Tag Archive for: belief

Speaking Up for Faith

Last week, I spent a couple of days in London on business, attending a book launch, and I also spent some time with a new friend, Celine Brown.

Celine is interning with the Freedom of Religion or Belief Foundation (FoRB), which acts as the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the same topic in Westminster.

Just before Christmas, I joined FoRB as a trustee and have been finding out about projects all around the world where the basic human right of Freedom of Religion or Belief is being challenged, restricted, or actively defended.

Freedom of Religion or Belief is a fundamental human right that protects the conscience of all individuals.

It allows us to think, express, and act upon our deeply held beliefs, whether in private or public settings.

This freedom encompasses the right to change one’s religion or belief and to manifest it through teaching, practice, worship, and observance.

However, globally, this right faces numerous challenges, including governmental restrictions, societal pressures, and acts of intolerance.

International Religious Freedom Summit

A few of my FoRB colleagues attended the International Religious Freedom Summit held in Washington, D.C. this week, where Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasised the importance of compassion in religious freedom advocacy.

He stated, “Protecting religious freedom is a key to peace and stability around the world.”

Elder Soares highlighted that fostering understanding and respect among diverse religious communities is essential for building peaceful societies.

My personal commitment to FoRB stems from a heartfelt belief in the inherent dignity of every individual and the conviction that freedom of belief is essential for human flourishing.

In Galatians 5:13, the Apostle Paul said: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

This scripture highlights the principle that our freedoms are not just for personal benefit but are opportunities to serve and uplift others.

In my role as a trustee, I am dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote religious freedom, understanding, and mutual respect among all people.

By doing so, we can contribute to a more just and harmonious world where everyone’s right to believe, or not to believe, is upheld.

How can you and me, in our daily lives, promote a culture of respect and understanding for religious freedom in our communities and our workplaces?

 

In Harmony

Every Sunday morning, ever since I can remember, I have attended a Sacrament meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Like many other religious denominations, in our communal worship, we sing congregational hymns together.
I have a few favourites that I have grown to love.
The last few years whilst serving in Belgium and the Netherlands, I also learned to sing the hymns in a different language and enjoyed getting my tongue around the more difficult words!

The Results…

In every congregation, there are some who sing very well, some who used to sing quite well, and others who have yet to find their singing voices! ๐Ÿ˜‰
Sometimes the result of our communal singing together is pleasing to the ear and on other occasions it can be less so!
All are welcome to join in regardless of their singing ability.
Expressing our individuality is accepted by all.
In our congregational singing, each of us joins our voices and hearts and souls with no regard to elegance, exactness or talent, unitedly strengthening our combined faith in God.
I have many memories of disharmonious moments, including times when Iโ€™ve been way off key!
Yet, occasionally, when we make a concerted effort to sing together in real harmony, our joined voices create a sacred atmosphere that helps us all to feel closer to God.
โ€œ๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’“๐’Ž๐’๐’๐’šโ€ is the pleasant combination of different notes of music played at the same time.
Over the years, Iโ€™ve found that singing hymns together offers an opportunity to strengthen that harmony, both musically and spiritually, aligning our voices and hearts with the purpose of worshiping God and reinforcing gospel principles.
Singing hymns together is a form of participation that transcends our spoken languages, bringing people of different backgrounds and experiences into harmonyโ€”literally and figuratively.

Our Beliefs

As we sing, we are reminded of our shared beliefs and values, united in song from the youngest to the oldest.
The powerful messages of the words also reinforce bonds of friendship and foster a sense of belonging.
This unity creates an environment where we all feel supported and spiritually connected.
Even scripture underscores the importance of singing praises as a form of worship.
For instance, in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12, the Lord declares, โ€œFor my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.โ€
It is a wonderful feeling to be in harmony with others.
What creates harmony for you?

God-incidence

For those of us who have put our faith and trust in God, there seems to be a lot of “coincidences.”
I believe that God puts people in our way for a reason and He was at work again this week, with my dear friend Derek.
We were talking about recognising โ€œhand of the Lordโ€ moments in our life, when he introduced me to the term “๐‘ฎ๐’๐’…-๐’Š๐’๐’„๐’Š๐’…๐’†๐’๐’„๐’†.”
It was the very first time I’d heard such a phrase.
“๐†๐จ๐-๐ข๐ง๐œ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž” – A happening exceeding happenstance.
The hand of the Lord, divine design, divine signatures, divine appointment, divinely orchestrated, providential coincidences, or evenโ€ฆ strikingly juxtaposed events!
I encourage you to reflect on the sheer โ€˜coincidencesโ€™ in your life.
Could they be โ€˜God-incidences?

You decide!

