA-REBUTAR Why our Monday nights--and our lives--will never be the same. 72 Questions and Answers How can I get involved in community service? DEPARTMENTS LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT 15 Gratitude for the Atonement ELDER WOLFGANG H. PAUL If we understood the great love the Savior had for us when He atoned for our sins, we would always love Him, be grateful to Him, and keep His commandments. 44 Oil in Our Lamps ELDER LYNN G. ROBBINS The Lord has spoken of coming to His temple when He returns. We would be wise to prepare to meet Him by being temple worthy. 67 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES One man's conversion to the Book of Mormon, blessings for a tithe payer. 70 RANDOM SAMPLER Sharing meals, bringing Relief Society to the homebound, and organizing reference information for an emergency. 75 NEWS OF THE CHURCH WORLDWIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING MEETING 82 Principles of Teaching and Learning PRESIDENT BOYD K. PACKER AND ELDER L. TOM PERRY 88 Teaching and Learning in the Church ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND 106 Examples of Great Teachers PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? The Ensign invites you to share your testimony of family home evening. What kinds of lessons and activities have generated love and positive behavior? How do you successfully have family home evening with young children, with teenagers, with no children, or when family members are separated by distance? Please send us your ideas and success stories, labeled "FHE," by July 15. We also welcome other submissions that show the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in your life. Publication criteria are posted at www.lds.org under Gospel Library. Send submissions to ensign@ldschurch.org or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, ward (or branch), and stake (or district). Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt. Authors whose work is selected for publication will be notified. If you would like your material returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. USING THIS ISSUE Teaching--even without a formal teaching assignment. After reading "Teaching and Being Taught" (p. 36), attend your next meetings prepared to share your insights. Consider how your learning is enhanced by your own reflection and by others' comments. Organizing family home evening. After reading "It Made Us a Family" (p. 64), talk with your spouse or children about possible themes for future family home evening lessons. You can use the Church's online resources to prepare these. From www.lds.org select Prepare a Lesson; then explore reference materials listed under Home and Family. Recognizing the Atonement in your life. After reading "Gratitude for the Atonement" (p. 15), think about what the Savior's sacrifice means to you. It may help to record your feelings in a journal. COMING IN JULY Look for articles on: -- Facing the future with faith--even amid frightening world events. -- Helping youth understand the sacred nature of our bodies. -- Honoring the Mormon Battalion. GOSPEL TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE Adversity, 70 Arts, 40 Atonement, 15 Bishops, 56 Book of Mormon, 67 Citizenship, 72 Communication, 39, 70 Compassion, 39 Conversion, 52, 60, 67 Courage, 4, 18 Faith, 4, 10, 15, 18, 67 Family, 52, 64 Family Home Evening, 64, 70 Fellowship, 60 Friendship, 25 Gratitude, 15 Holy Ghost, 18, 30, 50 Independence, 25 Inspiration, 82, 88 Jesus Christ, 4, 10, 15, 18, 82, 88 Knowledge, 30 Leadership, 56, 82, 88, 106 Learning, 30, 36, 64, 82, 88, 106 Marriage, 50 Missionary Work, 52, 67, 70 New Testament, 40 Obedience, 4 Parenthood, 36, 70, 82, 88, 106 Peace, 4 Prayer, 18, 28, 82, 88 Preparation, 44, 70, 82, 88, 106 Protection, 28 Relief Society, 70 Scriptures, 30, 82, 88 Service, 70, 72 Singles, 25, 70 Standards, 49 Strength, 49 Sustaining, 56 Teaching, 36, 64, 82, 88, 106 Temple Worship, 44 Temptation, 10 Tithing, 67 Unity, 70 War, 4 Women, 40 ENSIGN JUNE 2007 VOLUME 37 -- NUMBER 6 AN OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust Quorum of the Twelve: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar Editor: Jay E. Jensen Advisers: Gary J. Coleman, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Gerald N. Lund, W. Douglas Shumway Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Editorial Director: Victor D. Cave Senior Editor: Larry Hiller Graphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg Managing Editor: Don L. Searle Assistant Managing Editor: LaRene Porter Gaunt Senior Editors: Linda Stahle Cooper, Michael R. Morris, Judith M. Paller Assistant Editor: Melissa Merrill Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, Ryan Carr, Monica L. Dickinson, Jenifer L. Greenwood, R. Val Johnson, Adam C. Olson Editorial Intern: Erin Marie Pitcher Senior Secretary: Christy Banz Publications Assistant: Sally J. Odekirk Marketing Manager: Larry Hiller Managing Art Director: M. M. Kawasaki Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen Senior Designers: C. Kimball Bott, Colleen Hinckley Design and Production Staff: Cali R. Arroyo, Collette Nebeker Aune, Thomas S. Child, Eric P. Johnsen, Jane Ann Peters, Randall J. Pixton, Scott Van Kampen Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick Distribution Director: Randy J. Benson © 2007 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The Ensign (ISSN 0884-1136) is published monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. To subscribe: By phone, call 1-800-537-5971 to order using Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express. Online,go to ldscatalog.com. By mail,send $10 U.S. check or money order to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368. To change address: Send both old and new address information to Distribution Services at the above address. Please allow 60 days for changes to take effect. The Ensign can be found on the Internet at www.lds.org, under Gospel Library. Text and visual material in the Ensign may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Visual material may not be copied if restrictions are indicated in the credit line with the artwork. Copyright questions should be addressed to Intellectual Property Office, 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3011; e-mail: cor-intellectualproperty@ldschurch.org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. Canada Post Information: Publication Agreement #40017431 ;;;First Presidency Message An Unending Conflict, a Victory Assured BY PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. Nearly 10 decades have passed now since my birth, and for the better part of that time, there has been war among mankind in one part of the earth or another. No one can ever estimate the terrible suffering incident to these wars across the globe. Lives numbered in the millions have been lost. The terrible wounds of war have left bodies maimed and minds destroyed. Families have been left without fathers and mothers. Young people who have been recruited to fight have, in many instances, died while those yet alive have had woven into the very fabric of their natures elements of hatred which will never leave them. The treasure of nations has been wasted and will never be recovered. The devastation of war seems so unnecessary and such a terrible waste of human life and national resources. We ask, will this terrible, destructive way of handling disagreements among the sons and daughters of God ever end? But there is another war that has gone on since before the world was created and that is likely to continue for a long time. It is a war that reaches beyond questions of territory or national sovereignty. John the Revelator speaks of that struggle: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, "And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:7-9). The Continuing Struggle That war, so bitter, so intense, has never ceased. It is the war between truth and error, between agency and compulsion, between the followers of Christ and those who have denied Him. His enemies have used every stratagem in that conflict. They've indulged in lying and deceit. They've employed money and wealth. They've tricked the minds of men. They've murdered and destroyed and engaged in every kind of evil practice to thwart the work of Christ. Murder began on the earth when Cain slew Abel. The Old Testament is replete with accounts of the same eternal struggle. It found expression in the vile accusations against the Man of Galilee, the Christ, who healed the sick and lifted men's hearts and hopes, He who taught the gospel of peace. His enemies, motivated by that evil power, seized Him, tortured Him, nailed Him to the cross, and spoke in mockery against Him. But by the power of His godhood, He overcame the death His enemies had inflicted and through His sacrifice brought salvation from death to all men. That eternal war went on in the decay of the work He established, in the corruption which later infected it, when darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people (see Isaiah 60:2). But the forces of God could not be vanquished. The Light of Christ touched the heart of a man here and a man there, and vast good came to pass notwithstanding much of oppression and suffering. There came a time of renaissance, with struggles for liberty--struggles for which much of blood and sacrifice was paid. The Spirit of God moved upon men to found a nation wherein freedom of worship and freedom of expression and freedom of agency were protected. There followed then the opening of the dispensation of the fulness of times with a visit to earth of God the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. This glorious event was followed by visits of angels restoring the ancient keys and priesthood. But the war was not over. It was renewed and redirected. There was contempt. There was persecution. There were drivings from one place to another. There was the murder of the young prophet of God and of his beloved brother, 163 years ago this month. The Latter-day Saints fled their comfortable homes, their farms, their fields, their shops, their beautiful temple built at such tremendous sacrifice. They came to mountain valleys, thousands of them dying along the way. They came to the kind of place that President Joseph Smith had instructed the Twelve to find, "where the devil cannot dig us out."1 But the adversary has never stopped trying. In the October conference of 1896, President Wilford Woodruff (1807-98), then an aged man, stood in the Tabernacle on Temple Square and said: "There are two powers on the earth and in the midst of the inhabitants of the earth--the power of God and the power of the devil. In our history we have had some very peculiar experiences. When God has had a people on the earth, it matters not in what age, Lucifer, the son of the morning, and the millions of fallen spirits that were cast out of heaven, have warred against God, against Christ, against the work of God, and against the people of God. And they are not backward in doing it in our day and generation. Whenever the Lord set His hand to perform any work, those powers labored to overthrow it."2 President Woodruff knew whereof he spoke. He had then only recently passed through those difficult and perilous days when the government of the nation had come against our people, determined to destroy this Church as an organization. Despite the difficulties of those days, the Saints did not give up. In faith they moved forward. They put their trust in the Almighty, and He revealed unto them the path they should follow. In faith they accepted that revelation and walked in obedience. The Pattern of Conflict But the war did not end. It abated somewhat, and we're grateful for that. Nonetheless, the adversary of truth has continued his struggle. Notwithstanding the present strength of the Church, it seems that we are constantly under attack from one quarter or another. But we go on. We must go on. We have gone forward, and we will continue to go forward. In some seasons the issues are major. At other times they are only local skirmishes. But they are all part of a pattern. Opposition has been felt in the undying efforts of many, both within and without the Church, to destroy faith, to belittle, to demean, to bear false witness, to tempt and allure and induce our people to practices inconsistent with the teachings and standards of this work of God. The war goes on. It is as it was in the beginning. There may not be the intensity, and I am grateful for that. But the principles at issue are the same. The victims who fall are as precious as those who have fallen in the past. It is an ongoing battle. The men of the priesthood, with the daughters of God who are our companions and allies, are all part of the army of the Lord. We must be united. An army that is disorganized will not be victorious. It is imperative that we close ranks, that we march together as one. We cannot have division among us and expect victory. We cannot have disloyalty and expect unity. We cannot be unclean and expect the help of the Almighty. The young men of the priesthood, the deacons, teachers, and priests, have had laid upon them in their priesthood offices the duty to preach the gospel, to teach the truth, to encourage the weak to be strong, to "invite all to come unto Christ" (D&C 20:59). The young women of the Church have no less a responsibility to be obedient to the commandments of God and to serve as examples of faith and virtue. No son or daughter of our Heavenly Father can afford to partake of things that will weaken the mind, the body, or the eternal spirit. These include drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and pornography. You cannot be involved in immoral activity. You cannot do these things and be valiant as warriors in the cause of the Lord in the great, everlasting contest that goes on for the souls of our Father's children. The men of this Church cannot be unfaithful or untrue to their wives, to their families, to their priesthood responsibilities if they are to be valiant in moving the work of the Lord forward in this great battle for truth and salvation. They cannot be dishonest and unscrupulous in temporal affairs without tarnishing their armor. The women of this Church, be they wives, mothers, or sisters who have not found companions, cannot be unfaithful or untrue to their covenants and blessings and serve as the bulwark in the kingdom that they are meant to be. In our meetings, we occasionally sing an old hymn: Who's on the Lord's side? Who? Now is the time to show. We ask it fearlessly: Who's on the Lord's side? Who? We wage no common war, Cope with no common foe. The enemy's awake; Who's on the Lord's side? Who?3 A Call to Commitment Some years ago a friend told me of a conversation he had had with another member of the Church. My friend had asked whether his associate felt close to his Heavenly Father. The