Not up to it yet

And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours. (D&C 78:18)

This is a wonderful scripture to encounter when I am feeling discouraged with my efforts (which are too often pathetic and half-hearted) and how little I can accomplish compared to what I wish I could do.

I ran into it recently when I was much cast down over my own faults and foibles and how I seem to become so easily entangled in them.

“Ye cannot bear all things now”  -- Amen; preach it, Jesus.  I am not ready for the weight of worlds to be placed on my shoulders.

“nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along” – Thank heaven, God hasn’t forsaken me! Even after all the suffering my sins cause Christ, His mercy endures.  I can expect future personal revelation to guide me along the way I should go.  I can expect to grow into my potential by little steps as I exercise my faith.

“The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” – Yayy! As a Latter-day Saint, I’m still part of the kingdom of God, and I have a share in all those blessings, helps, supports, gifts, ordinances, callings, etc.  All those things are the riches of eternity, intangible things that can’t be physically stolen from me.

20 Reasons why Latter-day Saint Women are the Toughest and Sweetest Women on the Planet

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About 8 months ago, I ran across a Buzzfeed post called “25 reasons why Mormon Men are the Toughest SOBs on the Planet.”  

In honor of the upcoming Mother's Day, I felt like Latter-day Saint Women deserve some props too, so I decided I’d write a version for them. 

20 Reasons why Latter-day Saint Women Are the Toughest and Sweetest Women on the Planet

1. Get your Young Women’s Medallion by age 18. It’s like Eagle Scout rank, but for girls.

2. Don’t swear when you’re mad.  And passive aggressiveness isn’t considered Christ-like.

3. Survive girl-gossip brutality without giving any.

4. Get revelation from God as to whether it is necessary to take an 18-month break from education to preach the gospel 24/7 without pay.

5. Earn the money to pay for that 18-month break.

6. Go to Chile for 18 months, learn Spanish in 6 weeks, and convince strangers to believe in Jesus.   Get rejected a thousand times a day.

Return home and be completely normal.

7. Keep the gorgeous guy interested without using sex or body-revealing attire until he’s desperate to put a ring on your finger.

8. Have 7 children under the ages of 12 and teach a church class full of other people’s teenage girls.

Teach lessons about why celestial marriage and being a mother is the Best. Thing.  Evarrrrrrrrrrr.

9. Be an on-call, stay-at-home mom 133 hours a week and then work 15 hours on a church calling.

10. Teach each of those 7 children the gospel before they can even talk.  Get them interested in ancient scriptural texts before they can even read.

11. Shop for and feed those 7 kids with a 10% lower budget than the Joneses. 

12. Drive a Mormon assault vehicle (van). Parallel-park that thing like a boss.

13. Whip up an extra full-course meal to donate to a needy family with only eight hours notice.

14. Cook that food storage like a Thanksgiving dinner.

15. Drown your sorrows with nothing more intoxicating than chocolate.

16. Making sure teenage sons earn eagle rank = Latter-day Saint mother earning eagle. 

17. Your great-great-grandmother gave birth to her babies under a wagon. In the snow.  And helped hitch the oxen the next day.

18. Your great-great-grandmother also had to share her husband with four other wives, all while the rest of the nation thought she was a slave and a whore.

19. Handle questions about your religion like a champ.

20. Marry off your oldest child while pregnant with your youngest child.

Conclusion?    Latter-day Saint Woman = Grace under fire

Why we can be of good cheer (part 5)

This is the last of a series of posts on why we can be of good cheer... 

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Next is the situation among the Nephites when the believers in Christ faced the prospect of being put to death by unbelievers if the sign of Christ’s birth was not given.  The prophet Nephi prayed in desperation and received this revelation:

Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. (3 Nephi 1:13, emphasis added)

This is one of those special situations in which immediate change for the better is about to occur if they just hang in there.  It reminds us that the Lord still has the power to bring about sudden miracles when situations seem about as black as they can ever get.  The Lord can and will show to the world that He will fulfill all the prophecies spoken by the prophets.

Finally, consider the prospect of the Second Coming of Christ:

25 ¶And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:25-28, emphasis added)

Although the words "be of good cheer" are not used in these verses, the phrase "lift up your heads" seems like a pretty close equivalent.

When we see the calamitous signs of the Second Coming—the distress and destruction—we are told to “look up, and lift up [our] heads.”  This puzzled me for a long while because I really worried about how to survive in the middle of such terrible events as were promised.  (I have a pretty good imagination..) 

Eventually I realized that the increasing intensity of tumult should demonstrate to us how right the Savior was in His predictions.  He’s right, so He knows allllll about it. He knows how long to hold back because some may still choose to repent. The worse it gets, the closer the Savior’s coming is.

Now, this doesn’t mean that we relax and allow the world to go its decadent way without protest.  Rather, our responsibility is to be a light to the world and gather as much of Israel as will listen.

