A Testimony of Me

Earlier this week, I read the following in Alma, chapter 17:

39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony of the things which they had done.

This verse caused me to ponder on a question. What acts do I do which are a testimony of me? The things that people see us do in this life, will stand as a witness of the type of person we are. We can imagine what people might say about us after we leave this life, based on our actions and deeds. Ammon was strong and faithful in his actions, which the servants saw and bore record of to the king. Will others see who I truly am or want to be in the things I do? What do I need to change to improve what others witness of me? This is what I hope to think about more in the next couple of weeks, so that I can be a better person and stand as a witness of Christ more in my life. What is their testimony of me?

Time Off

For the next few weeks, I will not be doing regular posts as often due to a new house and a lot of work to do there. Once our move is finished I’ll get back to normal. Please check out some of my older posts and feel free to comment your own thoughts.

How do we know we are beloved of God?

As a woman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), I am a member of the largest women’s organization in the world. This group is called the Relief Society. Several years ago, a declaration was written for the Relief Society and I would like to attempt to apply this declaration to my life more. In this attempt I will be breaking down the parts of it into questions that I would like to try to answer through study.

The declaration beings “we are beloved spirit daughters of God”. My first question is how do we know we are beloved of God? This is a big one. The word beloved means to be dearly loved. It is used often as a term of endearment, which is a completely personal and real love to the deepest parts of our hearts and souls. Some other words connected to beloved are cherished, adored, treasured, and valued. How then, do we know that we are dearly loved, cherished, adored, treasured and valued by God?

In Deuteronomy 7:13 we read, “And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.” This was a promise given to those who believed in God and obeyed the commandments. The blessings we receive are an evidence of the Love of God for us. One of these blessings is life itself. God has given us the gift of mortality to learn and grow. He wants us to become like him because he loves us. Another blessings, is the wonderful creations around us each day. God shows his love for us, in the beauty of the world. Beautiful things bring me joy, and I believe that God created these things to make us happy. When I can look at His creations and wonder in awe, I know that God loves me.

In John 3:16 we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God loves us so much that he allowed His first-born Son, even Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for us. In Doctrine and Covenants 138 we read the following:

2 And reflecting upon the great atoning sacrifice that was made by the Son of God, for the redemption of the world;
3 And the great and wonderful love made manifest by the Father and the Son in the coming of the Redeemer into the world;
4 That through his atonement, and by obedience to the principles of the gospel, mankind might be saved.

I believe that this is true. The sacrifice of the Son of God, is a manifestation of the love of God for each of us.

One of the best evidences of His love for me, is the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I believe that this is one of the greatest gift that God can give us in this life. The Holy Ghost is a comforter when times are difficult, a protector when we are faced with temptation and when physical harm may come to us or our loved ones, a teacher when we are seeking for truth, and so much more. When I feel the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or when others are inspired to do something for me, I know that God loves me and is mindful of me.

The scriptures teach us that God chastens those he loves. In Doctrine and Covenants 95:1 we read, “Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you—”. We are chastised so that we will become the best us we can be. We are chastised so that we will remember the Lord and repent of our sins. We will only be able to return to be with God again, if we make repentance a part of our lives. Therefore being chastised is a way that God can show us He wants us to return to be with Him because he loves us.

In Alma 24:14 we read, “And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.” We can know that we are loved of God, because he has given us the gospel. The restoration of the fullness of the gospel, and the ability to have it freely if we will seek it out, is evidence of his love for us. Elder M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said the following in the April 1988 General Conference:

God expresses his love for us by providing the guidance we need to progress and reach our potential. Perhaps a simple story will illustrate this point. Recently, a young man purchased a used computer but could not get it to work properly. Soon he became discouraged. His temper grew short and he threatened the inanimate object with painful destruction unless its performance improved. A wise father intervened and took his son to a local vendor, where they obtained an instruction manual. After all, who would know more about a complex computer than the person or company that created it? Who would know most about its capacity and potential? Who would better know the safeguards required to avoid damaging or ruining this fine instrument? Soon the boy enjoyed the full potential of his computer by working within the guidelines given in the instruction book provided by its creator.

