Heirs of the Kingdom

This has been perhaps the heaviest week of our missionary service.
I tested positive for Covid last Sunday, and Monic tested positive on Friday.
It meant a massive change in our schedules, missing our mission gathering at Keukenhof and both of us being ill all week long! ๐Ÿ™
All that said, it was our P-day yesterday, and to cheer myself up, I enjoyed watching the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
There was plenty of pomp, pageantry and processions, along with a day filled with history and tradition, ending with a Royal family gathering on the Palace balcony to watch a flypast featuring the Red Arrows.
Charles has been an heir to the kingdom, and preparing for this moment, all of his life.
The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, are now king and queen of the United Kingdom and fourteen other Commonwealth realms.
Unlike Charles and Camilla, few of us will reign in such majesty, in this life.
There is however another kingdom to come, in which we will.

The Lord’s Kingdom

We read in Romans 8:16-17 โ€œWe are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.โ€
The term โ€œheir of Godโ€ emphasises our relationship with our Heavenly Father. As His children, each of us have divine, eternal potential.
And as His children, we have โ€œan inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade . . . kept in heavenโ€ (1 Peter 1:4)
Neil L. Anderson has taught that โ€œEvery person on earth is the ” offspring ” of God, but to be called the ” children of God ” means much, much more. As we come unto Jesus Christ and make covenants with Him, we become ” his seed ” and ” heirs of the kingdom.โ€
Think about it, every blessing, every opportunity will be given to us if we honour the covenants, we make with Him.
One of the key covenants Jesus Christ gave to help us qualify for entrance back into the kingdom of God is baptism.
Jesus said, โ€œVerily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Godโ€ (John 3:3); โ€œExcept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Godโ€ (John 3:5).
The Doctrine of Christ, namely, faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end.
Now is the time to act.
Speak to the missionaries today.
They will help you understand what it means to be an “๐’‰๐’†๐’Š๐’“ ๐’๐’‡ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ฒ๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ๐’…๐’๐’Ž…”

Faith v Fear – The Mull of Kintyre

Counselling many of the missionaries as they return home, reminded me of this experience from a few years ago.ย  I’ve shared it before, but it is time to share it again….

It was 2002. Setting off in the early hours of the morning, I knew it was going to be a very, very long day.

In fact, not one that I was particularly looking forward too. Following a client visit in Dumbarton, I arrived in Campbeltown around lunchtime. However, the journey down along the A83 that day was absolutely stunning – Scotland at its very best!. I was there on a sales visit with a supplier, who was demonstrating a new CCTV system to a large new potential client. It was only 175 miles from home, but it had taken over 4 hours to get there. After another 4 hours of demonstration, it was time to turn around and head home. By this time, it had gone 6pm. There wasn’t much of a rush hour down there, in fact I decided that I would take a leisurely drive back home. I didn’t have any real haste. The lessons learned over those next few hours were unquestionably a pivotal point in my life.

My Journey home

As I started back up the A83, the sun started to set. My thoughts turned from the demonstration of the afternoon, to much more important questions – such as “What am I doing with my life?”, “I’m not in the least bit interested in CCTV – so why am I driving for hours on end selling this stuff anyway?” “Is this just all about the money?”

As the light started to fade I pulled over to look over the sea towards Northern Ireland to view the onset of the night sky. It was a beautiful clear evening. As I was reflecting on all those questions and more, I witnessed several shooting stars as well as the Northern lights (for the first time), in all their majesty.

I gazed heavenward, it was a quite remarkable, inspiring light show.

I stood for a while fascinated by the beauty of creation. Those few moments had a real impact upon me. I started for home determined to face the future with much more faith and to embark upon a career journey that would enable me to get up every day and really love what I was doing.

Career Choices

That career journey has taken lots of twists and turns over the ensuing 21 years. There have been numerous difficult decisions. Lots and lots of personal procrastination, other seemingly more important priorities, along with mega doubts & fears within myself that I could actually do something that I loved.

The journey also included two redundancies, a challenging selection of opportunities in between, mixed with a real belief that I could eventually take the leap of faith, face the fear of the unknown and start on my own.

The differentiators?

A supportive family – who put up with me long enough and encouraged me to turn the dream into a reality. Supportive colleagues over many years, who helped me to understand the capabilities that I had been gifted with and developed over a long period of time. All of whom helped me develop my faith and take that step into the unknown. Thank you one and all.

“Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain
Still take me back where my memories remain
Flickering embers go higher and higher
As they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre”

These are the words from the third verse of Paul McCartney’s – Wings #1 Hit record – The Mull of Kintyre. I have often reflected upon my journey that day and these words have always inspired me to reach for higher ideals, values and purpose in life.

So, it is with all of us – don’t settle for the mundane – in factย neverย settle for it!

It is important for each of us to have those meaningful conversations with ourselves and nearest and dearest about happiness and what makes each of us tick! If you are stuck in an unhappy career, perhaps its much more to do with your personal motivators.

Now is not the time to revisit Herzberg’s Motivation theory – around incentives and hygiene factors – but I wish to encourage you to look deep inside yourself and question the reason and purpose of your work – is it meaningful – is it what you really want to do? Looking inward is the critical step, to face up to your fear. Now is the time for faith – not fear!

I love this quote from a wise leader Boyd K. Packer, he stated… “Faith, to be faith, must centre around something that is not known. Faith, to be faith, must go beyond that for which there is confirming evidence. Faith, to be faith, must go into the unknown. Faith, to be faith, must walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness.โ€

One of my favourite poems is by Christopher Logue.

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
Itโ€™s too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and he pushed,
and they flew.

As you consider your challenges at home, at school, or in the workplace – reflect upon those things that really matter most.

Face up to your fears, look inside and take those first few steps into the darkness – you can do it!

Counselling Together

โ€œIn the abundance of council, there is wisdomโ€ โ€“ Dallin H. Oaks.
Yesterday, we met in our mission leadership council. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss and counsel together.
Not everyone gets the chance to lead in the mission, so it is a privilege for each of the young missionaries assigned, to serve in a leadership role.
We discussed behaviours of a good leader, including self-awareness, collaboration, respect and influence.
Then, we posed the question…”๐–๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ?”
With a leadership role there is a responsibility, to come prepared and be ready to share.
โ€œWhen we can work together cooperativelyโ€ฆ, we can accomplish anything. When we do so, we eliminate the weakness of one person standing alone and substitute the strength of many serving together.โ€ โ€“ Thomas S. Monson
In our counselling together we discussed objectives and concerns of the mission, with mutual understanding and a shared vision being the ultimate goal.
Encouraging everyone to express their feelings was key.
It was clear that counselling together required everyone to listen as much as they spoke.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

We introduced everyone in the council session to a SWOT analysis and we used the model to address some of the challenges we face.
In essence, we are the problem-solving team of the mission.
The active participation of missionary zone leaders and sister trainer leaders, broadens the base of their leadership experience and understanding, which in turn leads to better solutions and improves communication throughout the mission.
As Russell M. Ballard said; โ€œPeople who feel ownership of a problem are more willing to help find a solution, greatly improving the possibility of success.โ€
He also taught that it was important to โ€œLean upon them. Learn from them. Love them. Listen to them.โ€
In the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah said; โ€œCome now, and let us reason togetherโ€ (Isaiah 1:18). And in our day, we read in Doctrine & Covenants 50:10; โ€œLet us reason together, that ye may understand.โ€
Ultimately, we came to some conclusions that everyone agreed with, and then noted some appropriate actions that they had to follow through on.
Russell M Ballard said that he has maintained all his adult life, (stemming from his background in business,) that โ€œif you want to improve something, youโ€™ve got to counsel about it.โ€
What do you counsel about?

The List

Preparing to go shopping this morning, Monic asked โ€œHave you seen the shopping list?โ€
โ€œNoโ€ I responded.
โ€œWould you mind going to look for it in the car, I think I may have left it in my jacket?โ€ โ€“ she said.
Off I went.
I checked in the car and looked in her jacket pockets.
โ€œNothing thereโ€ I remarked.
โ€œIt may be upstairsโ€ said Monic, and off she went.
Then I stated, โ€œIโ€™ll just put the bins out whilst you look.โ€
Off I went out back into the garden pulling two wheelie bins and put them beside all the other bins on the street for collection.
I came back inside via the back door and waited in the living room.
I got distracted by a message on my phone.
Then I waited a while longer.
โ€œWhat a time she is takingโ€ I thought.
The doorbell rang.
โ€œWho can that be so early?โ€ I thought.
I opened the door.
It was Monic!
I was perplexed, I thought she was upstairs!
โ€œWhat are you doing, Iโ€™m waiting in the carโ€ she saidโ€ฆ
We smiled.
Then we laughed.
Actually, we laughed a lot!
“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone, whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdnessโ€“and call it loveโ€“true love.” โ€” Robert Fulgham, American author

Good, Better, Best.

