An enemy to God

Mosiah 3: 19
19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

I have been reading this scripture all my life and never really settled on this phrase before. Enemy is such a strong word. It really makes you think. Being a "natural" man makes you an enemy to God.

Here are two more scriptures that include the same phrase:

Mosiah 16: 5
5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.

Mosiah 2: 38
38 Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

Just thinking about the word enemy and what it means. Interesting that Satan is referred to twice.

en⋅e⋅my
  /ˈɛnəmi/ [en-uh-mee] plural -mies, adjective

–noun
1. a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.
2. an armed foe; an opposing military force: The army attacked the enemy at dawn.
3. a hostile nation or state.
4. a citizen of such a state.
5. enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another: Let's make up and stop being enemies.
6. something harmful or prejudical: His unbridled ambition is his worst enemy.
7. the Enemy, the Devil; Satan.
Synonyms:
1. antagonist. Enemy, foe refer to a dangerous public or personal adversary. Enemy emphasizes the idea of hostility: to overcome the enemy; a bitter enemy. Foe, a more literary word, may be used interchangeably with enemy, but emphasizes somewhat more the danger to be feared from such a one: deadly foe; arch foe of humankind (the Devil).
Antonyms:
1. friend. 2. ally.

Unfinished Tasks.....

When I was reading the Gospel doctrine lesson for last week, I was impressed by a statement about the pioneers that settled other areas after coming to the Salt Lake Valley. It really struck me because I have been perplexed about why I should feel so impressed to begin teaching again when I have so many good things I could be doing at home. I will have to look up the exact quote later in the "Our Heritage" book, but it talked about the fact that the pioneers were called by the prophets to serve missions and settle other areas and left many "unfinished tasks". That really struck me. They had things they wanted to do but they did what God wanted them to do. "Thy will, not my will." That helps me to feel better about what I am doing. I am teaching this special education class because I feel strongly that this is what Heavenly Father wants me to do. I guess I don't need to worry so much about all the unfinished tasks that I wanted to do. Maybe I will have the opportunity to do them later if I am patient.

Don't Complain

I was reading Richard G. Scott's General Conference address that is entitled: "Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need". I will add a link to it later. He talks about the fact that he started going to the temple once a week and his wife also died 14 years ago. This tells me that the way he has gotten through this trial is to go to the temple more often.

The other thing I thought was interesting is that he mentions at least 4 times to not complain. This is a direct message to me. I need to not complain when things don't go my way.

Elder Scott teaches us 2 important things to do when dealing with challenges and trials:
1) Attend the temple. Don't let things get in the way of going.
2) Don't complain. Be grateful to the Lord.

It also reminds me of the scripture I have quoted about murmuring in my blog. I will have to look up the reference later, but it is about being blessed because of not murmuring.

More thoughts on dwindling in unbelief

Mosiah 1:5

I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

It reminds me of the saying: There is no difference between someone who can't read and someone who won't.

In this scripture they are talking of the importance of having the record before you continually and that if they didn't have the record they would have dwindled in unbelief, but isn't it also true that if you don't put the record (scriptures and words of prophets) before you WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU, the same thing will happen to you. I see this happen all the time. When someone loses their testimony, you can guess they have stopped reading the scriptures, saying their prayers, going to church, etc.

It would seem God would deal more harshly with someone who has the scriptures and doesn't read them, than with someone who doesn't have the scriptures at all.

One of my very favorite quotes.....

This is a quote from Margaret D. Nadauld who was the General Young Women president before Susan W. Tanner.

The world has enough women who are tough;
we need women who are tender.
There are enough women who are coarse;
we need women who are kind.
There are enough women who are rude;
we need women who are refined.
We have enough women of fame and fortune;
we need more women of faith.
We have enough greed; we need more goodness.
We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.
We have enough popularity; we need more purity.

The Lord's criteria for judging

This morning when I was waking up, I was thinking about when Jesus appeared on the American continent just after his resurrection. The wicked were destroyed and the Lord tells those that are spared that they were spared because they were not as wicked. It got me to thinking.... Here is an opportunity to see what the people the Lord considered "wicked" were doing and what the ones that were spared were doing.

This is 3 Nephi 9:9-11 and it gives the most information on what the Lord's criteria was:

9 And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them.
10 And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations.
11 And because they did cast them all out, that there were none righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me cfrom the ground against them.

So it looks like he didn't have a very high standard. The ones that were destroyed:
1. committed secret murders and participated in secret combinations.
2. because they destroyed the peace of the people and the government of the land
3. they had cast out and stoned the prophets the Lord had sent to warn them.
4. apparently they had killed prophets and people who believed in God.
5. They had cast out all the righteous among them.

I can only conclude that people that didn't participate in these things were saved.

In 3 Nephi 9:13 there is a little information about the ones that were spared.

13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

Heavenly Father and the Car Seat Theory

A month or so ago in church, an elder who recently returned from his mission gave this analogy in his talk:

He talked about how he was watching his sister put his two nephews in their car seats and how they didn't like it very much. In fact, the littlest one was crying and carrying on about it. He did not want to be in that seat, yet it was in his best interest that he is in the car seat.

This is how it is with our Heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us and how we can be safe. Sometimes we are in a "carseat" spiritually. Heavenly Father knows what is best for us and yet sometimes we cry and complain because it is uncomfortable. But if we weren't in the "carseat", it would be even worse for us. It may be easier and more comfortable, but it puts us in a dangerous place and is not safe.

Heavenly Father and Jesus love us more than we can imagine. They want the best for us and will do all they can to help us come back to live with Them again. Sometimes they will put us in situations that are uncomfortable or hard. These are for our best good and will help us safely make our way back to Them.