I’m working on a new book called “Living in Truth” and speaking on this topic quite a bit lately. I have especially enjoyed the comments from those who have been in the classes and thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned about truth here on the blog and get your comments, also.
To start with, if we want to live in truth we need to understand what truth is. John 8:32 tells us that “the truth shall make you free.” When I heard that verse I used to think that the gospel was the truth that would make us free. That certainly is true, but there is more to truth than the doctrines and principles of the gospel. In D&C 93:24 we are given a definition of truth: “Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.” The gospel certainly fits this definition, but there is more. Think about it for a minute. “Things as they are and were” includes some very negative things in this telestial world.
In a telestial world “things as they are” includes thorns, thistles, weeds, war, disease, robbery, accidents and all kinds of disasters and adversity. According to the definition, they are truth—in a telestial world. They won’t be truth in a celestial world, but for now they are truth. So what do these negative telestial truths have to do with the Lord’s promise that “the truth shall make us free”? Surprisingly they have as much to do with the fact that “man is that he might have joy” as the wonderful celestial principles of the gospel.
For the next while I’ll be explaining these things here on “Good News!” I’ll present one short concept a day and let you ponder on it and leave your comments about what you learn and experience. Don’t be shy! I’d love your ideas, questions, and experiences.
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10 comments:
I think of freedom from fear and freedom in testimony when I think of the freedom that the truth brings. I look forward to the gems of your "Good News"! I just visited your blog last week as you had been on my mind so often and I read about your unwanted guest and am pleased to hear she has been successfully evicted!
Cathy, Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on freedom. And thank you for the kind words about the eradication of Grizelda. It has been a great miracle in my life!
I was thinking about "things as they are" and how we don't always like some truths but they are still a fact...some exist that we may know good from evil etc. The Lord has given us the tools we need to be exceedingly happy...we just need to recognize "good truths" versus "false truths and illusions...once we know what is true and real we are exceedingly joyful.
Sherrie, I enjoyed being taught by you at our womens conference yesterday. I'm glad to see that you will be sharing these things with us on your blog as well. I went to your blog and read about your journey over the past two months. My 4 year daughter passed away in 1991 due to an inoperable brain tumor, so I was very interested in reading about you and the miracle in your life. I'm so happy everything went well. Thanks so much for sharing. Are you going to be a presenter at BYU Womens Conference this year?
Lesley Marsden Leger
Connie, I like your ideas. I've identified them as telestial and celestial truths and I'll be talking a lot more about them! Good to hear from you.
Lesley, I wish I had seen you yesterday! I remember hearing about your daughter. I'm so sorry. Even though time is supposed to heal there is always a little necessary pain that lingers.
Thank you for your kind words. I'm not speaking at women's conference, but I am speaking at BYU Education Week. I'll be doing a class on the Messages in the Miracles of Jesus and one on Living in Truth.
I loved how you taught about this at the Women's Conference. It was the first time I'd really thought of truth in this way. I'll look forward to the review in your upcoming posts. You're such a gifted teacher! :)
Wendi, Thank you so much. You are always so kind.
I so enjoyed your talk Saturday. I came up to you after the lunch. I have found your blog helpful as well. It seems even the hard, ugly truth we make worse sometimes. Like you said we put ourselves through unecessary pain. I have spent a life time doing that, by my anxieties. Worry about what is next, what I should and shouldn't do. I finally realized I had a problem when I went to Europe with my husband on a trip we had won. Really a chance of a life time, and I was ruining it. My anxiety had gotten so awful that I was afraid of fast trains and high places. Well you can't go to Europe with out those. I survived the trip, but it was a good wake up call, that I am always taking out the fun out of life. Were so busy achieving the next thing that when we are living the dream life we can't even recognize it or enjoy it. It is like what you said of that widow saying "I wish I had socks on my floor". Your stories put a sense of reality and made the lessons you taught memorable. I finally found a counselor, a Doctor, and medication that worked for me. This was quite a process, but I decided to invest in me. One and a half years later and probaby $3,000 later I am on my own again, with a new set of rules and ways to look at life. Then in July I broke my hand hiking in Tahoe and all I could think was no big deal, and the view was worth it. Line upon line Heavenly Father truely teaches us, for that is the only way we can really learn and it will mean something and it will stay in our brain. The previous January I had volunteered for a free MRI and $150 if I would particitpate in a study for the U of U on endometeriosis. Well they needed to do MRI's on healthy women who didn't have endometeriosis. So after that they contacted me and said they had seen a small abnormal cycst at the top of the screen. Then started 6 months of tests and decisions. I felt trememndous peace and enabling power from the lord from the moment I found out about it. They found an adernal cycst that was the size of a grapefruit. They drained 2 cups of fluid off of it, going through my ribs in my back. Another MRI and many tests. I had been set up with the best of the best Endocrinologist because I knew the head of the study at the UofU. Then I was set up with the best of surgeons, and on August 4, 2009 I had the Liver Transplant team operate on me, giving me a beautiful 8 inch scar across my abdomen, and finding aout the cyst was totally beingn with no lasting health adverse effects. It turned out to be the size of a small cantalope, and I feel blessed to have come out so well. Heather Cindrich PS. let me know if you want this simplier or more in depth in certain areas for your book. The life lessons I learned in short are there is power in positive thinking, The Lord is in charge and he can help you through anything, I can be strong enough to get through anything, all experience are necessary for us to learn with our unique experience and we can't compare ourselves to others, we must be king to ourselves, and someone always has it worse than you and my life is great, and life is great, and I have tons to be gratefull for everyday and everyday we can experience joy and laughter.
Heather, Thank you. I appreciate hearing all you learned and I am so glad that your experience ended so well.
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