This week, we joined with other European Mission Leaders at a 4-day Seminar in Den Haag, here in the Netherlands.
We counselled collectively together and received inspiring instruction from the Central Europe Area Presidency.
It was wonderful to share many experiences together, including the obligatory visit to Keukenhof!
Personally, it gave me the opportunity to reflect upon all that I have learned as Monic and I have served concertedly in Belgium and the Netherlands for nearly two years.
Through the course of the 4 days, many principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ were discussed.
For a few brief moments we spoke too about โ€œThe Chosenโ€.

The Chosen

For the uninitiated, itโ€™s an enjoyable multi-season television series about Jesus Christ that has been watched by tens of millions, throughout the entire world.
Monic and I have watched all the series and are sure that many reading this post will have done likewise.
However, reflecting upon all that I continue to learn about Jesus Christ, from my perspective I have come to conclude this truism.

Connecting…

Connecting to Jesus Christโ€ฆ
– Through the Chosen is ๐‘ฎ๐’๐’๐’….
– Through the Missionaries is ๐‘ฉ๐’†๐’•๐’•๐’†๐’“.
– Through the Scriptures is ๐‘ฉ๐’†๐’”๐’•.
I love The Chosen and I love our missionaries too.
Both play their part in helping many to understand the three most powerful behavioural words spoken by Jesus Christ, namely โ€œCome Follow Meโ€ โ€“ see Luke 18:22.
I know that as you personally study the scriptures, you will come to know the Saviour and His teachings.
Few things you do will bring greater dividends, as you absorb his words by pondering them, then letting them sink deeply into your heart and applying them into your life.
Spencer W. Kimball emphasized the need to continually read and study the scriptures. He said: ” I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.”
Enjoy The Chosen!
Invite the missionaries to speak with you!
Theyโ€™ll guide you through the scriptures as you accept His personal admonition to โ€œCome Follow Me.โ€
How have the missionaries helped you?

An example of the Believers…

There is never a typical week in missionary work.
And there is also never a dull moment as they Preach the Gospel.
This week was busy, very busy, as more people than ever responded to their message of hope.
From singing in choirs, playing violins, serving cookies, street contacting, knocking doors, reaching out on social media, serving in the community, teaching Dutch or English classes, biking everywhere and occasionally a flying kick, missionaries serve and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ through their actions and service.
They are called to represent Jesus Christ.
Day in, day out, missionaries work tirelessly in their efforts to โ€œInvite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.โ€
The message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses individuals and families.
Their message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that all individuals are part of Godโ€™s family and that families can be united now and in eternity.
We believe that โ€œHappiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.โ€ โ€“ The Family A Proclamation to the World.

Joy in Action

Missionaries are to go โ€œin the power of the ordination wherewith [they have] been ordained, proclaiming glad tidings of great joy, even the everlasting gospelโ€ (Doctrine & Covenants 79:1)
And as the Lordโ€™s representatives, they are to be โ€œan example of the believersโ€ (1 Timothy 4:12).
They honour Christโ€™s name by their actions.
During His mortal ministry, the Saviour โ€œtook upon him the form of a servantโ€ (Philippians 2:7). He went about โ€œdoing goodโ€ (Acts 10:38) and โ€œpreaching the gospelโ€ (Matthew 4:23).
Through their service, they fulfil the two great commandments of loving God and their neighbour (see Matthew 22:36โ€“40).
โ€œTrue Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men. This is the spirit of missionary workโ€ (Gospel Ideals p129).
If youโ€™d like to know more about why they are so happy, I suggest you stop and speak with one of them today.

