Repentance means to change, to turn back to the ideal way. To repent means to repeatedly try to be like Jesus Christ. Repentance is allowing ourselves and others the freedom to change and to become better when we learn something is better than what we've been doing. It involves Jesus Christ and the enabling power of his Atonement that helps us make these changes in attitudes, behaviors, or our nature that are otherwise ingrained in us. Repentance helps us recognize the changes we need to make. Repentance is recognizing and implementing a better way, a more Christlike way, when we recognize we’ve deviated from his standard. Repentance can be applied to any area of our lives. Finance, fitness, relationships, social, spiritual, etc. When we learn a better way to behave that leads to better outcomes, repentance is the word that describes abandoning a habit or behavior that doesn’t serve us in favor of one that leads to better outcomes like peace, success, love, or prosperity.
Now, with that said, I’d like to talk specifically about one scripture: Alma 13:20. Halfway through this verse it says, “Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction.” At first I thought this said to "wrestle" with the scriptures, or to fight with the scriptures, was bad for us. However, the word is wrest, not wrestle. To wrest with the scriptures means to twist or distort them. That’s a slightly different meaning. If we twist or distort the scriptures, it will be to our own destruction. In what way do we sometimes twist or distort scriptures and adjust or justify them in our minds?
Well, Matthew 22:36-40 tells us the two great commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor (we have learned our neighbor is our fellow man). Do we find justifications that allow us not to love some people? Do we choose not to love some other people because we don’t like their opinions or choices? Or do we follow the scripture as it is written and love God and our fellow men without caveats?
In Mosiah 18 Alma teaches the people that to follow Christ means to “mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. . .” One thing that has struck me about society lately is the utter lack of empathy that many of us have. We see people mourning and try to convince them their pain isn’t justified. Whether or not we think their pain or sadness is justified, it shouldn’t change our behavior. Many people in our society are hurting. They are mourning. They stand in need of comfort and some of us are twisting the scriptures and choosing to read them as “mourn with those that mourn if their complaint makes sense to you, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort if their pain is justified.” It’s ridiculous. If a little kid was scared but there was no basis for it, would you ignore their pain or fear or tell them to get over it? Or would you comfort them and help them see the truth? If the little kid's fears were legitimate, your behavior wouldn't change. You'd comfort them and then face the fear together. Either way your job is to love and comfort them. It's really quite simple.
We are told in the books of Jacob, Mosiah, and Helaman to care for those around us. Helaman 4:10-13 is especially scathing in it’s condemnation of those who profess to follow Christ, but don’t live according to the teachings of Christ. It’s talking about a “great slaughter” that happened among the Nephites which “would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God. And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—” Do we have a clear conscience when it comes to our treatment of the poor? Or the afflicted? Or the sad? Do we excuse ourselves from helping people because they brought their situation upon themselves by their choices? Do we need to stop wresting with the scriptures and stop justifying our bad behavior or the bad feelings we sometimes harbor in our hearts?
What about the admonition in 1st Timothy 4 to “. . . be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Do we live that scripture? How about all the scriptures to “be one?” Are we unified with one another? With others in the church? With the other children of God who might not have found the church yet? Do we love our enemies? Do we bless them that curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us? These are Christ’s teachings. These are the things he admonished us to do without qualifiers. Are we doing them? Are we living the way he asked us to?
I admit that I stink real bad at this sometimes. I’ve judged people across this country who always talk about being triggered and needing safe spaces as being weak and ridiculous. I’ve viewed people in our country (who I knew thought I was an uneducated bigot who was brainwashed for being a member of an organized religion) as my enemies and I didn’t love them and I didn’t pray for them. I was happy to be segregated from them. They could live in their weird, politically correct, Marxist utopia prison, and I’d live a normal peaceful life far away from them. They were too far gone, championing the right to be enslaved by the government and I didn’t want anything to do with them. I felt like we lived in different worlds and there was no common ground upon which we’d ever agree or begin to communicate.
At the beginning of this year, I’ve felt compelled to begin writing again. I didn’t want to, and I still don't. The world is full of enough noise and I didn’t want to add my voice to the screaming matches online or anywhere else. Besides, what did I have to say anyway? What unique perspective did I really think I had to contribute to the conversation? But I started writing about Derek’s accident and his recovery, and I have been learning a lot about myself and the world as I’ve done it. In the beginning, I resisted a lot. I knew that no matter what happened in my life, I would be okay. I’d gone through a lot, and I’d learned how to endure. Why did I have to share what I learned with anyone? They could learn it the hard way just like I had, and they’d be fine. What I was told in my mind and heart was, “Your lessons aren’t just for you.” Guys, our lessons aren’t just for us. The peace that we have in our lives isn’t just for us. And it isn’t up to us to decide who gets to know Christ and who doesn’t.