man replied that he did not feel close. Why not? He said, "Candidly, because I don't want to." Then he went on to say, "If I were close to Heavenly Father, He would probably want some commitment from me, and I am not ready for that." Think of it--a man who has taken upon himself the name of the Lord in baptism, a man who has renewed his covenants with the Lord in his sacrament meetings, a man who has accepted the priesthood of God and yet has said that if he were close to his Heavenly Father, some commitment might be expected of him, and he was not ready for that. In this work there must be commitment. There must be devotion. We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. We are not losing. We are winning. We will continue to win if we will be faithful and true. We can do it. We must do it. We will do it. There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish. I think of the children of Israel when they fled Egypt. They camped beside the Red Sea. Looking back, they saw Pharaoh and his armies coming to destroy them. Fear gripped their hearts. With the armies behind them and the sea before them, they cried out in terror. "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. "And the Lord said unto Moses, . . . speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward" (Exodus 14:13-15; emphasis added). The sea parted, and the children of Israel moved to their salvation. The Egyptians followed to their own destruction. Shall we not also in faith move forward? He who is our eternal leader, the Lord Jesus Christ, has challenged us in words of revelation. Said He: "Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day. . . . "Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you; "Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, . . . and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also" (D&C 27:15-18). A Bright Future The war goes on. It is waged across the world over the issues of agency and compulsion. It is waged by an army of missionaries over the issues of truth and error. It is waged in our own lives, day in and day out, in our homes, in our work, in our school associations; it is waged over questions of love and respect, of loyalty and fidelity, of obedience and integrity. We are all involved in it--child, youth, or adult, each of us. We are winning, and the future never looked brighter. May our God bless us in the work that is so clearly laid out before us. May we be faithful. May we be valiant. May we have the courage to be true to the trust God has placed in each of us. May we be unafraid. "For [to quote the words of Paul to Timothy] God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:7-8). NOTES 1. History of the Church, 6:222. 2. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff (2004), 220. 3. "Who's on the Lord's Side?" Hymns, no. 260. IDEAS FOR HOME TEACHERS After prayerfully studying this message, share it using a method that encourages the participation of those you teach. Following are some examples: 1. Use the article to review the history of the war of good and evil that has been going on since before the Creation of the world. Explain that the Light of Christ represents hope in a dark world. Read the section "A Bright Future." Suggest actions we can take to win the war between good and evil. 2. Write the words of 2 Timothy 1:7-8 on a card for each family member. Invite family members to write on the back of the card a personal goal to be a more committed disciple of Jesus Christ. Ask family members to post the card in a place where they will see it daily. 3. Bring a hymnbook as you visit each family. Invite family members to use the index to find hymns that inspire commitment. Choose one hymn to sing or read aloud. Compare these words to portions of President Hinckley's talk. Conclude by reviewing President Hinckley's call to commitment and his testimony of the bright future for those who serve faithfully on the Lord's side. ;;;A Firm Foundation in a Shaky World BY ADAM C. OLSON Church Magazines Don't let something you don't know shake your faith in something you do know. On the morning of November 1, 1755, a massive earthquake leveled many Lisbon, Portugal, neighborhoods, unleashed a devastating 5- to 10-meter-high tsunami that surged into the seaport city, and started a fire that raged for more than three days. The disaster killed thousands. But the devastating earthquake shook far more than just buildings. Because the catastrophe occurred as Christians gathered to observe a major religious holiday, All Saints' Day, it also shook the faith of believers across the continent. Such spiritual shaking can occur in life just as unexpectedly as any seismic activity and has the potential to do just as much damage. "We often face things that can shake our faith," says Patricia Moreira, a member of the Lisbon Portugal Stake who says she has faced such things in the 20 years since she joined the Church alone. "They could be questions from nonmembers, attacks from those opposed to the Church, or even just things we don't understand." When questions that don't seem to have answers build stress along the fault line between the world and the gospel, the resulting quake can cause casualties of faith among those whose foundations are weak. How Firm a Foundation In spiritual tectonics, it is not our proximity to the epicenter that determines the quake's effect on our testimony but our proximity to God. "Our foundation is Jesus Christ and His gospel" (see Luke 6:47-48), says Sister Moreira in a conversation on the topic with some of her single adult friends in the stake. "We have no foundation without Him," adds Darryl Nequetela, a convert of just over a year. "Some foundations are weak, but His is sure and true" (see Helaman 5:12). No flood of doubts, no philosophical fire, no earthshaking skepticism of any magnitude can destroy the rock of our Redeemer, the Chief Cornerstone, our true foundation, Jesus Christ. "I know I'm safe when I'm built on His foundation," Brother Nequetela says. When the Shaking Starts These Latter-day Saints are familiar with Satan's ground shaking. At work, Francisco Lopes (who has since married) was subjected to frequent spiritual tremors. "Some of the people I worked with were skeptical of my beliefs and criticized me for what I believed in," he says. "They often questioned me, using science that seemed to conflict with our faith." Brother Lopes recalls discussions about evolution, DNA, and more. "They did their best to convince me the Church is false," he says of the questions for which he had few answers. "I had to rely upon my testimony of God and His gospel. I am grateful for that foundation." But as Brother Lopes can testify, once the ground starts shaking, it's too late to begin preparing. "We will need to have developed and nurtured faith in Jesus Christ long before Satan hits us,"1 said Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Build upon the Rock How do we make Christ our foundation? Elder Eyring has taught: "We are safe on the rock which is the Savior when we have yielded in faith in Him, have responded to the Holy Spirit's direction to keep the commandments long enough and faithfully enough that the power of the Atonement has changed our hearts. When we have, by that experience, become as a child in our capacity to love and obey, we are on the sure foundation."2 It takes faith. It takes obedience and repentance. And it takes time. "We need to nurture our faith with daily prayer, daily scripture study, service in our callings, keeping the commandments, doing our best to become better people," says Sister Moreira, whose mother and sister have joined the Church since she first began building upon the rock. "I believe we need to follow the advice of President Monson to fill our minds with truth, fill our hearts with love, and fill our lives with service."3 "We can prepare ourselves for trials by getting to know the Lord and how He helps His children [see 1 Nephi 2:12]. The scriptures help us with that," says Brother Nequetela. "We develop our faith by walking the path of righteousness." Finding Answers to Tough Questions Sometimes, as with Brother Lopes, members are faced with questions to which they don't have answers. But he didn't let something he didn't know shake his faith in something he did know. "There are things that I don't know yet. But I don't question those things because I know that in time God will reveal what I need to know," Brother Lopes says, "not in my time or when I want it, but when He thinks that it needs to be revealed." What does one do when faced with tough questions that don't seem to have answers? "Most of our answers are in the scriptures," says Brother Lopes, who has faced questions not only from friends and co-workers but from his parents, who questioned his decision to join the Church at age 14. "But finding and understanding those answers depends on personal revelation. I can also go to my Church leaders or ask God directly. I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost and a caring Father in Heaven." Patience in Revelation When searching through praying, reading the scriptures, and studying the words of our leaders doesn't turn up an answer, we wait (see D&C 101:16). "I seek to be patient," says Brother Nequetela, who came from Angola in 2000 to study in Portugal. "Even though I don't have an answer, the Holy Ghost comforts us with the answer that we should be patient, that God gives line upon line, precept upon precept, and that we should accept the firm decree of a just God. He knows what's best for us, and He reveals everything in His own time." Patience in revelation is the story of the Restoration. The Church has been restored upon the original foundation--the gospel of Jesus Christ. But it did not occur all at once. According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, answers to gospel questions came "line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!" (D&C 128:21) and will continue to do so. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (Articles of Faith 1:9). Latter-day Restoration High above modern Lisbon, Brother Nequetela looks over the city from the battlements of Castelo São Jorge (St. George Castle) and considers the restoration work that has taken place since the 1755 disaster. The rebuilt city is again thriving; the castle--severely damaged in the quake--has been restored using the surviving foundation. And through the Restoration of the gospel, the people are learning how and where to establish faith that will stand firm regardless of the source of the shaking. NOTES 1. "Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 38. 2. "As a Child," Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 15-16. 3. See Thomas S. Monson, "Formula for Success," Liahona, Aug. 1995, 7; Ensign, Mar. 1996, 6. "We often face things that can shake our faith. . . . [In those moments] our foundation makes all the difference." -- Patricia Moreira, at Castelo São Jorge, restored upon its original foundation after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake "We are here to walk by faith, but we forget that . . . faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of all things. And our faith must be tested." -- Darryl Nequetela, overlooking parts of Lisbon rebuilt after the earthquake "There are things that I don't know yet. But I don't question those things because I know that in time God will reveal what I need to know." -- Francisco Lopes, in front of Castelo São Jorge, which rises above modern Lisbon (inset) OUR DAY OF TESTING "What we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have developed faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which everything for us in eternity depends. . . . We will need to have developed and nurtured faith in Jesus Christ long before Satan hits us, as he will, with doubts and appeals to our carnal desires and with lying voices saying that good is bad and that there is no sin. Those spiritual storms are already raging. We can expect that they will worsen until the Savior returns." Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 37, 38. ;;;LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT Gratitude for the Atonement BY ELDER WOLFGANG H. PAUL Of the Seventy If we understood the great love the Savior had for us when He atoned for our sins, we would always love Him, be grateful to Him, and keep His commandments. Near the end of His earthly ministry, the Savior went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives, to the Garden of Gethsemane. We read in Luke, in the New Testament: "And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. "And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:39-44). It was there that the Savior paid the price for all the sorrows, sins, and transgressions of every human being who ever lived or ever will live. There He drank the bitter cup and suffered so that all who repent may not suffer. Following this dreadful experience, He was taken to Golgotha and was nailed to a cross, which was another brutal and painful torture He had to go through in bringing about the Atonement for all humankind. No human being can imagine what the Savior really suffered when He took this heavy burden upon Him. In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith in March 1830, we get a glimpse of this suffering when the Savior declared: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; "But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink-- "Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19:16-19). Ultimately, our lives can be healed only through the Atonement. A member described his feelings as he went through the repentance process and discovered the healing power of the Atonement: "The time between transgressing and confessing was terrible. I constantly lived in the knowledge of the terrible thing I had done. I was in a state of deep darkness, depressive and lethargic, first hopeless and tortured by fears, however, never doubting the truth of the gospel and the saving power of the Atonement. I knew that for me there was only one way to get healed. "To confess to my wife and my children what I had done was the most difficult thing that I ever did in life. Thereafter, the further way of repentance, to confess before my bishop and the stake president, was not so difficult. Finally, I could relieve myself of the burden which I had brought upon myself. I felt relieved with the excommunication and the resulting perspectives. "What joy it was when I was permitted to be baptized and again could have the Holy Ghost with me. Finally, the promise of the Atonement was fulfilled in the clearest and most beautiful way when my blessings were restored again. "During the course of years, my wife and I experienced that the Atonement brings relief and healing not only to the sinner, but further than that, it has the power to heal and restore the victim as well. Of this I testify with deep gratitude." If we understood the great love the Savior had for us when He atoned for our sins, we would always love Him, be grateful to Him, and keep His commandments. As President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876- 1972) observed: "One of the greatest sins, both in magnitude and extent . . . is the sin of ingratitude. When we violate a commandment, no matter how small and insignificant we may think it to be, we show our ingratitude to our Redeemer. It is impossible for us to comprehend the extent of his suffering when he carried the burden of the sins of the whole world, a punishment so severe that we are informed that blood came from the pores of his body, and this was before he was taken to the cross. The punishment of physical pain coming from the nails driven in his hands and feet, was not the greatest of his suffering, excruciating as that surely was. The greater suffering was the spiritual and mental anguish coming from the load of our transgressions which he carried. If we understood the extent of that suffering and his suffering on the cross, surely none of us would wilfully be guilty of sin. We would not give way to the temptations, the gratification of unholy appetites and desires and Satan could find no place in our hearts. As it is, whenever we sin, we show our ingratitude and disregard of the suffering of the Son of God by and through which we shall rise from the dead and live forever. If we really understood and could feel even to a small degree, the love and gracious willingness on the part of Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins we would be willing to repent of all our transgressions and serve him."1 The Atonement of the Savior is the greatest event in history. President Gordon B. Hinckley declared: "No other act in all of human history compares with it. Nothing that has ever happened can match it. Totally unselfish and with unbounded love for all mankind, it became an unparalleled act of mercy for the whole human race."2 May we always be grateful for this wonderful gift, the Atonement of the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer.  