Forgotten Wedges

I want to share part of a talk given by Spencer W. Kimball in April 1966.
โ€œThere came to my mind an article by Samuel T. Whitman entitled “Forgotten Wedges.”
I had learned to use wedges when I was a lad in Arizona, it being my duty to supply wood for many fires in the big house. May I quote Whitman:

The Iron Wedge

“The ice storm wasn’t generally destructive. True, a few wires came down, and there was a sudden jump in accidents along the highway. Walking out of doors became unpleasant and difficult. It was disagreeable weather, but it was not serious. Normally, the big walnut tree could easily have borne the weight that formed on its spreading limbs. It was the iron wedge in its heart that caused the damage.
“The story of the iron wedge began years ago when the white-haired farmer was a lad on his father’s home- stead. The sawmill had then only recently been moved from the valley, and the settlers were still finding tools and odd pieces of equipment scattered about. . . .
“On this particular day, it was a faller’s wedge; โ€” wide, flat, and heavy, a foot or more long, and splayed from mighty poundings. The path from the south pasture did not pass the wood- shed; and, because he was already late for dinner, the lad laid the wedge . . . between the limbs of the young walnut tree his father had planted near the front gate. He would take the wedge to the shed right after dinner, or sometime when he was going that way.
“He truly meant to, but he never did. It was there between the limbs, a little tight, when he attained his manhood. It was there, now firmly gripped, when he married and took over his father’s farm. It was half grown over on the day the threshing crew ate dinner under the tree. . . . Grown in and healed over, the wedge was still in the tree the winter the ice storm came.
“In the chill silence of that wintry night, with the mist like rain sifting down and freezing where it fell, one of the three major limbs split away from the trunk and crashed to the ground. This so unbalanced the remainder of the top that it, too, split apart and went down. When the storm was over, not a twig of the once proud tree remained.
“Early the next morning, the farmer went out to mourn his loss.
‘Wouldn’t have had that happen for a thousand dollars,’ he said.
‘Prettiest tree in the valley, that was.’
“Then, his eyes caught sight of something in the splintered ruin. ‘The wedge,’ he muttered reproachfully.
‘The wedge I found in the south pasture.’ A glance told him why the tree had fallen. Growing edge-up in the trunk, the wedge had prevented the limb fibers from knitting together as they should.”
๐‘ญ๐’๐’“๐’ˆ๐’๐’•๐’•๐’†๐’ ๐’˜๐’†๐’…๐’ˆ๐’†๐’”!
Hidden weaknesses grown over and invisible, waiting until some winter night to work their ruin.
What better symbolizes the presence and the effect of sin in our lives?
This brings to my memory some verses I heard long years ago entitled:
๐‰๐ข๐ฆ ๐ƒ๐ข๐ž๐ ๐“๐จ๐๐š๐ฒ
Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city which has no end;
Yet, days go by and weeks rush on, And before I know it a year has gone.
And I never see my old friend’s face; For life is a swift and terrible race.
He knows I like him just as well As in the days when I rang his bell
And he rang mine.
We were younger then
And now we are busy tired men โ€”
Tired with playing the foolish game; Tired with trying to make a name;
Tomorrow, I say, I will call on Jim, Just to show I’m thinking of him.
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes;
And the distance between us grows and grows
Around the corner! Yet miles away โ€” Here’s a telegram, sir โ€” “Jim died today!”
And that’s what we get โ€” and deserve
in the end โ€” Around the corner, a vanished friend.
Finally, Iโ€™d like to quote more lines from Whitman:
“Pride, envy, selfishness, dishonesty, intemperance, doubt, secret passions โ€” almost numberless in variety and degree are the wedges of sin. And alas! almost numberless are the men and women who today are allowing sin to grow in the heart wood of their lives.
“The wedge is there. We know it is there. We put it there ourselves one day, when we were hurried and thoughtless. It shouldn’t be there, of course. It is harming the tree. But we are busy so we leave it there; and in time, it grows over and we forget. The years slip swiftly by. Wintertime comes with its storms and ice. The life we prized so much goes down in the unspeakable loss of spiritual disaster. For years after the wedge had grown over, the tree flourished and gave no sign of its inner weakness. Thus it is with sin.โ€
I commend the Spencer W. Kimball talk to you. Why not look it up?
๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž๐๐ ๐ž(๐ฌ) ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐ž๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ž?

He Lives!

Today is ๐‘ฌ๐’‚๐’”๐’•๐’†๐’“ ๐‘ด๐’๐’“๐’๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ.
On that first Easter Morning, the tomb was emptied and we find hope and great peace in the words of the angel “He is not here: for he is ๐’“๐’Š๐’”๐’†๐’, as he said.” (Matt. 28:6).
We commemorate the greatest of all events in the history of mankind — the breaking of the bonds of death by Him who is the eternal Son of the living God.
I cannot remember a time that I did not believe in Jesus Christ.
It seems that the reality of His life, His death, and His resurrection has always been a real part of me.
Raised in Scotland, I was brought up in a home by parents who followed Jesus Christ.
They believed in and regularly shared their testimonies of Him and strived to follow Him – always.
I have always been grateful for that.
In our Missionary Zone Conferences this week, I spoke about Jesus Christ, His Atonement and resurrection and the impact His life has for all mankind.
In the Conferences, I shared one story about my Nana.

