Thoughts

“Comparison is the death of joy” – Dave Walton, Cascade 1^st Ward

“The beer will not kill you but the water will” – Dave Henrie’s Mission President

“Your testimony is only yours for today” – Dale Allen – Cascade 1^st Ward

“Avoid the savage islands on your journey home” – Pasteur Vernon and Karen Nelson

“It is better to love than to be right” – Barry Neal Kaufman

“To be meek is to be ego-less” – Eckhart Tolle

“The more spiritually advanced we are the less apt we are to judge the weaknesses of others” – Dave Walton, Cascade 1^st Ward

“If what we believe doesn’t impact how we live then it really isn’t very important to us” Dave Walton, Cascade 1^st Ward

“In a marriage both partners have veto power” – Darson Roper, Cascade 1^st Ward

“Shame is to believe in the egoic assertions of others or yourself that you are bad, not enough, unlovable, not good enough or that something is wrong with you” – Scott

“Gaining a deep, heart-felt witness that Jesus is what He says He is, is more important than all other witnesses combined” – Scott

“We all must hatch the Jack Reacher within us” – Scott (this one was for you, Doug)

From: doug@graphicsone.biz [mailto:doug@graphicsone.biz]
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2017 6:34 PM
To: Nelson, Scott R.
Subject: Vacation Thoughts of Joy and Wisdom.....

"Find happiness in ordinary things. and keep your sense of humor." Boyd K. Packer

"It is better to be a failure at something you love, than to be a success at something you hate." George Burns

"I'd rather see you drink a glass of wine than a glass of milk or a soft drink" Jack La Lanne

"By exercise. I'll tell you one thing. You don't always have to be on the go. I sit around a lot, I read a lot, and I do watch television. But I also work out for two hours every day of my life, even when I'm on the road." Jack La Lanne

"If you've got a big gut and you start doing sit-ups, you are going to get a bigger gut because you build up the muscle. You've got to get rid of that fat. How do you get rid of fat? By changing your diet."  Jack La Lanne"

"Notice how I got your attention with other quotes and then lead you into the diet and exercise ones."  Doug

"At first they will ask why you're doing it...... Later they'll ask you how you did it" ??????.... but Doug approved

Bondage

I was reading my scriptures this morning and came across these verses in Mosiah 19.

19 And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must unavoidably remain in bondage until now.

20 But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

I remember reading these verses back in the 90’s and determining that I needed to be delivered from bondage.

King Mosiah sets forth a pattern in these verses.  I believe they can be applied to spiritual bondage as well as temporal bondage.  I like how he says that the Lord did work his power IN ALL CASES among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

IN ALL CASES.  That is amazing to me.

God's Plan for Children

God’s Plan for Children

It is God’s plan to transfer to Jesus Christ

 All the evil that others through their agency

Impose upon us. 

That is what Jesus is for.

He, in addition to our own sins, paid for evil inflicted on us by others.

He paid for the suffering, unhappiness, anxiety, pain, neglect and loneliness

That happens to us as children. 

The adult doesn’t repent for what happened in his childhood.

  The child didn’t do anything wrong.

  Evil was imposed on him by others.

  It only requires me to believe and look to Christ.

Believe that Christ wants me to use Him.

He suffered for all the evil that happens to children -

Through the ages because of the actions of others.

What happens when we look to the Savior for healing?

The pain of what happened is removed from us.

A cleansing occurs that we couldn’t do ourselves.

Pain and suffering are replaced with joy and peace.

Why does this work?

  Because Christ is really there.

  He is waiting for me to knock.

Christ can love you back.

Since He is real and is waiting for me to come unto Him with my burdens,

All I need to do is believe Him.

His conditions for healing me are gentle.

All He requires is for me to continue in His peace.

Once my heart and mind are cleansed by Him, the way is easy.

He knows me and my capacity.

  His commandments are gentle.

His precepts are kind.

That is who Jesus is: full of loving kindness.

As I believe in the true nature of my God,

 I come to Him without any fear or trepidation.

  He is love.

He loves me deeply.

Example of Jesus

I found an interesting verse in my scripture study today: 2 Nephi 31:16

“ And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.”

So, I have to ask myself, what it the example of the Savior?  This reminds me of another scripture in 1 Nephi 19:9 which says,

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.”

So, all I can do is strive to be more like the Savior.  It make life easy.  Did you know that?  Life becomes easy.  I am reminded of another scripture, Alma 37:46,

“O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way”.

