Mormon Musings

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-power-of-scripture?lang=eng

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. “For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. “He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” ( Psalm 24:1–5 ).

The path to a complete Christian education passes through the Garden of Gethsemane, and we will learn there if we haven't learned it before that our Father will have no other gods before him--even (or especially) if that would-be god is our self. I assume you are all far enough along in life to be learning that great discipline already. It will be required of each of us to kneel when we may not want to kneel, to bow when we may not want to bow, to confess when we may not want to confess--perhaps a confession born of painful experience that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are his ways our ways, saith the Lord (see Isaiah 55:8). I think that is why Jacob says to be learned--or, we would presume, to be any other worthy thing--is good  if  one hearkens unto the counsels of God. But education, or public service, or social responsibility, or professional accomplishment of  any  kind is in vain if we cannot, in those crucial moments of pivotal personal histo...

In today's society, at the mere mention of the words obedience and submissiveness hackles rise and people are put on nervous alert. . . . People promptly furnish examples from secular history to illustrate how obedience to unwise authority and servility to bad leaders have caused much human misery and suffering. It is difficult, therefore, to get a hearing for what the words obedience and submissiveness really mean--even when the clarifying phrase, "to God," is attached.  Neal A. Maxwell,  ["Not My Will, But Thine"(Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988), p. 1]

Obedience is the first law of Heaven.  All progression, all perfection, all salvation, all goodness, all that is right and just and true, all good things come to those who live the laws of Him who is Eternal.  There is nothing in all eternity more important than to keep the commandments of God.   Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p. 126

All those who keep His commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of Him who fills all in all; being filled with the fullness of His glory, and become one in Him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith pp. 50-51

  1  The  a heavens   b declare  the  c glory  of God; and the firmament sheweth his  d handywork .   2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.   3  There is  no speech nor  a language ,  where  their voice is not heard.   4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their  a words  to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,   5  Which  is  as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,  and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.   6  His going forth  is  from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.   7  The  a law  of the  Lord   is   b perfect ,  c converting  the soul: the d testimony  of the  Lord   is   e sure , making  f wise  the...