Faith of Our Fathers

A few weeks ago I accompanied the Youth of our Stake on a week-long trip to historical sites of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a wonderful week spent soaking up the vibrant energy of the teens we were with punctuated by several powerful faith building experiences as we walked the paths of the early Saints.

Among the locations we visited were Nauvoo and Carthage Illinois. These sites are significant to members of my faith because of events that transpired there in the 1840’s.

The early church experienced significant growth in a short period time after being organized by the prophet Joseph Smith. These early converts gathered together in Kirtland Ohio and Jackson county Missouri. Soon these settlements grew to be some of the largest cities in their respective states.

Especially in Missouri the swelling ranks of the Mormons incurred the wrath of the neighbors. Their ideas about religion and the fact that they tended to vote in a united block threatened the interests of those who supported slavery at that time. Soon armed mobs were terrorizing the Saints. Homes and crops were burned, people severely beaten and killed, women raped, and leadership arrested on accusations of treason. This all culminated with an extermination order issued by the governor of Missouri which made it legal to drive the Mormons from the state and murder them if they would not go.

All this because a group of people wanted to practice their religion in the way they saw fit.

The members were driven out of their homes in a brutally cold winter with barely the clothes on their backs. The suffering endured is difficult to imagine. After a period of time they settled on the banks of the Mississippi River in a swamp that no one else would possibly want.

They then toiled and built the city of Navuoo, which means beautiful in Hebrew. It truly was a beautiful city with the gleaming white temple at the center.

Then in 1845 Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred by an angry mob in Carthage which was located a few miles from Navuoo. The prophet was there under the promised protection of the governor of the state. History records that he was left to the designs of those who openly vowed to kill him in hopes of destroying the Church.

To their great surprise his death did not level the religion he had led. Once again the Saints were forced to leave their homes under threat of violence to cross the frozen prairie and move far enough west to a place they could finally live in peace.

The more you know about their situation questions begin to form. Why didn’t these people just give up, disavow the church, and go back to a life where persecution wasn’t raging around them? As I visited these sites the spirit of those pioneers seemed to imbue the landscape. There is a tangible feeling of faith and hope that penetrates your soul. These are sacred places.

It became clear to me that these people didn't just believe but knew that Gospel of Jesus Christ was a restoration of truth upon the earth. That Joseph Smith was exactly what he purported to be, just a man and a prophet called of God. They knew that God was at the head of this Church. They knew these things so deeply that they were willing to give their lives for the Kingdom. It led them from Jackson County to Navuoo and from there into the Salt Lake Valley and the thousands of graves that lie along the trail are testaments to their belief.

So what to do with this knowledge? How does their sacrifice apply to us today?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

 “Many of our challenges are different from those faced by former pioneers but perhaps just as dangerous and surely as significant to our own salvation and the salvation of those who follow us.  For example, as for life-threatening obstacles, the wolves that prowled around pioneer settlements were no more dangerous to their children than the drug dealers or pornographers who threaten our children. Similarly, the early pioneers’ physical hunger posed no greater threat to their well-being than the spiritual hunger experienced by many in our day. The children of earlier pioneers were required to do incredibly hard physical work to survive their environment. That was no greater challenge than many of our young people now face from the absence of hard work, which results in spiritually corrosive challenges to discipline, responsibility, and self-worth. Jesus taught: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

In the latest Ensign Magazine President Thomas S. Monson, the current President of the Church and prophet wrote

“A dictionary defines a pioneer as ‘one who goes before to prepare or open up the way for others to follow.’ Can we somehow muster the courage and steadfastness of purpose that characterized the pioneers of a former generation? Can you and I, in actual fact, be pioneers?

I know we can be. 

Oh, how the world needs pioneers today!”

Studying and understanding what the early Saints went through will inevitably lead one to the question “why did they do it?” Finding that answer for ourselves will allow us to follow in their footsteps and do the work God asks of us today. We can draw strength from their example and unite in heart with those wonderful people of the past. We too can sing with full purpose of heart that "all is well" even as the storms of life swirl around us. God was with them and He is with us as well.

I invite you find out for yourself what those Saints and I know. There is nothing more important. It will change your life.

Cheers,

Brenda

To find out more or request missionaries to visit with you please visit mormon.org.

For the Boys

I happen to be mother of three handsome and incredible sons, two of whom are now in that enchanted and sweaty age range of being able to date. (Mormon youth are asked not to date until they are 16 years old and this is the rule we have in our family.) As much as this milestone in their young lives lends itself to a serious case of middle-aged hyperventilating on my part, I know that my kids will navigate this time brilliantly.

Still, students of life can avoid many pitfalls by learning from the awkward steps of their elders. With that in mind may I bring a few items of note which may assist the bright youth of today in their dating pursuits.

This week I focus on young men.

