His Burden is Light

Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

In Similitude of Covenants

The Lord led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Once they crossed the Red Sea (near the north end of what is now known as the Gulf of Suez) and were on the Sinai Peninsula, instead of turning northeast to go directly to the Land of Canaan, the land that had been promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel for an inheritance, the Lord led them southeast, taking them down the west side of the peninsula and bringing them finally to Mt Sinai, or Horeb, a distance of about 340 miles. This was the same mountain where Moses had seen the burning bush and received his call from the Lord to deliver Israel out of Egypt earlier in the same year.

On the trip to Sinai, the Children of Israel had witnessed and been sustained by several faith promoting occurrences. Miraculous things continued at Horeb, including receiving instructions on building a tabernacle (a precursor to the temple they would eventually build in Jerusalem) and several items that were to be kept in the tabernacle. After giving instructions on building the tabernacle itself, the first artifact the Lord instructed Israel to prepare, to be kept in the tabernacle, was the Ark of the Covenant (Numbers 10:33), also known as the Ark of the Testimony (Exodus 25:22).

The Ark continued with Israel for almost 900 years, with one brief interruption in about 1070 BC when the Philistines took it during a battle with Israel but returned it later the same year. In about 586 BC, the Ark passed out of Israel's hands again when Israel was conquered by Babylon. Although there are several theories as to the Ark's current location, the two most credible place it at sites considered sacred and therefore not available for archeological exploration.

We are told that many things in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, are types, symbols, or similitudes of Christ (2 Nephi 11:4, Mosiah 3:15). As suggested by its name, it seems to me that the Ark of the Covenant has its symbols as well. One of those is it being symbolic of the covenants we make with Christ.

The Ark was a chest of acacia or shittim wood, which is a beautiful wood.

Acacia trees are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including the Middle East. It is a beautiful wood.

The wood of the Ark was overlaid with gold, 2½ cubits long, 1½ cubits broad and 1½ cubits deep. As the Lord described the manner in which the Ark was to be constructed, using the finest of materials, this seems symbolic of the nature of covenants; we are to give our finest efforts in making and keeping our covenants. They are not something to be entered into lightly, or treated lightly once made.

The handling of the Ark by Israel was a serious matter. Prayers were recited before it moved or rested (Num. 10:35–36), and during its progress it was treated with the greatest reverence. The Lord had said the Israelites were not to touch the Ark (Numbers 4:15), hence there were rings installed at the corners so that poles could be inserted and used to transport the Ark without actually touching it. There is the story of Uzziah being smitten for touching the Ark as the oxen pulling the cart it rested on stumbled (1 Chronicles 13:9-10). Likewise, our covenants are to be treated with great reverence and care.

When the Lord gave Moses the instructions on the Ark of the Covenant, He spoke of the purpose of the Ark and its role in their relationship with God. The Ark of the Covenant, or Ark of the Testimony, was the resting place of the scriptures, or record of the Word of God (Exodus 26:34, footnote b, Deuteronomy 31:26), which were kept inside the Ark, under the Mercy Seat. It is at the Mercy Seat that the Lord said He would meet us and commune with us (Exodus 25:22). This seems, to me, to be symbolic of the scriptures as a source of revelation

Israel was instructed to place the Ark within the temple, behind the veil (Exodus 26:33), which, to me, is symbolic of the sacred nature of covenants, not secret but not out on display for general view. Placing the Ark within the Holy of Holies seems akin to the additional level of preparation and worthiness required to enter the temple, a privilege reserved for those willing to make additional effort and give extra attention to qualify to enter the temple.

Another symbol the Ark represents is deliverance. After Joshua had been called to lead the Israelites they again came to a body of water that was separating them from the Land of Promise. This time it was the River Jordan. As the priests who were bearing the Ark stepped into the water, the water parted, allowing Israel to pass through on dry ground (Joshua 3:15-17). By bearing the Ark in the manner the Lord instructed, Israel was at last enabled to enter the Promised Land and possess it. Likewise, our covenants, kept as the Lord requires, will deliver us into all that the Lord has promised. 

I liked the similitude between the Ark of the Covenant and the covenants we make with the Lord. Keeping those covenants will result in some blessings, many of which are incomprehensible to me. But one of them I can understand, an eternal family. And so to help me remember the role covenants play in being able to have my family forever, I got something to remind me. Something made of acacia wood, like the Ark of the Covenant.

When John the Beloved was on the Isle of Patmos, he saw into heaven.  One of the things he saw there was the Ark of the Covenant (Revelations 11:19), resting in the temple. The message of John’s revelation is one of deliverance, of triumph, the victory of Christ. Our covenants, faithfully kept, will, by the grace of Christ, enable us to participate in that victory, and thereby I can keep my family into eternity.

One of a City, Two of a Family

Before moving to Egypt to escape the famine, Jacob, or Israel, had been living in Hebron, some 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. This was where his grandfather, Abraham, was buried, as well as his father, Issac, and others of his ancestors. This was part of the Land of Canaan, the land that had been promised by the Lord to his grandfather and father, but a land currently occupied by other nations (Exodus 13:5). 

During the 17 years that Israel lived in Egypt, after he moved his household there, before he died, he kept faith in the promise of the Lord to his father and grandfather that their descendants would eventually inherit the Land of Canaan. As he neared the end of his life, as he blessed his sons, including Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manassah, Israel prophesied, "God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers" (Genesis 48:21). 

