Feast Like a Flamingo

I was trying to get a talk written to give in sacrament meeting.  I was struggling to put it all together and then I got home to a letter one day.  This letter was the answer to my prayers.  It was the perfect article to use for my talk.  I was so happy that I nearly jumped for joy.  I wanted to share the talk with you!  Hope you enjoy and that it changes your perspective on feasting a little bit.
As you begin reading I want you to think of a huge feast.  It can be whatever you want it to be.  Maybe for you it's Thanksgiving dinner.  For my brother and I it would be chocolate waffles with a hefty amount of moose tracks ice cream on them.  Whatever it is you love you can have it at this feast.  Now that you have this picture in your mind I want you to think of how you're going to dish up.  Are you going to meagerly put some food on your plate or are you going to load it to heaping full, so full that it's falling off the sides are you walk back to the table?  Now, you've sat down, said your prayer and you're ready to begin. How are you eating?  Are you sheepishly picking at your plate not really eating much, or are you digging in?!  Is your face dirty?  Are you going back for seconds?  How about thirds?  You're finished now.  If you're like me you're stuffed to the brim.  You're full and you're happy!
We can feast on food, but there's something more.  Our spirit yearns for a good feast.  The best part of feasting spiritually:  it's calorie free!  You can "feast" all you want and not worry about your figure!  In fact 2 Nephi 9:51 says:  Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.  Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.  Focus on the let your souls delight in fatness!  We don't have to keep our spirits trim!

In the January 2012 New Era there was an article titled:  Feast Like a Flamingo.  Did you know that flamingos are pink because of their diet?  Flamingos "feast" on brine shrimp and algae that are high in betacarotine.  Betacarotine is a pigment that causes a yellow, orange, or pink color.  So, in reality if a flamingo decided to change his diet to trout he would also change his coloring from pink to white.  If a flamingo was white we probably wouldn't even realize it was a flamingo.  Does what we spiritually feast on change how others identify us?  2 Nephi 31:20 says:  Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life.  We are encouraged to "press forward feasting on the words of Christ."  Many people of other faiths describe us as having a glow or a light in our eyes.  Could that be the result of our feasting?  Instead of being bright pink we receive light from Christ.  We can be identified as disciples of Christ by this light.

A flamingo is pink because he eats what he should, but if he stops eating this he will become ill and pale.  If we stop feasting spiritually on the words of Christ we will become spiritually ill and lose that bright, godly countenance.  We will no longer be recognized as disciples of Jesus Christ, just as no one would notice a white flamingo.  A great example of spiritual feasting is Elder Nelson (in the quorum of the 12 apostles).  He shared this story.  I believe that these colleagues recognized a light in his eyes.  Here is his story: 

Many years ago two colleagues of mine—a nurse and her doctor husband—asked me why I lived the way I did. I answered, “Because I know the Book of Mormon is true.” I let them borrow my copy of the book, inviting them to read it. A week later they returned my book with a polite “thanks a lot.”

I responded, “What do you mean, thanks a lot? That’s a totally inappropriate response for one who has read this book. You didn’t read it, did you! Please take it back and read it; then I would like my book back.”

Admitting that they had only turned its pages, they accepted my invitation. When they returned, they said tearfully, “We have read the Book of Mormon. We know it is true! We want to know more.” They learned more, and it was my privilege to baptize both of them.

As we have experiences that strengthen our testimonies we desire for our friends and family to have this gospel.  In Doctrine and Covenants 11:21 we are told:  Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.   We must be spiritually feasting and then we will have the Spirit to guide us in our conversations and our missionary efforts.  I know that missionary work brings only joy.  If this scripture is right, and it is, then missionary work begins with spiritual feasting.  Spiritual feasting leads to the spirit being with us and to others recognizing us as disciples of Jesus Christ, just as a flamingo's feast makes him easily recognized as a flamingo.  Let our spiritual feasts begin.

A Clouded Mind?

As I have started reading the Book of Mormon again recently a lot has had a different meaning this time than any of the other times I've read the Book of Mormon.  I truly believe this is what makes the Book of Mormon the best book ever, you can read it repeatedly back-to-back and continue to get something else out of it.  The Book of Mormon definitely has the answers to our questions and concerns.  The Book of Mormon begins with a family.  The father's name is Lehi.  He has four sons (oldest to youngest):  Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.  In chapter 8 of 1 Nephi (page 14 of the Book of Mormon) Lehi has a vision.  He sees many things, but he tells of a river of water in this chapter, 1 Nephi 8: 26.  Nephi (Lehi's youngest son) desires to know about the vision his father saw, so he prays about it.  The spirit comes and he has a vision about the things his father has seen.  After Nephi has his vision his older brothers complain that they don't understand.  Part of the reason they can't understand is because they didn't turn to the Lord for answers.  Nephi interprets some of the "dream" to them.  A particular verse caught my attention.  It is 1 Nephi 15:27,  It says:  And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water. As I have pondered on this scripture I have had some thoughts.  One of them was, "How could Lehi not have noticed the filth?"  It doesn't seem hard to notice if water is clean or filthy.  Maybe if it said dirty I wouldn't have thought that, but filth I would think he should notice.  After this thought came to my mind our lives today.  Sometimes we don't notice how "filthy" the things of the world are today.  We have so many things that society feels are okay, that just aren't.  These will not bring us into the purity of the atonement, but drag us down into the dredges of Satan.  Avoid all things that are filthy.  Notice the things we are doing and stay in the clear water.  No one wants to swim in the filthy water!  Sin can cloud our minds and we don't notice the filth of the water.  Evaluate the water (or choices) you are near and be wise.  Avoid the filthy water of Lehi's vision!