NOTES 1. The Restoration of All Things (1945), 199. 2. "At the Summit of the Ages," Liahona, Jan. 2000, 87; Ensign, Nov. 1999, 73. ;;;Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times BY ELDER HENRY B. EYRING Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Of all the things to which the Holy Ghost testifies, none is more precious than that Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of God. And nothing is so likely to make us feel light, hope, and joy. Despite our uniqueness, we all have some things in common. We are all in the probationary test of mortality. And, wherever we live, that test will become increasingly difficult. We are in the last dispensation of time. God's prophets have seen these times for millennia. They saw that wonderful things were to happen. There was to be a restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The true Church was to be brought back with prophets and apostles. The gospel was to be taken to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Most marvelous of all, the true Church and its members were to become worthy for the coming of the Savior to His Church and to His purified disciples. But the true prophets also saw that in the last days Satan would rage. There would be wars and rumors of wars, which would inspire fear. The courage of many would fail. There would be great wickedness. Satan would deceive many. Yet, happily, many would not be overcome. And many would not be deceived. My purpose is to teach you how you can reach that happy and glorious goal. The Holy Ghost Is the Key The key for each of us will be to accept and hold the gift we have been promised by God. As a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ, you will remember that after you were baptized, authorized servants of God promised you that you could receive the Holy Ghost. Some of you may have felt something happen when that ordinance was performed. Most of you have felt the effects of that promise being fulfilled in your lives. I will tell you how to recognize that gift, how to receive it every day, and how it will bless you in the days ahead. You have felt the quiet confirmation in your heart and mind that something was true. And you knew that it was inspiration from God. For some of you it may have come as the missionaries taught you before your baptism. It may have come during a talk, lesson, or hymn in church. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth. You feel peace, hope, and joy when He speaks to your heart and mind that something is true. Almost always I have also felt a sensation of light. Any feeling I may have had of darkness is dispelled, and my desire to do right grows. The Lord promised that having those experiences would be true for you. He said: "And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy" (D&C 11:12-13). The Lord also promised that those who have accepted the gift of the Holy Ghost in their lives would not be deceived. He spoke reassuringly to you and to me, who live in the times when the Church is being made ready for when He comes again. Here is the promise from the Doctrine and Covenants: "And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. "For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived--verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day" (D&C 45:56-57). Manifestations of the Spirit These words paint a picture of the day when we might be with the Savior and have His glory upon us. Of all the things to which the Holy Ghost testifies, none is more precious than that Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of God. And nothing is so likely to make us feel light, hope, and joy. It is not surprising that when we feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, we also can feel that our natures are being changed because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We feel an increased desire to keep His commandments, to do good, and to deal justly. Many of you have felt that effect from your frequent experiences with the Holy Ghost. For instance, in the mission field you were given words by the Holy Ghost when you surrendered your heart to the Lord's service. If you will think back on those times and ponder, you will also remember that the increase in your desire to obey the commandments came over you gradually. You felt less and less the tug of temptation. You felt more and more the desire to be obedient and to serve others. You felt a greater love for the people. From that faithful service to the Master, you not only had the witness of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, but you also saw evidence in your own life that the Atonement is real. Such faithful service, which brings the influence of the Holy Ghost, is an example of planting a seed, as described in Alma 32:33-37. Receiving Revelations Daily You have felt some of the things I have described, and the Holy Ghost has touched your heart and mind from time to time. But you will need that influence consistently if you are not to be overcome or deceived. Is that possible, and what will it take to receive that blessing? Yes, it is possible. Whenever I need that reassurance--and I need it from time to time too--I remember two brothers. Nephi and Lehi faced fierce opposition. They were serving in an increasingly wicked world. They had to deal with terrible deceptions. So I take courage--and so can you--from a verse in Helaman: "And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year" (Helaman 11:23). They had "many revelations daily." So, yes, it is possible to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost sufficiently to have many revelations daily. It is not easy, but it is possible. What it will require will be different for each person because we start from where we are in our unique set of experiences in life. For all of us there will be at least three requirements. None of them can be gained and retained from a single experience. All of them must be constantly renewed. Have Faith in God First, receiving the Holy Ghost takes faith in our Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. The memory of a great spiritual experience in which that truth was confirmed to you won't be sufficient. You will need to be sure of your faith in the moment of crisis, which may come at any time, day or night, when you plead for the influence of the Spirit. You must then be unshaken in your confidence that God lives, that He hears your cry for help, and that the resurrected Savior will do for you what He promised to do for His servants in His mortal ministry: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me" (John 15:26). The record shows that Nephi and Lehi knew concerning the true points of doctrine. Of all the true doctrine, nothing is more important to you and me than the true nature of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. For that, I return again and again to the scriptures. For that, I return again and again to prayer. For that, I return again and again to partaking of the sacrament. And, above all, I come to know God and Jesus Christ best by keeping the commandments and serving in the Church. By diligent service in the Church we come not only to know the character of God but also to love Him. If we follow His commands, our faith in Him will grow and we may qualify to have His Spirit to be with us. Vibrant faith in God comes best from serving Him regularly. Every member has a multitude of opportunities to serve God. For instance, for years we have heard the phrase, "Every member a missionary." Similarly, each member is to care for the poor among us and around us. That is why we have fast offerings and service projects. Our choice is to decide whether to join with the Lord and His disciples in our day as He and His disciples did during His mortal ministry. Most of us have callings as home and visiting teachers. Because those callings offer great opportunity to grow in faith, the Lord sends the Holy Ghost to His humble servants. That builds faith and renews our faith in Him. I received a phone call from a distraught mother who told me that her unmarried daughter had moved to another city far from home. She sensed from the little contact she had had with her daughter that something was terribly wrong. The mother feared for the moral safety of her daughter. She pleaded for help. I found out who the daughter's home teacher was. I called him. He was young, yet he and his companion had awakened in the night with not only concern for the girl but also with inspiration that she was about to make choices that would bring sadness and misery. With only the inspiration of the Spirit, they went to see her. They pleaded with her to repent and to choose to follow the path the Lord had set out for her and that her mother and father had taught her to follow. She realized as she listened that the only way they could have known what they knew about her life was from God. A mother's prayer had gone to Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost had been sent to home teachers with an errand. Your faith will grow as you serve the Lord in caring for Heavenly Father's children as the Lord's teacher to their home. You will have your prayers answered. You will come to know for yourself that He lives, that He loves us, and that He sends inspiration to those with even the beginnings of faith in Him and with the desire to serve Him in His Church. Stay close to the Church if you want your faith in God to grow. And as it grows, so will your ability to claim the promise you were given that you can receive the gifts of the Spirit. Be Clean A second requirement for frequent companionship and direction from the Holy Ghost is to be clean. The Spirit must withdraw from those who are not clean. You remember the sad illustration of that in the Book of Mormon: "And because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face. "And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples" (Helaman 4:23-24). The path to receiving the Holy Ghost is to exercise faith in Christ unto repentance. We can become clean through qualifying for the effects of the Savior's Atonement. The covenants offered in baptism by authorized servants of God bring that cleansing. We renew our pledge to keep those covenants each time we partake of the sacrament. The peace we all seek is the assurance that we have received forgiveness for our sins of omission or commission. The Savior has been given the right to grant that forgiveness and to give that assurance. I have learned that the Lord gives that assurance at the time He chooses, and He does it in His own way. And I have learned to ask for it in prayer. One way He grants that assurance is through the Holy Ghost. If you have difficulty in feeling the Holy Ghost, you might wisely ponder whether there is anything for which you need to repent and receive forgiveness. If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today, you may take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life. For that reason and many others, you would do well to put yourself in places and in tasks that invite the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost works both ways: the Holy Ghost only dwells in a clean temple, and the reception of the Holy Ghost cleanses us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You can pray with faith to know what to do to be cleansed and thus qualified for the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the service of the Lord. And with that companionship you will be strengthened against temptation and empowered to detect deception. Have a Pure Motive A third requirement for the companionship of the Holy Ghost is pure motive. If you want to receive the gifts of the Spirit, you have to want them for the right reasons. Your purposes must be the Lord's purposes. To the degree your motives are selfish, you will find it difficult to receive those gifts of the Spirit that have been promised to you. That fact serves both as a warning and as helpful instruction. First, the warning: God is offended when we seek the gifts of the Spirit for our own purposes rather than for His. Our selfish motives may not be obvious to us. But few of us would be so blind as Simon, who sought to purchase the right to the gifts of the Spirit: "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. . . . "Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me" (Acts 8:20-21, 24). Apparently Simon recognized his own corrupt motives. It may not be so easy for each of us. We almost always have more than one motive at a time. And some motives may be mixtures of what God wants as well as what we want. It is not easy to pull them apart. Consider yourself on the eve of a school examination or an interview for a new job. You know that the direction of the Holy Ghost could be of great help. I know from my own experience, for example, that