Israel's son, Joseph, also prophesied that God would visit Israel and bring them out of Egypt and into the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Genesis 50:24). When Israel had died his son Joseph had seen to his burial in Hebron (Genesis 49:33, 50:1-13). So, with the promise of their fathers in their minds, and their fathers having been buried in Hebron, the sons of Israel lived and raised their children in Egypt, with the knowledge of the prophecies that they would eventually leave Egypt and go back to Hebron and the surrounding area. They themselves had promised to take Joseph's bones out of Egypt with them when they left (Genesis 50:25).

Some sixty-six people moved to Egypt with Israel to escape the famine. As time past, those 66 people grew into a nation, becoming enough people that the new rulers of Egypt, "which knew not Joseph", became worried. As the record states, "The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exodus 1:7). So to keep them from overrunning the land, the Egyptians put taskmasters over them and enslaved the entire nation (Exodus 1:8-13). For 400 years the Israelites suffered and labored in bondage but they retained in memory the prophecies and promises of their fathers, of a promised land, they prayed for deliverance, they "sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage" (Exodus 2:23) until the Lord sent Moses to deliver them. They also had the righteous teachings and traditions passed down to them from their fathers (Genesis 18:19). Exactly how large the nation had grown to is not clearly stated in the scriptures but scholars place the number in the hundreds of thousands.

The Lord sent Moses to Egypt, armed with an array of miracles to persuade the Egyptians to let the Israelites go. Moses first explained to the Children of Israel how the Lord would deliver them and the Israelites were willing to let Moses try but as the process unfolded the Children of Israel were sometimes impatient. When the Egyptians finally asked the Isralites to leave, the Children of Israel were happy to go but after they left and the trip proved to be difficult and trying, and the Israelites began complaining, even asking to go back into bondage (Exodus 14:10-12).

Each time they complained the Lord had a miraculous solution and still the Israelites complained at so many of the trials as they came (Exodus 15:24, 16:2-3, 17:2-3, 32:1, Numbers 14:2 (16:41), Deuteronomy 1:27).

Indeed, much of the Old Testament gives the impression that the Lord was constantly struggling with an ancient nation of Israel that was continually at odds with Him. But surely not everyone was wayward and disobedient. Surely there were those who were righteous, faithful, and trusted that Moses would lead them to the better place they had heard talked of by their fathers all the time they'd been in Egypt.

For example, after Jethro came out from Midian and met Moses in the wilderness (Exodus 18:1-12), Jethro saw the ordeal Moses endured as all the people brought all their problems and grievances to him to solve. In response to Jethro's inspired suggestion to appoint helpers, Moses sought to "provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers" (Exodus 18:21), Moses did just that.  He sought out men so he could "teach them ordinances and laws, and ... shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do" (Exodus 18:20). That Moses was able to find "able men out of all Israel, and [make] them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens" (Exodus 18:25) suggests that there were a significant number among the Children of Israel who were righteous enough to be what the Lord inspired Moses to look for. 

It seems that a vocal minority can make it seem like everyone is complaining and murmuring, but behind the noise of the doubters was an army of faithful followers who trusted and helped the Lord and his prophet move the work forward and get Israel out of Egypt and into the Land of Promise.

The Flight from Egypt

When the Lord called Moses to the work of leading the Children of Israel out of Egypt He told him that the Pharaoh would not let them go willingly, that he would need to be persuaded (Exodus 3:19-20). Moses questioned whether Pharaoh could be persuaded and so the Lord then gave Moses a preview of the persuasion He would use to convince Pharaoh (Exodus 4:1-9). 

Moses came down from the Mount and returned to his home where he shared with his family, including his father-in-law Jethro, what had happened. Jethro was the High Priest of Midian (Exodus 18:1 JST), the priesthood leader to the saints in Midian, including Moses. After hearing Moses' report, and in response to Moses' request, Jethro told him to go (Exodus 4:18). So Moses took his wife Zipporah, and his brother Aaron and started on the long journey back to Egypt. 

Moses' concern with going back to Egypt came from a number of things, not the least of which was the task he was going back to do. Getting a theocratic monarch to give up a whole nation's slave force was no small undertaking. Yet, here was Moses, about to go before a ruler, who supposedly took his direction from deity, and tell him that some other god wanted him to let all these slaves go. On top of that, Moses was a wanted man in Egypt, he had slain a man, which was the reason he'd left Egypt (Exodus 2:11-15). Still, Moses trusted in the Lord and, with his wife and brother, they left for Egypt, taking with him the rod he'd had on the mount, which the Lord and turned into a serpent (Exodus 4:20).

Along the way, at one of the stops they made, the Lord came to Moses to talk again about the mission Moses was on. One of the things the Lord told Moses was that the men who had sought Moses had all died so it was safe to return. The Lord again reminded Moses that Pharaoh would need convincing to let the Children of Israel go and that it would be necessary to perform all the miracles the Lord had prepared for the occasion. And, referring to Israel as His own firstborn, the Lord said that if Pharaoh wouldn't let His firstborn go, He would slay Pharaoh's firstborn, even his son (Exodus 4:21-23). This was the culminating plague, the greatest curse that was to be brought upon Egypt, and it was also a type, a foreshadow of the atoning sacrifice to be made by the Messiah almost 1500 years later, outside the walls of Jerusalem.