Likewise in our lives, he who knows most about us, our potential, and our eternal possibilities has given us divine counsel and commandments in his instruction manuals—the holy scriptures. When we understand and follow these instructions, our lives have purpose and meaning. We learn that our Maker loves us and desires our happiness.

His desire for us to learn so that we can find happiness, through the gospel, is evidence of His love for us. I believe that there is no greater love that we can feel than can be found by learning and following the gospel.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said, “[God] loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.” (October 2009 General Conference Address, The Love of God.) I can know that no matter where I may be in life, or what my flaws may be at that time, God loves me.

Finally, I believe that there was a time when God himself experienced a mortal life to become what he is today. Therefore, I think the love we experience as mortals represents a small portion of the love he has for us. I think of the love of a father in this life. We are His children and He has a natural and eternal love for us unlike anything we have ever known. I think also of the special love a father has for his daughters. I have experienced the feelings of being Daddy’s little girl a few times in my life and that love is overwhelming. As a daughter of my Father in Heaven, I know that he looks at me as his little girl. He wants nothing but the best for me, but he knows he will have to let me do things on my own and make my own mistakes so that I can learn. He can see the woman I will become in the eternities and he gently guides my hand so that I can find my way there. Another love of a father, is the love towards those who bear his children. I believe that every mother in mortality works with our Father in Heaven to bring children into this world. This is not to say that we are all mortal children of God the way that the Savior was, but that we are all made up of a spirit born of God and a body born of earthly parents. I believe that God has a special love for all those who give of their bodies to allow His spirit children to be born into this world. I know that as a child, a daughter, and a mother, God has a great love for me. I know that he loves all his children. I know that we can feel that love, if we seek for Him.

Genesis Chapter 16

By this point in Genesis, Abram has been promised that he would have a child, even though his wife has been unable to have children. This chapter begins:

1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as his second wife, so that they would be able to have children. I don’t know what the lifestyle of this time was, but I believe that Sarai received inspiration or a commandment from God to do this so that the promises given to Abraham would be fulfilled. My understanding is that any children that Hagar had would belong to Sarai because Hagar was her handmaid.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

I think that there are two reasons for Hagar to have been “despised in her eyes”. First is that she could have been upset that she had become pregnant due to being made to be with Abram. Second is that once she realized she was pregnant, she did not want to give up her rights to her own child to Sarai. I think that it may have been the second reason for her. At this point I am sure the whole thing was probably a bit difficult for Sarai, since the desire to bear children is a natural thing in women. This probably only added to the sadness and difficulty of Sarai’s life at the time. I am sure that the experience was also quite difficult for Hagar, because this was her life and her child that were being forever altered by this. Sarai told Abram of the situation and he told her to deal with it as she wanted and so she did just that. Hagar ran away as a result.

7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar was found by an angel. She told the angel that she was running away, and the angel commanded her to go back to Sarai and submit herself to her. The angel told her that the son she would bear would be called Ishmael and that from him she would have a multitude of posterity. She was promised that Ishmael would be a man much like a nomad. This visit from the angel, was a tender mercy of the Lord and it showed Hagar that God knew her and saw her. She was not alone and she was capable of doing what was commanded of her. I believe that we are all known to God and we don’t need to feel alone and afraid. He will help us and guide us in his paths and if we are willing, he will use us to accomplish his will.

15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Hagar returned just as she was commanded, and then she had a son called Ishmael. Eventually, Ishmael did have a great number of posterity and this promise given to Hagar was fulfilled. I really believe that no matter what station we have in life or where we live or how humble our circumstances may be, that the Lord knows each and every one of us. I believe that he will not give us a commandment that we cannot obey. He is a loving Father in Heaven and He will help us to learn and grow to be the best we can be.

Exaltation

To view the entire Gospel Principles chapter, go here: Exaltation

What is exaltation?

Exaltation is the reward given to mankind by God, for following his commandments, and making and keeping sacred covenants in this life. It is the ability to live with God again, in his presence. This is part of God’s plan of salvation. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), we believe in a spiritual life before this earth life, and a life after we die. We will be rewarded and receive a glory based on how we choose to live our lives. In Doctrine and Covenants 132 we read the following:

3 Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.
4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.

