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. 

Why Home Teaching Should be Less then 30 minutes

I have heard over the years to keep home teaching between fifteen and thirty minutes.  I usually disagreed.  I am now doing an about face!  Here is my reasoning.  In any given home teaching relationship there are four main participants and perhaps others.  First, let's take the home teaching family.  Let's assume it is a couple.  The issue is time.  Each spouse will be different regarding how he or she is using his or her time.  There might be a few people that have huge amounts of time but I would bet that most people are time crunched.  They have more things to do than they have time.  Now, the same goes for the home teacher.  He may or may not have a lot of time for home teaching.  His wife needs to be taken into the picture as well.  Even if he feels he can spend the time, does she really need him home to do other activities (family time, chores, etc.)?  Whose time is more valuable? Is the home teaching program more valuable than other time related things that need to be done?  The answer is no.  Time is precious and each person will value the way he or she uses his or her time differently.  We can't judge this.

With all this in mind, with all the people involved, with every one's different schedules involved, with every one's different time prioritizations, home teaching should be a fifteen to thirty minute event.

Q: What if the person is lonely and needs longer visits?
A: I no longer believe this is in the scope of the monthly home teaching visit.  This is because of all the reasons stated above.  Of course, we should always follow the injunction in James 1, that true religion, undefiled is to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction.  The lonely person may require more visits, etc.  But, nobody should be required to run faster than he has strength (Mosiah 4:27).  This need, I believe, should be taken off line and discussed by the home teachers.  Perhaps the solution will need to be at a different level, especially if both home teachers have huge time constraints.  Perhaps sacrifices will be made and there will be more visits (but, not the official home teaching visit).  And, perhaps assignments will need to change to meet the needs of each person involved.