As predicted, Pharaoh did not willingly release the Children of Israel when Moses let him know what the Lord was asking. And so the plagues were unleashed upon Pharaoh and Egypt. When Moses turned his staff into a snake, Pharaoh was unimpressed, his own magicians could do as much. But perhaps Pharaoh and his court should have taken greater notice when the staff of Aaron, which is the staff that became a serpent, overpowered the serpents from Pharaoh's magicians and ate them (Exodus 7:10-12). In any case, that was not the end of it.  The Lord had told Moses that, "the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them" (Exodus 7:5). Only the first wonder was done privately, before Pharaoh. All the rest of the plagues were visited upon the whole nation of Egypt; all the people ruled by Pharaoh were affected. When the waters in the streams, rivers, ponds, pools, and vessels throughout all the land of Egypt were turned to blood for seven days, the next plague, all the people suffered as the waters stank, the fish died, and the people suffered from thirst (Exodus 7:17-25). 

Then frogs overran the country, getting into the people's homes, village, and fields, everyone had to deal with them for a full day before they abated. But then,  after a day with frogs everywhere, the frogs didn't leave, they just died. The people heaped them in piles but the piles of frogs rotted and stank. Once again all of Egypt suffered from the smell (Exodus 8:1-14).

On and on they came, plague after plague: lice, flies, livestock dying, boils and blains, burning hail (and the destruction of crops it brought), locust (and the loss of what crops had not been destroyed by the hail), three days of darkness (another type of Christ). With each new plague the magicians of Egypt tried to duplicate the plague but they were unable to replicate only those plagues up to the frogs. This was not the wisest course because it only made the plagues and suffering of the people worse. Fortunately for the people, they were unable to duplicate the lice or anything that came afterward; the power of the Lord was greater than the power of the magicians. 

But, as bad as everything Pharaoh had put his people through, the worst was yet to come. The Lord had instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh right up front that if he refused to let Israel go He would slay Pharaoh's firstborn (Exodus 4:23) but Pharoah wouldn't hear it, he pushed to the limit, multiplying his own suffering and the suffering of his people. In the dance Pharaoh had been playing with Moses, Pharaoh finally told him to leave and that if he came back he would be put to death. So Moses left the courts of Pharaoh and turned his attention to protecting the Children of Israel from the last plague. When the last plague came upon Egypt, not only Pharaoh's oldest son died, but the firstborn of every family in all of Egypt, from the greatest to the least, no matter where they were, they died, in every house in the country. And not just the families lost their firstborn child, but the firstborn of all their surviving livestock as well. 

It was enough, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron before him and told him to take his people, their livestock, and all their possessions and get out of Egypt (Exodus 12:31-32). But not only Pharaoh, all the people wanted them gone. And when the Israelites asked to borrow from the Egyptians, the Egyptians responded by pressing them to take what wanted and leave (Exodus 12:35-36). In effect, they paid their slaves to leave. 

Clear back on the Mount of the Lord, when Moses first received his call to lead Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land, the Lord had told Moses He would stretch forth His mighty hand and smite Egypt, after which they would let Israel go (Exodus 3:20). And it was done, as the Lord had said it would be done.

Patience

When Israel blessed his twelve sons shortly before his death (Genesis 48,49) he was prompted to speak of the great things that would come through Judah's and Joseph's descendants. The blessings the rest of his sons received largely were to admonish them and their descendants to righteousness. The Lord, who knows the end from the beginning, knew that, over and over again, the Children of Israel would lapse into unrighteousness and need to be constantly called back to the path of righteousness. The conditional promise repeated over and over again among the descendants of Lehi, that they would prosper in the land as long as they kept the commandments of God (1 Nephi 2:20), was first spoken to the House of Israel through the prophet Moses as they were about to enter and be established in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:29), 800 years before Lehi left Jerusalem. During the over 400 years between the time that Israel died and Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, the children of the twelve sons of Israel had strayed far from the God who had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the Land of Canaan, along with other great blessings. The Children of Israel had grown into a nation.  But now, with Israel in such a state of unrighteousness and unbelief, it was time for Moses to bring them out of bondage and into the freedom and liberty that righteousness could bring to them. 

As noted by F. W. Boreham, when God wants to do a great work, he sends a baby. And so, in about 1525 BC, Moses was born into slavery, under the edict of death, but was promptly delivered into the household of Egyptian royalty where he became known in the household and court of the Pharaoh. Years later, when Moses left Egypt, he went east, across the Sinai Peninsula to the Land of Midian, just east of the Gulf of Aqaba, almost 200 miles from Egypt, where he fell in with Jethro, the High Priest of Midian (Exodus 18:1 JST). Jethro, who held the priesthood and traced his line of authority back to Abraham (D&C 84:6-16), began Moses' education in the gospel. Several years later, as Moses, who was now almost 80 years old, was out tending sheep, he turned aside one afternoon to see a bush that was burning without being consumed by the fire. Thus the Lord began the process of convincing a nation mired in the skepticism of unrighteousness that they should follow Him, and that He could deliver them from slavery and bondage.