Why is living the gospel and following the Son easy?  Well, I suppose it isn’t easy for the natural man that is full of wicked traditions.  But, why is the way easy?  This reminds me of the words of Hymn, page 125, last verse,

“I’ll drop my burden at his feet And bear a song away.”

And,

“Come, cast your burdens on the Lord And trust his constant care” (first verse)

The whole hymn speaks for life being easy in the Lord.

As I learn to do this, I my faith becomes strong.

Scott

Smiting The Rock

I found 2 Nephi 26:20 interesting today.  It says: 

And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

I was surprised that Nephi uses two metaphors that don't seem to relate to each other: raising up the serpent on the stick and smiting the rock.  I then realized that they both involve healing. One involves looking to Christ and other. the waters of life flowing from Christ, The Rock.  Nephi then says, that there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ...whereby man can be saved.
I then looked around on the internet and found this:

Christ is the main subject in the Old Testament "concealed". God speaks of Him in types and shadows. At Rephidim (Exodus 17:4) God told Moses to strike the Rock.The Rock is Christ (1st Corinthians 10:4), Moses represents the Law. Jesus was struck by Israel for presuming to violate the Law, for claiming to be God, which He is! When He was struck "crucified", living water (John 4:10) for all humanity who would "believe" was poured out. Moses was told to speak to the Rock at Meribah (Numbers 20:8). As a prerequisite for Jesus to return, to save Israel during the Great Tribulation they must ask Him, (Luke 13:35). So by striking the Rock, Moses messed up God's model or type which would have modeled the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ.
So to counter this mistake by Moses, He was not allowed to take Israel into the Promised Land which is a type of Heaven, Moses represents the Law, only God's Grace gets you in Heaven "the Promised land, so Joshua took them in! Joshua is Hebrew for Jesus! The Law is the 1st five books of the Old Testament, called the Torah by the Jews, The very next book is "Joshua" Found in. 

https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/6998/why-was-god-so-upset-with-moses-for-striking-the-rock-the-second-time-in-the-des

The Lord was trying to teach Israel that Moses, or the Law will not save them!  Only Christ and his merits, mercy and grace can save mankind!

I like this response as well:

The section you quote contains the answer: because Moses did not believe. He was told to "tell the rock... to yield its water" but instead he struck the rock twice, apparently believing God's command to be insufficient. He expected God to act in exactly the same way as He had before*, but God apparently wanted to reveal His power to Moses in a new way.
As the leader, Moses was being watched. When Moses did not believe, this could easily lead to lack of belief amongst the Israelites, which had been a problem before.
Finally, God had previously to deal with men not trusting His promise but taking matters into their own hands.

 Believing Christ is the answer.  It always has been the answer. Relying wholly upon His merits who is might to save isn't as hard or scary as it sounds.  Surrender to His will and trust that he loves you. You don't have to do it all yourself.  You don't have to take matters into your own hands.  Life becomes peaceful and full of purpose.

Worthiness vs. worthiness

I have been thinking about worthiness vs. worthiness.  It is minor thing but worth exploring.

The Church’s modern definition of worthiness has to do with a standard that has be set that we can compare ourselves against.  For example, if I am temple worthy I have stated that I meet a certain standard set by the Church.

On the other hand, the word ‘worthy’ in ancient times is used differently.  They would still compare themselves to a standard but would always find themselves coming up short.  Alma the Younger taught his son, Shiblon, the following:

Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times. (Alma 38:14).

So, we members of the Church, these days, say that we are worthy members of the Church and Alma teaches to always acknowledge our unworthiness before God at all times.  Why is there an apparent discrepancy?  Or, is there?

The obvious answer is that we are talking about two different things.  One is a standard set by the Church and the other is a set by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Although this is true, it can be confusing.  If I am worthy before the Church, why am I unworthy before God? Shouldn’t I be worthy before God?

We will always be imperfect creatures.  Even if we were to get pretty close to perfection (completion) we still have sinned and do sin.  Without Christ’s atonement those sins can never be washed away.   We can never go it alone in this life.  Does this make us unworthy?  Yes, because we all require Christ’s infinite atonement to make it back. Without Him we are nothing.  We are less than the dust of the earth. (Helaman 12:7-8, Moses 1:10)

The fact is that we all sin.  So, what can we become perfect at?  We can become perfect in our faith in Jesus Christ (Jacob 9:23).  To develop faith, a main requirement is to be meek and lowly in heart (Moroni 7:39,43).  Being humble and acknowledging our unworthiness before God at all times go hand in hand. Other prophets describe perfect faith as unshaken faith in Christ, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is might to save (2 Nephi 31:19).  Others  describe this faith in Christ as “relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. (Moroni 6:4).  And humility is always the prerequisite (see v.2).

