Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
To me, this scripture is another way of saying you get what you want. And wanting is an action. I always used to think it meant that what I ask for in my prayers will be given to me. That hasn't really been the case, unless those things are also what I strive for day by day. Praying for these things, it seems, has been more of a reflection on what I'm already seeking, rather than being the key to obtaining what I desire.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Gospel Perceptions
Henry Eyring speaking of science: "There is, of course, no conflict in the gospel since it embraces all truth. Undoubtedly, however, science is continually challenging us to think through again our conceptions of the gospel." I really like this quote.
An issue that I've been questioning lately is how people at church actually know what they say they know. To be honest, unless you're a prophet or extremely spiritually blessed we don't really know all the things we say we know. We believe in them. We use our faith. For example, I do not know that I existed before I was born. That doesn't mean I don't believe it. I do believe it. I just don't know it. Of course the Holy Spirit can confirm truth and strengthen our conviction, but that still leaves us short of actual knowledge. We must live by faith.
How does this tie into Henry Eyring's quote? I feel that just as people had gospel perceptions of the earth's creation or evolution or similar subjects that have been essentially disproven by science, so we still do have gospel perceptions that are likely far from the truth. These conceptions are based on truth, just as the old conception of the creation, but have been molded significantly by cultural and social pressures, even into something that is untrue. Science didn't change the gospel; it only changed our perception of the gospel. Truth is still truth. I believe as we grow in experience our own conceptions of the gospel will change and we will be able to reflect on which "truths" are a product of our environment and which truths are precisely that: true.
My thoughts on this subject are incomplete. I would love to hear your opinion. If you read this, please tell me, what do you think?
An issue that I've been questioning lately is how people at church actually know what they say they know. To be honest, unless you're a prophet or extremely spiritually blessed we don't really know all the things we say we know. We believe in them. We use our faith. For example, I do not know that I existed before I was born. That doesn't mean I don't believe it. I do believe it. I just don't know it. Of course the Holy Spirit can confirm truth and strengthen our conviction, but that still leaves us short of actual knowledge. We must live by faith.
How does this tie into Henry Eyring's quote? I feel that just as people had gospel perceptions of the earth's creation or evolution or similar subjects that have been essentially disproven by science, so we still do have gospel perceptions that are likely far from the truth. These conceptions are based on truth, just as the old conception of the creation, but have been molded significantly by cultural and social pressures, even into something that is untrue. Science didn't change the gospel; it only changed our perception of the gospel. Truth is still truth. I believe as we grow in experience our own conceptions of the gospel will change and we will be able to reflect on which "truths" are a product of our environment and which truths are precisely that: true.
My thoughts on this subject are incomplete. I would love to hear your opinion. If you read this, please tell me, what do you think?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
I'm an Explorer
As I've followed the running schedule I've set up for myself, I find myself not knowing exactly where to go. This past week I started running towards the mountains, Maple Mountain to be precise, and found a little trail leading into the "foothills". I ran up and down and all around a system of paved trails. At times I was forced to slow to a walk to carefully navigate a steep descent. My trips into unknown trails, I realized, made the running a whole lot more fun.
This isn't the first time I've wandered as I jog. One time I started jogging up rock canyon, and I didn't stop until I got to the top of the trail, discovered the rock canyon campground, and followed a dirt road for at least a mile until it went no further. When I started running that day I had no intention of ending up in the woods. But as I started going up rock canyon, I pushed myself to keep going further, and a little further, and a little further. Each minute there was another sight to see, another "novidade." Like that Pocahontas song, "Just around the river bend." I just had to keep going.
After thinking about this the other day, it came to me: I'm an explorer! When I run, I like to do more than run. I like to explore my neighborhood and all the other ones too. I rarely run the same route. Hiking is one of my favorite activities, and it's not because I want to conquer another mountain. It's because I want to see another sight and enjoy another view. I explore nature. Rarely do I repeat a hike I've done before. Traveling is an activity I wish I could do more often. And while I enjoy the major landmarks and tourist attractions, what I really enjoy about traveling is exploring the city and discovering its residents in their daily activities, such as riding a city bus in San Francisco or hanging out in a city square in Rio de Janeiro. I explore their culture. There is so much to be seen and experimented in this world. Discovering more of the vast unknown is what intrigues me. I'm an Explorer.
This isn't the first time I've wandered as I jog. One time I started jogging up rock canyon, and I didn't stop until I got to the top of the trail, discovered the rock canyon campground, and followed a dirt road for at least a mile until it went no further. When I started running that day I had no intention of ending up in the woods. But as I started going up rock canyon, I pushed myself to keep going further, and a little further, and a little further. Each minute there was another sight to see, another "novidade." Like that Pocahontas song, "Just around the river bend." I just had to keep going.
After thinking about this the other day, it came to me: I'm an explorer! When I run, I like to do more than run. I like to explore my neighborhood and all the other ones too. I rarely run the same route. Hiking is one of my favorite activities, and it's not because I want to conquer another mountain. It's because I want to see another sight and enjoy another view. I explore nature. Rarely do I repeat a hike I've done before. Traveling is an activity I wish I could do more often. And while I enjoy the major landmarks and tourist attractions, what I really enjoy about traveling is exploring the city and discovering its residents in their daily activities, such as riding a city bus in San Francisco or hanging out in a city square in Rio de Janeiro. I explore their culture. There is so much to be seen and experimented in this world. Discovering more of the vast unknown is what intrigues me. I'm an Explorer.
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