A New Tongue

But 

behold 

my beloved brethren

thus came the voice of the Son

unto me saying

"After you have repented 

of your sins 

and witnessed 

unto the Father

that you

are willing to keep 

my commandments 

by the baptism of water 

and 

have received 

the baptism of fire 

and of the Holy Ghost 

and can speak with a new tongue 

yes 

even with 

the tongue of angels 

and after 

this should deny me 

it would have been better 

for you 

that you had not known me"

And I heard a voice from 

the Father 

saying "yes, 

the words of my beloved 

are true and faithful

He 

that endures to the end 

the same 

will be saved" 

And now my beloved brethren

I know by this 

that unless a man will endure 

to the end 

in following the example 

of the Son of the living God 

he cannot be saved 

wherefore do the things which I have told you 

-Nephi

2 Nephi 13 RE

Lambs and Doves

In 2 Nephi 13 (Simple Copy), Nephi says – and I take liberty in likening it in form of a poem for deeper analysis – and items in parenthesis are added by myself:

And now if the Lamb of God 

he being holy

should have need 

to be baptized 

by water 

to fulfil all righteousness 

O 

then how much more need 

have we 

being unholy 

to be baptized 

yes 

even by water 

And now 

I would ask of you 

my beloved brethren 

wherein the Lamb 

of God did fulfil 

all righteousness 

in be(-)ing 

baptized by water 

Know you not 

that 

he was holy 

But 

notwithstanding he being holy 

he shows 

unto the children 

of men 

that according to the flesh he humbles himself 

before the Father 

and witnesses 

unto the Father 

that 

he would be obedient 

unto him 

in keeping his commandments 

wherefore 

after 

he was baptized with water 

the Holy Ghost descended upon him 

in the form of a dove 

And again 

It shows unto the children 

of men 

the straightness 

of the path 

and the narrowness 

of the gate 

by which they should enter 

he having set the example before them 

And he said unto the children 

of men 

follow you me 

Wherefore 

my beloved brethren 

can we follow 

Jesus 

save we will be willing 

to keep the commandments of the Father 

And the father said 

repent you repent you (YOU REPENT!  YOU REPENT!!!)

and be baptized 

in the name of 

my 

beloved Son 

And also 

the voice of the Son came 

unto me saying 

he 

that is baptized in my name 

to him 

will the father give 

the holy Ghost 

like 

unto me 

wherefore follow me 

and do the things 

which you have seen me do 

Wherefore 

my beloved brethren 

I know that if you 

will follow the Son 

with full purpose of heart 

acting no hypocrisy and 

no deception before God 

but with real intent 

repenting of your sins 

witnessing unto the Father 

that you are willing 

to take upon you the name of Christ 

by baptism yes 

by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water according to his word 

behold then 

will you receive the holy Ghost 

yes then 

comes the baptism of fire 

and of the Holy Ghost 

and then

can you speak 

with the tongue of angels 

and shout 

praises unto the Holy One of Israel(!)

As an aside: 

Nephi is well aware of Christ's given name.  He refers to the Lamb of God several times in chapter 13.  He also references the dove.  He also references the voice of the Father.  If Christ is both described and named as the Lamb, the Holy Ghost is as a dove, what do you suppose the Father may be likened to? 

Praying Vocally

"So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt.  It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty.  It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally."

When Joseph Smith read James' invitation to ask God for help when we lack wisdom, he felt open invitation to pray vocally.  (See Joseph Smith History 1:14-15.)  In my life I believe I have prayed hundreds of times vocally, however there is one unique thing the next verse illustrates.

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God." 

There was something unique about this experience, and I suppose it was not necessarily that this was Joseph's first spoken prayer.  I struggle to imagine him not ever praying, and perhaps that is the truth, but it seems that this prayer was unique in that it contained vocal desires of his heart.

Praying vocally can be very superficial, in my experience.  We are taught from a young age the important parts of prayer, almost like we are taught in school the important parts of composing a letter.

We address the letter: "Dear Father,"

Then we fill in the body, which in Mormonism is like this: "Thank you for this day."  We then instruct to fill in more blanks, like "Thank you for this food..."