It is very humbling to know that you are nothing without Jesus Christ.  This may even go against modern thought.  Here’s the kicker: when we are connected to Christ, we become perfect in Christ (Moroni 10:32), even in our unworthy state.  Of course, because we love the Lord for what He has done for us, and we love His ways, and we want to change.  This is all implied in our Christian discipleship.

Do not make sin and shame the center of your life.  Make Christ and His merits and His grace your center.  We will always be unworthy, imperfect creatures.  That is not the focus.  Letting our lives be lit up by Christ (the Light) will show our sins in the right perspective.

Being Church worthy is a wonderful first step on the path of being a humble follower of Christ.

Scott

Suffering and Faith

I have been pondering this scripture for the last few weeks:

1 Nephi 19:9

9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

I a nut shell, if we want to follow Christ we to do as He does. This is the essence of being meek and lowly of heart. We abase ourselves or suffer through things that others say and do. Meek means to stay in Christ-centered control. We do not react from our fallen nature. Meek means, that once in a while we are prompted to unleash righteous indignation. As Jesus did, we throw over some tables or call a spade a spade regarding the wickedness of a group of people.

Most of the time we practice being lovingly kind and long-suffering towards others.

As we do this we show our faith in Jesus Christ. Without doing this our faith is vain.

Moroni 7:42-43

43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart;

Grace

I am still fascinated by Grace.  Looking at life through the eyes of Grace rather than through the eyes of Sin.  Sin, in that you see yourself in shame that you aren’t good enough, you aren’t enough, that you have too much Sin (or too many sins).  This puts Sin in the limelight.  If you put God’s grace in the limelight, then it shines on Sin and exposes it for what it really is: dumb stuff.  Sin wants to be on center stage.  I want to put Christ’s love on center stage.

I am trying to decipher something Adam Miller said in Grace in Not God’s Backup Plan.

Here it is:  “To understand grace, we have to surrender a very natural assumption.  We have to stop pretending that the world revolves around us.  We have to let God be the center of the universe. We have to stop looking at God’s grace from the perspective of our sin and, instead, let sin appear in the light of grace.  And this grace is everywhere. God’s work of creation is a grace.  His work of sustaining that created world is a grace.  His willingness to shape us in his image and let us make our own way is a grace.  His gift of the law is a grace.  His Son is a grace.  And His willingness to stand by us, regardless of our weakness and wanderings, is a grace.”

Let sin appear in the light of grace.  That is what I am trying to understand.  It is a profound perspective.  Instead of saying I am such a sinner, poor me, maybe we are giving sin too much power over us.  Sin likes to be in the lime light.  Since grace came first, if I were to shine it on my sins, how do my sins look?  Like dumb actions that make no sense at all.  The sins should just shrivel up in the light of God’s grace.

Thanks,

Scott

To the Atheist

To an Atheist:

You deny the pattern that has been given us to know what is right and what is wrong.  You say that feelings are just synapses going off in the brain.  Thus, there is no way of knowing anything.  Actually, it is very easy to know what is right and what is wrong.

Because of this denial, there's no common ground.

There is only one way to know whether something is true and good or not.  It is by planting it in your heart.  The heart, because this implies intention without any hypocrisy.  Let's call it a seed.  So, take anything and give it a try.  Is Free Sex a good seed or a bad seed?  Plant the idea in your heart.  Does it produce a feeling of temporary pleasure or a long term feeling of love and joy?  Are humility and meekness good seeds or bad ones?  Experiment by planting them.  Do they cause you to be in control of yourself or to be controlled by others?  Can others pull you strings when you are meek and humble?  If you answer, no, of course not, then the seed is good.  It is swelling.  It is growing.  Bad seeds never grow and take root.

For example, is love real? If you begin to love someone (you have planted the seed) and that person reciprocates and love back (they have planted the seed, too), then is this not real?  The seed is beginning to swell.  It is taking root.  I feels good.  As you both nurture the seed it begins to grow. You now know something.  You know love.

Plant the seed of deception in your heart.  What does it do?  It doesn't feel good.  It brings sorrow by and by.  People no longer trust you.  Friends and family begin to see that you are a liar.  You get mad that people don;t accept you in your deceptive state.  You become a victim, blind. Deception is a bad seed.  It doesn't swell within you.

