Advent Day 4: December 4

2 Nephi 2:9: "Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved."

Firstfruits. Another example of how Christ is the sacrifice that fulfilled Mosaic law, thus paying for our sins. Because he fulfilled the law, we moved on to a new law. 

Another thing it puts me in mind of is tithing. We pay our tithing as another form of sacrifice. As another form of "firstfruits". Tithing isn't just a commandment, or an ordinance, it has real value. Our tithing goes to help build the temples. The temples help to further the work. The eternal work. There is no telling how many souls are saved because of the work we do in the Temple. 

Allow me to tell a personal story. A personal testimony as it were. When I first joined the Church, I had no real testimony of baptisms for the dead. I didn't really believe in it. It sounded strange, peculiar, irrational. But I believed in the Book of Mormon. I believed it was true. So, I figured when it was time, God would show me the truth. 

So, I went to church. I went to Gospel Essentials class. I read my Book of Mormon. I looked for anyway to learn more. When I was offered a chance to go to the Seattle temple with the Young Adult ward to do baptisms for the dead, I thought it would be a perfect chance. So, I went.

Still, no real testimony. But, no testimony against. So, I felt it wasn't time yet. Every thing else felt very true, so I remained patient. A couple of years later I got my recommend and went for my temple ordinances. A beautiful and spiritual experience, but still no real testimony of baptism for the dead. 

Then, years later after working on my genealogy, I got to do the work for my four grandparents. I remember being baptised for my maternal grandmother, who had died when I was only 3 years old, 

and - oh! - the feeling that overcame me. It was the single most spiritual experience I have ever had. I felt that I was in the presence of my grandmother. A person I cannot remember at all. It was wonderful. 

I had my testimony. After all, it was true. And my patience was rewarded. Just like all our patience will be rewarded if we just endure to the end. By putting our faith in  Christ, all will be rewarded.     

Advent Day 3: December 3

Matthew 15:30: "And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were  lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet: and he healed them:"

I think during this Christmas holiday season, we need to slow down and remember what our Savior put first. He didn't avert His gaze when He passed the less fortunate, the homeless, the disabled, the sick, the elderly, the poor in body. He didn't pass them at all. 

We need to remember that this Season isn't about buying presents, putting up the tree, finding the ugliest Christmas sweater, going to parties, etc. It's about remembering Christ and His message. He asks us to follow His example. 

Remember, in Matthew 25:40, "...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Remember being Christian isn't so much about helping your fellow Christians, it's about helping your fellow beings. Those that you despise, or look down upon, this is when you should help the most. For only by helping those that you are uncomfortable around will you grow the most.

I challenge you all to do the most you can not only this holiday season but year-round to help those that need it. 

Feed the hungry.

Quench the thirsty. 

Be hospitable to the stranger. 

Clothe the naked.

Heal the sick.

Visit those in prison.

Let the light of Christ shine out on your fellow man. 

Advent Day 2: December 2

2 Nephi 26:3: "And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them."

At first glance, not a very cheery or Christmas-y piece of Scripture. But Nephi lived at a time of much contention and dissension amongst the descendants in America. I guess he was practicing a little hard love. But he is prophesying the good work. He is prophesying that the Savior won't just visit those Jews in Jerusalem and Israel, but also those across the sea in America. They too will be given signs of His birth and death and resurrection. 

He also prophesies that justice will be given and will be hard. That God will not forget the murders of His saints and His prophets. 

There is a lesson there. Think of all the prophets and saints that have given their lives for His work. I am not only thinking of those like the Prophet Joseph Smith, who died for the Gospel. But the others who died because they were doing the right thing. Because they died standing up for the widows and the orphans like the nuns that died in Guatemala and El Salvador, or Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor, who died defying the Nazis. They too will be remembered by our Heavenly Father. 

We all will be remembered if we only stand up for Him and His desires for us. As it says in Zechariah 7:9-10, "...execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let not of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."

It is my prayer that we all incorporate that in our every action and thought.  

Advent Day 1: December 1st

The Savior has many names. In this verse, he is called Immanuel, Hebrew for "with us is God". What a great statement that is. It isn't so much that Heavenly Father sent him down here to suffer and die for our sins. But also to live. Christ has just as much in common with us as he does with God. We, too, could have been perfect as he was. And we can be again. 

Christ was with us. He showed us the Way. He was given to one of us to be raised and nurtured. God could've sent Him down fully adult. But what was really important was the journey. That is important to remember. It is how we live our lives, how we treat our brothers and sisters on this Earth, how we treat the gifts that we have been given that is truly important. How we handle temptation. I believe that it is the journey that is important, not the destination.