Obedience to what we know to be true gospel is the key. We can only live in the presence of God again, if we receive his glory, which is the glory of the Celestial kingdom. This is the goal that we had before this life and is the hope of our Father in Heaven for each of us. There are two other degrees of glory which one can receive, the terrestrial and telestial. Only those who are the worst sinners of mankind, will not receive one of these degrees of glory, but will be cast into outer darkness with Satan and his spiritual followers. We should be striving for the glory of the Celestial kingdom, the highest of the degrees of glory.

Exaltation is our divine inheritance as children of God. In Romans chapter 8, we read the following:

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We are promised that we will receive His kingdom and all that He has, if we are obedient and faithful followers of Christ. In obedience we must make the required covenants. These include baptism and confirmation, priesthood ordination for men, endowments, and celestial marriage. All of these must be performed after the patter God has commanded and through the proper priesthood authority. Then our obedience continues by faithfully living up to those covenants to the end of our days in this life. For those who do not have the opportunity to know of the gospel in this life, these blessings will be available to them through proxy after they have died.

What are some blessings that will be given to those who are exalted?

In addition to receiving the glory of God, we will be able to be like Him and have all that He has. In Psalms 16:11, we read, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” With exaltation comes a fulness of joy. I have felt some intense moments of joy in my life, such as the moment I held my third baby who I felt I had to fight for before she came. I was so overcome that I could not hold back the tears of joy. A fulness of joy is a feeling that I look forward to with great anticipation. Also from this verse we learn that we will have pleasures forever. There are plenty of things in this life that bring us pleasure, but these things are fleeting. Earthly pleasures do not last forever and they will not bring us full joy. We have the promise of pleasure for eternity, which is amazing.

In Revelation 3:21 we read, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” If we receive exaltation, we will be able to be with God and Jesus Christ. We will be able to speak to them face-to-face. This blessing is hard to imagine, knowing that they are perfect beings and can only be with those who are also perfected. A blessing of exaltation is the condition of being perfected through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:20 reads, “Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.” Those who receive exaltation, will become Gods without end and with all the power of God. When it says they have no end, I don’t think this just means they live forever, because I think that all resurrected beings live forever in their degree of glory. I think that this means, they have the ability to increase forever. That means that they can have an eternity of spiritual offspring, creating spiritual bodies just like our Father in Heaven created us. To support this, we read the following in Doctrine and Covenants 131:

1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.
4 He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.

Celestial marriage, which cannot be accomplished without all other ordinances and covenants being made prior to it, is the key to receiving all that God has promised us. There are amazing blessings that await the faithful, including all power, all knowledge, and the power to rule over all things they create. (To read more about the blessings of those who receive a Celestial glory, read Doctrine and Covenants 76:59-70.)

How do ordinances and covenants prepare us for exaltation?

If we can learn to follow the commandments in this life, we will be able to live the law of the Celestial Kingdom. In Doctrine and Covenants 88 we read the following:

22 For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
23 And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
24 And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.

We cannot hope to abide in the presence of God, if we do not know how to listen and follow his commandments. Some may think that this will halt progression, but it is truly the opposite. With obedience to laws, we become free to act as we choose without the fear of loosing all that we have been given.

How does faith in Jesus Christ help us obey the commandments?

If we gain a faith in Jesus Christ, then we know what we are living for. Faith in Jesus Christ, brings a peace of mind that cannot be forfeited by anything else. That peace is comforting and pushes us to give strict obedience to the commandments. I believe that faith is a word of action. You cannot have faith without doing something with that faith. Having faith in Jesus Christ, means having a willingness in our hearts to live as he lived, and to follow his teachings. In 1 Nephi 7:12 we read, “Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.” If we show our faith in God, we allow Him to work in our lives. He can give us a strength, peace, and happiness that we cannot get in any other way. With the gift of strength, we can find the will to obey the commandments.

Why must we learn to follow the direction of the Holy Ghost to become exalted?

I think that part of the reason is that we must learn to rely on Him for guidance, just as we need to learn to rely on our Savior for the atonement and on God for his love, justice and mercy. The godhead is one in purpose. In Mormon 7:7 we read, “And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.” Each of the three personages that make up the godhead, follow the same plan. What the spirit teaches us, is what the Savior would teach us. Everything the Savior said, were the words of God to us. We must follow the direction of the Holy Ghost to put our desires and will in line with God. With all things in line, order and peace will remain in the eternities.