To develop the body of the prayer we are taught to ask for things.  Like "Please bless this chocolate cake to nourish and strengthen our bodies." ;)

Then, just like in a letter, we close with an ending.  Letters often end with "Sincerely," but in prayer we are taught to close "In the name of Jesus Christ," as though Jesus were conveying these words in agreement to the Father.

Joseph didn't have any of this structure requirements when he went to pray.  He simply felt the invitation strongly to pray in a place where he could have some privacy to not feel like a buffoon for anyone witnessing his first vocal, heartfelt prayer.

He previously planned where he would pray.  It was a safe and sacred space for him, which he surely anticipated would allow a safe space to vent his emotions in prayer.

He also knew what he wanted to ask.  It was something important to him, and he had pondered and mulled through it greatly.

Then he pulled his desires out of his heart and offered it up to God.

"I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart..." 

Unique to this prayer vs many of my own was the demonstration of vocal chords.  It took both the physical effort as well as the heart connection.  It also contained thoughtful pondering.

In verse 25 of Joseph's personal history he observes, "I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."

The fascinating part of this is that Joseph's prayer was physical in every way.  We have the location, and the vocal, recordable nature of it.  We know he knelt down too.  But yet the vision which unfolds is described as a "vision".  It is otherworldly.  Two Personages appear to him, light brighter than the sun (vs 16), and whose brightness and glory defy all description.  And they stood in the air, which mortals don't do.  Why were they standing in the air?  Why did Jesus look up to heaven when he prayed?  Perhaps because the Father prefers that we look up.

In the book, "The Slight Edge," Jeff Olson discusses some insights regarding effects of the simple act of looking down vs up.

"Take a comfortable, seated position and look down at the floor.  Then, without changing position, take the next five minutes to think about your life.  Anything and everything, whatever that means to you, just think about your life.  

Go ahead and do that now...

Now, clear your mind, walk around a minute, then come back and do the second half: Take the same comfortable, seated position, only this time tilt your head up so you're looking at the ceiling.  Spend the next five minutes thinking about your life.  Anything and everything, whatever that means to you, just think about your life.  

Go ahead and do that now... 

I don't know what results you had, but here's what most people find: when looking down, it's pretty hard not to start thinking about the past. When gazing upward, it's pretty hard not to start thinking about the future." (p.149)

Thinking of Joseph's prayer alongside this experiment, I find it wonderful to consider what it might look like to pray vocally with my heart, while looking up, eyes open as Jesus demonstrated.  If looking up lends to considering the future, it seems complimentary that Joseph received instruction about his future.  There was much more which he wasn't able to report from this experience, (vs.20) which would be fun to ask God about.  But one more thing that I note is that looking up requires faith.  We spend so much time looking down to watch our step, our surroundings and to pick up things that are set down, that it is rare to simply look up at the clouds, the roof, the trees, the universe.  To look up while walking requires faith and trust that the path is safe, that the body knows how to carry on forward without tripping over itself, and that one will not fall into a ditch by so doing.  I suggest the same attitude is applicable in prayer.

What would the skeleton look like of a soul who spends a lifetime looking up?  

A Defiled vs Sanctified Heart

This morning I had a wonderful study period with my mom.  We studied Matthew 14-15.  There was a part which stopped us up, and we had a hard time processing what Jesus was saying, so we drew a drawing to help break it down.

Matthew 15 discusses how the scribes PLUS Pharisees came from Jerusalem to Jesus.  (He didn't seek this discussion, they brought it to Him.)  They challenge Him, saying,

"Why do Your taught ones transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." (Matt. 15:1)

In various feasts and ordinances the priests are to wash their hands as part of the ordinance.  In Passover feasts, the participants are to "wash their hands" as part of the ceremony.  It is considered cleansing and representative of washing away of sin.

One distinction I like in this translation (The Scriptures) is that the King James use of "disciples" is changed to "Your taught ones".  It brings to mind that the people who followed Jesus were being taught by Him, much like when I enjoy learning from various gurus of our day.  These people followed and studied with Him, learning from Him routinely.  I can think of a few living people I do this with.

