Hooray for the Truth!

I'm still alive! Besides the bathroom remodeling it is the end of the semester and yesterday I taught three classes and graded over 150 student journals. It is a fun thing to do because most of the students write things that are interesting to read, but it is also a tedious thing to grade that many journals in one day. But I got it done in record time! I went to work yesterday at 6:30 a.m. and came home at 9:00 p.m. It was dark when I left home and dark when I returned home, but I know that somewhere in between those dark walks to and from the car there was sunshine. (My office has no windows!)

I've been so busy, but have been waiting excitedly to share a scripture with you. It is a verse that talks about the Pit of Illusion which the Book of Mormon calls vain imaginations. (See 1 Nephi 12:18 and Roman 1:21.) This verse is found in Helaman 16:22;

"And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and agaisnt that which should come."

That pretty well sums up the opposite of Living in Truth and what it means to live in the Pit of Illusion. It is foolish and vain and people who dwell in the Pit are disturbed, or as I call it vexed, all of the time.

I might be busy, but today I'm celebrating the fact that I don't have to dwell in the Pit of Illusion. I know how to Live in Truth! Three cheers for Truth!

Rejoicing With Others--The Glue in Relationships

All of us know the importance of reaching out to support and encourage others when they are going through adversity or hard times. But there is a growing body of new psychological research that shows that  supporting others in good times impacts the quality of a relationship much more than when we support them in bad times.

However, how we respond to other people's good news makes a big difference. A psychologist at the University of California, Shelly Gable, found that people respond to good news in four ways. (1) They ignore the news. (2) They give a luke warm response such as, "That's nice." (3) They give a negative response such as "That surprises me. I didn't think you were qualified for the job." and (4) They respond positively and enthusiastically and ask follow-up questions and comments such as, "It's about time someone realized how vital you are to the organization."

Responding in the first three ways actually damages a relationship. Responding in the fourth way with enthusiasm and positive comments and questions bonds a relationship even more than helping people when in need.

As Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." So today find someone to rejoice with, and watch as your relationship with that person grows stronger and more satisfying. 

Increasing our Joy

The ability to “weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15) and the desire to “bear one another's burdens, that they may be light,” and “to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort”, (Mosiah 18:8-9) are the marks of a good Christian. But in the New Testament, Paul said that a good Christian should also “Rejoice with them that do rejoice,” (Romans 12:15). 

Most of us are good at the mourning with those that mourn, but when we Live in Truth we also rejoice with those that rejoice. I heard someone the other day criticizing a woman in her ward for “bragging and being boastful” about something good that had happened to her. But as she related the incident it sounded to me like the woman was simply excited about what had happened and joyfully sharing the news. If the woman had shared bad news or expressed negative feelings the person would have been compassionate and caring, but because it was good news she was labeled as boasting. Even worse some of us rejoice at other people's failings and misfortune.

  

When we Live in Truth we live in reality and we accept the good news as well as the bad. Instead of getting jealous or envious or being critical we simply mourn with the person who mourns and rejoice with the person who is rejoicing. So what if it is bragging? Let God worry about that. You don’t need to. Don’t vex yourself about it. Simply enjoy the moment with the person. Rejoice! Be happy for them! Delight in their excitement! 

The magical thing about this is that as we rejoice with others our own joy increases.

Rejoicing in Friendship

Some of the people who help me Live in Truth.

Yesterday I had lunch with an old friend—someone I’ve loved and known for almost 50 years. As always, we had a delightful time eating and then shopping together with no lack of things to talk about and plenty to laugh about. On the drive home I was thinking about all we have shared and the experiences we have passed through together. We’ve had our difference, but they have been minor experiences and soon forgotten. We’ve both experienced tragedy and known the other was there for us. We now have a memory bank of decades of experiences to draw wonderful  memories from. And there is something deeply special about such a long-time friendship.

Then last night we went to a wedding and there I saw several other friends whom I haven’t known as long, but who have also taught me, loved me, and laughed with me. It has made me think about friendships and about Living in Truth.

I’ve written a lot about the Truth Tools and how to avoid the Pit. I’ve written about getting out of the Pit when we are in it. I’ve written about the vexation we feel when we are in the Pit, but I don’t think I’ve spent enough time explaining the many things the Lord gives us to help us stay in the Realm of Truth.

Beautiful family relationships, friendships, mentors, teachers, and just plain good neighbors are all people who help us walk in Truth. When bad things happen that could pull us into the Pit of Illusion, friends and family often help us stay in Truth—not necessarily because of what they say to us but because we feel their love like a buoy keeping us afloat. It is almost like a magnetic pull that holds us in Truth.

I am so grateful for family and friends who love me despite my many weaknesses. Who keep me laughing when times are tough. Who encourage me when disappointment strikes. And who have faith in me when I have none. 