After explaining that He had heard the cries of the Children of Israel and was going to deliver them out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land, a land of milk and honey, the Lord told Moses that it was now safe to return and that he would be instrumental in the great work of bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt. He reminded Moses that he, himself, had heard the cries of the Israelites and knew of their suffering, and that He, the Lord, wanted Moses to go to Pharaoh, secure the release of the people, and lead them out of Egypt, into the Promised Land. And not only would the Children of Israel leave Egypt but they would also take from the riches of Egypt with them. The Lord pointed out that, as to be expected, Pharaoh was unlikely to willingly let his country's slave force just walk away, that Pharaoh would need to be forcefully convinced. To convince Moses of the power the Lord would use to persuade Pharaoh, the Lord gave Moses a preview of the miracles he would perform before Pharaoh. At the Lord's instruction, Moses turned his staff into a snake and then back into a staff. He also afflicted Moses with leprosy and then healed him. After that, the Lord told Moses of the additional miracles He would do to convince Pharaoh to release the Children of Israel (Exodus 4:2-9). 

After having this discussion with the Lord and coming down from the Mount of the Lord, Moses took his wife, Zipporah, and his brother, Aaron, and left for Egypt. The trip was not without incident because Moses was still learning the strict obedience required to work so closely with the Lord, but the group finally arrived in Egypt and spoke with the Elders of Israel. As the Lord had needed to convince Moses that this mission could succeed, Moses needed to convince the Elders of Israel that this was a viable plan. And so, as the Lord had done with him, and as the Lord had instructed him (Exodus 4:16), Moses gave the Elders of Israel a preview of the miracles that would be done before Pharaoh (Exodus 4:30). The result was that the Elders of Israel were convinced and so were the Children of Israel (Exodus 4:31). And so, for the first time in centuries, the Children of Israel began to have hope. There were still trials and difficulties the Children of Israel would have to endure before they were allowed to go, but the process was beginning and the end of their days of slavery was in sight.

Although the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt is a very familiar one, one I've heard plenty of times before, I had forgotten the details of how the Lord laid the foundation and worked to bring the Children of Israel along, before Moses ever appeared before Pharaoh. The Lord had promised Abraham 640 years before Moses went to Pharaoh, "I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee." (Abraham 1:16) The Lord has renewed this promise in our day, early in the restoration, that "the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers." (D&C 112:10) This is a constant with the Lord, who is infinitely patient. He is patient with us and encourages us to be patient as we wait on Him, especially in times of affliction (D&C 66:9). And so we should be, even though we sometimes find it difficult.

Victory Over Death

I was reading in the Old Testament the other day and came to the story of Jacob's wife, Rachel, dying in childbirth, one of the tougher parts of Jacob's life. Jacob's name had already been changed to Israel. And the Lord had told him it was time to return to the Land of Promise, the Land of Canaan. On the journey, they stopped at Bethel, the place where Abraham had built an altar when he first arrived in the Land of Canaan about 190 years earlier. Jacob had gone to Haran, to stay with Laban, his uncle, after his father, Isaac, had given him the birth right instead of giving it to his older brother, Easu. On his way there he had stopped at the same place and seen the vision in which the promises made to Abraham were also given to Jacob. At that time Jacob had built a memorial and said, "This is the Gate of Heaven." But that's a different story. 

On the trip back, Jacob's wife, Rachel, who was expecting a child, gave birth a little after the family had left Bethel, at a place called Ephrath. It was a hard delivery and Rachel did not survive, though the baby did. Rachel named the baby, a boy, "Ben-oni", which is given as "Son of my Sorrow" but the scriptures say his father called him "Benjamin", which is given as "Son of the Right Hand." Jacob had lost the wife of his youth, his first choice, the girl he had worked 14 years for. His heart was broken, he'd lost his wife to death. Jacob buried his wife and built a pillar of rocks to mark her grave and then moved on. 

As I read the story of Jacob's loss and sorrow at the death of his wife, and saw that the place of her burial was at Ephrath, which is also called Bethlehem, I thought it ironic that the place where Jacob was so heart broke by the death of his beloved wife, Rachel, was also the place where, 1,900 years later, the Prince of Peace was born, the Bread of Life, the Fountain of Living Waters. The Savior who would deliver mankind from death. The one who would give Rachel back to Jacob for eternity. 

The prophets tell us that the Lord gave us numerous signs and likenesses throughout the Old Testament to point us to Christ. It made me wonder if this was one of them. 

Sunday Thoughts

Last week I taught the lesson in the “virtual” Gospel Doctrine class our ward has been holding during the restricted meetings held by the church during the coronavirus pandemic.  I wanted to preserve some insights I gained during that experience. 

The lesson was from the Come Follow Me curriculum, the lesson on Helaman chapters 13-16, which is from the preaching and prophesying Samuel the Lamanite did from the walls of the City of Zarahemla.  Specifically, Helaman 15:3, which says, “Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.”  Samuel’s words contain many stern chastisements, but Helaman 15:3 gives a unique perspective on chastening from the Lord. 

"Chastisement" is another strong word, like "Commandment", easily taken more harshly than it really is. I like the word "Correction" better, or even "Guidance". Perhaps the Lord uses these strong words because He appreciates what's at stake better than we do. But remember what He's said:  

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you — Wherefore, ye must needs be chastened and stand rebuked before my face." (D&C 95:1-2)

 He also said 

"My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom." (D&C 136:31)

Anyone who is trying to get closer to the Lord and better do His will is going to bear chastisement.  In bearing chastisement, it is well to keep in mind what it says in D&C 121:41-44 (43): 

“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.”

