It should be so simple

I recently concluded the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon and it left me with some new impressions.  I was intrigued by the King Men as they were called and the decisions they made in their lives.  It made me relook at some of the decisions I am making in my life.

The people of Zarahemla had been a righteous people.  They knew and understood the gospel but in the space of a few short years some of them began to make different decisions.  A group of people decided that the free system of government established with the Judges was not what they wanted.  They wanted to go back to the old monarchy system of Kings.  I presume these people had some desire for power and authority and status that they did not enjoy in the new government. 

After overthrowing the government and installing a King, Moroni and Pahoran march against the new government, kill the King, and install Pahoran as the Chief Judge again.  They then proceeded to put to trial all those that had supported the King and the King Men.  Those that would not make an oath to support the cause of freedom and denounce the King Men were put to death.

Now this is where I find their actions very instructive.  These were people who had been faithful to the Gospel.  These were people who then turned against the voice of the people, violated the laws of the land, and tried to install a new Government.  The error of their ways was so apparent but they refused to see it.  The King had been killed, many of those that fought with him had been killed, and those that refused to take an oath to support freedom would also be put to death.  It should have been so simple but many refused and were put to death.

I was left pondering how that applies to us today.  I think that many times active faithful memebers of the Church turn against certain principles.  It should be so easy to see the error of their ways but they refuse to change their opinions.  Even though they know what is right, they choose death rather than what should be simple.  Although I don't want to call any principle or commandment trivial, there are some that seem less important and these are the most dangerous one.

I find one of the classics is attending Sunday School.  For some reason there is a fairly large segment of any ward that considers Sunday School optional and does not attend.  They choose instead to gather in the halls to gossip and waste their time until the third hour starts.  What is so hard about attending Sunday School?  You are already at church, you don't have to get ready, you don't have to make time, you just have to walk down the hall and sit down in the classroom.  It should be so simple.  But then I think the offenses grow from there.  There are those that now actually require some planning such as setting aside time to read the scriptures, pray, attend the temple, and a myriad other things.  Which of these simple things do we refuse to see and instead choose "death"?

I am so guilty of many of these things.  I do go to Sunday School but I don't do a lot of other things.  These are simple things.  I know they are right.  I know I am making a bad choice but when faced with the choice, I take the easier way out and say just kill me.  I know better.  It should be so simple to make the right choice but I don't.  Why is it that so many people do that?  I have been digging deep trying to figure it out and figure out my heart and mind.  It is not an easy thing to do.

Musings of a Ward Mission Leader

Through most of my life I have been guilty of thinking that the calling of Ward Mission leader would be the worst calling you could ever get.  It seemed like the calling that caused everyone to flee from you.  It was also pretty nebulous as far as responsibility.  I never really knew what they did.

So in the Lord’s fine tradition of doing to you what you least want done, I was called as the Ward Mission Leader in my new ward here in Las Vegas.  Now do I not only have the calling I never wanted, I have that calling in a new ward where I didn’t know anyone.

Interestingly I had a sense of excitement when I received this calling.  Although it is still hard from a personal comfort zone standpoint I can say I still enjoy the calling.  I have learned much and I also think that it is a much better calling to have here in Las Vegas than it would be in Salt Lake.  For most of the time I have been here we have had a set of missionaries for just our ward.  Now we share them with one other ward but we still have lots of contact with them.

As the Ward Mission Leader, I had a great opportunity to watch the progress and baptism of a young lady over the past several weeks.  I count this as a great blessing to me to see the freshness and enthusiasm of a new member.  This is a young lady in her late 20s or so that is married with one young child who will be a year old next month.

Because this will be on a public blog I won’t disclose their names since I haven’t asked permission.  The story starts with me and the missionaries visiting a person who showed up on the ward records.  It was the name of the man in his late 20s so we went by to visit.  We were welcomed warmly and we found that this person had actually lived in the home for about a year.  I don’t really know how the church tracks down people and finds their addresses but they had done it in this case.  It turns out this person was married with a young child and indicated a desire to return to church.  He had been baptized as a teenager but had fallen away from the church for a time.  His little boy now left him desiring to be able to answer questions for him and teach him about God.  He indicated he would like to return to church but that his wife would not be interested.  The missionaries persisted in their visits and very soon was teaching the wife the lessons and committing both of them to come to church.  They immediately became faithful in all that was asked of them.  The sister accepted all that was taught and accepted the challenge to be baptized.  From first meeting them to her baptism was only about 6 weeks.  It was a wonderful story.

I now find myself very protective of these individuals and fear that the ward will not do their part to continue to nurture them.  I don’t really like the way that our PEC meetings are conducted and I want to suggest changes but I am also torn about what the right thing to do is.  It is really the Bishoprics responsibility but I am also a part of the Council and I think I have some responsibility to see that it runs properly.  Whatever happens I hope that these great people continue to feel welcome and included in the ward.  They have the potential of being a great asset to the ward.  Both are sharp, intelligent young people with a lot to offer.

Sorrow that the eye can't see

The role and purpose of trials and hardship as part of human development is well documented and addressed at lenth by prophets and apostles since the beginning of time.  Spiritual refinement comes from the heat of hardships.  As the dross of the natural man is purged we become sanctified and more like God Himself.