the Holy Ghost knows the mathematical equations used to solve problems in thermodynamics. I was a struggling physics student studying in a book that I still own. Halfway down a page, in the middle of some mathematics, I had a clear confirmation that what I was reading was true. It was exactly the feeling that had come to me before as I had pondered the Lord's scriptures and that I have had many times since. So I knew that the Holy Ghost understood whatever was true in what I might be asked on an examination in thermodynamics. You can imagine that I was tempted to ask God to send me the Holy Ghost during the examination so I wouldn't need to study further. I knew that He could do it, but I did not ask Him. I felt that He would rather have me learn to pay a price in effort. Always there is the possibility that we may have a selfish purpose that is less important to the Lord. For instance, I may want a good grade in a course, when He prefers that I learn how to work hard in the service of others. I may want a job because of the salary or the prestige, when He wants me to work somewhere else to bless the life of someone I don't even know yet. I may desire to entertain or impress a congregation, but I try to suppress my desire and surrender to His. Pure Love of Christ I surely don't understand all the meaning of the scriptural words "the pure love of Christ" (Moroni 7:47). But one meaning I do know is this: It is a gift we are promised when the Atonement of Jesus Christ has worked in us. The gift is to want what He wants. When our love is the love He feels, it is pure because He is pure. And when we feel our desire for people is moving toward being in line with His, that is one of the ways that we can know that we are being purified. When we pray for the gifts of the Spirit--and we should--one for which I pray is that I might have pure motives, to want what our Father wants for His children and for me, and to feel, as well as to say, that what I want is His will to be done. I pray with all the energy of my heart that you will have your prayers answered to meet the requirements to receive the Holy Ghost. And I pray that you will endure faithful to the end and that, for you, it will be glorious. From a Church Educational System fireside address given at Brigham Young University on September 10, 2006. ;;;ON YOUR OWN BUT NOT ALONE BY KIMBERLY WEBB Church Magazines How I learned to deal with roommates, late nights, and pitfalls of living on my own. As I prepared to go to college, I happily anticipated living away from home for the first time. One of my best friends was going to be my roommate, and I imagined cooking meals, making friends, and studying hard in a place that felt like home. I had a rude awakening. In my apartment I often overheard shocking conversations and discovered how different my other roommates' standards were from mine. This environment was definitely not the type of home I was used to. Whether your first experience away from home is uplifting, challenging, or both, thriving spiritually should be your top priority. Here are ways I learned to find joy while living on my own. Attend institute. President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled, "Every college and university student should take advantage of the institute program."1 I can attest to the value of this counsel. As I attended classes and activities, both my classmates and my teachers influenced me. They helped me feel the Spirit and bolstered my resolve to uphold Church standards. When you are living in unfamiliar surroundings, institute can be a spiritual haven. Turn to the Lord. Pondering the Lord's words in the scriptures, recording notes in a scripture study journal, and prayerfully applying what I read helped me forge a stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father. Because I attended school near a temple, I often walked the two miles there and performed baptisms for the dead or simply experienced the peaceful feelings on the grounds. I know that as we adopt solid personal scripture study habits, pray often, and--when possible--attend the temple, we'll find peace wherever we are. Nurture family ties. I'm grateful my mother reminded me to keep nurturing relationships as she often called me and sent cards. Communicating with people who love us can dispel loneliness and offer security while we are adjusting to a new place. Even when surrounded by friends, we can remember the eternal nature of family relationships and give them a high priority by keeping in touch. Do your part--and then some. As most people living with roommates discover, it is harder to keep a place clean when no one is "in charge." Roommates should cooperate to assign jobs fairly and follow through on their responsibilities. Failing to do your part may not only damage roommate relationships but also contribute to a chaotic and depressing environment. I quickly learned that satisfaction from a tidy living space was worth the time spent achieving it, even if it meant I sometimes pitched in out of turn. I could study better, sleep more deeply, and feel happier when my apartment was orderly. Practice healthy habits. Maintaining spiritual strength, especially in challenging circumstances, requires the cooperation of the body. When you are exhausted, it is easy to become spiritually complacent and physically ill. Many exciting social opportunities for young single adults occur in the evenings, and I've learned to take advantage of them in moderation. The counsel in Doctrine and Covenants 88:124 applies even to college students: "Retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." Regularly getting outdoors invigorated me too, whether I went jogging, Rollerblading, or hiking. Students may spend a lot of time scurrying to class, but additional exercise at less stressful times of day can relax the mind as well as strengthen the body. Learn practical skills. I learned to live within a strict budget, balance a checkbook, do laundry, and cook a few meals before I moved away from home. It helped! Preparation in these areas can make the transition from home to the apartment smoother, allowing you to focus more energy on spiritual, intellectual, and social development. Be tolerant. President Hinckley has counseled us to be "people of tolerance, of neighborliness, of appreciation and kindness toward others."2 Not everyone we associate with through our educational or professional endeavors will live by standards we accept, but we can appreciate everyone's strengths and good qualities. Though my roommates were sometimes offensive, at other times they opened my eyes in a positive way to different backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. I hope I did the same for them as we discussed my beliefs. Despite our differences, I loved my roommates and appreciated their diversity. Tolerance does not mean accepting sinful behaviors or ignoring problems. In extreme circumstances, it may be necessary to change living arrangements and find a more wholesome environment. But in most cases, we can generally try to understand a roommate's viewpoint and receive the same respect in return. Building a foundation of respect with others makes it easier to address problems in the right spirit when they arise. Reach out. I always admire newcomers who introduce themselves and make an effort to quickly become involved. It takes being willing to abandon our self-consciousness to thrive in a new place. We can introduce ourselves to others at church, work, or class, and we can express a willingness to serve. The Church callings we receive might be different from the ones we've fulfilled in our home wards, and we can welcome the opportunity for growth. As we take the time to serve and be friendly, we'll not only support others but also build a network of support for ourselves. Make others feel at home, and soon you'll feel at home in your new place. Before I moved away from home, I imagined cooking meals, making friends, and studying hard in a place that felt like home. Eventually all those things happened. As I learned to take care of myself, my surroundings, and my relationships--especially my relationship with Heavenly Father--I found that home can be wherever you make it. If you prepare yourself practically and spiritually, you'll discover valuable experiences in your home away from home. NOTES 1. "Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley," Ensign, Dec. 1995, 67. 2. "The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 81. ;;;The Robbery BY SHERRIE MACKELPRANG We were sometimes impatient with our mother's lengthy prayers, but we took comfort in knowing she prayed for our protection. I grew up in a large family, and my father was often away from home. But my mother took great care to see that each of her seven children was raised with an understanding of the gospel. One lifelong lesson she taught us was the power of prayer. Family prayer was a daily ritual. Mother always had us kneel at our chairs around the table before we could eat. There she would give thanks and ask for blessings on our family. I remember squirming on my knees with my head resting on my folded arms, waiting for Mother to finish the prayer. It seemed as if she prayed for every person she had ever known, including all her children. Even though we were sometimes impatient, we all seemed to take comfort in knowing she prayed for us. I know it was my mother's faith in prayer that got her through those challenging years when our father was seldom home. I have many memories of walking past my mother's open bedroom door and seeing her kneeling in reverent prayer. I used to wonder if she would run out of things to pray for. As the years went by, the practice of family prayer around the table continued in spite of the changes in our family. After my oldest brother, John, married and started a family of his own, he and his family moved to California for work. He was working two jobs to take care of his family. One of those jobs was a night shift in a gas station convenience store. My mother always included him and his little family in our family prayers. Late one night we received a phone call from John's wife. She told us that a desperate man had come into the convenience store where John was working. He was a rough looking man who showed no fear. He threatened John, telling him that he would take his life if he didn't do as told. He motioned for John to show his hands and move away from the panic button that was under the counter. My brother obeyed. Guided by the Spirit, John calmly began to talk to this man. He struck up a gentle conversation, as if he were talking to a frightened child. He told the man that life really wasn't so bad. He asked the man if he was hungry, and he warmed up a burrito for him. Then John handed the man all of the money out of the cash register. The frightening man began to mellow around my brother. He seemed to like John. He invited John to meet him around the back of the store where they could split the cash. My brother thanked him but declined. He knew that going behind the store with the man would be dangerous. The man bid John farewell and slipped around the back of the store, disappearing into the night. John quickly went behind the counter and hit the panic button to notify the police. He went outside, stood under the floodlights by the gas pumps, and waited until the police arrived. When they arrived, the gravity of the situation settled in on John. He knew he was blessed to be alive and uninjured. The police marveled at my brother's clarity of mind in talking to the man. They were impressed that John didn't panic and make a bad situation worse. The police checked around the building, and to their surprise they discovered that the desperate man had left a portion of the money behind the building. That day my mother had prayed for John's protection, as she had done for years. She worried about his working alone at night, and she pleaded with Heavenly Father to protect her son. While not all prayers will be answered just the way we would like, I firmly believe that the power of prayer saved my brother's life that night. I'm sure I will never know just how many times my mother's prayers have been answered with a blessing for each of her children. Now I am grown and have children of my own. I look to the example of my mother and pray each day for the welfare of the souls who have been entrusted to me. I know that earnest prayer can bring strength and protection to those we love. ;;;THE QUEST for Spiritual Knowledge BY ELDER ROBERT S. WOOD Of the Seventy We can establish for ourselves an unshakable intellectual and spiritual foundation that will transform our very lives. I remember returning home from a social activity one Friday evening when I was 16 years old, very much awake and not ready to go to bed. Lying on my nightstand was a copy of the Book of Mormon that my mother always placed there in the hope that I would read it. I had read from the Book of Mormon but had not really read it. Indeed, the only phrase I remembered was "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents." That evening, thinking I had nothing better to do, I began to read. The next morning at 11:00 a.m., my parents thought I was sleeping in, since I did not have to be at work until that afternoon. However, I was very much awake. I was reading the concluding words of Moroni. I then knelt by my bed and put to the test the promise he had made: "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 10:4). That Saturday morning I received a witness of the Holy Ghost more clearly and powerfully than any other knowledge I had ever received. It became the foundation from which my most important convictions arose. At school the following Monday, I spoke with a good friend, not a member of the Church. He said he had a list of 50 anachronisms in the Book of Mormon that demonstrated the book was a nineteenth-century invention. An anachronism refers to something that is chronologically out of place, a bit like saying Julius Caesar drove his SUV into Rome. Well, I told my friend that he was too late, for I had received a witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon. But I said to him, "Give me your list, and I will keep it." I did keep that list, and over the years, as more research was done by various academics, one item after another dropped off the list. A few years ago when I was speaking to a group at Cornell University, I mentioned my list and noted that, after these many years, only one item remained. After my presentation a distinguished professor said to me, "You can remove your last item, for our studies indicate that it is not an anachronism." What would my life have been like had I withheld my conviction of the Book of Mormon until I resolved all the questions my friend had given me? I have often said that when it comes to the most fundamental truths, I have no doubts--although I may have some questions. There are some