Take special note of the phrase, “Reproving betimes with sharpness.” My dictionary gives several definitions for "Sharpness", including these two: 

• "Having clear form and detail"
• "Clearly and distinctly set forth"

This passage is one we often associate with how we should preside or lead. But it applies to the many relationships we find ourselves in, including us on the receiving end of our relationship with Christ. This passage uncovers and explains the loving manner in which Christ works with us to help us progress toward being able to live the kind of life He lives.  His goal, after all, is to bring to pass our Eternal Life (Moses 1:39, John 17:3, 1 John 3:2). 

The Lord maintains and exercises His power of persuasion by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge our soul without hypocrisy, and without guile so that we may know that His faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.  He has done everything our agency allows to help us successfully complete this period of our eternal progression and achieve Eternal Life. He will continue for as long as there is a single soul yet to be saved (Moroni 7:36).

Back Together

Last March, as a pandemic swept the earth, the church curtailed all public meetings and we truly became a "home centered, church supported" church.  Church meetings stopped, temples closed, missionaries came home; in many ways it was almost a complete shut down of all public church work.  Since then, each week, Brombeere and I, along with whoever else was here and wanted, have been having the sacrament and a brief service in our home.  Most of the time, the brief service was actually more a gospel centered discussion, more a Sunday School than a Sacrament Meeting.  There have been some nice things about it and we've enjoyed it.  Then, in May, the First Presidency announced the plans to resume meetings.  Each Area Presidency,  working with the Quorum of the Twelve and local Stake Presidencies, was to work out the resumption of meetings in a phased approach, phase one being just a short sacrament meeting for those comfortable with attending.  Wards and branches were to work with their stake leaders to make a plan, get it approved, and pick a date to resume.  Our stake president is a doctor, which I personally found reassuring, so our ward did not rush into resuming meetings.  Our Ward Council discussed it extensively and the Bishopric finally submitted their plan to the stake.  And the stake approved it.

So, with approval, all kinds of preparations took place; additional cleaning supplies was acquired, furniture was rearranged, and a "dry run" sacrament meeting was held with just the families of those on the Ward Council, to try our plan out.  A few little tweaks were made and information was sent out to ward members, and today was the first "regular" sacrament meeting our ward has held since March. 

It was a phase one meeting so it was shorter than the full hour.  There were lots of little things that were different to try to make it as safe as possible, given what we know about Covid-19 at present.  But it went well, attendance was about 60-70% of what it normally was before all the craziness.  It was nice to meet together again, nice to see a little bit of normalcy creeping back into life.  As so much of life has become so warped and distorted by this pandemic, it was nice to get back to something that we used to take for granted.  Slowly and cautiously, I'm looking forward to when things are more normal, even if that takes a few more months.

A Quiet Easter

Easter this year has been like no other.  With a plague sweeping the earth and all society trying to survive, Easter celebrations have had to be different than tradition would normally call for.  For us, its been a quiet day of remembrance.

It has been fitting. The first Eater was also a quiet day. No trumpets, no heavenly choirs, no angelic heralds. Just a quiet, empty tomb, found by a woman deep in mourning. But oh, how her heart leaped when she found her risen Lord, another witness that all He had said was actually true!

And so likewise it is with us.  All that He said is actually true!

Home Centered, Church Supported

On March 11, 2020 the church announced that all gatherings worldwide were suspended until further notice, in an effort to limit, or at least slow the spread of the coronavirus.  That sent the lay-leadership of the church all the way down the hierarchy scrambling to figure out what that would look like in all the wards and branches around the world; how to continue to support all those members while not meeting with all those members. Where we live, gatherings of any kind are currently limited to no more than ten people.  So, yeah, that pretty much puts an end to regular church Sunday meetings for a while.  I got the job of putting up signs on each entry door of the church advising that no meetings or services would be held until further notice.

It's been interesting.  When I went on my mission my first area was a city that did not have a branch or ward in the city.  There were only two active families in the city.  One was a family with youth aged children and the other was an older, single sister.  We used to visit them regularly but to go to church they had to travel to the neighboring community to where the branch met.  As missionaries, we were only allowed to go if we had an investigator, since it was outside of our assigned work area.  Alas, we were never able to get an investigator to make the train trip, even though it was only 30 or 35 miles.  For us, it would have involved a walk to the bus stop, a bus ride to the train station, a train ride to the next town, another bus ride to the nearest bus stop, and a walk from the bus stop to the building.  And then all that again to get back home. Apparently that was too much for any of our investigators so we never made the trip. We got to the train station a few times but each time the investigator never showed.  So for about the first four or five months of my mission I did not attend church. A couple of weeks before I was transferred out of the city an American serviceman was transferred to a small listening post in our area.  He was a member and we were able to get permission to ride to church with him. That's when I began going to church again.  We even had a dinner appointment with the branch president's family, my first "DA" on my mission.

For those several months that we were unable to go, we missionaries would get together each Sunday.  There were two companionships in the city, we formed a district.  So we'd get together for district meeting and the sacrament, usually in the other brethren's apartment since my apartment was a room in our landlord's house; not quite enough space or privacy for our meeting.  Each week we'd get together, one of us would be assigned to have a short lesson ready so it was more than just the sacrament and district business.  I actually enjoyed those meetings.