Our nation is traumatized. Much of our country is living in a godless society. We’ve allowed Christ to be taken out of Christmas and now we say Happy Holidays. Universities now talk about dates in terms of B.C.E. or Before the Common Era instead of Before Christ. There is a concentrated effort to remove Christ and God from our nation and society and we aren’t better off for it. The young people in our nation who use the language of trauma and who are overly concerned with safety are not weak. Many of those we love to hate and derisively call “Snowflakes” or “Social Justice Warriors” appear to be decent human beings who have Christlike goals. They want to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the sick and afflicted. They are growing up and living in a world without God and without purpose, and they’ve been mocked for their passion to make the lives of other humans better. We live in a horrible society where homeless people live on the streets because we just can’t figure out how to care for the poor among us, babies are killed in their mother’s wombs, mass murders are just another headline, kids go hungry, people cheat on each other, pornography is everywhere, children are abused and exploited, and people are vicious on a national stage. And we wonder why people today use the language of trauma.
The greatest crimes many are guilty of are wanting to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and have greater equality for all. Anyone who is a true follower of Christ has these same goals. They’ve insisted there must be a better way to take care of people, and half of America has scornfully said that the poor “just want free stuff” and demanded to know who is going to pay for it. Half of America has said that improving the world is impossible, and this is just the world that we live in. Many have refused to even consider how we can make some of these goals happen. People have expressed a preference for a Zion-like society, which we claim is our own goal, and many have mocked them for it. They’ve been called weak. They’ve been called too sensitive. They’ve been led to believe that most of America values profits over people. And we wonder why they speak the language of trauma and of being triggered.
When you look at the problems plaguing America, they’re problems of trauma and PTSD. They're problems of isolation and lack of meaning. I could write a whole book about this, but symptoms of trauma include obesity, drug abuse, anxiety, depression, and more. Our society is traumatized and we have watched it crumble. I thought that most people had chosen to live this way. I thought that they’d made their choices and this was what they wanted. They didn’t want Christ, they didn’t want God, they didn’t want religion, and they didn’t want us. They mocked it and they hated us. But I can’t help but wonder if the scriptures are true that say that there are “many . . . yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—”
What if our fellow Americans have only been taught to hate religion “because of the tradition of their fathers?” What if they are desperately seeking a source of purpose and peace and we have it? I don’t know how to share what I know with other people when my circle of influence is so very small. But I, and a few others that I know, have felt like we needed to return to social media. It’s lame, I know. Lots of us know that one way to stay mentally healthy is to just avoid living so much of our lives online. However, the battle for the hearts and minds of the people is taking place there, and we probably shouldn’t just tune out and turn off our electronics and hope the war doesn’t find us. “17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” (D&C 123:17)
Matthew and 3 Nephi tell us the same thing. To let our light shine before men, “that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” As the world is darker, there is greater contrast between darkness, light, and peace. And in darkness, a “perfect brightness of hope” is beautiful and unique. Matthew 24:27 tells us that “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” I used to think this mean that Christ would come and it would be super obvious, unmistakable, like, you can’t miss it. But lately I have thought that perhaps this means that the light and love of Christ will spread like the light of the morning. The light will hit some places first. And like the light of dawn, it will creep across the earth until it covers all the land, and then the world.
What about the admonition in 1st Timothy 4 to “. . . be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Do we live that scripture? How about all the scriptures to “be one?” Are we unified with one another? With others in the church? With the other children of God who might not have found the church yet? Do we love our enemies? Do we bless them that curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us? These are Christ’s teachings. These are the things he admonished us to do without qualifiers. Are we doing them? Are we living the way he asked us to?
I admit that I stink real bad at this sometimes. I’ve judged people across this country who always talk about being triggered and needing safe spaces as being weak and ridiculous. I’ve viewed people in our country (who I knew thought I was an uneducated bigot who was brainwashed for being a member of an organized religion) as my enemies and I didn’t love them and I didn’t pray for them. I was happy to be segregated from them. They could live in their weird, politically correct, Marxist utopia prison, and I’d live a normal peaceful life far away from them. They were too far gone, championing the right to be enslaved by the government and I didn’t want anything to do with them. I felt like we lived in different worlds and there was no common ground upon which we’d ever agree or begin to communicate.