So, If I were to ask you plant Jesus Christ in you heart, what would you do?  He is either real or not real.  Lots of people say he is real.  Lots of people say he isn't real.  Did this man really pay for the sins of the world?  Did he balance the books in some cosmic way?  Did he set the pattern for all of us to follow?  Or, was he just a man or a figment of our imagination?  How could you know whether or not he is real, once and for all?  I don't give that crap that you already know because it is obvious - because my professor in college said so.  This is the blind leading the blind.

The only way to know is to follow the prescribed pattern set forth.  And this requires you hear the pattern from someone and to believe enough to do the experiment. How hard is that?  But, remember, that the seed must be planted in your heart!  Not in your head.  You must get to a place where you do this with real intent.  You must be sincere.  If not, you're just playing a game and you are a hypocrite.  A hypocrite is a person who says that they did what you asked, but really didn't.  You have just lied.  Liars won't get answers.

So, if Jesus Christ is really your Savior, and you plant this idea in your heart, it will definitely begin to swell.  This promise is unto all.  This is the only way of knowing.  Once you know this, everything will begin to fall in place in your life.  This is the beginning of faith in Christ.  Remember, you have only planted the seed.  Now you have to nurture the seed that it may grow.  As it becomes a tree it will start producing fruit.  As you partake of the fruit you will be filled with the love of God.  You life will be complete in Christ.

And, it is that simple.  So, give it try!

Scott Nelson

The 'Do' Verses

I got a smile from Ronan this morning.  He is angelic.  What a beautiful boy!  Perfect features.  Perfect personality.

Herschel said that faith is the do verses.  I see it now.  Give a grace to receive a grace.  Grace for grace.  That is how you progress.  Some things are just doing something in your mind.  Sometimes it is repentance.  Other times it is just reframing a story.  Or, reprogramming the memory.  Or, re-storying.  This is all doing.  Now, add to this, prayer, telling the Lord what your intentions are and asking for his enabling power (grace).  Do it will real intent, nothing doubting (Mormon 9) and the blessing (power to overcome the weakness) occurs.  You start advancing from grace to grace.  Well, that is my theory.

Scott

My Weaknesses

I have addictions and I am progressing slowly.  I don’t blame it my addictions.  My addictions have more to do with going after life’s pleasures.  But, I always keep these pleasures within the bounds the Lord has set.  That seems to appropriate.  Perhaps my addictions are really what Adam Miller calls, in his Romans paraphrase, “While we were still weak – fearful, unfaithful, and numb to everything but our favorite distractions – Jesus sacrificed His life for our behalf”. Romans 5, third paragraph.  I do go after my favorite distractions (talking about spiritual things, reading spiritual texts, enjoying intimacy, socializing with the guys, playing racquetball, eating chocolate, watching my favorite TV shows and movies, reading Abraham Lincoln books and teaching the gospel.  These are my distractions.  Some are good and some not so good.  I do like some sugar each day.  Addiction!  My hormones turn on every three or four days.  Addiction!  But, I try to put this stuff in perspective – within the bounds the Lord has set.  Good food is a good bounds.  Learning to surrender to comments of others that I perceive to be threatening, permitting myself to feel diminished, not permitting my ego to control me, looking at the trigger with gentle curiosity,- I believe is at the essence of overcoming the mother of all sins and natural man – Shame.

Scott

David Believed in Christ

Did you know that David the king believed in Christ and his grace? Psalms 32:1-2


1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, [or, Blessed are those whose lawlessness is forgiven.]
[Blessed is he] whose sin is covered. [or, Blessed are those whose sins are covered by God’s grace.]
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, [or, Blessed is the one that God doesn’t count as a sinner.]

Ed Week Post, Just One Class, Please read!

A type is a pattern.  Typos is translated in the King James Bible as pattern, form, print, ensample, fashion, figure and manner.

John 9 and John 5

Invalid in John 5 caved in to the pressures of the world.  There is the promise of hope while the invalid in John 9 is the restoration of hope.