Switching to the "Come Follow Me" curriculum of home centered, church supported learning last year has born out the inspiration of that change, in more ways than simply preparing families to be better prepared and situated for this "lock down" of society that we've entered into.  The greater emphasis in having families take on more responsibility for their own spiritual development has been great practice for our current situation.  In our own family, we have decided that each Sunday at 1:30 we will gather together for our own church services.  We are not trying to replicate sacrament meeting, but it reminded me today very much of all those times we met in my first city to teach each other and partake of the sacrament.  It is our desire to keep the structure of having church services even though we are not meeting together as a full congregation.  Perhaps it will make returning to church, when all this craziness ends, less of a systemic shock.

"Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings."  (Leviticus 23:3)

Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet

How Great the Wisdom and the Love

Eliza R Snow 1804-1887

How great the wisdom and the love

That filled the courts on high

And sent the Savior from above

To suffer, bleed, and die!

His precious blood he freely spilt;

His life he freely gave,

A sinless sacrifice for guilt,

A dying world to save

By strict obedience Jesus won

The prize with glory rife:

"Thy will, O God, not mine be done,"

Adorned his mortal life.

He marked the path and led the way,

And ev'ry point defines

To light and life and endless day

Where God's full presence shines.

In mem'ry of the broken flesh

We eat the broken bread

And witness with the cup, afresh,

Our faith in Christ, our Head.

How great, how glorious, how complete

Redemption's grand design,

Where justice, love, and mercy meet

In harmony divine!

Wise Men Came

As Christmas season is upon us many families decorate for the season.  I'd be surprised to learn of any family that decorated where their decorations didn't include a nativity set.  In our house we have somewhere around 10 or 15 nativities, including one that we keep especially so the grandkids can play with it.  Families put out their nativities, both inside and outside their homes.  The church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) came out this year with a new nativity video called "The Christ Child".  This depiction of the story of Christ's birth from the scriptures is set apart from other renditions of the Nativity by several things done in connection with the making of this movie. One of the things the church did was to attempt to relate the story accurately, as expressed in the scriptures.  Attention was given to the story of these real people participating in this real event.  The makers of the movie consulted historians and biblical scholars in an attempt to portray the events in an accurate setting, with the people's dress, the language, and the atmosphere as it might actually have been at the time in ancient Israel. Actors were selected with the age and ethnicity in mind of the people they would portray. Even the actors went to the effort of preparing themselves for their roles.  This effort resulted in some aspects of the story being portrayed differently than in some previous tellings of the Nativity, such as the story of "no room in the inn", the animal stall in which Christ was born, the shepherds, or the wise men's encounter with the Christ child.  Even the dialogue was in Aramaic, the language actually spoken in Israel at the time, so as not to distract from the events being portrayed.  I love it, it portrays the story much closer to how I have imagined it to have unfolded.

One of the things I most liked, was most touched by in the story, was the wise men.  Not a lot is known about the wise men.  If it weren't for the Gospel of Mathew, we wouldn't know at all of their visit.  Matthew's account (Matthew 2:1-13) does not give us much detail about them.  He didn't say how many there were, and only that they came "from the east".  Matthew says they followed the star to to come to where "the young child" was.  Tradition disagrees as to how many there were, who they were, and where they came from.  Over the years I have given a lot of thought to the wise men, who they were, and how they came to make the journey to Israel and bring their gifts to the young Christ child.  During His mortal ministry, Christ referred to "other sheep"  he needed to visit (John 10:16).  As Christ visited the American continent He spoke of still needing to visiting the other tribes of Israel whom the Father had lead away (3 Nephi 3:1-3).  I have always imagined that the wise men were from those others of the House of Israel that had been lead away.  They would have also been watching for the sign of the Savior's birth, the new star, and would have been elated when it finally appeared.  I don't doubt they were as much in anticipation as the Nephites were, waiting in anticipation, night after night, for the sign which, no doubt, had been prophesied among them in a similar manner as it had been among the Nephites (Helaman 14:2-7).

I would not be surprised at all if there were those who were anxiously awaiting the sign, the new star, planning on making the trip to Bethlehem, ready to go and waiting only for the star to appear before leaving. I don't doubt they were far enough east that the trip would have taken a very long time.  I liked how the movie portrayed them navigating across the continent, following the new star.

And, at last, they came to the city under the star

I have never imagined these wise men as having accidentally stumbled upon the Christ child, or men who went at the spur of the moment.  I think of them as prophets, or at least sent by prophets, knowing full well who they were going to see.  They would have approached the little family full of respect and reverence.  These would have been men like Simeon (Luke 2:25-32), "just and devout men, waiting for the consolation of Israel, on whom was the Holy Ghost."

Simeon met the Christ child as an infant.  By the time the wise men made their way from the far east, the Christ child would have been a toddler.  Matthews account of the visit of the wise men refers to Christ as a "young child" nine times; He was no longer an infant.

And yet, these wise men knew exactly who they were meeting.

 This was no ordinary child.

This was Emmanuel, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Messenger of the Covenant, the Messiah, Redeemer of Israel, the Holy One of Israel, the Lamb of God.