Dates do not need to be elaborate or expensive to impress a girl. In fact when you go over the top it sends the message that this is a serious proposition. Case in point- while I was at BYUI living in a large off-campus apartment complex full to the brim with LDS girls one of my next door neighbors was asked to a school dance. The boy who did this wanted to make an impact so while she was at class he brought in 50 pounds of Hershey kisses and covered her bedroom floor ankle deep in chocolate. He then left a cutesy note that said “now that I kiss the floor you walk on, will you go to the dance with me.”  Aside from the diabetic coma enjoyed by everyone within a six-mile radius, the money and effort he put in to that endeavor did not pan out in the long run. She accepted but that was their only date. She liked him but the pressure she felt from that over the top effort scared her off.  

Also, first dates are not the time to take a girl to serious family events. A friend of mine once accepted an invitation to the movies and was told “we just need to stop at a family gathering for a minute” before they went to the theater.  That event turned out to be his grandmother’s funeral. Amazingly, she declined any 
further dates with this guy.

The lesson here is that most times the best dates are simple and inexpensive. Take a walk, fly a kite, go to the dollar movie. Casual environments allow you to get to know your date without anyone thinking that it is more than just a fun experience. Later in life, when you find someone really awesome you think you want to spend the rest of forever with, you can break out the skywriters and mariachi bands.

The right questions are good, the wrong ones will deep six your date. Asking your date personal questions about her interests and background are a great way to get to know someone. Girls love to talk and most of all about themselves. Doing this will make her feel important and that you are truly interested in her as a person. Questions to avoid would be things like "If there was a nuclear war that destroyed most of humanity, leaving only 5 men in existence for you to marry, would I be one of them?" or “What temple would you like to get married in?” If you whip those out on a first date don’t be surprised when she runs screaming into the sunset without you.

Do not treat the girl you are out with like she is one of “the guys”. Boys bond by insulting each other and using physical horseplay. Let me tell you right now that girls take what you say seriously, so do not call her “chubster” or “psycho” or any other demeaning nickname and insult her thinking it is funny. She may laugh, but deep down you are hurting her feelings. This will result in her texting every one of her 900 friends and telling them what a jerk you are thus reducing the pool of those willing to go out with you in the future. Remember who she is as a daughter of God and treat her with respect.  

Also, comparing arm hair amount, neck size, and athletic prowess should be avoided. It’s not her fault that you have the neck of a chicken or that you can destroy her in a weight lifting competition. These kinds of things will not make the kind of impression you are hoping for.

Let her see the real you. You are a fabulous kid with much to offer so there is no need to show her how you can pop your pecs or brag about the time you “totally saved a guy’s life” by some superhuman feat, and if you work at McDonald’s don’t tell her you are a Fast Food Engineer. Other titles to avoid are Pork Rind Expert and Aspiring Beta Tester. She will see right through that and know it means you are a chronic basement dwelling Cheeto eating gamer. Which leads to my next point.

Don’t be a chronic basement dwelling Cheeto eating gamer! There is a whole beautiful world outside of the internet and your game console. Read, think, look at art, go camping, play a sport, learn to work with your hands, have some interests outside of a dark stinky room full of boys staring at a TV nineteen hours a day. No girl in her right mind wants to date someone whose sole love in life is gaming. She also does not want to hear about how epic it was when you beat level 42 in record time so get outside, it won’t hurt I promise.

Keep an open mind. The girls you ask out don’t always need to be the Homecoming Queen or in the Peanut Festival Court. There are loads of intelligent, fun, girls out there who lovely both inside and out. Learn to recognize that beauty comes in many different forms and not just the kind that is on the cover of magazines. When you do this you will gain the benefit of meeting a lot of really great young women.

Stay Safe. This is advice that pertains to both boys and girls. Always let a friend or parent know where you will be and what time you will be home. Keep a phone with you and stay in public places. If something doesn’t seem right don’t be afraid to end the evening politely.

Also, there are a lot of girls out there who think that a date must end in a physical way. Date girls who have high standards and make sure that when you ask someone out they know that you are going to stay morally chaste and expect the same from them. Boys can have a massive influence on the girls around them by quietly and courageously standing for truth and righteousness. Give sincere complements when they dress modestly and let people know that you find honest, virtuous girls as the most attractive in the world. They will raise their standards when they see you lead out.

In the end these are going to be some of the most exciting times of your life. Appreciate it and try not to 
stress. Ask for dates and if you are turned down let it go and move on. There are girls out there just waiting to get to know someone as remarkable as you. And when you are accepted let them see the real you, stay safe, have fun, treat them with respect, and most importantly act so that you may keep the companionship of the Spirit. Doing this stuff and listening to your parents will help make it all a life learning and awesome experience.

Happy Dating!

Cheers,

Brenda