I think Living in Truth also means rejoicing and today I am rejoicing in friendship!

The Short of It

The shortest verse in our English King James Bible, is found in John 11:35 and consists of two words and nine letters, “Jesus wept.” In the original Greek our New Testament was translated from, that phrase is not the shortest. In Greek that verse is three words and seventeen letters.

Instead we find the shortest Greek verse in 1 Thesselonians 5:16 where it consists of two words and fifteen letters. In English the verse reads, “Rejoice always.”

I know this is Bible trivia, but it is interesting to me that these two shortest verses in the English and Greek New Testament sum up the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Jesus wept” not only for the people gathered at Lazarus’ tomb but for you and I. In fact those loving tears culminated in the Atonement which allows us to return to the safety and love of our Father in Heaven. For that reason we should “rejoice always!”

Put the two verses together and you have the Good News! of the gospel summarized completely: Jesus wept for us; therefore, we can rejoice always.

Shout for Joy!

Rejoice! What a wonderful word. Say it out loud right now loudly and notice what happens. “Rejoice! Rejoice!” 

Did you hear it? Did you feel it? The word itself causes joy. It almost makes me want to dance! The dictionary says that rejoice means “to feel joy or great delight.” But look at the word. It is actually made up of a prefix and a root. The prefix re- means “again.” The root joice comes from the Anglo-French word joir which means “to enjoy.” So the word rejoice literally means “to enjoy again.” (Notice the again part!)

Joy comes to us, but rejoicing is the great ability we have to feel the joy again by sharing it with others, by remembering it often, by expressing gratitude for the joy.

The word is a great reminder that while something may give us a moment of joy, we can bring back the joy any time we want by re-joicing. 

(Balloon can be found at http://www.bulkballoons.com/store/c/851-Religious-Occasion-Mylar-Balloons.html )

Rejoice!

I opened my Book of Mormon this morning and a phrase marked in red jumped out at me: “Let your hearts rejoice” (2 Nephi 9:52). And so I did!

Without moving from the place I’m at, I’m rejoicing at the sun warming my cheek. The music of the hall clock as it marks the hour. The soft breeze created by the fan overhead. The bright colors of the books lined up on my book shelves. The pictures of my grandkids, one infant with his foot in his mouth, and the picture of my girls when they were young lined up like steps from the youngest to the oldest and wearing dresses I made for them. The figurines that characterize my daughters and sit on the bookshelf each day watching over me, bathing me in warm memories of all the good times we have spent together. It is amazing how in any given moment we can stop and find so much to rejoice over!

Stop for a moment and rejoice in what is around you. Then tell me what you discovered.

God Trusts Us!

There is something else about people who Live in Truth that is important to understand. Living in Truth means seeing life differently.

When living in the realm of Illusion we tend to think of God’s commandments as onerous and difficult—something required by the task master. They are a burden that makes life difficult and unpleasant. We sometimes even feel like keeping the commandments is some kind of favor we are doing for God. But when we Live in Truth, we realize that it is a privilege to keep the commandments. It means God trusts us to be like Him—to live like He lives. The commandments are the way back to heaven.

You wouldn’t give the keys to your new car to someone you don’t trust to take care of your car or who doesn’t have the intellectual ability or inclination to learn to drive well. Neither would God give us the keys to His kingdom if He didn’t trust us. The sad thing is that so many have betrayed that trust. Therefore, when we Live in Truth, instead of feeling overwhelmed or burdened or regretful over the commandments, we recognize what a gift they are—the very key to heaven—and we rejoice as we implement them in our lives.


The beautiful painting "Stairway to Heaven" is by artist Jim Warren and was found at http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://iasos.com/audioclp/StairwayToHeaven-D-4d.jpg&imgrefurl=http://iasos.com/audioclp/&usg=__iKmtQsMiftDeV1x-ETToZBtvH_o=&h=545&w=725&sz=103&hl=en&start=3&sig2=3oRbL7WLKSNfPtSsW9VoTA&um=1&tbnid=PUNx10h2GnkfmM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dheaven%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=sjdOSpfNMZK-tgO0gZ3SDA

Glorifying God

I have always been puzzled by verses of scripture that talk about God being glorified. For example Paul tells the Corinthians : “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Cor 6:20). I’m going to reveal my ignorance, but the reason I was puzzled is that to me the word glorify meant to make something glorious—glorious being something or someone that possessed glory. So how could I or any other human being glorify God? He is already glorious.

A little dictionary sleuthing soon solved my problem. Glorify also means “to praise or celebrate.” So what Paul is admonishing the people to do is to celebrate and praise God in their actions and thoughts.