What happens when we have endured to the end in faithful discipleship to Christ?

When we have endured and done our very best to be faithful to the Savior, we will be welcomed with open arms into the Kingdom of Heaven. Our spiritual Father, will extend his arms to us with a complete and perfect love. He will then offer to us a place in His mansion. We will again learn at His feet and will continue to progress to our perfection in all things. In Matthew 25:23 we read, “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” In this life, we are given a few things to improve upon and learn self-mastery over. When we endure in faith, we can say to the Lord that we did all that we could with his gifts, then he can say these words to us. I know that I fall short each day, but this is a life to learn. It takes mistakes and trials to overcome and improve ourselves. I will be so grateful to hear these words from the Lord after this life, and so I want to try my best and be a little better each day.

Genesis Chapter 15

Abram (later Abraham) has by this point, been promised great blessings of the Lord, led from a land of wicked traditions to what would be the promised land for his posterity, and now received a priesthood blessing from Melchizedek. This chapter begins:

1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

Abram had a vision of the Lord, and knowing that he had been promised a great posterity who would gain the land of promise, he asked if he would have children. At this point, Abram had servants who had children and I think he wondered if these were to become the heirs of what he had to give.

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Abram was promised by the Lord, that he would have his own child and that his seed would be like the number of stars in the sky. What a great promise to receive, when he had not been able to have any children. I think that the Lord often used the sand and stars to represent a number so large that we could not understand it with our mortal minds. The idea that he would have seed of that magnitude was surely something to marvel at and only possible through a miracle from God. This is a reminder to us, that we are nothing when compared to the power and majesty of God and His works.

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

I think with a vision like this, someone who was not as good a man as Abram was, might have doubted this possibility. Abram was a man of faith, and he trusted the Lord and knew that he could make miracles happen.

In the Joseph Smith translation of this chapter, it explains it further as we read the following:

9 And Abram said, Lord God, how wilt thou give me this land for an everlasting inheritance?
10 And the Lord said, Though thou wast dead, yet am I not able to give it thee?
11 And if thou shalt die, yet thou shalt possess it, for the day cometh, that the Son of Man shall live; but how can he live if he be not dead? he must first be quickened.
12 And it came to pass, that Abram looked forth and saw the days of the Son of Man, and was glad, and his soul found rest, and he believed in the Lord; and the Lord counted it unto him for righteousness.

I think that the Lord was telling Abram that he could still receive the promised blessings after his death. This is something that as Latter-day Saints, we believe is part of the plan for us. Those who receive the highest glory after this life, will have the opportunity for an eternal posterity and seed without number. I love that Abram’s soul found rest when he had a vision of the Savior. I imagine that he saw the life of the Savior and saw that he would bring salvation to all men through his atonement. This is the one eternal reason for rest to our souls.

7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

The Lord promised that the land would become his inheritance. Abram asked God how he should know this. I think that Abram was asking for some kind of sign of this inheritance. I think that Abram was told to make a sacrifice of these animals to God. He did as he was commanded and then he had another experience when he was overcome with a deep sleep. I think that Satan may have brought the darkness upon Abram, and with it a horror, since the Lord does not use darkness as a way to reveal things to us, but rather light. I think that this experience was a lot like the experience of both Moses and Joseph Smith. They both had experiences of darkness from Satan just before they received great revelations from the Lord. Satan will do whatever he can to stop the work of the Lord from moving forward, but he will never overcome the work of the Lord. The Lord continues his revelation to Abram. He was told that his people would be afflicted in bondage for hundreds of years, but that the Lord would lead them out of bondage. He is told that he would live to old age and die in peace. Also that after four generations of his posterity being in captivity, they would return to the land of their inheritance. Abram was promised again, that all the land in that area would be the inheritance and the land of promise. This was a part of the Abrahamic Covenant which the Lord made with Abram. Then, I think that verse 17 is saying that Abram was then able to complete the ritual of the sacrifice which God had commanded of him, as they typically did in that time.

Abram was a great prophet and had the amazing blessings of visions and promises from the Lord. His promised blessings can be passed on to each of us who comes before the Lord with a humble heart. When we make covenants with God, just as Abram did in his day, we can enjoy these blessings.