1 Cor 2:14

The John 5 invalid can't see anything beyond  the natural world.  North is a symbol of apostasy, south is the symbol of the covenant. 2 Chron. 11

John 5, at a certain feast.  Could be passover, pentecost or tabernacles.
v.1 mandate that every male be numbered at the feasts.  So, them men go to Jerusalem.
v.2 Bethesda (means house of mercy in Hebrew) with five porches.  Grace is always represented by the number five.  Inability (impotent) to save one's self.  Man is saved in a covenant relationship.
v.4 (not included in the original but very helpful)
Angel went down and troubles the waters.  Serpents are symbols of divine beings.  Lucifer was an angel of light before he fell.  This pool is a pagan pool.
v.5 a certain man in his 38th year.
Duet. 2:14 this man mirrors the history of Israel.  You first covenant and than you get the promised land. The invalid man is whoring after another god.  That is why he is at the pool.  He has gone over to the world to solve his problems.  This is what is destroying the Latter day Saints today: whoring after false gods.  All his hope is gone. The invalid man has not learned that the world will never make him whole. This world will never make any of us whole.  Jumping into the pool even if it looks like you have been made whole will not be true.  The pool can't save you.  The world can't save you.
v.6 "he had been now a long time in that case" Sin flowing through our blood.  This is what Lehi says.  We are hubristic, proud the very moment we are born.  What is the first word out of baby's mouth?  "no"and 'mine'.
Sign 1 - Prepare to make and keep sacred covenants.
v.7 I have no man to help me into the pool.  This is an Asclepion cult. The Pool of Bethesda is a healing center of Asclepius. The first man in the pool gets healed.  This is a dog eat dog cult.  The way of the world.
v.8 Jesus says, rise take up thy bed and walk.  Just by the power of the spoken word, the same way Israel's God once created the world.  He simply told the man to arise.
Sign 2 - Exercise faith in the "word" of the Lord.  I can then hope for things not seen, which are true.
v.9-12 The man is made whole.  To be perfect is to be made whole.  The irony is that Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, heals a man on this day.  The Jews exclaim, how dare a man be healed when he should be worshipping the Lord of the Sabbath.  The Jews are following their fence laws that blind them to the fact that the Lord of the Sabbath is in their midst.
v.13 The man doesn't know who healed him.
v.14 Jesus finds him in the temple and tells him that he has been made whole (changed, in the covenant).  He now must start exercising faith.  He seems to not understand.  He seems to be missing the point.  Jesus warns him to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto him.  Perhaps we don't understand either.

Principle:  As I forsake the Gods of the world and turn to the Lord in faith....

Sign 4 - The multiplication of the loaves and fishes (John 6:1-5)

v.1-3 Jesus goes over the sea of Galilee and a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles.  This is a reason to follow Jesus but it is the best reason.  He takes them up in a mountain. They need to exercise some faith by following him.  They need to put forth effort, which is the essence of faith.  This also happens at the sermon on the mount.
v.4   Passover was nigh.  This is the appointment they have to meet their God.  We have these appointments also.  The sacrament is one of them.
v.5 Jesus asks Phillip , whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
v.6 This is to test Phillip.
v.7 Phillip answers that they have 200 pennyworth to buy bread.  This is 200 days of wages of one man but this is not sufficient for 5000 people.  They will only get a little bit of food each.
v.9 Andrew says there is a lad with five barley loaves and two small fishes.  The Barley is the food of the poor.  The first harvest happens around passover.  The fishes are probably small sardines.  They dwell  in the sea of the world to be drawn out.  Jesus is basically saying, "that will do."
v.10 Jesus has everyone sit down on the grass for there's much grass in the place.  Relax.  The Lord maketh me lie down in green pastures.
v.11-13  He distributes the food first to the 12 disciples and then to the multitude.  Everyone ate as much as they wanted.  There were no more fish but there were twelve baskets of the five barley loaves.  The Lord takes what he has and creates an abundant life.

Sign 4 - Principle - As I gather in thy right place and at the right time with the right people, the Lord will feed me spiritually and "shall not want".  "He maketh me lie down in green pastures."

John 6:15-21

v.15 Jesus perceives that they will take him by force to make him their king, so he departs out of the mountain alone.
v.16 The disciples go down to the sea (the world)
v.17 The disciple go on a boat toward Capernaum.
v.18 The sea arose, they are 3.5 miles out to see, can see anything.  Experienced fisherman start panicking.  The sea is the world.  We are in a world of sin on our boats.  There is nothing you can do on your own.  There is nothing you can do on your own.  You need you the Lord.
v.19 Jesus comes walking on the sea.
v.20 It is I; be not afraid.  Application: Does the Lord not understand what is going on my my life?  And he says "be not afraid?"

Sign: v.21 - "and they willing received him". Application: How does on receive Jesus Christ?  I guess the answer might mean to stop worrying about everything (the wind and the waves of life, the perilousness of life) and start trusting in God.