Revelation

This last weekend was a marvelous experience.  We as a world had the opportunity to watch General Conference.  We, at this time, are able to watch the 12 Apostles and the First Presidency speak.  There are others that speak as well, but what an amazing gift it is to be able to listen to these men speak to us and address the concerns that our Heavenly Father feels are important for us to hear.  There were many talks that really stuck out to me, but one that I particularly loved was a talk entitled: The Spirit of Revelation.  This talk was given by Elder David A. Bednar (quorum of the twelve apostles).  He speaks of some experiences that most, if not all of us have had with light.  He says, " I invite you to consider two experiences most of us have had with light.

"The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.

"The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.

"From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation.

I pray the Holy Ghost will inspire and instruct us as we now focus upon the spirit of revelation and basic patterns whereby revelation is received."

Some of you may be wondering what revelation is.  No problem, let's take a minute and briefly define it:  Revelation is communication from God to us, his children.  It usually comes through the Holy Ghost.  It may come as thoughts, as feelings, or many other ways. 

Elder Bednar then says, "Some revelations are received immediately and intensely; some are recognized gradually and subtly."  I love this statement.  It makes so much sense to me! 

Joseph Smith's first vision, when he saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ  and was told that none of the churches were completely correct at that time, was an experience like turning a light switch on in a dark room.  I, personally, have never had an experience like that, but I have received personal revelation.  My experiences have been much more like the second experience.  I have had gradual, subtle experiences that have helped me to come to a knowledge of what my Heavenly Father would have me do.  Whatever case we have, God is speaking to US!  How mind boggling is it to think that we are of enough worth and value that Heavenly Father will take the time to answer our prayers and address our individual concerns.  Now, another note is that just because one time we have an experience like turning on a light bulb, this doesn't mean that we will continue to have experiences like this.  Joseph Smith later had gradual, subtle answers where he was taught "line upon line, precept upon precept."  We must constantly be listening for the promptings of the Holy Ghost in our own life.  We must be pondering on the things that our Heavenly Father would have us do.  Revelation doesn't always come right away, sometimes it takes time for us to prepare ourselves.  Don't give up!  Heavenly Father always answers our prayers, sometimes not exactly how we want them to be answered, but he answers them!  Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to communicate with us through revelation.  Allow him to speak to you!

Building on a Sturdy Foundation

A sand castle looks nice, but what happens when the water comes?
Does a sand castle withstand?  We all know what happens when the waves come- all of our hard work is demolished and our sand castle is gone!  It doesn't hold up when the storm comes.  How do we make sure that our lives are much stronger than the sand castle?  We build on something much much stronger!  There's a primary song that the kids learn that goes: The wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock, the wise man built his house upon the rock, And the rains came tumbling down.  The rains came down, and the floods came up, the rains came down, and the floods came up, the rains came down, and the floods came up, And the house on the rock stood still.  The foolish man built his house upon the sand, the foolish man built his house upon the sand, the foolish man built his house upon the sand, And the rains came tumbling down.  The rains came down, and the floods came up, the rains came down, and the floods came up, the rains came down, and the floods came up, And the house on the sand washed away.  I have always liked this song, but now it has so much more than just words to it.  It is telling us how we should build our life.  It's telling us that the things of the world are the sand that we can build upon.  The things of the world may appear to make us happy, but when the "storms" of life come are we truly happy?  Do these things support and sustain us?  Are our friends always there for us?

Thankfully we know that there is something better that we can build upon.  What would this be you may ask,  well here you go!  The answer to all life's questions can be found in the scriptures:  3 Nephi 11:39 says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them."  This scripture is found in the part of the Book of Mormon where Christ has come to the Nephites.  He has come as a resurrected being and is teaching them.  He is bringing them the Gospel in it's fulness.  He is telling them how to "build" their lives.  He tells them that the things he has taught them are the "rock" that they should build on.  If we build our lives on the "rock" that the Savior has shown us, then when the "storms" of life come our hard work, like the sand castle, will not be washed away.  Our lives will stay intact.  The rock will withstand our "storms", or trials.  The Savior, who is the rock we build upon, will support us and sustain us.  I know that he helps us to weather the storms if we will let him be there with us.  He will not leave us.  He will bear some of the burden that we cannot bear on our own!  I know that when we build our life on the things of the Savior, his doctrines, we will withstand the "storms" of life.  We will be happy and the Savior will be there for us through these "storms"!