Genesis Chapter 14

In the book of Genesis, we learn of Abram (Abraham) and his son Lot. They had left the land of Ur together and with their families, traveled to Egypt and then to the land of Canaan. After some contention over the land, they decided to separate from one another, so they would not fight. Lot went towards the land of Sodom, and Abram took the land in Canaan. This chapter begins:

1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
7 And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

There was fighting among the kings in the land where Lot had chosen to make his home. The people of the land fled when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell. The other kings took Lot and his family captive and stole all his belongings.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Abram learned of Lot’s captivity from a man who had escaped. He took his servants to help him rescue Lot. Abram and his servants rescued Lot and all of his family and belongings.

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Melchizedek and the other kings in the land went to meet Abram. Melchizedek was a high priest of God and he gave a blessing to Abram. According to the Joseph Smith Translation, Melchizedek also blessed bread and wine. Abram payed tithing to Melchizedek, who had been called of God to be over the Lord’s storehouse (see Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14). In Alma 13:15 we read, “And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.” It is interesting to learn how much of what we still do today as members of the Lord’s church, was done in ancient times. It must have been a great honor to receive a blessing from Melchizedek, who was a righteous king and servant of the Lord.

The king of Sodom offered Abram the belongings that he had brought back. Abram refused the belongings and said that he owed it to God. I believe that he did not want to be bound in any way to the king or to have to give the king credit for his status. Abram knew that the Lord gave him the only riches worth what he wanted. If he was to become wealthy, it would be through the blessings of the Lord and not because a king gave them to him.

I continue to learn through these verses, that Abraham was a great man and a great example to me of how to live my own life. There is righteousness in protecting your loved ones, as he did Lot. It is important to show our gratitude for the blessings of the Lord, by paying tithing and partaking of the sacrament. We owe our wealth, physically and spiritually, to the Lord and there is nothing on this earth that is more valuable then the treasures from God. I am very grateful to have Abram as an example of these things.

The Final Judgment

The next lesson from the Gospel Principles manual is on the final judgment. To view the entire lesson from the manual, go here: The Final Judgment

What are some different judgments that come before the Final Judgment? How do all these judgments relate to one another?

There are judgments in a court of law, relating to the land in which we live. There are judgments in competitions of all types, in order to decide who or what is deserving of a title, reward, or prize. There are judgments made in order for us to be found worthy to be baptized, go to the temple, or hold callings in the church as well. These, along with all other judgments, will come before the final judgment, which relates to our eternal reward. In Alma 12:27 we read, “But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.” There will be a final judgment for all men. All judgments have some kind of decision made by a judge, or someone who is considered qualified to give their opinion. In the case of the final judgment, God will be our judge. In Proverbs 29:26 we read, “Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the Lord.” No matter what we seek for in this life, the Lord will give the final judgment.

From what records will we be judged? Who will judge us?

In 1 Nephi 10:20 we read, “Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment.” We will be judge for all that we do, from the records that are kept of those things. There are books that have been kept from the time of Adam, which keep a record of our works in this life. In Daniel 7:10 we read, “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” The footnotes refer to the book of remembrance and the book of life. The book of remembrance is a record of genealogy and history of the people and I believe it is the record kept on this earth. The book of life is a record showing those who lived faithful who made covenants with the Lord. Those who are not faithful are blotted out of this book and this book is kept in heaven. In Doctrine and Covenants 128:7 we have an explanation of Revelations 20:12 which reads, “You will discover in this quotation that the books were opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life; but the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; consequently, the books spoken of must be the books which contained the record of their works, and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. And the book which was the book of life is the record which is kept in heaven; the principle agreeing precisely with the doctrine which is commanded you in the revelation contained in the letter which I wrote to you previous to my leaving my place—that in all your recordings it may be recorded in heaven.”

The lesson talks about a judgment which comes from the record kept within each of us. Just as in this life, we are our own worst critics, we will be a critic of ourselves at that time. When all things are brought to our remembrance, we will see our own works truthfully. We will then bare a record of our works, which may condemn or bless us. The judgment will ultimately be by God. In Ecclesiastes 3:17 we read, “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” Our every work has a purpose, and that purpose will be in judgement by God. God, the Father, has given the right to judge this final judgment, to His Son. In Matthew 16:27 we read, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” It is my understanding that the Son, will have the assistance of those who have been called to judge in this life, such as the prophet, apostles, stake presidents, and bishops.