I especially like the celebrate part. I think we talk so much about reverence in Church meetings (which is important and right for meetings!), that we don’t celebrate our Father and Heaven and the Savior enough. Outside of meetings, in our daily living we should be more exuberant about the wonderful things God has given us and done for us. We should remember Them with excitement and enthusiasm. We should rejoice daily in the great gift of the Atonement. This happens through our thoughts and words, but the best way to be excited and show our enthusiasm is to do what They have taught us to do. Every time we suppress a bad thought, control our temper, refrain from gossiping, refuse to tell a white lie, pay our tithing, or obey any commandment of God, we are glorifying God. At those times we should rejoice and celebrate the fact that we know what it is God want us to do so that we can do it. There are many people in the world who don’t have that knowledge. But we do! Rejoice! Glorify God! Celebrate God!

In short, what I am saying is that to glorify God means to live in such a happy and obedient way that God is obvious to others in your life.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8).

A Short Reason to Rejoice

The shortest verse in our English King James Bible, is found in John 11:35 and consists of two words and nine letters, “Jesus wept.” In the original Greek our New Testament was translated from, that phrase is not the shortest. In Greek it is three words and seventeen letters.

Instead we find the shortest Greek verse in 1 Thesselonians 5:16 where it consists of two words and fifteen letters. In English the verse reads, “Rejoice always.”

I know this is Bible trivia, but it is interesting to me that these two shortest verses in the English and Greek New Testament sum up the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Jesus wept” not only for the people gathered at Lazarus’ tomb but for you and I. In fact those loving tears culminated in the Atonement which allows us to return to the safety and love of our Father in Heaven. For that reason we should “rejoice always!”

Put the two verses together and you have the good news of the gospel summarized short and succinct—Jesus wept for us, therefore, we can rejoice always.

A Reason to Rejoice

In the Doctrine and Covenants we are commanded to “Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad” (128:22). As Elder Holland remarked in a talk a while back, this may be the most disobeyed commandment the Lord has given.

The problem is that we live in a telestial world where many terrible things happen. We hear of natural disasters killing hundreds of people. We hear of evil acts perpetrated by our fellow human beings. We encounter problems daily because of health, finances, disappointments, relationships, etc. Everywhere we look there are negative situations that make it difficult to rejoice not the least of which is our own tendency to sin.

So how do we keep a commandment to rejoice always? Instead of dwelling on the negative around us, we dwell on the good. We take every opportunity to savor the good and today–Father’s Day–is one of those opportunities. Not only should we rejoice over our mortal fathers, but today we should rejoice over our Heavenly Father. He loves us. He created this world for us. He provided an amazing plan whereby we can become like Him. He sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us from the dire consequences of our sin. All that we have is from our Father. So rejoice. Enjoy. Give thanks for your mortal father and for you Heavenly Father, not just today but every day of the year. Rejoicing in all that is good is a marvelous antidote for all that is bad.

Now Let Us Rejoice!

Mormons are becoming known all over the world for their humanitarian service. We show up in mass after hurricanes, floods, fires and we donate and assemble newborn kits, school kits, hygiene kits, quilts and anything else that is needed around the world. But that isn’t all, we turn out in neighborhoods whenever there is sickness, accident or even just to welcome new neighbors. We exchange home baked bread, cookies, casseroles, and make sure every family has plenty of ham and funeral potatoes after a death of a loved one.
Those of us who have grown up in the Church are very aware of the compassion and helpfulness of our brothers and sisters in the gospel and recognize this wonderful trait as a defining feature of our religion. When I was eleven, our house caught fire and neighbors and friends met our every need. Kind people supplied food, lodging, emotional support, and washed the smoke out of everything we salvaged from the fire. It was an amazing experience that left a lasting impression on my young mind.
As I grew older, I discovered that this ability to “weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15) and the desire to “bear one another's burdens, that they may be light,” and “to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort”, (Mosiah 18:8-9) are the marks of a good Christian. But in the New Testament, Paul also said that a good Christian should “Rejoice with them that do rejoice,” (Romans 12:15). I’m not so sure we are as good at that.
I noticed on the Relief Society website the other day a criticism of the Good News Minute. Some one said that it had turned into a brag session. Maybe that is true, but it has been my experience that if someone expresses a negative reality such as “I’m sad,” or “I’m lonely,” or “I just failed my math exam,” everyone is empathetic and goes out of their way to help. But if someone states a positive reality such as, “I’m happy,” or “I’ve got friends,” or “I got an A on my exam,” we call it bragging and turn away from them.
We have a need in our culture to learn to rejoice and to let others rejoice in their good fortune. It is a way of showing gratitude. Yes, sometimes rejoicing can turn into boasting, but wallowing in bad fortune can also turn into self-pity. The solution isn’t to label all good fortune boasting and try to stop others from rejoicing. The solution is to learn to share in the joy around us. As we do this it may surprise us how rejoicing with others increases our own joy.