things for which we must have a certitude that transcends our incomplete understanding and immediate questions. Prove What Is Good How do we receive spiritual knowledge? And how should this knowledge affect our lives? In his epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul wrote: "Ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. . . . "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Ephesians 4:17-18, 23). He also wrote to the Romans: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2). Paul distinguishes between a human nature distorted by disobedience and false beliefs and one subject to God and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Only when this renewal begins to take place do we even know what the right questions are and for what we should pray. As the Spirit works in us, we have a readiness of mind prepared to discern truth. Alma states that as we submit our will to the Father through faith in Christ, our understanding "doth begin to be enlightened, and [our] mind doth begin to expand" (Alma 32:34). From Information to Knowledge Because of computers, the Internet, television, and so on, we are said to be in the midst of an information revolution. But though we are inundated with information, many are drowning in ignorance. Paul spoke of those who are "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). The Lord has commanded that we serve Him with all our minds (see D&C 4:2) and that we seek learning by study and by faith (see D&C 88:118). He has promised that as we do so, we will be enlightened by the Spirit (see D&C 11:13). We "shall know the truth, and the truth shall make [us] free" (John 8:32). Free of what? Free of ignorance, sin, and the pangs of death. The Lord states further, "If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (D&C 42:61). The Character of Spiritual Knowledge In every field of intelligence, almost every proposition can be subjected to the question why. Every parent understands this. But after a lengthy series of whys, you reach a point where the only answer is "Well, that's just the way it is." In effect, we are saying that it is just the way the world is put together. But we also know that at times even some "basic truths" are overthrown by additional evidence. Such are the revolutions in the history of science. Is there nothing that cannot be finally established without awaiting further experience? Yes. In this life there are certain truths so fundamental that they can be established firmly in our minds and hearts and no further proof is required. To meet the tests of mortality, Heavenly Father has provided a certain witness of those crucial understandings within which we can fit the additional light and knowledge we may later receive. We may not know all the answers; indeed, we may not comprehend all the questions--but we will have established in our lives a certain framework of understanding that not only will provide an unshakable intellectual and spiritual foundation but will transform our very lives. What is the witness that gives us knowledge that transcends the understanding of the senses? The witness of the Holy Ghost. The understanding received from the Holy Ghost has three key aspects: first, it concerns the most critical and transcendent truths; second, it is definitive in its certainty; and third, it changes behavior. The Most Critical Truths Three certitudes have been identified as necessary for us to endure the trials of life in faith: a knowledge that God exists; an understanding of His nature, attributes, and perfections; and a conviction that the course of life we are pursuing is in accordance with His will.1 As a college student, I learned that the original premise of a syllogism, or logic train, is critical. Sophisticated lines of reasoning may seem compelling at each step in the logic, but if the original premises are faulty or incomplete, the whole line of reasoning will be flawed. For instance, if we begin with the premise that life arose by chance and that its development is largely random, we will interpret physical, biological, and social information in a certain way--a way that will distort our understanding. Such thoughts will have consequences for how our society operates and how we act individually. If, on the other hand, we begin with the premise that mortal life arose according to a plan and will develop according to eternal law, we will understand the bits and pieces of information in a different way. We will see the interconnectedness and wholeness of life. We will see patterns and purpose where others see disorder and chance. When people preach for established truth the transitory doctrines of men, they risk seeing, as Paul expressed it, only puzzling expressions in a mirror. But we are summoned by our Heavenly Father to see Him "face to face." Then, our knowledge will be whole, like God's knowledge of us (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). For these reasons, the prophets have counseled us to plumb the depths of the scriptures and the words of the living prophets in faith and prayer. The scriptures constitute the true guide to the perplexed. As already stated, spiritual knowledge is definitive. Our experiences may lead us to certain conclusions, but they cannot lead to the conviction that dispels doubt and motivates endurance--not the way that knowledge received through the Spirit does. As Paul wrote, "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (1 Corinthians 12:3). Can you see why it is a fearful thing to deny the witness of the Holy Ghost? Unlike other evidence, this witness ends argument. Such verification by the Spirit leads to a certainty unknown in any other area of thought. Once a person has sought and received the witness of the Holy Ghost, he or she assumes a life-changing obligation. This understanding of the Spirit changes behavior. Paul wrote that he and the Saints had "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). The people of King Benjamin declared that they had "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). Having received the witness of the Spirit, they were called by and responded to the Spirit. Knowing Christ through the Spirit, we love Him and keep His commandments--and we are further comforted and taught by the Spirit, until, as Mormon declared, "when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure" (Moroni 7:48; see also 1 John 3:1-3). Obtaining Spiritual Knowledge How do we obtain such comprehensive, definitive, and transforming knowledge? Let us consider four requirements: (1) an urgent search for the truth, (2) a willingness to obey the truth we discover, (3) a disposition to bear witness to the truth in all places and at all times, and (4) a motivation to serve others in truth. To meet these requirements, we must first be open to teaching and be diligent in our pursuit of the learning of the Spirit. Such a pursuit requires more than a casual interest in the answers we seek. The Lord has declared that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled with the Holy Ghost (see Matthew 5:6; 3 Nephi 12:6). The opposite of this hungering and thirsting is what the prophets call "hardness of heart," an inability to see what really is, to hear what is truly being said, and to feel with an openness of heart. C. S. Lewis, in his final volume of the Narnia tales, recounts how, after the forces of the White Witch have been defeated by Aslan the lion (a representation of Christ) and his followers, the prisons and chains with which she had bound so many disappeared. Within a prison stable, a group of dwarfs had been chained in a circle. Suddenly the stable and their chains disappeared and they were free. But they refused to believe their own liberation and stayed within their closed circle, not feeling the fresh air, seeing the sun, or smelling the flowers. Even as Aslan growled in their ears to arouse them, they mistook the growl for a machine or a trick.2 On another occasion Aslan observed, "Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!"3 As Nephi so plaintively wrote, "And now I, Nephi, . . . am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be" (2 Nephi 32:7). Many cannot hear the whisperings of the Spirit or find the truth, because their explaining of apparently miraculous events becomes explaining away. Some studies of Christ seek to explain His mission and influence by explaining away His divine Sonship, and others seek to explain the Prophet Joseph Smith by explaining away his prophetic calling. As Jacob so wisely observed: "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. "But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God" (2 Nephi 9:28-29). To be taught wisdom by the Spirit, we must be prepared to invest everything we are in its pursuit, a study accelerated by much prayer and fasting. Obedience Alma speaks of awakening and arousing our faculties-- that is, our heart and mind--so as to experiment upon the word (see Alma 32:27). This refers not to passive learning but to active doing. The Apostle John decried those who say they know Christ but fail to follow His counsel: "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4). Such seeking and obedient following may also require patient waiting upon the Lord. As He declared to the Nephites: "When they shall have received this, which is expedient that they have first, to try their faith, and if it shall be so that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. . . . I will try the faith of my people" (3 Nephi 26:9, 11). This diligent seeking, learning, and following, accompanied by patient waiting, was well expressed in the words of John Henry Newman: "I do not ask to see the distant scene--one step enough for me."4 Witnessing and Serving When we discover truth in Christ, we must be willing "to stand as [a witness] of God at all times and in all things, and in all places" (Mosiah 18:9). Additionally, we must be willing to serve and to bear one another's burdens. The integrity demonstrated in such a life of truth speaking and well doing opens ever wider the horizons of truth. The promise of the Lord is then fulfilled in our lives: "Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. "The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion" (D&C 121:45-46). Sanctified by the things we know, we attain the certitude that banishes doubt and fear. We may confront the challenges of life with "a perfect brightness of hope" (2 Nephi 31:20). And we shall know that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). NOTES 1. See Lectures on Faith (1985), 38. 2. The Last Battle (1956, 1984), 156-70. 3. The Magician's Nephew (1955, 1983), 185. 4. "Lead, Kindly Light," Hymns, no. 97. ;;;Teaching and Being Taught BY RICHARD G. MOORE The Lord's injunction to "teach one another" requires each of us to be both teacher and student. Some of the great blessings of being a parent or Church leader or teacher are the personal learning and spiritual growth that occur when we take the time to prepare and present our lessons well. I have learned that a great deal of enlightenment can also come during a lesson when our children or students participate. A wealth of wisdom, insight, and experience can be gleaned when all share their thoughts, feelings, and knowledge of the gospel. What a blessing it is to be taught when one is the teacher! As a Teacher Some years ago during a lesson on prayer, a student commented on how much the Bible Dictionary had helped him develop a greater understanding about prayer. He read an excerpt of it to the class. At the time I was not familiar with the entry on prayer. As I listened to him read, some of the questions and confusion I had about prayer were suddenly illuminated and eliminated. I sincerely thanked him for sharing what he had found. His comments changed the way I think of prayer and the way I teach it. During a lesson about the incident in the New Testament when Jesus invited Peter to walk on the water, I led a discussion about having faith and keeping focused on the Savior. A sister in the class raised her hand and said something like this: "I see in this experience of Peter an analogy for our mortal lives. We are placed in the midst of a fallen world where we are tossed about by the waves of life. Like Peter, we have been invited by Jesus to come unto Him. Peter learned, as all of us must, that we can't make it without the help of our Savior. Like Peter, we need to remember that our best efforts will fall short, but the Savior is there to save us." As she finished her comment, there was a sweet feeling in the room. Her insight changed the way I look at and teach that story from the life of Christ. During a discussion about little children who die before age eight being "saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven" (D&C 137:10), a student suggested these children die while under "celestial warranty." I liked that thought. In addition to the doctrinal insights of class members, I have often been moved by their personal experiences and testimonies. Many times students have volunteered a powerful example of how to live a gospel principle. When moved by the Holy Ghost to impart their thoughts, students often provide a clearer way of explaining the principle under discussion. As a Parent What is true in the classroom is also true in the home. Even though it is the responsibility of parents to teach their children, what parents have not been taught by their children? The prophet Alma taught that God imparts His word by angels to "little children [who] have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned" (Alma 32:23). One evening after reviewing some Book of Mormon stories with my five- and three-year-old boys, I suggested they could be like Nephi and Sam. I was startled when my five-year-old replied that they had decided to be like Laman and Lemuel. "You've got the wrong guys," I assured them. "You want to be like Nephi and Sam." "No, Dad, we've talked about it. Laman and Lemuel like to gripe. We like to gripe, so we've decided we want to be like Laman and Lemuel." I went to bed that night quite concerned. Was I raising a Laman and Lemuel? I remembered that they did tend to complain. "Where had they gotten that habit?" I thought. I had to admit that my tendency to grumble and complain was influencing my children. This "wise and learned" parent had been confounded. On another occasion I was struggling with writing a draft or even coming up with a topic for a talk in a stake youth conference. I prayed and pondered, but as the day approached I still didn't know what to say. While I was sharing my dilemma with my wife, my teenage daughter overheard our conversation and said, "Dad, do you want me to help?" I wasn't trying to be rude, but I said, "No, thanks. I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something." She responded, "I'm a teenager, Dad. I'll be at the conference with my friends. I know what they're going through and how they think and feel. I think I have some good ideas of what you could talk about." I listened and learned some things about my daughter and about how Heavenly Father can answer our prayers through our children. Being Edified Teachers and parents should consider themselves as part of the group of learners, not just as the dispensers of knowledge. If there is no discussion or sharing of thoughts and feelings in our classes and homes, we are missing out on many glorious opportunities to learn from each other. When we ask sincere questions, we should not be surprised when the particular answer we are looking for does not come. In fact I believe we should hope for the unexpected answer, the one that gives us new insight into something we are struggling to know or better understand. It is not uncommon for me to write notes in my scriptures during class and family home evening about the things I learn. I seek out opportunities to glean ideas, impressions, and feelings. I am grateful for students who come to class prepared not only to be taught but also to teach. I am grateful to children who tell parents how they feel and share their experiences. As a result, I have been greatly edified by the Holy Ghost (see D&C 88:122). HELPS FOR HOME EVENING Most Ensign articles can be used for family home evening discussions, personal reflection, or teaching the gospel in a variety of settings. 