I can readily see the wise men hardly able to contain their emotions.  Here, at long last, was the Christ child, God among men, here to perfect the atonement, to open the door and release the prisoners, and bring exaltation to all that are willing to take hold and live the way He taught.  They were seeing the "Condescension of God", not in a vision but it actuality, right before them. The event awaited by all the prophets and peaceable followers of Christ since before the earth was made was happening. The events that were the foundation of the entire Plan of Happiness were unfolding, moving inextricably toward the culmination on the cross. As President Gordon B. Hinckley reminded us, "There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection." (The Wondrous and True Story of Christmas, December,2000 Ensign)  I don't doubt that they, as Simeon, may have been moved and felt to say "Now let thy servant[s] depart in peace, according to thy word, for [our] eyes have seen thy salvation." (Luke 2:29, 30).

The time will come when we will have the record of the lost tribes of Israel (2 Nephi 29:11-14, D&C 133:26-33).  No doubt we will find then the other side of the story of the wise men.  I don't doubt we will find that they were righteous men, blessed to be able to come and met the Christ child and bless Him with gifts that enabled Him to safely live and grow to fulfill His mission.  What a marvelous way the Lord weaves together the tapestry of events to bless His children and move his work forward.

Thoughts for a Sunday Afternoon

And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

(Moses 5:10-11)

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Jesus, lover of my soul,

Let me to thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll,

While the tempest still is high,

Hide me, O my Savior, hide,

Till the storm of life is past.

Safe into the haven guide;

Oh, receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none;

Hangs my helpless soul on thee.

Leave, oh, leave me not alone;

Still support and comfort me.

All my trust on thee is stayed;

All my help from thee I bring.

Cover my defenseless head

With the shadow of thy wing.

(Hymn 102, Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1985)

Shout of Acclamation!

From the Fall of Man, in the Garden of Eden, when mankind was put out of the presence of God, mankind was in darkness. 

But adding his voice to all the other prophets that had lived and prophesied, since the beginning, Isaiah prophesied that it would not be forever.  While death and sin had been introduced into the world, it was not to be permanent.

Isaiah was a prophet during a time when Israel was not so righteous.  So naturally a lot of his messages have to do with the dismal future Israel faced because of its disobedience.  Scattering and affliction were a common theme in Isaiah's writings.  But part of his mission was to also prophesy to future generations so deliverance was also a common theme in Isaiah's writings. Part of his mission was to prophesy of the time when God would fulfill His covenants that He had made to Israel.

And so Isaiah gave us one of my favorite passages of deliverance.  He spoke of the reason Israel would not have to remain in darkness forever.  But not only deliverance from their earthly affliction and sorrow, but from death and hell as well.

"The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light: They that dwell in in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.  Thou has multiplied the nations, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou has broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.  For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning an fuel of fire."

And then, after explaining that the people, all mankind, would not remain in darkness or under the pall of death and hell forever, but be delivered and have reason to celebrate more than they had ever known, he breaks forth in acclamation at the source of their deliverance!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

"Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice henceforth even forever." (Isaiah 9:2-7)

This is why we celebrate Christmas, because those that were in darkness can now move into the light.  This is why there is hope, because unto us a child was born!  Never was there a greater reason to rejoice!  No doubt, His gift was the greatest gift ever given.  How right it is that we should celebrate His birth.  How right it is that our celebration should be centered on Him and His gift.

Praise the LORD!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the LORD.

Praise the name of the LORD!

Blessed be the name of the LORD

now and forever.

Everywhere—from east to west—

praise the name of the LORD.

For the LORD is high above the nations;

his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the LORD our God,

who is enthroned on high?

He stoops to look down

on heaven and on earth.

He lifts the poor from the dust

and the needy from the garbage dump.

He sets them among princes,

even the princes of his own people!

(Psalms 113:1-8

New Living Translation)

And He Will Teach Us of His Ways

Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all ye ... that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.
(Jeremiah 7:2)

Sunday Thoughts

Pray, he is there;
Speak he is list’ning.
You are his child;
His love now surrounds you.
He hears your prayer;
He loves [His] children.
(Children's Songbook, #12)

Conference

“The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel.”

Isaiah 9:8

Balm of Gilead

Gilead is a highland district in the Middle East, east of the Jordan River, south of ancient Bashan, in what is now the country of Jordan. There a bush, or small tree, grows fruit which produces a resin from which a balm was made in ancient Israel.  The tree or shrub producing the balm is commonly identified as Commiphora gileadensis. Some botanical scholars have concluded that the actual source was a terebinth tree, of the genus Pistacia. This bush grew so plentifully in Gilead in Old Testament times that the balm came to be known as the “Balm of Gilead” (Gen. 37:25; Ezek. 27:17). This balm was an aromatic spice, or balm, used for soothing, for healing wounds. Balm of Gilead was rare. The expression “Balm of Gilead” stems from William Tyndale's language in the King James Bible of 1611 (Gen. 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8), and has come to signify a universal cure in figurative speech.