Sign: v.21 - What was the miracle?  "and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went".  The miracle in this story was not Jesus walking on the water, but that they arrived on dry land immediately.  Application: Jesus miraculously gets you out of the sinful world and safely to shore.  He gives you what you need spiritually and temporally in your new life in Him.

v. 66-69 - "Will ye also go away?"  Peter responds, "to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Application: Either there's a God out there that cares or there isn't.  We believe that there is a God and that he cares.  Because we believe and have some assurances, we let go and cast our burdens on Him.  We quit worrying so much about the cares of the world.  We choose to come unto Him.  We enter into a world where joy, peace and love abound.  We partake of life more abundantly.

Faith and Repentance

I was listened to Alma 34 again today while walking.  You first believe that Jesus Christ can heal you.  That you can receive mercy.  You then repent.  This seems to mean to change your ways and humble yourself believing that your pride, hard heartedness, judging others and anger are not the right way.  That following the ways of Jesus are the right ways.  This takes meekness and kindness.  You also fear going back to your old ways.  Once you finally are surrendering everything to God, giving your will to God, you ask in prayer for his mercy and loving kindness.  This is the grace that you offer for the grace that He offers.  You continue remembering Christ in all that you do until one day the Lord says it is done.  You receive peace, joy and rest.  You have entered into the rest of the Lord.

By grace we are saved after all we can do. A reinterpretation

Brad Wilcox at Education Week quoted Stephen E. Robinson from his book, Believing Christ regarding 2 Nephi 25:23 reinterpreting the meaning of the word "after" to help it conform to the rest of the scriptures.  I like the interpretation but I wonder if it might be overreaching.  As I have read the scriptures specifically with the intent to understand, "after all we can do" I found multiple verses referring to the word "do" as exercising faith in Jesus Christ, putting all your trust in God, and giving our whole hearts to God.  I concluded that this is all man can do.  Because, we are not saved by works.  We do good works to show our love for Jesus Christ for what he did for us.  We also find that living the laws of God to be liberating.  We are not save by works.

So,  here's the quote,

I understand the preposition "after" in 2 Nephi 25:23 to be a preposition of separation rather than a preposition of time.  It denotes logical separateness rather than temporal sequence. We are saved by grace "apart from all we can do" or "all we can do notwithstanding", or even "regardless or all we can do." Another acceptable paraphrase of the sense of the verse might read, "We are still saved by grace, after all is said and done."

So I looked up the word "after" in the dictionary.  I did find the synonym, "notwithstanding".  I then looked for synonyms of "notwithstanding" and found "after all", "despite", "in spite of", "regardless of",  and a few others.

Brother Robinson may be right. His reasoning does fit.

What is Growth?

This quote is probably true.  What does one grow in?  What does one change?  I always associate it with occupation and school.   I might be changing a lot.  I have new ideas all the time.  I want to lessen my ego.  I want to improve my health.  I want to adopt more Christ like attributes.  Do I need to go to a painting class?

I have learned a few things this past year.  1. Don’t judge (just don’t) 2. Ego is pride (diminishing it brings you closer to Christ. 3. The Law without Grace produces Sin.  4. Waiting on the Lord is good.  5. Love is more important than all other things. 6. Our country is denying the Christ (Trumpism (Ego and bigotry) and Socialism (the desire for the government (transfer payments) to take care you since you don’t BELIEVE that God will help you). 7. Meekness brings power.

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." - Gail Sheehy

Bearing the Shame of the World

This is a letter in response to a letter from a friend.

One aspect of Meekness is to endure your personal crosses and to despise the shame of it (2 Nephi 9:18).  This could mean that you choose to eat what you want, get up when you want, go to bed when you want, tell others of your successes and how good you feel and let them shame you!  This might mean to “suffer his cross and bear the shame of  the world” (Jacob 1:8).   It is taking a stand for what you believe.  (Monson 1:1).  You do what you know to be right and you bear the shame of those who mock you.  You give them no heed (1 Nephi 8:33). 

I usually apply these scriptures to Christ-like attributes or the lack there of.  My goal is to heed them not when I choose to do the right thing in meekness being mocked by others.  Each person has different crosses to bear.  You bear the scorn of the world patiently.  This is the test.  To fight them or to withdraw in sadness is failing the test.  To torment them with what they should or shouldn’t do is wrong.  You first must love them and accept them.  Once they know you accept them and love them, you can then teach them.  Until then, no one will listen to you (or me or Jesus).  That is just how it is.  No coercion, no belittling, no taking seriously the negative comments (mocking) of others. 