Does any of this sound familiar?
โ€œThat is simply not possible.โ€
โ€œWasnโ€™t that just perfect timing?โ€
โ€œAnd you just happened to be in the right place at the right time.โ€
โ€œI couldnโ€™t have planned that better if Iโ€™d tried.โ€
โ€œIt just so happened that in that momentโ€ฆโ€
God doesnโ€™t work by coincidence.
I believe in God-incidence.
And this is not a faith specific phenomenon.
It occurs in all faiths and beliefs.
And yet, it baffles believers and sceptics alike.
I also believe all things are crafted by God โ€” including time.
He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent!
Nothing is random with Him.
If you are devoted to Jesus Christ, I am sure youโ€™ll notice God-incidence, yet many will argue simply human coincidence.
However, I know that Jesus Christ is a loving God and He has intentional plans for each of us.
โ€œThe steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.โ€ – Psalms 37:23
Let’s expect Him to be at work, in our day, every day!
Look very carefully at your own life today.
Watch and see those God-incidences unfoldโ€ฆ

My Witness

Throughout my life, I have witnessed many physical events that have changed the world.
I can sign up and say I’ve seen them all.
On July 13th, 1985, The Live Aid concerts held in London and Philadelphia, that were broadcast to the world, raised $125 million dollars in relief aid to famine-stricken eastern Africa.
A few months later on January 28th, 1986, just over a minute after lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre, the space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all seven crew members.
On November 9th, 1989, as the Cold War began to ease, the destruction of the wall in Berlin that led to millions of people celebrating in the streets across the world.
1994 โ€“ Nelson Mandela elected President of South Africa.
1997 โ€“ Princess Diana dies in car crash
2001 โ€“ 9/11
2004 – Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
2008 โ€“ the Great Recession and financial crisis
2020 โ€“ the Covid-19 Pandemic
2022 โ€“ the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Personal Events

I have also witnessed many personal events.
Graduating from University, getting married, the birth of our children, the death of my gran, my nana, my father and father-in-law and a host of others.
I testify that I have witnessed all of these in my lifetime.
There is, however, a spiritual witness that is more than a singular event.
It has been a constant throughout my life.
Between 1983 and 1985, as an 18-year-old, I served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in London.
It was there, acting in faith, in my studies, prayers and service that I received a witness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Twenty centuries ago, the gospel of Jesus Christ turned the world upside down.
Through the great apostasy that true gospel was lost for generations.

Changes

It was in my teenage years, that my witness of and faith in Jesus Christ was impressed upon my mind, which changed my life and gave me great hope, in a battered and troubled world.
I testify, He has made a difference for me, and He will make all the difference for you.
Like so many other Christians today, I refuse to be silent.
My signature if you will, has been added to millions of others.
Jesus Christ will never give up pursuing or loving you.
I witness that He is the only way to find real joy.
Events continue to happen in an ever-changing world, but let me assure you, there is a divine work in progress.
I invite you to come unto Christ, let Him change your world.

The Road to 200…

โ€œCan it be done?โ€ asked the missionary.
โ€œThatโ€™s a stretchโ€ was the reply.
Nevertheless, the goal was set.

Finding

Every week, finding new people with which to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is a challenge.

Missionary work is finding people, teaching them and helping them to come unto Christ.

Since 2017 in Belgium and the Netherlands non-religious people have been in the majority.

Indeed, recent censuses show that those following no religious belief is increasing.

Its tough out there!
And yet we try.
Our previous best, 10% shy of the new goal, was achieved with a seasoned group of experienced missionaries.
Things change, our mission is now made up of youthful inexperience, yet aflame with a fire of faith.

Impossible?

The scriptures are replete with examples where the Lord employs the unlikely to achieve the impossible.
Could it happen again?
โ€œAnd he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.โ€ โ€“ Luke 18:27
Faith is a principle of action and power.
I know that struggles yield learning and growth.

Momentum

And so, with obedience, prayer, inner belief and frankly, a lot of effort, the missionaries went to work, with all their heart, might, mind and strength.
Momentum started to build.
Hour by hour, day by day, miracles happened.
One by one, clutching a Book of Mormon, missionaries spoke with everyone they met.
Hereโ€™s just one example.
By mid-week, I received a message from Kate, Emily, Anna and Grace.
Theyโ€™d been working their socks off all day in Amsterdam and online.
The result, that day, they found 32 people themselves.
By Friday afternoon the mission goal was done.
By this morning, it was completely smashed.
A remarkable week! How could that happen?
President Russell M. Nelson taught that as we increase our faith in Jesus Christ, focus on eternity and build our strength and courage in Him, miracles happen as we acknowledge the Hand of the Lord.
And they did!
How have you seen the hand of the Lord in your life?