The term “Balm of Gilead” is found in the eighth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, where Jeremiah, lamenting the suffering that would befall Israel, cried, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?”, seeking relief for the suffering, the hurt, to be experienced by the Children of Israel in the then near future. Jeremiah speaks of the balm of Gilead again in the 46th chapter where he speaks of the Israelites seeking relief from their pain by using balm from Gilead.  These were appeals for the welfare of those who were worried, or restless, or anxious. A plea for those who were not at peace. Those whose lives were touched with disappointment, grief, or bitterness, struggling constantly with worry, frustration, or anxiety.  In Jeremiah's pleas the major source of the people's trouble was their own wickedness. However, that is certainly not the only source of stress and worry in our lives. Stress, worry, and difficulty are part of the Plan.  The processes of earning a living and raising a family, while being major sources of happiness and fulfillment, are also major sources of stress and worry, particularly as we grow older, progress through life, and discover that not everything unfolds the way we planned or wanted. Life's disappointments or broken dreams. Or as age creeps slowly in and we find we can no longer do things we used to do. It was John Lennon who made famous the statement, “Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.”  And sometimes getting life to turn out the way you want, even as well as you're able, involves a great deal of effort, work, and worry.

Stress from several sources is present pretty much throughout the entirety of life. But it seems to me that it is most intense in the years when little children are in the home.  That is not too marginalize the stress and demands of other seasons of life. It just seems to me that life's stress peaks during those years. That is also not a derogatory statement toward children. Their existence and successful upbringing is one of the core, fundamental purposes of life, and an incredible source of joy and happiness. But the fact remains their early years are very intense for conscientious parents.

It is usually during that time, when children are small, that parents find the demands of their family, the sacrifices they're called upon to make, so intense that it becomes a distraction, even a hindrance to their own rest, welfare, and peace of mind.  When dealing with little kids, who operate on a purely emotional bases and can't be reasoned with, which can bring intense pressure in some situations and certainly makes things difficult from time to time.  This brings me somewhat closer to my point.  My family, my children and their families, are becoming fully immersed in that period of life, that period of life where family demands are reaching their peak, their most intense point. And, unfortunately, that peak does not occur and pass in a matter of hours or even days. It typically lasts for several years. I remember very well that period of my own life. Sitting in the foyer at church with a misbehaving child, trying to make sure being in the foyer wasn't more fun than being in the chapel.  Looking for a quiet room at church where my child could finish out a temper tantrum without disturbing so many others. Being at a store with a child who decided to pitch a fit because something was the wrong color.  Nights when I'd drop into bed, hours after I wanted to get there, exhausted. Feelings of frustration and aggravation consuming my emotions. Sitting in the car gathering strength to go in the door and see what was going on, to meet the challenges waiting inside. Tense rides in the car to or from school, church, or other family activities, wondering how to make things work better. Sitting in the garage crying. Sitting at my desk at work crying. Sitting in my room crying. Standing in the backyard crying. I remember very clearly the first time I wanted to take my life in a certain direction with some more education but was unable to because I wasn't accepted into the program.  So many tears shed in worry, frustration, anguish, hurt, disappointment, and simple exhaustion from all the work, worry, and sacrifice made for my family, sacrifices of time, personal interests, money, health, and other things. I fully understand what my children are going through. It is the same thing families have gone through for generations but I don't say that to diminish it in anyway. Nor do I say that to claim some special accomplishment, or to cause guilt to any one.  I say that to suggest I fully understand what's going on. And therein is my frustration as I watch my children and others go through this; my ability to provide comfort or relief is so limited. Is there no balm in Gilead?

And that brings me to my purpose here. My people skills are so very limited. It must be a trait with some genetics to it because from things I've seen and read, my father and his father also found it difficult to interact with people, and to express their feelings. I have a couple of children who also suffer from this malady. There could be a great deal going on in their heart but they seem to lack the ability to get it out to where others could benefit, or even be aware. You can't tell based only on what is said, you have to notice more what is done, often very quietly and subtly. My ability to express what is in my heart is very limited. As a result, I am often very quiet. I have been chided for lacking feeling or empathy, when in reality it is simply my inability to express my feelings that is operating, not that I don't have the feelings. But I know someone who can do that, and who does it very well. I am married to her.

The scriptures speak of providing comfort, comfort from the Lord or comfort for one another.  The prophets speak of giving comfort to those in need, of angels of mercy. I have learned that some are better at that than others.  Brombeere is one through whom the Lord has been able to send comfort and peace over and over again.  I have seen it many times.  She is blessed to recognize when others are in need, to know what to say, to know how to draw them out, and then bring comfort to their soul, confidence to their minds, and peace to their hearts. Sometimes I wonder if they even realize what happened; its magic - they just feel better. A kind word, a gentle touch, a soft look.  Sometimes nothing more than a hug at the right moment.  Often such comfort does not bring any physical or behavioral change that fixes the problem but there is something about talking about it, sharing the feelings and frustrations, that brings comfort, peace, and increased ability to deal with it, whatever “it” might be.  

Sometimes I call this “Mama Magic”, especially when it is her children involved.  And I am convinced it is a gift of the Spirit with which she has been blessed.  I know I certainly don’t have it. But she does. She has been placed in the midst of those who surround her to bring peace and comfort to them to whatever extent they will allow. My patriarch, some three years before I ever met her, spoke of Brombeere and called her a “sweet, pure daughters of Mother Eve to be [my] eternal companion, ... whose likes will blend with [mine] most beautifully.” He went on later to say, “This is but an index to what the Lord has in store for you.”  I fully believe one of those unnamed blessings was a spouse who would have the Gift of Comfort.  She is the Balm of Gilead to this family and many others with whom she comes in contact. 

Years ago, before we were married, she asked me my thoughts on raising children.  I told her it was my plan to marry a perfect woman and help wherever I could.  And so it has been.