The Pharisees smashed against the Rock and were broken up.  The Rock (in the last days) will grind the Gentiles to powder as they fight the truth of Gospel and its correct teachings.

This is hard doctrine for me.

Scott

Letter From James 4/2016

Hi Dad,

Yep all of the animals are here.  On my camping trip down in Victoria I saw a lot of Kangaroos and Koalas.  Up here in Darwin there are Crocodiles, many lizards, frogs, spiders, snakes, and wallabees.  I have seen them all and am trying to take photos when i see them.  Lots a cool birds are up here too.

Right now I am talking care of all the public areas at a resort.  I mostly clean toilets, sweep, vacuum, and drive around in a golf cart.  I also get to do two hours to drive to Jaribu and back everyday for the bank deposit, mail, and linen.  I get paid $21 in base pay, an extra $2 an hour in leave, and an extra $1 in retirement.  All the money I make before July 12th will be tax free.  After July 12th the government has said that the tax for backpackers will go up to 32.5 cents a dollar from the first dollar earned.  The rumor on the street though is the Australian parliament wont but that through.  I hope not.  I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that the Australian dollar keeps rising.  4 months ago it drop AUS/US .71/1 which was great for me changing money over.  Now it is AUS/US .77/1 so if it keeps rising will be great for me when I transfer my money back.  It is crazy that I am making so much money for cleaning toilets!  And i am probably one of the least paid employees at the resort.  Backpackers are here in Australia to take all jobs that Australians don't want want to do.

We''ll have to see how the tax laws turn out.  I have learned that Americans can now apply to extend their visa into the second year if you do 3 months of farm or remote work.  I believe I have the remote category covered but regardless I think I will go down and pick grapes from November to February in Victoria and South Australia after this season in the Northern Territory.  I have heard that you can save $1000 a week during the grape season if you work hard.   Plus that will put me in the area to camp out and climb at some of the best climbing crags in the world.

My day to day life.  I wake up at 4:30, well before sunrise, and get ready and have some breakfast.  All food and accommodation is provided for $200 a week.  I have my own room and bathroom with AC, TV and fridge.  At 5:30 I start work while it is still cool.  At 7:00 am I take a 15 minute break to eat a hot breakfast then I break again at 11:00 for lunch.  At 11:30 I drive to Jaribu then at 2 PM i'm off.  I take a nap which I have been working on techniques to lucid dream every night and every nap.  Then yoga, run, and work out to train at climbing once I get back down to Victoria.  Then dinner at 5 which is usually pretty good.  Then I will kick it in the break room with other staff playing pool and ping pong.  I try to be in bed by 8:30. I get Fridays and Saturdays off where last week I went on some pretty cool tours. 

Friday night is poker night and I am quickly building reputation as being a poker shark.  I have stayed in till the last hand (4 hours) all three games and I have taken home $150 dollars in the past three weeks ($20 buy in, cash game).  One of my roommates back in Melbourne (I met in Bali) was a professional poker player online.  He has won something like $200,000 in the past 5 years of playing .  We would play small cash games but he would give us really good pointers.  In the end you need to know the probabilities which takes playing and watching poker a bit.  Then make a pattern of value betting on a good hand (pre flop, flop, turn, and river) then match that exactly when you bluff.  When you are successful in a bluff show your cards so you get under the other players skin, and then they will think you will be bluffing more and will then call your value bets.   Then noticing inconsistencies in other players will usually mean that they are bluffing.

Today I finished a book called Wall of Death.  It is about the history of one of the most difficult alpine problems in the world The Eiger Norwand in Switzerland.  Or the Ogre North Face.  It was a thrilling book of brave mountaineers taking on this mountain.  So many of the early climbers died.

I have now have many more traveling plans.  It's a big world out there with so many things to do.  Right now my mind is dancing around ideas to teach English in Chiang Mia, go to meditation retreat for a few weeks, check out the mountains of India and Nepal.  Get my divers license maybe in Cambodia. Asia is wonderful place where money seems to stretch 10 times as far as it should.

Getting back to your questions I haven't answered.  No rock climbing here in Kakadu.  At least none that have been establish.  The coldest it will get this winter (July) is around 28 degrees Celsius.

Yeah when I drove up to Alaska.  You should do that drive!  Whew! I guess that could count as my first day I went out traveling even though I don't really count it till I left for Thailand.