Nana’s story

I told them about the funeral service of my Nana, who died at the age of 94, in 1998.
As a young newly called Bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was the first funeral service that I had ever conducted.
I recall that jokingly, Nana would often say, that when the time came, she wanted me to conduct her service – and so it was.
At her funeral service, I shared a letter she sent me whilst I served as a missionary in London in 1984.
In it, Nana refers to her own belief…
“God will bless you son, for taking his word to many. I always feel so very sorry for those who do not believe, they miss so very much and in this world. He is the only one we can hold on to…. I still love my Lord and know He is always with me to bless and guide me. To me He is everything and I know He is to you also. May He bless and keep you safe till I see you again.”

The Ultimate Question

Job asked the ultimate question โ€œIf a man die, shall he live again?โ€ (Job 14:14)
Like so many others, I believe the answer to Jobโ€™s question is a resounding YES!
Some in the Christian world doubt the reality of a universal resurrection, however Latter-day Saints believe and declare that Jesus was resurrected to a tangible, glorified body of flesh and bones (see Luke 24:3 and 3 Nephi 11:1-15). And because of Him, and his victory over the grave, all mankind have the promise of our own resurrection.
Because of what happened in the tomb that first Easter morning, one day all of us will arise from our graves. The we will set aside our own burial clothes, just as Christ did and be reunited with family and friends who have already passed through the gateway we call death. It will be a happy and glorious
reunion.
I know that Jesus Christ is the living witness, that this is so and so can you too.

Good Friday

Today is ๐†๐จ๐จ๐ ๐…๐ซ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ.
Christians all over the world remember this day as one of immense suffering for our Saviour.
Last night, two millennia ago, He suffered great pains in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Who can fail to remember His agony.
Speaking of Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane, Luke wrote…
“And he… kneeled down, and prayed,” saying Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. ” And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. ” And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ” (Luke 22:41-44.)

Challenges

Quentin L. Cook said; โ€œIf the grim realities you are facing at this time seem dark and heavy and almost unbearable, remember that in the soul-wrenching darkness of Gethsemane and the incomprehensible torture and pain of Calvary, the Saviour accomplished the Atonement, which resolves the most terrible burdens that can occur in this life. He did it for you, and He did it for me. He did it because He loves us and because He obeys and loves His Father. We will be rescued from death — even from the depths of the sea.โ€
From Gethsemane, to the cross, and then the tomb, He rose triumphant, bringing life and hope to all of us.
In our Missionary Zone Conferences this week, I spoke about Jesus Christ, His Atonement and resurrection and the impact His life has for all mankind.
Sometimes, we may feel that He has forgotten us, yet He testifies… “Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee… Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.โ€ โ€“ see Isaiah 49:15-16.
Upon His hands, are engraven our sins, our pains and all our afflictions, and if we come unto Him, I promise, that each of us will feel of his redeeming love and heal us.
Through repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you can feel the joy of forgiveness of His redeeming love, always and forever, just like Emma Bair and Janessa Anderson
Why not invite the missionaries over this weekend, and reconsider why the Easter message is so important for you?

He is Risen

Gran to the left.
Nana to the right.
A little 2 year old me, in the middle.
I am so grateful for the many sweet memories.
Death takes loved ones from us.
It has been many years, since both have passed away.
But,… I am comforted to know, that through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, two millennia ago, resurrection is a reality for all of us.
The Apostle Paul said this to the people of Corinth…
โ€œFor I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures; and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the Twelve. After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.โ€ 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
Each recurring Easter is a constant reminder that reinforces this eternal truth, that He lives!
โ€œHe is not here: ๐ก๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž๐ง.โ€ See Matthew 28:6.
Because our Redeemer lives so shall we.
I know that He lives. And you can know too.
I look forward to a happy reunion, with Gran, Nana, Dad, Jack, Joyce, Ronnie, Violet and the many other beloved relatives and dear friends who have already passed through the gateway we call death.
Why is the existence of a resurrected God so important to all of mankind?