At the beginning of this year, I’ve felt compelled to begin writing again. I didn’t want to, and I still don't. The world is full of enough noise and I didn’t want to add my voice to the screaming matches online or anywhere else. Besides, what did I have to say anyway? What unique perspective did I really think I had to contribute to the conversation? But I started writing about Derek’s accident and his recovery, and I have been learning a lot about myself and the world as I’ve done it. In the beginning, I resisted a lot. I knew that no matter what happened in my life, I would be okay. I’d gone through a lot, and I’d learned how to endure. Why did I have to share what I learned with anyone? They could learn it the hard way just like I had, and they’d be fine. What I was told in my mind and heart was, “Your lessons aren’t just for you.” Guys, our lessons aren’t just for us. The peace that we have in our lives isn’t just for us. And it isn’t up to us to decide who gets to know Christ and who doesn’t.
Our nation is traumatized. Much of our country is living in a godless society. We’ve allowed Christ to be taken out of Christmas and now we say Happy Holidays. Universities now talk about dates in terms of B.C.E. or Before the Common Era instead of Before Christ. There is a concentrated effort to remove Christ and God from our nation and society and we aren’t better off for it. The young people in our nation who use the language of trauma and who are overly concerned with safety are not weak. Many of those we love to hate and derisively call “Snowflakes” or “Social Justice Warriors” appear to be decent human beings who have Christlike goals. They want to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the sick and afflicted. They are growing up and living in a world without God and without purpose, and they’ve been mocked for their passion to make the lives of other humans better. We live in a horrible society where homeless people live on the streets because we just can’t figure out how to care for the poor among us, babies are killed in their mother’s wombs, mass murders are just another headline, kids go hungry, people cheat on each other, pornography is everywhere, children are abused and exploited, and people are vicious on a national stage. And we wonder why people today use the language of trauma.
The greatest crimes many are guilty of are wanting to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and have greater equality for all. Anyone who is a true follower of Christ has these same goals. They’ve insisted there must be a better way to take care of people, and half of America has scornfully said that the poor “just want free stuff” and demanded to know who is going to pay for it. Half of America has said that improving the world is impossible, and this is just the world that we live in. Many have refused to even consider how we can make some of these goals happen. People have expressed a preference for a Zion-like society, which we claim is our own goal, and many have mocked them for it. They’ve been called weak. They’ve been called too sensitive. They’ve been led to believe that most of America values profits over people. And we wonder why they speak the language of trauma and of being triggered.
When you look at the problems plaguing America, they’re problems of trauma and PTSD. They're problems of isolation and lack of meaning. I could write a whole book about this, but symptoms of trauma include obesity, drug abuse, anxiety, depression, and more. Our society is traumatized and we have watched it crumble. I thought that most people had chosen to live this way. I thought that they’d made their choices and this was what they wanted. They didn’t want Christ, they didn’t want God, they didn’t want religion, and they didn’t want us. They mocked it and they hated us. But I can’t help but wonder if the scriptures are true that say that there are “many . . . yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—”
What if our fellow Americans have only been taught to hate religion “because of the tradition of their fathers?” What if they are desperately seeking a source of purpose and peace and we have it? I don’t know how to share what I know with other people when my circle of influence is so very small. But I, and a few others that I know, have felt like we needed to return to social media. It’s lame, I know. Lots of us know that one way to stay mentally healthy is to just avoid living so much of our lives online. However, the battle for the hearts and minds of the people is taking place there, and we probably shouldn’t just tune out and turn off our electronics and hope the war doesn’t find us. “17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” (D&C 123:17)
Matthew and 3 Nephi tell us the same thing. To let our light shine before men, “that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” As the world is darker, there is greater contrast between darkness, light, and peace. And in darkness, a “perfect brightness of hope” is beautiful and unique. Matthew 24:27 tells us that “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” I used to think this mean that Christ would come and it would be super obvious, unmistakable, like, you can’t miss it. But lately I have thought that perhaps this means that the light and love of Christ will spread like the light of the morning. The light will hit some places first. And like the light of dawn, it will creep across the earth until it covers all the land, and then the world.
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