People May Wonder

– What is the purpose of life?
– Where did I come from?
– Is there a God who cares about me?
– How can I feel that He cares?
– How can I believe in God when so many bad things happen?
– Why is life so hard sometimes?
– How can I find strength during these times?
– How can I become a better person?
– What happens after I die?
๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’—๐’† ๐’š๐’๐’– ๐’†๐’—๐’†๐’“ ๐’˜๐’๐’๐’…๐’†๐’“๐’†๐’…?
All of these questions and more are answered in the second lesson taught by our missionaries in “Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation”
Why not speak to one of the many missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, today.
Answers are only a conversation away.

Work in Progress

Are you satisfied with where you are now?
Preparing for the day ahead, it struck me that Iโ€™m a work in progress.
Later this morning, Iโ€™ll be working with missionaries to help each one of them to become a better missionaryโ€ฆ I guess, a few, like me who are also, a work in progress.
Deep down I think we may all see ourselves as a work in progress, whether we admit it to ourselves or not.
Isn’t each of us a work in progress in the hands of God?
Progress means moving forward even when we encounter difficulty along the way.
Iโ€™m allowing myself to be a work in progress.
And you can, too.
How are you a work in progress?

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.

The Master Puzzler

“Iโ€™ve seen a lot of posts lately about the church, why people stay, why they shouldnโ€™t stay, church doctrine vs. church policy, the list goes on & on.
I heard a powerful analogy at church today that I want to share here for myself to look back on, and also for those who may need to hear it.

The Analogy…

The analogy, or parable if you will, was to think of the gospel, the church, Godโ€™s plan or even just LIFE, like a puzzle. When you start a puzzle, you start with what you know. You work on the outside pieces, pieces with clear edges, pieces you are confident belong.
As the puzzle continues, you may run into various pieces that donโ€™t seem to belong, that fit weird, or donโ€™t make sense. But you donโ€™t throw out the entire puzzle just because you canโ€™t figure out where that piece goes. You know thereโ€™s a bigger picture coming into place. You set aside that puzzle piece and keep working at the rest of the puzzle. Eventually, the picture will become more and more clear and it will be obvious where that seemingly unimportant, or incorrect piece goes. Youโ€™ll be glad you didnโ€™t give up or throw that piece out because youโ€™ll see the bigger picture.
There are many things I donโ€™t have the answers to, but I know that God is the master puzzler, if you will, and every piece of this life; the gospel; and his plan is there for a reason. (1 Nephi 11:17โค๏ธ) Even if we canโ€™t see where it fits now, donโ€™t let what you donโ€™t know or understand stop you from what you do. Keep doing the puzzle. Keep all the pieces in sight until you know where they go. I have a feeling itโ€™s going to be worth it. ๐Ÿค ”ย  ย  – From a social media post by Emma Hixson

Why not religion?

Why not Religion?
As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks taught: โ€œ[Religion] remains the most powerful community builder the world has known. โ€ฆ Religion is the best antidote to the individualism of the consumer age. The idea that society can do without it flies in the face of history.โ€
Nearly 2 years ago, we received an unexpected call from church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Subsequently, we were asked to preside over one of the 411 missions of the church.
In time we were assigned to the Belgium Netherlands Mission, serving here June 2021 โ€“ July 2024.
Our lifeโ€™s have changed.
It is a voluntary assignment.
So โ€“ why did we accept the call?
It was a moment that really mattered โ€“ it was a day of determination.
Simply stated, Jesus Christ is the reason.
Itโ€™s also because of a strong conviction of the truth of this work and I choose to let my faith show.
That said, the subject of religion can be touchy, especially where we live now!
Religious views are a deeply personal and even sacred thing.

Religion should be three things:

Firstly, it should provide answers to basic questions that the sincerest human beings ultimately come around to, namely what is our purpose in life…?
โ€ข Where did we come from?
โ€ข Why are we here?
โ€ข Where are we going after this life is over.
True religion should offer answers to our minds that our hearts can respond to.
Secondly, it should provide a way for us to live and find happiness not only here on earth but also in the life to come.
Thirdly, it must provide a way to provide a confirming witness that the religion is true, which in turn motivates and encourages you to live that way.
Like millions of others, Iโ€™ve found that through the Book of Mormon.
As Neal A. Maxwell once said, โ€œDo not dare to read the Book of Mormon seriously, or you may suddenly realize that it is inlaid with incredibly important insights from a millennium of sacred history.โ€
Answering those three things and choosing to live my religion, motivates me every day.
If you are serious – it will answer all your questions too.
How can faith & religion help you in your life?