How will our faithfulness during our life on earth influence our life in the eternities?

In life, we act according to our faithfulness. If we are faithful to the Lord, we are obedient to his commandments. If we are not faithful, we are obedient to Satan. In Ecclesiastes 12:14 we read, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” We will be blessed for our faithfulness to God. This blessing will be the reward of glory, which we receive depending on the works of our lives. Those who are obedient and covenant people, in life or death, will be rewarded with the Celestial kingdom. Those who do not will receive either the Terrestrial or Telestial kingdom, depending on their choices in life. There is also the reward of outer darkness, which is reserved for those who choose to remain eternally bound to Satan and his works.

According to Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–53, 62–70, what are the characteristics of a person who overcomes the world by faith and is valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

In these verses, a person who overcomes the world by faith and is valiant in the testimony of Jesus is someone who will be resurrected with the just in the first resurrection. They will come to the earth with Christ, when he comes at the second coming. They will have had faith in Christ and will have been baptized in His church by the proper authority of God, which is the priesthood. They will have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. They will have lived good lives and been just and true, therefore deserving the perfection that is only received through the atonement of Jesus Christ. They will be found worthy by the desires of their hearts and will have been forgiven of their sins. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read, “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” We may not recognize the true heart of others, because as mortals, we cannot know the true heart of them. We are not qualified to be the judge. The Lord himself, was judged by men and then crucified by those who were not counted worthy to judge him. The Lord can see beyond our flaws and see the inner beauty in our hearts. He alone is worthy to be the judge of all mankind. Those who overcome the world, will have been judged of God and found worthy to live with Him again, in His holy city of Zion, receiving the celestial glory of God as their reward. These are the characteristics that we all should be striving towards.

In one of my favorite chapters of the Book of Mormon, Alma 5, we read verse 15 which says, “Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?” I know that there will be a day when we all will be judged for how we lived our lives. I believe that our attitudes and desires will weigh heavy in that judgement. I believe that if we want to live with God again, we need to remember the bigger picture. We need to remember that we have a divine heritage. Be have been created to become all that our Father in Heaven is. We each have great potential. If we remember this, we should do our best to live up to that potential. We will make mistakes and we will have to go through the pain and sorrow of them. But, we can still reach that goal if we remember that the Savior is there for us. He is a just judge, but he is also full of mercy towards those who come unto him. A change of heart and a repentant, humble soul, will earn the greatest reward that we can ever hope to gain. God loves us. His greatest desire is for our return to Him. I hope and pray that I will be able to bring him the joy that a faithful child can.

My Personal Creed

I am studying teachings of George Albert Smith, the eighth president of The Church of Jesus Christ, as part of the lessons at church. One of the things that President Smith did, was to write a personal creed for himself of things that he would do in his life. They are all gospel related and they represent how he lived his life as a latter-day saint and a prophet of the Lord, Jesus Christ. I think it so fitting to study his thoughts related to this creed, at this time of year. We tend to be in a state of turning over new leaves and making new goals for ourselves whenever the new year begins. This is the time to come up with out own personal creeds, or our own list of goals for how we can live the life the Lord wants us to live. I plan on starting my list now and developing it over time, depending on the callings and service I can give in my life.

I plan on asking myself some questions to develop my own personal creed.

What are the Christ-like qualities that I focus on teaching others (mostly my children)? Am I living these in my own life?

What can I do in my life that will entitle me to have true happiness?

How can I apply what I learn, so that I am living those principles?

What can I do to be a real Latter-day Saint?

How can I prepare for the eternal blessings I desire?

In what ways can I improve, so that others will see that there is something better out there?

What work can I offer which would share my testimony in action?

I hope that we all can think of some of the things that we would like to accomplish in this life, which will cause us to be worthy to be called saints and followers of the Savior.

Testimony Update

I typically don’t use this site for my own personal stuff, but I figure this is a perfect place for this. Last year I recorded an album with my dad, which includes songs I covered to share a part of my testimony of the Savior. I just released it on iTunes this week. You can check it out here: Testimony

The physical cd is also available on my website: maryrubow.com