So the scribes and Pharisees wanted to know why those who were taught by Him didn't follow the tradition of the elders in washing their hands when they eat bread.  Christ responds,

"Why do you also transgress the command of Elohim because of your tradition?  For Elohim has commanded, saying, 'Respect your father and your mother,' and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 

But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me has been dedicated," is certainly released from respecting his father or mother.'  So you have nullified the command of Elohim by your tradition.  

Hypocrites!(!!)  Yeshayahu (Isaiah) rightly prophesied about you, saying, 'This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.'  

Referring to the drawing again,

on the left side is what Elohim's law declares.  We are to respect father and mother.  If we do not respect them, but curse them, the principle is that death follows.  This was part of the law that was given after Moses had to return to the mount because the Israelites were worshiping other gods.  So this is a basic law of heaven that is being instituted in as simple of form as possible.  Respect your parents; honor them.

Contrast this with what the scribes and Pharisees were teaching, which was "If you kids can pay off your parents (or benefit them through some means), you're released from needing to respect them.  You can pay your way out of the relationship."  (I assume a Hebrew scholar will understand this verse more than I, so this is my layman's interpretation of it.)  If you note the arrows in the drawing, in the Law from Elohim, the love and respect and honor goes from child to parent.  It illustrates gratitude, and promotes harmony from one line of descendants to another.  It imitates the respect, love, and glory Christ shows to his Father.  Gratitude is one thing that ties hearts together, and when a child shows gratitude for the sacrifices of their parents, it allows the parents to be honored and reciprocate love to the child more readily.  It seems to be a natural law of the universe, or a law of heaven, I suppose.  It is a true principle in my life at least.

However on the right side, it encases greed, selfishness, and lack of relationship or respect from child to parent.  It is self-serving.  It is disharmony.  The child has no eternal gratitude but to pay off the parent with some form or money or "profit".  The relationship becomes more temporary, as ties seem to be severed and released.  They are "free".

{As a sidenote, this resembles Satan's efforts in the councils at the beginning of this world.  He wanted to collect the glory, severing his ties with Elohim.  In essence create his own, disconnected kingdom with no reciprocation of gratitude, glory, or respect for Elohim.  "Glory be mine" mentality.  See Moses 4:1-4.}  

This discussion expresses the heart to me of what Jesus is saying.  After the scribes + Pharisees interrupt their lesson, he gathers in the taught ones and explains the whole crux of the matter.

"And calling the crowd near, He said to them, "Hear and understand: "Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

Then his taught ones came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees stumbled when they heard this word?"  

But He answering, said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be uprooted.  Leave them alone.  They are blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind leads the blind, both shall fall into a ditch."  

And Kepha (Peter) answering, said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

And Yeshua (Jesus) said, "Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not understand that whatever enters into the mouth goes into the stomach, and is cast out in the sewer?  But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and these defile the man.  For out of the heart come forth wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, whorings, thefts, false witnesses, slanders.  These defile the man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.  And Yeshua went out from there and withdrew to the parts of Tsor and Tsidon."  

How is (y)our heart?  Do the things which come out of it defile us?  Or does it sanctify us?

So thankful for this powerful lesson.

Love You Jesus.  Love you, reader.   

The Best Father

This past week seems to have an air of discontentment.  The full moon was rising to a crest two nights ago.  Mercury is in "Retrograde", and lots of people are feeling down and depressed, neglected and ignored.  I really don't fully understand how the solar systems work, but I'm sure this is something important that somebody understands!

Over the course of the last year, our Stake Presidency has encouraged our stake to come up with a "Family Mission Plan".  They stress its inspiration, and encourage us to prayerfully make a plan to better share the gospel (church) with those around us.  Our family is to create some achievable goals, prayerfully of course.  During several meetings with the missionaries, I tended to resist these efforts due to my own personal feelings at the time, but in the last few weeks I decided, eh, what the heck?  After all, aren't we here to experience the journey of working with other people to improve ourselves?  If not, God surely could've put us each on a world with one other human to figure out if we'd like to be alone, together, procreate, whatever.  But he didn't.  We're all here together, smushed to the point where we often try to avoid one another.  

