I did have a goal for September, but then September actually happened and I discovered my goal was not realistic. Fortunately, the world didn't end and we get second chances and all that good stuff, so look forward to reading about that goal another month.
In the meantime though, I spent September reading the Saints book! Let me tell you about that real quick because it was a true pro on the month's pros and cons list. Plus it turned out to be a really great continuation of my July and August goals.
In case you didn't hear, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a group of historians compiling their history in a narrative form and publishing it in four volumes. The first one came out on September 4 (+/- a few). You can read it here, or on the gospel library app, or you can buy the actual thing from Deseret Book for $5 (+/- a few).
So I read it! And I loved it. There are so many things I could say about it, but I want you to stop reading this and go read that, so I'll try to keep it simple:
I am humbled and grateful for the road paved by the early saints of the church. It's really easy to sit on my cushy bench on Sundays with dozens of other mormons around me and thousands more throughout the state (and millions more throughout the world!), and talk about the fact that we're going to hear the prophet speak this weekend like that's totally normal. I got a new perspective as I read about the saints gathering together less than 200 years ago to hear the prophet Joseph Smith preach at the first conference. Nobody there "grew up in the church." Each of them had made (and would make) significant changes and sacrifices for their newfound faith. It was during these early conferences that members heard for the first time new truths about the afterlife, about the Priesthood, about eternal marriage and families.
It's really easy to hear about the saints getting persecuted and having to move from city to city over and over and over, when I know that they eventually make it to the Salt Lake Valley and "all is well." The saints didn't know that. They fully expected to establish Zion in Missouri and build up the kingdom there. I can't even handle how much faith it would have taken to pack up your family AGAIN and leave in the middle of the night in the middle of winter as your house is being burned down and your cattle are being slaughtered and bullets are flying past you and your husband is missing and your four children are clinging to you. And you're thousands of miles from the Salt Lake Valley that you don't even know will exist someday.
It's really easy to hear about Joseph Smith being murdered only 14 years after the church was established, when I know that in 2018, President Russell M. Nelson has been called of God to lead His church and carry on the work. When President Monson died earlier this year, I hardly even blinked because I knew God had prepared another (as He always has) to fill his place. But what about the early saints?! Their beloved prophet and leader died, the local government and surrounding cities were threatening them, and several church leaders were coming out saying they were the rightful next church president. They didn't have 175 (+/- a few) years of church history to tell them that it would be fine.
Listen to this description of their perspective after being forced to flee yet again: "No one in the camp knew what the morning would bring. Yet they were not leaping blindly into the dark. They had made covenants with God in the temple, strengthening their faith in His power to guide and sustain them on their journey. Each trusted that somewhere to the west, across the summits of the Rocky Mountains, they would find a place to gather together, build another temple, and establish the kingdom of God on earth."
Inspired.
I'd give it 5 stars.
Feel free to read it and let me know what you think. But, lest we get our priorities mixed up, I have a duty to remind you that if you haven't read the Book of Mormon yet you should read that first, and THEN read Saints and THEN let me know what you think.
In the meantime though, I spent September reading the Saints book! Let me tell you about that real quick because it was a true pro on the month's pros and cons list. Plus it turned out to be a really great continuation of my July and August goals.
In case you didn't hear, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a group of historians compiling their history in a narrative form and publishing it in four volumes. The first one came out on September 4 (+/- a few). You can read it here, or on the gospel library app, or you can buy the actual thing from Deseret Book for $5 (+/- a few).
So I read it! And I loved it. There are so many things I could say about it, but I want you to stop reading this and go read that, so I'll try to keep it simple:
I am humbled and grateful for the road paved by the early saints of the church. It's really easy to sit on my cushy bench on Sundays with dozens of other mormons around me and thousands more throughout the state (and millions more throughout the world!), and talk about the fact that we're going to hear the prophet speak this weekend like that's totally normal. I got a new perspective as I read about the saints gathering together less than 200 years ago to hear the prophet Joseph Smith preach at the first conference. Nobody there "grew up in the church." Each of them had made (and would make) significant changes and sacrifices for their newfound faith. It was during these early conferences that members heard for the first time new truths about the afterlife, about the Priesthood, about eternal marriage and families.
It's really easy to hear about the saints getting persecuted and having to move from city to city over and over and over, when I know that they eventually make it to the Salt Lake Valley and "all is well." The saints didn't know that. They fully expected to establish Zion in Missouri and build up the kingdom there. I can't even handle how much faith it would have taken to pack up your family AGAIN and leave in the middle of the night in the middle of winter as your house is being burned down and your cattle are being slaughtered and bullets are flying past you and your husband is missing and your four children are clinging to you. And you're thousands of miles from the Salt Lake Valley that you don't even know will exist someday.
It's really easy to hear about Joseph Smith being murdered only 14 years after the church was established, when I know that in 2018, President Russell M. Nelson has been called of God to lead His church and carry on the work. When President Monson died earlier this year, I hardly even blinked because I knew God had prepared another (as He always has) to fill his place. But what about the early saints?! Their beloved prophet and leader died, the local government and surrounding cities were threatening them, and several church leaders were coming out saying they were the rightful next church president. They didn't have 175 (+/- a few) years of church history to tell them that it would be fine.
Listen to this description of their perspective after being forced to flee yet again: "No one in the camp knew what the morning would bring. Yet they were not leaping blindly into the dark. They had made covenants with God in the temple, strengthening their faith in His power to guide and sustain them on their journey. Each trusted that somewhere to the west, across the summits of the Rocky Mountains, they would find a place to gather together, build another temple, and establish the kingdom of God on earth."
Inspired.
I'd give it 5 stars.
Feel free to read it and let me know what you think. But, lest we get our priorities mixed up, I have a duty to remind you that if you haven't read the Book of Mormon yet you should read that first, and THEN read Saints and THEN let me know what you think.
No comments:
Post a Comment