Trials and tribulations come in many forms and are received differently by every person.  But the trials of life that are the most severe and therefore the most pronounced in their forces, either for good or for bad, are the sorrows that the eye can't see.  In hymn #220 we ask God to help us not to judge another because we never know of the sorrows that the eye can't see that are hidden in the quiet heart.  Judging others based on these things we can't see or understand is an unrighteous act but conversely, ignoring those that have no visible trials is unworthy of a disciple of the Lord.

We have fallen into a state of contentment that says the only problems people experience are health problems.  Unless we have lived a live of obvious neglect and abuse, health problems are seen as an act of God.  We rally around those who have fallen into ill health by no fault of their own.  The ravages of cancer, heart disease, or other potentially terminal illnesses are harrowing for mortal man and he is blessed by friends and family that can see his suffering and minister to his needs.  Many lives have been touched and many blessings received by those who both give and receive service during these times.

Trials meant for the refinement of man come in other forms as well. Examples may be sorrow over the choices of children, siblings, or other loved ones.  Sometimes economic calamity is the tool of choice used by Heavenly Father.

Somehow people don't view these as "real trials".  They were brought upon us by bad choices, bad parenting skills, bad social skills, or bad financial management.  If these sorrows or trials are seen at all by others they are viewed as self-inflicted and therefore not worthy of the succor that "acts of God" are entitled.

My journey through economic and financial trials has taught me that nothing can be further from the truth.  After much thought, planning, and prayer I embarked on a business venture.  I think my goals were righteous.  I wanted to provide for my family.  I wanted to have enough retirement income to serve missions with my wife.  I made business plans and opened a branch of a mortgage company.  Although I had laid the best of plans and sincerely believed in my abilities, ultimately the actions of an unscrupulous owner closed the company and destroyed my branch and I lost all the money I had put into it.

As I searched for a new job we began to struggle mightily.  I had borrowed and spent my savings to get the business off the ground and it had failed.  All those obligations weighed on me and I did all in my power to find employment and begin to address my financial needs.  I followed the programs of the church.  I attended their career workshops and Monday morning networking sessions.  I felt that I had always been faithful in paying my tithing so surely the Lord would bless my efforts and help me find a job.

I tried to keep my mind open and pursue whatever opportunities presented themselves.  Months passed with no results.  I wasn't even successful at getting interviews for jobs.  It was during this time of turmoil and intense searching and pondering that we began to contemplate opening a restaurant.  Not wanting to make the same mistakes again and wanting to help insure success I began a very intense planning process.  My business plan was much more detailed, my market research was much more thorough, and my reliance on and the direction of the Lord was much more heart-felt.  As a result of all this effort plans changed several times.  I truly felt guided by the hand of the Lord.

Amazing things seemed to fall into place and I felt the Lord was now blessing us and my financial trials would be coming to an end.  I could talk about all the things that happened during the planning, opening, and running of our restaurant.  We felt the Spirit of the Lord on many occassions but in the end the business failed leaving me completely destiture.  I had spent every penny of retirement savings I had besides tens of thousands of dollars from each of four siblings and my parents.  The result was the filing of bankruptcy.  I had fallen to the bottom of the economic pit.

At the depth of my despair, through the love and concern of my brother, I was able to get a job in Las Vegas.  This job did not pay what I had earned before but it was a good job that paid a reasonable amount and gave me a pathway to begin escaping my financial bondage.

Bankruptcy protected me and excused me from all my debt except my house and truck.  We needed a house to live in and a mode of transportation in order to work.  This was a great blessing but not the end of our troubles.  We needed to move our family to Las Vegas.  We needed a deposit and rent on a home in Las Vegas before we could get any rent from our West Valley home.  My income alone still did not provide enough for rent, utilities, and food.

My wife needed to find a job which is a difficult thing to do in Las Vegas and we fell behind again as the search continued.  She found a part-time minimum wage job that helped for awhile until she found full-time work.

The process of closing the business, moving to Las Vegas, and her getting full-time work took about four months.  At the end of that four months we could actually begin the climb out and get to a point that we can meet our monthly obligations.  That process will take another four months.

During this time of financial distress we tried to become involved in our new ward.  We accepted callings and got to know many people.  We assisted those that were having trials all the while in our hearts were hidden the sorrows that the eye can't see.  Our first Thanksgiving was very sad for us.  We had all our children in Las Vegas but no money to buy a nice Thanksgiving Dinner.  Thanksgiving dinners were given to several in our ward but we, who were in great need, were passed over.  There were also no Christmas gifts.  Nothing for our kids, nothing for each other, and nothing for anyone else.  Thankfully our children are adults now and could understand our plight.

There will be those that say you should have said something.  But in my mind a cursory evaluation of our situation would be revealing.  A family that is broke, out of work, and forced to relocate to Las Vegas likely isn't going to be very financially secure.

Those with visible trials never have to ask for help.  When you go to the hospital or undergo surgery, the needs are recognized and service is rendered. 

My desire now is to be more aware of the sorrows that the eye can't see.  There are many that are in need of succor but we never know it.  Search these people out.