So, to review.  We can be of good cheer because:

15.  The signs will be given and the prophecies will be fulfilled

16.  The Second Coming is getting closer!

After studying all these times when the Lord (and leaders) tell someone “be of good cheer” and “lift up your heads,” it seems that these instructions are given during a difficult time when it seems that all is lost.  They are given to shake us out of our worries and despondency to show us things are about to get better and there is the prospect of good things to come.

We can be of good cheer because:

1. The Lord is at work doing miracles in our lives.
2. Jesus has overcome the world.
3. Jesus will help us overcome the world.
4. Tribulation is temporary.
5. When we are forgiven, we are in good standing with the Lord.
6. We still have time to act, repent, and prepare to meet God.
7. We are free to choose and act for ourselves.
8. Our work is not yet finished.
9. Things will work out.
10. Righteous people are praying for us.
11. The Lord has not forsaken us.
12. The Lord is in our midst.
13. The Lord will lead us along.
14. The kingdom, the blessings, and riches of eternity are ours.
15. The signs will be given and the prophecies will be fulfilled.
16. The Second Coming is getting closer!

Why we can be of good cheer (part 4)

Continuing on with this series of posts on what reasons the scriptures tell us we have for being of good cheer...

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Next is an instance in D&C 61.  The background for this revelation was a situation in which the elders of the restored church were traveling down the Missouri river in canoes and many dangers of were encountered, along with Brother Phelps receiving an open vision of the destroyer riding upon the waters, as well as some disagreements and ill feeling.  They had to take the time to make peace and reconcile with each other, and along with the dangers, must have felt somewhat cast down and forsaken by the Lord.  Thus the following verse as revelation to Joseph Smith must have been particularly appreciated:

And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you; (D&C 61:36, emphasis added)

This can help us be of good cheer, showing that even if we feel like the Lord has forsaken us, He hasn’t.  We are all liable to get into situations that are so unpleasant, when perils threaten and it seems that everything we do just makes it worse, when there is screaming and crying, slamming doors, sulking, and so on.  We may ask ourselves, “Why would the Lord ever want to stay with me in this situation?” 

Just because we can’t feel Him near doesn’t mean that He isn’t.  He doesn’t give up on us (“I have not forsaken you”) and can be with us, even if we can’t tell He’s there (“I am in your midst”).

I especially like that in the above verse the Lord addresses the elders as “little children” because it is an indication that He knew they were trying to be meek and teachable like little children.  Little children get into trouble occasionally, but that doesn’t mean one gives up on them.

Next instance of cheer..  When the Lord gave the law of consecration, He also included this particular verse:

And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours. (D&C 78:18, emphasis added)

Sometimes in our spiritual progression, our desires exceed our abilities and what we hope for exceeds what we are prepared to do.  Some obedience comes easy and some comes very hard.  From time to time we will find ourselves saying with Nephi, “Oh wretched man that I am” and sorrowing over the sins and temptations that seem to beset us so easily, when we wish we could rejoice. 

I believe that the above verse is meant to help us in that kind of discouraging time.  In it the Lord acknowledges that we can’t bear all things now.  He gives us a reason to be of good cheer by assuring us that He will lead us along.  He will give more training, more practice, more experience, and even chasten us until we can bear the full and eternal weight of glory.  Following His lead calls for our best efforts, but isn’t impossible.  And not only that, but the news that the kingdom, the blessings, and the riches of eternity are ours is very heartening, like the promise of an extra wonderful vacation in store after you get back alright from scout camp.  And too, the promise that it is already there for us can buoy us up especially when we think we have lost it somehow.

So, to review.  We can be of good cheer because:

11.  The Lord has not forsaken us.

12.  The Lord is in our midst.

13.  The Lord will lead us along.

14.  The kingdom, the blessings, and riches of eternity are ours.

Why we can be of good cheer (part 3)

Continuing on with this series of posts on what reasons the scriptures tell us we have for being of good cheer...

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Next we have Paul imprisoned in Jerusalem:

10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. (Acts: 23:10-11, emphasis added)

Why is the prospect of testifying in Rome a reason for Paul to be of good cheer after the hubbub made over his testimony in Jerusalem?  It means that he will somehow escape from the Jews who want him dead, and their machinations will be ineffectual.  It means his work as an apostle and missionary isn't done yet, even though it may have looked to him as though it were about to end very soon.

How might this help us be of good cheer today?  Perhaps it can remind us that when we are determined to bear testimony of the gospel no matter what, the result will be one of two things: 1) we may be killed for our testimony, in which case we will have sealed our testimony with our blood and rest with God, or 2) we may be saved by the Lord to testify to others in the future. 

If that sounds really serious, that’s because it is serious.  It’s a very serious and profound kind of cheer that you can’t really appreciate until/unless you have cultivated a deep faith and trust in God.  (I’m not sure I have fully grasped it myself.)  It’s not the kind of shallow cheer that promises smooth sailing for the rest of your days, but the kind of cheer that reminds you that no hurricane will be strong enough to break your anchor cable.

