Lost Voice

I recently, for the first time in my life, lost my voice. I was only able to whisper or speak quietly for a brief period. Economy of words became critical. I was gathered in an informal setting with a group of like-minded men, most of whom I was meeting for the first time. I was excited to get to know them, but losing my voice greatly hindered that and proved a real disappointment many times when I had something to say.

The Lord saw fit for me to spend the majority of the time in silence. While frustrating, it proved a blessing and the Spirit taught me many lessons. I desire to share one of them.

Speech and words are how we shape the world around us, including the people we interact with. Our words impact and mold the people who hear us and lives are changed. In the first lecture on faith, v. 22, it says that "God spoke, chaos heard, and worlds came into order ... so with man also- He spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lion's mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion." 

The Egyptians originally used the word Heka to describe divine power, as held by the gods and sometimes given to man to assist in maintaining the cosmic order. Interestingly, the hieroglyph for this word is two arms raised to the square. Hu is "authoritative utterance," or, using the correct words according to the will of God. When Hu is given to man he becomes, literally translated, "true-of-voice" often translated as "vindicated," as in, God will vindicate the words of that man. 

When Nephi was given the sealing power he was told by God, "all things shall be done according to thy word ... if ye shall say unto this temple be rent in twain, it shall be done. And if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou cast down and become smooth it shall be done. If ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass" (see LDS Helaman 10). Moroni tells us that the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin "remove" and it was removed (see LDS Ether 12 for many more examples). 

As a people, we must understand that "when a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force: it is by words instead of exerting his physical powers, with which every being works when he works by faith - God said let there be light, and there was light- Joshua spake and the great light God had created stood still- Elijah commanded and the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months so that it did not rain- all this was done by faith and the Savior says if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, say to this mountain remove and it will remove or say to that sycamore tree Be ye plucked up and planted in the midst of the sea and it shall obey you. Faith then works by words and with these its mightiest works have been and will be performed" (Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7:3). 

We need to have this language and these words. Words, the Word, is how God became creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. With our words, we can create a precious people around us, by how we speak to each other, what we say, how we share our hearts in words.  

At the end of this weekend of silence, on my drive home, the Lord conversed with me for the duration of the journey and everything He said made me feel precious to Him. Even when He admonished me His love was so great, His intent so pure, I could only rejoice in gratitude. It was impossible to take offense. When course correcting me He spoke kindly; He never demeaned, derided, mocked, ridiculed, or belittled me. There were no sarcastic, passive aggressive jabs. He spoke plainly to my understanding. His voice was charity and my heart burned within me. He only spoke the truth, and rooted His words in the scriptures. 

By how He spoke to me, I felt like the most precious creation ever made by His hands. Yet I know this is His love for all mankind (see T&C 161). 

With our words, we can make (create) precious people. 

There are many lessons to learn from His example. 

Accuser

We have learned: "Satan is a title, and means accuser, opponent and adversary; hence once he fell, Lucifer became, or in other words was called, Satan, because he accuses others and opposes the Father."

A day will come when, standing before the Father, Lucifer will strive to bar your upward progression by accusing you of sin and (correctly) demanding justice be done. Lucifer will stir those up who have a just cause against you, to also stand before the Father and accuse you. He will bring witnesses and records, proving all the sordid details of your transgressions. 

"This man took my life and robbed me the days of my probation..." "This man stole from me..." "This man lied to me... cheated me... dug a pit for me..." "This man, on this day, did this thing..." and so on.

There are several items worth pondering.

If no one justly accuses you, despite your transgressions against them, then Lucifer's case against you becomes near extinct. He is a prosecutor without cause. Christ's blood satisfies the remaining demands of Justice for the penitent and the plan of mercy is brought about for them. Lucifer becomes powerless. It will be a glorious day for the righteous. Alma's counsel to his son Corianton is an excellent meditation on this subject. 

So there are two things we should strive for. First, cause no offense against your brother that provokes him to rightfully accuse you. Second, do not accuse others. Frankly forgive them. The standard by which we do that will be the same by which the great Judge will hold us. We will come forward and stand before Him to acknowledge all His judgments are just. 

Christ as the Mediator and Advocate does the opposite of accuse. He will plead our cause, saying, "Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified. Wherefore Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life." 

There will be others who will come forward as well, to advocate on our behalf. They will bear witness of what we did for them, the widow, the beggar, the weary, the downtrodden, the friend, the forgiven enemy, who will testify of our deeds. Some will do this even though all we did was offend or hurt them. Some will plead for us simply because they love us. The righteous spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend has great power of persuasion with the Lord's kind heart. 

Joseph Smith said, "if you do not accuse each other God will not accuse you. If you have no accuser you will enter heaven ... If you will not accuse me, I will not accuse you. If you will throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours- for charity covereth a multitude of sins." 

(see p. 20 History, 1838-1856, Volume C-1 Addenda of the Joseph Smith papers)

Today in our hearts and at that future great day of the Lord, we can Accuse or we can Advocate. 

I hope that Christ will present the best possible case for me, with all the energy of His heart, pleading on my behalf. How then ought I to pray for others, how ought I to treat them?

What manner of men ought we to be? What title do we want to bear? 

