An ominous warning

It seems that the word ominous is the word of the day. I was with my group of ultimate frisbee friends yesterday - one of them asked me how old I was. 57 is an advanced age. He said that big 60 was right around the corner. I agreed - ominously close. There is no way that I could ever be that old. I refuse to acknowledge all birthdays - I'm 35 and sticking to it.

Then my scripture reading was a bit ominous today as well. I really wanted to stay in the book of Mormon - the reading is so much more entertaining. I feel like I got a 1 day reprieve - I've said this before, but the Doctrine and Covenants to me is like reading a law book. I'd rather read a novel - that's what the Book of Mormon is to me. So much easier.

I landed in Alma 38. These are the blessings Alma gives to his sons. All are on a mission to the people of Zoram, but one of them had his head turned. This happens to missionaries - they're at the age when hormones rage - and they're guys. That's a double whammy.

So Alma's efforts at serving the Zoramites fall very short because one of his sons is using this missionary effort as a personal vacation. This of course causes great harm to untold numbers of souls who could have been lifted, and makes the task of Alma and his other sons so much harder. I noticed that in talking to his sons, he didn't just yell at the failing son. He brought them all in and told them all where they were with the Lord. He talked. He got right to it, he didn't dance verbally, and wasn't afraid to deliver it straight. He didn't yell and scream, didn't throw chairs around. He just stated what was happening, and made it clear where he stood on the issue. This is something I can take away from Alma's blessings to his children.

By the way, it cocurs to me that whether you're giving your child a pat on the back or a kick on the hiney, it's still a blessing if done correctly. In all cases it can be a way to let them know where they are spiritually, and where they should go. That's a blessing. Direction provided with love is a blessing from God.

In verse 4, he congratulates his son Shiblon. "For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou was stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience..." and verse 5 "...as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials..."

Then a key phrase at the end. "...at the last day". So what I'm gathering is that we may be stoned for believing what we believe, or whatever this century's version of that may be, but the correct response is to bear with patience, trust in God, and know what we'll be delivered out of our trials. That sounds great. But I think there's a but. The Lord did mention that maybe our deliverance will happen at the last day. It might be sooner than that, or it might not. In the meantime, it is our role to accept whatever the condition may be at the moment and to follow the Lord.

Guess it's better that our reward is going to happen at the last day than sooner. If I had to choose between awesomeness after I die vs while I'm alive, I'd be crazy to choose now - eternal awesomeness is better than right now events.

Then I moved into the chapters before and after chapter 38. I started in 39, and it spoke to me. Verse 7 Alma tells his errant son: "... I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good". I think I touched on that above. Correction done correctly is a blessing to that child. This is a bit of a revelation to me.

Verse 6, "For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness".

Dang. I thought earlier that denying the Holy Ghost was much harder to do than what I'm reading here. I might be wrong, but I'm gathering that if, say, I were to have a gift of guidance from the Holy Ghost (which I feel grateful to have), and I do what this kid did, which is to leave my mission for some neighboring hottie, I'm in unpardonable sin category. Not necessarily for what me and the neighborhood hottie do, but because I went against - denied - the gift that I received. I hold that gift very precious to me. It scares me more than a little that a poor decision like that could land me (if I understand this fully - which I of course do not) in unpardonable sin land. That is eternal condemnation. Living with the rats and snakes that used to be humanity. That's terrifying to the center.

Then back to chapter 37. "...that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind. "

OK, I don't get it, but I get some of it. The gifts I have are to be protected. I protect them by not transgressing the commandments of God. I don't want to imagine the pain of having a gift like guidance from God, then having it be taken away and me be owned by Satan.

There are people around me who are awesome beyond description. Some of them are women, and those women are gorgeous. I love them for who they are. But today's lesson for me is that this love must always be categorized. To see them for the gift they are for humanity, to appreciate their talents and what they have made of themselves given the trials that they have passed through. It's clear that I have to be diligent at distinguishing between love and love. I think I've been fairly successful at doing that, but today's guidance is a warning. I'll absolutely keep it in mind.

And that's the gift I've received from the scriptures today. I like it better though when it doesn't feel so ominous.