Receiving Our King

I recently found a couple of posts that I wrote last month and never published them for some reason. Here's one of them:

I recently gave a Young Women’s lesson entitled, “Temple Endowment.” This was a great lesson that I highly recommend! Included was a quote from James E. Talmage:

“{In the endowment, members covenant to} observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her King,-the Lord Jesus Christ. With the taking of each covenant and the assuming of each obligation a promised blessing is pronounced contingent upon the faithful observance of the conditions.” Emphasis added. (James E. Talmage, The House of the Lord, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1968], p. 84)

The part that I highlighted stood out to me. We are to contribute to preparing the earth for the Second Coming. No wonder I feel such a burning desire to raise children of high moral standards who will also continue to help prepare the earth. This is a great charge. Not only does it say to prepare the earth but it says “to seek in every way” to do this work.

What does this look like? How do we prepare the earth?

I think it means rejecting the world, raising children according to God’s standards and not the worlds, warning our neighbor, and keeping our covenants. When they talk about “raising the bar” in our devotion we truly must raise the bar, and we must do it every way we can.

A scripture has been running through by mind for the last several weeks it says,

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

I have come to realize that while I probably will not be asked to die as a martyr I can still lay down my life. How? I can voluntarily choose to lay down my worldly life with all its exciting enticements and entitlements and I can choose to live a godly life. I can choose to give up more of my fun and more of my ‘me time’ and I can choose to serve my family and my friends. I can bear testimony, I can research family history names, I can visit my neighbor, I can read to my children, I can study my scriptures, I can attend the temple, etc. I can voluntarily reject the excessive pull of the computer, the movies, the brain-candy books, the girls day outs, etc. and I can choose a spiritual life.

I think that as I do this I will be seeking in every way to contribute (as God teaches me line by line) to the great preparation that the earth must go through so that we can receive our King.

See also Elder Anderson's recent address on this subject.

Let Us Be Self-Correcting

For some reason my quotation button is not working...

I continue to thrill in reading and learning about the early history of the Relief Society.  This month for our book club meeting we discussed, A Centenary of Relief Society 1842-1942.  I enjoyed the opportunity to relook at some interesting events. 

In addition to several readings I also took the time to read from The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  On page 201 is a “synopsis of the Prophet’s Remarks to the Female Relief Society.”  It reads,  

“President Joseph arose.  Spoke of the organization of the Female Relief Society; said he was deeply interested, that it might be built up to the Most High in an acceptable manner; that its rules must be observed; that none should be received into it but those who were worthy; proposed a close examination of every candidate…thus have an select society of the virtuous, and those who would walk circumspectly; commended them for their zeal, but said sometimes their zeal was not according to knowledge.  One principal object of the institution was to purge out iniquity; said they must be extremely careful in all their examinations, or the consequences would be serious.” (March 30, 1842) D.H.C. 4:570

In another section (see page 239) the Minutes of a Relief Society Meeting, held June 9, 1842, were given where Joseph Smith spoke.  The notes read,

“Said it is no matter how fast the society increases, if all the members are virtuous; that we must be as particular with regard to the character of members now, as when the society was first started; that sometimes persons wish to crowd themselves into a society of this kind when they do not intend to pursue the ways of purity and righteousness, as if the society would be a shelter to them in their iniquity.

“He said that henceforth no person shall be admitted, but by presenting regular petitions, signed by two or three members in good standing in the society, and whoever comes in must be of good report.”

Today in the church we do not have to apply to participate in Relief Society.  However, I see great value in giving ourselves some self-inspection regarding Joseph Smith’s words.  Elder Christofferson recently spoke of this.  He said,

“Eventually, much of our chastening should come from within-we should become self-correcting.”

Joseph Smith states we must be worthy, virtuous, walk circumspectly be zealous with knowledge, engage in ongoing purging of our iniquity, high character and of good report.  I observe areas from my own life that I need to work on.

The topic of virtue in itself could be discussed indefinitely.  Virtue being, “A pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards” (see Preach My Gospel and For the Strength of Youth). There is more to virtue than simply being chaste.  It would include not gossiping, judging righteously, humility, having charity, being positive, pure & kind thoughts,….I think that virtue covers pretty much all my faults! Grrr!

I recognize these words from the prophet as an opportunity to reflect on my own conduct.  I see I have many areas to improve on; aligning myself more fully to the purposes of Relief Society helps me to be more effective in my work of building Zion through my family and through Relief Society.

The great pronouncement given by Joseph Smith to the Sisters also applies to us as individuals,  “I now turn the key to you in the name of God and this Society shall rejoice and knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time.”  I seek the blessings of knowledge and intelligence.  What great promises are ours when we live up to our potential!