About two weeks ago, I decided I was going to put my best foot forward and try to get to know some of the strangers surrounding me.  I was going to host a Norwex microfiber cloth party for my friend who sells the stuff.  I sell doTERRA, and after teaching endless classes the last four months, I was ready to gather my own friends and not have to teach!  I did a Facebook invite, then filled out cards and hand delivered them to neighbors, friends, and family.  I said, "Please come.  You don't have to buy anything, I just want to hang out with my friends, (or in the case of neighbors, get to know them better) and wanted something to do since I don't do board games very well.  We'll have a campfire if the weather's good, we can swim in the pool, or just hang out and chat."  I also didn't have money to put on a large, extravagant dinner, so this seemed like a harmless idea, and Norwex is virtually unheard of in these parts.  This was going to be my missionary moment, not to convert anyone, but simply just to get to know people better, and feel a spirit of brother/sisterly love more readily in our neighborhood.  After all, when the crap hits the fan, you want to at least have a feel for who's going to be knocking on your door for help (or whatever good or bad scenario you can come up with).  

Some of my neighbors took the card; some of them declined, and then took it after I asked them to think about it.  My church friends took it and didn't really respond with a "Oh yeah, sounds like a party!"  It was more like a "Gee... thanks?"  I got one "yes" RSVP.  The rest were maybes, a few nos, and mostly no response whatsoever (which I think is kinda ruder than just saying no thanks).  

I guess this is what the world has come to, when friendly people can only get together when their church requires it of them twice or thrice a week.  Or if free food is involved.  We can hardly look at one another in the hall after church, we are so eager to leave the building.  We can't join one another for meals, unless they're in the ward building.  I literally have a hard time even squeezing out a "hello" from half the people I pass in the hall.  Is there something wrong with me?  

On the flip side of the coin, today I actually feel disinclined to say hello to one sister, after a recent call where she told me about a church activity and refused to let me even get a word in edgewise.  Why would I want to talk to her, when the only "communication" going on was from her to me?  Is this what brothers and sisters and friends and neighbors should look like?  

Well, my "party" only had one guest, besides me, my mom (whom I co-hosted with), and my Norwex friend.  The one guest attends my church, so I'm not sure that that counts as a "missionary moment".  I hope we strengthened one another though, and I say that in the truest sense.  I had never had the chance to have her in my home, and it was truly a joy to get to laugh and visit with her, without the pulling of kids and 50 other adults like we have at typical church functions.  So that was good.  

When it was all said and done, I did a lot of pondering.  What was the point, in me walking invitations to several neighbors?  Do they live in the country because they like being left alone?  Probably.  And will I invite them to my home again?  Mmm, likely not.  This was a stretch for me, and I'm pretty confident that we haven't been that social with one another for a reason.  They don't want to associate with the Mormon on the street, so whatever.  Maybe it has nothing to do with Mormonism, and as a whole, we're just plain tired and want to rest when we can rest.  Who knows. 

So what was the point?  Beyond that, I've been searching for years on various blogs to find like minded individuals who I can chat with about things I've learned, dug for, and felt inspired about.  I am grateful my loving Father has quietly guided me to some real gems, but once again, I feel many are much like the neighbors.  They do their thing (writing) but really seem to prefer to be left alone.  Do I want to associate with them?  Am I seeking something by attempting to become friends with strangers?  Or am I trying to prepare for something greater?  I hope that's the case.  

When it comes down to it, during the full moon, post-Norwex-party, mid-Mercury-Retrograde, I think God would likely prefer it that I turn to Him, and turn off the computer, the TV (for my kids), quit frazzling myself with church and in-home parties, and crack open the scriptures.  When I feel most like this, the neon signs seem to blink vividly that I have lost touch with my Maker.  Shut it all down, Jen.  Go to the Source.  That's where true happiness, even true friendship is found.  It's obvious that even with our best human intentions, it will never be enough.

Happy Father's Day to the only "best" Father in the Universe.  <3  Trying to be a more connected daughter.  And Happy Father's Day to the men trying to emulate Him.