Also, this particular Scripture shows us that God keeps His promises. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah (according to Elder Bruce R. McConkie) from 735-720  B.C. This means that it took nearly 8 centuries for this prophecy to be fulfilled. Think about that. Would we have the patience to wait for the same amount of time? We must have faith that the Lord will remember us and bless us if only we have faith in him. 

I testify that I have faith in my Lord and Savior. That I believe that He has my interests at heart even if I do not truly know what those interests are. 

Advent, Being a Mormon, and My Testimony

As a Mormon, I am not the best at being open about it to those around me. I rarely bear my testimony even amongst my own congregation. I dislike trying to proselytize to my faith, even if I believe that my neighbors would benefit from the experience of being a member of the Church. 

This is not to say I do not have a strong testimony not only in the message of the Church, but also in the truth of the experience of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove (The First Vision). I do. I just am not a very aggressive or assertive individual. Also, I believe that my faith, my spiritual experience is a personal journey. 

But I can testify of my own faith. Recently, during the nasty political season, I discovered many people that I communicate with on-line do not understand how I can believe not only in a Supreme Being, but specifically be a Mormon. I tried my best to explain a little here, a little there. 

But, recently, I came across a great blog posting on the Mormon Women on the Advent Season. 

She provided several scriptures from the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon to celebrate Advent with. As I was walking my dogs this morning...

I realize that this would be a great subject for a blog and an opportunity to not only bear my testimony of the Savior and the restored Church of Jesus Christ, but also my personal vision of my faith.

I hope that I will not offend anyone. I am not trying to proselytize at all. But I welcome all polite comments. Stay tuned... and I hope everyone has a wonderful and joyous Christmas Season!

     

Book Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

O, my fevered mind... well almost! The thoughts that come to you while listening to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein courtesy of Blackstone Audio and via my local library's Overdrive site. This book was excellently narrated by Simon Templeman, Anthony Heald, and Stefan Rudnicki.

What thoughts? Firstly, the ambivalent nature of the creature. It seems to me that he did not have to be as he ended up. At any point in the narrative, it could have turned up differently. In many ways, he was more human than his Creator. I am sure I am not the first to notice the analogies with religion in this novel. Was Mary Shelley conflicted in her own faith? I am sure I could find writing to say she was. (After all, she was living in sin for years. She probably had her own issues with the faith of the time.)

Victor created this creature and then abandoned it. It disgusted him and rather than taking the responsibility and destroy the creature, he turned his back. I suppose you could say that God turned His back on us when He ejected us from the Garden of Eden. (Though I don't really think that's true. God has always kept in contact with us. And wants us to return to Him.) Victor just wanted the Creature to be gone. 

The Creature, you end up feeling sorry for. He could've been different at any point. What if Victor had been there through his "childhood" and education? What if mankind hadn't been repelled by him? What if Victor had created the female and let him go?

Also, while our own (and Victor's) Creator takes responsibility for us, Victor never really does. He never allows any blame for the Creature's actions or even its Creation. He seems to believe that the Creation was a good thing. That it was just the extent of Man's intelligence and desire for more knowledge. Somehow ethics doesn't come into it. In the end, he doesn't seem to think his actions affect his soul or where he goes after death. 

The denouement of the novel occurs between September 9-12. This got me thinking of Al Qaeda. After all, in a way, they are our government's Frankenstein Monster. We funded them, we armed them, and then turned our backs. They became bitter and wanted revenge against us. They attacked us. Is there a relevance? Or do I just think this way because of the date. Who knows?

An additional comment: it had been a while since I read the actual book so I guess I forgot the actual ending, which had been replaced by the ending in the Kenneth Branagh production of Frankenstein. Sad, but true.

I am going to give this 4 stars on Good Reads - I loved the beauty of the language and the very Gothic feel. Oh, for the days, that people wrote letters as long as this. Or even diary entries this vivid and exacting. Sadly, I do not keep a diary. I wish I did. But, I can barely write a blog posting with regularity.

(This book was the October read for the Classic Science Fiction Book Club)

Why the double standard??

 I used to be a big supporter of Israel. I felt (1) God promised them the land and (2) after the Holocaust, I felt they needed a place where they could live in peace away from the persecution. But over the last few years, I realized just what a double standard we use for Israel.

Think about it. Take any news item about Israel's behavior. Replace the name Israel with - say - Russia or China or Venezuela - what would our reaction be? Wouldn't we condemn their actions? Wouldn't we call them human rights violations? It is very troubling. I feel we share in the guilt of the deaths in Gaza. We empower Israel. Yes, Israel needs support. But it should be tough love.

Noam Chomsky: The Soul-Crushing Cruelties Perpetrated by America's Number 1 Ally | Alternet