Good to hear everyone is doing their thing.  I can't wait to hear about your time in Costa Rica and Panama.  I want to hear about it!  I hope Mom likes her time going outside of the country!

It is fun to get foreigners view of Americans.  They all think we're so stupid for the most part.  And they love talking about all the things that Americans have wrong.  It is funny because they act like they know so much about America!  But they really only know this plastic media version of American that is very misleading.  And off of that false idea of how America works they can talk and talk about how stupid Americans are.  In a lot cases I totally agree with them. Most seem jealous in a hidden way that they can't own guns haha. But when it comes to politics this election is very strange indeed.  I try not to pay attention.  I find myself believing that politics are just there to give the public the sense that they have some type of say of what goes on.  Taking the camera off the oil, banking, and weapon industry billionairs who don't want the average American knowing who they are or what they are doing.  It is a scary world we live in. 

Love,

James     

On Tue, Apr 26, 2016 at 5:52 AM, Nelson, Scott R. <srnelson@visionbankcard.net> wrote:

Hi Son,

How are you doing down under?  What an adventure you are having!  I hope life is treating you well.

Nothing too amazing is happening here.  We are going to Panama in less than two weeks!  Jon and Julia are in the middle of finals.  Jon and Sara are flying to Hawaii this week.  April and Shawn are happy.  Steve and Becca seem to doing the family thing.  I called Steve last week.  We like to talk politics and international affairs.

Hope all is well!

Love,

Dad

From: Karen Nelson [mailto:karen_nelson@byu.edu]
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 2:10 PM
To: Nelson, Scott R.
Subject: RE: Money Transfer

James,
How are you doing? I saw your crocodile post today. You are now in Kakadu national park? Crocodiles, Kangaroos, spiders and snakes? Have you seen all of them? Do you get to rock climb at all or too dangerous out there?

I hope you are doing well! I was thinking about your graduation the other day and then how you were packed up and drove off for Alaska. You’re a great person and I love you so much!!

How’s the temperature where you are? Not getting cold yet?

Sending love,

Mom

What are we willing to give up.

This is in response to an email below.

Ah.  I am trying to look inside you head.  You debate.  You construct an argument mingling it with scripture and then you argue it.  You think you are right.  Everybody thinks they have it right.  I have to go to source like Elder Romney said.  There is too much sophistry of words out there.

We are commanded to sacrifice one thing.  It used to be two.  But, now it is one.  Animals are now left out since the Savior did his great and last sacrifice.  That one thing that we are commanded to sacrifice is a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

We do give things up.   But, the Lord prioritizes the order of what I give up.  Each person has a different order.  To me, when the scriptures say to deny myself all ungodliness and become perfected in Christ, it means the following:

Giving up the ungodly act of judging others.

Giving up the ungodly act of objectifying women.

Giving up the ungodly act of letting shame control me.

Giving up the ungodly act of resisting evil and not turning the other cheek.

Giving up the ungodly act of being proud.

Your things that you know to give up are:

Money to pay a full tithe

Bad food to be healthy and thin.

Time that takes away from your quest to be rich.

Are you not living the higher law?  I am.  Dave is.  I make mistakes and repent.  I partake of the sacrament and have all my sins washed away.  What is the higher law?  Without looking in the scriptures I would reckon that it is:

Loving your God with all your heart, might, mind and strength.

Loving your neighbors as yourself.

Following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Being meek, humble, easily entreated, kind, patient and long suffering.

Using persuasion.

Being gentle.

Consecrating your life to God and the Church and His Kingdom.

Moving from grace to grace and receiving grace for grace.

Scott

Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 8:29 PM
To: Nelson, Scott R.
Subject: Start today. What are you willing to give up.

If you want to be free. Start today to become an entrepreneur. Why do you think MLM's are so popular. Everyone knows what they need to do to be free. They want to be free. Just like eating healthy, they just are not willing to give up the crap.. Oh they will eat healthier foods with their crap, but will not give up the crap. Remember it is not what you are willing to do, it is what you are willing to give up.  What are you willing to give up?

It is What You are Willing to Give UP, that sets you free. Just like Sin.

What sins are you willing to give up to be worthy?

What money are you willing to give up to be a 100% tithing payer? You see even paying tithing is really about giving up something....not giving something.  

What foods are you willing to give up to be healthy and thin and in the 3%?

What time are you willing to give up to be rich?

I think it is called the law of sacrafice.  It is the key to so many things you want, including moving on to higher laws.