Traveling on the road

I was recently traveling on the road, returning home after a trip, during the first hour of a new day. The highways were quiet and peaceful as most of the world slept around me. The road passed silently as the miles went by. As my journey commenced, the Lord visited me and we conversed through the veil. We spoke for a little over an hour. He unfolded great things, and multiple times I was stunned silent at the profundity of His teachings, while other times I could not restrain my exclamations of wonder and joy.  

He spoke to me as one man speaks to another, in plain humility, not only using my words and language, but my expressions and colloquialisms. He made me laugh for joy and smile many times. When He reproved and corrected me it was done with such love, gentleness, and kindness as to make my soul rejoice.

His condescension to do this was a great, but very willing, sacrifice- the purpose not so that He would dwell at my level but lead me to come to His.

It was the most desirable experience of my life. His company was so pleasing. Just being in His presence is transformative, life changing. All desires and longing are for Him, all else is but filth and dross.

Defending Zion

Several years ago I was a newly minted, combat ready fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Just after receiving this honor, my fighter squadron, along with many other combat squadrons, went to Nellis Air Force Base outside Las Vegas, Nevada for a massive air war exercise called Red Flag, which puts close to a hundred airplanes in the sky for a fight of incredible proportions. 

Red Flag lasts for three weeks, the missions increasingly more difficult as the war goes on, and for an hour  every afternoon or in the middle of the night, the skies over northern Nevada are filled with jets in a dueling dance of modern warfare. 

During the last week of the exercise, I took off as the newest pilot in my formation of four fighters to our side of the sky where a great air armada massed for the fight. Dozens of fighters (F-22, F-35, F-16, F-15E) as well as tankers, bombers, and airborne command and control assets from various squadrons flew racetrack patterns stacked neatly over one another waiting for the radio call that would start the fight, like a football team at the moment just before the ball is snapped. 

The weather forecast was poor, and as we circled I watched the storm building steadily over the mountain range to our south. Finally, the "fight's on!" was transmitted over the radio and we pointed our jets at the numerous enemy fighters waiting for us. I pushed my galloping steed into supersonic speeds and climbed as high as the jet would allow for the initial volley of missiles. I was intent on taking the first shot of the fight and with glee targeted, shot, and turned... right into a massive, building, cumulonimbus tower which ascended twice my height. I radioed my flight lead who turned us away from the storm. I had been so intent on the fight that I hadn't noticed how quickly the storm had developed. 

An emergency broadcast was made on the radio to "knock it off" and return immediately to base because of the weather. My formation rejoined, flying only a few feet from each other, as we tried to navigate around the worst parts of the suddenly dangerous and massive storm. We went in and out of clouds, arcs of lightning over and around us, jumping from cloud to cloud. Several fighters were hit by hail. One of the jets took a piece of hail into a pod with a radioactive element, creating a ground emergency where crews in hazmat suits evacuated the area and quarantined the jet.

Back on the ground, as I sat in my fighter waiting for the crew chief to signal engine shut down, I contemplated on what I had seen. The power and fury of the storm. The varying colors of the clouds, some so dark as to turn the summer Nevada sky from day to night. The blinding flashes of lightning. The suddenness and speed of the clouds that stretched across the horizon and built to altitudes no modern fighter jets can reach. 

Further contemplation made me realize that the most technological and deadly weapons ever built by humans, capable of delivering conventional destruction or nuclear holocaust, equipping the most successful and feared military in the history of man, failed the mission that day, not a single objective achieved. Not only failed, but we were grounded for several days as expensive repairs were made.

God impressed on me that day, and showed me that not only can He defend Zion, it is easy for Him to do so. 

That Moment

Many years ago as I sat pondering in the spirit I was shown a scene. In the scene, I was entering into the rest of the Lord and He embraced me. The feelings of that moment became overwhelming to my mortal frame. The love of God is beyond my capacity to express. As I reflected on the experience, I came to realize that the sum of suffering in this life, every pain, tribulation, and sacrifice, is worth patiently and faithfully enduring just to experience that moment alone, not to mention what awaits in eternity.

His love is the most desirable above all things. It is the most joyous to the soul. 

My Folly

I recently had the opportunity to meet Denver and Stephanie Snuffer for the first time. After eleven years of reading and listening to him, I was finally in the same room. Following his presentation, I stood up to say goodbye and thank him. I went to intercept him before he made the door, but a strong cough encompassed me. It felt like there was something in my throat, and I rushed to a bathroom where I violently heaved out my guts. 

I was bent over, the acidity of the vomit burning my nose and eyes leaving my senses deadened, the foul smell nauseating me, alone with my disappointment and frustration. The experience was completely abnormal to my usual constitution and health.

 

A few nights later I conversed with the Lord through the veil. We spoke for over an hour, and towards the end I asked Him why that had happened. I was reminded that I left the LDS church to separate myself from idolatry and draw closer to God, not man. The real reason I had approached Denver was to present myself to him, to draw closer so he would know me.

The Lord told me, “as a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” 

 

When He told me this I was astonished at what He had done for me, and how simply He had changed my heart. I marveled at the Potter’s hands. My soul could not contain, and I shouted for joy in His name.