1. Invite family members to share things they have learned from a favorite teacher, classmate, or relative. Consider telling several experiences Brother Moore had as a teacher and a parent. List some things you can do to be better prepared for a lesson and discuss why doing these things will make a difference in the learning experience. Think about setting a goal for family members to be better prepared to learn as well as teach a lesson. 2. Consider applying the suggestions contained in the article as you create a teaching and learning experience in your own family setting. For example, you could ask each family member to teach a simple chore such as tying a shoe, brushing teeth, tying a tie, combing hair, etc. Have them give step-by-step instructions while someone follows their instructions. Discuss what was learned about being a teacher or a student. ;;;Signs of Friendship BY MELINDA RIDDLE KOWALSKI I was introduced to the gospel and baptized during my time as a university student in Washington, D.C. I sub- sequently served a mission, but toward the end of it, I needed to decide whether to return to school or to go home to Kamloops, British Columbia, where my father and brother lived. Because I am deaf and because I am the only member of the Church in my family, I was worried about finding a place to attend church where I could communicate with my brothers and sisters in the gospel. I told my mission president my concern, and he was able to get the address of the Vernon British Columbia stake president. I wrote to him and within a few weeks received a reply telling me there was a woman, Sharon Hara, in the Kamloops Second Ward who knew sign language. Sister Hara had learned to sign years earlier as a university student. She had been taught sign language by a woman who served as an interpreter for two deaf sisters in their ward. I later learned that Sister Hara and her husband had also taken two deaf foster children into their home. I wrote to Sister Hara, who seemed excited to meet me. She even invited me to live with her family. After praying about where to go, I decided to move to British Columbia and live with the Haras. Soon after my arrival, Sister Hara decided to start sign language classes in her home so other people could communicate with me. I started teaching too, and the class became so well attended that we moved it to the ward meetinghouse. Eventually, we had two separate classes--one for adults and one for children. Later, teaching a sign language class became part of my calling, and we extended the class to the whole community, not just the ward. I enjoyed teaching the one-hour, weekly classes and did so for almost five years. Several of the class members became proficient enough to serve as interpreters in Sunday School and Relief Society when Sister Hara wasn't available because of other callings. All of us who were involved with the class gained from the experience. I later moved in with the Davy family, who all learned sign language and also became my close friends. I am now married and live in Alberta, Canada. Teaching sign language was a challenge for me at times, and I am sure learning sign language was a challenge for others. But I am grateful for their efforts, and I know that being able to communicate with each other is a blessing that has helped us become friends in the gospel of Jesus Christ. ;;;"For She Loved Much" WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT (Luke 7:47) Above: She Shall Bring Forth a Son, by Liz Lemon Swindle. "Behold, a virgin [Mary] shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Matthew 1:23; see vv. 18-25). Above right: Living Water, by Simon Dewey. "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4:10; see vv. 6-30). Left: Peace, Not as the World Giveth, by Michael T. Malm. "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. . . . "The wise [virgins] took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (Matthew 25:1, 4; see vv. 1-13). Above: Mary Heard His Word, by Walter Rane. "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42; see vv. 38-42). Above: Forsaking All, by Elspeth Young. Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, were exiled Jews living in Corinth, Greece. The Apostle Paul stayed with them during his second missionary journey. Like many other believers during New Testament times, Aquila and Priscilla forsook all for the gospel's sake. Here Priscilla contemplates leaving Corinth for Ephesus. (See Acts 18:1-3, 18-19; Romans 16:1-3.) Above: That Good Part, by Elspeth Young. Siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, of Bethany, were all devoted disciples of the Savior. On one occasion, "Martha received [Christ] into her house. "And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word" (Luke 10:38-39). Of this, Christ said, "Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42). Above right: Discipleship, by Elspeth Young. "Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did" (Acts 9:36; see vv. 36-43). Left: Detail from The Widow's Mite, by Liz Lemon Swindle. "And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. "And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all" (Luke 21:2-3; see vv. 1-4). Above left: Why Seek Ye the Living among the Dead? by Jan Astle. "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they [Mary Magdalene and other women] came unto the sepulchre, . . . "And they found the stone rolled away. . . . ". . . Behold, two men stood by them in shining garments [and] ". . . said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? "He is not here, but is risen" (Luke 24:1-2, 4-6; see vv. 1-13). Above: Detail from Touch of Faith, by Simon Dewey. "And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: "For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole" (Matthew 9:20-21; see vv. 18-22). ;;;LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT Oil in Our Lamps BY ELDER LYNN G. ROBBINS Of the Seventy Being worthy of a temple recommend is a wise way to prepare to meet the Lord. While Coy Manning was in the hospital with cancer, her temple recommend expired. She knew she had only days to live and realized she would never visit the temple again in this life. Still, she told her physician, who was a member of the Church, that she wanted to have a current temple recommend when she died. He replied, perhaps in jest, "I don't think they use them over there." Of course her bishop and stake president were happy to visit her. With her renewed recommend she was content knowing that she had been judged worthy by the Lord's earthly representatives to enter the temple, or symbolically to enter into His presence. She was at peace for the journey that came just a few days later.1 Parables of Preparation When speaking of His Second Coming, the Lord has said, "I will suddenly come to my temple" (D&C 36:8; see also D&C 42:36; 133:2; Malachi 3:1; 3 Nephi 24:1). Because He will come to His temple, we would be wise to prepare to meet Him by being temple worthy. Could the importance of temple worthiness be one of the Lord's messages to us in the parables of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1-13) and the marriage of the king's son (see Matthew 22:2-14)? These parables have more than one possible interpretation. However, one wise way to "liken [these parables] unto us" (1 Nephi 19:23) is to study them with the temple in mind. This perspective reminds us of the urgent need to have and to be ever worthy of a current temple recommend. In the scriptures the Savior uses His title "the Bridegroom" (D&C 33:17) in reference to His Second Coming: "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom" (Matthew 25:1). In biblical times the destination of those who "went forth to meet the bridegroom" was the bridegroom's home. Under the heading "Marriage" in the Bible Dictionary, we read: "On the marriage day, the bride was escorted to her [bridegroom's] home by a procession consisting of her own companions and the ‘friends of the bridegroom,' or ‘children of the bride-chamber.' . . . When she reached the house, words such as ‘Take her according to the law of Moses . . . ' were spoken, . . . and a marriage deed was signed. After the prescribed washing of hands and benediction, the marriage supper was held" (728-29). In the parable the bride and the virgins would have gone forth to meet the Bridegroom, or Lord, in His own house. In our day we might consider His own house to be the house of the Lord. As before mentioned, modern revelation teaches us that He will come to His own house: "The Lord . . . shall suddenly come to his temple. . . . Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh" (D&C 133:2, 10; emphasis added). In the parable the Savior used a marriage ceremony in the Bridegroom's home to teach about qualifying for the kingdom of heaven. In our day a marriage ceremony in the Lord's house is the qualifying ordinance for family life in the celestial kingdom (see D&C 131:1-3). Filling Our Lamps The parable of the ten virgins teaches us about how to prepare wisely to meet the Lord at His Second Coming. "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins" (v. 1). The ten virgins, according to Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "represent those church members who are looking for the Bridegroom to come; and the oil-filled lamps are symbolic of the Holy Spirit which lights the way before the saints."2 "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish" (v. 2). Elder McConkie further explains that this parable is not about "good and bad, not righteous and wicked, but wise and foolish. That is, all of them have accepted the invitation to meet the Bridegroom; all are members of the Church . . . but only five are valiant therein."3 In the parable, only those with oil in their lamps were able to enter the house of the bridegroom. In modern times, only those worthy of a temple recommend may enter the house of the Lord. "They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them; "But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (vv. 3-4). In biblical times constant effort was needed to ensure that an adequate amount of oil was maintained in lamps. In our day we must exert constant effort to remain temple worthy. In the parable the virgins were not able to enter the door without oil. In our day neither can we enter the door of the temple without a recommend. The Lord commanded the children of Israel anciently to use "pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually" (Leviticus 24:2). According to The Guide to the Scriptures, olive oil is a symbol of purity and of the presence and influence of the Holy Ghost.4 In modern times a temple recommend is an affirmation of a person's purity or worthiness. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (vv. 5-6). Elder McConkie explains that "from evening to midnight there was no direct word from the bridal party. At midnight, the most unlikely of all hours for a joyous celebration to begin, the cry goes forth to a sleeping world." Likewise, the Lord's Second Coming will be "more distant than the early saints supposed."5 The Lord will come again in a dark "midnight" hour when the world is ripe in iniquity and when for the "elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:22). In such a dark time, what a truly stunning moment it will be when the Light of the World appears and darkness is banished! "Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps" (v. 7). They all thought they were ready. Outwardly, they all appeared prepared. "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out" (v. 8). In the parable oil could not be loaned to someone else. In our day we cannot loan our temple worthiness to someone else. "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves" (v. 9). The Keeper of the Gate "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (v. 10). The closed door is a poignant reminder that "this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:32). It would be foolish to procrastinate the day of our repentance until the midnight hour or to leave this life without oil. Just as oil is not purchased at midnight, neither is righteousness developed in an instant. "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us" (v. 11). The fact that the five foolish virgins knocked, expecting to enter the marriage supper, indicates one of two things: (1) they thought they could prepare themselves after the Bridegroom came, or (2) knowing that they at first had not been prepared to enter, they were hoping for mercy. Either way, the door was shut. "But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (v. 12). Our Lord, on the other hand, knows each one of us, even the thoughts and intents of our heart (see Alma 18:32). Joseph Smith's inspired revision of the scriptures places responsibility for being prepared right where it belongs: "Ye know me not" (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 25:11). In this parable it was the bridegroom himself who answered the door. In the Book of Mormon we learn that "the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; . . . for he cannot be deceived" (2 Nephi 9:41). He is the one who will symbolically be checking recommends at the door to the kingdom of heaven. Church doctrine teaches us that Judgment Day will go beyond a recommend interview. The "Gatekeeper" has taught us that there are additional requirements, such as being humble, forgiving our fellow men, having charity, and so forth. Having a recommend may not be a guarantee, but worthily obtaining one would be a wise way to prepare for the kingdom of heaven. Logically, if we are not worthy to enter the house of the Lord here on earth, common sense tells us that we will not be worthy to enter His celestial home either, the one being symbolic of the other. The Wedding Garment In symbolism that could parallel that of the oil in the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the marriage of the king's son uses the "wedding garment" as a prerequisite to participation (see Matthew 22:11-14; Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 22:14). The book of Revelation teaches us that the garment represents righteousness: "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready . . . arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Revelation 19:7-8; emphasis added). In our day, the temple garment is clothing we always wear as a reminder of sacred temple covenants. The final verse of the parable of the marriage of the king's son states, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). Joseph Smith added a key phrase in his inspired revision of the Bible: "For many are called, but few are chosen: wherefore all do not have on the wedding garment" (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 22:14; emphasis added). Reminders of Covenants Parables can have layered or multiple meanings. The similarities between the biblical parables mentioned and our preparation to enter modern temples should motivate us to "liken [the] scriptures unto us" (1 Nephi 19:23) and to desire to be temple worthy. The temple recommend isn't just a record; nor is the garment just an emblem of past behavior. They are reminders of covenants made concerning future behavior--a promise to endure to the end. Being worthy of a temple recommend--just as Sister Coy Manning was--is a wise way to prepare to meet the Savior and to prepare for the spiritual journey we call death. It isn't the piece of paper that matters but the worthiness it represents. It would certainly be unwise, or foolish, not to be worthy of one. "Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom" (D&C 33:17; emphasis added). NOTES 1. Sister Coy C. Manning is the sister of Elder Joe J. Christensen, emeritus member of the Seventy, who shared this story. 2. Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (1966-73), 1:684. 3. Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:685; emphasis added. 4. See The Guide to the Scriptures (1993), 182. 5. Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:685. HELPS FOR HOME EVENING Visuals enhance learning. Consider showing or having family members make an object discussed in the article. Following are two suggestions. 1. Share the parable of the ten virgins. Invite each family member to mold clay into the shape of a small bowl that fits inside your cupped hand. The resulting bowl is similar in size and shape to the ancient lamps used by the ten virgins. While you are doing this, consider discussing some of the requirements to enter the kingdom of heaven. During the coming week place a pebble or a marble in your "lamps" each time someone makes a good choice, such as reading the scriptures, praying, being kind, or giving service. 2. Show a passport or driver's license to the family. Discuss briefly how to obtain it and what privileges it allows you to have. Then show a temple recommend. Discuss what you must do to obtain one and what privileges it allows you to have. Share Sister Manning's story from the article. Consider discussing the relationship between our being worthy of a temple recommend and the ten virgins' being prepared to "meet the bridegroom." ;;;Visiting Teaching Message Become an Instrument in the Hands of God by Standing Strong and Immovable Prayerfully select and read from this message the scriptures and teachings that meet the needs of the sisters you visit. Share your experiences and testimony. Invite those you teach to do the same. What Does It Mean to Be Strong and Immovable? President Gordon B. Hinckley: "It is so tremendously important that the women of the Church stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper. . . . [You] must begin in [your] own homes. [You] can teach it in [your] classes. [You] can voice it in [your] communities" ("Standing Strong and Immovable," Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2004, 20). President Joseph F. Smith (1838- 1918): "After we have done all we could do for the cause of truth, and withstood the evil that men have brought upon us, . . . it is still our duty to stand. We cannot give up; we must not lie down. . . . To stand firm in the face of overwhelming opposition, when you have done all you can, is the courage of faith. The courage of faith is the courage of progress. [Those] who possess that divine quality go on; they are not permitted to stand still if they would. They are not simply the creatures of their own power and wisdom; they are instrumentalities of a higher law and a divine purpose" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 107-8). How Can the Lord Use Me When I Stand Strong and Immovable? D&C 84:106: "If any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, . . . that he may become strong also." Anne C. Pingree, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency: "The Lord explained that those who ‘shall be received by baptism into his church' would be, in part, those ‘willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.' That means remaining ‘steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works' each day of our lives. . . . We will be asked to do all we can, in some cases, even more than we know how to do" ("To Grow Up unto the Lord," Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 74-75, 76). Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "You cannot today remotely imagine what that decision to be unwaveringly obedient to the Lord will allow you to accomplish in life. Your quiet, uncompromising determination to live a righteous life will couple you to inspiration and power beyond your capacity now to understand. . . . You can qualify through that divine power to be instruments in the hands of God to accomplish what you could not do alone" ("Making the Right Decisions," Ensign, May 1991, 34-35). President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: "I commend each of you for your day-to-day works of righteousness. Even though your works may be known to only a few, they are recorded in the Lamb's book of life, which one day will be opened to witness of your dedicated service, devotion, and deeds as ‘instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work' [Alma 26:3]" ("Instruments in the Hands of God," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 114). ;;;An Honored and Invited Guest BY NAIDA STEPHENS TIMS I was set on divorce until our stake president counseled us to invite the Holy Ghost into our home. My marriage was over. Despite temple covenants, after almost 20 years and 4 children, the strife and contention had driven a wedge between us that I could no longer live with. I consulted a lawyer. He acknowledged the grounds for divorce and outlined various legal steps to be taken. He asked me if my husband and I had seen a counselor. No, we had not. It was his custom, he said, to have his clients visit with a counselor prior to initiating legal proceedings. Would I consider doing that? Of course I would. Nothing anyone could say to me would alter my intention of getting out of this misery. But this was going to be costly. I asked if my clergyman would be acceptable. Yes, that would be fine. I made an appointment with my bishop. He listened and said he would like us to see our stake president. I was irritated and angry as I stomped up the steps to President Leatham's front door. I knew he was going to tell us it was Satan who was destroying our marriage. I did not need to hear that. I knew exactly who was destroying our marriage. It was my husband, Ken. I could no longer tolerate the criticism, the lack of consideration, the constant bickering. If he would show more thought and care, everything would be just fine. President Leatham greeted us and invited us into his living room. I was immediately impressed with a feeling of peace and calm. He listened to us attentively. Then he proceeded to tell us exactly what I had expected. In the peacefulness of his home, however, the Spirit touched me. President Leatham reminded us that we had made sacred covenants with the Lord, and having done so, we were a covenant family. What we did not know was that as a covenant family we were literally at war with Satan and his angels. Our home was under attack, and Satan was winning. I couldn't argue with that. He told us we didn't need to succumb to grievous temptations for Satan to win. He said we had allowed the spirit of contention to invade our home, and it had destroyed love, respect, and honor. It had eroded the principles of the gospel in our family. Then he told us what to do about it. We were to go home and gather our children about us and explain to them what was happening to us and why. He told us to gather every morning and invite the Holy Ghost into our home and ask Heavenly Father to bless us with a spirit of love and affection for one another. Then each of us should behave toward other family members as we would if an honored and invited guest were in our home. At the end of the day we were to kneel together and thank Heavenly Father for His blessings of that day and ask Him to fill our home with His Spirit as we slept. We sat silent on the way home, pondering what we had learned. I was remembering our hands across the altar--Ken's, mine, two toddlers', and the three-month-old baby fist, like a pink rosebud on top. Where had it all gone? I knew I was as responsible as Ken. I reached over and took his hand. "I'm willing to try if you are," I said. He looked at me, searching my face; then he smiled. "I am, I am!" he said. The purpose of morning and evening prayer took on new meaning as we followed President Leatham's counsel. Things began to change immediately. The children were horrified to learn that I was considering divorce and readily agreed to participate in our plan. We took turns inviting the Holy Ghost into our home and thanking Heavenly Father at night. The spirit of contention began to wither and die. One morning I was downstairs and heard my teenage daughters shouting at each other upstairs. Recriminations and names were flying. I hurried to the stairs and took the first step on my way to quell this outburst in my usual way--by outshouting the offenders. Then suddenly it became very quiet. I stopped on the stair and heard my oldest daughter say: "Wait a minute! You know what we're doing, don't you?" Her sister whispered, "Yes." It was quiet again. Then, "Let's kneel down and pray." I heard the rustling of their clothing as they knelt. I didn't hear the whispered prayer, but there was rustling again as they stood. Then, "I love you, Sissy." "I love you too." I heard rustling as they embraced and sniffles as the tears flowed. I backed down the stair and went to a quiet corner alone and thanked Heavenly Father for being there. That was more than 30 years ago, and we are still together as a family. There have been many battles with that spirit of contention invading our home, but knowing the enemy and recognizing his presence has made us strong in knowing what our armor is and how to protect and respect our honored and invited guest. ;;;8 Japanese Brothers BY TADASHI KINA Because of our mother's faith in the missionaries' message, the gospel is blessing our family and many others throughout Japan. My parents had nine children--eight sons and a daughter. The only girl died as a small child in World War II during the battle of Okinawa. Following the war, my father established a successful automotive repair shop in Nago, located in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. In 1954, when my youngest brother was 2 and my oldest brother was 17, our father died, and my mother became a widow at the age of 40. Mother could not accept Father's death. Sometimes, in her sorrow, she wanted to follow after him, but she had eight boys she could not leave behind. Up until that time, my mother, Haru, had relied upon our father to be the breadwinner; but having lost him, she was now forced to work. She tried to forget her sorrow by working and then coming home and caring for her children. She struggled to raise her eight rowdy boys alone. When I was old enough to understand, I realized I never knew when my mother got up or when she went to sleep. Teach My Children about God Ten years after the death of my father, as if guided by the Spirit, Mother left Nago amid the opposition of friends and relatives and moved to Naha, the capital of Okinawa. A few years later, about 1967, the missionaries knocked on our door. At that time our house was isolated and surrounded by sugarcane fields and a graveyard. The road to the house was in poor condition, and few people ever called on us. The missionaries were Elder Jackson and Elder Fuchigami, a second-generation Japanese-American from Hawaii. The missionaries asked, "May we speak with you about God?" Mother had been concerned about her sons' education and thought we might learn something good from the missionaries, so she invited the elders in and said, "Please teach my children about God." Mother found peace as she learned about the gospel. She was impressed that the missionaries paid their own way and that Elder Jackson was serving a mission, even though he had lost his parents in an automobile accident when he was younger and had struggled along with an older sister. As she listened to the missionaries, Mother shed tears for the first time since my father's death. She felt the Lord's love and the Spirit through the discussions. She knew that this was the church our family had been searching for. To set an example for her sons, Mother was baptized first. She was touched by the missionaries' message and by their loving, kind behavior. She began to think that the greatest education she could give her children would be for us to learn the gospel and become missionaries. Mother always told the missionaries, "There are eight boys in our family. Please come to our house and teach the gospel to them. When they are all converted, there will be eight more priesthood holders at church. And they may be missionaries in the future." Serving Missions Most of my brothers and I were influenced by our mother and joined the Church one after another. As we attended church, our lives changed through the gospel and the help extended to us from the brothers and sisters at church. We became better sons and brothers. We started helping one another more and found life to be enjoyable. Four of us later preached the gospel as missionaries in various parts of Japan. When one of my older brothers, who had moved away from Okinawa, saw the fine stature of one of his younger brothers who was serving a mission, he said, "I can't believe this is my younger brother who used to be so wild." Then of his own initiative, he sought out the Church and was soon baptized and confirmed. Before another of my older brothers was baptized at the age of 27, he had no idea how to live. He was troubled and would drink and party. He caused his family and the people around him much grief. When this brother learned about the purpose of life through the gospel, he was baptized and confirmed and eventually married a wonderful woman in the Church. He found joy in life and began feeling a purpose in being alive. He shared the gospel with friends and was a good influence to many. My brothers who were on missions could hardly believe it when they heard that this brother had joined the Church. As missionaries, my brothers and I received assistance from our mission presidents and companions as well as Church members and the Lord. We worked hard, and with the help of the Spirit, we were able to baptize and confirm many people. Among those converted, one is now serving as a stake president, some are high councilors, and some are bishops. Those families have been sealed in the temple, and their children are now serving as missionaries. Through the service we were able to give, gospel seeds have been planted all around Japan and are starting to bloom. Mother's dream to have her children be missionaries came true. Building the Kingdom Through serving in callings, my brothers and I have grown spiritually. Each brother who has joined the Church has been sealed in the temple and is now raising a happy family. Mother was sealed in the Laie Hawaii Temple to our father and sister and those of us who have been converted. She was able to realize the fulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as she received the blessings of the temple. She later visited relatives, diligently seeking for information that would help her with her family history work. My mother has served in the Relief Society and Young Women programs and as a seminary teacher. The Kina family now includes daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren: a total of 66 family members. Of these, 51 are members of the Church and 10 are returned missionaries. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren will continue going out on missions as they become of age. We feel that it is the duty of those who have received the blessings of the gospel to do so. Kina family members have served or are serving in the following callings: two in the stake presidency (or district presidency), three as high councilors, seven in bishoprics (or branch presidencies), four as high priests group leaders, eight in elders quorum presidencies, six as mission leaders, and seven in Relief Society presidencies. We feel blessed that we have had these opportunities to serve others. Mother's Testimony Mother received a strong testimony as she watched her children's lives change for the better through the gospel of Jesus Christ. She had a desire to share the gospel with those she loved. She introduced friends and relatives to the missionaries and often held family meetings at home. Through this she was instrumental in bringing many into the Church, including 50 of her relatives. Mother, now 90, once bore the following testimony: "As a mother, I would gladly sacrifice myself so that my children could return to their Heavenly Father. How can one leave any child he or she loves so much and still go to Heavenly Father? My most important mission here upon the earth as a mother is to return the children I received from Heavenly Father back to Him." We sons are now of the age that we have children and grandchildren and can understand and appreciate our mother's testimony. The gospel is true, and truth changes people. Through the gospel we have come to know God's love and mercy. We have made many friends with the wonderful brothers and sisters in the Church and are grateful for the changes we have experienced through their examples. We will go forward as instruments in God's hand here in Okinawa and preach the restored gospel, build churches and temples, and help to establish Zion. Sister Haru Kina with her eight sons in 1962. Right: Sister Kina and her husband, Gen-ei, with six of their children. Below, left to right: Elder Fuchigami, one of the missionaries who taught Sister Kina the gospel. Sister Kina at age 85. Sister Kina with her son Toshimitsu and her grandson at the Laie Hawaii Temple in 1970. This monument in Mabuni, Okinawa, lists the names of victims of the battle of Okinawa. Tadashi Kina points to the name of his sister, Fumiko, who died at age two. Below: Missionary Tadashi Kina (right) at a baptism. Below right: The youngest Kina son, Akira, on his mission in 1972. Sister Kina (center) sits surrounded by family members at a family reunion in 2002. ;;;Supporting Your Bishop BY JOSEPH STAPLES My first encounter with a Latter-day Saint bishop occurred before I was a member of the Church. I was 17 years old and was facing the confusion, doubt, and stress that many high school seniors confront. One Saturday morning I was complaining to my best friend about my woes. Even though he had good intentions, he provided me with few answers. But he did offer what turned out to be a profound suggestion. "Sometimes when I don't know what to do," he said, "I talk to my bishop." "Your bishop? Who is he?" I asked. "He is the head of my ward," my friend replied. I now recognize my next question to be a distinct prompting from the Spirit, but at the time it was the most out-of-character question I could imagine coming from my 17-year-old mouth. "Do you think he'd meet with me?" I asked. My friend said he'd call his bishop and call me right back. An appointment was quickly made for later that morning at the bishop's house. I didn't know what to expect. As I pulled up in front of the modest rambler home, I was a bit surprised at its normalcy--bikes in the driveway, nicely mowed lawn. I was even further surprised by the man in the nice, casual shirt who greeted me at the door. He smiled and said, "Hi, you must be Joe. I'm Bishop Maxwell. Please come in." As we walked to his small, in-home office, my mind was trying to justify it all. "Shouldn't the bishop's home be somehow different?" I asked myself. "Shouldn't he dress in a formal robe or something?" During the next 45 minutes, what I found was a compassionate man, someone who took a sincere interest in my struggles; an inspired man willing to spend some of his precious time on a Saturday morning to help someone, anyone, of his faith or not, make decisions and draw conclusions. More than 25 years have passed since that meeting. I don't recall any of the specific advice the bishop imparted that morning, but I still vividly remember the amazing clarity and lightened burden I felt as I left his home. Not until many years later would I realize that meeting was one of my first experiences in feeling the Spirit. I joined the Church later that year. My friend Bill, who had referred me to Bishop Maxwell, baptized me. Bishop Maxwell was at the baptism. I later served a mission, married a beautiful young woman in the temple with Bishop Maxwell serving as a witness, and am now raising five wonderful children. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has promised that "if we will sustain and support our bishops, learn to be concerned for their welfare, and pray for their success in all they have to do, it will bless our lives as we are placed under their leadership and have opportunity to follow their inspired direction, as they lead the wards of the Church."1 I have come to realize that we can take action to fulfill our responsibility of supporting and sustaining our bishop (or branch president). The following six suggestions provide guidance in accomplishing that objective. Respect His Family Time Your bishop will generally drop whatever activity he is involved in to assist one of his ward members in need. He knows his responsibility as a shepherd of the flock and works hard at fulfilling his sacred stewardship. Being torn in various directions is something he quickly becomes accustomed to. Your bishop is also a husband, in most cases a father, and often a father with children still at home in need of his guidance and attention. As we look for our bishop's guidance, we need to be aware and considerate of his time with his family and his responsibility as a provider in his home. While we should never hesitate to call the bishop when we truly need his help, we should still ask ourselves, "Can this wait?" or, "Is there another person, such as a home teacher, who could help me just as well?" Of course, questions of worthiness should be discussed only with our bishop or branch president. Speaking of bishops and other Church leaders and of the special burdens they bear, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has stated: "I testify of home and family and marriage, the most precious human possessions of our lives. I testify of the need to protect and preserve them while we find time and ways to serve faithfully in the Church."2 The bishop will always be busily engaged in the work of the Lord. That includes devoting time to his eternal calling as husband and father. With considerate planning on our part, we can be a great support in helping the bishop manage a busy and demanding load. Lighten His Load Some responsibilities the bishop cannot delegate. These include administering formal Church discipline, conducting tithing settlement, dispensing welfare assistance, and listening to the confessions of repentant ward members. Beyond these responsibilities, however, are many properly delegated things others can do to ease the bishop's burden, such as caring for ward members in need, planning social activities, and assisting with employment concerns. When home teachers and visiting teachers properly care for their assigned families, when group leaders and quorum and auxiliary presidents lead in righteousness, the bishop can focus on those activities that only he can perform. If we want to support the bishop and lighten his load, let us be diligent in fulfilling our assigned responsibilities. Respect the Office Some new bishops struggle with the transition from being a regular ward member to that of being the ward leader. They realize that in most cases others are equally qualified to serve. Even as they receive a confirmation that the Lord has chosen them for this assignment, accepting the mantle can be as awkward for them as donning the king's armor was for David prior to his battle with Goliath. The office of bishop is a sacred calling that the Lord has entrusted to a certain individual in each ward at any given time. We can help him by showing respect for the office. Call him "Bishop" instead of using his first name or a slang or informal title. Show respect in the way you treat him, and you'll help him better assume the very real mantle the Lord has placed upon him. Pray for Him The scriptures teach, "The alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord" (D&C 88:2). As we pray for our bishop, the Lord does indeed hear us. And when we pray for our bishop during family prayer, we teach our children important principles of faith, obedience, and trust. Many bishops have testified of the strength they have received through the prayers of their ward members. Accept His Challenges and Follow His Counsel The bishop is a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He may challenge us. He may ask us to serve in positions that might be out of our comfort zone. He may ask us to stretch and give. For our benefit, for his benefit, and as a means of building the Lord's kingdom here on earth, we should follow the bishop's counsel and accept and magnify the callings he or his counselors extend to us. Be Supportive and Nonjudgmental Bishops, like all of us, are human. They each have different strengths and different leadership styles. As members, we should not compare one bishop with another but know that our bishop is doing his best to follow what the Lord would have him do. We should be complimentary, nonjudgmental, and determined not to engage in criticism or gossip. A few years ago I was called as a bishop. While serving for several years in that capacity, I experienced some of the greatest joys I have ever known--joys of interviewing enthusiastic eight-year-olds for baptism and confirmation, of working with young men and young women as they prepared to serve missions, and of teaching about the great blessings of the temple to couples preparing for eternal marriage. I thought of Bishop Maxwell on countless occasions during that time. His influence on my life will be eternal. How blessed we are that the Lord sees fit to provide loving, devoted, caring bishops to shepherd our ward families. Their calling is challenging, and their burden can be heavy at times, yet we have a great opportunity to sustain and assist them through our support and positive actions.?? NOTES 1. "For a Bishop Must Be Blameless," Ensign, Nov. 1982, 32. 2. "Called to Serve," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2002, 38. LIGHTEN YOUR BISHOP'S BURDEN "Everyone . . . is accountable to a bishop or a branch president. Tremendous are the burdens which they carry, and I invite every member of the Church to do all that he or she can to lift the burden under which our bishops and branch presidents labor. "We must pray for them. They need help as they carry their heavy loads. We can be more supportive and less dependent upon them. We can assist them in every way possible. We can thank them for all that they do for us." President Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Shepherds of Israel," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2003, 60. BISHOPS CAN DO ONLY SO MUCH "In all the world there is nothing quite like the office of bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Except for parents, the bishop has the best opportunity to teach and to cause to be taught the things that matter most. . . . But be careful not to impose unnecessarily upon his time. Bishops can do only so much. The bishopric must have time to make a living and time for their own families." President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "The Bishop and His Counselors," Liahona, July 1999, 71, 73; Ensign, May 1999, 57, 58. ;;New Religion New Life BY ELDER GARY J. COLEMAN, WITH ELDER JOHN M. MADSEN Of the Seventy I longed for clarity and purpose in life, but to attend the discussion about Mormon doctrine would go against everything I had been taught. One day in 1961, as a student at Washington State University, I walked across the campus and noticed an advertisement for a program featuring a discussion about various religions. The first topic was "Mormon Attitude on Life and Death," taught by John M. Madsen, a fellow student. I had been raised in a devoutly religious home, and my family attended services regularly. My brothers a