Speaking of boats, on another occasion, Paul is on a boat headed for Rome and there is a terrible storm for many days:

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

 23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. (Acts 27:21-25, emphasis added)

Clearly, knowing that no one would die as a result of the storm would be a good reason for all the ship’s passengers to be of good cheer.  Knowing everything is going to work out even when it looks really bad is a great source of cheer and gives strength to do what is required to make it through.  How wonderful to know that it was a direct message from an angel.  

As a side note, I believe that the angel would not have said to Paul “God hath given thee all them that sail with thee” if Paul hadn’t been praying for the rest of the ship passengers as well as himself.  I can believe this of Paul.  Perhaps the ship’s company didn’t pick up on this, but we can. 

This suggests that we can be of good cheer because of the people who pray for us.  There may be people who care for us enough to pray for us even though we may not feel like our association with them is enough to merit their concern for us.  (Heck, I am always floored whenever my mom mentions to me that she prays for me.)  We can put our names on the temple prayer roll and have many saints pray for us; we can be of good cheer knowing that the Lord answers the prayers of the righteous.

So, to review.  We can be of good cheer because:

8. Our work is not yet finished.

9. Things will work out.

10. Righteous people are praying for us.

Why we can be of good cheer (part 2)

Continuing on with this series of posts on what reasons the scriptures tell us we have for being of good cheer... 

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Next there is the story of Ammon when the king’s flocks are scattered and the servants are scared:

And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us. (Alma 17:31, emphasis added)

I think this is a good example for us at times when things go haywire at work and we face the prospect of great displeasure/punishment from superiors.  It shows us that if we get to work trying to fix the situation early on and do our best, we may succeed in fixing it and we may avoid the consequences we fear.  It teaches that lamenting will not solve anything, but taking immediate action may do much.  

Looking at it from a wider perspective, Ammon's words also show us that as long as we are alive, we still have time to act (to change, to repent, to do all we can to prepare to meet God).  Having time in our probationary state is a reason to be of good cheer.

Next we have the words of Jacob to the Nephites:

Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. (2 Nephi 10:23, emphasis added)

Sometimes we get discouraged when we watch the news or read about the terrible things going on in the world and we wonder how anything is ever going to get sorted out, or we wonder how we’ll ever survive (or how our children will ever survive) in such a world.  The news can make small movements look big, and it can even ignore big movements and thereby make them look small.  And when everyone seems bent on making the wrong choices, you wonder how you could ever make a difference and you wonder what is the point of trying. Jacob’s words in the above verse are cheering because he reminds us that we are free to choose and act for ourselves.  We can refuse to do the wrong that others do.  We have the power to make our own choices.  We can choose to do good even when others do evil.  And we never know what positive influence our good choices can have on others.

So, to review.  We can be of good cheer because:

6.  We still have time to act, repent, and prepare to meet God.

7.  We are free to choose and act for ourselves. 

Why we can be of good cheer (part 1)

Every once in a while I get in a blue funk and get discouraged.  At these times, I need something to cheer me up.  A while ago I began to notice that from time to time in the scriptures the Lord would tell his disciples to be of good cheer.  Recently I decided that I needed to study all the incidences in the scriptures where “be of good cheer” occurs to see if I could find some commonalities between them and to see what cause was given to be of good cheer.  My hope was that I could find something that would keep me from falling into discouragement while in difficulty (preferred) or something that could get me out of discouragement if I fell in.

26 And when the disciples saw him [Jesus] walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. (Matt. 14:26-27, emphasis added)

Why is it reason to be of good cheer for the disciples to know that the entity walking on the water is Jesus and not a spirit?  They can be of good cheer because it means that their fears were groundless.  They were alarmed by something that wasn’t so.  How does this help us today?  Might there be times in our lives when we fear something unexpected and unusual (and seemingly impossible) that turns out to be the Lord working miracles in our lives?

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33, emphasis added)

It might be discouraging to be told you were going to have tribulation.  Jesus says here the reason we can be of good cheer is that He has overcome the world.  This may cause us to ask, “Why am I to be of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world?  How are these two things connected?”  I suppose Jesus’s victory means that the Atonement is worked out so that we don’t have to be forever in slavery to Satan  And because Jesus overcame the world, He can help us overcome the world too. So that means tribulation is only a temporary thing, and that’s a very good reason to be of good cheer.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. (Matt. 9:2, emphasis added)

The man with the palsy is told to be of good cheer because he is forgiven of his sins.  That means his prospects in the next life have improved drastically.  Knowing you are in good standing in the Lord’s eyes is definitely a reason to be of good cheer.  (Further, we know that physical healing is just around the corner for this man, which is further reason to be of good cheer.)

So, to review.  We can be of good cheer because

1.     The Lord is at work doing miracles in our lives.

2.     Jesus has overcome the world.

3.   Jesus can help us overcome the world.

4.   Tribulation is only temporary.

5.     When we are forgiven, we are in good standing with the Lord. 

You can read rest below:

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5