Can Ye Feel So Now? Part 2

I'm back at it...hopefully I can squeeze in a few more thoughts before the kiddos wake up:

President George Albert Smith told Elder Ezra Taft Benson that "Your mission . . . is to . . . warn the people . . . in as kind a way as possible that repentance will be the only panacea for the ills of the world."

I like that President smith said "in as kind a way as possible."  Christ is the epitome of kindness, so it only makes sense that we are to deliver his message of repentance with kindness.  That said, the message must still be delivered.  If we or those we love are not 'feeling so now,' yes, we need to be kind, but bottom line, we've got to get people singing again, and that will only happen through repentance.

Elder Cook said, "The constant portrayal of violence and immorality in music, entertainment, art, and other media in our day-to-day culture is unprecedented.  This was dramatically described by a highly respected Baptist theologian when he stated, 'The spiritual immune system of an entire civilization has been wounded.'"

So true.  As a society, we have fallen down a slippery slope.  In various areas, what we once perceived as wrong has slipped to being perceived as tolerable, and even to being acceptable and normal.  Where we don't perceive a pathogen, we aren't going to muster the troops to fight it.  Our spirits get wounded, without us even being aware of it.  Scar tissue builds up, and if we don't clear it away through repentance, we lose feeling, which makes it hard to feel to sing the song of redeeming love.

I have historically found it very hard to perceive answers to my prayers.  In contrast, I have a sister who very clearly receives answers to her prayers, whether the issues be significant or seemingly mundane.  I recently asked her for some insight on how she receives her answers.  She told me that among other things, she doesn't watch or listen to anything that portrays immorality, bad language, violence, etc.  Wow - that significantly cuts down on what she is able to watch.  As I considered my own viewing habits, I thought of King Lamoni's father, who said, "I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom," so that he could have eternal life, or in other words, so that he could "feel to sing the song of redeeming love."  Alma 22:15.  Would I be willing to give up 30-60 minutes of a television show that could be scarring my spirit?  I'd better be.  

I was just about to get back to Elder Cook, but I have three kids calling to be freed from their beds.  Off I go!

Can Ye Feel So Now?

I am teaching Relief Society on November 25.  It's a Teachings For Our Time lesson - Elder Cook's talk from this past General Conference, "Can Ye Feel So Now?".  I don't love teaching, and I think that not having the lesson prepared and feeling it creep up on me is making me grumpy, which isn't fun for anyone.  So, I'm going to try to dump some thoughts on the screen as I read the talk another time, and see what comes of it.

"I am confident that an even greater harvest will be achieved now as righteous, committed missionaries fulfill the Savior's commandment to preach His gospel."

The theme of Elder Cook's talk is "If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"  Alma 5:14.  Just before Elder Cook spoke, President Monson announced that the eligibility ages for missionaries have been reduced to 18 for young men, and 19 for young women.  The key to success for these even younger missionaries is that they get committed in their youth (primarily through teaching in the home), and then remain committed.  As a parent, my objective is to help my children "feel to sing the song of redeeming love," and once they have felt it, to help them keep on singing.  This is what will allow my kids to step up at whatever their age may be and spread the gospel.

As I've just now been thinking about when I've felt to sing the song, I've realized that the song is one of gratitude.  Gratitude for the blessing; gratitude for the communication.  Here are some times when I've felt to sing the song:

• On the tramvai in Tver, Russia.  I was reading in the Doctrine and Covenants, and suddenly, without request and without wonder, I was blessed with the knowledge that Joseph Smith truly was God's prophet.  I felt so grateful to have the witness of that fundamental truth, and was awestruck that Heavenly Father would communicate that message with me.  
• In my apartment in Moscow.  I was struggling through one of the greatest challenges of my life - one that I had tried everything on my own to get through, and had come clearly to the realization that I could not do it of my own accord.  During this time, I was studying Isaiah in the Old Testament.  This is a book of scripture that is not known for its clarity.  As I studied, however, I felt like no passages of scripture had ever been more clear.  I needed to hear God, and he spoke to me through the words of Isaiah.  I felt so grateful that the words that I so needed were there, and felt so grateful that Heavenly Father was aware of me and willing to communicate with me.  
• In the Timeryasevski Branch apartment in Moscow.  I was still struggling through the same challenge mentioned above.  My companion had asked an elder in our district for a blessing, so we met him and his companion at the branch apartment.  She received her blessing, and then the elder asked if I would like one.  I initially said no, but when he persisted, I very gratefully agreed.  The words of the blessing spoke directly to my heart.  The elder's words were the other side of the conversations and pleadings I had been having with Heavenly Father in prayer.  I was so thankful that I received answers to my  prayer, and so thankful for the gift of the priesthood, and so thankful that Heavenly Father would care about my life enough to intervene in the struggle I was having in my heart.  
• On the banks of the Charles River in Boston.  During my last year at BYU I decided that I wanted to continue my education.  It's an understatement to call me indecisive, so trying to pick a graduate program was nigh unto impossible.  So, I approached the decision a little backwards.  I picked some different places I'd like to live, found schools in those cities, and then looked at what programs those schools offered.  In this process, I kept landing on the law school web sites for the various schools, and realizing that law would not pigeon hole me as much as some other programs might, I decided I'd go to law schools.  I applied to some schools in Boston, because I really wanted to live there.  I also applied to some schools in Washington, DC, primarily because my brother was applying to medical schools there, and I figured that if we were both living away from home and family, it would be nice to be doing so together.  Truth be told, though, I didn't really want to live in DC.  I had interned there for a Senator after high school, and had been there and done that.  Also, I was not really interested in the political aspects of the law, and so I figured a DC law school would be a bad combo for me.  After receiving some acceptance letters, I went to visit the schools in Boston, with a visit to the schools in DC scheduled for the next week.  I loved being in Boston - I loved everything about it.  I lived there until I was 8, and perhaps view it with the rose-colored glasses of childhood.  I was so excited at the prospect of moving back for school.  But, as I strolled along the banks of the Charles River one afternoon, I felt in a way that I can't explain that Boston was not where I was to be.  Everything about it was great, but it was just not right.  I felt sad, but so thankful that Heavenly Father let me know.  Likewise, when I sat in the classrooms at George Washington University, I knew that that was where I needed to go.  I was so grateful for the answer, and so grateful that Heavenly Father would give it to me.

So, where does the song of gratitude lead?  It leads to love.  It leads to obedience.  "If ye love me, keep my commandments."  We feel gratitude, we love the giver of our blessings, and we cannot help but do whatever he asks of us.  

Do we still feel like that?  Can we feel so now?

Back to the talk.

"We are all aware the culture in most of the world is not conducive to righteousness or spiritual commitment."

The world is not going to do it for us.  It is not going to remind us that Heavenly Father loves us.  It is not going to remind us that he has prepared a way for us to return to him.  It is not going to remind us that there is a way to be happy here.  That is why it is so important that the song of redeeming love emanate from deep in our hearts, and belts it out all the day (and night) long.  

"When viewed as a whole, Church members, especially our youth, have never been stronger."  That said, there are two primary concerns:  

1.  increased unrighteousness in the world, and 

2.  the apathy and lack of commitment of some members.

In other words, there is more bad, and less drive to fight against it.  Not a productive combo.

Okay, I'm exhausted and need to get to bed.  So, we'll try this again later.  Until then!